Ryobi Strimmer? Clutch or no clutch?

[john]

Any one used a Ryobi 2stroke?

McCulloch doesnt seem to be to popular in the group? How does the Ryobi compare?

It is better to have a model with clutch or direct drive? What are the advantages/disadvantages?

regards

[Richard]

I have a 4 year old Ryobi 2 stroke 'power pack' i.e it will power a strimmer, brushcutter (or hedgecutter but I don't bother) all from the same unit.

I was bought it as a moving in present. It works fine but I found that the shaft was not long enough and caused awful lower back ache (I'm

6'2'') when using the strimmer or brushcutter. Solved by making an extension piece.

It does have a clutch.

The suppliers are what I'd call a serious garden tool firm - they stock big lawn tractors and are a Stihl dealer. They freely admit that they only stock the Ryobi kit for the low end of the domestic market - which suited me fine.

Can't really say much more.

Richard

[Alan]

Ryobi are in general better than McCulloch.

I would go for a clutch because the line head doesn't spin round when it is idling. This is better because it won't accidentally strim you if you lay it down for a short while without stopping it and is easier to start.

Alan.

[Paul Mc Cann]

Be aware that Ryobi products are made in America and Japan.

American Ryobi is junk. The home brewed version is far superior.

[RichardS]

Not directly related to the specific topic of this thread (namely strimmers), but Ryobi recently bought Milwaukee off Atlas Copco.

Will be interesting to see what happens there - whether it's kept as a separate operating entity, whether Milwaukee quality goes downhill, or whether it acts as an internal OEM to the rest of Ryobi tools & they make serious inroads into the industrial power tool market.

Its a pity to those of us who own & love AC tools, because I expect that they will essentially get out of the power tool market now. Don't know if they own AEG Power Tools still, but AEG just don't cut it compared with the AC/Milwaukee lines.