Gas Trimmer recommendation

[dbhost]

LOML got me an Echo 2 stroke for Valentine's day (I think she was dropping a hint...).

That thing is MIGHTY stout, and fast too... I use a Grass Gator cutter head on it as I HATE replacing line.

Mix the gas / oil, fill, push the prime bulb 5x, choke it, set to start / run, yank the cord 4-5 times, then unchoke it and yank 1x, it starts every time... Funny procedure, but it works...

The machine is light, and long enough I don't have to stoop to use it. With my back I can't be doing much of that...

I am in the market for a chain saw, and have been informed by LOML after she saw how much I liked my Echo that the chain saw will be an Echo as well...

FWIW, almost all of the professional yard service trucks I see have a fleet of either Echo, or Husqvarna trimmers and chain saws on them.... Not too much Stihl equipment in use down here... Not sure why. I guess not enough dealers or something.

[dbhost]

I've had "several" 2 cycle trimmers ... basically every brand mentioned above and several others ... I concede that Stihl is indeed a top brand BUT ... for my money I will never go back to a 2 cycle trimmer after having a 4 cycle (Sears) for the last several years ... forget about oil/gas mixing for one but to ME the real selling point is the difference in "power" ... I guess more correctly torque ... but compared to the many various 2 cycles I've had this is a beast ... it IS somewhat heavier than most 2 cycles ... but with an appropriate shoulder strap harness ... not a problem ...

So for my 2 cents ... at least consider a 4 cycle trimmer and I have to say my Sears brand has out lasted and out performed every other I have ever had.

Yeah, 4 strokes give you more power, but put more load on the operator. You have to haul around the additional crank case, oiling system, valve train etc...

A neighbor of mine uses a 4 stroke Ryobi that actually works really well, but I wouldn't want to haul that thing around... Too heavy for me to actually want to use very long...

[buckeye95]

I have not shopped for a trimmer lately, but my research into blowers has also pointed to the same vendors recommended here (Stihl, Echo, and Husqvarna).

I can see the reasoning behind "I can buy 2 weedeaters for the price if the Stihl, and just buy a new one when it breaks", but for me there is a price in all of the messing around with unit #1 until I finally break down and get another $75 trimmer.

My one recommendation from blower shopping is that if you are going to get a high end unit, go to a dealer instead of a big box store. The dealer I spoke with had the same price as HD, but also said they would assemble and set up the unit and give an overview of it's operation before I left. I don't think that would happen at Lowes or HD, and all for the same price. Additionally, many dealers in my area provide warranty work for units bought from the big boxes, but units bought from them go to the front of the line. I also read a review of a Husqvarna blower where the reviewer was forced to pay $40 to the dealer for covered repair work on a blower bought at Lowes (and he said inquiries into Husqvara revealed this was an accepted policy).

Save yourself the hassle. If going high end, go to a good dealer in your area.

Pete

[luteman]

I 've used a Shindaiwa straight shaft trimmer for 12years. Never a problem. I bought it used from a local landscaping service.

[Pappy]

I made the switch to an Echo several years ago and added the easy feed head. Instead of a spool, it holds cut pieces of line in spring clips. With 1 1/4 acre it sees fairly heavy use and always starts easily. The closest thing to maintenance I do is to empty the tank after use, start it, and let it idle until it runs out of gas, per instructions in the manual.

[leehljp]

You folks are about to talk me into opening a repair shop when I retire! I grew up with engines, two stroke, four stroke, model airplane engines of all kinds and sizes.

Check to see if there is a spark and squirt some fuel into the piston, and work back from there. I have had 4 weed eaters over here and most of them were the cheapest available. I would run one for a couple of years and someone would want to buy it because it would "run". I would sell it and get another.

This happened about every two or three years and the fellows that I sold one to - they would bring it back and I would spend 15 to 30 minutes and it would be running good as new and starting easily too. Lawnmowers have been basically the same for me. As long as it has a spark, working backwards is fairly easy.

I did find one that was a problem - the muffler had a dirt dobber nest inside. It had a spark, but a few of drops of gas in the cylinder would not produce more than two or three turns and little noise. Tell tell sign of muffler problems.

Two cycle engines have their own sound and the fuel mixture ratio is distinctive even for this hard of hearing fellow. Four cycles are a little different but engine sound as it fires tells a lot. If one is used to it, rich settings (flooding) and lean settings (fuel starving) have their own distinct sound.

My problem is that I have two engines that still run well, but the shaft or end gears are worn-out/broke and I can't get parts. The newest of the engines is still 12 - 13 years old. The one that I use now is 10 years old and is running fine. I have only tuned it once 3 years ago and it starts fine every spring. Pull the plug, check for a spark; make sure the little pumper primes fuel; squirt 3 or 4 drops of fuel into the cylinder. Tighten the plug and it starts. It takes about 5 minutes of fiddling to fine tune the carb settings. The rest of the season, it works fine and starts on the 2nd or 3rd pull each time I pull it out.

Maybe I have just been lucky, or I learned a lot from about 700 - 800 hours of gas powered model airplane flying over a 12 year period. And I haven't begun to tell the stories of starting small motors in a short time that no one else could. Test for a spark, inject a few drops of fuel and work back.

[mjernigan]

Hey Lee--

Which "check for a spark" method do you prefer: plug out and attached to the lead, in-line checker, or lead-to-ground? Also, what ARE the carb adjustments on a two-cycle? Idle speed and mixture, or is there more?

[leehljp]

Hey Lee--

Which "check for a spark" method do you prefer: plug out and attached to the lead, in-line checker, or lead-to-ground? Also, what ARE the carb adjustments on a two-cycle? Idle speed and mixture, or is there more?

I pull the plug, hook the wire up and set it on the head. There is enough grounding there to see a spark as I pull the starter rope. No need to pull hard.

Yes, two cycles are simple to adjust - idle speed, and mix. Some have more elaborate settings but I start by adjusting things 1/2 turn one way and then back; one half turn the other way and then back.

To me the real key is something I learned as a youth with gas model engines - It is easy for me to recognize mildly rich mix versus slightly lean mix. If it is running a little sluggish, hitting the accelerator link will accentuate the lean or rich sound.

Fuel mixture ratio has its own sounds. At least I can usually do this on one and two cylinder engines but beyond two it gets more complicated.

[Bill Stock]

Thanks for all the feedback, I didn't realize weed beaters were such a touchy subject. I'm going to check out the Stihls later in the week when the shop is open later.

[Woody]

Stihl

I had a Ryobi with the attachments for years and it finally died a couple years ago. I got a Stihl and love it. It runs great - starts easy. The only pain is that it goes through string fairly fast but it is simple and easy to replace.

[Bill Stock]

Picked up the shiny new Stihl tonight, but it's a little wet to try it out. Anybody got any weeds they need whacked.

Like somebody said they fired it up in the parking lot for me and threw in a free tank of gas, line and a second year of warranty for the price of a six pac of oil. Overall, a good buying experience.

[Woody]

Congrats. I used mine today and was wondering what you had done.

[siliconbauhaus]

I had a craftsman curved end that my wife got me for $15. It starts easily and has done the job. I swapped the string part for a shakespere (sp) one that takes really thick strips of plastic as the bump feed is always an arse.

I just picked up a recon ryobi from big lots for $70. Its the same model that takes all the attachments. I saw it at the borg and saved myself $50 but I bought the modified end attachement. It takes 4 strips of plastic on the end so you get 8 cutters.

I got it mainly as I find the curved end a bugger when it comes to gettting under a bush. I filled it up and primed it and bingo....I'm happy.

Whatever one you decide on I'd recommend ditching the string and going with the cutter strips....they last much longer and you arent constantly bumping the thing.

[SARGE..g-47]

Congrats.. I assume the guy in the parking lot told you how to use the choke? Unless things have changed you choke when cold but never for more than two pulls... dis-engage the choke and it should crank the next pull. Well... unless you forgot to hit ON switch oriiginally. I did that once in a hurry. Ok.. twice maybe... ha.. ha... ha..ha..ha..