Husqvarna String Trimmers

[afoulk]

Any good compared to ECHO's? I'm thinking of instead of trying to get my old ECHO running (tired of messing with it), maybe just going down to Lowes and picking up a new Husqvarna with a straight shaft as the curved shaft ECHO I have now kills my back (I'm 6'5"). I'm looking at either the 223L or the 952711953. I believe the later has a detachable head other attachments which isn't really important to me. I do have an ECHO dealer right down the road, but just thought maybe I'd give Husqvarna a try. I think my ECHO is just old and tired, guy at work gave it to me, he had it since 1992 and the thing smokes no matter how I adjust the carb, and thats when I can get it to run

 

[Spazdog]

20 years? You certainly got a good lifespan out of that!

I did not have a good experience with my Husqvarna. It was easier to start than my Troy-Bilt but it's fuel line disintegrated within a month. Even my junker curved shaft Homelite made it 5 years before I had to replace fuel lines.

Lowes was real easy to handle the return with though. I took my refund and went to Home Depot. Got an Echo for about $40 more. Real happy with the Echo.

 

[JHZR2]

I have a straight shaft from Lowes. Bought it in 2005, and it has seen service ever since. I dont pull the gas from it each winter (shame on me), but the thing is the thing really sips gas. My yard isnt huge, but it just isnt a big consumer.

Starts first pull every time.

Only issue is that the ethanol in gasoline has ruined the rubber plug where the three fuel lines come through. It leaks if I fill the tank too high, and havent gotten around to fixing it.

 

[Errtt]

Echo does make a long straight shaft. I'm 5'8 and sometimes wish it was a tad shorter.

 

[JTK]

I've got a 125L Husqvarna straight shaft string trimmer that I bought from Lowes about 5yrs ago. It's definitely not a professional grade piece of equipment, but nor would I expect it to be for what I paid for it. It starts easily has lots of power and sips fuel.

I had to tweak the adjustments on the carb to get it to run well right after I bought it. I mail-ordered a generic Sears/Poulan/Husqvarna carb adjustment tool for that very purpose and have used it on a bunch of 2-stokes since. It's amazing what a little carb adjustment tweak will do for them.

Joel

 

[afoulk]

128L is the model number of the second one I was looking at, the one that can accept different attachments. Do they ever have any problems with the shaft on these? The 223L that I was looking at looks like the same thing, but with a solid shaft, and yet it costs $50 more. I might have a hard time justifying an extra $50 to the wife when it doesn't really get me anything extra. She already doesn't understand why one of the $80 ones they had at lowes wouldn't work fine

 

[123Saab]

FWIW I have a Toro Straight shaft with a bunch of Attachments.

I like it so much that I just recently bought another powerhead so that I dont need to switch out the brush cutter.........hahaha...

I dont need ANY excuses to buy another gas engine....

Downside: While the new powerhead is a PERFECT copy of my old one it is, Of course, Made in china.......

If it wasnt for the sticker I would not be able to tell them apart.

 

[afoulk]

Well, I think my wife is gonna let me get one, so provided we get approved for a Lowes card, I think I'm gonna go with the 128L. I've read lots of good reviews on it, and maybe down the road, I'll get some attachments for it, although thats not a big deal to me. I'd like to buy a Stihl or Echo outright, but Lowes is only a mile down the road from me, and with a baby on the way, we're trying to watch our money right now.

 

[Fatboymoe]

My BIL has had that Husqvarna for a couple of years and has ran like a champ. The only problem he has had is with the trimmer head itself. He has went through a couple of them over the past couple of years. It also cracked the primer bulb, which is an easy fix.

Overall, a great machine for the price. He has 5 acres of fence line that he trims all the time and it has really held up well for being a "Homeowner OPE".

 

[afoulk]

Picked up a 128L tonight, I'm gonna try and get it together tomorrow and see how it does

 

[afoulk]

Ok, so I put it together this morning and saw that it came with a bottle of their synthetic 2 stroke oil, and also read in the owners manual that they recommend syn. For best performance and extended life. I have some gas left over mixed with echo's semi-syn., will this stuff be ok to use while breaking it in, or should I use what came with it? Just hate to waste what I have

 

[Warstud]

Originally Posted By: afoulk
the curved shaft ECHO I have now kills my back (I'm 6'5")


With curved-shaft trimmers you'll be able to keep it closer to your body, so it may put less strain on your lower back.

 

[andyd]

I've got a 10yr old 322L . 2 yrs ago I had to replace the gas line. 2$. This yr, I replaced the gas line again with better stuff and bought a new plug. 8$. I also took the carb apart and cleaned it. Next will be 30$ for a heavy string head. Runs fine, just wont advance the string.

 

[afoulk]

I can't win. Tbe new string trimmer works great, but on my last pull, the one it started on, the [censored] pull cord tore. I left it running and used it to edge my yard and cut some weeds, worked awesome, but now I can't use it again until I get it fixed.

 

[Warlord]

They don't make em like they used to.

 

[yonyon]

Originally Posted By: afoulk
I'd like to buy a Stihl or Echo outright, but Lowes is only a mile down the road from me, and with a baby on the way, we're trying to watch our money right now.


Keep your chin up. Once you get the baby you can sell it and buy lots of new toys!

 

[afoulk]

Yes, but if I feed it and train it right, I eventually wont have to do the yard work

 

[afoulk]

Been busy as heck lately, havn't had time to get this thing fixed. Do I take it to lowes to have it repaired or repalced, or must I find a certified Husquvarna dealer to have it repaired?

 

[Fatboymoe]

Take it back to Lowes. They will give you a new one and send the broken one out for repair and sell it later. The local Husqvarna shops will give you a major run around if you take it to them because you didn't buy it from them.

 

[JTK]

Exactly. Return it to Lowes. If there's one benefit to buying from them, its' that.

I returned a Troy-Bilt 4-stroke string trimmer after having owned it for nearly a year. I barely used it, there wasn't a scratch on it and I had the original intact box and receipt. I just hated the thing. Too heavy and cumbersome to use. I exchanged it for the Husqvarna 125L.

Joel