String Trimmer and Oil Advice Please

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s1mp13m4n

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Hello everyone. My family just moved from an apartment into a rented house. Now I have to cut the grass and run a string trimmer. The owners are letting me use a Snapper riding mower for the yard. It is a rear engine Forrest Gump type riding mower. I do need to buy a string trimmer. I realize this is an oil forum but I would like some basic advice on a value for the money string trimmer and also gas/oil advice for it. I was looking at a TroyBilt today on sale for $120. It was a 2 cycle 25cc model and has the ability to add attachments such as clippers, blower, etc. The reason I want advice here is that all I have known of string trimmers are the ones people bought used and they did not run right, were hard to start, and a general pain. I want to buy new and maintain it well so that it works like it should with little trouble. I talked to a guy today in a "home emprovement center" who said if you take care of a string trimmer it can last many years. He said he has one in use for its 18th season. Here is some advice that I was given:

use 100% gasoline and not the ethanol stuff
gas/ethanol fuels can damage the carb over time and cause issues
mix your own gas/oil and do not bother with the Trufuel stuff
use a metal gas can and keep small amounts of gas/oil mix around as gas can go bad
no need to buy an expensive comercial grade string trimmer for home use

I would like your thoughts on a string trimmer and gas/oil. Thank you for the help.
 
The house we moved in to is a fenced in 1.9 acre lot. I was told that the battery powered models have little power, will not cut thicker stuff such as overgrown areas, and the battery does not last long. What I was told is that a battery powered unit is light duty and would not do well on say an overgrown fire pit with weeds in it. Like I said, I am new to this and want to get a quality product at a decent price.....bang for the buck.
 
For all that they may do for society, we should not accept the technology until questions like what does it take to extract Lithium from nature, how toxic is Lithium and how toxic is the process to purify Lithium after extraction are answered.

Some of the largest concentrations of Lithium in the world are found in some of the most beautiful and ecologically fragile places, such as The Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia.

We live in an age of Environmental Responsibility where the folly of the last two hundred years of despoilment of the Earth's resources are clear to see. We cannot have "Green trimmers" that have been produced at the expense of some of the world's last unspoiled and irreplaceable wilderness.
 
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Hi s1mp,

The man gave you good advice.

The gas powered trimmer has more power and will cut longer than the Li-powered unit.
 
Cost is not on the side of the cordless, however there is no maintenance. I like gas powered stuff.

I had a troy bilt modular trimmer, broke the pull cord after a few years and bought a Toro. The cord didn't appear to be servicable as it took major disassembly to get the cord apart.

I have a pole saw, trimmer, edger, brush cutter, blower for the power head. Is it the best on the market? No, but it gets the job done around the house.

For fuel, unless you start burning a lot, look at tru fuel. Not cheap, but stupid simple.
 
I also advise going electric. Either corded for lithium battery type. I really hate gasoline powered ones. They are too hard to start, and require gasoline, and make way too much noise.
 
I have never in the last 15-20 years had any problems with E 10 gas with any engine including my Echo weed wacker. I did try Tru Fuel and my machine started harder and ran worse. I mix my own fuel using Amsoil Saber oil. Works very well for me.
 
Originally Posted By: s1mp13m4n
Hello everyone. My family just moved from an apartment into a rented house. Now I have to cut the grass and run a string trimmer. The owners are letting me use a Snapper riding mower for the yard. It is a rear engine Forrest Gump type riding mower. I do need to buy a string trimmer. I realize this is an oil forum but I would like some basic advice on a value for the money string trimmer and also gas/oil advice for it. I was looking at a TroyBilt today on sale for $120. It was a 2 cycle 25cc model and has the ability to add attachments such as clippers, blower, etc. The reason I want advice here is that all I have known of string trimmers are the ones people bought used and they did not run right, were hard to start, and a general pain. I want to buy new and maintain it well so that it works like it should with little trouble. I talked to a guy today in a "home emprovement center" who said if you take care of a string trimmer it can last many years. He said he has one in use for its 18th season. Here is some advice that I was given:

use 100% gasoline and not the ethanol stuff
gas/ethanol fuels can damage the carb over time and cause issues
mix your own gas/oil and do not bother with the Trufuel stuff
use a metal gas can and keep small amounts of gas/oil mix around as gas can go bad
no need to buy an expensive comercial grade string trimmer for home use

I would like your thoughts on a string trimmer and gas/oil. Thank you for the help.


First look at some of the battery operated ones, before you decide you need a gas one.

If its 2 cycle, I would buy premix gas. I doubt you will go through more than a few QTs of gas over the summer for it.
 
Originally Posted By: s1mp13m4n
I was looking at a TroyBilt today on sale for $120.


That's your first mistake right there. Never buy a consumer grade string trimmer like TroyBilt, WeedEater, Ryobi, or Craftsman. Spend the extra money for a professional brand. Check Amazon for prices on Echo and Tanaka.
 
Originally Posted By: Vern_in_IL
For all that they may do for society, we should not accept the technology until questions like what does it take to extract Lithium from nature, how toxic is Lithium and how toxic is the process to purify Lithium after extraction are answered.

Some of the largest concentrations of Lithium in the world are found in some of the most beautiful and ecologically fragile places, such as The Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia.

We live in an age of Environmental Responsibility where the folly of the last two hundred years of despoilment of the Earth's resources are clear to see. We cannot have "Green trimmers" that have been produced at the expense of some of the world's last unspoiled and irreplaceable wilderness.


Ain't oil great?
banana2.gif
 
I have a Husky 325 I bought in 2000 and have taken care of 2 yards lawn trimming and cut 4 acres of weeds every spring for fire break.In 2013 the drive line broke because I was using .130 dia trim string which was too thick .95 is the recommended diameter. Husky has a life time warranty on the drive and electronic module so the shop fixed it . I bought a huge Husky trimmer and cut the 4 acre trim time by about about two thirds yeah and woo hoo it screams. My neighbor does the other side of the pond and one day we were both out there and that evening came over and asked me how I finished so quick!. Any way the 325 trims the lawn only now both trimmers sits all winter and they starts on the second or third pull after sitting from November till March or April usually. I use pump gas and some kind of generic multipurpose bulk 2 stroke oil from the oil jobber I do business with. I use a plastic gas can and never use a Stabil type additive and after 15 years have never had a problem,
 
With how little gas string trimmers use, don't worry about trying to be green by getting a [censored] electric one. I have a 4-stroke TroyBilt trimmer and it works great. Always starts after 1 or 2 light pulls. I like not having to mix oil and gas, and it starts easier than any of my 2 stroke equipment. Also, it has a cute little oil sump (3.4oz!) that I think is pretty funny to change.

If you do go 2 stroke, go Stihl.
 
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NO to Troy Bilt GARBAGE. Echo, Stihl, Tanaka, Kawasaki, Husky, or Hitachi straight shaft trimmers only.

Honestly, check craigslist and pawn shops for an Echo SRM-210. I've used all the big names and the best homeowner trimmer is the SRM-210 in my opinion.

And a big yes to TruFuel. You will use 4 to 5 cans ($20-$25) a year and always have fresh clean fuel. Regular gas is really stale after 90 days and you will be mixing up 2 to 3 batches a year. Practically no fuel savings mixing your own.
 
My Echo has served me incredibly well. I'd purchase another in a second. I cannot recall how old it is, but I've been in this house for 13 years and I purchased it around the time I moved here. Possibly before.

I purchased the Echo "PAS" version with a straight shaft, so it's the higher quality one. It has available attachments that I seriously abuse. My Echo blower is about 17 years old and works perfectly too.

I purchased a Ryobi 2 cycle unit to run my tiller attachment. It failed in a few years, and it was my second one to fail rather rapidly.

ECHO-Pro-Attachment-Series.jpg


echosplitboomthumb.jpg


pb-200sm.jpg
 
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Originally Posted By: Joe_Power
Do yourself a favor, and go buy a Stihl. You can thank me later


Yup, best way to go. If you buy the small 6-pk of Stihl Ultra Synthetic oil with it, Stihl will double the warranty from 2-years to 4-years. Hard to go wrong there...
 
Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
I also advise going electric. Either corded for lithium battery type. I really hate gasoline powered ones. They are too hard to start, and require gasoline, and make way too much noise.


This is not Bob is the battery guy

Gas powered all the way, I have a stihl 2 stroke works well
 
Originally Posted By: Brybo86
Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
I also advise going electric. Either corded for lithium battery type. I really hate gasoline powered ones. They are too hard to start, and require gasoline, and make way too much noise.


This is not Bob is the battery guy

Gas powered all the way,


+1, electricity is for the internet not yard equipment.
 
Guy has 2 acres. He will be less than impressed with an electric unit. Those are for .25 acre postage stamp lots, not 2 acre lots.

An electric needs replaced every 4 years. A Stihl/Echo needs replaced every 20 years.
 
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