4 cycle trimmer recommendations

[clare]

ports.

[krw]

I have a TroyBilt, with a few of the attachments, and rather like it. I've had two-cycle and corded trimmers before and have ended up pitching them after a season or two. I hated them. This thing works really well.

[JimT]

Has anyone tried a cordless trimmer? I have a small yard and only need a trimmer for the front yard. I'm considering giving a cordless a try.

Jim

[Robert Green]

Brandt

After letting a lawn service doing my yard for eight years, I am going to do it myself again. I bought a Toro cordless and it worked well enough for my small yard. Regrettably, after being discharge for a few (well 8)years, the stinking NiCad batteries will not recharge. I am going to see if I can replace them with NiMH cells. If I can't I'd be certain to look for a unit with NiMH cells or LiON cells and not NiCads. My Black and Decker cordless lawnmower took a charge after nearly 8 years and performed flawlessly. Though I can't say for sure, I believe the B&D uses sealed 12V lead gel cells.

So the answer is yes, they work quite well - trimming's not a heavy horsepower activity - but you may experience battery issues as I have. If you're interesting I'll pull the Toro specs from the nameplate. It's sitting on the kitchen floor recharging. It spins the head slowly, so I am going to try some discharge/recharge cycling before I gut the SOB. It only saw two seasons of use before I switched to a lawn service. Did I tell you I hate NiCad cells? (-: Polarity reversing, anemic, dendrite-growing crap.

Bring on the pain, NiCad lovers!

-- Bobby G.

[JimT]

Thanks for the input. I'll see what type of batteries are available here.

Jim

[Fake ID]

The problems with my Troy-Bilt 4-cycle have little to do with the number of strokes. Mostly driveline related. The clutch drum reamed out. An impossible to replace compressed ring on the upper upper driveline cames loose and now the driveline falls out the end of the shaft. The EZ-Link receiver at the end of the upper shaft keeps loosening up. The shaft that the pull rope rides around, which is an integral part of red outer housing, broke (then melted). Other than that, it's a fine, fine machine.

In contrast to my 2-cycle Stihl, the 4-cycle isn't necessarily quieter, but the sound is a lower pitch which many people might be less irritating. The 4-cycle has a better torque curve which helps will non-string attachments like a cultivator. The Stihl has a nice long shaft, which turns out to be very helpful.

To jump on the "has anyone ever tried" bandwagon, Has anyone ever tried a propane powered trimmer? One appeared at a local big box a few years ago. It uses those ubiquitous disposable 16 oz cylinders.

m

[Robert Green]

Well, with a little egg on my face I have to report that when I opened the unit up to replace the batteries I discovered a lead acid cell, not NiCads. Oddest one I've ever seen with rounded corners, recessed contacts (bad idea, VERY hard to clean) and 6VDC/9.5Ah rating. Showed 5.4 volts until a load was connnected, then dropped back to the millivolt range.

Cost of replacement battery and shipping is more than the cost of a new trimmer. In dusting it off and setting it up I realized what I really disliked about the trimmer: it's too short. I am 6'0" and I had to stoop to use it. I don't know whether newer models have an adjustable length, but I urge you to hold it and determine whether it's long enough to use comfortably. That's what I'm going to make sure of when I pick up a replacement today.

Cordless is really the way to go with a small yard. While I've learned how to do the "don't mow the cord" dance with corded equipment (mostly - I still chop the hedge trimmer cord on a regular basis - have had to patch it back together three times. I love my cordless B&D mower - about the only B&D tool that I bought that was worth a damn. Quite, competent, mulches or uses a bag. Very quiet and unless I let the grass get way too high, does my front and back lawn on a single charge.

I'm still somewhat in shock to have discovered that it ran off a lead acid battery. If it had a 12VDC motor I would have slapped on a jury-rigged gel cell, but I've reached a point where I won't bother repairing something that's got a fatal flaw which in this case was being to short to use without stooping. I've already retrieved the case from the trash once and thrown it out again. I kept thinking - what a nice red plastic case. I could use it to build something. Yeah, yeah. I looked around at all the junk in the basement I am holding onto for that mythical day when I "settle all family business" and repair or somehow reclaim all the "not quite completely dead" stuff in boxes on the shelves.

One other thing I will check for is a battery compartment door - I've started seeing those on cordless vacs. It was preposterous to have to disassemble the whole damn thing when all I really wanted was to swap batteries. I'll report back with any information concerning a replacement.

Sorry about the bum steer on battery types. I've never seen a lead acid battery in a tool like that before.

-- Bobby G.

[Steve Barker]

Well excuse me. It takes 4 (four) strokes to complete a cycle. AND it has push rods, rocker arms and valves. Call it what you want.

[Steve Barker]

Well please accept my apologies. APPARENTLY, they've (without my permission ) quit using the 4-mix engines on the string trimmers. You now have to go to the brush cutters or the KOMBI system to get the

4-mix. I've got a FS-110 with the 4-mix myself and so do both my sons. I rekon they discontinued those.

[clare]

No, the information you pointed me to was about an engine with "four transfer ports" THAT is not a 4 stroke engine. The one you have may well be. Now it is possible their "low emission" engine IS a f stroke, but nowhere does it differentiate and/or say so - and IF yiours is a 4 stroke, I very much doubt it uses pre-mixed fuel..

The info you pointed me to says nothing about the fuel used either.

[clare]

After doing a search on "4 mix" I found info on the engine. It has the advantages of a 4 stroke except it still has part of the disadvantage of the 2 stroke - higher than ideal emissions. Yes, lower than a 2 stroke because it does not depend on purging mixture to run - so at lower power settings it is not pumping raw fuel through - does it meet C.A.R.B. requirements?????

[Steve Barker]

yep.