How to wind a line for a trimmer on a brushcutter. Existing types of STIHL mower heads

How to change the line for trimmer trimmer

Grass trimmer is the most common unit used to cut grass and cut small bushes. This unit is notable for its ease of maintenance, easy operation during work, and thanks to its low weight even women cope with it. It is no secret that the quality performance of grass mowing requires the right selection of cutting tools. As the latter, the trimmers use special cutting nozzles (discs, knives) or trimmer heads with a fishing line inside. Trimmer nozzles and filament are consumable tools, but while knives can be sharpened, when the filament is used up, it needs to be replaced. In this article we will tell you in detail about how to change the line for your trimmer.

Lawn mowing head is a cylindrical body with a spool with a piece of line (filament) set in it. This design can be installed on both gasoline and electric trimmers. Heads differ in the way they are threaded and fed and come in 3 types.

  • Automatic. Cord is fed after user lowers engine speed. Although automatic line feed is convenient if you do a lot of work, these bobbins have one disadvantage. a high consumption of thread.
  • Semi-automatic. This type of mowing head does not require complex manipulations from the user. The way they work is that the cord is lengthened automatically while the machine is running at full speed. Enough to slightly knock the grass trimmer head on the ground (this removes the blocking of the cord), and the line for the trimmer thanks to the centrifugal force is pulled out of the bobbin, after which it is cut to the required length by the knife, located on the protective cover.
  • Manual. To extend the cord requires stopping the machine, after which the trimmer line is pulled by hand.

Based on the above, semi-automatic bobbins are the best option. It should also be borne in mind that the grass trimmer reels for grass can be single string (used only for trimming grass) and double string, which are used for mowing tall grass and small, with thin stems of bushes.

How to change a line for a trimmer on a trimmer?

Replacing the grass trimmer line with step-by-step instructions will allow even an inexperienced in such matters lawnmower owner to perform quite a complex job.

STIHL Trimmer Line Replacement — Bump Feed

However, before you begin work on replacing the fishing line on your trimmer, you need to ensure that it is safe to do the work. In particular, care should be taken to prevent the mower from being switched on carelessly or unintentionally:

  • prevent spontaneous start-up,
  • remove the battery (if used),
  • place the tool on a comfortable work site.

It is convenient to work on the grass trimmer line replacement when the mower is lying on the table and the person who does the grass trimmer line replacement has an opportunity to get close to the tool from any side.

Grass trimmer head cover removal

On the first stage of disassembly remove the cover of the grass trimmer head. On an example of models of trimmers “Black and Decker” and others, for removal of a cover it is usually enough to apply some pressing force to unclip the latch-fixator which are on the side of the head case.

On some models of lawnmowers, the grass trimmer head is initially provided for removal by using the hexagon wrench included with the tool. The head is usually held in place by two or three screws, which are accessed through the side holes in the back decorative cover.

The cover of the head, where the fishing line reel is installed, is usually held in place by a latch. It is enough to press the reed button and turn the cover a little, after that the cover is easily taken off

While squeezing the locking tab, turn the grass trimmer slightly and lift the cover to remove the filament drum.

Step Two: Removing the filament drum (spool)

The next step in the process is to remove the spooling drum with fishing line from the inner area of the head. You need to turn the head open to see the trimmer line and spool. On the side of the head find two recesses (eyelets), through which the line for the trimmer is led out.

You should release the trimmer line from the holes by turning the drum. Then carefully remove the spool from the head area. Some models are spring-mounted on the spooling drum. This must be taken into account when performing the extraction operation.

Procedure for extracting the grass trimmer reel with fishing line from the inner area of the head: 1. head complete with reel; 2. extracting gently with a small axial turn; 3. extracted parts

The old line for the trimmer is completely removed from the spool. To perform the removal of the old grass trimmer line, you need to remove the line from the hinges-locks and pull the free end. This method removes all the old winding. This process is repeated on the second reel section. Wearing gloves is recommended for the technician.

Coiling up the line

Slowly completing the disassembly of the bobbin spool without losing its parts allows you to move on to the main task. winding the line into the spool. Technological features of the bobbin design and the number of working tendrils determine the sequence of operations.

Reel with one operating tendril

The simplest option and the easiest sequence of actions:

  • Size of the reel and length of the original factory reel determine the recommended length of line for reeling. 25 m.
  • One end of the line is inserted into the fixing technological hole inside the bobbin.
  • The line for the trimmer is wound on the reel in the opposite direction to the rotation of the bobbin on the trimmer, usually on the inner side of the reel there is an arrow indicating in what direction the line is wound.
  • small part of line is left free for taking it out. it is fixed in groove on inner side of bobbin, designed for holding the bobbin winding while assembling it to working state.
  • The leftover line end is fed through the hole on the outer part of the bobbin.
  • The bobbin halves are assembled and put on the rod of the trimmer.

Reel with two working tendrils

In this type of bobbin you should determine the number of grooves for winding the line lying on the inner side of the bobbin:

For both cases, a trimmer line with a length of 2-3 m is taken. In single-strand spools the line for the trimmer is pulled through the through hole, its ends (tendrils) are folded together and aligned, and then wound in the opposite direction of rotation of the bobbin on the rod. the arrow inside usually indicates the correct winding direction. If there are fixing grooves, the ends of the line are slipped into them or held by the fingers of a free hand, put it through the through hole of the outer half of the bobbin, the bobbin is closed and attached to the rod of the trimmer product.

The difference in the winding of the line in twin spools is that initially a piece of line 2-5 m long is folded in half (to determine the middle fold), and the loop of the fold is inserted in a special groove between the grooves. Both line tendrils are wound on their own groove, fixing the tendrils and reel assembly is similar to the single groove version discussed above.

wind, line, trimmer, types

The first performance of this procedure may seem long and quite time-consuming, but with time and experience, this task will be solved much faster and easier.

The video below will clearly show you how to tuck the trimmer line into the grass trimmer reel and wind it up correctly. this operation is nothing complicated and with a little patience is sure to be successful:

SuperCut mowing head

This two-string design is also intended for mowing and clearing areas and is used at obstacles and for working large areas. Automatically maintained optimum cutting length for the cutting filament. Only for use with universal or special mowing shield.

Let’s explain how to tuck the line for the trimmer into the grass trimmer reel of these two modifications. Firstly, prepare two strings of maximum length (7m or 10m) depending on the type of string. You can find this information on the packing slip.

  • Hold the coil cap in your hand so that the cap with the bulge in its center is on top. With your other hand, feel the two recesses on the sides of the structure. they are exactly opposite each other. Press your fingers into these notches simultaneously or alternately until the latch disengages, then press the other one. Turn the cover clockwise: it can now be removed and set aside.
  • Take out the coil itself. To do this, twist it slightly to release the plastic hook. Use a twisting motion to take it out of its retention position and lift it upwards. The free reel with two compartments is in your hands.
  • Locate the lug that is adjacent to the divider wall in the middle of the bobbin. Take the line for the grass trimmer and insert its end into this recess until it stops. After bending the string, wrap it around the spool in the opposite direction so that the secured piece of trim cord does not fall out of the ear. With quick and steady movements, continue winding the trimmer line turn by turn, trying to distribute the layers evenly and tightly. When the section ends. the other end of the string hook into one of the two notches so that the outside came out the rest of about 10 centimeters.
  • Do the same with the second string. Wind the line for the trimmer in the second compartment in the same direction. Fix the free end of the same length on the notch on the opposite side. Then you can insert the spool back into the housing.
  • Rotate the bobbin to match the strings and the bushings inserted in the head so that they are next to each other. Take each of the lines, carefully unhook it from the notch and put it into the special groove to come out. Now the ends are sticking out of the bobbin channels and the cover can be closed. Put it on according to the position of the clamps and press hard until it clicks.
  • Pull firmly on one of the strings so that the spool housing moves up slightly. You will hear another click, and part of the line will protrude a couple of centimeters.
  • The next step is to cut the ends of each string with a pair of pruning shears to the desired equal length, if necessary. STIHL recommends that the trimmer line should protrude about 10 cm out of the hole.

Choosing a fishing line

In order to easily wind the trimmer line onto the grass trimmer spool, it’s worth deciding what tasks the garden tool will perform. The thicker the thread that is threaded into the head, the more difficult the tasks it will be able to accomplish. Note that it is often necessary to use multi-purpose thread that is less than 2mm wide. You, on the other hand, can determine the dimensions using the following methods:

  • Read the information in the manufacturer’s instructions;
  • Check the suitability of the line yourself by trying to insert it into the hole of the spool;
  • Examine the bobbin for information on the diameters allowed for use.

Selection of fishing line for filling in the grass trimmer reel can be carried out by type of engine. For example, excessively thick filament can affect rotational resistance. It will increase the load on the engine, which will certainly affect the quality and durability of its further operation.

Avoiding negative consequences is not difficult. To do this, keep in mind that for electric motors with power up to 500 watts is ideal for trimmer line with a diameter of up to 1.2 mm. If you can not get such a thread, you can use 1.6 mm cord. A 2 mm diameter fishing line is, in turn, used for motors with more than 1 kW. It is worth noting that 2 mm cord is often used for winding on a bent mower. If the gasoline device has a straight shaft, you should use a thread of 2.5 or 3 mm. The thickest lines are installed only on devices with power equal to or greater than 1.3 kW.

Last, but not least, is the type of line. When selecting it, it is worth focusing on the tasks set for the garden tool. There are a few popular cross-sections:

  • Twisted. has a small margin of safety, which makes it suitable only for young grass;
  • serrated. characterized by sharp edges, suitable for working in overgrown areas of weeds;
  • round. the most common cross-section. Such lines cope well with fresh grass, but are not suitable for shrubs and dead wood;
  • Rectangular, square and star-shaped cross-section types. because of their low strength are used for working on lawns.

The most durable and versatile cord is a two-piece line for trimmer with a circular cross-section, inside which is a core. This is the right kind of thread for most jobs. Keep in mind, though, that using fishing line, ordinary wire, and other third-party materials as cord is dangerous to others.

How to wind it?

Knowing how to disassemble the spool can speed up the process of changing lines. Here, it all depends on what design the spool has and what number of tendrils. Threading a spool with only one working whisker is fairly easy, especially if you follow a consistent plan.

Depending on the parameters of the bobbin and the length of the line installed initially, it is recommended to choose a string of 2 to 5 meters.

First you must remove the bobbin from the tool, and then open it.

Insert one end of the fishing line into the hole inside the bobbin.

Next, the string should be wound on the reel. This is done in the opposite direction from the normal rotation of the bobbin. There is usually an arrow on the inside of the bobbin winder which shows the direction in which the string should be wound.

Part of the line should be pulled out and fastened in the special groove, located on the inside of the reel. Its purpose is to hold the spool while winding the bobbin.

The end of the string should be put through the hole on the outside of the reel.

The final step is to assemble the spool pieces and place them on the mower bar.

Setting the line on a double whisker reel is done in a slightly different way. First it is necessary to determine how many grooves run along the inner part of the spool, on which the line for the trimmer is put. There are versions with one groove, and then both whiskers have to be wound together. There are also models with two grooves, where each whisker goes on a separate.

In the single groove model

Then the winding is performed in the direction opposite to the rotation of the bobbin on the mower. Often there is an arrow inside the spool, indicating how to properly put on the line for the trimmer.

The ends of the string are fixed in special grooves or simply temporarily held by hands and pulled into the hole located on the outside of the bobbin.

The bobbin is then closed and fastened to the boom, after which the mower is ready to work.

In the variant with two grooves

first fold the trimmer line in half to determine where the middle of the bend is.

The loop formed on the bend is then slipped into the groove that is formed between the two grooves.

After that you can wind both fishing line whiskers in a separate groove.

Fixing the moustache and reassembling the spool can be done in the same way as described above.

For the first time to open the spool and wind a new line for the trimmer is not always easy. Over time, this procedure becomes almost automatic and will not take much time. Some reels have an automatic system that automatically winds the line for the trimmer. In the end, all that’s left to do is to right the end of the line, and it’s done. In such models, the line must be put into the hole, which is on the outside of the body. Next, the bobbin is assembled, and when the reel is spun, the fishing line is put on it.

wind, line, trimmer, types

Preparing for line replacement

Before replacing the fishing line, you need to pull out and then disassemble the head. It usually includes a cover, a spring (on some models), a bobbin with fishing line, a cover.

It is necessary to unplug the electric grass trimmer (or shut off the gasoline one), and then proceed to remove the spool.

It can be fixed in two different ways: in the first case it is necessary to disassemble the head completely, and in the second. just to remove it from the gearbox shaft, to which it is attached.

  • Under the cover there is a bobbin, it must be carefully removed from the housing (sometimes a spring is hidden under it, it should also be carefully put aside so as not to lose it);
  • after removing the bobbin, a fixing bolt (or screw) becomes visible in the center of the housing, which must be unscrewed in the opposite direction to the clockwise movement;
  • after removing the fasteners, you must, holding by the body, jiggle the spool off the gearbox shaft.

The second method involves the following steps. The spool head is put on the gearbox shaft. In order to disconnect it, you need to lock this shaft.

Usually a hole is made in mowers, such as Champion or STIHL, into which a nail, rod or screwdriver can be inserted.

After fixing the shaft in the stationary position, hold it by the body and begin to turn the head clockwise, because the thread on the shaft is usually applied to the left.

Now that the head is removed and disassembled, it is necessary to determine how thick the cord should be.

Learn the correct diameter for your trimmer for the grass can be found by looking in the user manual or on the bobbin itself, it is usually indicated by such information.

Another way is to insert the filament into the hole from which it is fed. If the twig is running smoothly, it can be used to work.

Also for your information! To understand how much fishing line to wind for the spool, you need to wind it on the bobbin so that the height of the skein is not more than the diameter of the sides. If the cord protrudes over the edges, you will not be able to hide it in the bobbin case.

Algorithm of winding the line

The order of filament winding depends on the type of spool. with one or two tendrils, as well as with automatic cord charging.

On a spool with one bar

It is very easy to wind the line for the trimmer on the spool with a single tendril. In such designs, depending on the brand of grass trimmer, fits from two to five meters of cord. The edge of the line must be tucked into the hole or groove in the bobbin and the line wound in the opposite direction to the turn of the spool while you are working.

Tip! To understand in what direction to wind the thread, you should look at the body of the bobbin. usually there are marks on it, indicating the direction of the bobbin during work.

After the line for the trimmer is wound, you need to leave a small piece (15-30 cm), put it through the output hole of the bobbin and reassemble the head.

On a bobbin with two strands

In this type of bobbins, you need to inspect the inside of the spool and determine the number of grooves for winding cord provided in it.

Important! If the reel has one groove, both tendrils must be wound on a common groove, if two. then on separate tracks.

wind, line, trimmer, types

For winding it is required to take a piece of fishing line of two to three meters in length.

For spools with a single groove, you should tuck the line for the trimmer into the through hole, align the whiskers, align and wind it on the spool in the direction opposite to its rotation during operation.

If there are fixing grooves, the ends of the cords must be slipped into them and then pulled out into the exit hole, then close the spool and put it back in place.

For double-stranded spools the difference is that the string section should be folded in half. Next, it is necessary to charge the middle of the bend in the groove between the grooves, and then wind up each of the pieces of fishing line on its track, fix the tendrils and reassemble the spool the same way as the bobbin with one track.

On trimmer head with automatic filling

With automatic threading heads, all you have to do is wind the line and hold the edges, and the tool will wind the line automatically when you turn it on. It is impossible to make a mistake here, because the spool itself recognizes how the tendrils should be positioned.

For your information! The advantages of trimmers with such a head include the convenience of laying the cord, and the disadvantages are expensive and difficult to repair.

Trimmer line. varieties and the possibility of replacing it with other material

Cord for grass trimmer can be different diameters (from 1.2 to 4 mm), and you need to choose it depending on what vegetation you want to mow. the thicker the line for trimmer, the coarser grass it will cope. Experienced users recommend a 2 mm thick trimmer line, which is universal.

The shape of the line can be round (for succulent grass) or with sharp edges in the form of a square or star (for mowing dry grass). The second type is less strong and wears out faster compared to a round cord.

All about changing lines on a trimmer head

There are many types of heads that are designed for different types of fishing line. The latter is also available in several diameters: from 1.0 mm to 3.2 mm. Its cross-section is round (including a special groove for noise reduction), square, twisted and star-shaped.

There is no clear preference, and this explains the large variety of shapes and diameters on the market. The round shape is generally stronger but has less cutting power and makes a characteristic noise when you rotate it. Therefore, sometimes it makes an acoustic groove, though, the use of this line makes sense only on cordless trimmers, the machines with gasoline-powered and mains drive sound level of the drive itself almost drowns out the sound of the line. A square has a good cutting ability, and despite the fact that such a line for the trimmer is less strong than a round one, on average it is consumed less. A square trimmer line easily cuts willow under 1 cm in diameter. Star has the most cutting edges, has the most cutting power, and is the fastest-cutting.

The next nuance when choosing is the stiffness. The fact is that in the manufacture of nylon in it is added a modifier (often maleic anhydride), which improves its strength and prevents tearing. However, modifiers are not the cheapest component, people try to save on it. Therefore, a seemingly good line for the trimmer, which was left for the winter, suddenly behaves completely differently in the spring. it tears, ceases to normally come out of the spool. There is a recommendation to soak a line for a trimmer in water before work, but I do not see in it special sense, maleic anhydride interacts with water, but if it is not enough in nylon. then there will be nothing to interact with. Therefore, there is no point in stocking up on fishing line for a long period of time, a broken or constantly torn line for the trimmer, which in addition does not want to come out of the spool itself, can significantly complicate the work.

Solutions to possible line problems

Most line problems are similar for different trimmers and are solved in a similar way.

String snipping

  • Most problems are caused by hard objects in the grass: branches, rocks, etc.д., contact with which breaks the stringline;
  • mowing grass close to a fence, and if it is mesh, the trimmer line breaks even faster;
  • The string is not damaged by low-quality cord. it must be replaced with a new, reliable consumable;
  • wear and tear at the mowing head outlets, causing trimmer lines to break from rubbing against sharp-edged sleeves and need to be replaced with new ones.

High fishing line consumption

Usually the line for the trimmer runs out very quickly if you constantly bang the semiautomatic spool on the ground or press it hard against the surface. In that case the head is unlocked, the cord extends and the blade cuts it. The second option for rapid consumption of the fishing line. the grass trimmer with an automatic reel is not used properly. If the mower operator lowers the engine speed regularly, the line is constantly being lengthened and cut and will wear out fast.

Are Steel Wire Trimmer Heads any good?

The string does not hold

If the spring in a semi-automatic reel loosens, the line for the trimmer does not hold and unwinds when working. The cord is extended, cut with a knife, as a result, the owner of the equipment notices that the thread quickly runs out.

Tip! To check the tool, you need to remove the protective cover and start the motor. if the line for the trimmer extends, it means that the spring needs to be replaced with a new one.

Trimmer line comes out

If the line comes out when mowing, it’s another indication that the spring in the bobbin has come loose or is completely lost due to careless disassembly of the head. As a result, the cord does not hold and pops out when rotating.

The string does not extend

Automatic and semi-automatic spools feed the cord without stopping the grass trimmer. If this does not happen, then:

  • the line for the trimmer in the head is not wound correctly, so the spool does not rotate;
  • the filament is wound unevenly, so the cord gets stuck between the coils and does not come out. to avoid this, you need to wind the filament carefully, without skewing, coil to coil;
  • the ends of the cord coming out of the holes are very short, the centrifugal force is not enough to pull them out, so the line for the trimmer does not feed. before turning on the grass trimmer, it is important to necessarily adjust the length of the cord and lengthen it a little if necessary;
  • cord is sticking.

The coil does not spin

Reasons for no spool spinning are similar to no line feed. These are incorrect or uneven spooling of the string, string sticking, and short ends of the cord coming out of the holes.

The trimmer line is sticking together

If the line for the trimmer is sticking when working, the main reason is the installation of low-quality cord. In the course of work, the reel heats up, and the low-quality string melts and glues. The second cause is collision of the filament with hard objects. At the same time there is a sharp braking, the thread is pulled into the head and stuck.

Tip! To avoid problems, you can apply mineral oil on the surface of the fishing line or, after winding it on the head, spray it with silicone. A more intelligent solution would be to buy a good quality head, which will forget about these problems.

So, replacing the line for the trimmer on the trimmer will not be difficult, if you know how to disassemble the spool and perform the winding of the cord. This process is similar for different brands of equipment. A detailed description can be found in the instruction manual of the tool or watch the video.