Wheeled string trimmer - good tool?

[flusher]

We have a Swisher 6.5 hp string trimmer. It is one tough machine, but yes it is heavy about 100 pounds, wheeling it up and down the hills is hard work.

You got that right. Pushing around a 100 lb wheeled trimmer vs carrying a 12 lb commercial grade trimmer on a shoulder strap--not a difficult decision in my case.

 

[flusher]

We have a Swisher 6.5 hp string trimmer. It is one tough machine, but yes it is heavy about 100 pounds, wheeling it up and down the hills is hard work.

You got that right. Pushing around a 100 lb wheeled trimmer vs carrying a 12 lb commercial grade trimmer on a shoulder strap--not a difficult decision in my case.

 

[Bird]

I can't remember what my DR trimmer/mower weighed, but it rolled so easily that my wife liked it. The only reason I'm using a Stihl FS55RC now instead of a wheeled trimmer is price and the fact that I use the hand held string trimmer for an edger, too.

 

[bcp]

I have about 1200ft of roadside I trim, 2 or 3 passes, with one, with one end of the road about 150 ft higher than the other. The string trimmer is great downhill, but then I leave it there, go get the tractor, and take it back to the top in the bucket. I don't mind walking back uphill nearly as much as pushing the mower uphill.

I'm thinking of ways to hang it off the side of the bucket. And I'm looking for an affordable 3pt mower.

Bruce

 

[Soundguy]

. I think the hp is much greater than a handheld string trimmer but I've never compared it in similar work.

it would have to be.. string trimmers have lil engines measured in cc's smaller than chainsaws.. my wheeled string trimmer has an engine as big or bigger than my push lawnmower thinking 3.5h

 

[mikehaugen]

how about something like this

Swisher Postmaster Towable Post/Fence Trimmer — 190cc Briggs & Stratton Professional Series Engine, 22in. Cutting Width, Model# PSTl67522A | Trimmers Brush Cutters| Northern Tool + Equipment

 

[California]

Line lasts a very short distance, then its stop and put on a new one every few hundred feet

(from the one review for that product). That is what I was about to say. My experience with the 6.5 hp Craftsman hi-wheel trimmer was replacing strings at intervals of 20 minutes or less. I think this towable trimmer would eat string even faster.

That looks like a specialty product that might be suitable in a finely groomed environment, mowed weekly. But for mowing the sort of rough junk that usually accumulates along fence lines, I think it would just be a frustration to get off the tractor continually to replace strings. If it had some sort of bump head to feed out string then it might be ideal.

 

[bcp]

Anyone else soak your line before use?

I store my cut line in a PVC pipe with a cap on the bottom, full of water, fastened to the handlebars. I can usually go a full trimming session without replacing line. Mostly I cut light brush, very little grass.

From:
OREGON brand Platinum GatorLine?

Important TrImmer Line InformatIon:
Any monofilament trimmer line can lose moisture over time or become brittle, especially if subjected to heat and sunlight. To reduce brittleness, Oregon® strongly recommends that line be submerged in water for 24 hours.

 

[California]

I'll have to try that. I never heard of that technique before.

 

[Soundguy]

i buy the heavy triangle profile 'red' line in 1000' spools from lawn stores or walmart.. whoever is cheaper.. it goes a few mor emiles than some of the round stuff... the price i save on the bulk buy is quite nice..

 

[Ken45101]

i buy the heavy triangle profile 'red' line in 1000' spools from lawn stores or walmart.. whoever is cheaper.. it goes a few more miles than some of the round stuff... the price i save on the bulk buy is quite nice..

Gosh, I would hate to put all the work required into using 1000' of the heavier line! Twenty feet of the heavier gauge line seems to last pretty long for me. I've bought 150' or so spools but just the thought of 1000' is enough to wear me out.

Ken

 

[Soundguy]

walmart had a sale a while back.. and the 1000' spool was something like 2.5x or 3x the price of the 150' spool. that's like half price.. so I got it.. probably never need string in my life again..

 

[BigBoyinMS]

Just a +1 on soaking your nylon line in water. I was using a spool every time I edged the yard; either wearing fast or breaking large pieces. After a good soaking I now bump the head maybe 4 times.

Also, I dose ALL my fuel for my small engines (including my motorcycles) with Seafoam. Since I started doing that I never have any carb or running issues anymore.

 

[JDGREEN4ME]

I am seriously looking at the DR Trimmer/Mower (wheeled string trimmers), either the 6.75 Pro or 8.75 Pro-XL.
Your thoughts and comments are greatly appreciated, as always!

Frank

I bought the self-propelled DR model a few years ago and I am verry happy with it. I do agree I would not want to push one around that wasn't self-propelled.

 

[Franko]

Well, I got the DR trimmer and had a few chances to use it on my fairly hilly property. The thing seemed a lot more weight to wrestle up and down some of the inclines than I expected. I was working with weeds that were pretty high even if scrubby and I had to learn how to handle it. After a few runs, and deciding to move horizontally across the steeper slopes, it seems a lot easier.
I am managing to break a lot of strings with it, but this is the first cutting over rough ground, where I find rocks sticking up, broken off branches and stumps, etc, all which will cause an instant break in the blue line. I tried the green thinner stuff but it was no better. I did find that reducing the rpm gives me a chance to find the objects and back off before the string breaks, but I was going through about a string every 10 minutes for a while. Soaking the line in water did not seem to help much, but I plan to give it more than just a couple of hours and see if it gets more pliable. At least the strings are easy to change!
I have to say, the areas that I am cutting would be just about impossible to get except with the DR or a string trimmer. The string trimmers that I tried did not have enough power to cut down the nasty weeds, especially the dry stalky ones. This guy does the job, for sure. I am hoping that it goes a lot smoother the next time I go over the areas that I have cleared of obstacles. I did some trimming of mostly normal grass around some trees and it does a great job on that. Also I found that I can run the thing around my property and end up at the low point, at which time I can bungie the handle down to the trailer hitch on my RTV and tow it back up to the garage with no effort. Still, I wonder if I should have gotten the propelled model. I will have to think on that - there was a pretty big bump in cost.

Thanks for the comments and suggestions!

Frank

 

[Ken45101]

walmart had a sale a while back.. and the 1000' spool was something like 2.5x or 3x the price of the 150' spool. that's like half price.. so I got it.. probably never need string in my life again..

Well you know how Murphy goes. Your current trimmer will die before you use all of that string and the next one will need a different size ;-)

Ken

 

[Soundguy]

Well you know how Murphy goes. Your current trimmer will die before you use all of that string and the next one will need a different size ;-)

Ken

i may actually have to buy my next trimmer with that 'legacy' spool in mind.. to make sure i can use it al up...

 

[Ken45101]

i may actually have to buy my next trimmer with that 'legacy' spool in mind.. to make sure i can use it al up...

*** ROFL ***

 

[Soundguy]

i will say one thing.. I used to be pretty carefull when weedeating around the horse fence ( 2x4 no climb under 3 board black ).. as that stuff eats trimmer string.. well.. now I'm a bit more cavaleir about it. not to mention this heave red string actually handles the fencing better and doesn't get cut off like the smaller round profile stuff I had been using..