New owner review for 4-stroke line trimmer

[HoleshotHolset]

Well... I finally pulled the trigger and bought a weed whacker. As usual, I analyzed my options ad nauseum and tried to come to some sort of conclusion. The choices in 4-stroke models are somewhat limited by comparison to the much larger number of 2-strokes out there. So, my research was restrained more by product availability than anything else.



I looked at the Ryobi, Troy Bilt and MTD (all the same thing as the Ryobi) and they weren't built as nicely as the Craftsman and didn't have the B&S engines I read so many good things about. I ended up with a Craftsman model from Sears.



With the biggest displacement engine out of all the 4-strokes (34cc Briggs and Stratton 'L-head', NOT overhead valve) it's substantial, but felt well balanced in the store and seemed as though it was built very well. The salesperson was not terribly insightful on this model, but that shouldn't have surprised me.



I can now honestly say this is the coolest, best built, most refined weed whacker I have ever used. I filled it up with SAE 30, put some gas in it, hit the primer 8 times and gave the recoil start a gentle pull. I didn't even have the cord all the way out and this thing was idling like buttah. It's unbelieveably smooth and I think it's very quiet by comparison to a traditional 2-stroke engine; especially when you don't have to rev it up much at all to get the job done.



Since this model has a centrifugal clutch, it will sit there and idle just as smooth as can be. I actually stood there looking it over for a good five minutes after I was done with all the trimming in the yard in amazement of how smooth it runs. When trimming, I never had to use any more than 1/4 throttle... it seems to have a lot of torque which is one of many benefits of 4-strokes.



The line spool couldn't be easier. If it takes you longer than 10 seconds to put new line on it, you're a slacker. That may be this model's biggest drawback. It uses these almost foot long pieces of trimmer line that looks like Twizzler's candy. You stuff it into the holder and you're done. No bumping it... no fuss... no muss. The advantage of this line is that its shaped so that it makes less noise and is horrendously easy to install/remove. The disadvantage is that you might have to buy it at Sears. I haven't gone looking for it yet as the machine came with enough to probably last me halfway through the season. Since the line is cheap at Sears ($3. 50)... I may just keep picking it up there when I need more.



I'm now a very firm believer in 4-stroke weed whackers... especially the one I just bought. Check it out on this link if you'd like to.



Matt

 

[Carlsummers]

I've had the Troybuilt 4-stroke for a year now... my ONLY complaint is the weight of the thing... . heavy... . but cuts like there's no tomorrow.....

 

[hammersley]

I've had my Honda for over a year ---

They can't be beat IMO --- expensive but worth it. I use 10-30W Mobile 1 in all my 4 cycle motors - all Honda so far. I also use Premium Fuel only.



http://www.hondapowerequipment.com/ModelDetail.asp?ModelName=hht31slta

 

[justinp20012500]

I have a troy built 2 cycle with the easy pull system.



I have beat the snot out of it for two years. I even use the tiller attachment when I know I should go rent a huge tiller.



I am very pleased with the performance.



I did look into buying a 4 cycle one, but I wanted to wait until they were out for a couple of years.



I am still planning on millin the troy built's head and running it on a diesel/gas mixture :-laf , just can't leave well enough alone!!





Matt, let use know how it holds up to all the attachments they have out there for them.



Justin

 

[EBottema]

The downside to the fourstroke is the weight. I used my cousins and i don't like it compared to two stokes. gotta love the smoke and shear power :-0

 

[hammersley]

I think you'll find that the 31 CC models are almost the same weight -

like less than 1/2 of a pound ---- and some 2 cycles are more... ...

 

[Mike Ellis]

I have had the Ryobi with the interchangeable shaft mount for a while now, I was sold on the 4-stroke immediately. The torque is awesome, don't have to walk around with the motor screaming at rev limit anymore.



It is nice to put the trimmer down when finished and not have head ringing and hands buzzing and vibrating with that old crawling feeling like they are in a bowl of worms. Anybody who has carpal tunnel or hand problems, should get a 4-stroke trimmer pronto if they do that kind of work - the difference is remarkable... .

 

[HoleshotHolset]

Well, I used it again today in the low 40°F weather... and just before the first quick little blast of snow we got. It felt strange to be mowing the grass while it was snowing.



It started a little bit harder (2-pulls) than it did the first time around a few days ago... I attribute that mostly to the cold weather. I didn't hit the primer bulb as much as I did previously; today I hit it 4 or so times not like the 8 times before... that probably didn't help matters much.



It ran like a champ and continues to impress me with how smoothly it idles and runs. I did notice something I want to address with this machine, though. There were air bubbles in the clear fuel line headed into the carb... I want to look into that when I get a chance.



As far as adding attachments, I'm not sure if I'll ever get any for this thing... I don't really have a need for any of them. Not unless someone makes a blender to slap on this thing. I left my 2-stroke drink blender / line trimmer creation back in MA...



Matt

 

[Mike Ellis]

Mine occasionally has the bubbles in the line as well, it is apparently related to the little primer bulb's action. The bubbles don't seem to cause any problems, the trimmer runs pretty good and doesn't hesitate or stumble or anything.



I didn't buy a weedeater until I was in my 30's, made do with a yo-yo (AKA "swingblade") and a hoe when needed. Not knowing any better, I immediately jumped into the Ryan/McCulloch tarpit and spent many an hour cussin' those little two-stroke demons. In fact I have the Ryobi 4-stroke now because of what my wife calls "the weedeater incident" one hot Texas summer day The Ryobi has been very good for my sanity.



Funny thing though, when I was young I used to get the job done faster with the yo-yo, I could really make that rascal sing. We were at my folks' farm a few weeks back, and my kids saw the yo-yo hanging on the shop wall and wanted to know what it was used for. Took 'em outside and gave them a quick lesson, then let them cut a few swaths up and down beside the fence line - their interest cooled off MIGHTY quick :-laf :-laf

 

[Bill Stockard]

I have had the Ryobi with the interchangeable shaft mount for a while now, I was sold on the 4-stroke immediately. The torque is awesome, don't have to walk around with the motor screaming at rev limit anymore.



It is nice to put the trimmer down when finished and not have head ringing and hands buzzing and vibrating with that old crawling feeling like they are in a bowl of worms. Anybody who has carpal tunnel or hand problems, should get a 4-stroke trimmer pronto if they do that kind of work - the difference is remarkable... .

That's why I bought a walk behind gas trimmer with a 6 HP 4 cycle B&S engine on it. It uses the large diameter line which makes quick work cleaning out under the fences, trimming around steel fence posts, and our pipe and sucker rod fences. I have to be very careful around trees because it will remove the bark in seconds.



Bill

 

[DHorton]

All right... My wife says that's enough... . She can see the 4-stroke purchase coming soon... . Our 2-stroker is giving us fits at the moment and I am trying to claim ignorance on how to fix it... .

 

[HoleshotHolset]

Mike: I'd like to hear the story behind 'the weedeater incident'. :-laf

My 4-stroke trimmer stumbled a bit yesterday and that's when I saw the bubbles in the line...



DHorton: Ignorance is bliss.



Matt

 

[Mike Ellis]

The weedeater incident?



Well, it was one of those nice cool Texas summer weekend days, only about 105 degrees with plenty of humidity. I ended up having to do my yardwork in the heat of the day due to so many things stacking up that weekend. Due to my ongoing battles with skin cancer, when I go outside I have to be covered from head to toe, sunscreen doesn't work because I sweat it off so fast. So I am wearing my usual getup - big straw hat, long sleeved shirt, overalls, boots, gloves. Hot hot hot hot.



So out I go, and I take the worthless, no good, miserable, snake-licking, dirt-eating 2-stroke weedeater out and crank and yank and crank and prime and prime and crank and yank and finally get it going. It decides to run in bursts of about 3 minutes - just long enough to convince me each time that it is ready to go. I start out weedeating, make a few steps... . AND IT DIES. I am hot, sweat cascading into my eyes, glasses fogged up, and feeling somewhat dissatisfied with the weedeater.



Repeat this cycle a couple of times, and a sweat-drenched hot hot hot hot Mikey is perturbed. Repeat it 5 or 6 times, and Mikey falls into one of his misty red-vision foaming-at-the-mouth rages. Being on the verge of starter-rope exhaustion and heat-stroke perhaps made me overly sensitive.



In the backyard where I was at, we have a hefty basketball goal post made out of heavy steel pipe. I introduced Mr. 2-Stroke engine to that post baseball-bat style until the engine portion broke off the shaft, it flew over near some 55-gallon water drums I had by the fence. I snatched up one of those drums over my head and started smashing the remains of the weedeater with it over and over, kind of like Donkey Kong.



Did I mention that in my rages I do a lot of incoherent roaring and hollering? My wife heard me from inside the house, and she came out the door and caught me smashing the engine with the barrel, just looked at me and turned around and went back in. I came back to my senses, and realized I was standing there with this heavy barrel over my head and that my weedeater was no more.



For a brief moment I was ashamed of my outburst, but the savage pleasure of having put that POS out of its misery made it all worthwhile even if I was temporarily weedeaterless. That evening I went to the store and purchased the Ryobi, and it has all been good since then - except for all the humble pie from the wife and neighbors

 

[KBennett]

The weedeater incident?

That was funny. :-laf



I have a Ryobi that I got in 1990 and it ran great until last year when the piston ring stuck for some reason. I took it apart and found out I have to buy the whole piston,ring, and rod assy to make it run again. I ran out of time so I ran down to Home Depot and bought a little 2-stroke Homelite and it runs like a champ. They had a couple of the new 4-strokers but I also felt like waiting till they were out a while. One of these days I'll get the parts for the Ryobi and put it back together because it will take a saw blade which is great for brush clearing.

 

[loncray]

There are times in which the only thing you can do to an inanimate object is to beat it until it lies in small pieces upon the ground. Nothing else will satisfy the rage, and even though everyone has raged at least once in his or her life, other folks will never quite understand that your rage was not only justified, but inevitable.

 

[JPope]

"... There are times in which the only thing you can do to an inanimate object is to beat it until it lies in small pieces upon the ground. Nothing else will satisfy the rage, and even though everyone has raged at least once in his or her life, other folks will never quite understand that your rage was not only justified, but inevitable... . "





Reality Speaks!!!!!!!

Haven't we all been there some time, though I wonder if it is a male only genetic issue



I am like Bill, preferring the walk behind grass trimmer, must be an age type thing!! :-laf Though I have both, saving the handheld for blade use, when i am to lazy to bend over with the chain saw, again age :-laf ?

 

[tugboatphil]

There are times in which the only thing you can do to an inanimate object is to beat it until it lies in small pieces upon the ground.

It's also a good practice to leave it laying there for several weeks, so that the other machinery will learn from the lesson.

 

[loncray]

Be careful if you do that - there is nothing more the object would enjoy than to rust, have you step on a sharp piece and get tetanus and die.



I think JPope is right in it being a male thing - my wife occasionally rages but seldom actually breaks anything in the process. The few times she does, she has never heard the end of it from me! :-laf

 

[HoleshotHolset]

Mike: That story was HILARIOUS! :-laf



My %^&! Craftsman/B&S trimmer has been acting up = not cool. It's stumbling and has been sorta hard to start. I'm not too happy about that. I may have to take it back. The bubbles in the fuel line seem to coincide with when it starts to run like garbage...



I'll keep ya'all posted.



Matt

 

[TORQUE THIS]

Ever have a brush cutter blade come off... I DID!



Sailed thru the air like a frisbee, went clean thru the drivers door of the shop truck!