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Post what you got, how long you've had it and the maintenance performed.

Re: 2 cycle vs 4 cycle, straight/curved string trimmer

I've had the troybuilt 4 cycle for nearly 10 yrs....straight shaft and is still humming along. Despite what I've read in reviews, it's been great! It is wearing out a bit and starting my "painful" search for another. Wanting to get opinions here. 4 cycle has been easy to use and plenty enough power for my bi-weekly 2 acre lot.

2 cycle Shindaiwa that I got from a buddy in 2004 a he was getting a new one. He used it commercially and I have used it weekly for 10-15 minutes a time since. Fuel is the only maintenance lol. I have not even changed a spark plug. Prime it 6 times pull twice while the choke is on, turn the choke off and pull once and she fires up. Been starting her like that for 8 years. Love it!!!

Can't add too much, I had a Ryobi 2 stroke I liked that was basically fuel, plug every other year, clean the air filter every year. I forget what happened to it, but I bought another Ryobi and I don't like it, NO air filter and the carb cover flies off if you hit the choke lever a little too hard. Somewhere on here is a post about single bearing (think the old Cox .049 model airplane engines) and two bearing engines. Apparently if the starter is on the shaft side of the engine it's likely a single bearing. As I've said before, I old enough to spend a little more for what I really want and given my local dealer that is excellent, I'll likely buy a Stihl or Echo, whichever feels better (they sell both).

I have a Shindaiwa M242. 23.9cc 2-stroke. I have had it about a month, ~3 hours on the engine. I run 50:1 Husquvarna 2 stroke oil mixed with premium and the thing blows me away every time. I have a half acre corner lot with steep, deep ditches so I do a fair amount of trimming once a week. Nothing near the commercial capability of the Shindaiwa but I am in no way unhappy with it.

I've had a Troybilt 4 cycle for 5 or 6 years. I've changed the oil and spark plug regularly, and adjusted the valves a couple times. Runs great.

I have the Echo 2-cycle string-trimmer. I got it a few months ago, and I use it commercially. Love it!! No maintenance needed so far!

Great poll...

I thought this thread might be helpful to other members who may not be mechanically savvy :wink::
The Difference Between 2 Cycle and 4 Cycle Engines

2 Strokes only - 1x Shindawia angle shaft c.20yrs old, 5x Stihls commercial straight shaft c.1-8yrs old, 3x Cheap Chinese straight shafts 1-3yrs old - all running fine, original plugs, no rebuilds & normal maintenance only cleaning air filters, lubricating shaft/bearings..etc..

All run on 50:1 Husqvarna or Motul 2 stroke oil & 98 RON unleaded (i.e. no ethanol)

Why 2 stroke only ? Better power to weight, simpler/cheaper to maintain or if required to rebuild & more critically constant lubrication at the acute/various angles trimmers/brushcutters are used.

2cyl only way to go with trimmers.
I've got a weedeter featherlite thaty mom bought and then gave to me when I bought my first place. It's goin on 20 years old. Cleaned carb and new fuel lines a few years ago.
Also have a hoffco jp140c straight shaft. It's about 15 years old. Only cleaned carb.
At work we run Stihl fs 55's and love them. I recommend this trimmer to everyone after seeing the abuse these take and keep going.
Always run out of fuel at end of season.

I have a Husqvaurna 28ld and love it. I preffer 2 cycle by, but then again I have never used a 4 stroke:laughing:

Honda 4 stroke. I have it five years, changed the oil (Walmart synthetic) and put more line on. No signs of wear, I use it about 2 hours a week. I think this thing will outlast me and I'm only 52. The only draw back is that it is heavy, but the carry strap solves that. I see all of the landscapers in our area using either Hondas or Stihls.

Is it loud?

bjc said:

Is it loud?

Click to expand...

No, it's much quieter than any two stroke that I've had, including Ryobi any Craftsman

Are they more expensive?

Is the string hard to change

Generally a 4stroke is more $$$ than a 2stroke.
Difficulty in changing string depends on the head you have on the trimmer. Some are easier to change than others. I have speedfeed heads on mine.
My Shindaiwa trimmers a T230 and a T231 finally gave up the ghost after 20 years on one and 15 on the other. Both were used heavily trimming grass,brush and small trees. They both had carb work done on them after the ethanol levels were raised. I attribute that to the gas not the trimmers.
If possible stay away from big box stores for your purchase find a good dealer and buy from them and get the best one you can afford. It will pay off in the long run. Better to buy a good one than replacements every couple of years or so. My current trimmer is a Stihl FS90. If Echo hadn't bought out Shindy I would have bought another one. Current Shindy's aren't as good as the older ones.
My .02

I think Echo is a residential-pro so that is why their products aren't top notch, but Husqvarna is just as much and is way better:biggrin:

Re: 2 cycle vs 4 cycle, straight/curved string trimmer

drmax said:

I've had the troybuilt 4 cycle for nearly 10 yrs....straight shaft and is still humming along. Despite what I've read in reviews, it's been great! It is wearing out a bit and starting my "painful" search for another. Wanting to get opinions here. 4 cycle has been easy to use and plenty enough power for my bi-weekly 2 acre lot.

Click to expand...

I have a troybuilt also that is about ten years old and has taken a beating. I have three yards I mow each year and all I have had to replace is the knob on the bottom of the spool a couple of times and change the oil once a year and clean the air filter. Been a good one.

Re: 2 cycle vs 4 cycle, straight/curved string trimmer

I run the Stihl 90R and 110 R Trimmers, 4 mix units. Both units are run commercial 6 days a week. Been running both units for a little better than 4 years, change the Spark plugs one time in each and the air filters at the start of each year. Never had any problems with either. Also run the Stihl 4 mix blowers and edgers and the same maintenance on them and never had any problems. The 4 mix units give you the best of both the 2 stroke and 4 stoke with all the power and torque you'll ever want or need without the added weight.

Echo SRM210 I have had it for 7 years I just did the tune up kit last year it starts, and runs like brand new. I had it out the other day trimming the monkey grass back for spring it hadnt been started since October, and it fired right up.

Re: 2 cycle vs 4 cycle, straight/curved string trimmer

Ric said:

I run the Stihl 90R and 110 R Trimmers, 4 mix units. Both units are run commercial 6 days a week. Been running both units for a little better than 4 years, change the Spark plugs one time in each and the air filters at the start of each year. Never had any problems with either. Also run the Stihl 4 mix blowers and edgers and the same maintenance on them and never had any problems. The 4 mix units give you the best of both the 2 stroke and 4 stoke with all the power and torque you'll ever want or need without the added weight.

Click to expand...

Isn't it the valve train that makes the 4 stroke heavier & more complex then a 2 stroke?
Doesn't adding a valve train to a 2 stroke make it more complicated & heavier than a 2 stroke without one?

There is no adding a valve train to a 2 stroke, but the 4 stroke valve train adds complexity and weight. Emissions has killed off 2 strokes as they are inherently "dirty," but I love em. Yamaha 350, Honda 500cc Grand Prix champion,on and on....oh, sorry this is a lawnmower forum.

My first trimmer was a big box Ryobi 790R which cost me (I thought) big bucks , $200,but seemed closest to commercial with my limited knowledge at the time (2003). It came with a 31 cc 2 stroker, the clickit shaft and removable brush blade. I cannot count the acres (yep , acres of weeds, grass and dirt I moved with that great trimmer. Never a problem for 10 years and then mag pick up vs flywheel caused me to try to trouble shoot it. MTD (Ryobi) did not want the unit repaired so the tank, coil and gas lines were prohibitedly expensive, and it was difficult to disassemble. I waited and searched, and online was able to see that the 31cc demon 2 stroke still lived in a sears straight shaft , bump head with the clickit ,and the old style gas tank. (Still available online for $118). I have used it for several hours now and the motor is still great. Different head (two level, less string). the old Ryobi clickit shaft allows use of the the old well worn bump heads and the brush blade. It a low end I love so far.

Regarding weight the shaft material can add weight, steel (mine) vs an aluminum Lowes Husky I once looked at for $250.