[PTSUPERD]

Well, I'm tired of throw away line trimmers. I want to buy something "light commercial" duty that will last a while. I'm looking for something that you can put a brushcutter on as well. 300 bucks is about my limit.

What do you recommend?

so far I've been told:

Kawasaki
Shindaiwa
Stihl

 

[CooterBrown]

I have commercial grade Echo and am very happy

 

[PTSUPERD]

which model? I've looked at those as well.

 

[scarlet_nape]

I have commercial grade Echo and am very happy

x2

 

[tater97]

Red Max or the newish Stihls with the slide off shaft, you can remove for edger,,small chainsaw etc...(those have served me well) Tate

 

[CooterBrown]

I'll look when I get home.

 

[Big Es]

x2

x3

I think it's this one http://www.echo-usa.com/product.asp?Model=SRM-210&Category=TRIMMER

 

[CooterBrown]

Trimmer- SRM210
Edger-PE200
Blower-PB200

And the mower runs like a deere.

 

[1SickHarley]

Well, I was in the lawn business for 15 years and just sold my company. We always used Stihl. We did have a few Echo's we bought in an emergercy situation. The nice thing about the Echo's is you can get parts just about anywhere. Having both, the Stihl's always outlasted the Echo's. Stihl's are now pretty much all 4stroke. They sound kinda cool and are torque'y as heck. Being a diesel owner, you'll dig it. If you're going to be using a cutting blade like you said, make sure you get a SOLID SHAFT. The flex shafts won't last as long. DON'T buy one of the multi-tool machines. You're asking for early death for your application. Each of my 3 crews did about 75-90 yards/week. We'd buy new machines about every 1.5 years. REMEMBER, we're doing more in a week than what some people do in 2 years. Make sure whatever you buy has grease fittings. Some bearings are sealed and unservicable. The Stihl heads has a cap you can uncrew and screw on a tube on grease and squeeze it in. Buy a Stihl and you'll not regret it.

 

[DCSpecial]

We only use Echo...all SRM-260 models.
Do NOT ever get any of their high torque bull#### models, they suck.

I think the 260s are under $300 (can't remember).

Trimmers work great, last long...never really had any issues with them. We have 3 crews that mow all day 3 days out of the week, 1 crew that mows all day 4 days a week and one crew that only mows one day a week. They really get a work out on the cemetery that we do that's on 8 acres...lots of headstones
We always get at least 3-4 seasons out of them.

Just gotta be sure to maintain them well and properly mix the oil/fuel properly.



Aren't the 4 stroke models heavy?
(never seen one, curious)

 

[1SickHarley]

No not really. They're not really any heavier than a 2 stroke. Their 4 Stroke Edgers just rock. I'm telling you if you've neer tried one of their 4 Strokes, man, you just might fall in love. We used to do alot of condo's but man, it takes you twice as long to do it b/c every owner in there wants to talk to you and have you do extra crap. Ever have that happen? Not cool. To the OP, question is, what ones are you buying that keep dieing on you?

 

[DCSpecial]

Interesting.

We have some old POS edgers....that we never use :hehe:
I can't remember the last time we used them.

Yeah, dealing with customers is fun and time consuming......never done any condos though, I could imagine that would really suck.

 

[plainredtruck]

I'm using a Shindaiwa put together from 3 old ones taken off a golf course crew.

Pro-head or brushcutter - I can't kill it (which is saying something when it comes to small engines - currently 2 dead push mowers and a JD rider along with a collection of chain saws).

I'm looking at a Stihl to replace it and for the oldest critter to use next year.

prt

 

[DCSpecial]

We tried a Shindaiwa a few years back......I don't know if they've changed since then much, but that one was a POS compared to the Echos.

Our neighbor runs Stihl and he swears by them.

All comes down to him liking the Stihl dealer and not liking the place I use which sells Echo as their main commericial line.
But, he's weird and doesn't like a lot of the places that I love doing business with cause I talk a lot of #### with the guys at the places and get along with them well :hehe:

 

[PTSUPERD]

So, if I get a Stihl....dont get the one that takes the attachments? even if it is commercial? The stihl guy here swears by it.

He was trying to sell me this:

http://www.stihl.us/multitask/KM110R.html

He says he never has had any trouble with the shaft on the Stihl combos.

It is more though. Like 330 just for the head itself.

My buddy has a lawn service. They mow around 96 yards a week. He swears by Kawasaki.

he uses these:
They go for $369

http://www.kawpowr.com/handhelds/st_kgt27a.asp

 

[Kanman]

We tried a Shindaiwa a few years back......I don't know if they've changed since then much, but that one was a POS compared to the Echos.


Sounds to me like that is one of those "I heard stories" and not hands on experience. Calling Shindaiwa a POS is pure BS, try telling the truth...

Years ago I had my own lawn service business. I ran nothing but Shindaiwa stuff. After all the use and abuse I put them through I still have the same ones I started with. (I used these for two years commercially before getting out of the lawn service rat race) They are all at least 5 to 6 years old now, and the only thing I have ever replaced was the trimmer head twice, and that's more because I wanted to try a new style, not because it was torn up. BTW, they are currently used to trim a 3 acre property weekly, not just a city lot. Check out the edgers they make too. You can literally run behind one if you really needed to.

OP my advice, watch and see whats on the Lawn Service Trailers you see running around. It sure as hell aint Echo, you'll see a few Husky and Stihl's, but the vast majority will be Shindaiwa.

 

[PTSUPERD]

A few people I have talked to have told me that the main gripe they had with Shindaiwa was parts availability....

 

[Kanman]

A few people I have talked to have told me that the main gripe they had with Shindaiwa was parts availability....

You got me on that one. I have never needed one single Shindaiwa part, so I cant dispute your point Cant say that about Stihl or Husky... I can say that I have burned up my fair share of Stihl and Husky chainsaws. I would gladly pay for a brand new Shindaiwa over a Free year old top of the line Husky!

Back when I was still doing the lawn service thing I purchased a ZTR Gravely mower with the Kohler Commander engine. A couple of my buddies who did the commercial lawn thing too gave me Holy Hell for getting the Kohler instead of the Kawasaki engine. The thing is, Wal Mart, Tractor Supply, Napa on and on, all stock parts for both Kohler and Briggs engines. They stock ZERO for the Kawasaki engine.

I guess the morale of the story here is that if it isn't a Wal Mart stocked part. You are going to have a little trouble no matter what brand getting parts. Most mower shops and bike shop dealers aren't open past 5 pm. Some aren't even open on Saturdays.

Ever tried to get, or priced a ring kit for any of this type of equipment? You are better off buying a brand new machine and junking the old.

 

[PTSUPERD]

Good insight Kanman. Thanks.

 

[DCSpecial]

We tried a Shindaiwa a few years back......I don't know if they've changed since then much, but that one was a POS compared to the Echos.


Sounds to me like that is one of those "I heard stories" and not hands on experience. Calling Shindaiwa a POS is pure BS, try telling the truth...

Years ago I had my own lawn service business. I ran nothing but Shindaiwa stuff. After all the use and abuse I put them through I still have the same ones I started with. (I used these for two years commercially before getting out of the lawn service rat race) They are all at least 5 to 6 years old now, and the only thing I have ever replaced was the trimmer head twice, and that's more because I wanted to try a new style, not because it was torn up. BTW, they are currently used to trim a 3 acre property weekly, not just a city lot. Check out the edgers they make too. You can literally run behind one if you really needed to.

OP my advice, watch and see whats on the Lawn Service Trailers you see running around. It sure as hell aint Echo, you'll see a few Husky and Stihl's, but the vast majority will be Shindaiwa.

Hmmm.....we mow ~300 properties a week including a 8 acre cemetery, so this isn't any bull####.
Why don't you read the thread before you want to call me out?

We bought a Shindaiwa 3-5yrs ago since they were hyped up by one of the equipment places.

I used the the Shindaiwa myself numerous times, it transferred way more vibrations back through your hands than any other trimmer I've used. Ended up selling it to another landscaper since none of our crews ever used it.


We use Echo commercially......get many seasons out of them with minimal maintenance.



I think Kohler is crap too
Maybe crap is harsh, but they don't last as long in commerical use as Kawasaki engines do.