455 husky, looking for some more muscle??

I'm not so well versed in the chainsaw world. I know enough to get me by and what I see and learn from here.
What can I do to a husky 455 to get a little more muscle out of her without breaking the bank. I'm definitely in the market for a 60cc saw in the near future but for now this is all I got.
any suggestions from the saw wizz's out here??

 

I'm watchin' this one.

 

Don't know much but a muffler mod should give ya a boost.

 

Is that something I can do or something I can purchase and install?

 

What size bar are you running? I went to a 16" narrow kerf on my 350 several years ago and it made enough of a difference that I stuck with it.

 

These saws dont get alot of attention ..........but are really nice performers out of the box . I would look into gutting / opening up the outlet on the muffler . Do theses run 3/8 or .325 ? If it were me Id go with .325 and a 16 inch bar if it can be swapped . Thing will cut like crazy !!

 

It's a clamshell engine so doing anything beyond a muffler mod and changing the bar and chain would be a royal pain. I concur with Anvil about the narrow-kerf option; I put a cheap narrow-kerf bar and an Oregon 95vp chain on my 350 and was really impressed. You could also try a loop of the Stihl 63PS chain that Master Mechanic is offering in the classifieds.

Also, I'll just point out that good used 60cc saws don't have to be devastatingly expensive. I just searched completed eBay listings for the 455 and for the 257 I got this past weekend. The nicest used 455 sold for $325. The nicest 257 sold for $301.50. You may be able to trade in your saw on a better one and not spend a lot more.

 

I'm looking for some more muscle to, when I get done Buckin splitting and stacking.
I wonder where the muscle went

 

I'm not sure about that specific model,either option might work for you. My 288XPW I bought a spare exhaust deflector/spark screen,cut a slot in muffler,installed it with self tapping sheet metal screws & re-tuned the carb.A couple days after installing it I filed out a square notch in air filter cover so the top screw is visible.Hasnt loosened yet in almost 2 years.

 

Well, I gree with everything said above. The MM that Jon1270 suggested you can do yourself with a little messing around. I will tell something that a pro-cutter friend/customer of mine told me. 'When the saw I am using isn't up to the job , I don't mess around with modifying the saw, I just get a bigger saw!'

 

If you're not already, get really good at sharpening chain. Makes more difference than engine mods. Muffler mod is about all I would try on clamshell. If you do open the muffler, be prepared to re tune the saw. If you really want power, trade up for a 60 cc class pro saw. Same weight, more power. Any who, a 455 with a sharp chain will cut a lot of would for you. Save your pennies and buy another saw. You can never have too many saws

 

I'm using a 20" bar, need it for the 24" rounds. Struggles just a bit at times.

 

Husqy likes to put bigger bars than they should on those type saws. They even sell a 450 with a 20" bar. Imo that's way to big for that saw.(450 that is). People that don't know, sometimes judge a saw by the size of bar it's sold with. Sort of like over hyping the saw. 16" with a sharp chain would perform pretty well on a 455 and is plenty big enough to get through 24" rounds.

 

I'm gonna take you guys advice and put the 16" bar back on. My situation with the tree length is awkward, the way they are stacked, it's just easier to buck withe 20" vs the 16". I'll have to figure it out. Would rather have better performance than ease of one side cutting.

 

Mine came with 20", 3/8". It's ok in smaller Oak and softwood, but can bog in the cut.
That could be due to my chain sharpening skills (more likely, lack of).
I put on an 18" .325, and like the saw much better.
16" is a little short if you're cutting on the ground, but so is an 18".

 

Just my thoughts. Long bars are nice. But... I happen to make chains aggressive. It's nice for helping the saw self feed, but not so much if you bury the tip. Depth gauges are a what counts if you want a smooth cutting chain. I like performance. Therefore I use pretty much the minimum bar length on a saw. Ever watch race saws? Those guys don't use more bar than they have to. You have to find a balance between convenience and performance if you only have 1 saw. Aggressive chains are jumpy if you bury the tip. If your not up to snuff on chain maintenance, you may like a longer bar better. If you do go with a smaller bar, pay close attention to your depth gauges. Jumpy chains with with the tip buried will increase chances of kick back. The reason I say this is to make you aware that performance and safety combined take a lot of attention. Don't get overwhelmed. Just know that if you want performance, and do go with a smaller bar, attention should be paid to chain condition. Also, since you do seek performance, be prepared to deal with the uncontrollable urge to buy way more saws than you will ever need. I can unjustifiably come up with reasons to buy saws of all sizes(because I need them!!!!!)

 

How does it perform with a brand new Oregon LGX chain on it?
If all I had was one saw to do everything, I would hate to give up the 20" bar...
Using it will just force you to become effective with your file.
Which is a good thing...
Then when CAD sets in, you'll be ready for your new 372...

 

I have come to like the 20" bar, it's a husky bar. I'm also using husky chains. I've never bought an Oregon chain before.
The 20" bar seems to be to the all around good size for the size of the tree length that I get in a load.
It works well with the 26"-28" bases and the (what seems to be) standard 20"-24" trunks.
I think I'm gonna have to find a dealer that would take my 455 in trade and look to get a 60cc saw.