Author Topic: clutch on a 450  (Read 907 times)

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Offline maniac132

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clutch on a 450
« on: August 30, 2014, 11:23:30 am »
i have a 450 and the clutch seems weak on it..its only about 2 years old and i bought it new..and the clutch seemed weak from the get go..so back in the day i had a 015 stihl that i put a weed eater clutch on and it was a cutting beast...so im wondering if any of you guys have played with different clutches on this saw to see if you could get less chain stall on this size unit...

im used to running a 039 stihl and very used to the saw cutting and not stopping the chain...this 450 even when cutting slow and working with say 10-12 inch pine wants to really slow the chain when the motor isnt bogging down...i cant imagine the clutch is bad already..but in any matter even when the saw was new i wasnt happy with the clutch on it so looking at other alternatives without buying a new bigger saw..

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Offline 660magnum

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Re: clutch on a 450
« Reply #1 on: August 30, 2014, 12:19:26 pm »
You can get a aftermarket clutch guts for $15-19 free shipping off Ebay.

Your chain may be a little on the aggressive side. Like the Rakers are too low or the top angle wrong. Maybe your file is too low?

Perhaps it had Narrow kerf chain and you changed to regular chain?
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Offline maniac132

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Re: clutch on a 450
« Reply #2 on: August 30, 2014, 12:33:19 pm »
660 i thought that too..i changed the chain as soon as the saw came off the rack..i told the shop i didnt want a safety chain so they put a square tooth non safety chain on it..and before i hit the rakers with a file i cut about 4 pick up loads of wood with it..and it had the same problem with the chain stalling out on it especially when dealing with the hard woods..i filed the chain teeth at 30 degrees when i sharpened the chain and that made no difference...so my father in law borrowed the saw to cut some brush and small trees up in his yard and when he brought it back it had 1 tooth broke off the chain..and he had a replacement chain for me A SAFETY CHAIN..so i put it on as a "tide over" and the saw does the same thing..i like the little saw as a limb saw and a 4 wheeler saw but im wanting to get it to where i can spend more time cutting than keeping the chain running...if you let the saw cut on its own weight it does OK but as soon as you dig the hooks in and put some force onto the chain it slowing way down and stopping...

i know stepping down from a 039 stihl (which is my main saw) to a 450 husky was a big step in power but ive been around enough saws to know that this saw should do better than it does...

i like the saw im just wanting to make it cut a bit better...

Offline 660magnum

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Re: clutch on a 450
« Reply #3 on: August 30, 2014, 01:03:30 pm »
The problem is most likely not the clutch itself because the same clutch is used on more powerful saws like the 346 and I know there is no clutch problem with my 346.

The likely problem is that the 450 doesn't carry as much rpm in the cut and therefore the clutch slips and the chain stops when you set the hooks and twist the saw into the log.

If I encountered this problem on that size chainsaw, I would change to Oregon 95VP chain. The "P" stands for pixel. This chain has a lower profile and is smaller across the top plate. It is called narrow kerf chain. It will pull nice on the 450. It has extra rakers on the drive links as do all the Oregon .325 chains but it still cuts pretty good. 95VP is not a chisel chain for it has small radius round corners.

A neighbor has a small Husvarna and I forget just what model but I'm thinking 435. It has narrow kerf chain and I think it is a well thought out chainsaw.

I have a 50cc chainsaw that I run 3/8" chisel chain on. The chain takes a pretty good bite for the power of the saw. The bottom line is that I cannot set the hooks and bury the bar in a big log and push on it at all. I have to just let the weight of the saw do the pushing and it cuts fine.
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Offline maniac132

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Re: clutch on a 450
« Reply #4 on: August 30, 2014, 03:56:05 pm »
i actually favor the "round tooth" chain because i do alot of cut and drag then cut up and with the round tooth chain it will take more dirt before it will not cut...but i cant find it anywhere around here only in safety chain and i hate that stuff..but i guess i will try that chain and see what it does...i thought possibly there would be a clutch kit or something for this clutch to upgrade it since this clutch was used with bigger saws...

that is one thing i have noticed about the non XP saws is the lack of RPM's or should i say they dont carry the RPM's the way the XP models do..i guess i will just stick to my stihl for the bigger stuff..i really liked the 028 or the 029 (cant remember which it was) super that stihl made years ago those saws plain out ripped through what ever you fed it...that was one of the best running saws i ever owned for the size of the saw vs power..

Offline 660magnum

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Re: clutch on a 450
« Reply #5 on: August 30, 2014, 04:59:04 pm »
Yes, I like those high powered saws too.

You might look around on the Internet at chains? See what's made.

All the Oregon .325 chains are made with that extra raker on the driver link any more and all the Husqvarna chains are Oregons in the USA.  To me they are safety chains! In actuality they may not be but that extra metal out there on the chain bothers me.

Stihl doesn't make a narrow kerf .325 to my knowledge but their new chains with the safety bumper on the driver link (Safety chain) have a "3" at the end of the model number. I like the Stihl "RM" chain which has a round cutter. There's also a RM3 chain that has the bumper. The "RS" chain is the square corner stuff.
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Offline jmester

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Re: clutch on a 450
« Reply #6 on: August 30, 2014, 10:54:37 pm »
http://www.stihlusa.com/products/chain-saws/saw-chains/rm/

this is a link for stihl rm chain. witch is the chain i believe you are looking for a rounded tooth with out the safety straps. they make it in .325 pitch and in .050/.058/.063 gauge. not sure what bar you have.
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Offline jmester

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Re: clutch on a 450
« Reply #7 on: August 30, 2014, 10:58:42 pm »
If you tell me what pitch,gauge and drive link count you have i can get you the part number for the above RM chain. So that you can search online or call your dealer and get it. hope this helps.

Also how long of a bar are you running now?
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Offline maniac132

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Re: clutch on a 450
« Reply #8 on: August 31, 2014, 11:33:58 am »
jmester im running the factory 16 inch bar.

Offline sharkey

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Re: clutch on a 450
« Reply #9 on: August 31, 2014, 05:50:20 pm »
Ive been running the Oregon 20lpx chain on our 50cc saws.  They told me when I bought the chain that those extra humps are about vibration reduction?  Now that I read what you guys are saying Im not so sure?

 

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