New String Trimmer

   / New String Trimmer #1  

devildog1

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2008
Messages
1,612
Location
Up-State New York
Tractor
Grand L 3540 HST-3, R4's
Looking to buy a new string trimmer, have Homelite for 15 years still works good except when first starting I need a shot starting fluid. Have Stihl chain saws and like them, looking at Stihl FS55R, is that a good model for home owner with fence lines to trim? Thanks, Is Stihl the BEST trimmer out there???
DevilDog
 
   / New String Trimmer #2  
My FS55RC was 6 years old last month. After the first year, I replaced the spark plug and decided it didn't really need it, so the one in it now is 5 years old. And last month, I decided, after 6 years, it deserved a new air filter.:laughing: It still starts easily; did my yard today, then went about 5 miles and did some work for friends that was a bit heavier.

My yard gets trimmed, edged, and mowed often enough that I'm not working it really hard. But I've used it on some other places that have been allowed to get in really bad shape and I'm happy with it.

Is Stihl the best one out there? I don't know, but I don't know of any that are better. And in my opinion their easy2start system was well worth what I paid for it.
 
   / New String Trimmer #3  
I have had my FS85 for 7 years- it gets alot of use, between my property and my Mother's-about 4.5 acres total. It has been absolutely trouble-free.

Like Bird, I don't know if it is the best, but I have happy with my Stihl.

Will
 
   / New String Trimmer #4  
Most string trimmer trimmers these days pretty well perform the same. In my experience Stihl trimmers are the one to buy if you are wanting many years of life out of your trimmer. I have owned other trimmers but Stihl gives me the least amount of maintenance problems after I have put years of use on them. I use my FS80 with a string trimmer head, Poly Blade head, and a metal brush blade. I use my trimmer a lot.
 
   / New String Trimmer #5  
I`ve had my FS75 for 13 years. During this time I had to replace the bearings in the end of the shaft, $40 and last year a new carburator $55. I believe it runs better now than it did new.
 
   / New String Trimmer #6  
I have had my FS85 for 7 years- it gets alot of use, between my property and my Mother's-about 4.5 acres total. It has been absolutely trouble-free.

Like Bird, I don't know if it is the best, but I have happy with my Stihl.

Will
+1 - 12 years on a FS85 here. Unfortunately they don't make the FS85 anymore.
 
   / New String Trimmer #7  
In February, 1995, I bought a new Stihl, a step or two up from the FS55RC I now have. I find in my records that I paid $266.23, including tax, for it then. But I can't find what model it was. It had the "J" handle instead of the loop handle. About three and a half years later, it was running great, but I sold it to my brother when we bought the electric start DR trimmer/mower that my wife could use. Then in March, 2005, I paid $259.09, including tax, for the current FS55RC with the easy2start system. If I remember right, the easy2start was a $30 option; don't know what current prices are.
 
   / New String Trimmer #8  
I've had an Echo now for about 8 years and it still runs like a champ. It still has the original spark plug. I periodically clean the air filter and lube the drive shaft. Don't know if they are still made as well today or if they have been "improved" (ie cheapened).
 
   / New String Trimmer #9  
lube the drive shaft

Yeah, there's gears at the lower end and I bought a tube of Stihl's own grease, so you unscrew the plug, take the cap off the tube of grease, screw the tube of grease in where that plug was, and squeeze a little grease into those gears. I do that once or twice a year and in 6 years, I've used up about 3/4 of that tube of grease.:D
 
   / New String Trimmer #10  
If it needs a shot of starter fluid, could be a carb kit would fix it or could be you have a deteriorated fuel line. These older units weren't designed for ethanol which messes with all the rubber parts.

A Sthil mechanic told me that Sthil is coming out with an 18v battery powered trimmer. The way they keep messing with gas, it could be the wave of the future.
 
 
Top