Dissapointed in Husqvarna

[threewood]

Still on the first tank of mix gas. Brand new backpack leaf blower, 570BTS. Used it last weekend no issues. Started to use it this evening and it didn't sound right. Clack clack clack almost like a rod bearing.

Debating on taking it back, I decided to take a look. Two bolts holding the blower to the motor were backed out almost a 1/2". The other two were not tight. No sign of threadlock. Now I'm hoping nothing else of importance comes loose.

 

[Wamsutta]

Take it back and get a BR 600 instead.

 

[threewood]

I bought this purely because it was in stock at TSC and the Stihl dealer was closed. It works for what I need it to do, but I shouldn't have to fix equipment with 1/2 hour of run time.

 

[cody1325]

My TSC always has a boat load of returns (same with Rural King) in the clearance section marked "AS IS" with major problems.

I've stuck with Stihl as the dealer is close, been here for 50+ years and has fixed everything that did go wrong reasonably cheap.

My Husqvarna (only thing from them) 220iL is having a weird problem with the two pieces between the head and motor assembly. The nearest servicing Husqvarna dealer (as in not a chain store) is an hour away. Thinking about just ditching it and going with Stihl Multi-Task system power head (either that or Walmart's Hart/TTi brand one) so I can have one power head that can run the brush cutter, weed whacker, and pole saw--plus a brush attachment. My little GTA 26 on the AS system has been a little beast--it'll run circles around even a 20V Sawzall.

 

[MichaelP]

Today my buddy told me a recent story. He needed a new chainsaw. So picked up Husqvarna and Stihl from the shelf and asked the store owner which one he should buy. The answer was: "They are both very good, but if you want to rely on warranty and service, forget about Husqvarna"

 

[IndyGarage]

I looked for reviews on that model online and they are overwhelmingly positive. So I would say you just got one that had some screws not tightened correctly. If it runs right after you tightened the bolts, I would keep it.

I have a 150BT that i bought from the big box store - I bought it probably 12 years ago. Hasn't missed a beat - starts and runs really nice. I bought it after I had bought a handheld Stihl - BG86, which was a total piece of junk. It was always hard to start and I fixed it probably 5 times and ended up having to put an entire new housing on it because it rattled to pieces. I got rid of it many years ago.

That said, I was up in northern Michigan cutting trees with some friends a few weeks ago. For some reason my Husqvarna saw - which has always run flawlessly was hard to start and didn't run right. We ended up using another guy's Stihl that started right every time and was a dream to use.

 

[Steve_P]

Dunno about others, but the only company that has real service near me is Stihl, because that's what Ace Hardware primarily sells, and they have a full-time small engine mechanic. Yes, they will probably fix almost anything, but they have a ton of parts for Stihl in stock, since that's what they sell. All of the multi-brand independent small engine shops here went out of business 10+ years ago.

Every single legit landscaper or tree service here uses Stihl because of this. Yes, the white trash guys that only show up when their POS truck will actually start or their meth bender wears off do use Walmart garbage, but the legit guys use Stihl. And I don't own a single thing by Stihl. And yes, I realize that Husky isn't junk, or at least it wasn't decades ago, but there's no presence of it where I live.

 

[JSutter]

321

 

[Rinspeed]

Take it back and get a BR 600 instead.

I have a BR-600 and it's been an awesome piece of equipment.

 

[finn]

Dunno about others, but the only company that has real service near me is Stihl, because that's what Ace Hardware primarily sells, and they have a full-time small engine mechanic. Yes, they will probably fix almost anything, but they have a ton of parts for Stihl in stock, since that's what they sell. All of the multi-brand independent small engine shops here went out of business 10+ years ago.

Every single legit landscaper or tree service here uses Stihl because of this. Yes, the white trash guys that only show up when their POS truck will actually start or their meth bender wears off do use Walmart garbage, but the legit guys use Stihl. And I don't own a single thing by Stihl. And yes, I realize that Husky isn't junk, or at least it wasn't decades ago, but there's no presence of it where I live.

We’re the opposite. Ace and the Deere dealer are the only retailers for Stihl. Last I checked, the Ace small engine mechanic was a high school kid, and Deere was busy with tractors, skid steers, and mini excavators.

Meanwhile the Husqvarna dealer has a full service center.

I have both Husqvarna and Stihl equipment and find sourcing parts online much easier for Husky. Oem Stihl parts generally have to be ordered from the dealer, if they’re available at all and haven’t been discontinued.

 

[Mr_B]

Fan screws common issue on some stihl leaf blowers too, I come across it a few times .
Thread lock your Husky screws and move on, yes it annoying but that modern era manufacture, **** ain't done right & most manufacturer expertise is focused on cost/long term business sales thus making stuff right that will last ain't good for that criteria .

 

[finn]

Fan screws common issue on some stihl leaf blowers too, I come across it a few times .
Thread lock your Husky screws and move on, yes it annoying but that modern era manufacture, **** ain't done right & most manufacturer expertise is focused on cost/long term business sales thus making stuff right that will last ain't good for that criteria .

I think Husqvarna builds this OPE in Alabama or Arkansas.

Remember that next time the regularly schedules Made in China ***** session comes up.

 

[reader2580]

Dunno about others, but the only company that has real service near me is Stihl, because that's what Ace Hardware primarily sells, and they have a full-time small engine mechanic. Yes, they will probably fix almost anything, but they have a ton of parts for Stihl in stock,

The local Ace Hardware doesn’t sell Stihl, but they would like to. They said they don’t sell Stihl because they don’t have a mechanic which is a requirement.

 

[kctgb]

Don’t know if parts are hard to get in your area. In my area it’s hard to get Husqvarna parts for anything.

 

[William Payne]

Are your guys stihl and Husqvarna dealers also repair shops? Here the stores that sell those brands also do all the repairs and maintenance in house.

 

[L.Cheapo]

I worked at a dealer that sold and serviced Husqvarna equipment, among most other lines. Granted, that was 20 years ago, but I won't own anything that says Husqvarna on it.

All of my 2 stroke equipment is old RedMax (when it was Zenoah and excellent) and Echo.

 

[mngundog]

We’re the opposite. Ace and the Deere dealer are the only retailers for Stihl. Last I checked, the Ace small engine mechanic was a high school kid, and Deere was busy with tractors, skid steers, and mini excavators.

Meanwhile the Husqvarna dealer has a full service center.

I have both Husqvarna and Stihl equipment and find sourcing parts online much easier for Husky. Oem Stihl parts generally have to be ordered from the dealer, if they’re available at all and haven’t been discontinued.

I didn't know Stihl allowed that, I believed service was a requirement to sell them. What city are these in?

 

[PCustoms]

Around here:

-tractor supply Husqvarna
-Stihl/pool/stove dealer. No onsite service
-Stihl "dealer", service on site. But somehow not listed as a dealer?
-stihl/Husqvarna/Mahindra/Massey/Polaris/etc. many bad experiences with rented equipment from them and getting pricing is pulling teeth.

bought my 2 saws at the pool store. Had the first one tuned up, took 2 weeks. Broke some parts and they were able to get them for me under warranty. No further service.

Bought my Husqvarna off Amazon. Had an issue on tank #2, rental shop gave me grief and charged me $25 for service, saying I used contaminated fuel. The little dot they handed me sure looked like a piece of carb gasket that didn't punch/separate cleanly at the factory and later plugged the jet...

Husqvarna Weed wacker I bought from Amazon and ordered the carb tool same day. Haven't had to touch it.

 

[Jeepster04]

Not really surprising. You're going to have new junk in all brands. I bought a new Stihl weed eater many years ago. I had never bought something like that but growing up, I always heard how great Stihl was. It was the FS 91 I think, nice setup.

Thing wouldn't run the first time I used it. Give it throttle, died. Not that it mattered, but I only use non-ethanol 91 in all of my small engine stuff.

Took it back and they said it had a bad carburetor, most likely caused by ethanol.
What? I just bought it, how did ethanol get in it?
All fuels have ethanol....
What?
Ohh, and you may get a bill for the new carburetor
What do I do if I get it?
You must pay it..
What? Its under warranty, I literally just bought it.
Stares at me.

I never did get a bill but I'll never buy something there again. Its the local 'side by side' place but they make plenty of money off people getting those 20 year low monthly payments on side by sides. They don't care about some dude buying a weed eater.

 

[threewood]

Don’t know if parts are hard to get in your area. In my area it’s hard to get Husqvarna parts for anything.

We are a small town and believe the only Stihl dealer is the equipment rental place. TSC sells Husky but I don't think they are a servicing dealer. I can work on my own equipment if I can get oem parts.

 

[gba2331]

I’ve had really good luck with the Husq blowers but for the most part I won’t spend much time fixing them. If I get 5-10 years I’m happy. They quite disposable but they aren’t a forever machine like stihl.

So IMO the OP just got a bit unlucky, I haven’t had that experience with new Husq blowers

 

[kctgb]

We are a small town and believe the only Stihl dealer is the equipment rental place. TSC sells Husky but I don't think they are a servicing dealer. I can work on my own equipment if I can get oem parts.

I live in a big city and can’t get Husqvarna parts, especially for chainsaws.

 

[whateg01]

... Yes, the white trash guys that only show up when their POS truck will actually start or their meth bender wears off do use Walmart garbage, but the legit guys use Stihl.

Wow! That's not judgemental at all. I know if several "legit" landscapers who started with a little beat up pickup and a 2k trailer with a push mower, a riding mower, and a cheap weedwacker.

 

[Farmall450]

Take it back and get a BR 600 instead.

PB-580T*

 

[cody1325]

Wow! That's not judgemental at all. I know if several "legit" landscapers who started with a little beat up pickup and a 2k trailer with a push mower, a riding mower, and a cheap weedwacker.

Including a kid I went to Scouts with. He started with a worn-out truck of his Dad's and Walmart-grade stuff.

Now, 15-ish years later--I think he's one of the three main landscaping companies around with high-end stuff and several employees.

 

[AldeanFan]

I won’t own any Husqvarna equipment after the experience I had with a lawnmower.
After about 6 months of home use a cable broke. The cable was not available anywhere and Husqvarna and the selling store refused to do anything.
Eventually I spoke to a region a
Manager for the store who arranged a return/refund for me.

 

[Wamsutta]

PB-580T*

I got one of those before I got the BR 600.

Adjusting mixture on the PB-580T is tricky even with the correct Echo tool.

The needles have a micro D head that are difficult to feel.

BR 600 in comparison is a piece of cake.

 

[finn]

I didn't know Stihl allowed that, I believed service was a requirement to sell them. What city are these in?

Not really a city. Rural Michigan, but I have observed the same all over the Upper Midwest.
Stihl pretty much pulled out of the mom and pop independent saw and equipment dealerships a couple of years ago. They’re predominantly in Ace Hardware, Deere dealerships, and Farm and Fleet type box stores now. I don’t know for sure, but I think Rural King is a Stihl outlet, and I know L&L , which is similar to Farm and Fleet is another.

My local OPE dealer used to handle Stihl and Husqvarna, as well as an imported Korean tractor brand and a line of construction equipment.. The primary business was Husqvarna, though, because of their dominance in lawn equipment. He can’t get product from Stihl anymore, since they’re focused on Ace Hardware and Deere in our area. They’re basically marketing through box stores now, just like everyone else.

There were several saw dealers serving the local logging industry, all gone now. Part of that may be because the logging industry seems to have moved away from chainsaws to highly mechanized and purpose built timber harvesting with multi hundred thousand dollar pricing.

 

[KnurledNut]

The local Ace Hardware doesn’t sell Stihl, but they would like to. They said they don’t sell Stihl because they don’t have a mechanic which is a requirement.

This is true. Stihl requires a mechanic with their training course on duty in order to be a distributor. Battery powered OPE and related accessories is an exception and does not require that.

 

[mngundog]

Not really a city. Rural Michigan, but I have observed the same all over the Upper Midwest.
Stihl pretty much pulled out of the mom and pop independent saw and equipment dealerships a couple of years ago. They’re predominantly in Ace Hardware, Deere dealerships, and Farm and Fleet type box stores now. I don’t know for sure, but I think Rural King is a Stihl outlet, and I know L&L , which is similar to Farm and Fleet is another.

My local OPE dealer used to handle Stihl and Husqvarna, as well as an imported Korean tractor brand and a line of construction equipment.. The primary business was Husqvarna, though, because of their dominance in lawn equipment. He can’t get product from Stihl anymore, since they’re focused on Ace Hardware and Deere in our area. They’re basically marketing through box stores now, just like everyone else.

There were several saw dealers serving the local logging industry, all gone now. Part of that may be because the logging industry seems to have moved away from chainsaws to highly mechanized and purpose built timber harvesting with multi hundred thousand dollar pricing.

They have popped all over Running stores here, but as others have mentioned they are required to have a repair person available, and according to the Stihl guy at the desk, they had to allot so much space.

 

[Farmall450]

I got one of those before I got the BR 600.

Adjusting mixture on the PB-580T is tricky even with the correct Echo tool.

The needles have a micro D head that are difficult to feel.

BR 600 in comparison is a piece of cake.

Set it and forget it

 

[Beerhippie]

I didn't know Stihl allowed that, I believed service was a requirement to sell them. What city are these in?

Well, they do have a service shop and tech. You'll just have to wait six months until they clear the backlog of profitable work.

Husky, Stihl and most other once "professional"-grade OPE makers now all have a two-tier offering. Most of what you'll see in the stores is going to be homeowner-grade and pretty crappy. If you see two tools sitting side-by-side that look an awful lot alike except for the price, the one that costs twice as much is the pro tier.

Husky still makes some excellent pro-tier tools. But they also make some pretty crappy homeowner-tier tools, and they aren't easy to distinguish by just looking.

Our local Husky dealer is also the side-by-side shop, and like stated above, they have better things to do than fixing your warrantied stuff. Our Stihl dealer is the local co-op and had a real mechanic--not just a tech--and shop exclusively for the Stihl products. So, having grown up a Husky man, I'm now a Stihl user.

 

[Wamsutta]

Set it and forget it

I had a tank vent go bad on my string trimmer. I was adjusting the mixture every 10 minutes until I figured out what was wrong.