So You Own A... Husqvarna 550 XP Chainsaw

#husqvarna550xp #husqvarnachainsaw #chainsawmaintenance
Congrats on purchasing a Husqvarna 550XP chainsaw! Now what do you need to know to keep it in optimum shape for years to come? From fuel selection to chain tensioning, Josh fills you in on the essentials of operating and maintaining your Husqvarna chainsaw.
Remember, when you purchase power equipment from Carl’s Mower, you don’t get it in a box! It comes assembled with oil and gas and you’ll pay the same price that you’ll pay to have to assemble it from a big box store.
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/ carlsmower

[@Carlsmower]

Thanks for watching! We're big advocates of shopping and supporting locals. If you're watching from a different area, here's the dealer locator so you can support a local business too. locations.husqvarna.com/

[@Carlsmower]

Thanks for the input in your experience

[@duanepayne1805]

I have several saws but this 550XP is the best saw I have ever used.

[@cm4936]

me too. Great saw

[@THE1sttree123]

A gold medal for you Sir!! Just bought a 550XP II today and could not get it to go at all; pull and pull and pull. It is a chainsaw...gas, oil, choke, prime, pull, pull, choke off, pull and away you go...but not today...put it in the truck and ready to go to the dealer for a serious WTF conversation...then figured there has to be a youtube video out there. Your gas cap tip at the 2 minute mark, went to my saw and sure enough it had the fuel pick up line caught. Sorted that out and she started right away. Thank You

[@Carlsmower]

Thank you very much not every day do I get a gold medal I think I’m going to let this one go to my head a little bit ha ha

[@kenneth.handsome3443]

Thanks for the information. I just brought my first chainsaw Husqvarna 550

[@dcvariousvids8082]

Nice presentation of the basic saw specific facts. If you want to skip what follows, suffice to say, if the 545XP underling is anything to go by. You could buy the 550XP and never be disappointed. I’ve had a Husky 545 Mk1 for nearly 8yrs. It recently seized at 223hrs. and I had it rebuilt; it runs ok but starting is a pig. So I’ve got a new 550XP on order. I considered the 560 & 562 & 572, as an all in one saw. But decided a small saw and a larger one would be better. So I bought a Stihl MS500i and will soon have the 550XP Mk2. The 545 was a good, robust and reliable saw. I cut mainly hardwood, from 1st thinning to hazard tree removal up to 30” DBH and smaller stuff for charcoal and for hedgelaying. The 545 never let me down and I often thought of buying a 560; the 545 nearly being a 550XP. Now I’ll not have to compromise, with slower cutting of bigger trees, (MS500i). But will still have the reliability and excellence of the smaller saw, (550XP) when only needing an 18” or smaller bar.

[@sheepdog1102]

Great video! I have a 346xp and it’s a great saw but if I ever wear it out I’m going with the 550xp .

[@Warrior_Resisting_Colonialism]

Don't ever ware out that 346xp. If you do, pay whatever it costs to repair it. I replaced my 346xp w/ a 550 and I miss my 346. The 550 farts and bogs off idle. Wont just start after 10 mins, you have to choke it, then you can't cut without waiting 30 seconds or it will fart and stall. Sucks. I want another 346!

[@KevinATJumpWorks]

If it ever happens to you and you pull the cover off with the brake on, you can put it back on the saw just enough so you can engage the handle at the front, releasing the brake. Then you can put it back.

[@cottydry]

I learned a tip from a Husquvarna tech. Don't use the compression release to start the saw. It will mask hearing the first POP and thus make it very easy to subsequently flood the saw. Compression release can help with the really big saws but the 550XP is easy to start without compression release. Don't use it. If you do, then only do two pulls at a time with full choke on. IMHO the 550XP is the finest chainsaw I've ever used.

[@stevantammy6779]

What a good review, Carl. I currently own Stihl "everything," but have always has friends that are diehard Husky owners, so have been curious to try one. Maybe one day.

[@Carlsmower]

Happy to help!

[@danmcleod1360]

Excellent tutorial! Very helpful.

[@billbertagnoli4226]

XP fuel is 95 octane. Add Startron To keep that fuel in peak condition. Husqvarna bar oil is a vegetable Product. My oiler on my XP mark 2 Is two positions. Doesn't thread Like my older 575 XP. Great saw. Very informative video. Clutch Outside chain can be a little tricky If you're used to having the drive Sprocket on the outside.

[@johnsweeney1712]

Great video… presume you simply overlooked the “pull-up on the bar routine” while tightening the bar nuts.

[@sam_yyz]

Very helpful, thanks for making this.

[@davidriggs5202]

Thanks for the helpful video Carl, great work, helps a lot to know a bit more about my saw.

[@finallevel29]

Great video sir. Much appreciated 👍👍

[@Cpk20001]

Best limbing saw out there !

[@Carlsmower]

It rips

[@planeanddirtsimple]

Bought a 550 about a year ago and love it. Nice video!

[@antonioespino6734]

How is it holding up

[@planeanddirtsimple]

@@antonioespino6734great! Love the saw!

[@unknownpresident]

I love ❤️ it when you promoting the best , with the crap in the background, husky beat stihl all day long , funny in the comments to read the issues people have are the ones you explained in your video , makes me think they didn't look at the video 😂

[@user-sv9sf1ns7g]

it's there new business plan sell them cheaper husky shit when it fails upsell them the stihl genius

[@HogeN1337]

i did the break on and remove cover once 😂 took me 5min to figure out why wont go back normaly..... but you only need to put it back until wont go any further hold it as release the break

[@standaffern6595]

You mentioned not washing the air filter in the field, you didn’t mention the recommended method in the shop. What would that be?

[@markcatzoutdoors]

Excellent tutorial

[@AvocaSingleTrack]

Just got a 550xp . That external clutch is a royal pain in the a$$ ! Seems the 550 xp beats stihl in every way ...except having to deal with a popped chain or replace a chain . Before you buy a 550xp based on all the glowing reviews, try swapping a bar and chain on one at a dealer . If you're using the saw in the field, you may not want to deal with this ...maybe you don't mind . Be aware, try doing it first . It's not a minor thing like he says . It's a pain in the a$$ ... Nice video though . Thanks!

[@darrinrideout2012]

Great video. Thank you

[@danielpadgett2831]

Since when do stihl and husqvarna sell in the same dealer 🤔

[@Hardworkpays209]

My dealer sells husky, stihl and echo haha.

[@danielpadgett2831]

😂​@@Hardworkpays209

[@billbertagnoli4226]

Maybe mention to hold the Bar up while setting chain Tension and tightening The bar retention bolts.

[@Carlsmower]

Always the right way. Thanks

[@arnoldh7204]

My 545mkll saw with 45cm bar in winter (oiler turned to full )use only 0,5l of bar oil on 1,5l of gas..and btw you dont flip bar whan taking chain off you flip bar whan filing the chain and bar burns with flat file.

[@Motoko1134]

no detail on where to lube the saw?

[@wyliehj]

Having a problem where my chain bar cover is t coming off. Captive bar nuts are all the way screwed off and brake is disengaged but it doesn’t have any give. It’s the Husqvarna 545 mark 2

[@Carlsmower]

Maybe try loosening the chain tension. That may help.

[@davidlewis4384]

Thanks for the tip with the fuel line. I just bought a used 550xp and on the second trip using it had a hard time getting it to run after refilling the fuel tank - I think I must have pinched the line for it to be running so well before and then stop. Anyone have recommendations for replacement bucking spikes?

[@familyrig]

well done mate. Good video

[@Carlsmower]

Thanks buddy

[@thecraportheoreos7834]

Question, will the bar on a 550xp and 550xp Mark II interchange ?

[@Carlsmower]

Absolutely

[@thecraportheoreos7834]

@@Carlsmower Thank You 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@sun9912]

Yes

[@Matt-416]

Unless you're 550 mk2 comes from the factory with leaking crank bearings (because in the infinite wisdom of Husqvarna, they use sealed bearings, not a bearing and seal). Then after 9 months of getting fixed, you get the saw back for a few months and the Auto-tune goes wonky and needing to be replaced... Only it's no longer covered under warranty, despite having only 7 hours of runtime. It seems that having warranty work done still counts against your warranty timeframe. Excellent!! So that's a fun $300 on top of the $700 original purchase price. Thankfully, now the saw runs so rich it looks like I'm fogging mosquitoes, won't idle, and shuts off in the cut... But according to two different dealers, "everything is doing exactly what it should, it just needs to break in".... Ummm. That'd be a lot easier if the saw ran right. Thank goodness all these parts are made in China, and the exceedingly courteous customer service that hung up on not only me, but my primary dealer as well. Oh... good news; now my 2023 572xp, also has developed an air leak in the crankcase. Awesome!! I can't wait to not use my $1,100 saw for over half a year. I truly miss the days of the 346xp and 372xp. Stihl sales are absolutely crushing Husqvarna's... For a reason. WTHeck!?!

[@SunTzu119]

Good news (sarcasm) Stihl just opened a production plant in China..... You cannot get anything that is not made witb China sourced junk.

[@mmholling87]

You could only pick 1, would you take the 550XP or the 261? Thanks!

[@Carlsmower]

Now that's a good question. First off I would drop them down to a smaller bar, actually a 16" with a 3/8 picco chain. Based on the support we have from Stihl in our area I would have to go with the German saw. But if you have better support from Husqvarna in your area then go that way.

[@bendigo1961]

Good info

[@ranchitosantos5165]

What chainsaw will last longer over the years, stihl or husqvarna?

[@CraftsmanQuad19]

Depends on which model, and how you maintain it. Both brands sell low end consumer saws, both brands sell high quality pro saws. Either brand will last for a very long time if you pick a quality model and take care of it. Personally I love my echo’s. Buddy is die hard husky, and my dad is die hard stihl. All make great saws, and all make some turds.

[@Canopus68]

My only note is I pull up a quarter of an inch or so on the chain when I tighten the bar nuts. I've had saws that self tighten after I flip the bar. Pulling up on the chain prevents this. I have a 550 and while it runs, the throttle linkage is screwed up on it. For some reason it fell apart so I put it back together. It worked for a few days and then it fell apart again. Any tips would be helpful. It is a really strange set up and difficult to work on. My 550XP doesn't like to start when it's hot. I use it for trail work so I shut it down while I hike from blow down to blow down. I put the red lever in the middle position as you did and pull. Some days it will start fine and others I give up and go home. I use Husky 50:1 premixed chain saw gas. The spark plug is new and is properly gaped. The air cleaner is clean. Thank you for an informative video.

[@billbertagnoli4226]

Maybe mention greasing the Needle bearing on the crankshaft.

[@Carlsmower]

That would have been a great idea to point out the hole on the end of the crankshaft that you can use the bar tip greaser on. Lots to cover. Thanks for helping us get better.

[@dashcam5398]

WHAT HARDCASE WOULD FIT THE HUSQVARNA 550 XP MARK 11 WITH A 16'' BAR THE BEST. REALLY DON'T CARE ABOUT THE BRAND , JUST THE BEST FITTING

[@Carlsmower]

The Husqvarna hard case would work great. (Not the box one, the formed one)

[@woody5563]

STOP YELLING

[@shannonhayne783]

Can’t keep crank bearings in them. I’ve gone through 2 but it’s a shame. Great saw but weak bearings

[@farmfitnesspham4913]

Or can we put a 24in bar for that machine

[@spinlevien9078]

lookin good

[@Allanpaul784]

Do I have to change sprockets if I change the bar to a 18 or 20 inch

[@CraftsmanQuad19]

Shouldn’t have to, as long as the chain pitch is the same

[@TheFujiwuji]

I just got my new 550 XP but I can't figure out how to put the bar on. The instruction booklet that comes with it is absolutely worthless. It says to remove the nuts/screws, but the nuts unscrew, but they don't come completely off, so the silver plate thing that covers where you attach the bar is preventing me from attaching the bar. Whoever wrote the assembly portion of the instruction booklet did a horrible job. Seems there's no videos on the internet that explain how to assemble the saw once you purchase it. Sucks that I can't use my saw even though I bought it.

[@Carlsmower]

My guess is the brake is engaged. With the brake disengaged and those nuts completely loosened the cover should pull right off

[@TheFujiwuji]

@@Carlsmower I've tried everything. The brake is disengaged (meaning, the plastic handle thing goes all the way back), and the screws can loosen, but the screws don't come off. The instructions that come with the saw say "remove the bar nuts and remove the clutch cover", but the bar nuts only unscrew, they cannot be pulled all the way out. It's like the silver plate (the clutch cover) is glued on, it won't budge. I wish there were clear instructions about how to put the bar on right out of the box, this is so frustrating, wanted to do some cutting today, but can't even get started because there's no way to attach the bar. Basically, I've got an expensive saw that everyone raves about, but cannot be used.

[@TheFujiwuji]

@@Carlsmower ok, it took me a couple of hours, but I finally got the clutch cover off to attach the bar. Now the new problem is literally the next step of the directions where you put the chain on. Again, the directions supplied with the 550XP saw are worthless. The directions say "Place the chain over the drive sprocket locate[d] (typo/grammar) it in the groove of the bar. Begin on the top edge of the bar". I did that but the chain won't fit over the clutch. They don't explain how to put the chain on. Then the directions jump and assume that you got the chain on. The next instructions are: "Fit the clutch cover and locate the chain adjuster pin in the hole in the bar." Not sure what that means. This process is so complex and difficult I can't believe someone hasn't addressed this tedious, time-consuming, laborious assembly.

[@Carlsmower]

@@TheFujiwuji can your dealer help you through this??

[@TheFujiwuji]

@@Carlsmower Unfortunately not, I am in Poland, and I bought this on EBay a few years ago when I was in the States, and had it shipped to myself here. I just kept it in the box the whole time, and haven't been back to the States. That's why I came to KZbin... hopeful that someone has a good explanation of how to assemble the saw since the directions are really, really horrible.

[@farmfitnesspham4913]

Do they have 550 with 24in bar

[@standaffern6595]

You can buy a 24” small mount bar that fits it in 3/8. You would have to change drive sprocket, it would probably make it a dog though, so I changed the tip to .325. Jury still out as to whether it was a good choice.

[@stevepenczak7230]

You can never depend on it to start

[@stevepenczak7230]

I've had this chainsaw for years. It hardly ever starts when u need it to. It floods VERY easily

[@Carlsmower]

How many pulls on choke?

[@mmholling87]

You're starting it wrong. These things start super easily cold but can be a pain when hot. I can give you some tips if you'd like? The Auto Tune saws are different than you traditional carb.

[@Carlsmower]

@@mmholling87 you are right. Totally different than traditional when hot

[@standaffern6595]

@@CarlsmowerDid it miss the tips on the hot start, or are you making a video on that? I usually just leave mine idle between cuts to cool, but a buddie grabbed it and made a few cuts then shut it off and it wouldn’t restart. That’s why I always carry a couple of other saws in the truck as well for a backup. It’s kind of embarrassing for the saw if the backup Stihl or Echo has to come to the rescue! This is my first foray into the new autotunes, and probably my last. The oiler output sucks as well even on high setting, and don’t imagine there is a high output replacement available?

[@cahlampung7673]

Video anda terlalu jauhh

[@Carlsmower]

Thank you?

[@markatkinson9963]

It's a purge

[@Carlsmower]

That is correct. A purge pump primer. Thanks

[@Beansthecat99]

I hates this with a passion so sad there the only dealers around me I’m a husky die hard

[@goodboyringo9716]

If I wanted to use an 18" 3/8 bar and chain on my 550xp what part numbers would fit it ? I have tired looking this up but not so easy being it doesn't come with a 3/8 and there are .050 & .058. Well I guess his video is only for selling bar oil.

[@gruntardo7519]

Great video. Thanks