Forest Service Volunteer/Stihl String Trimmer Choices

[Jon123]

First post here...great forum looks like!!

My wife and I have volunteered for years helping out with the trails (mostly in the Mark Twain National Forest) in Missouri. We currently use a Stihl FS90R with .105 Stihl X-Line which I am happy with. I am wanting to purchase an additional unit. A couple things....we often have to carry the trimmer a mile or so to get to the section of trail we will be trimming, so weight is always an issue. The second thing is the trail we are working on is about 4 1/2 miles in length and we trim it out sometime in July & August after most of the growth has stoppped. We start early in the mornings when the sun comes up and usually work for a few hours each day so vibration is a concern. This is constant work as I am trying to be done before the hottest part of the day.

I have narrowed it down to 3 choices:

FS90R 28.4cc 1.73ci 11.7 Pounds (this is the 4-mix)
FS94R 24.1cc 1.47ci 10.1 pounds (2 stroke...a new model at least to me)
FS100RX 31.4cc 1.9ci 10.8 Pounds (4 mix)

I like the FS90R I have now. It does the job. We clear the trail every year, so it's just that years growth. The first couple years we trimmed was tough, but got easier when we got everything knocked down. I was intending to purchase the FS100RX, but the FS94 caught me by surprise. It's motor is smaller, but if you notice the weight it is quite a bit lighter if your having to carry it miles (10.1 Pounds).

My big question is: Will the 2 stroke FS94R have as much power as the 4 mix FS90R? The salesman at the store I went to said it would. Is he right? Or....would I be better getting the FS100RX which is still lighter yet than my FS90R?

Also, will the 2 stroke FS94R vibrate more and what is the difference between the solid shaft and the cable shaft....durability issues?

Any help is appreciated. I used to borrow the equipment from the Forest Service but lets just say I take better care of my own tools.

 

[XSKIER]

Try the new FS 94, or get an FS 90 with the deluxe double shoulder harness.

 

[cory@owen]

I've got an fs130 and love it. That being said, I use my fs80(2 stroke/light weight) as much as I can. I bet that 94 is a nice machine. I'd certainly buy it over an fs90. Two strokes don't need valve adjustment either. If you decide against the fs94 why not try the fs130. The 130 FEELS twice as strong as the fs80(25cc two stroke). Plus you already have a fs90

 

[Jon123]

Thanks for the help...would the 94 feel more powerful than the 90 as the salesperson said? I don't want to downgrade the power. I am leaning towards the 94 because of it being so lightweight.

 

[XSKIER]

Are you stuck in the <$400 range? For trimming that much trail, I'd definitely spend the $90 extra on handle bars and the deluxe harness, regardless of the model you choose. The harness makes a 18 pound FS 550 more comfortable to run than a 10 pound FS 80 R. I use my KM 130 R for only a few minutes a week trimming around the house. When I want to go out back and knock down a large area, I use a FS 80 with a deluxe harness. It makes all the difference.

 

[Jon123]

I have been trimming the 4 1/2 mile trail for about 5 years with the FS90. I tried the handlebars before, but it adds weight and bulk ....we often have to walk a mile to the place we are working and take shortcuts through the woods to get to the trail and the handlebars are easier to get hung up on stuff. Same thing with the harness, it also adds weight. I have used a handlebar model before but some of the trail is on the side of a slope (carved into the hillside) so the area I am trimming is not flat and often has rocks also. Along with the assortment of other stuff we have to carry, safety equipment, sometimes a Stihl chainsaw (I have the battery operated one...best purchase I ever made, perfect for trailwork), food, water, trimmer line, tools, backpacks, chaps, hardhats, etc. it is quite a load to carry several miles a day.

We only work about 3-4 hours a day on weekends max and have to carry the trimmer on average 2 or 3 miles at most. The FS94 still looks like the better deal because of the weight as long as it has as much power as the 90.

Thanks.

 

[cory@owen]

Fs94 it is. That's what I would buy. That's if your like a lot of us and want one of everything. I'd try it just because it's different and it seems, spec wise, that it has what your after. Surely it's every bit as reliable as the fs90. The one thing I would be aware of is weather or not it has a solid drive shaft as stihl say not to use blades on cable shafts(I think). But then again, if you only use string, it won't matter much.

 

[XSKIER]

Yep.

FS 80 to FS 85 driveshaft upgrade:

 

[Fred482]

The walking distance makes the choice more difficult. Power to weight being the big factors, IMOH. I use my light duty JD XT-140 for anything that requires a long distance walk. I use my FS250 w/handlebars and a full padded harness for the tough stuff. After adjustments to the performance, I added a 30-2 line head and a larger JD cutting shield moved it up the shaft a bit to allow a longer cutting line extension. The thing has plenty of power to use the longer line, allowing for a wider cut in grassy areas.

I clean an old rural cemetery, using both tools depending on the type of vegetation. The FS250 with the handlebars is much easier to control around the tombstones, which tend to reach out and eat the cutting line. The more control, the less line it uses.

I like them both, but if I have to walk, the lighter tool is better.

 

[Jon123]

Thanks for the reply, Fred. That really sounds wonderful what you do at the old cemetery. I kept on eyeballing this old cemetery near another trail we hike ever so often. I got the idea to go clean it up myself. Well I about go and do that and someone beat me to it! Looks wonderful now although i don't know how long they will keep it up. If I could find out who is working on it I would help them. We have some real idiots in Missouri that love to go and knock the tombstones over, drink beer and throw the cans and the mess in the cemetery and do things of that nature. Idiot is being polite...I have other words also.

I haven't purchased anything yet. Just about any quality string trimmer would work with good quality line. We clear it out sometime in July and August. We have several nice campgrounds we stay at so we don't get in a hurry we clear it over 5 weekends....we jump in the water holes and I fish some later in the day. July and August are quite hot and humid....all the trimming gets sone from about 5:30 AM to 10:30 AM. Thats all I can take...a heatstroke would ruin the rest of my day and I wouldn't get some fishing in!!

As far as the harness goes it adds too much weight. If I have to go hike a 1/2 mile to the section we are doing, then clear 1/2 mile, then walk another mile out that's a total of 2 miles....1.5 of which I am just carrying the unit and doing no trimming. Luckily I don't have to carry it that far very often, we have a few logging roads, 4 wheeler trails, etc. we can park at and have a short walk.

The Forest Service had a prescribed burn (this was about 2-3 years ago) and I think it was much much too dry out...at least about 1.5 miles of our trail have zero tree cover; it does get weedy. Another possibility was someone set the woods on fire...they did have the area posted that they were going to burn it in a certain timeframe. The other thing we are dealing with right now is all the dead trees starting to come down. Every storm or wind day brings a few more of them across the trail. The fire was hot enough to kill all the trees but not too hot to take the trees down, just a bunch of dead standing timber. Actually a little dangerous for the trail users.

Have a great summer!
Jon

 

[cory@owen]

did you get another trimmer? just curious to hear about the fs94 if you happened to get one.

 

[Jon123]

I haven't bought one yet...I think I gave myself a headache thinking too much about it!!

 

[Mapcinq]

I picked one up yesterday. Only trimmed around my house so far, but Im liking it. The throttle control is pretty neat, and the power is there if you need it and have it dialed back(just squeeze harder). Plan on cutting an acre or two of grass/weeds/brush this weekend to really test it out.

Its well balanced and doesnt seem heavy at all (I think its only 10.1 pounds). I felt less pressure on my arms then when using my 2 pound electric trimmer. When the shoulder strap is on, you can barely feel the weight. Id imagine the optional harness would make it even easier to carry. Barely noticed any vibes either.

 

[XSKIER]

That looks like an all new FS 94 R. Is it?

 

[Weesa20]

Might want to look into the details of the 94R...I haven't been able to find info, but I think the 94 may have the flex drive shaft and not the solid shaft that is found in the 90/110/130s...this is fine for trimming light grass around yards but not sure it would stand up to the abuse of heavy foliage with heavy trimming line...or it might hold up just fine...also, if the 94R does have flex shaft, you won't be able to put any other attachments in the future (just like the 100RX).

If the 94 has solid shaft, that's the one I would go with.

 

[Jon123]

^^ That has kind of held me back also; I think one of the reasons it is so light is because of the flex shaft. My 90 will go through anything and not cough a bit...I use the Stihl .105 X line which is great stuff and am trimming stuff up to the limit of what that combination of machine and line will do. If the 94 will do about the same I'll get one. I think I'll wait around and hopefully get some out in the field reports.

I don't use any attachments like the blade. If I had an accident with the blade out in the middle of the woods I would be in a heap of trouble possibly.

 

[Mapcinq]

That looks like an all new FS 94 R. Is it?

Yup, it is.

Might want to look into the details of the 94R...I haven't been able to find info, but I think the 94 may have the flex drive shaft and not the solid shaft that is found in the 90/110/130s...this is fine for trimming light grass around yards but not sure it would stand up to the abuse of heavy foliage with heavy trimming line...or it might hold up just fine...also, if the 94R does have flex shaft, you won't be able to put any other attachments in the future (just like the 100RX).

If the 94 has solid shaft, that's the one I would go with.

94 is a solid shaft, not a flex shaft. It can runs blades.

 

[crotchclimber]

Have fun with your new trimmer. I've used a FS240R at work and it's pretty much unstoppable with Desert Extrusion line to take out tough weeds. It does weigh a bit more, but it gets the job done quickly.

 

[Mapcinq]

Have fun with your new trimmer. I've used a FS240R at work and it's pretty much unstoppable with Desert Extrusion line to take out tough weeds. It does weigh a bit more, but it gets the job done quickly.

Thanks! I trimmed for about 4 hours on Saturday. Was pretty impressed with the power. There was a few saplings it wouldnt take down, but Im thinking if I put on some thicker square line it might just get through them. Overall Im pretty happy with it, and with the shoulder strap on its almost feels weightless.

 

[lewis16]

Get some grease for it. I found the heads hear up a bit when mowing thicker stuff


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