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HUSQVARNA
CHAINSAW
Operator's manual (EPA)
5 5 Rancher
CRAFTSMAN 359.35279
Please read these instructions carefully and make
sure you understand them before using the machine. English
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Symbols
KEY TO SYMBOLS
@
CAUTION! Chain saws can be dangerous!
Careless or incorrect use can result in
serious or fatal injury to the operator or
others.
Please read the instructions carefully and
make sure you understand them before
using the saw.
Always wear:
• Approved protective helmet
• Approved hearing protection
• Protective glasses or visor
Both of the operator's hands must be used
to operate the chain saw. Please see page
30 in your "Chain saw operator's safety
manual".
Never operate a chain saw holding it with
one hand only. Please see page 30 in your
"Chain saw operator's safety manual".
Switch off the engine by moving the stop
switch to the STOP position before carrying
out any checks or maintenance.
Always wear approved 3rotective gloves.
Regular cleaning is required.
Visual check.
Contact of the guide bar tip with any object
should be avoided. Please see pages 12-21
in your "Chain saw operator's safety
manual".
Tip contact may cause the guide bar to
move suddenly upward and backward,
which may cause serious injury. Please see
pages 12-21 in your "Chain saw operator's
safety manual".
Other symbols/decals on the machine refer to special
certification requirements for certain markets.
Protective glasses or a visor must be worn.
2 = English
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CONTENTS
Before using a new saw
• Read the instructions carefully.
• Check cutting equipment is correctly fitted and adjusted.
See page 25.
• Refuel and start the saw. Check the carburetor settings.
See pages 26-29.
• Do not use the saw until sufficient chain oil has reached the
chain, see page 14.
IMPORTANT! If the carburetor mixture is too lean it greatly
increases the risk of engine failure.
Poor maintenance of the air filter will cause carbon build-up on
the spark plug and lead to difficult starting.
Ifthe chain is badly adjusted it will cause increased wear or
damage to the bar, drive sprocket and chain.
Maintenance, replacement, or repair of the emission
control devices and systems may be performed by any
nonroad engine repair establishment or individual.
WARNING
The engine exhaust from this product
contains chemicals known to the State
of California to cause cancer, birth
defects or other reproductive harm.
You will find the following labels
on your chain saw:
Contents
Key to symbols .........................................................2
Safety instructions
Personal protective equipment .................................4
Chain saw safety equipment ......................................4
Inspecting, maintaining and servicing chain saw safety
equipment ............................................................................ 8
Cutting equipment .........................................................10
How to avoid kickback .................................................16
General safety precautions .......................................18
General working instructions ....................................19
What is what?
What is what? .................................................................... 24
Assembly
Mounting guide bar and chain ........................................... 25
Fuel handling
Fuelmix .............................................................................. 26
Fuelling .............................................................................. 27
Start and stop
Start and stop .................................................................... 28
Maintenance
Carburetor ......................................................................... 29
Starter device .................................................................... 30
Air filter .............................................................................. 31
Spark plug ......................................................................... 31
Muffler ................................................................................ 31
Needle bearing maintenance ............................................ 31
Cooling system .................................................................. 32
Centrifugal cleaning "Air Injection". ................................... 32
Winter use ......................................................................... 32
Daily maintenance ............................................................. 33
Weekly maintenance ......................................................... 33
Monthly maintenance ........................................................ 33
Technical data
55 Rancher ........................................................................ 34
Emission Control Warranty
Statement
Your warranty rights and obligations ................................. 35
Thissawiscapableofseverekickback.
Followall safetyprecautions
Failuretofollowinstructionscouldresultinserious
personalinjury.Recommendedcuttingequipment
seeOperator°sManual(s).Otherloworreduced
kickbackcombinationsinOperator°sManual(s).
_ LISTED 54L1. LISTED IN ACCORDANCEWITH AMERICAN
intheOperator°sManual(s)
NATIONAL STANDARD SAFETY SPECIFICATIONS FOR
GASOLINE POWERED CHAIN SAWS(ANSI C175.1-2000),y
f
_Husqvarna __
HUSQVARNA AB HUSKVARNA SWEDEN EM
THIS ENGINECONFORMSTO U.S. EPA PH1
EMISSION REGULATIONFOR SMALL
IMPORTANTENGINEINFORMATION
NONROAD ENGINES. REFERTO OPERATOR'S
MANUALFOR MAINTENANCE
SPECIFICATIONSANDADJUSTMENTS.
Husqvarna AB has a policy of continuous product development
and therefore reserves the right to modify the design and
appearance of products without prior notice.
For customer assistance call: 704-921-7000
or contact us at our website: www.husqvarna.com
I
English 3
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SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
CHAIN SAW SAFETY EQUIPMENT
This section explains the various safety features of the saw,
how they work, and basic inspection and maintenance you
should carry out to ensure safe operation. (See the "What is
what?" section tofind out where these components are on Your
saw).
Chain brake and front
hand guard
• PROTECTIVE HELMET
• HEARING PROTECTION
• PROTECTIVE GLASSES
OR VISOR
• GLOVES WITH
SAW PROTECTION
• PROTECTIVE TROUSERS
WITH SAW PROTECTION
Throttle lock
Chain catcher
4 Right hand guard
5 Vibration damping system
• BOOTS WITH SAW
PROTECTION, STEEL
TOE-CAP AND NON-SLIP
SOLE
Generally clothes should be
close-fitting without restricting
your freedom of movement.
• ALWAYS HAVE A FIRST
AID KIT NEARBY
4- English
Stop switch
Muffler
Cutting equipment (see
"Cutting equipment"
section).
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SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
1 Chain brake and front hand guard
YOUR chain saw is equipped with a chain brake that is desig-
ned to stop the chain immediately if you get a kickback.
The chain brake reduces the risk of accidents, but only You can
prevent them.
Take care when using your
saw and make sure the
kickback zone of the bar
never touches any object.
The chain brake (A) can
either be activated
manually (by your left
hand) or automatically by
the inertia release
mechanism (a free-
swinging pendulum). On
most of our models the
front hand guard acts as a
counterweight in case of
kickback.
A
B
2
The front hand guard is
not designed solely to
activate the chain brake.
Another important safety
feature is that it prevents
the chain from hitting your
left hand if you lose your
grip on the front handle.
3a
Starting
The chain brake must be
engaged when starting.
You can also use the
chain brake as a
temporary brake when you
change position or if you
put the saw down for a
short time. You should
also apply the chain brake
manually if there is a risk
of the chain accidentally
hitting anyone or anything
close by.
The brake is applied
when the front hand
guard (B) is pushed
forwards.
This movement activates
a spring-loaded
mechanism that tightens
the Brake Band (C)
around the engine drive
system (D) (Clutch Drum).
B
To release the chain brake
pull the front hand guard
backwards, towards the
front handle.
C
D
As mentioned in section A,
kickback can be very
sudden and violent.
Most kickbacks are
minor and do not always
activate the chain brake.
If this happens you
should hold the chain
saw firmly and not let
go.
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SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
6
The way the chain brake is triggered, either manually or
automatically, depends on the force of the kickback and the
position of the chain saw in relation to the object that the
kickback zone of the bar strikes.
If you get a violent
kickback while the
kickback zone of the bar
is farthest away from you
the chain brake will be
activated by the
movement of the
counterweight (INERTIA
ACTIVATED).
If the kickback is less
violent or the kickback
zone of the bar is closer
to you the chain brake will
be activated manually by
the movement of your left
hand.
2 Throttle lock
The throttle lock is designed
to prevent accidental opera-
tion of the throttle control.
When you press the lock (A)
(i.e. when you grasp the
handle) it releases the throttle
trigger (B).
When you release the handle
the throttle trigger and the
throttle lock both move back
to their original positions. This
movement is controlled by two
independent return springs.
This arrangement means that
the throttle control is
automatically locked at the
idle setting when you release
the handle.
3 Chain catcher
The chain catcher is designed
to catch the chain if it snaps or
jumps off. This should not
happen if the chain is properly
tensioned (see section on
"Assembly') and ifthe bar and
chain are properly serviced
and maintained.
(See section on "General
working instructions').
A
B
During felling your left
hand grasps the front
handle in such a way that
it cannot activate the front
hand guard. In this
position the chain brake
can only be activated by
the inertia action of the
counterweight.
The inertia activated
chain brake increases
your safety but there are
certain factors to
remember (see point 6
above).
4 Right hand guard
Apart from protecting your
hand if the chain jumps or
snaps, the right hand guard
stops branches and twigs
from interfering with your grip
on the rear handle.
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SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
5 Vibration damping system
Your chain saw is equipped
with a vibration damping
system that is designed to
minimise vibrations and make
operation easier.
When you use a chain saw
vibrations are generated by
the uneven contact between
the chain and the wood you
are cutting.
Cutting hardwoods (most
broadleaf trees) creates more
vibration than cutting
softwoods (most conifers).
Cutting with a chain that is
blunt or faulty (wrong type or
badly sharpened, see section
D) will increase the vibration
level.
©
6 Stop switch
Use the stop switch to switch
off the engine.
7 Muffler
The muffler is designed to keep noise levels to a minimum and
to direct exhaust fumes away from the user.
The vibration damping system
reduces the vibrations
transmitted from the engine
and chain to the handles of
the chain saw. The body of
the saw, including the cutting
equipment, is insulated from
the handles by vibration
damping units.
In areas with a hot, dry
climate there is a high risk of
forest fires. These areas are
sometimes controlled by
legislation and requirements
that among other things the
muffler must be equipped with
an approved type of spark
arrestor mesh.
For mufflers it is very
important that you follow the
instructions on checking,
maintaining and servicing your
saw (see the section on
"Inspecting, maintaining and
servicing chain saw safety
equipment').
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SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
Inspecting, maintaining and servicing
chain saw safety equipment
1
Chain brake and front hand guard
1
Checking brake band wear
Brush off any sawdust,
resin and dirt from the
chain brake and clutch
drum. Dirt and wear can
impair operation of the
brake.
3 Checking the inertia brake release
Hold the chain saw over a
stump or other firm object.
Let go of the front handle
so that the bar falls onto
the stump.
When the bar hits the
stump the brake should
be applied.
4 Checking the brake trigger
Regularly check that the
brake band is at least 0.6
mm thick at its thinnest
point.
2 Checking the front hand guard
A Make sure the
FRONT HAND GUARD
is not damaged and
that there are no visible
defects such as cracks.
Start the chain saw and
place it on firm ground.
Make sure the chain does
not touch the ground or
any other object.
Grasp the saw firmly,
wrapping your fingers and
thumbs around the
handles.
Apply full throttle and
activate the chain brake
by tilting your wrist
forward onto the front
hand guard. Do not let go
of the front handle.
B Move the front hand
guard forwards and
back to make sure it
runs freely and that it is
securely anchored to
the clutch cover.
8 - English
The chain should stop
immediately.
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SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
2 Throttle lock
Make sure the throttle
control is locked at the
idle setting when you
release the throttle lock.
Press the throttle lock and
make sure it returns to its
original position when you
release it.
Check that the throttle
control and throttle lock
move freely and that the
return springs work
properly.
4 Right hand guard
Check that the right hand
guard is not damaged and
that there are no visible
defects, such as cracks.
5 Vibration damping system
Regularly check the
vibration damping units
for cracks or deformation
Make sure the vibration
damping units are
securely attached to the
engine unit and handles.
Start the saw and apply
full throttle. Release the
throttle control and check
that the chain stops and
remains stationary. If the
chain rotates when the
throttle is on idle setting
you should check the
carburetor idle
adjustment. See the
section on "Maintenance".
3
Chain catcher
Check that the CHAIN
CATCHER is not
damaged and is firmly
attached to the body of
the saw.
6 Stop switch
Start the engine and
make sure the engine
stops when you move the
stop switch to the stop
setting.
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SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
7 Muffler
Never use a chain saw
that has a faulty muffler.
Regularly check that the
muffler is securely
attached to the chain saw.
If the muffler on your saw
is fitted with a spark
arrestor mesh this must
be cleaned regularly. A
blocked mesh will cause
the engine to overheat
and may lead to serious
damage.
Never use a muffler if
the spark arrestor mesh
is missing or defective.
CUTTING EQUIPMENT
This section describes how to choose and maintain your cutting
equipment in order to:
• Reduce the risk of kickback.
• Reduce the risk of the chain breaking or jumping.
• Obtain maximum cutting performance.
• Extend the life of cutting equipment.
The 5 basic rules
Only use cutting
equipment
recommended by us!
See the "Technical data"
section.
Keep the chain cutting
teeth properly
sharpened! Follow our
instructions and use the
recommended file
gauge. A damaged or
badly sharpened chain
increases the risk of
accidents.
Maintain the correct
raker clearance! Follow
our instructions and
use the recommended
raker gauge. Too large a
clearance increases the
risk of kickback.
Keep the chain properly
tesioned! If the chain is
slack it is more likely to
jump off and lead to
increased wear on the
bar, chain and drive
sprocket.
Keep cutting equipment
well lubricated and
properly maintained!
A poorly lubricated chain
is more likely to break and
lead to increased wear on
the bar, chain and drive
sprocket.
©
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SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
1 Cutting equipment designed to minimise
kickback
The only way to avoid kickback is to make sure that the kick-
back zone of the bar never touches anything.
By using cutting equipment with "built-in" kickback protection
and keeping the chain sharp and well-maintained you can
reduce the effects of kickback.
A Bar
The smaller the tip radius the
smaller the kickback zone and
the lower the chance of
kickback.
B Saw chain
A saw chain is made up of a number of links, which are
available in standard and low-kickback versions.
None Standard
CUTTING LINK _ _
Low-kickback
C Some terms that describe the bar and chain
When the cutting equipment supplied with your saw becomes
worn or damaged you will need to replace it. Use only the type
of bar and chain recommended by us. See the "Technical data"
section to find out which equipment is recommended for your
saw.
Bar
• LENGTH (inches!cm)
NUMBER OF TEETH ON
BAR TIP SPROCKET (T).
Small number = small tip
radius = low-kickback
CHAIN PITCH (inches)
The spacing between the
drive links of the chain must
match the spacing of the
teeth on the bar tip sprocket
and drive sprocket.
NUMBER OF DRIVE LINKS
The number of drive links is
determined by the length of
the bar, the chain pitch and
the number of teeth on the
bar tip sprocket.
BAR GROOVE WIDTH
(inches!mm)
The groove in the bar must
match the width of the chain
drive links.
PITCH = D
DRIVE LINK _) (_
SIDE LINK _
Combining these links in different ways gives different degrees
of kickback reduction. In terms of kickback reduction alone, four
different types of link are available.
Kickback reduction Cutting link
LOW
STANDARD
HIGH
EXTRA HIGH
Drive link Side link
SAW CHAIN OIL HOLE
AND HOLE FOR CHAIN
TENSIONER
The bar must be matched to
the chain saw design.
Saw chain
• SAW CHAIN PITCH
(=PITCH) (inches)
PITCH = D
• DRIVE LINK WIDTH (mm/
inches)
• NUMBER OF DRIVE LINKS
LEVEL OF KICKBACK
REDUCTION
The level of kickback
reduction offered by a chain
is indicated by its model
number.
See the "Technical data"
section to find the model
numbers of chains that are
recommended for use with
your saw.
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SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
2 Sharpening your chain and adjusting
raker clearance
A General information on sharpening cutting teeth
• Never use a blunt chain. When the chain is blunt you have to
exert more pressure to force the bar through the wood and
the cuttings will be very small. If the chain is very blunt it will
not produce any cuttings at all, just wood powder.
• A sharp chain eats its way
through the wood and
produces long, thick
cuttings.
A
• The cutting part of the chain
is called the CUTTING LINK
and this consists of a
CUTTING TOOTH (A) and
the RAKER LIP (B). The
cutting depth is determined
by the difference in height
between the two.
O
It is very difficult to sharpen a
chain correctly without the
right equipment. We
recommend you use a file
gauge. This will help you
obtain the maximum kickback
reduction and cutting
performance from your chain.
B Sharpening cutting teeth
• When you sharpen a cutting tooth there are five important
factors to remember.
FILING ANGLE
CUTTING ANGLE
FILE POSITION
ROUND FILE DIAMETER
FILE DEPTH
To sharpen cutting teeth you
will need a ROUND FILE and
a FILE GAUGE. See the
"Technical data" section for
information on the size of file
and gauge that are
recommended for your saw
chain.
Check that the chain is
correctly tensioned. A
slack chain is difficult to
sharpen correctly.
Always file cutting teeth
from the inside face,
reducing the pressure on
the return stroke.
File all the teeth on one
side first, then turn the
saw over and file the
teeth on the other side.
File all the teeth to the
same length. When the
length of the cutting teeth
is reduced to 4 mm
(0,16") the chain is worn
out and should be
replaced.
___°_°_
min 4 mm
5
See the "Technical data"section for information about
sharpening your saw chain.
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SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
C General advice on setting raker clearance
• When you sharpen the
cutting teeth you reduce the
RAKER CLEARANCE
(cutting depth). To maintain
cutting performance you
must file back the raker
teeth to the recommended
height.
See the "Technical data"
section to find the raker
clearance for your saw
chain.
• On a low-kickback cutting
link the front edge of the
raker lip is rounded. It is
very important that you
maintain this radius or bevel
when you adjust the raker
clearance.
• We recommend the use of a
raker gauge to achieve the
correct clearance and bevel
on the raker lip.
D Setting the raker clearance
Before setting the raker clearance the cutting teeth should be
newly sharpened.
We recommend that you adjust the raker clearance every
third time you sharpen the chain. NOTE! This
recommendation assumes that the length of the cutting teeth
is not reduced excessively.
To adjust the raker
clearance you will need a
FLAT FILE and a RAKER
GAUGE.
• Place the gauge over the
raker lip.
Place the file over the part
of the lip that protrudes
through the gauge and file
off the excess. The
clearance is correct when
you no longer feel any
resistance as you draw the
file over the gauge.
3 Tensioning the chain
The more you use a chain the longer it becomes. It is
therefore important to adjust the chain regularly to take up the
slack.
Check the chain tension every time you refuel.
NOTE! A new saw chain has a running-in period during which
you should check the tension more frequently.
Tension the chain as tightly
as possible, but not so tight
that you cannot pull it round
freely by hand.
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SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
Undo the bar nuts that
hold the clutch cover and
chain brake, using the
combination spanner.
Then tighten the nuts by
hand as tight as you can.
2
Raise the tip of the bar
and stretch the chain by
tightening the chain
tensioning screw using
the combination spanner.
Tighten the chain until it
not hang slack on the
underside of the bar.
3 Use the combination
spanner to tighten the bar
nuts while lifting the tip of
the bar at the same time.
Check that you can pull
the chain round freely by
hand and that it is not
slack on the bottom of the
bar.
The position of the chain tensioning screw varies from
model to model. See the" What is what" section to find out
where it is on your saw.
4 Lubricating cutting equipment
A Chain oil
• Chainsaw chain oil must demonstrate good adhesion to the
chain and also maintain its flow caracteristics regardless of
whether it is warm summer or cold winter weather.
As a chainsaw manufacturer we have developed an optimal
chain oil which has a vegetable oil base. We recommend the
use of our own oil for both maximum chain life and to
minimise environmental damage.
• If our own chain oil is not available, standard chain oil is
recommended.
• In areas where oil specifically for lubrication of saw chains is
unavailable, ordinary EP 90 transmission oil may be used.
• Never use waste oil!
This is dangerous for yourself, the saw and the environment.
B Filling with chain oil
• All our chain saws have an
automatic chain lubrication
system. On some models
the oil flow is also
adjustable.
The sizes of the chain oil
tank and fuel tank have
been chosen so that the
saw will run out of fuel
before running out of oil.
This means that you should
never run with a dry chain.
However, this safety feature
requires that you use the
right sort of chain oil (if the
oil is too thin it will run out
before the fuel), and that
you adjust the carburetor as
recommended (a weak
mixture may mean that the
fuel lasts longer than the
oil). You should also use the
recommended cutting
equipment (a bar that is too
long will use more chain oil).
The above conditions also
apply to models with an
adjustable oil pump.
14- English