need good weed whacker / string trimmer

[Soundguy]

I've been using a featherlite weedeater since 95.. well it gave up the ghost this weekend. At it's age.. it doesn't owe me anything.

I'm in search of a new string trimmer... preferable more HD than the featherlite ( got that cause the wife said she wanted to help outside.. but she never touched it.. go figure ).. Anyway.. i wanted to stay at a budget of 100$ or so. I was headed down to look at the 80$ unit I saw inthe walmart flyer this weekend, when i stopped into TSC and say they were discontinuing MTD trimmers and had 150$ trimmer for 120$. It's a hair over budget.. but I would swing it if it's a decent trimmer. was a 4cycle one at that. I've not used any 4 cycle trimmer that I can remember... won't know what to do not mixing gas and oil!

any coments on either unit?

thanks

gotta make the purchase this week as the neighbors are getting fussy!

soundguy

 

[jdbower]

I've got a Toro 4-cycle trimmer that's treated me well. It's only 3 years old or so but the only thing that's gone wrong with it is the string feeder can be a bit temperamental (but I've never had good luck with the feeder mechanisms so maybe it's me). Having a 4-stroke is nice not only because I don't need to mix the gas, but there's also no cloud of smoke that follows me around and it seems quieter (but I still use ear protection).

I've also had good luck with some of the B&D 18V cordless lawn tools, but I don't have their trimmer nor do I think it'll keep a charge long enough to handle a larger property.

 

[Soundguy]

Yep.. BTDT with electric.. not doing that again.

I assume ont he 4 cycle it has an oil sump? ( again.. I've not used one so don't know! )

Are toro and MTD 'related' ? IE.. does MTD make units for toro?


soundguy

 

[Volfandt]

I've got a Troybilt 4 cycle and I'm going on my 3rd trouble free season with it. Got it on sale at Lowes but even at the good deal I got ($119.00) I've not seen them that low since. It came w/a dual string trimmer head and a brush blade. Lowest I've seen lately is around $130 and up.
This same machine is also pakg'ed as Ryobi and several other brands.
It does have an oil sump and overhead valves. In the 3 seasons I've worked it, it hasn't used any oil between changes nor have I replaced the spark plug nor air filter yet. Basically besides the yr'ly oil changes it's been maintenance free.
I've held it at every angle imaginable and it's not smoked nor acted like it's been oil starved.
It's worked so well that I've added the polesaw attachment, edger attachment and larger string head attachment.
The edger works so-so in that it'll hop all over the place in hard ground but does OK once the cut is established.
The pole saw does a very good job, up to 11' reach but at that length it's a handful to control.
It's a straight shaft with the easy quick change attachment system and has a shoulder strap which I use with all attachments.
It may be alittle heavy for your Mrs but then again the shoulder strap carries most of the load.
Good luck

 

[jdbower]

Are toro and MTD 'related' ?

I may have to retract my Toro statement, looking online they seem to only have electrics. (I'm currently away from home) Since I got mine at Lowes I'm assuming that I've got the same (or a similar) Troy Bilt as Volfandt. Just shows you how often I need to work on it Troy Bilt and MTD seem to have the same parent company.

You probably know the 4-cycle vs. 2-cycle issues. I'm guessing it's a bit heavier than an equivalent 2-cycle and the 2-cycle motors generally run at higher RPMs. Still, I find my trimmer to be comfortable (it's got a neck strap) and it cuts through my grasses just fine even if a 2-cycle may have a higher string speed.

 

[Soundguy]

Showing my ignorance here.. but do the 4 cycles have a 'crankcase' oil sump that needs to be changed?

soundguy

 

[MikePA]

I have a 4-cycle Stihl that uses the standard oil/gas mix. Works great.

 

[Soundguy]

I'm lookint at a mtd and a.. Uh? troybuilt I think.. mtd is 4 cycle and says uses plain gas... I need to go read the box more and see what it uses for lube.. got to be some lube needed I would think?

soundguy

 

[Volfandt]

Since I'm home now I can tell you that the model # is:TB490BC. I'm pretty sure it's made by MTD.

Showing my ignorance here.. but do the 4 cycles have a 'crankcase' oil sump that needs to be changed?

Yes, AND the oil should be changed every 25 hrs (per manual). It also calls for the valve clearance to be checked every 25hrs. They were dead on when I checked them after two seasons.
In my previous post I used the term oil sump but, perhaps I should have used crankcase as that better describes the engine. It holds approx 3.4 fluid oz's of oil.

It does have an oil sump and overhead valves. In the 3 seasons I've worked it, it hasn't used any oil between changes nor have I replaced the spark plug nor air filter yet. Basically besides the yr'ly oil changes it's been maintenance free.

I need to go read the box more and see what it uses for lube.. got to be some lube needed I would think?

std 30w SF/SG/SH oil

On this model you do NOT mix gas & oil. This is a very small 4 cycle engine that has a separate oil sump/crankcase and fuel tank and it operates just like any other single cylinder 4 cycle engine, with the exception of its compact size.

Good luck

 

[randy41]

MTD owns troy built. MTD owns a lot of what used to be independent co's.
i have a stihl 2 cycle model. probabaly the bottom of their line. i use it not only to trim around the house but i also use it to trim around my market garden. it has held up very well for what must be at least 10 years.

 

[Soundguy]

I went an looked at poulan models today as well as craftsman, and weed eater.

am going back to look at husq and mtd tomorrow.. will make decision then. I want a big engine and think I saw a 31 and a 41 cc model.. at 114 and 119$

soundguy

 

[jimg]

I owned a Sears trimmer (one in your price range) 3 or 4 yrs ago and found them to be of very low quality. The first one I bought and getting it started was a bear. If I could get it past warm up all was OK but getting to that point was a 'journey'. I returned it and the salesman agreed it wasnt right. The replacement exhibited exactly the same behavior exc it was more difficult to start. So, I think you might wind up w/ luck of the draw going the Sears route assuming someone(s) owning that mdl got reasonably good service out of it.

 

[Soundguy]

I opted for the MTD.. manager knocked another 10$ off.. so i got it for 109$.. is 4 cycle, straight gas model.. looks pretty sturdy... was originally a 160$ machine.

soundguy

 

[czechsonofagun]

I use John Deere for six years now. I hate weedwhacking - do it ma once a month but the trimmer starts everytime, even after gas left over the winter. No problems at all. Would buy it again.

 

[Soundguy]

Sounds like this 4 cycle runs 'slower' than the usual whizz'bang mixed fuel jobs... seemed to do a good job.. though drinks the fuel. i used half of it's tank to cut around my house and some fence line.. the lil featherlite weadeater has only used about oh.. 1g of gas in the last 4ys!

soundguy

 

[LBrown59]

I have a
STIHL
FS 46:

Starts good
Runs good

Bump string feed almost never hangs up.
Almost impossible to tangle weeds around the head.
Quick and extremely easy to untangle if that does happen.

Best trimmer I've ever owned.
******************************
Before it I had a homelite / worst trimmer I ever owned.
Before that a Mac. - my first trimmer.
It wasn't much force either but not as bad as the homelite.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The 2 big frustrations I've had with every trimmer I've used is failure of the string to feed properly and spending about as much time untangling weeds wrapped around the shaft and head as I did actually trimming weeds.
The STIHL doesn't have either of those problems.
It's the only one that I've seen that don't .

It's S T I H L Trimmers all the way for me.
No way would I ever want to take the risk of getting back into those 2 Major headaches by buying another brand.

 

[jwstewar]

Chris,

I have an 11 year old Ryobi 4 cycle. It has been a great little trimmer. It can take the different attachments. I've got several of them. It is now starting to get tired and smoking a little bit. Last year I bought a new Troy-Bilt (MTD)from Lowes that would take the same attachments. It last about 2 weeks before the drive shaft broke while using the little cultivator. Ended up taking it back and started looking again and went back to using the Ryobi. Then I broke the trimmer head on it. It now wants to spin around the shaft instead of spinning the head. I had decided on an Echo, but hadn't bought yet. The house then burnt so all of a sudden the weed whacker wasn't a priority.

Came spring and the new house was finished and the weeds started growing again so I started looking again. Wanted another 4 cycle because I really liked not having to mix the oil and gas. I looked at all of them again and again decided the Echo was the way to go for me. It was pricey, but so far I really like it. What sold me, were the ability to change attachments, the dealer being close buy (his son goes to school with my daughter), a 5 year warranty, and a 300 hour rated engine. Stihl and most of the others have a 2 year warranty and 50 hour rated engine. It was pricey, but I feel I should have it for quite a long time.

 

[Volfandt]

Stihl and most of the others have a 2 year warranty and 50 hour rated engine. It was pricey, but I feel I should have it for quite a long time.

Odd, that means I only need to change the oil only two times.....
I guess my Troybilt is living on borrowed time now.....

Like I've already posted, for 3 seasons it's run a dual string trimmer, brush blade, edger and pole saw without any problems, guess I better stay away from the cultivator option.

 

[Soundguy]

I like the bump feed on this mtd.. it actually works.. My weedeater featherlite almost never fed right... This mtd is also dual string.. I like that.. and so far I have not got it tangled in even 1' tall grass. the weedeater -ALWAYS- tangled... I'm actually glad it finally died..

soundguy

 

[jwstewar]

I forgot. We actually have a Weedeater Featherlite out in the garage the FIL gave us. We call it the city weedeater. The little thin line just won't cut our weeds out here. It usually just moved them out of the way - heck the string wouldn't even break. I think Monica only tried to use it once because my Ryobi was too heavy for her. That is the last time she attempted to weed eat.