anyone use/recommend a wheeled string trimmer

[amolaver]

i've learned to HATE string trimmers / weed whackers. i've got about 1000' of fence line i need to trim, a hill about 100' long by 25' wide that is too steep to mow and has tons of rocks, a driveway that sits lower than the yard it borders making it impossible to mow the edge, and trimming tight to the house foundation / porch / deck.

handheld string trimmers absolutely ruin my arms/hands - long story short, i'm done with them. so far, the best alternative i've found seems to be the wheeled version like this poulan pro http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003CET14W/?tag=atomicindus08-20. it would be nice if it was self-propelled, but it seems that 'option' doubles the price (or more).

anyone recommend any other make/model of similar device or something else that can trim tight to foundations and fences etc?

ahm

 

[Wakefield]

I think wheeled string mowers were popular before the rise of the current style hand held trimmers. Homeowner versions of the hand helds might be lighter than the commercial ones. A curved shaft using speedometer cable might be more comfortable but less reliable than a straight shaft with a heavier cable. Some of the commercial ones can be fitted with a harness strap that goes around your neck to carry some of the weight. There is a choice of bike handle or loop handle.
The FS 130 thing I have can have a sickle bar/hedge trimmer like thing put at the end instead of its string head to knock down vegetation but the thing is fairly heavy. If the place is too steep for a regular mower it might be too steep for that wheeled string mower that looks to have a regular full size lawnmower engine on it.

 

[LSU]

Stihl Kombi. Straight shaft.

Buy it from Stihl dealer.

Had mine for 6 years. Fairly heavy use. Use the Stihl oil, mix it right. Use non ethnoal gas, if you can find it, change the filters often.

Stihl dealer can fix it if it breaks. Dealer has other attachments that fit. Chainsaw limb trimmer, blade edger, hedge trimmer, blower, tiller.

I love mine. Don't know if I'd ever buy another brand than Stihl. I've had Echo, Shammy, weeded term crafstman, etc. never found anything I was happy with till this.

 

[TehMooSe]

Redmax is the best. Been landscaping professionally for 10 yrs. Very light, powerful & they refuse to die.

Highly recommend the blowers & shears as well

 

[Hetman]

Find yourself a good pro model with 4-point vibration dampers. Stihl fs310 is the weakest one, I don't remember now husqvarna equivalent.

 

[mrobins297aaa]

I have a wheeled one from weed eater..........piece of junk, stay away frrom weed eater

there real hard to do a nice job with especially if your on uneven ground, but they do shave your back some

 

[mrobins297aaa]

I was wondering if any of you guys actually read the op post?
he said he was done with string trimmers

 

[fflintstone]

I have had a few and lost 3 in fire # 2 I replaced it with a used Ariens model. The thing is a tank, has the bigger 16” wheels but is heavy. My wife does the trimming though and it is proven too heavy. I lost my hand held as well and replaced it with a larger Stihl with the bicycle grips and a harness. She much prefers that to the old Stihl with just the strap.

The older DR trimmers have a serious design flaw so stay away from them.

What we had that we like was an old craftsman that was identical to this.
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200435188_200435188?cm_mmc=Google-pla-_-Grounds%20Maintenance-_-String%20Trimmers%20%2B%20Brush%20Cutters-_-170292&ci_sku=170292&ci_gpa=pla&ci_kw={keyword}

I would avoid a poulan like the plague if they are anything like there chainsaws.

 

[amolaver]

i'm definitely not getting a hand-held trimmer - between a cervical fusion and carpal tunnel, 5 minutes with any of them and i'm ready to commit harakiri . so not going to consider or look at any of them, regardless of brand. poulan does make some nice equipment, although also makes trash - just like most of the power equipment mfr's these days. that said, i did find this 'bearcat' (made by echo?) line which appears to be much more solidly constructed and the bigger ones use a honda engine. http://bearcatproducts.com/products/wheeled_trimmers/wt190/ still over a grand for one with self propulsion, but half that if i don't mind pushing the *******.

the issue with the hill is not so much its steepness - i can, and have, backed up it on the tractor one slice at a time, but the stones are a problem. it has LOTS of 2-3" rocks that i don't expect would bother the wheeled string trimmer half as much as a mower blade.

so far, the 'bearcat/echo 190' seems like the best of the bunch for around $500 or less. question is if i will kick myself for no self propulsion. but double the price is pretty damn painful...

ahm

 

[amolaver]

anybody have any alternative WHEELED string trimmer recommendations that are competitive with the Bearcat / Echo units?

ahm

 

[JWILL]

If your going to buy a Redmax you might as well just buy a Shindaiwa. I personally own a Stihl and have owned Echos before also. Find an Echo or Stihl dealer and stay away from the big box stores. I worked in WV for a company that was a Stihl and Echo dealer and when it comes down to it its very hard to beat a SRM225 for a homeowners trimmer. I have a much larger string trimmer but its also because I could afford it at the discount provided to me at the time. Had I not had it I would have bought an FS90 but in your case I would suggest something with a bike handle and a good harness. Buy the better Oregon trimmer line too you wont regret it. as for push behind trimmers. If your hill is too steep for a mower then pushing a heavy string trimmer with wheels up it will be just as much of a PITA.

 

[JASTECH]

Husqvarna is what I use and have used commercialy. I tried Stihl, Echo, C'man/Polan ect. and Husqy wins.

 

[Bikes&Bowties]

Ever thought of picking the rocks.....

 

[sberry]

anybody have any alternative WHEELED string trimmer recommendations that are competitive with the Bearcat / Echo units?

ahm

The technology level of this tool is relatively low, an engine and a head. A Sears one for 300 or so is about as good as any especially for homeowner types.

 

[5lima30]

I briefly owned one of the high wheeled 6hp Swisher units. It cut fairly well...but you needed to wear protective gear head to toe (or a suit of chainmail) because it would throw debris back at you with significant velocity! It would probably be a good machine if it had a large shield to protect the operator. I used it once and returned it!

 

[bas157]

I've got a Craftsman one that works fine. Picked it up as 'non-running' at a yardsale for $25 (including 3 packs of new line). I just put gas in it and it started right up. It doesn't get heavy use, but I like it and it will go through heavy weed like crazy. You keeping an eye out on craigslist for a used one?

 

[Slowboat]

I used to work for DR power tools (they designed the original wheeled string trimmer). Awesome machines - everyone in the company stood behind the product (and used it).

Try one out - you won't be sorry.

 

[Matt018]

I think you need to spend some time at the gym and just get a redmax.

 

[EOC_Jason]

I have a Craftsman 22", looks almost identical to the Poulan you posted a link to.

It mostly gets used to trim the ditches in front of our property and sometimes behind the buildings.

Compared to a hand-held trimmer, the plus is the power and how much you can cut. The minus is the weight. If you are having to go up & down an incline (like a ditch) you can get quite a workout. But for me, I'm a solid 6' tall, even with a straight-shaft high-end Echo trimmer it's still just short enough that I have to bend over some and after several hours your back is burning. With the trimmer mower I'm standing up straight.

Just like regular weedeater line it will wear it you hit it up against rocks, concrete, chain link fence, etc... I usually change the line before starting my work and it lasts just fine. Sometimes I can go two cycles without changing the line if I'm careful and now hit too many hard things. Every once in a while you can break a line, but it's few and far between when that happens.

The biggest wear point I've noticed is the head, specifically where the line is being held. So check to see how much replacement parts are, as you eventually WILL be replacing it because it will wear through the metal completely eventually.

 

[amolaver]

I think you need to spend some time at the gym and just get a redmax.

lmao. i got my herniated disc from squatting 575 - strength is not the issue.

i've been looking on CL but haven't seen any go local.

picking up the rocks isn't in the cards. there are thousands of them, and if i didn't have some trees planted on the hill, i'd just cover the whole thing in stone or mulch and roundup it a few times a year. also doesn't help with the fenceline, yard/driveway edge, or around the foundation.

the bearcat/echo unit appears to have much better operator shielding than the swisher units, but nearly every review of this entire class of machine talks about the need for serious PPE - boots, jeans, gloves, entire face protection, etc. i'm fine with that - had enough injuries because of dumbismo.

i'll keep an eye out for the DR as well as that also gets good reviews (although i'll have to see what the safety recall was about and if i can live with the remediation).

guess its down to the bearcat/echo and the DR. i'll check out the cheaper machines to make sure i think the higher price of those is worth it, but even if the main difference is more shielding, it's probably worth it to me the bearcat/echo are also available with honda motors which i consider to be better than the briggs (which i think is on all the others - not sure about DR).

ahm

 

[Wakefield]

I would favor something by Echo vs. some big box cheap brand since our County Crew had a couple little Echo chainsaws,they weren't as big or powerful as the Stihl's but they did O.K.better than the cheap homeowner stuff. I think Echo is one of the brands landscapers use,too bad not too many brands even make those roll about string trimmers.
Some old brands that people liked might have been bought up (or the names) by another company that makes cheaper stuff than the originals. Cub Cadet or Wheel Horse?

 

[dittle fart around]

Had one for the little league. Worked great for ditches or anything I didn't want to take the good mowers into. Great around the fences till the plastic string broke.

 

[Tom2769]

Yes I know, I'm reviving a 9 year old thread for my first post. I've got some land with a decent slope on one end and I'm using a hand-held string trimmer to keep the brush knocked down currently and am strongly considering a walk behind.
About 1/2 the lot (the sloped half) is rough ground with a lot of rocks, so regular mowers are a no-go. What has changed in the walk-behind string trimmer world in the last 9 years? Amolaver, did you end up buying the bearcat/echo? If so, what is your assessment of it? The recent DR reviews seem to indicate it is now an inferior product(?).

 

[MatBirch]

My father paid the money for the DR Trimmer/Mower. It was AWESOME. Only trouble was is was too awesome and would pick up rocks and launch them FAR. After the 3rd broken window on his new house in 2 years, he sold it.

 

[rustyjames]

I have an older Troy Built. I bought it because it'll take down weeds that a hand held could never do. Agreed, they will do some serious damage with launching stones.

 

[Tom2769]

Thanks for the responses guys. I'm going to look at a couple used trimmer mowers this week. That seems the wiser way to try one of these machines on my land vs paying for new and then deciding the hand-held is worth the extra effort...

 

[WVBrady]

I have a wheeled one, Sears I think. It is difficult to use, because the bottom of the hub digs into the grass and it is hard to push. The only way I can use it is to drag it backwards. If I had a lot of use for it, I would get one that is self-propelled.

 

[Bubba Fett]

I have a Southland model that I got for free. It is OK, but a bit temperamental. I probably need to work on it to get it running a little better. When it works, it does a pretty good job.

 

[crguy]

picking up the rocks isn't in the cards. there are thousands of them, and if i didn't have some trees planted on the hill, i'd just cover the whole thing in stone or mulch and roundup it a few times a year. also doesn't help with the fenceline, yard/driveway edge, or around the foundation.



ahm

I would definitely be using Roundup. It won't hurt a tree.

Horsing a wheeled weed eater on uneven ground isn't going to be anything you're going to like.

 

[Nthill93]

Just picked up one of the DR models for a couple cemeteries we take care of. Figured it would be good to use around headstones instead of leaving 2 guys with weed wackers all day. I’ll let you know how it works

 

[anndel]

Stihl or Shindaiwa.

 

[superduty1]

I was wondering if any of you guys actually read the op post?

he said he was done with string trimmers

What he said.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

 

[sheikht]

Hi
I recently purchase a self propelled walk behind string trimmer mower. Can anyone recommend me the storage advice?