Posted: 5/6/2011 4:34:15 AM EDT
| I want to get a 4 stroke string timmer so i dont have to keep a seperate can of fuel. My problem is im at a loss on what brand or model to go with. So do any of you have a suggestion of some models to look into? I considered the Husqvarna due to some reviews i read but who knows how much weight those carried. Im mainly interested in something thats going to be reliable and farily easy to start. |
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Make sure you can take it apart. The pull rope on mine broke, and you pretty much had to completely disassemble it, remove the clutch, etc or destroy the housing to replace the rope. It was a Menards yellow....MTD maybe?
I'm curious about the propane powered models. Those seem like they might be pretty handy, and run forever. No gas to gum up, no dirty carb problems, no mixing oil, etc. |
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I bought a troy-bilt from lowes several years ago and it's been great... a little heavier than the two strokes though. +1. I got a Troy-Bilt about 6 years ago on JaxShooter's advice. It runs as well now as it did 6 years ago (I probably should at least change the oil someday). I'm very happy with it. I had a couple of Ryobi 2-strokes prior and they were finicky. |
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I bought a Ryobi IIRC about 5-6 years ago when they first came out with the 4 stroke models (it is a MTD made unit also branded as a troy built as well). Lots of torque and has been reasonably reliable, BUT... It has been hard to start from day one and continues to be to this day. Last year it began leaking fuel from somewhere and I usually get a gas bath when I trim. The engine seems to run fine and seems strong, cuts anything that I put in it's path.
I was looking through the grainger website a while back at work and I came across this. trimmer I was intrigued. I like the idea but am not sure about the reliability or cost effectiveness of the propane cylinders v/s reg gas. I have a couple of friends that swear by Stihl products and from what I have seen they may be onto something, not sure if they make a 4 stroke trimmer yet or not but I would be interested in looking there when my old 4 stroker dies. Then again I might have to scavenge that engine out of that trimmer and put it into something else like a R/C car, boat or aircraft 
Indy |
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It looks like Stihl has what they call the 4 mix engine. In short its a 2 and 4 stroke hybrid but you still have to mix the oil. Id like to avoid the gas spilling issue too but have read it seems to be a common failure with many of the gas units. I would think thats where the propane unit would shine but reading about it people have had oil come out. They also say its pretty sensitive to orientation and will overheat and fail. I need to just stop researching. It seems like the more i try to find out the more i find out bad about all of them. Ive even gotten to the point im looking into a battery operated wimp ones as a possible option. What im still firm on is i dont want a cord. ETA: I forgot to add but yea i too have thought about an RC boat using a string trimmer motor. A few years ago i was dead set on making a crackerbox hull and buying a used trimmer for the motor. |
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looked into one years ago, and from what I still hear, pound for pound, the 4 stroke can't match the output of a two-stroke.
maybe they have refined them by now. My 2 stroke Echos and Shindaiwas kick butt. me fears that the greenies will soon get all of the 2 stroke units and leave U.S. weaker 
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Ive even gotten to the point im looking into a battery operated wimp ones as a possible option. Worx is supposed to make a reasonably handy battery powered trimmer. I'm told you get about 30 minutes of light duty trimming per charge––emphasis on light duty. I have no personal experience with these units though. Why the hesitation to run 2-cycle? It's not that big a deal to keep a gallon container of pre-mix around. 
ETA: Check out the movie on this page. |
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Ive even gotten to the point im looking into a battery operated wimp ones as a possible option. Worx is supposed to make a reasonably handy battery powered trimmer. I'm told you get about 30 minutes of light duty trimming per charge––emphasis on light duty. I have no personal experience with these units though. Why the hesitation to run 2-cycle? It's not that big a deal to keep a gallon container of pre-mix around.
ETA: Check out the movie on this page. My neighbor just got one of those a couple of weeks ago. He really likes the trimmer part of it so far, but he hasn't had it too long. His was a kit with a blower attachment or a seperate blower with it (I don't remember for sure) and he says the blower "Blows!", wel not literally, it sucks! He has to go back over the area with a broom afte rhe blows with that thing. Not exactly the same horse power as the old Ryobi 2-stroke that just bit the dust recently. When my 4 stroke thing dies I think I might go for the echo or stihl models if you can still get the 2 strokers. Indy |
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Not entirely on topic, but on the recommendation of a few people I know I bought a Ryobi 2-stroke trimmer from HD for $90 yesterday. Ran it for a while and seems like a fine machine for what I need it for. Starts a little harder than models double the price, but for me anyways I dont really mind. Within 10 pulls out of the box I had it started on full choke and weaned off of choke in about 30 seconds. Seems everyone is moving towards making these powerhead models now. I think Stihl started it, but even my $90 ryobi can take other attachments. |