# Weed Eater Woes



## Maryak (Sep 30, 2012)

Help 

I have this small bent shaft petrol line trimmer/weed eater. It cuts like a champion with the trimmer horizontal. As soon as I turn it vertical to trim the lawn edges, it cuts for about 3ft then the line has disappeared into the feeder and the machine must be stopped, the line retrieved manually, then another 3ft later the process repeated............most frustrating.

I have observed others and they don't seem to have this problem.

Anybody know what I am doing wrong 

Best Regards
Bob


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## sssfox (Sep 30, 2012)

Just a suggestion, it sounds to me like the housing is loose on the shaft so the spool spins inside it, retracting the line.  When the shaft is vertical, gravity holds the housing down, engaging the cogs.

Could be there is a washer/spacer missing.


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## lennardhme (Sep 30, 2012)

Maybe the line is wound on the wrong way ?
If all else fails..........................


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## Maryak (Sep 30, 2012)

Thanks guys,

As far as I know from reading the idiots guide all is as it should be.

My 1st attempt will be to put a spacer under the bump nut to see if this has the desired effect.

Best Regards
Bob


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## sssfox (Oct 1, 2012)

Maryak said:


> Thanks guys,
> 
> As far as I know from reading the idiots guide all is as it should be.
> 
> ...



Now that I know it is a bump advance, I think there are two issues.  The first is that it is a spring that is missing or in the wrong space, not a spacer. Second, the line is probably wound backwards.  When you bump it, slowing the housing own should push the line out, not pull it in.


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## lathe nut (Oct 3, 2012)

Maryak, have a lot of experience with engine, saws and trimmers used to see them and still do repairs as a side line, the way they work is you must run the machine at full throttle, this give its horsepower, keeps the engine cool and make the line on the feed head the straights, if you run it at a lower speed the line is curved and you are now cutting in the curve area of that line and will use more line and then the heat transfers back into the head and melts the line together, so keep an eye on the head, don't get it real close to the edge of what ever you may want to cut, when you see you are to close tap the head and get more line out then come back to contact point of what you are cutting, have fun, Lathe Nut


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## Ken I (Oct 3, 2012)

Bob sounds like the line is wound the wrong way ? It should be wrapped opposite to the rotation and when you wrap the spool be sure you are looking at it from the rights side.

Appologies if I'm stating the obvious.

Regards,
Ken


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## Maryak (Oct 3, 2012)

lathe nut said:


> Maryak, have a lot of experience with engine, saws and trimmers used to see them and still do repairs as a side line, the way they work is you must run the machine at full throttle, this give its horsepower, keeps the engine cool and make the line on the feed head the straights, if you run it at a lower speed the line is curved and you are now cutting in the curve area of that line and will use more line and then the heat transfers back into the head and melts the line together, so keep an eye on the head, don't get it real close to the edge of what ever you may want to cut, when you see you are to close tap the head and get more line out then come back to contact point of what you are cutting, have fun, Lathe Nut



Thanks,

That makes a lot of sense as I did notice the line was melted inside the head. OK more line and full throttle.

My thanks to all who offered their help.

Best Regards
Bob


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## rake60 (Oct 3, 2012)

I did small engine repairs out of my garage as a hobby thing for almost 30 years.

Lawn mowers, chain saws, lawn and garden tractors, BRING EM!

I would *NOT *work in string trimmers!
When mine broke, I decided to fix it.

My wife told me to throw it away and go buy a new one, but I was determined to repair it.

After a couple of hours of working on it my Scottish temper kicked in.
I grasped it firmly by the spool end and smashed the engine end all over the front sidewalk.

Then I took my wife's original advice and went to buy a new one.

Final Insult: The wife's "I told you to!" :rant:

Rick


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## Maryak (Oct 3, 2012)

rake60 said:


> I would *NOT *work in string trimmers!
> When mine broke, I decided to fix it.
> 
> My wife told me to throw it away and go buy a new one, but I was determined to repair it.
> ...



Thanks for the words of wisdom Rick 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





I remember my 1st wife giving me some advise about how to put the leads back in our old bomb's, (English Ford Zephyr 4 cyl), distributor. "What would she know."  Several cranks later their was a loud bang followed by tinkle tinkle, as various parts of the silencer came to rest on the garage floor. I mean everyone knows 4cyl engines are 1-3-4-2 except Uncle Henry who does it 1-2-4-3  She couldn't say I told you so, she was too busy laughing.

PLUS ONE for the fair sex. 

I  am pleased to report that some new premium line and running the trimmer balls out was a huge success, it took me all of 15 mins and 2 bumps to trim straight edges around our small piece of lawn on the verge. 

Best Regards
Bob


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## dsquire (Oct 6, 2012)

Maryak said:


> Thanks for the words of wisdom Rick
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Bob

Someone (you know who I mean) is going to be so disappointed. Rof}Rof}Rof}

Cheers 

Don


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## lathe nut (Oct 6, 2012)

Glad you are going good now so let's keep the yard trimmed and the drive way and most of all the Wife, Rake, I did repairs also out of my home shop for years then opened a Lawnmower shop, after 6 years of no rain, to much rain, bad economy I made some money but looks like it was going to take it all back so I closed and went back to work where I was before, now I just help out a local shop doing mechanic work I work on everything but she saves the saws and trimmer mostly for me, I really like working on them and it is a lighter work than the mowers, looking like there are going back to some with an adjustable carb. that will help the mechanice a lot in getting the fine tune, Lathe Nut


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