The new 60cc chainsaws – improved in every detail
The development of the new Husqvarna 560 XP® Mark II and 562 XP® Mark II saws is a story of countless upgrades. From broad strokes to the smallest details. Here, product specialists Mathilda Arvidsson and Jan Leijon go through some of the major improvements.
“New and improved” is a somewhat overused expression. All too often, it’s used to cover up minimal upgrades and – most of the time – it doesn’t herald any world changing innovations.
However, when deep diving into the new 562 XP, it’s hard to sidestep the claim. Because, after checking in with Husqvarna product specialists Jan Leijon and Mathilda Arvidsson, it’s clear as daylight that these new 60cc saws are unmistakably both new and improved, that they are Mark II models in every sense. Countless hours of work have gone into perfecting them, making them the very best tools for demanding loggers and tree care workers.
Three years of meticulous work
“The new saws are the result of more than three years of work,” says Mathilda. “That means the trying out and testing – and then testing again – of every single detail in order to optimize the operation on the saw.”
Much of the work has utilised the learnings achieved during the development of the 550 XP® Mark II and 592 XP® chainsaws. This has meant a strong focus on runability and reliability. To keep the engine temperatures down without compromising on the performance, reducing the risk of overheating. And in order to do this, there’s been one major challenge to address.
“The main challenge throughout this project has been to keep, or even improve, the performance levels, the output effect, without adding weight,” says Mathilda. “And not only have we succeeded, we’ve actually managed to reduce the weight.”
Reducing the risks of overheating
It may have taken time, but the results speak for themselves. The new saws have improved airflow and filtration, which in turn equal vastly improved cooling of vital engine parts.
“We’ve improved the airflow through the entire machine, specifically when it comes to cooling the parts that produce heat,” says Jan Leijon. “That means that we’ve managed to lower the temperature around the crankcase housing, the muffler, and the carburettor.”
However, the improved airflow is but one of the results of the improvements. To safeguard continuous operation, prefiltration has been vastly improved as well.
“A new design of the Air Injection™ nozzle has resulted in improved protection of the carburettor from dust and dirt,” says Jan Leijon. “The air purification levels are actually as much as 99 percent which will give the user extended interval between air filter cleanings. And thanks to the new insulation wall, the carburettor is also protected from the heat generated by the cylinder as well as dirt.”
Lowered fuel consumption and excellent manoeuvrability
Apart from these major upgrades, there are countless improvements down to the smallest of details, some of them carried over from earlier Mark II models. The choice of materials, the placement of the clutch and the bar mount – all designed to improve usability and reliability. All to live up to the “Mark II” classification.
Staying true to the manoeuvrability claim – part of the Husqvarna DNA – the upgrades have been made without compromises on the slim design. A design that, together with the low weight, results in excellent manoeuvrability that translates into less strain on the user’s body.
“There’s much about this saw that we’re really proud of,” says Jan Leijon. “We’ve managed to lower the fuel consumption, increase the torque, lower the overall weight, and keep a design that makes the saw easy to handle. That’s something the user will feel immediately.”
“To sum it up, you might say that we’ve managed to tame the heat and improved the saw’s fitness. We’ve minimised airflow resistance and allowed the machine to breathe more freely,” says Mathilda Arvidsson.
