Need New String Trimmer Soon.

[JHZR2]

I believe I have the same model. Love it and it runs great, starts first pull every time. Dont they make a similar model, even if not carried by a box store? I have a Stihl stick edger, and an echo blower. I dont see how you could go wrong with any of them for a 2 stroke unit.

 

[punisher]

Speed Feed trimmer heads. So nice. SRM-230 is about 6 years old. I think I have put a fuel filter, and a priming bulb on it. SRM-266 is $300 now.

 

[rubberchicken]

The idea of a 50 hour engine- an engine that only lasts 50 hours ? That's hard for me to accept.

 

[apwillard1986]

Originally Posted By: rubberchicken

The idea of a 50 hour engine- an engine that only lasts 50 hours ? That's hard for me to accept.

It is the amount of time the manufacture guarantees the emissions cleanliness rating for. In my experience the today's shorter rating are a function of stricter emissions standards and not a lessening of durability.

 

[OneEyeJack]

My Echo weed whacker is about 15 years old and a new carb several years ago is the only no scheduled maintenance. Is my Echo different from newer models. I don't get the 50 hour rating. I would guess that I have several hundred hours on this on. I stopped using gas station gas and mixing my own. I now buy a premix with 93 octane gas and synthetic oil. I don't want to replace the carb, again.

 

[Boro800]

Originally Posted By: skyactiv

You answered the question as to what brands your limiting yourself to. I bought a Stihl long- curved trimmer last year. My brother bought a Japanese made exotic, a Maruyama. It has a 300 hour rating, Walbro carb, solid polished threaded drive shaft, diecast aluminum clutch housing, 4 bearing supported gear case, bronze bushing supported inner shaft, chromoly helical cut gears, hard chrome plated cylinder, stainless steel muffler, forged chromoly connecting rod... . Makes everything else look like cheap junk. http://maruyama-us.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/2016_MARU._OPE_Brochure_1-40Pgs_10.30.15_LO.pdf

Not popular but outstanding products.

 

[krismoriah72]

I found a guy on craigslist that had 2 Husky 223L both for $100 listed. One for parts the other he said needed a carb. Plus he had a box full of new heads and line, plugs etc. I fixed mine with the parts one.. Ok the one that needed a carb- Sticker says 2010 125Hr. It starts ok on choke but wont hardly run with choke off. I took the cases apart (very easy to do)..and had the carb in my hand in about 20 mins. CHINA is the only word that i saw on the carb. I figured i was in trouble here. I put the whole carb down in a cup of pine sol and let it soak. I then washed it under hot water and got it as dry as i could then popped it all back together hoping for a miracle. I poured redline injector cleaner down the spark plug hole and down the intake.. I changed the plug to an old autolite that i had laying around and put some fresh gas in it. It ran dirty for a bit but the harder i ran it the cleaner it got. I ran it as hard as it would go on a bank that i havent mowed all year and by the end it was running great. I think my old 223L has a walbro carb on it..been awhile but i think i remember seeing that. No idea on piston difference but im guessing that the 300hr engines have non-china parts. Im done with Husky at least in the lower models if they are going to put chinese parts on. It looks like the Sthil 56 that i was looking at has a Zama Chinese Carb also. It also looks like the Echo 225 that i was looking at has a Zama Chinese Carb. Now that my workhorse is back in action i am going to sell the one i fixed and try to find something that will last like this one. I dont think the chinese carbs are long haul machines...and no idea if they are using chinese piston and rings.

 

[2cool]

I had a bunch of extend-it tools that worked on Ryobi's. Bought a new power head at HD last year for $79. FANTASTIC! The package says it's a "full-crank" engine. It's light years better than the power head I bought just 3 years prior. Guess somebody told the bean counters not to take the lowest bid this time. Also has a 3-year consumer warranty.

 

[spasm3]

I have the husky 128L , tough. I have run the heck out of it. I used the edger( and 3 blades) to bury a pet fence system around an acre or more. Ran it a lot doing that. I run it every week, i use an older ryobi brush cutter attachment on it, works great.

 

[southernjeeper]

NOOOO FORGET ECHO stick with a husky or stihl and stay away from the 4stroke UNLESS you must have one. They are bulky and I have used one for about two hours once and it didn't have the power it should have. I, too, have the 223L and it's light at around 9lbs without trimmer head. It's spool T-35 or 25 holds a lot of line 0.095" gator magnum square string with aramid core that keeps the line from stretching and breaking. But since husqvarna doesn't sell that 223L model anymore. I would still stick with getting a different model. Yeah, they aren't American made, but the Sweds know how to make commercial grade products.

 

[ironman_gq]

Shindaiwa make excellent trimmers, so do Echo and the others you mentioned. Don't be afraid of the 4-stroke hybrid motors (4-stroke, no oil in the case and use mix gas) Stihl 4-mix and the Shindaiwa equivalent have both proven themselves to be very good in my experience.

 

[Rab6715]

Originally Posted By: krismoriah72

I have had a Husqvarna 223L for about 6 years.. probably put 500 or so hours on it. Been a fantastic trimmer but i just noticed the other day that the plug that holds the grease in the head has fallen out..and the bearings in the head are rattling so it wont be long before the head locks up on me. I dont think it will be worth fixing so i would like to start looking for a replacement. I noticed that this model is no longer sold at the dealers or Lowes. Requirements- Straight Shaft, Lightweight, 300hr epa rating, Under $250. Stihl, Husqvarna or Echo only please-- no exotics. The websites dont seem to list whether the engines are 50 or 300 hr that i can find.

Husqvarna 522l 300 HR epa rating - check Straight shaft solid drive - check the 522 is around $260 i believe.