Replacement for awful Stihl KM 130 R 4-Mix?

[adw]

I understand the car gearbox but I do not just keep putting oil in unless it’s leaking, yes come the time I drain it and replace with fresh, what I do not understand is where has the grease gone from the gearbox, Husqvarna brush cutter and hedge trimmer gearbox’s should be half to three quarters full, the reason for this is filling the gearbox completely creates pressure in the box and will eventually force it up the drive tube, or out to the blades, we did a lot of testing on over filling gearboxes with grease, some of the issues we found was increased loading and heat build up, if the grease is not leaking out why do you need to keep pumping more in?

[doobin]

35 minutes ago, adw said:

I understand the car gearbox but I do not just keep putting oil in unless it’s leaking, yes come the time I drain it and replace with fresh, what I do not understand is where has the grease gone from the gearbox, Husqvarna brush cutter and hedge trimmer gearbox’s should be half to three quarters full, the reason for this is filling the gearbox completely creates pressure in the box and will eventually force it up the drive tube, or out to the blades, we did a lot of testing on over filling gearboxes with grease, some of the issues we found was increased loading and heat build up, if the grease is not leaking out why do you need to keep pumping more in?

Because when grease warms it liquefies and the oily component leaks put out leaving the flour as the emulsified paste you find in the corners of the covers of hedge cutter gearboxes that haven’t been regularly greased. 
 

Filling with grease cannot leak up the driveshaft, the bevel gears are in the way. Possibly on the other grease point, but as Spud has alluded to, most people miss this one anyway. 
 

I never said you had to fill it- just grease it regularly. I don’t believe any harm can come from totally filling it as excess grease/pressure will just escape out the blade slot. 
 

Who are the ‘we’ doing this testing and how did you measure ‘increased loading’? 

[spudulike]

2 hours ago, adw said:

I understand the car gearbox but I do not just keep putting oil in unless it’s leaking, yes come the time I drain it and replace with fresh, what I do not understand is where has the grease gone from the gearbox, Husqvarna brush cutter and hedge trimmer gearbox’s should be half to three quarters full, the reason for this is filling the gearbox completely creates pressure in the box and will eventually force it up the drive tube, or out to the blades, we did a lot of testing on over filling gearboxes with grease, some of the issues we found was increased loading and heat build up, if the grease is not leaking out why do you need to keep pumping more in?

These gearboxes are not 100% sealed, the system is a total loss lubrication system and over time, most of the grease will be lost so you need to replace the lost grease.

Sure, much of the grease comes out around the drive bearings (ooop the shaft) or out by the blades but, it isn't sealed unlike a car gearbox that should be sealed. Because of this leakage, the gearbox that isn't greased, the grease goes a bit silvery and hard destroying the bearings, gears and rods. Forcing in new grease will force some of the older grease out replacing it with something that will lubricate.

 

I remember talking to a printer service engineer called in to a company I used to work for saying a previous customer he had visited had turned the oiler off on a £1/2m printer as it kept dripping oil all over the floor. The whole Cylinder screen printer had destroyed every bearing in it through loss of lubrication as it had "Total loss lubrication"....it pisses out the bottom and you wipe it up then top up the oil reservoir.....this was one of the best screen printing equipment manufacturers around at the time and was....Swedish!! .........Svecia if you are interested.

[Barcombeboy]

Just to finish off this thread. After ten years of frustration I dumped the awful Stihl KM130 R 4-Mix Kombi and got a second hand Stihl KM 94 RC Kombi instead as recommended here. Up until today it's been great, a real breath of fresh air, usually starting first go even when hot, and easily powerful enough for my needs.

 

Up until today.... but I'll start another thread about that..... 😞

 

So, thank you everyone for your input. It's been very much appreciated

Edited July 6, 2022 by Barcombeboy

[spudulike]

Ah, it is that new then....check out my comments on temperature of fuel etc. Unlikely the carb has the issues I mention.

[Dan Maynard]

12 hours ago, spudulike said:

Ah, it is that new then....check out my comments on temperature of fuel etc. Unlikely the carb has the issues I mention.

Secondhand, still possible previous owner had problems in hot weather and that's why they sold it.

[Stere]

Battery is the way forward for hedge trimmers

 

 

 

Never using petrol again for hedges as battery is just better in all respects also for the dinky topper  18v mak chainsaw

[GarethM]

I think I'll stick to my petrol HS81's for the miles of hedges and side arm flail for everything else.

 

Domestic jobs I would definitely agree that's probably the way forward.

Edited July 7, 2022 by GarethM