wigglesworth
Booned
Thats good to hear. I hate to keep Ultra mixed up just for my trimmer, but I guess I will. I did sneak a tank of Mobil 1 2T thru it yesterday....shhhhhhhh.
What Trimmer to buy?
- Thread starter wigglesworth
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Thats good to hear. I hate to keep Ultra mixed up just for my trimmer, but I guess I will. I did sneak a tank of Mobil 1 2T thru it yesterday....shhhhhhhh.
aldo
ArboristSite Operative
I take it that is a 4 mix Wigglesworth? I was a sceptic too. I needed a new bullbar brushcutter a couple of months back and I love my Japanese two stroke gear but I sussed the Stihl gear and blow me down I bought an FS90R. I love this thing. It just holds it's revs through thick and thin without having to come up for a breath to regain some revs. Very happy. Hopefully it will last as long as my Kawasaki loop handle job which is still tight as a drum.
CharlieG
Addicted to ArboristSite
I have an Echo SRM-230 from HD, @ $265. Has run without complaint for the past few years, only had to replace the bump head which is a wear item. Good bang for the buck.
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sunfish
Fish Head
I've had a FS110R for about 3 years and love it.
No problems at all and I burn Regular Stihl oil (orange bottle).
No problems at all and I burn Regular Stihl oil (orange bottle).
PLMCRZY
Addicted to ArboristSite
I have the fs55r, starts great has good power but the dang trimmer head wont spit out the string worth a ####! I wrap it exactly how it shows still sucks! It works sometimes, but most of the time im fiddling with it. Its done it since day one. I may sell it, and go with a redmax i hear great things from them.
Sagetown
Farmer and a STIHL
Rep'd
I've got a 1998 top-notch Ryobi 2090R that's about run it's end. Paid $275 back then. I'm in the market for a STIHL FS 56C-E with the bicycle handles and harness for $270 along with a few extras. I like the INSERT type Head. I'm so rough on those tap-n-go heads. They get stuck and I knock-n-throw. If this Ryobi don't hurry and quit, I may just retire it anyhow.
Sagetown
Farmer and a STIHL
So im in the market, as my 10 year old echo decided to spit all the nikasil out the exhaust port.
I looked at several this morning. I looked at Redmax, Stihl and Echo. Im not real keen on the 4-mix, even though its tried and tested, but im not all about a non adjustable carb.
Im wanting to keep under $300 or so. So what do you guys suggest?
My Trimmer work involves lots of fethering the trigger. Reving up in little spurts. 'I've been told' that this does not work so good and loads up the sparkplug on the 4-mix'ers.
That's a couple of reasons I'm sticking with the 2 cycle. It is very responsive in tight situations.
KindlingKing
ArboristSite Operative
Great choice in the FS100. My buddy has the FS90 and absolutely loves it. Great torque and semi quiet. I got the FS 250 with teh bike handle, because I have a large lot and a lot of heavy weeds/brush. I love it. I never tried my buddy's FS90 before I got the FS 250, I probably should have. I suspect I'd have loved that too. I wanted to stay with a two stroke. I finally went the four-mix route with my BR 600 and love that thing. I don't think you can go wrong either way.
BiodieselNC
ArboristSite Member
I have a FS100RX and love it! It is so light and for a lot of what I do, I use a string head. They don't recommend using a blade with that trimmer but i have an FS250 for that But it is great to just grab and do a little quick trim here and there, or to use for extended periods of time. I took the guard off of mine and its even lighter/more nimble.
That trimmer will hold it's own pretty well until you are getting up to 2-3 foot high, really thick grass and stuff. Then you're in brushcutter territory.
But it is great to just grab and do a little quick trim here and there, or to use for extended periods of time. I took the guard off of mine and its even lighter/more nimble.That trimmer will hold it's own pretty well until you are getting up to 2-3 foot high, really thick grass and stuff. Then you're in brushcutter territory.
KindlingKing
ArboristSite Operative
I have a FS100RX and love it! It is so light and for a lot of what I do, I use a string head. They don't recommend using a blade with that trimmer but i have an FS250 for that
That trimmer will hold it's own pretty well until you are getting up to 2-3 foot high, really thick grass and stuff. Then you're in brushcutter territory.
I'm curious if you use one of those three bladed brush cutters with your FS250 for the thick grass and heavy weeds. I've been toying with getting one for my FS250. I run the heavy string but it breaks more frequently than I'd like. I've never run a metal blade on my trimmer and just thought I'd ask for some advice. My string breaks so often because my wife likes me to cut the grass and weeds so low that she doesn't have any stubble to deal with when raking..... Probably not a good situation for a steel blade either but am curious if you prefer them or use them at all.
Thats good to hear. I hate to keep Ultra mixed up just for my trimmer, but I guess I will. I did sneak a tank of Mobil 1 2T thru it yesterday....shhhhhhhh.
lol:msp_biggrin: 2T will work great! The main issues early on with these was more to do with the dirty oil Stihl had at the time, if you run a good syn oil at 50:1 the trimmer will last most a lifetime.
I will strongly suggest running ultra, I've seen the inside of quite a few 4mix engines that were ran on orange bottle Stihl oil and they were full of carbon. The main reason Stihl came out with Ultra was because of carbon issues in their 4mix equipment.
+1. And don't neglect to adjust the valves every 50 hours, or whenever it gets harder to start. When the valve clearance is excessive, the auto decomp built into the cam doesn't work correctly. Adjusting the valves is only a 10 minute job at most, but it's critical that you do it.
cityboy
ArboristSite Operative
what kind of line do you guys run?
I recently picked up a used FS250R. I was expecting it to be sporting some pretty heavy gauge line, but was surprised to see .105 was in the spool. When I tried it out I was amazed at how well it cut, and later switched it over to .155 line, assuming it would probably cut even a little better. Well, after a few more uses I put the .105 back in and I think that line really rocks. I swear its as good, or maybe slightly better than the .155 I was running. Never really compared it side-by-side in the exact same weeds, but ran them both in similar stuff, and my gut feel is I like the .105 better.
So for those of you who run big powerful trimmers in heavy weeds, what's your opinion on line gauge? Also, do certain brands of line cut any better than others?
I recently picked up a used FS250R. I was expecting it to be sporting some pretty heavy gauge line, but was surprised to see .105 was in the spool. When I tried it out I was amazed at how well it cut, and later switched it over to .155 line, assuming it would probably cut even a little better. Well, after a few more uses I put the .105 back in and I think that line really rocks. I swear its as good, or maybe slightly better than the .155 I was running. Never really compared it side-by-side in the exact same weeds, but ran them both in similar stuff, and my gut feel is I like the .105 better.
So for those of you who run big powerful trimmers in heavy weeds, what's your opinion on line gauge? Also, do certain brands of line cut any better than others?
I have a FS 90 R that is starting on the third year that I like better than anything I have ever had.
I use the brush blade on it a lot, and the shoulder harness makes using it a lot less tiring.
Got it out this week from sitting all winter.
Hit on the first pull and ran on the second. It is the easiest to start trimmer I have ever owned.
I use the brush blade on it a lot, and the shoulder harness makes using it a lot less tiring.
Got it out this week from sitting all winter.
Hit on the first pull and ran on the second. It is the easiest to start trimmer I have ever owned.
eyolf
Addicted to ArboristSite
There's a Lebanese guy running a junk/pawn shop in a town half-hour to the west...I honestly don't know how he stays in business. I got a 21cc Echo off him two years ago for $30; came with all the "extras", so I don't think it was lifted out of someone's garage. I think he was just raising cash quick.
Runs like a champ, and much lighter than the 40cc Efco I bought to do brush and thistles in the pasture.
I tried the heavy line in the big Efco and went back to .105; niether is really effective against bull thistles and "sage" (artemisia or wormwood) in the pasture but the .105 lasts longer in tough cutting...I broke a lot of heavy line, seems like it was because it was stiffer and fatigues next to the head. I prefer a blade for that kind of work now.
Runs like a champ, and much lighter than the 40cc Efco I bought to do brush and thistles in the pasture.
I tried the heavy line in the big Efco and went back to .105; niether is really effective against bull thistles and "sage" (artemisia or wormwood) in the pasture but the .105 lasts longer in tough cutting...I broke a lot of heavy line, seems like it was because it was stiffer and fatigues next to the head. I prefer a blade for that kind of work now.
wigglesworth
Booned
So I've got about 2.5 hours on the FS100RX so far, with a smile on my face the whole time.
So far I'm extremely happy with it. I think I'm gonna log the time I use it, just to see what kind of service life I get out of it.
It's tuned right now against the stop on the H, which is how it came and the rpm is sitting at 9.5k give or take a few. Does this sound about right? As soon as the line gets short, I can hear it start bouncing off the limiter at 10.6k. Kinda makes me nervous being a 4 stroke and all.
So far I'm extremely happy with it. I think I'm gonna log the time I use it, just to see what kind of service life I get out of it.
It's tuned right now against the stop on the H, which is how it came and the rpm is sitting at 9.5k give or take a few. Does this sound about right? As soon as the line gets short, I can hear it start bouncing off the limiter at 10.6k. Kinda makes me nervous being a 4 stroke and all.
congrats!! i was looking at the 100rx or the fs90 and i think im going with the 90 i like the fact that i can put attachments on it like the pole pruner, the 100 was tempting though cause its so light. i have a fs 45 now and it kills my back cause its so short so off to craigslist it goes along with my troy built backpack blower.
+3 on the Synth mix. A few techs I respect suggest only Stihl Ultra. A shop around the corner says he tells the commercial guys to use the Ultra but they never do because they are too cheap. The trimmer will be replaced as soon as a problem arrises and it takes quite a few gallons of mix to make up the $ diff. For a homeowner FS 90r is an awesome maching for $300 er so.
I have a few RedMax and find them very disposable. Carbs go very fast and its junk, must be made by the guys who make the carby for the 200t
Good luck Wigs you're gonna smile for a long time.
togaurd
ArboristSite Lurker
Stihl fs90r
I bought the fs90 r late last fall and its been in storage all winter, no gas put in it. This spring I was eager to see what it would do. It's replacing an old Ryobi 740r.
With fresh gas and Stihl 50:1 on board I filled it up for the first time. Wiped up any fuel that may have run over, took the shop cloth and wiped it down before taking it out to wage war with young tender spring weeds. It was going to be glorious.
Two minutes, just 2 min. in to what should have been an annihilation, the thing started missing and popping. It was so hot my elbow got too hot the touch the top shroud. I quickly shut it down and took it back in the shop. After checking it all over and rewinding the line that had broke I was ready to retake the country side. Same thing. Ran super rough at WOT and I was continually
bumping more line. Something was horribly wrong.
I was going to take it back in and have the tech's look at it, I was sure that it was something bad from the factory. It was in for almost two weeks and the verdict was a real jaw dropper, it was perfectly fine. I almost got sick. A forty dollar charge to tell me I may have to spend the summers tending to sheep [they have to be less annoying than that 4-mix cracking and sputtering]
I am now in the market again for another trimmer. It will NOT be a Stihl 4-mix engine. If I had been told ahead of time about the rev limiter cutting in and out every time the line shortened 1 inch. I would have kept looking for a trimmer. Maybe a different Stihl model, but now I'm going to have to look and see who is around close to service. I think Echo, but i'm not sure.
Just in case your wondering, the weeds are now reaching waist high. The war......looks bleak at the moment. When I find a trimmer that can keep the ten acres under control I'll let you know. For right now I cant stand to hear any engine cut in and out like that thing does.:angrysoapbox:
I bought the fs90 r late last fall and its been in storage all winter, no gas put in it. This spring I was eager to see what it would do. It's replacing an old Ryobi 740r.
With fresh gas and Stihl 50:1 on board I filled it up for the first time. Wiped up any fuel that may have run over, took the shop cloth and wiped it down before taking it out to wage war with young tender spring weeds. It was going to be glorious.
Two minutes, just 2 min. in to what should have been an annihilation, the thing started missing and popping. It was so hot my elbow got too hot the touch the top shroud. I quickly shut it down and took it back in the shop. After checking it all over and rewinding the line that had broke I was ready to retake the country side. Same thing. Ran super rough at WOT and I was continually
bumping more line. Something was horribly wrong.
I was going to take it back in and have the tech's look at it, I was sure that it was something bad from the factory. It was in for almost two weeks and the verdict was a real jaw dropper, it was perfectly fine. I almost got sick. A forty dollar charge to tell me I may have to spend the summers tending to sheep [they have to be less annoying than that 4-mix cracking and sputtering]
I am now in the market again for another trimmer. It will NOT be a Stihl 4-mix engine. If I had been told ahead of time about the rev limiter cutting in and out every time the line shortened 1 inch. I would have kept looking for a trimmer. Maybe a different Stihl model, but now I'm going to have to look and see who is around close to service. I think Echo, but i'm not sure.
Just in case your wondering, the weeds are now reaching waist high. The war......looks bleak at the moment. When I find a trimmer that can keep the ten acres under control I'll let you know. For right now I cant stand to hear any engine cut in and out like that thing does.:angrysoapbox:
