Hedge Trimmer Blade

[Steven P]

Good evening,

I have a Stihl Hedge trimmer which works OK. I took its blade apart a while ago to clean and sharpen and put it back together When I tightened the nuts the blades were hard to move, so I loosened the nuts a bit which freed the blades - and so last night I lost one of the nuts, prompting this question..

 

The blades were stiff enough that it was an effort to slide them past each other by hand, looser nut and they were OK to move by hand (the saw sort of struggled to het them moving when tight too)

 

My question then, how hard should it be to move hege trimmer blade? I assumed that they should be quite free

 

Thanks

[Johny Walker]

did you put the spacers bk in ,

[Steven P]

Yes, they're back in

[Haironyourchest]

Should just be snug, movable by hand (gloved hand, carefully). If they too loose material will jam between the teeth, if they too tight will strain the machine. Also be sure to oil them well, all mating surfaces with a spray, preferably something natural like spray-on frying oil - and do it often, before and after every use, and during the day, if the machine is seeing a few hours use.

[nepia]

I was told by a Stihl dealer a while ago that the nuts are intended for one time use; if you remove them for maintenance purposes new ones should go on as they operate along the lines of nylock nuts.

Is this the case perhaps?

[Shane]

I was told by a Stihl dealer a while ago that the nuts are intended for one time use; if you remove them for maintenance purposes new ones should go on as they operate along the lines of nylock nuts.

Is this the case perhaps?

 

That may be the case - but it does remind me of a Black Adder episode where a 'course of leaches' is recommended by the owner of the largest leach farm in Europe.

 

As long as they don't work loose again they are OK. Strangely, I have a nut on one of my Echo trimmers which occasionally tightens itself and stops the cutter working.

[Gary Prentice]

I was told by a Stihl dealer a while ago that the nuts are intended for one time use; if you remove them for maintenance purposes new ones should go on as they operate along the lines of nylock nuts.

Is this the case perhaps?

 

That may be 'best practice' & a good idea, but we've reused the nuts many times, on different machines without problems. I think an odd worn one has failed to maintain its torque and come loose, but in my experience it's not generally been an issue

[eagleye]

use some loctite tighten each bolt and nut one at a time until you find the tight one then slacken it off a bit loctite will stop it vibrating undone

job done

[Vespasian]

use some loctite tighten each bolt and nut one at a time until you find the tight one then slacken it off a bit loctite will stop it vibrating undone

job done

 

Good idea, I'll use it on one of my Hedge clippers, its always working bolts loose..

 

After I put the blades back together it never was the same.. perhaps as well as grease, I'll get some lock tight as well..

[GardenKit]

The spacers are critical, and the bolts should be completely tight. There is no adjustment on stihl. The spacers do not wear, hight wise. The blades do wear and become loose rather than tight. I suspect incorrect assembly or bent blades.