Replacement for awful Stihl KM 130 R 4-Mix?

[MattyF]

Problem I've found with the KM 130 is they destroy hedge cutter gear boxes as they must have quite a bit more torque than a 2 stroke engine , I don't recal ever getting more than a year out of a hedge cutter attachment and had to swap them to the older style non ball bearing cutters in the end.

[Grassyass]

The km94 has plenty enough power ,as other people have said the needle bearing in the gear head will give up first, the battery machines have loads of power for cutting ,but the hla85 tend to break the motor before the gears, they are by far the best long reach ,I wouldn’t go back to petrol 

[doobin]

You guys are greasing your hedge cutter heads, aren’t you?

 

Just checking….

 

 

Power doesn’t make bearings destroy themselves- they don’t turn any faster. But lack of grease does. I’ve only trashed one hedge cutter head- and then I fitted grease nipples! 
 

Im always surprised how many pumps of grease they will take, even after only a little use. Keep the grease fresh- all the trashed heads I’ve fixed for other people have a bit of grease emulsified in the corners, and none on the workings. You can’t overpump them, it’ll just ooze out of the blades. 

 

Edited April 14, 2022 by doobin

[Stere]

Quote

Do any of the battery ones cut that thick easily?

 

 

Not probably not but neither will petrol?

 

Cuts  about 12mm in reality but will do more depend on species

 

23.5mm is whats qouted in info which is same or better  than most petrol ones i think... (max cut is mentioned but in reality it means the tooth spacing )

 

Does tackle a whole  yrs growth on blackthorn hawthorn etc fine....

 

 

Edited April 14, 2022 by Stere

[spudulike]

Just skimmed through this thread. The KM four strokes should be pretty easy to turn over as they have an automatic decomp valve that partially opens the valves on starting. When they feel difficult to pull over, it means the tappets need adjustment - this method  is not really how you should do it, regular maintenance is far better but I have noticed this on machines that I get in that are "neglected"!!!

 

I adjust the tappets by feel...yup, that's it, it is far easier, quicker and once you have done a few.............

 

A machine that is slow to pick up if the throttle is grabbed open fully - most likely worn accelerator pump.

 

I got a KM130 in a while ago, it had been to around 4 dealers, it turned out one of the illustrious dealers had set the valve timing up incorrectly, fortunately not clumping the valves with the piston. The carb had also been changed....for a Chinese AM one but had used the Stihl top and bottom cover so they could charge the customer £130 for an OEM one.

This machine was sorted and had a decent amount of power once done.

The greasing on trimmer heads is every 25 hrs of running and you just keep pumping until it comes out and it depleats over the 25 hrs and is then filled again. Failure to do this kills the bearings, rods and gears....they aren't cheap.

 

Seen a few 94s now, probably a better option if you don't want 4T, strange choke arrangement but seem pokey to a non user!

 

[Mark Bolam]

Just get a 94.

Doobin is spot on.

 

Order some grease with it!

[Barcombeboy]

I did look at a battery Stihl Kombi but decided against it pretty quickly. I love the idea but it's expensive and for my usage pattern I'd probably need three batteries (for one engine!).... so really bloody expensive.

The 94 is looking like the best bet so far.

 

And spudulike... I wished you worked in East Sussex!

Dobin...  perplexed... why do I need grease?

Edited April 14, 2022 by Barcombeboy

[spudulike]

Grease is the lifeblood of bearings and gears - look at it like water and food to humans. No grease.....the bearings die a nasty drawn out death getting worse and worse until.....DEATH and a BIG repair bill

[Mark Bolam]

Grease for the cutter attachment, not the power head mate.

[Dan Maynard]

I can't remember where I picked it up but top tip is drill through the Stihl grease plug and tap M6, then fit a normal grease nipple. Easy greasing forever.