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Oper ator ′ s manual Please r ead the operator’s manual carefully and make sure you E E E E n n n n g g g g l l l l i i i i s s s s h h h h understand the instructions before using the machine.
Symbols on the mac hine: W ARNING! Chain saws can be dangerous! Careless or incorrect use can result in serious or fatal injury to the operator or others. Please read the operator’s manual carefully and make sure you understand the instructions before using the machine. Always wear: •...
CONTENTS Contents KEY TO SYMBOLS Symbols on the machine: ... 2 Symbols in the operator’s manual: ... 2 CONTENTS Contents ... 3 INTR ODUCTION Dear Customer , ... 4 WHA T IS WHAT? What is what on the chain sa w? ... 5 GENERAL SAFETY PRECA UTIONS Bef ore using a new chain saw ...
Dear Customer , Cong ratulations on your choice to buy a Husqvarna product! Husqvarna is based on a tradition that dates back to 1689, when the Swedish King Charles XI ordered the construction of a factory on the banks of the Husqvarna River, for production of muskets. The location was logical, since water power was harnessed from the Huskvarna River to create the water-powered plant.
What is what on the c hain saw? 1 Cylinder cover 2 Front handle 3 Front hand guard 4 Starter 5 Chain oil tank 6 Starter handle 7 Adjuster screws carburettor 8 Choke control/Start throttle lock 9 Rear handle 10 Stop switch (Ignition on/off switch.) 11 Fuel tank 12 Muffler 13 Bar tip sprocket...
GENERAL SAFETY PRECA UTIONS Bef ore using a new chain saw • Please read this manual carefully. • Check that the cutting equipment is correctly fitted and adjusted. See instructions under the heading Assembly. • Refuel and start the chain saw. See the instructions under the headings Fuel Handling and Starting and Stopping.
GENERAL SAFETY PRECA UTIONS chain sa w usage if possible. Your dealer, forestry school or your library can provide information about which training materials and courses are available. Work is constantly in progress to improve the design and technology - improvements that increase your safety and efficiency.
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GENERAL SAFETY PRECA UTIONS • The chain brake (A) can either be activated manually (by your left hand) or automatically by the inertia release mechanism. • 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).
GENERAL SAFETY PRECA UTIONS • In the felling position the left hand is in a position that makes manual activation of the chain brake impossible. With this type of grip, that is when the left hand is placed so that it cannot affect the movement of the front hand guard, the chain brake can only be activated by the inertia action.
GENERAL SAFETY PRECAUTIONS Vibration damping system Your machine is equipped with a vibration damping system that is designed to minimize vibration and make operation easier. The machine′s vibration damping system reduces the transfer of vibration between the engine unit/cutting equipment and the machine′s handle unit.
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To maintain the safety features of the cutting equipment, you should replace a worn or damaged bar or chain with a bar and chain combinations recommended by Husqvarna. See instructions under the heading Technical Data for a list of replacement bar and chain combinations we recommend.
GENERAL SAFETY PRECAUTIONS Sharpening your chain and adjusting depth gauge setting 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 chips will be very small.
GENERAL SAFETY PRECAUTIONS General advice on adjusting depth gauge setting • When you sharpen the cutting tooth (A) the depth gauge setting (C) will decrease. To maintain optimal cutting performance the depth gauge (B) has to be filed down to achieve the recommended depth gauge setting.
GENERAL SAFETY PRECAUTIONS Lubricating cutting equipment WARNING! Poor lubrication of cutting equipment may cause the chain to snap, which could lead to serious, even fatal injuries. Chain oil Chain oil must demonstrate good adhesion to the chain and also maintain its flow characteristics regardless of whether it is warm summer or cold winter weather.
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GENERAL SAFETY PRECAUTIONS Chain drive sprocket The clutch drum is fitted with one of the following drive sprockets: A Spur sprocket (the chain sprocket is welded on the drum) B Rim sprocket (replaceable) Regularly check the degree of wear on the drive sprocket. Replace if wear is excessive.
Fitting the bar and chain WARNING! Always wear gloves, when working with the chain. Check that the chain brake is in disengaged position by moving the front hand guard towards the front handle. Remove the bar nuts and remove the clutch cover (chain brake).
When working with continuous high revs (e.g. limbing) a higher octane is recommended. Environment fuel HUSQVARNA recommends the use of alkylate fuel, either Aspen two-stroke fuel or environmental fuel for four-stroke engines blended with two-stroke oil as set out below. Note...
Fuelling WARNING! Taking the following precautions, will lessen the risk of fire: Do not smoke and do not place any hot objects in the vicinity of fuel. Always stop the engine and let it cool for a few minutes before refuelling. When refuelling, open the fuel cap slowly so that any excess pressure is released gently.
STARTING AND STOPPING Starting and stopping WARNING! Note the following before starting: Never start a chain saw unless the bar, chain and all covers are fitted correctly. Otherwise the clutch can come loose and cause personal injuries. Always move the machine away from the refuelling area before starting.
STARTING AND STOPPING Reactivate the chain brake by pushing the front hand guard back towards the front handle. The chain saw is now ready for use. WARNING! Long term inhalation of the engine’s exhaust fumes, chain oil mist and dust from sawdust can represent a health risk.
Before use: 1 Check that the chain brake works correctly and is not damaged. 2 Check that the rear right hand guard is not damaged. 3 Check that the throttle lock works correctly and is not damaged. 4 Check that the stop switch works correctly and is not damaged.
5 Take great care when cutting a tree that is in tension. A tree that is in tension may spring back to its normal position before or after being cut. If you position yourself incorrectly or make the cut in the wrong place the tree may hit you or the machine and cause you to lose control.
6 Always use a fast cutting speed, i.e. full throttle. 7 Take great care when you cut with the top edge of the bar, i.e. when cutting from the underside of the object. This is known as cutting on the push stroke. The chain tries to push the chain saw back towards the user.
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Limbing When limbing thick branches you should use the same approach as for cutting. Cut difficult branches piece by piece. Cutting WARNING! Never attempt to cut logs while they are in a pile or when a couple of logs are lying together. Such procedures drastically increase the risk of kickback which can result in a serious or fatal injury.
Tree felling technique IMPORTANT! It takes a lot of experience to fell a tree. Inexperienced users of chain saws should not fell trees. Do not attempt any task that you feel unsure of! Safe distance The safe distance between a tree that is to be felled and anyone else working nearby is at least 2 1/2 tree lengths.
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Felling WARNING! Unless you have special training we advise you not to fell trees with a diameter larger than the bar length of your saw! Felling is done using three cuts. First you make the directional cuts, which consist of the top cut and the bottom cut, then you finish with the felling cut.
When the felling cut and directional cut are complete the tree should start to fall by itself or with the aid of a felling wedge or breaking bar. We recommend that you use a bar that is longer than the diameter of the tree, so that you can make the felling cut and directional cuts with single cutting strokes.
Never cut straight through a tree or branch that is in tension! If you must cut across tree/limb, make two to three cuts, one inch apart, one to two inches deep. Continue to cut deeper until tree/limb bends and tension is released.
Due to existing environmental and emissions legislation your chain saw is equipped with movement limiters on the carburettor adjuster screws. These limit the adjustment possibilities to a maximum of a 1/2 turn. Your Husqvarna product has been designed and manufactured to specifications that reduce harmful emissions. Function •...
Correctly adjusted carburettor When the carburettor is correctly adjusted the machine accelerates without hesitation and 4-cycles a little at full throttle. It is also important that the chain does not rotate at idle. If the L-jet is set too lean it may cause starting difficulties and poor acceleration.
Throttle lock • Make sure the throttle control is locked at the idle setting when the throttle lock is released. • 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.
Muffler Never use a machine that has a faulty muffler. Regularly check that the muffler is securely attached to the machine. Some mufflers are equipped with a special spark arrestor mesh. If your machine has this type of muffler, you should clean the mesh at least once a week.
The filter must therefore be replaced with a new one at regular intervals. A damaged air filter must always be replaced. A HUSQVARNA chain saw can be equipped with different types of air filter according to working conditions, weather, season, etc. Contact your dealer for advice.
Spark plug The spark plug condition is influenced by: • Incorrect carburettor adjustment. • An incorrect fuel mixture (too much or incorrect type of oil). • A dirty air filter. These factors cause deposits on the spark plug electrodes, which may result in operating problems and starting difficulties.
Winter use Running problems can occur when using the machine in the cold and snowy conditions caused by: • Too low engine temperature. • Icing of the air filter and carburettor. Special measures are therefore often required: • Partly mask the air inlet on the starter to increase the working temperature of the engine.
Maintenance schedule The following is a list of the maintenance that must be performed on the machine. Most of the items are described in the Maintenance section. Daily maintenance Clean the outside of the machine. Check that the components of the throttle control work safely.
Technical data Engine Cylinder displacement, cm Cylinder bore, mm Stroke, mm Idle speed, rpm Power, kW/ rpm, Europe Power, kW/ rpm, Australia Ignition system Manufacturer of ignition system Type of ignition system Spark plug Electrode gap, mm Fuel and lubrication system Manufacturer of carburettor Carburettor type Fuel tank capacity, litre...
Husqvarna AB, SE-561 82 Huskvarna, Sweden, tel +46-36-146500, declares under sole responsibility that the chain saw Husqvarna 55 from 2002’s serial numbers and onwards (the year is clearly stated in plain text on the type plate with subsequent serial number), is in conformity with the requirements of the COUNCIL’S DIRECTIVES: - of June 22, 1998 ”relating to machinery”...