In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

Picked up a new 555RXT Brushcutter/forestry saw

Discussion in 'Chainsaws and Power Equipment' started by JRHAWK9, Apr 23, 2021.

  1. JRHAWK9

    JRHAWK9

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    Picked up a new forestry saw directly from England. It's basically a weed wacker on steroids. The one I wanted is not sold in the states. It's the longer shaft version of the 555FX which they sell here in the states for $1,350. The 555RXT's longer shaft is for those who want to use it more for a brush cutter vs cutting down small trees with it. Instead of coming with a saw blade/gear head that the FX comes with, it comes with a string trimmer head and a 3 arm grass blade along with a different bevel gear head with different gear ratio and angle. I found a new 555FX OEM gear head (and all hardware) on eBay so if I ever need to run a saw blade I can. Just swap out the gear head. I will have three options. While doing my research I ran across a thread on a different forum stating how guys have saved hundreds of $$$ by ordering them right from either Sweden or the UK. So I go to the site, sure as $hit, I could get the one I want shipped to me for $995.27!! If I would have ordered it last year about this time (when I was originally thinking about buying one) I could have got it for $150 less, due to the exchange rate though. :-(

    Husqvarna Brushcutters 555RXT

    Here's where I bought it from. It got here in 6 days, and that includes 2 days sitting in customs in the UK.

    Husqvarna 555RXT Brushcutter | Honey Brothers

    Of course I already removed the muffler and opened it up. I pulled the muffler off of it before I even put gas in it just to see what I could do with it. Once I figured out what I could do I put it back together, put gas in it and fired it up. Once everything checked out I pulled the muffler back off and started drilling. LOL I left the OEM hole alone and just added a much larger hole where the US version would have had one. I also poked the same size hole in the baffle plate right under the hole I put in the muffler, this allows the gasses to be able to go right from the cylinder to the outlet I made instead of going down and through a hole in the baffle plate located near the bottom of the muffler and then out either of the two exit holes. I brought it over to the welder I know and he created and welded on a deflector over the hole I put in it. I was then able to tune it (richened up both low and high sides). Now it's running the way it should be! :) The US version of the muffler has the outlet exactly where I drilled the hole. So I just basically added a larger US version outlet in addition to the overseas version. It's a bit louder, but not bad at all.

    Stock US muffler (photo I found online):
    stock.jpg


    Hole I put in my muffler:
    IMG_20210421_121033809.jpg

    After deflector was welded on:
    IMG_20210421_180948655.jpg
     
  2. The Wood Wolverine

    The Wood Wolverine

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    That weld looks real nice from where I'm sitting. :yes::thumbs:
     
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  3. brenndatomu

    brenndatomu

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    So what's this lil monster look like? :binoculars:
     
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  4. JRHAWK9

    JRHAWK9

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    Yeah, I think it turned out good. The owners son is the one who TIG welded it.
    Just like the one in the link above. :D :p

    I'm hoping to use it for a bit later today after work. I have the blade on it now and want to clear a bunch of little pines which are starting to pop up everywhere behind the garage. I don't think I'm going to make it look as easy as this guy does though.

     
  5. brenndatomu

    brenndatomu

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    Yeah, but that one doesn't have that sweet hi-po muffler on it! :p
    You planning on making some new ATV trails or something?
    Surely didn't spend $1k on something to cut a few lil ole pine saplings down?! :eek: :D
     
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  6. JRHAWK9

    JRHAWK9

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    One really can't see the muffler much when on the machine due to the cover it has over it.

    We get a lot of weeds and crap growing during the summer in the back of the garage and around the wood piles I want to clean up. I used a herbicide last year and that did the job and killed everything, but I don't want to do that every year seeing that area is near our well. Probably not a good idea. LOL Plus when it kills everything it just turns to mud/dirt. I could have got away with something smaller, but I'd rather have the power and not need it vs needing the power and not having it. :D I have a little Echo weed wacker which struggles in the tall stuff.
     
  7. Farmchuck

    Farmchuck

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    Thats a beautiful machine right there. How is it to use? Are the controls nice? Is it heavy? How’s the harness? Comfortable? I am only asking because I have been considering one of these for the last year myself. Thanks.
    Also I like the music in your video. Great job.:)
     
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  8. Flamestead

    Flamestead

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    I’ve got the 345 FR, and like it a lot. I never heard of buying overseas like that - interesting to know. In addition to clipping grass under a couple of miles of electric fence a few times each year I am battling multiflora rose, striped maple, and beech with it.
     
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  9. JRHAWK9

    JRHAWK9

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    thanks. That is not my video nor me. It was one I found when doing my research on it. I just used it for the first time tonight taking down some pines. Works very well. Harness is comfortable. I haven't used any other one besides this one though so I have nothing to compare it to.

    Swamp Donkey in this thread is the guy to talk to when it comes to brush cutters. The harness is what sold me on the Husqvarna after reading a lot of SD's posts on the topic.
    Clearing Saw - Stihl 560 - Husqvarna 555 - Echo 410U ???? in Chainsaws
     
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  10. JRHAWK9

    JRHAWK9

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    very similar saws. Glad you like it. I know it's way more machine than I need and probably a toy for me to play with more than anything. LOL

    What cutter do you use mostly? I can see myself using the grass blade most of the time when dealing with overgrowth in the wide open. The saw definitely spins faster when either the grass blade or saw blade is installed...compared to the trimmer head. That may have to do with me opening up the exhaust though too. Spins around 10,000rom's with the trimmer head and over 11,000 with the blade/saw. If I tune it for maximum rpm with the trimmer head, it will be too rich with the blade/saw. Lots of rotational momentum with those steel blades!
     
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  11. Flamestead

    Flamestead

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    I use both the triangle and the saw blade quite a bit. I wish they both worked with the same guard on the saw. Often I’ll clear the grass and small brush with the triangle, and then come back for the larger stuff with the saw. The triangle works better than the saw for working your way into a large rose clump (mulching branches so you can get in close enough to cut the base).

    I do a lot of cutting around rocks. The saw blade dulls right away with rocks. You can still muscle it through smaller things, but you really need to stop right there and sharpen it. That is part of why they cut so high in the videos of forestry work - well above any dirt splash, little chance of dulling.

    The triangle is very durable to rocks, but I feel a solid rock strike is harder on the engine/driveline. My old Stihl will stall now with every rock strike. Much of my cutting is done down at ground level (no knee high punji sticks), so I do frequent sharpening. Fortunately it is quick and easy to sharpen in the field.
     
    Last edited: Apr 24, 2021
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  12. JRHAWK9

    JRHAWK9

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    On my saw they actually use completely different heads. :(

    The saw blade uses this head (which is the one I bought new on eBay and is for the 555FX so I could safely use the saw blade):

    upload_2021-4-24_7-54-39.png

    The triangle and trimmer use this one (which is the one which comes on the 555RXT). This one allows for the mounting of the proper shields for either the trimmer head or the triangle, but not the shield for the saw blade.

    upload_2021-4-24_7-58-37.png



    I also discovered the 555FX uses a larger 9in blade, which is available here seeing the FX is available here. However, the RXT uses a larger 350mm triangle blade which only appears to be available in the UK. I got one with my saw, but would like to pick up another to have as a spare. I can use the smaller 300mm ones no problem but would prefer to have the larger one seeing that's what size the guard is for.

    Which reminds me. What blade do you use on yours? I bought the MAXI style. I was told they are better than the EIA style. This what that Swamp Donkey fellow said, and he uses them for a living.

    This is the MAXI style and is supposed to work better:
    upload_2021-4-24_8-6-8.png

    This is the EIA style:

    upload_2021-4-24_8-13-24.png
     
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  13. Flamestead

    Flamestead

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    It is just different guards, not heads, for mine. Looks like my triangle is the 300mm, and the blade is the EIA style.

    03999C75-5520-4EF9-B54A-67C997CCFF94.jpeg

    The old Stihl saw blades on top, and the bigger Husky’s blades at the bottom. I wasn’t aware of the Maxi style blade. I’ll have to look into that. It would shine out in the woods cutting striped maple and beech.
     
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  14. Canadian border VT

    Canadian border VT

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    My Stihl has maxi blade type 3inch saplings fall quickly! You will like that blade

    nice tool JRHAWK9 :yes:
     
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  15. JRHAWK9

    JRHAWK9

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    Makes sense, as yours came with all three cutting attachments I believe. Mine didn't. The 555FX comes solely with the blade and the 555RXT came with the string trimmer and triangle blade only. O well. :)

    Here's where I ordered my 9" MAXI blades from. I believe this is the one you need for yours....8".

    Blade, Brush Cutter, MAXI, 22-Tooth

    The EIA ones also seem to be known as "Scarlett".
     
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  16. Flamestead

    Flamestead

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    Thanks - I’ll be ordering one, as I still have a lot to do.
     
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  17. JRHAWK9

    JRHAWK9

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    Keep me posted on if you notice any difference between the two.
     
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  18. Farmchuck

    Farmchuck

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    Keep us all posted. I’m very interested as well.:)