ADVICE - What Stihl Strimmer to get??

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bilabonic

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Hi All

Looking at getting a second hand Stihl strimmer.


I am after some advice and whether this would be suitable for my needs. I have a large garden mainly overgrown with brambles (1" thick in area's).

I purchased a 50cc SGS one on Ebay thinking it would do the job (had the metal blade plus took up to 1.7mm line), it was useless as was the harness and the metal tri blade etc...

I ended up paying a gardener (several times now tbh) and he simply used a Stihl with much thicker line (no blade) plus he had a great harness with a heavy duty hook on it that he just popped the strimmer on, unlike the cheapy SGS with an awkward Carabiner Clip you had to open and the harness was a nightmare to adjust!!

I have been googling but there are too many models out there tbh!!

I would rather spend out on some robust and reliable that's up to the job, is reliable and easily repairable/has spares etc.

Plus a decent harness that i can just pop the strimmer on/off esily.

What would you recommend?

What CC do i need is it and what size line?? (His was very thick on the Stihl and flew through the brambles easily)

I have been looking on usual selling sites like Ebay, FB market place etc.

Seen this, not sure if it's any good? If i need to spend extra for something better then that's no problem.....

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274885224151?hash=item40006fa6d7:g:6EIAAOSwHBthA-Ii

Any advice MUCH appreciated.

Cheers from the UK!!!
 
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You dont need a big heavy machine like that unless your using it day in day out most days of the week. I use a 22cc loop handle and 27cc Kawasaki cowhorn which I work in jungles that most people would have nightmares over.
The Oregon brush blade will smash down the thickest brambles and twiggs nearly an inch thick, use with cowhorns only though.
The 22 cc loop spool is filled with Oregon metal core line which is phenomenal stuff
My Kawasakis are at least 15 years old and dont think they are available today . peeps go overboard with cc’s but 27 to 35cc used towards the top end of revs will give you all the power you need and a clean burning engine and the weight wont kill you


You can bin most strap/ harness that come when new and get one like ...https://www.frjonesandson.co.uk/pro...MIwNi8z5aX8gIVj6ztCh1ClQmvEAQYAyABEgJjS_D_BwE

Brush blade...https://www.amazon.co.uk/295505-0-U...L46JVYK/ref=pd_lpo_1?pd_rd_i=B00L46JVYK&psc=1

Edit,I tell a lie they are still available
https://www.cheapmowers.com/acatalo...MIwqevrJmX8gIVibrtCh0GjQ4nEAQYAiABEgJe0vD_BwE
 
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You may have a bit of a job getting a second hand Stihl that hasn’t been worked to death but.....
A strimmer has a curved stem, a brush cutter has a straight one and is much more robust and will take a strimmer spool as well as other blades - this is because it has a solid drive shaft.
Avoid the Stihl FS 65-4, go for one with the 4- mix engine if you can.
Good luck with your search!
John :)
 
Don’t know your budget, but I’ve just bought a Honda umk 425 brushcutter.

I was set on a stihl until chatting to the local landscaper bloke, he said Honda straight off. The shop I bought from sell both, they said Honda too.

it’s 4 stroke, quiet, hardly uses any fuel, came with harness, blade and twine head.

After 10 hours of use, it’s fantastic. Very well balanced as well.
I’ve used a stihl one (two stroke) and find it’s noisy and tiring in comparison.
 
Since you already have it, try the cheap SGS one with a more comfortable harness, better blade, or a thicker line. A 50cc 2 stroke should be able to run atleast 3mm line, you might need a new head to accept it.

Maybe aswell get a cheap second hand mower? You can cut a lot of rough stuff if you're not being precious about it :whistle:



I don't find the Stihl advance harness comfy, but clearly some people do.
 
Burnerman said:
You may have a bit of a job getting a second hand Stihl that hasn’t been worked to death but.....
A strimmer has a curved stem, a brush cutter has a straight one and is much more robust and will take a strimmer spool as well as other blades - this is because it has a solid drive shaft.
Avoid the Stihl FS 65-4, go for one with the 4- mix engine if you can.
Good luck with your search!
John :)
Click to expand...

I'm aware of straight shafts, also my old gardener added an extra grease nipple to his DIY style at the bottom of the shaft, he's 'STIHL' not replying to me. :rolleyes:

How do i spot a '4-mix engine', do you mean 4-stroke with a separate oil chamber?

Cheers
 
Mr Chibs said:
Don’t know your budget, but I’ve just bought a Honda umk 425 brushcutter.

I was set on a stihl until chatting to the local landscaper bloke, he said Honda straight off. The shop I bought from sell both, they said Honda too.

it’s 4 stroke, quiet, hardly uses any fuel, came with harness, blade and twine head.

After 10 hours of use, it’s fantastic. Very well balanced as well.
I’ve used a stihl one (two stroke) and find it’s noisy and tiring in comparison.
Click to expand...

I have an excellent Honda 4 stroke mower (roller on rear for strips), i do love Honda engines, even their generators are top notch i am definitely going to get a 4 stroke, stuff doing a mix all the time.

It never occurred to me too look into them tbh, is this your one? What size line does it take as my old gardener only ever used line and it cut through everything, 1" thick brambles easily!!

https://www.lawnmowersdirect.co.uk/...z673p-pma0oDZTkmFERw47JX0YO7K4m8aAvKyEALw_wcB

Cheers pal.
 
scbk said:
Since you already have it, try the cheap SGS one with a more comfortable harness, better blade, or a thicker line. A 50cc 2 stroke should be able to run atleast 3mm line, you might need a new head to accept it.

Maybe as well get a cheap second hand mower? You can cut a lot of rough stuff if you're not being precious about it :whistle:

I don't find the Stihl advance harness comfy, but clearly some people do.
Click to expand...

First thing i did was purchase a decent harness, the one that came with it basically fell apart just putting it on (black clips snapped).

I have spoke to SGS and they stated it will not take more than 2.1mm line.

Also refilling the spool is an absolute pain, the video they have online does not work, i have to wind it manually, it's nightmare tbh.

I have a big Honda 4-stroke Self Propelled mower (the latest model of it is £1200 to purchase).

Cheers
 
bilabonic said:
I'm aware of straight shafts, also my old gardener added an extra grease nipple to his DIY style at the bottom of the shaft, he's 'STIHL' not replying to me. :rolleyes:

How do i spot a '4-mix engine', do you mean 4-stroke with a separate oil chamber?

Cheers
Click to expand...
The Stihl 4 mix engine is actually a four stroke motor with a total loss lube system (50:1 mix). It has conventional valves and everything else a 4 stroke engine has....it just burns the oil after its been used.
Its a good starting, reliable unit and basically produces half the pollution of a two stroke motor but doesn’t have the disadvantage of a wet sump which some machines have.
For example the Honda UMK is a brilliant bit of kit ( I have 2) but they have wet sumps and rely on regular oil changes and level checks which only a domestic user can give. This is the Honda GX 25 motor which is widely used in many applications.
I also modify the greasing point on my machines with a grease nipple which is particularly beneficial with hedge cutters.
John :)
 
bilabonic said:
have spoke to SGS and they stated it will not take more than 2.1mm line.
Click to expand...
Must be a limitation of the carpy head as 52cc should run at least 4mm . My 22cc runs 2.4mm oregon duoline no problem and even my newly purchase 18volt Makita strimmer came with 2mm line out of the box.
 
lostinthelight said:
Must be a limitation of the carpy head as 52cc should run at least 4mm . My 22cc runs 2.4mm oregon duoline no problem and even my newly purchase 18volt Makita strimmer came with 2mm line out of the box.
Click to expand...

They have just emailed again and stated their new spool takes up to 2.4mm, plus it's a new where you don't have to take it apart to put line on, you just line up the spool/knob arrows and feed line in and wind on.

I still hate the machine though, it's also always been a pain to start, needs full tank everytime and then takes 20 mins of messing with choke/throttle/removing plug(flooding).

Cheers
 
lostinthelight said:
If you know what size and thread pitch you can get other heads to fit , some come with a series of adaptors .
Click to expand...

It's an M10/1.25, so standard really.

I just detest the strimmer tbh, i'm heading towards a 4 stroke Honda.

Cheers
 
You wont go wrong with the UMK Honda......it has a GX25 motor which is a wet sump engine - so oil changes are essential especially because it holds so little.
Anyway, with care they don't burn oil.
Starting is simplicity itself - set the choke lever, no throttle and after a few presses of the priming bulb it's off after 3 pulls, even after a winter lay off.
They come with a blade and a strimmer head in the kit.
I have the cow horn bars with mine, I believe a D handle is available but either way the harnesses are good.
John :)
 
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