Weedeater / Line Trimmer

[2wheelsrbest]

I am looking for one of two things

a) input on how to fine-tune the operation of the trimmer I have, or
b) suggestions on a new trimmer
c) new head

I have a TroyBilt TB70SS, a 25cc 2-smoke, trimmer I bought a year or two ago. I have had lots of line feed issues with it. Main problem was that the line spool that came with (2 line) did not have a separator for each winding. The results were twisted line or welded/melted/stuck line that would not feed. I solved most of that today by buying a new spool, same as the last, but with a divider to eliminate/minimize twisting. As it happens, the line welding/sticking problem is pretty much gone, too.

Now, the only issue I am having with it is one line breaking off. It sucks, because I still have to stop, undo the spool, which makes it unwind, rewind it, etc.. No different than twisted line or welded line--same hassle to get back going.

So, here are my questions

1--Is there any trick to minimizing this line breakage at head? Metal inserts in line holes seem smooth and have no burrs. Maybe there is some industry magic that solves this.

2--Since I have no issues with the engine portion of trimmer, are there any aftermarket or other heads that work better? I saw one from Shakespeare at Lowe's, but wasn't sure if it was any good. The packaging said it was awesome...

3--Who makes or what does it take for a line trimmer to be a good one? Really, it is just the head that I am having problems with.

If anyone has some experience that they'd like to share, I'd appreciate it.

Jef in Seattle

[Unstable Rider]

maybe not the all encompassing answers you are after, but here goes.

I bought an "Echo" gas weed whip last year, about the cheapest one they had from H-Depot, and I like it fine.

Like you, I had trouble with the line-spool-feed non-sense.

I went to H-Depot and bought an aftermarket bolt on replacement head that accepts a form of pre-made red whipper lines that you just thread through some little knobs. Works great, fast to reload, and I have more lines whipping now, as there are like three of them with there 2 line tails spinning.

I should take a pic for you - but it came from the Depot, and takes the red pre-cut lines, looks like a tube of red licorice, clear package or tube. The whole upgrade set up was pretty cheap.

Just my experiences. I am not smart enough to reload the conventional line.....

[2wheelsrbest]

Yeah, I have seen those.
I hesitate, because if I go through 10'+ of line each time I use trimmer, I figure I'd be stopping all the time to replace the fixed lines in that style head, too. I know the lines seem to be heavier or maybe reinforced, but it still seems like a different, but equal hassle. Maybe I should, though...

I also wanted to say that my post puts the problem all on the machine and not the operator. I DID change my technique to bump feed more often, leaving line longer and head rpm a bit lower. It worked, but this change coincided with the split supply spool, which I believe had more to do with it. Wouldn't put it beyond operator error, still, though I really don't know what I'd do differently to solve the line breakage.

My frame of reference has two facets
First, my old electric, single line trimmer never had any line problems. It was just a hassle and a half to drag that cord around my corner lot.
Second, I watch neighborhood lawn crews knocking out work day after day and I don't think I've ever even seen them change a spool, let alone stop to have to fix any problem. There must be a way to do it.

[Unstable Rider]

I agree, the commercial guys that do it everyday must have the good gear...

I live on a lake and have to whip the marsh grass where land meets lakeshore every couple weeks or it turns into BAMBOO it seems..... i can muster through a really big furrow of that crap on one change of red licorice....

I remember seeing a head replacement that spun what looked like a bicycle chain instead of plastic line..... there's a thought.... I have an old KLR chain hanging in the garage... bet it would raise sparks when it hit the rocks though...

: )

[pennswoodsed]

Originally Posted by Unstable Rider

I agree, the commercial guys that do it everyday must have the good gear...

I live on a lake and have to whip the marsh grass where land meets lakeshore every couple weeks or it turns into BAMBOO it seems..... i can muster through a really big furrow of that crap on one change of red licorice....

I remember seeing a head replacement that spun what looked like a bicycle chain instead of plastic line..... there's a thought.... I have an old KLR chain hanging in the garage... bet it would raise sparks when it hit the rocks though...

: )

Without carrying on about worn out lcd klr part I have intended to load light chain saw chain in a spare head.
Ps the precut licorice whips can be replaced by bulk line of the CORRECT size for a fraction of the price .

[Shepfly]

Take your trimmer to a Stihl dealer and see if they have a head that will fit yours, It will be a split spool and feed line correctly. I have a place in TN. that grows up overnite ( 30 days absence) and I can trim for 4-6 hours between reloading the spool. In over ten years of doing trimming with the same spool I have had very few instances of melted string jams. Think about where that steel chain or whip is going to go when it breaks, emergency room anyone?

[greer]

I know nothing about these things myself, but my husband is crazy over our Redmax trimmer. He bought it on the advice of his cousin who does lawns for a living. He carries on and on about how easy it is to crank and how long the line lasts. I don't think it could have been too expensive because we're cheapskates in general. Good luck!

Sarah

[josjor]

I had similar line feed problems and got so frustrated that my wife got to enjoy the scene of me lofting the trimmer across the yard.

Went to the place I bought the trimmer..........after a 24 hour wait so I would be cooled down.............and he replaced the line I was using with proper diameter line and it's worked like a charm ever since. Yes, I did indeed feel like an idiot.

Might not be your issue, but it's something worth checking.

[OkieTom]

I work for a small town and put countless hours on a weed-eater, I bought an Echo from Home Depot and am very happy with it. I don't recall the model number but it was the high end one. Also has a five year warranty.

[Wolfgang55]

The interesting thing about the bolt on aftermarket head is that you may buy & use the thin line or the thick five edged near barb wire stuff. They are not color coded but I know the red stuff is damn tough. I just carry needle nose in my back pocket & one or two pair of pre cut lines when I go out to tame the weeds. & I do love my echo 32cc

[TonyKZ1]

I've also ran into the weed eater line welding/melting itself together. Mine is an inexpensive (since when is an $80-100 weed eater inexpensive?) Weed Eater consumer version not the "heavier duty contractor version". I found the cause last night as the end of the shaft tubing that the line head attaches to evidently doesn't have any kind of bearing or bushing as that's what was getting very hot and then sharing the heat with the head and line, nice blister on the side of my finger . Anyhow, I tried putting some oil and grease down there thinking maybe it would help lubricate it and let it run cooler??

Mine also says on the shaft arm not to install any of the cutting blades or other attachments in place of the line head that's on there.

Tony

[Tall Man]

Originally Posted by TonyKZ1

(S)ince when is an $80-100 weed eater inexpensive?


(T)he end of the shaft tubing that the line head attaches to evidently doesn't have any kind of bearing or bushing as that's what was getting very hot and then sharing the heat with the head and line, nice blister on the side of my finger.

Um...

[rboett]

fyi - if you live in an area that uses ethanol,, do not store you weed eater with the gas in it,, esp. over the winter,, the fuel will eat your fuel lines,,bah...

[GHO100]

Piano wire

[Tsotsie]

I am having difficulty trying to understand what a weedeater has to do on a Motorcycle Adventure site?