FS 460 Brushcutter no grease point??

[33bk]

I've had mine 3 years now and it running fine used couple of times a week , it will be one of those when it comes to get replaced to buy a whole head and not just the gearbox as it ends up cheaper !!

[Haironyourchest]

I really don't get it.

Having serviced many hundreds, if not thousands, of brush cutters over many years, I have seldom had to replace a gearbox on a regularly greased machine, but have replaced many on those which have never had any attention.

 

The brush cutter gearbox is highly stressed (just feel how hot it gets) and the grease gets a pounding. It thins out and leaks. The main point of leakage is past the splines where the shaft fits into the pinion, the leakage is greatest when the machine is hung up /stood up with the engine lowest. The hot grease runs down the shaft. If you have a greasy clutch housing on the front of the engine, this grease has come from the gearbox.

 

So let's hope the new Stihl pinions have blind bores to stop this or we will be supplying loads of gearboxes in a few years.

 

But nobody will moan, or cry "unfit for purpose" because its Stihl, and Stihl can get away with anything.

 

 

Well well, learned somehow new. I will be at the dealer some time in the next few weeks to pick up a wrap handlebar for a saw, and will ask to examine the head of the fs460 and see if it had a blind bore or not. I suppose if not, it wouldn't be too bad as that would be the way to grease it. My Husqy has two grease points, a nipple on one side of the box and a bolt on the other. I remove the bolt, pump the nipple until clean grease comes out the bolt hole, then turn the attachment and pump some more.

 

Then I start and gun the strimmer with the bolt out, and grease oozes out of the hole. I will let a bit out, not too much and then reinstall the bolt.

[harrythecat178]

We have sold probably close to 200 of these both new and used, only ever seen one new one with a failed gearbox and that happened within 2 weeks of sale so one off manufactering defect. We have users who wear out a clutch in a year. The only real issue with a FS460 is when the user takes the strimmer guard off and uses excessive cord, this upsets the brain in the carb. Answer is dont take guard off. The FS410c has a standard carb so wont be affected by this , depending on how ridiculous the cord length is, something else will break. In a nutshell gearbox is sound

[GardenKit]

We have sold probably close to 200 of these both new and used, only ever seen one new one with a failed gearbox and that happened within 2 weeks of sale so one off manufactering defect. We have users who wear out a clutch in a year. The only real issue with a FS460 is when the user takes the strimmer guard off and uses excessive cord, this upsets the brain in the carb. Answer is dont take guard off. The FS410c has a standard carb so wont be affected by this , depending on how ridiculous the cord length is, something else will break. In a nutshell gearbox is sound

Shall we see if it's the same story in a year or so?

 

Can't see what is wrong a good old fashioned grease nipple and the odd squirt of grease.

[harrythecat178]

Shall we see if it's the same story in a year or so?

 

Can't see what is wrong a good old fashioned grease nipple and the odd squirt of grease.

The oldest has been in use 5 years, thats when they replaced the previous model. Some of them are doing 30 hours a week in season

[div_h]

fs400 clutch only wanted to check it as I noticed the clutch dust on the outside

[div_h]

here

[GardenKit]

Fair enough, but I hope other manufacturers don't follow suit. I love a bit of grease in the right places.

 

Edit, reply to Harrythecat

[cornish wood burner]

We have sold probably close to 200 of these both new and used, only ever seen one new one with a failed gearbox and that happened within 2 weeks of sale so one off manufactering defect. We have users who wear out a clutch in a year. The only real issue with a FS460 is when the user takes the strimmer guard off and uses excessive cord, this upsets the brain in the carb. Answer is dont take guard off. The FS410c has a standard carb so wont be affected by this , depending on how ridiculous the cord length is, something else will break. In a nutshell gearbox is sound

Wouldn't using something like a jet fit head with 2 lengths of heavy line have a similar effect on the carb. I know excess length can drag rpm down but you also get more drag with multiple heavy precut lines even with the guard on.

[Haironyourchest]

Wouldn't using something like a jet fit head with 2 lengths of heavy line have a similar effect on the carb. I know excess length can drag rpm down but you also get more drag with multiple heavy precut lines even with the guard on.

 

Good question! I have always wanted to run four strings but never had enough cc