Suitable grease for hedge trimmer gears and brush cutter heads

[gand]

1 hour ago, Mark_Skyland said:

Be a bit careful and frugal greasing cordless hedge trimmers. The workshop manuals for Stihl and Husqvarna are very specific about where and how much grease to use, you dont pack it in like petrol machines. From what I remember there are no guidelines given in the owners manuals as how to grease the machines, its more like send it into your dealer after about 50 hours of use.

 

 

As Mark said they don't need much grease. It's literally just put some on your finger and smear it over the gears. Had them come in and they've been absolutely packed with grease, which they don't seem to like and wear the motor out. In my short time working at a repair shop, I've also seen over greasing on petrol models. All it does is throw the grease off the gears sending to the outside edge of the casing. If greasing at proper intervals, you don't need much more than a thumbnail size ball squeezed in

[treevolution]

Would it be better to use a type of spray grease on the cordless trimmers. 

[Stere]

 

Had to get new bearings after probably well  less than 50hrs for mine . Since then I now I grease more often.  (hard to actually keep a track of hrs of use?)

 

Anyway probably done a few 100hrs since (guestimate) no further issues yet.

 

The gearbox is seperate from the rest grease can't really escape unless the bearings fail

[Kimosabi]

9 hours ago, gand said:

As Mark said they don't need much grease. It's literally just put some on your finger and smear it over the gears. Had them come in and they've been absolutely packed with grease, which they don't seem to like and wear the motor out. In my short time working at a repair shop, I've also seen over greasing on petrol models. All it does is throw the grease off the gears sending to the outside edge of the casing. If greasing at proper intervals, you don't need much more than a thumbnail size ball squeezed in

Sensible advice 

[spudulike]

The Stihl petrol ones are re-greasing after 25 hrs use. The electric ones need far less grease as the electric motors have much less start up torque and if you over grease, they will struggle and even show a fault - had this on a Husqvarna one and only eventually worked after a douse with WD40 and lots of feathering of the throttle after which it made full speed and worked fine. Before this, it was turning slowly before faulting out.

[Stere]

Just checked the makita manual. Says approx 5g per 100hrs

 

 

[Mark_Skyland]

20 hours ago, daveatdave said:

50 hours so if you are cutting hedges all week the next week it will be in the dealers for a week not very good 

I wouldnt like to do that much hedge cutting in a week! I can see your point though, it isnt the best situation to have to take them into the dealer every time that they need to be greased.

 

Maybe do as Gand says and at least smear a bit of grease on the teeth of the gears and any other parts that contact metal, just dont fill the gearbox with grease.

 

[Mark_Skyland]

13 hours ago, treevolution said:

Would it be better to use a type of spray grease on the cordless trimmers. 

Its probably better than nothing but I can only advise to use whatever grease the manufactures recommend tbh.

 

[Mark_Skyland]

13 hours ago, treevolution said:

Would it be better to use a type of spray grease on the cordless trimmers. 

Its probably better than nothing but I can only advise to use whatever grease the manufactures recommend tbh.

 

[Trailoftears]

Really uncomfortable that the stihl fs 40cc+models are now 'sealed for life' re: greasing the gear housing/heads.And it has to be said, I've heard some worryingly whiny noises on local authority contracters machines,which in my book is a sign of bad news coming! Intriguingly,there is a tiny allen grub screw on the gear head? Personally, I've now downgraded to the ms240 c due to a decent engine/1 kg weight loss over the entry level stihl clearing saws plus I get to grease the gear housing.The only penalty is a poorer 1 point a.v. system as opposed to 4 point on the clearing saws.