Pondering new trimmer/brushcutter

[HuskerInVA]

I'm looking for a new trimmer. I'm looking at the Stihl and John Deere commercial grade trimmers. Go Stihl and I can't go wrong of course. But how do the Deere products compare. Thinking about the FS90 Stihl or XT140LE Deere. Thanks in advance.

 

[ocaj11]

I have the Stihl FS130 and absolutely love it. The full harness makes weedeating or brushcutting very easy. Also, my dealer sold me a Shindaiwa cutting blade with chainsaw teeth and that combination will obliterate sapplings up to 3" in diameter and I've actually cut a hardwood around 4" in diameter.

When you are finished cutting all the saplings/trees down, you can switch to the trimmer head in a few minutes and do your weedeating.

 

[Charlesaf3]

I've got the husqy like the stihl, and that same blade though I haven't put it on yet.

I'd get husqy or stihl. I seem to recall that people have said bad things about the JD trimmers here - not real JD but rebadged.

I don't think I've ever seen a commercial guy with a JD trimmer. Says it right there.

 

[bigshovel]

I just bought the Stihl Kombi unit with a few attachments and love it. It makes 1.97 hp and does not blink at anything. I have the commercial 130 model.

Brad

 

[HuskerInVA]

I went Stihl on the chainsaw and was heading for Stihl on the trimmer too. Saw coupon on Deere site for $25 off trimmer and was curious. Any idea who's rebadged trimmer the Deere is?

 

[mudcat]

Local dealer says " If you want a chainsaw buy stihl, if you want a trimmer buy echo." He also sales John Deere.

 

[xlr82v2]

I just bought a new Stihl FS90 with the 4-Mix engine and the "bicycle" handlebars this last Tuesday. I also got one of the chisel tooth saw blades for it as well

I was really skeptical about the 4 stroke engine, but my dealer said everyone that has bought one from him really likes them, and so far he's had no returns of any with problems. So, I plunked down my $$$'s. Got home and put my polycut head on it, and went to work. All I can say is "Wow!" I absolutely love it. Much quieter/more pleasant to listen to than a 2 stroke, and it has PLENTY of RPM and power... I rarely, if ever had to use over 1/2 throttle, even cutting the heavy fescue ditch banks along my road. I ran 2 tanks of fuel through it the day I got it, and then ran another tank through it Wednesday.

I've had Stihl's ever since I was a kid (dad bought an FS80 back in the late '70's) and I've got an FS44 and an FS80 myself, and now the FS90. I don't think there's any better than Stihl as far as trimmers. So, you ask, why did I get the FS90 with those other Stihl's? The old ones just have the loop handles, and I really wanted a bike handle unit like Dad's old FS80... much less fatiguing...

I've only got 3 tanks of fuel through my FS90, but so far it's an enthusiastic two thumbs up.

 

[shot_gun]

I use and XT140LE to clear my woods. No problem on small trees and saplings, grass, vines, briars, ect. I used both the "saw" blade and the quad blade. The quad blade is the best for what I been doing. The saw blade I think would work better for thick groves of sapplings or like conditions. We have stihl and JD on our farm and both perform well.

 

[Saxman]

I have a FS130 and really like it, the 4-mix engines are very powerful, quiet, super easy to start and do not smoke. The low end torque and power are very impressive. They are very different from the older 2 stroke versions. Check them out I am sure you will like them.

 

[hoddykubody]

I have a older Stihl 106 its a heavy brushcutter I use with the polycut with . Its a heavy cutter though balances not bad with the loop handle I put on . For my trimming I use a remax bc 3000c I think its lighter and just as powerful . My remax dealer just pulled up stakes and was wondering to about a stihl trimmer . I looked at them and they seem balanced ok . From my research it seems the valves need adjusting every couple of hundred hours not a big deal really . Just my 2 cents hoddykubody