Husqvarna 550xp repaired-ish

sd455dan · Jan 13, 2019

Oldpath05 said:
Are you kidding me............... A nylon bearing cage on an expensive pro saw, this aint no big box store saw, it's a 550xp with auto tune, but to me it does sound like an air leak somewhere and that's why it's not running smooth and or barely running. Does the saw have to be split to replace that bearing? This is sounding more like a chainsaw replacement unless I can fix the saw without special tools, I thought the only special tool was a bench press which cam be improvised.

I dont even think that red neck repair shop know how to refresh the auto tune on the saw and even if he did and done it, dont see how a caburator can be adjusted to run when the when air leak and or vacuum leak is prevalent and bearing failure could be the problem. Thanks for the input.

Yeah- the nylon ball bearing cage really surprised me to... crazy on Husky's pro line.

What is more troubling is it appears to be proprietary and there does not seem to be a metal caged bearing that is available to replace it,
from what else was stated these auto tunes/extra air scarification saws already run hotter by nature. Some of the descriptions say the nylon comes apart and then shards poke holes right through the seal and since the individual ball bearings are free to move out of their positions around the circumference things get noisy.
i wouldn't recommend starting the saw again until the case can be pressure/vac tested.
They use a metal caged ball bearing on the flywheel side

ps. Yes the case needs split, the case is heated to about 230*'s or even a bit less and the bearings will drop right in to the case halves.

(afleetcommand) has a pretty informational vid on this
and a good description of the 550xp and the bearings

Husqvarna 550xp "Dead Saw Salvage", Crank Case Bearings & Seals - YouTube

Should you find it is the clutch side bearing/seal and want to do the repair yourself the comments section under the vid has links to the specialized tools needed

ericm979 · Jan 13, 2019

I can tell from how it runs in the video that it's got a significant air leak. I agree that a bad crank bearing can damage the crank seal and that'd be enough to cause the air leak. Modern saws usually have the crank bearings pressed into the case halves. They usually require a special tool to split the cases without damaging them so you can press the bearing. If either crank end moves at all, even a 'click', the bearing is bad.

That's the problem with the $50 ring job... no time to check for the real cause.

Huztl has an inexpensive Husky case splitter tool if you want to try it yourself.

Plastic ball bearing cages have some advantages over steel but they don't handle being overheated as well. If the clutch is slipping or the operator 'dogs' the saw or revs it with the brake on a lot that'll put heat into the drive side bearing.

xyz123 · Jan 13, 2019

stihl uses plastic retainers too.

xyz123 · Jan 13, 2019

Oldpath. Never heard of that one.
But quick search shows pretty good feedback.
Maybe he dont know the autotune saws very well and was hoping. I tell folks when they bring in AT and MT saws and I cant figure it out old school ways. If saw needs to be hooked up to computer they will have to pay the dealer the big bucks.

I got lucky on a very hard to start 441c MT thinking solenoid might have went out on carb. 20 pulls to start. I put in new plug and my fresh mix and kaching. He got lucky. 3 pulls now.

Oldpath05 · Jan 13, 2019

sd455dan said:
Yeah- the nylon ball bearing cage really surprised me to... crazy on Husky's pro line.

What is more troubling is it appears to be proprietary and there does not seem to be a metal caged bearing that is available to replace it,
from what else was stated these auto tunes/extra air scarification saws already run hotter by nature. Some of the descriptions say the nylon comes apart and then shards poke holes right through the seal and since the individual ball bearings are free to move out of their positions around the circumference things get noisy.
i wouldn't recommend starting the saw again until the case can be pressure/vac tested.
They use a metal caged ball bearing on the flywheel side

ps. Yes the case needs split, the case is heated to about 230*'s or even a bit less and the bearings will drop right in to the case halves.

(afleetcommand) has a pretty informational vid on this
and a good description of the 550xp and the bearings

Husqvarna 550xp "Dead Saw Salvage", Crank Case Bearings & Seals - YouTube

Should you find it is the clutch side bearing/seal and want to do the repair yourself the comments section under the vid has links to the specialized tools needed

Well I watched the video and saved it to my play list, thanks for finding it I even found the tool link below you mention, the video gave a lot of insight on what to expect with a few pointers, now that's the kind of chainsaw shop I need around here. I think for the here and now if all saws now are throw a-ways after a few years I might as well jump brands and give Echo a hard look see, least there open til 5 pm Sat, thought about Stihl but I frowned on on their mid range saws dew to no adjustable oilier and they close at 12 noon. The guy I took my saw to said Jonsered is changing their name to Redmax, dont know what that's all about but he said that's one reason why Jonsered got rid of their high end saws, seems like companies just cant leave well enough alone, always have to re-invent the wheel.

RandyT · Jan 13, 2019

Poulan, McCulloch, Redmax, and Jonsered are all Husqvarna products and there are in the process of eliminating their low end consumer tractors and push mowers. I think they are going to make some changes to their other brands of handheld products as well.

Oldpath05 · Jan 13, 2019

xyz123 said:
Oldpath. Never heard of that one.
But quick search shows pretty good feedback.
Maybe he dont know the autotune saws very well and was hoping. I tell folks when they bring in AT and MT saws and I cant figure it out old school ways. If saw needs to be hooked up to computer they will have to pay the dealer the big bucks.

I got lucky on a very hard to start 441c MT thinking solenoid might have went out on carb. 20 pulls to start. I put in new plug and my fresh mix and kaching. He got lucky. 3 pulls now.

I manage to read most of your signs but the wife ones I cant make out, if you get time take some closer pictures, do you have the sign about (I charge $50.00/hr, if you watch I charge $75.00/hr, and if you help I charge $100.00/hr.)?

Yeah he's just an upper age guy with a limp trying to make a living but I'm older than he is. He cant know about air and vacum leak testing, and that causing problems, I dont even know how to test for that. He just saw a stuck ring and made a quick fix and blamed that on ethanol, you know everyone jumps onboard when it comes to blaming ethanol. But jeez lu-weez if anyone who run saws very much at all would know that my saw is not sounding and or running right in just a few minutes....... He sells a few saws and chains, files, most people with saws just have minor issues that ole school tricks will fix and there even some who just need a place to get their chain sharpen so if can get by doing that he's doing well, I'll still stop in there to get a chain if I'm out that way. I think in todays chainsaw repair business if someones going to be a full fledged repair guy and dealer you have to know about AT MT ABC and EFG and plastic bearings.

Oldpath05 · Jan 13, 2019

RANDYT said:
Poulan, McCulloch, Redmax, and Jonsered are all Husqvarna products and there are in the process of eliminating their low end consumer tractors and push mowers. I think they are going to make some changes to their other brands of handheld products as well.

Oh so there is some truth to that, I didn't even know McCulloch was still around, sounds like some big changes coming, wonder what their thought process is for doing that.

xyz123 · Jan 14, 2019

Thats why I always run and test cut with before sending back out. IF he had done that he should have been able to tell.

Had a 026 that ran fine, but when I hit the wood acted like it was cutting out. I tried few more times same thing. Back on the bench I pulled recoil cover and top cover, af cover. Started checking coil and wires. 2 places on wire had wore through and ground out on the mag case when in cut.

Fixed that and told guy and she was good to go.