Trimmer head lubrication

[WylieCoyote]

Do you guys do anything to lube the trimmer head on your lawn trimmers? I noticed the other day that my 8-year-old trimmer head sounds like a dry bearing when it's spinning fast. It's not whining or screaming, it just sounds dry. It also gets pretty warm during use. I've poured some Redline gear oil down the shaft a couple of times, and watched it pour out the seams, but was unable to split the case to actually stuff some grease into it, which I think it may need. You guys do anything for these, or just replace them when they fail?

 

[mk378]

On a straight shaft with an angle gear at the bottom of the shaft, there is grease in the gearbox. Often a bolt on the side of the gearbox is provided to add grease, it can be replaced with a grease fitting.

Some heat is normal after running.

 

[BAJA_05]

STIHL makes a grease tube that screws right onto the gearbox bolt when removed. I normally add grease with the STIHL tube before every season while I am prepping other outdoor lawn equipment. Also add, have STIHL weed wacker/blower and chain saws.

 

[Kamele0N]

Once or twice per season....replaced bolt with a grease fitting...

Lithium complex NLGI 2 or Lithium/Calcium (tacky as hell) NLGI 0

 

[tnt_motorsports]

On a straight shaft with an angle gear at the bottom of the shaft, there is grease in the gearbox. Often a bolt on the side of the gearbox is provided to add grease, it can be replaced with a grease fitting.

Some heat is normal after running.

I have a grease needle I stick in the hole after removing the bolt... Works good as well.

Just my $0.02

 

[PantherFan88]

Many pro-grade trimmers have a greaseable head, but a handful of newer STIHL trimmers I see are doing away with the grease plug.

 

[SZR48207]

On a straight shaft with an angle gear at the bottom of the shaft, there is grease in the gearbox. Often a bolt on the side of the gearbox is provided to add grease, it can be replaced with a grease fitting.

Some heat is normal after running.

My Tanaka/Hitachi trimmer has this very bolt. Only took me 8 years of ownership to look at the service manual to realize it was there. It wasn't as bone dry as I had assumed so I filled it up with some white lithium per the factory recommendations.

Can't tell a difference, tbh, lol.

 

[mk378]

"Stihl" is the company founder's name, it is not an acronym like "RADAR" or "VISA". Do you also write "FORD"?

 

[BAJA_05]

Once or twice per season....replaced bolt with a grease fitting...

Lithium complex NLGI 2 or Lithium/Calcium (tacky as hell) NLGI 0

Tell you what, I bought this threaded STIHL tube. LUV IT!!!

 

[Kamele0N]

like you would any lithium NLGI 2 grease with MoS2 or graphite....

 

[Dubdoc]

On all mine, I drilled a small hole about 4" above the head and put a grease nipple in the hole. Once a year it gets a pump of synthetic chassis grease.

 

[PantherFan88]

"Stihl" is the company founder's name, it is not an acronym like "RADAR" or "VISA". Do you also write "FORD"?

Don't mean to be grammar police, but since you said so... "STIHL" as a brand name in text, is capitalized when written/typed correctly, STIHL itself even tells dealers that. I'm a factory trained STIHL Silver tech and worked at a dealer for years. Look on any of their advertisement, product info literature or their website.