buying a weed trimmer

I bought a beat up Stihl FS85 for $70 off of craigslist about 7 years ago. I'm still using it and it still runs like a champ.
 
And it's probably still worth $70, haha.
 
No love for the Echo? Last year when I was doing my research on here, there were as many people that liked the Echo as there were for the Stihl. I ended up getting an Echo based on some of yall's opinions. I couldnt be happier with it.
 
All depends on how you use it to which one to go for.

Hate to be a traitor, I replaced all my stihl string trimmers with Honda 4 strokes for my L-S business. Everything about the Honda's are better in our opinion. We got tired of fanaggling with the stihl's. You can turn the Honda's in any direction to cut without issues like we were having with the stihls. First pull EVERY time going on 3 years now since the switch with 3 of them. Also they burn so much cleaner and very quiet which makes a huge difference after being behind one all day.
 
6BangBronk said:
You can turn the Honda's in any direction to cut without issues like we were having with the stihls.
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That's a good point -- can you turn these all these sideways for edging? I have a hell of a lot more edging to do than trimming. The mower takes care of most of the trim work.
 
I'll second the Echo opinion. My parents have one close to 30 years old and still runs like a top, and a second one about 10 years old now and it runs great too. Both are strait shaft trimmers, and we use string and blades on both. At work we have a Stihl trimmer and blower, I wouldn't give a dime for either one. Both are the most aggravating pieces of equipment to use.

Duane
 
Another point worth mentioning, don't go out like I did and buy the mega roll of string. Technology for string is evolving majorly. The new stuff out now cuts SOOOO much better than what I bought 5-6 years ago. There's a lot to choose from now. I like the diamond shape the best so far. But keep it away from downspouts for it'll cut them like nothing.
 
liftedblazer97 said:
Not sure I believe that. Kinda hard to believe its not there product. And they definitely still sell handheld. The one in Wilson also has them. Look online if your confused. Don't know why the one in Wilmington is so different then the others. My zero turn also came from the one in Wendell.
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I'm not trying to start a pissing contest, but I did look online. John Deere doesn't list them on their website. All of their handheld equipment went the way of their push mowers, out. This is why I said they must have a large amount of old stock:

https://www.deere.com/en_US/product...urrent_equipment/residential_non_current.page

This second link will show you what I mean by it being a rebadged unit. "John Deere no longer offers John Deere branded trimmers, chain saws, or blowers. A variety of John Deere branded Hand Held Power Equipment has been manufactured over the years."

https://groundscare.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1086

I do know they still make all of their residential and commercial mowers and that they are not rebadged units from another manufacturer.

I'll say this about most every modern piece of two-stroke equipment. The EPA has choked these things to the point that we are seeing more lean-condition engine failures than ever before. @6BangBronk probably has the most reliable equipment as his are true four-stroke engines and not four-cycle engines requiring mixed fuel like Stihl and Shindaiwa/Echo. The issue locally is that no one stocks Honda trimmers or parts for them. Your area may be different.
 
Bought mine online. Have no idea even where??? 3 years was a lot of brain cells....:lol:

Will say that they are a tad on the heavy side. We made straps to go around our necks that help a lot.

As for blowers, Stihl all the way...
 
Use a good quality oil. I am using maxima 927 now after having issues with cheap oil. Bonus is that is smells like ra e fuel
 
maulcruiser said:
I do know they still make all of their residential and commercial mowers and that they are not rebadged units from another manufacturer.
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They assemble them. They don't make them. :flipoff2:

maulcruiser said:
I'll say this about most every modern piece of two-stroke equipment. The EPA has choked these things to the point that we are seeing more lean-condition engine failures than ever before.
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Fatten up the mix?
 
Stihl trimmer and blower: Not cheap.
The fact that it is so easy to start, my wife does all the work: PRICELESS!

Seriously, worth every penny I paid for them.
 
I like my Husqvarna equipment. I have two chainsaws a trimmer and a blower all Husqvarna and don't have any problem with them. I try and always run non ethanol fuel in all of them though.
 
VortecJeep said:
Stihl trimmer and blower: Not cheap.
The fact that it is so easy to start, my wife does all the work: PRICELESS!

Seriously, worth every penny I paid for them.
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Stihl commercial backpack blowers are good stuff. Think redmax is the only competitor up against a commercial stihl blower.
 
I have an echo, but have only had it about 4 years. whatever you get, get a 2 stroke and run the opti-2 fuel mix. a lot of companies are coming out with these battery operated units. might be worth looking into. :beer:
 
On an unrelated note, we used to have a Poulan saw that was (not affectionately) named the "My First Chainsaw". The name was partly because it was pink, purple, and neon green, and partly because it was as useful as a saw from Fisher Price.

So, if you buy a Poulan, at least you get a conversation piece out of the deal.
 
I've had a higher end Echo for 7 years now. I use Sthil or Husky synthetic oil and mix it with regular 89 octane pump gas. It operates flawlessly at any angle. I also don't do shit with it in the winter (leave the same ethanol mix gas it the fawker) and it starts just like it did new - perfectly.

Don't believe everything you read on then interwebs.
 
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shawn said:
They assemble them. They don't make them. :flipoff2:
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Partially true. Their QuikTrak model is made by Wright. Just like any manufacturer in the lawn equipment realm, different manufacturers make various parts of their units. Transmissions come from Hydro-Gear or Tuff Torq, engines from Kawasaki, Kohler, or B&S. Aside from the typical pulley or so, all of their other parts are made by Deere. That's the same with other products, though.

Fatten up the mix?
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Legally, we can only adjust them when needed to make it run properly. After the consumer has it, they'll never bring it back for adjustment unless they care enough about their equipment.
 
maulcruiser said:
After the consumer has it, they'll never bring it back for adjustment unless they care enough about their equipment.
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But is it enough to adjust the H and L screws, or do you have to rejet the carb or something?
 
shawn said:
So, if you buy a Poulan, at least you get a conversation piece out of the deal.
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I had the same one but it was called a 'wild thing'...it was wild alright. It wanted to live in the forest and not cause deforestation. So i left it in the woods behind my old house....wonder if its still there.


Echo weedeater here. It is at least 10 years old and still rocking.

I'll second the dont buy the big ass spool of string thread, but not because string technology changes more because the shit deteriorates.
 
Roundup, best weedeater on the market. Least amount of labor to use.

Spray and walk away...


I have not owned a weedeater in 6 years.. I gallon every summer and forget about it...
 
^^^ I replaced the plastic oil pump gear that rides on a metal gear for my neighbor twice on a wild thing before telling him he needed to...

"Set it free out in the woods somewhere" :lol:

Think he sold it for parts on ebay the 3'rd time it went out.
 
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