Weed wacker blues

[KentT]

I've had terrible luck with the Weedeater brand machines. Tried two different ones, differt price points, and neither lasted over two years -- trying my very best to store them correctly, etc. Once they won't start, if you can't fix it yourself, it's cheaper to replace it than have a shop fix it...

Then I bought a Craftsman straight-shaft that has been quite reliable and easy to start. Since it's a Poulan (by another name), I then bought the Poulan Pro convertible with pole saw attachment and the brush-cutting head. It's a powerful machine but harder to start than the Craftsman...

Overall, I hate the beasts (and most other 2-strokes) but they're a necessary evil...

 

[jinman]

I've had terrible luck with the Weedeater brand machines. Tried two different ones, differt price points, and neither lasted over two years -- trying my very best to store them correctly, etc. Once they won't start, if you can't fix it yourself, it's cheaper to replace it than have a shop fix it...

Then I bought a Craftsman straight-shaft that has been quite reliable and easy to start. Since it's a Poulan (by another name), I then bought the Poulan Pro convertible with pole saw attachment and the brush-cutting head. It's a powerful machine but harder to start than the Craftsman...

Overall, I hate the beasts (and most other 2-strokes) but they're a necessary evil...

Okay, I've waited all day to hear somebody say that we just don't have a nick nack for paddy's wackers.

..sorry, I couldn't resist.

 

[lug nut]

I have a Troy Built wacker that has been very good to me for about 3 years now. It starts very easily and has power to spare.

However, now that I have moved out to the country, I usually use Round Up to edge with.

 

[Billfrommich]

I bought a new homelite wacker 2 weeks ago and it started and ran fine for maybe 5 minutes. I had fresh gas/oil mix and it just wouldn't run. Had good spark and compression.
Called homelite and was told to take it to an authorized repair center (30 miles away) and if they determined that it was a manufacturing defent they would fix it under the warranty. ^%$^&*
Darn! They made me mad since the service center is a place that also sells tractors and I won't deal with them since their service department's only tools consist of hammers from 1/2 to 5 pounds.
I wondered why the primer wasn't filling with gas so I pulled the gas line and found it was literally dry rotted and cracked! Well....50 cents worth of gas line and I'm back in business. So much for homelites quality control.

 

[duber34]

Another endorsement for Ryobi. Mine is the straight shaft, quick link, 2 stroke. (775r I think) I have the blower, hedge trimmer and flowerbed tiller. 10 years old and not a single problem. About 3 years ago the local Lowes had the Ryobi's marked down to $70.00 for clearance. Well, I was so pleased with the one that I already owned that I couldn't pass one up for $70.00. I bought it and put it in storage above my garage. If/when my 10 year old machine dies, I have another one waiting in the wings.


Regards,
Duber

 

[czechsonofagun]

I have JD from HD for 5 years. All I do is put fuel and line in it - not even winterize it and it still runs like a charm. Last spring I had to replace the head assembly and I dont use metal blades on it anymore since I think it is too much for the shaft to wack small trees down with it.

Before that I had Ryobi, that locked up on me after an hour of work - returned the day I bought it and got the JD instead.

I think the trick is to get a quality unit to start with and not abuse it.

I still hate weed wacking and typically that's were my yearly poison ivy itch comes from.

 

[gsganzer]

Buy a Stihl or a Husqvarna and you'll avoid the headaches. Next, remove the spark arrester screen in the muffler (they always plug up when the engine runs rich). Buy quality 2-cycle (stihl or husqvara) in the little pre-measured bottle that you mix with a gallon of gas. Lastly, only use super unleaded in all small engines.

I have a 20 year old stihl saw that I only use about 3- 4 times a year and it still starts with only 3 pulls after sitting around for months on end. And I have a Husqvarna weed wacker that I've used every spring, summer and fall for the past 10 years, since I've owned it.

Neither one has ever needed a repair.

 

[milkman]

I have the same trimmer (780R I believe) and they are brutally strong and take a beating with a "smile." The problem is that they are too heavy for my wife to operate. I bought her a light weight Weed Eater straight shaft and that thing starts on the first pull everytime. It's great for her.

Because it was so nice, I bought another curved shaft Weed Eater for my FIL and you can't keep the thing running when it gets hot. The carb adjustments take a special tool, so I can't adjust the low-to-high adjustment. I'm ready to throw the second Weed Eater in the trash.

I think you just sometimes get very lucky. But in my opinion, every Ryobi power tool I ever had came with a lot of luck built in.

I've got an old 780 and the fuel lines cracked so I bought a new CC because it was lighter and had the quick connect shaft. I got the pole saw attachment and the hedge trimmer, the edger, and the tiller, all work good especially the pole saw, it is a lot weaker with the string trimmer than the old Ryobi was so I put new gas lines on the Ryobi and haven't been able to get it to run right since. It's been a while so I guess I'll take another shot at getting it to run, it sure has been tough, I miss it in the grass.

 

[RobertN]

Would definitely agree; I have had good luck with Husky and Stihl too. I would have to add the Honda though; I have a Honda 4-stroke weedeater/brusher that has been great in the three years I have used it. It is quieter, doesn't need mix, and runs like a top. Sounds like an old Honda Trail-50 minibike

Buy a Stihl or a Husqvarna and you'll avoid the headaches. Next, remove the spark arrester screen in the muffler (they always plug up when the engine runs rich). Buy quality 2-cycle (stihl or husqvara) in the little pre-measured bottle that you mix with a gallon of gas. Lastly, only use super unleaded in all small engines.

I have a 20 year old stihl saw that I only use about 3- 4 times a year and it still starts with only 3 pulls after sitting around for months on end. And I have a Husqvarna weed wacker that I've used every spring, summer and fall for the past 10 years, since I've owned it.

Neither one has ever needed a repair.

 

[Grrrr]

Buy a Stihl or a Husqvarna and you'll avoid the headaches. Next, remove the spark arrester screen in the muffler (they always plug up when the engine runs rich). Buy quality 2-cycle (stihl or husqvara) in the little pre-measured bottle that you mix with a gallon of gas. Lastly, only use super unleaded in all small engines.

I have a 20 year old stihl saw that I only use about 3- 4 times a year and it still starts with only 3 pulls after sitting around for months on end. And I have a Husqvarna weed wacker that I've used every spring, summer and fall for the past 10 years, since I've owned it.

Neither one has ever needed a repair.

I have to agree with gsganzer aswell. We have a heavy duty Husqvarna and it is a mean machine. Nothing it won't cut (Trees)