Saw Haul Overhaul

[TnAndy]

Ok....I bought one of the Saw Haul chainsaw carrier and mounted it to the left side FEL post about 8-10 months back. Well, it became useless today. It depends on the scabbard to hold it in position, and the scabbard PLUS the plastic insert that holds the scabbard in the metal frame are made of fairly thin plastic, and the dog on my Husky simply chewed thru them.

So then the scabbard flops around and can fall out the bottom, then the saw flops around as well, like this:

Here is how the top flange of the scabbard looks, you can see where the dog of my saw has chewed thru the thin plastic flange....and the flange is only on the outboard side. If you're not familiar with these, the scabbard simply slides down in the other plastic insert piece and ALL that holds it is that little flange. (2nd pic)

They probably sell a replacement scabbard.....but less than a year's life out of them ? Really ?

With the scabbard removed, this photo is the plastic insert that goes in the rectangle of metal that bolts to the loader post. It is also chewed up by the saw dog and needs replacing. So DID THEY MEAN FOR IT TO BE REPLACED ?? Apparently not, since you have to drill out the two rivets holding it in !

Pair of needle nose to hold the spinning rivet, then rather than take the whole bracket off the post, I ran the drill bit on thru the metal bracket and drilled the other rivet out from the back side of the rivet.

Insert removed from metal bracket......note how thin the plastic is....

My fix:

2 scraps of 5/8" plywood, 4-1/4x4" bolts (3 1/2" would be better, but I didn't have them handy), 4 nylon insert lock nuts and some washers. Pre-drill holes, sandwich on top the metal bracket so you have a fairly sturdy bottom piece to HOLD THE DADGUM SAW from flopping around. Fire up the saw and plunge cut down thru both pieces ( or use a router if you want fancy), and you're back in business. 1/2 hour fix....and forget the fool scabbard.

Let's me finish by saying I'm way less than impressed with Saw Haul. Likely if you don't haul a REAL SAW in it, they would last longer....but I wouldn't even bet on that.

 

[EddieWalker]

Less then a year to fall apart so badly? That's disappointing.

 

[the old grind]

Eddie, if not not fell apart, chewed apart by carrying the weight of the saw on the dog teeth gouging into the liner's poly lip.

Nice work as always, Andy! Wood vs metal to rest on now should keep the teeth sharp too.

I'm sure you can replace a rivetless top board every few years as needed, & won't suggest that your saw doesn't get plenty of use.

 

[TractorNH]

Ok....I bought one of the Saw Haul chainsaw carrier and mounted it to the left side FEL post about 8-10 months back. Well, it became useless today. It depends on the scabbard to hold it in position, and the scabbard PLUS the plastic insert that holds the scabbard in the metal frame are made of fairly thin plastic, and the dog on my Husky simply chewed thru them.

Let's me finish by saying I'm way less than impressed with Saw Haul. Likely if you don't haul a REAL SAW in it, they would last longer....but I wouldn't even bet on that.

Geeze man...what saw is that, how sharp are those dogs, and how fast do drive bouncing the tractor around? I carry and Echo CS-620P in mine fairly regularly and my scabbard doesn't look nearly that bad. The Echo is a heavy saw (about 14.5 lbs with the bar) with dogs on both sides.

Regardless it looks like you found your solution. I wonder if you've contacted SawHaul directly to discuss the issue. It's a small business so you'll either reach the owner if you call or he will call you back.

I have a couple SawHauls and the one you have looks like an early version which I also have but another I got recently is the newest version which has a considerably thicker top edge. Like any product, it's constantly evolving and improving. At least they aren't just flooding the market with china crap. They actually listen to their customers and make improvements as needed.

Here's a pic comparing the early version scabbard with the newer one.

 

[TnAndy]

Geeze man...what saw is that, how sharp are those dogs, and how fast do drive bouncing the tractor around? I carry and Echo CS-620P in mine fairly regularly and my scabbard doesn't look nearly that bad. The Echo is a heavy saw (about 14.5 lbs with the bar) with dogs on both sides.

Regardless it looks like you found your solution. I wonder if you've contacted SawHaul directly to discuss the issue. It's a small business so you'll either reach the owner if you call or he will call you back.

I have a couple SawHauls and the one you have looks like an early version which I also have but another I got recently is the newest version which has a considerably thicker top edge. Like any product, it's constantly evolving and improving. At least they aren't just flooding the market with china crap. They actually listen to their customers and make improvements as needed.

Here's a pic comparing the early version scabbard with the newer one.
View attachment 642698

Saw is a Husky 570, don't know the weight, but it's a decent sized saw.

I did email Saw Haul over something else not long after mounting it on the tractor, but never got a reply. Then I had to contact them several times over being spammed by email offers. Went to the "unsubscribe" site listed in the email and never could get it to work, so I finally emailed someone directly there and managed to get off the list. So I haven't found customer followup to be their strong point.

The lip on the one in your photo does look a WHOLE lot thicker.....like about 6-8 times the little thin flange on mine, so maybe that will cure the problem. For them to have changed it means they found out exactly what happened to the thin flange like mine. Guess I bought one too early, huh ?

Anyway, I guess my fix will work. Another advantage, I have an 046 Sthil I run a 30" bar on for when a 20" on the Husky just doesn't cut it (ha ha), and now with no scabbard, it will work on the modified version too.

 

[MH8675309]

Never have used a scabbard - I hang the saw off of the bucket by a chain through the handle that is hooked to the grab hook on my bucket. Sometimes its better to use what you have

 

[ovrszd]

Never have used a scabbard - I hang the saw off of the bucket by a chain through the handle that is hooked to the grab hook on my bucket. Sometimes its better to use what you have

Your saw swings on a chain in your bucket? Guess I need a pic?

 

[the old grind]

I see right away that handy 18" Poulan Wild Thing And Echo CS400 might be beneath my routine needs.

btw, trying to get straight cuts with chains I sharpen myself ('grind', lol) can be a challenge.



I wish my 'homeowner' CUTs had room for rake/shovel rack much less for a saw too. They all fit OK in the big Ford as is.

 

[TractorNH]

Saw is a Husky 570, don't know the weight, but it's a decent sized saw.

I did email Saw Haul over something else not long after mounting it on the tractor, but never got a reply. Then I had to contact them several times over being spammed by email offers. Went to the "unsubscribe" site listed in the email and never could get it to work, so I finally emailed someone directly there and managed to get off the list. So I haven't found customer followup to be their strong point.

The lip on the one in your photo does look a WHOLE lot thicker.....like about 6-8 times the little thin flange on mine, so maybe that will cure the problem. For them to have changed it means they found out exactly what happened to the thin flange like mine. Guess I bought one too early, huh ?

Anyway, I guess my fix will work. Another advantage, I have an 046 Sthil I run a 30" bar on for when a 20" on the Husky just doesn't cut it (ha ha), and now with no scabbard, it will work on the modified version too.

Seems odd you never heard back from the owner. I've always had great communication with him whenever I've had questions and wouldn't hesitate to contact him if I had a question or concern. From what I can find online it looks like the 570 is about the same weight as my Echo 620P and the dogs haven't torn my scabbard lip up on the older scabbard much at all so it's a bit puzzling to me. I mean, the plastic gets all scratched up but not too bad. Unless the saw is bouncing vertically in the holder, like physically bouncing out of the SawHaul I don't see how it could be pounding on it so much to wear it out and punch through like that. Regardless though, you have your solution and if it works for you then it works right?

 

[WoodDuck]

I bought a SawHaul last fall for my Kioti, haven't used it much yet. I run a 24" Tsumura bar on my Husky 572XP, and the SawHaul scabbard is only 20" long. I though about cutting the bottom out of the scabbard as others have done, but now I'm thinking I should just leave it be, and let the saw stick up 4" out of the scabbard, so my dogs don't destroy it. Hadn't thought about it until you posted this..........