MudRut

For me, it depends on the weight of the trailer and the surface. In the yard I can't see a need even at the weight limit and, as four wheel drive with no centre diff comes into play, it wouldn't be a good idea anyway. (I am talking about the Hilux here, but I think the same is true of the Navara.) On grass or in mud, yep - most of the time.

Well, I was aiming my jibe at the faceless individuals who conspire to spoil my fun forcing down engine sizes; the 2.4L Defender became 2.2L before its demise. I realise that technology moves forward, but I am always suspicious and mostly disappointed when any manufacturer says 'we've reduced the engine size, but now it produces more torque, more top-end power and better economy'. As for quorn........ regards Ian

I had the same conversation a cuppla days ago. I have a two year old 3.0L which is great, but I planned to swap it next March. I'm now wondering whether to swap it earlier to get the last of the current 3.0L or just keep this one longer. (There is nothing wrong with it, I just planned to swap out every three years.) I am wondering if Toyota will reverse their decision in a couple of years and bring in the 2.8L model which they are reserving for markets which aren't presided over by limp-wristed, psuedo-green, quorn-munching bed-wetters.

All interesting answers, especially from the MightySpudster in getting a maintainer's perspective. There is lot more positive comment on this thread than I expected given the general tone of other recent threads. As I mentioned, I really like my 661. I think the HD2 filtration seems to be an improvement on the hit-and-miss setup on the 460. It is a shame, though, that some saw-men have put their hard-earned into models which have failed then had to battle to get proper manufacturer support. I guess this is sometimes the fault of the dealers though. Might fill the gap with a 362 sooner rather than later after all...... regards Ian

Really interesting replies. As I said, I am really happy with my 661 and the next saw I buy will be midsize (362 or 461). Is it really a case of unhappy users make a lot more noise than the happy ones? I have read a fair amount of warm-start-woes.

Hi all. Reading some of the threads about the new generations of saws, it seems that there is a loss of love for the major players' products. I'm a confirmed Stihl fan. I use Husqvarna when I am in Sweden and while there is no doubt they are a fine unit, I just am used the the fit, feel and characteristics of Stihl. My oldest Stihl is a late 90s 390 which has been surprisingly robust for a non-pro saw. I've got a 200T and a 460 which must be about 10 years old and one of the last 260s. I took the plunge and bought a 661 about a year ago, half expecting a load of pain, but it has been rock-solid, getting a lot of use with a 30 inch bar. Talking to my cutting buddy, he has a 1998 260 which has been run hard and not really given much TLC, but it is one of his favourites. We both would think twice before buying, say, a 261 or 362. What's ruining it for the manufacturers? Emissions, cost-cutting, or a push towards the latest unproven technology? I'm a heavy user, but I'm really interested to know what the guys who depend on these machines for a living think. regards Ian

Do you reckon this would be any good? It reads as if it's the generator that is at fault, but the engine is a runner. HONDA GX390 GENERATOR 6KVA GENERATOR 110/230 VOLT FOR SPARES OR REPAIR | eBay I've always had good service from Honda engines. The only ones I have been asked to fix have been left for a while with fuel in them.

Yep! If it was my truck, I would do the following: 1) Look at the truck from the side. Does it sit low at the back? If it does, it is very likely that the rear suspension is tired. 2) Check whether the vehicle has traditional coils or airbags. Very easy to do - just look behind the rear wheels. 3) If it is sagging and you have coils, then I would replace them with heavier duty items as factory standard are a bit soft for heavy towing. I am not talking about longer springs which would lift the suspension - I just mean a heavier spring. 4) It's very easy to remove a rear shock absorber, so take one off and see if it is, indeed, buggered. It should have a fair, smooth resistance to compression with no graunch. It will probably gently re-expand under its own steam, but it shouldn't shoot back to full length. Remember - a shock doesn't carry weight, it is there to control a spring's motion. 5) I wouldn't call Monroe a particularly good shock. They are 'ok' along with Pro-comp and a variety of others at that end of the market. However, all things being equal, they shouldn't have failed this quickly which leads me to think that the suspension is bottoming due to weak springs or missing bump-stops. Hope this helps a bit. regards Ian

...... I would think carefully how to word the bit where you say 'The mix that I used was only two years old - and I gave it a good shake.' More seriously, I think the shop are a little disinterested. How much investigative work have they really done? A peek through the exhaust port might show you a scored piston, but still doesn't tell how it got like that. I don't see how you can even think about the problem being the Aspen, given the history of the saw.

These guys are great. Easy to navigate website too. Stihl | Honda | Belle | Husqvarna | Yanmar | Wacker | Atlas Copco | L&S Engineers I am a big Stihl fan, but it seems that both manufacturers are capable of putting out lemons. A trawl round these pages will confirm that. regards Ian

The whole thing seems unfair, but I suppose a warranty period is a warranty period. If I was in your position, I would be contacting Spudulike on here for an estimate.