441

[Greenhorn]

Just about to pull the trigger and buy one. Any happy 441 owners out there?
We dont have a husky dealer around so not too many options.

[squisher]

Have you considered the 460? I don't have a 441 but haven't heard much good about it.

I am very happy with my 361 and my 46's.

[MasterBlaster]

I would get a 44 or a 46.

Don't the homeowner saws end in an odd number?

[Greenhorn]

Yeah, sales guy said the 441 was almost as good and I somewhat trust him. But trust you guys more.

Just need a decent bit more muscle than the 361 for dicing up the larger crotches on occasion.

Tempted to get a 66, then I would never need to get anything bigger but probably overkill.

[MasterBlaster]

Heck, get the 66! :rockon:

[Greenhorn]

think it used to be like that MB

[lumberjack]

Not any more, homeowner saws typically have an odd number in the middle. The 441 is the 440 of the future, same as the 361 is to the 036/360.

I still like the 460 over the 440/044's though.

[MasterBlaster]

Only a pound heavier.

[stig]

I have both the 460 and the 660 and have logged with them for years. Now Stihl has discontinued the 460 in Scandinavia or maybe all of Europe, for all I know. I wore a black armband for a week after hearing that.
This new year I bought a 441, and I love it. It is the most vibrationfree saw I have ever owned, Great torque even at lower rpms and the new turboclean airfiltration system, that Stihl stole from Jonsered works fantastic.... in 3 months of solid logging, I have only cleaned the airfilter twice. Get one, You won't regret it.

[Tom_Scheller]

I like mine. Comparing it to a 372, 044, 440 it's heavier, but smoother. It does use noticeably less gas than a 460.

[JIML]

for the money, get a 460... 441 is a turd in comparison...

[wiley_p]

440's are no more, rumor is 460's will be a thing of the past as well. the 441 isn't the same saw as the 044/440, Its a good saw and in a few years most folks will never have known what it was like to cut with a 44. if you want a good saw that will do better in hardwood get the 460, I would buy two. I'm getting another one next month.:evil:

[fishhuntcutwood]

Yeah Butch, the old rules of Stihl numbering don't hold anymore.

If you want the 440 (if you can find one in a store somehwere) 460 or 660, get them now. They'll be gone in a year or two, in favor the new 441 design on all of those motors-461/661 on the way.

It's the newer, cleaner, quieter, smoother running saws.....note I didn't say "better." They are good and well-designed, but the older free-breathing saws are hard to beat.

Dave said in a few years people won't even know what it was like to run a 440. He's right. Hell even within the 044 to 440 there were significant differences. The original 044 ran like a raped ape compared to the choked down 440 of later years.

[Reddog]

I have a 441.
I like it better than the 046 I have and the 440.

Burns less fuel the oiler is the same as a 460. So it oils better than the 440.
And the new anti vib works great. And the filter stays clean for weeks not days or day like the old saws.

But if you want a old one buy it now they will be all be changed by 2010 according to my dealer.

[fishhuntcutwood]

Hmmm....same oiler as the 460....that's cool.

[Reddog]

The nice thing with the 460 oiler is you can go to the high output 460 if you need to. But on the 441 I run a 28" bar and have not seen a need for more oil.

[stig]

for the money, get a 460... 441 is a turd in comparison...

What du you base that on? I own one of both, and so far i haven't noticed any turdiness when I compare them.

[squisher]

I don't know about a comparison as I don't have a 441 but the 460/046 is a bulletproof saw I can attest to that, when they come to an end I'll definetly be picking up another one or two.

[sotc]

turdiness

:lol::lol: hahahahaha

[Old Monkey]

I don't have a 441 but it was my impression that it was a good saw. I wouldn't hesitate to buy one.

[JohnB]

I went to a stihl dealer about 3 hours away to buy his last 440 yesterday. And I'm sure glad I did. Although he said the 441 might be the best saw ever made as he said "the perfect saw"

[Banned by Squirrels]

If you have the money for the 660, get it.

You can always get a couple of different length bars for it if you get tired of running the 36" alla the time.

[MasterBlaster]

I keep a 28 on mine.

[stehansen]

I have a 32" on my 660 and it will go through wood lickity split.

[will]

I use a 46 every day and i love it!

[brendonv]

I use a 46 every day and i love it!

Ditto, 460 here. It has handled everything I have thrown at it so far. This is my only saw minus the 200t. It's even ran a 32" bar for some 4'DBH Box Elder. Gotta do whatcha gotta do:).

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c351/Brendonv/Vanderbilt01036.jpg

[Greenhorn]

big weight difference between 460 and 660? seems its b/t those two now.

[Greenhorn]

am also considering the Echo CS8000 just because this saw wont get the use my 361 and 200's get. But I stihl hate echo.

[lumberjack]

About two pounds. I'd get the 460.

Presently mine 66 is wearing a 28" bar although for the longest time it had a 20".

[Skwerl]

Skip the Echo and get a real saw. If you can't afford the Stihl then at least get a Husky or J-Red. The 372 (2171 in Red) is one of the best saws ever made and they are also ending production soon. Or the 395 if you want something comparable to the 660 in size and power.

[Ax-Man]

I have not heard any bad feedback from the new 441. Considering buying one myself.

If the 441 is anything like the 361 then I would go for it. If the 441 has the same anti-vibs like the 361 that feature alone would make me buy the saw. It will be a smooth operating saw and easier on your hands which is a big plus to me these days.

If the air filtration is as good as what has been previously posted that is another good reason to buy a 441. That is my biggest complaint about Sthil saws. They work great, just the way you would like a saw to perform but as soon that air filter gets a little plugged they get fiesty and tempermental. Mostly they get a little harder to start. Gets a little annoying when your trying to get a job done and it is a getting on toward the end of the day and you want to get finished up, get paid and go home. An easy starting saw with a decomp valve is always going to be my best friend.

Those 46's and 66's have been around a long time. If your not quite happy with the 441 you could always pick up a good used 66 or 46.

[arborworks1]

I'm very mpressed with the 441. The anti vibe reduces almost all pain and stress related with running saws for long periods of time.

The fuel efficent design will more than pay for the saw in the long run.

Last week I ran the 441 for three days straight felling and bucking dead bone dry oaks, The air filter had a small amount of dust on it, when i cleaned it.

I'm very impressed with the saw, it seems to get stronger the more i run it.

[Tom_Scheller]

I'm very mpressed with the 441. The anti vibe reduces almost all pain and stress related with running saws for long periods of time.

The fuel efficent design will more than pay for the saw in the long run.


That's what I'm saying. Any weight penalty compared to a 372 or 440 is more than made up for by the smoothiness. It is (to me) far less fatiguing. Any power penalty compared to a 460 is made up for by the MPG. Of course YMMV.

TS

[inztrees]

Im not liking them we have 2. the power is ok but they are unreliable. the are both the same age and when one goes to the shop the other goes not long after for the same thing

[Tom_Scheller]

Im not liking them we have 2. the power is ok but they are unreliable. the are both the same age and when one goes to the shop the other goes not long after for the same thing

What problems? Maybe I can head them off before they start.

TS

[Al Smith]

I've never ran one so my info is second hand from those who have .From conversations it appears to be a very smooth running saw but lacks a little in the power department .Most likely not enough though to really be detrimental .

This was the saw they used for the stock saw competition at Charden Ohio last weekend . Cutting 8 by 8's it was not all that impressive but real world situations would likely prove differently . I've never seen an 8 by 8 growing in the woods .:)

[Greenhorn]

shoulda had a poll, its seems 50/50!

[GASoline71]

This is not inherent to just Stihl... All the manufacturers are struggling with the strict new EPA stuff... You guys can expect all new saws to start being a shadow of their former selves very soon...

Which truly sucks... :(

So hold on to them older models while you can...

Gary

[olyman]

So hold on to them older models while you can...

Gary[/QUOTE]
yup. FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Al Smith]

So hold on to them older models while you can...

Gary A Ha Ha,I'm already a leg up on that .;)

[Greenhorn]

picking up a barely used 360 for 300 bucks tonight, will still get a big un soon but couldnt pass up this one.

[Burnham]

I have not used a 441 myself, but one of the contract pre-commercial thinning crews I had under contract last year ran 440's exclusively for years, then last year put 4 new 441's in the rotation...I'm talking a 12 man crew. Of course, any sawyer wants to try the new saw, so the foreman doled the 441's out to his 4 top performers. Within half a day, they had all demanded the 440's back, and the bottom 4 sawyers on the crew were "stuck" with them. The weight is higher than the 440 and the HP numbers are lower. Worse, within two weeks, 2 of the 4 new 441's had overheated and were back at the Stihl dealership getting re-built or replaced under warrantee.

I love the anti-vibe on my own 361, and I bet the 441 is a nice saw to run, but I'm not sure I'd go with a 441 myself.

For what it's worth, there is absolutely nothing that is as hard on a chainsaw as PCT work...nothing. Perhaps under less demanding conditions, the overheating may not be so much of an issue. Or if you do a decent muffler mod to help the heat get away.

[MasterBlaster]

How are you online so late, B?

[Skwerl]

Burnham, I think you're dead on with the heat/ muffler modding suggestion. And that will be a factor on ALL new saws. My newest Husky 346XP has a catalytic converter muffler, for Pete's sake! It ran scary hot when I first got it, so hot that the factory put heat reflecting tape on the bottom of the front hand guard (chain brake lever). I was afraid to really use it more than 10 minutes before draining it, boxing it up and shipping it off to get modded. No way in Hell would that saw hold up in stock form.

[Burnham]

How are you online so late, B?

Testing a new dialup account for my FS laptop at home. The darn thing gets tossed off the hookup every 20 or 30 minutes for some stupid reason. It's for use when I am in travel status and don't have wireless or cable internet access. I won't be using it often from home, but will try it out some this week I guess. My usual pattern will continue after that, for the most part...:).

[MasterBlaster]

I knew something was up!

[Burnham]

You know me well, bro :D.

[squisher]

I started out in the bush treespacing(thinning). Tough work and tough on saws for sure.

It was just supposed to be for a summer, but one thing lead to another and never ever did make it back into any kind of schooling.

[inztrees]

did you guys say that a 361 mufflater will work on a 441

[Burnham]

did you guys say that a 361 mufflater will work on a 441

Ummm...I didn't, for I surely don't know. Kinda a moot point, it's not like the stock 361 muffler is some high flow special job. They both need to be modded.

[Al Smith]

I have seen many a saw that has been ran hard with the entire muffler intact.Most of them have had the front of the pistons cooked .

You don't neccessarily have to gut the muffler but an extra hole certainly does help . Then too ,more than likely this would void the warentee on a new saw .

That engine has to be able to breathe if it is to run properly. Being a 2 cycle,it can't get in if it can't get out .

[wiley_p]

For what it's worth, there is absolutely nothing that is as hard on a chainsaw as PCT work...nothing. Perhaps under less demanding conditions, the overheating may not be so much of an issue. Or if you do a decent muffler mod to help the heat get away.[/QUOTE]

Burnham, I would be willing to argue that, cutting line in heavy Manzanita, in summer is harder than thinning. Granted I have only done thinning in the cooler months. I'm inclined to think the harder wood, and higher air temps make it harder on the saw.

[Reddog]

Well the first thing I would question on any 441 failure is, how was it tuned?
You can not I repeat CAN NOT tune this saw by ear.
If you buy one and want it to last, buy a tach and use it.

As for the muffler mod. Haven't done mine yet. Maybe this summer I will look at it. But it cuts fine right now.

[Burnham]

Burnham, I would be willing to argue that, cutting line in heavy Manzanita, in summer is harder than thinning. Granted I have only done thinning in the cooler months. I'm inclined to think the harder wood, and higher air temps make it harder on the saw.

I will cede the point to you, Dave. You are quite probably correct. While we do PCT work in summer here on the Mt. Hood, the temps are generally not as high as is often the case down in that Cali manzanita country.

[Burnham]

Well the first thing I would question on any 441 failure is, how was it tuned?
You can not I repeat CAN NOT tune this saw by ear.
If you buy one and want it to last, buy a tach and use it.

As for the muffler mod. Haven't done mine yet. Maybe this summer I will look at it. But it cuts fine right now.

In this case the saws were initially tuned by a Stihl tech...brand new saws failing within several days of purchase. It is of course quite possible that an operator tried to tweak it in the field, I don't know. But I do know that this same tech acknowleged that he had taken several other 441's back in with the same issue. So who knows...but I doubt anyone can argue against the case that these modern saws labor under such strict emmission limits that they are running mighty hot in stock form.

[Skwerl]

Not a good tech. He's tuning them too lean, following strict 'by the book' numbers without allowing any variance for temp or elevation changes. He tuned them on the razor's edge and then acted surprised when they failed. This is why I don't blindly trust 'Stihl Techs' just because they work at a saw dealership and got a piece of paper from Stihl.

[Greenhorn]

So I ran my "almost" new 360 beside my 361 today and potentially understand the difference in the 440/441. The 361 is SO much smoother and makes a bit more power - have worked on the muffler a bit though. Anyways - I'm all for less vibration if you're using the thing all day. I wanna 661!! Am trying to find a 385XP though, I hear its the shizzle for your money.

[squisher]

Get a 660 you won't be dissapointed. Although I still keep coming back to my good ole 046's I dunno if it's just habit but that's the saw that seems to come out of the box more than the others.

[arborworks1]

I will second Squish, the 660 is a great saw. I was using a full comp 42inch on one last week. Pulled quite nice(the saw shop was out of skip what you gonna do)

[lumberjack]

I suppose if I could only have one rear handled saw, it'd be a 460.

[MasterBlaster]

Great for cutting firewood.

[squisher]

I was using a full comp 42inch on one last week. Pulled quite nice(the saw shop was out of skip what you gonna do)

Alot of filing.:D

[squisher]

Great for cutting firewood.

Great for cutting. It's a awesome saw up to a 24" bar imo. After that a little lacking I find.

[Burnham]

Brian, you are being inconsistant here, brother. First you say this:


Burnham, I think you're dead on with the heat/ muffler modding suggestion. And that will be a factor on ALL new saws. My newest Husky 346XP has a catalytic converter muffler, for Pete's sake! It ran scary hot when I first got it, so hot that the factory put heat reflecting tape on the bottom of the front hand guard (chain brake lever). I was afraid to really use it more than 10 minutes before draining it, boxing it up and shipping it off to get modded. No way in Hell would that saw hold up in stock form.

Then when I answer Reddog with this post,


In this case the saws were initially tuned by a Stihl tech...brand new saws failing within several days of purchase. It is of course quite possible that an operator tried to tweak it in the field, I don't know. But I do know that this same tech acknowleged that he had taken several other 441's back in with the same issue. So who knows...but I doubt anyone can argue against the case that these modern saws labor under such strict emmission limits that they are running mighty hot in stock form.

you have this to say:


Not a good tech. He's tuning them too lean, following strict 'by the book' numbers without allowing any variance for temp or elevation changes. He tuned them on the razor's edge and then acted surprised when they failed. This is why I don't blindly trust 'Stihl Techs' just because they work at a saw dealership and got a piece of paper from Stihl.

So make up your mind :). Which is it? These new saws can't be run in stock form and hold up no matter what is done to it short of modding, or the tech is at fault for mis-tuning, nothing wrong with the way the manufacturer designed and set the saw up?
:P

;)