How To Thread The Line Into The Trimmer Head

How do I fit the line into the trimmer? How do I fit the line into the trimmer? In order for the area near the house to always look well-groomed and neat, it must be cut regularly. Fortunately, modern technology can solve this problem.

How do I fit the line into the trimmer?

How To Thread The Line Into The Trimmer Head

In order for the area near the house to always look well-groomed and neat, it must be cut regularly. Fortunately, modern technology allows you to solve this problem without excessive physical effort. Electric trimmers are so easy to operate and maintain that even a teenager can use them to mow. The main thing is to figure out in advance how to fill the line with the trimmer.

How do I load the line into the trimmer?

So, we are faced with the task of correctly loading the line into the trimmer. Let’s take a closer look at where to start its implementation and what pitfalls can await us in the process.

Step 1 choose the line

Step 2 remove the coil from the trimmer

To perform this operation, the trimmer must be disconnected from the mains and turned over with the working head up. The further course of action depends on the trimmer model and the design of the coil itself:

For small trimmers with a lower engine position, press the keys located on the sides of the coil and remove its upper part from the head;
On trimmers with a curved bar, we clamp the coil body with one hand, while simultaneously turning the winglet located on the body counterclockwise;
For trimmers with a straight bar and a gearbox, insert a screwdriver into the hole located under the coil, and then turn the coil body counterclockwise.

Step 3 disassemble the coil

After the coil is removed from the head, it must be carefully disassembled. It is better to do this on an already mown area, since there may be a spring inside the coil, which will be quite difficult to find in tall grass. After disassembling, we will have three parts on our hands: the body (top cover), the protective casing and the coil itself.

Step 4 measure the required amount of line

Newbie mowers are usually interested in how many meters of line to wind on the trimmer reel? There are two ways to resolve this issue:

Unwind a skein of line on a flat, dry place and separate half from it.
Measure 3-4 meters of line from the skein.

In any case, after the end of winding, the turns of the line should be on the body of the reel, without sliding off it. You don’t need to try to wind as much as possible, as the line will unwind poorly and break more often.

Step 5 winding the line onto the reel

How to attach the line to the trimmer depends on the coil design. Consider the option when the reel body has one outlet for the line. In this case, we clamp the end of the line in the crevice of the coil, and then we wind the line, trying to lay the turns as tightly as possible. The direction of laying the turns should be opposite to the direction of rotation of the coil and is usually indicated on its inner part. After the end of winding on the spool, you must put on a protective cover and bring the end of the line into it

If the reel is designed to work with two tails, then the line must be folded in half and laid in the groove in the center of the reel. Further winding will be carried out along one or two slots, depending on the coil design. The direction of winding must also be opposite to the direction of rotation of the coil. At the end of the ponytail, the line will also need to be led out into the holes on the top of the reel.

Single-barbed trimmer spool

Brushcutter reel with one antenna

Many owners and experts note the ease of use and ease of refueling the bobbin with one mustache. Depending on the manufacturer, the length of the threaded line can vary from 2 to 5 meters. The end of the line is inserted into the head into a special technological groove or hole, and the winding is done in the direction opposite to the working rotation of the bobbin. Most reels have arrow marks on the outside of the body that indicate the direction of travel of the trimmer reel.

After winding, you need to leave a free end of 15-30 cm to enhance the centrifugal force, which is decisive when removing the trimmer line in automatic and semi-automatic spools. We pass the left end through the working hole of the coil and assemble the head.

Winding the line to the trimmer

Measured and neat dismantling of the spool from the spit coil makes it possible to go directly to winding the line. The design features of the head, the number and location of the fixing holes dictate the sequence of actions when performing this operation, and also determine the methods used. Today there are several types of reels, depending on the number of line antennae and the methods of threading it:

Trimmer head with one working mustache;
Bobbin with two line antennae;
Automatic winding reel.

Trimmer head with two antennae

Double flute head

After removing the spool from the reel body, we determine the number of strands for winding the line (1 or 2). There is no fundamental difference between bobbins with one and two grooves, but if carelessly threading into the twin groove, there will be operational problems. Due to the likelihood of interlacing adjacent lines of the tool, a situation may arise when, after wear of the working antennae, it is impossible to remove new ones.

Regardless of the number of streams, a fishing line with a length of 1.5 to 3 meters is taken for refueling. Winding must be done in the opposite direction to the rotation of the head, since winding in the direction of travel will lead to the fact that the line will not be removed from the reel. After the fishing line is tucked into the trimmer coil, thread the free ends (15-30 cm) into special holes. Next, we assemble the head in the reverse order of disassembly and check the operability. Do not worry if the ends of the two antennae are very different in size, because when you start the trimmer, the knife installed on the protection will cut off the excess.

Preparing to wind the line

Before the winding process, it is necessary to remove the spool with line from the body. Depending on the manufacturer, power and type (electric or gasoline), there are three design types of trimmers:

Compact electric trimmers.

Straight bar trimmer

This model provides the ability to install a knife. Removing the coil in such models is done by means of two keys recessed into the coil body. To mount the trimmer knife, it is necessary to align the hole of the reel and the rod, and then insert the device in the form of a steel pin (screwdriver, iron bar). After fixing the coil, the body can be easily twisted clockwise by hand.

How to wind line on a trimmer reel: key points

A gasoline or electric trimmer is an indispensable tool in the arsenal of a modern summer resident or owner of his own home.

Thanks to these gardening devices, even a large garden plot can be mowed with ease. After purchasing this tool and performing several mows, many people think about how to properly wind the line on the trimmer spool. For an inexperienced user, the first operation to replace it will seem problematic and time-consuming, since the developers often do not fully reflect the instructions for replacing the line in the operating manual.

Trimmer head with automatic line threading

Types of trimmer heads

Some models on the market have a reel with an automatic winding mechanism. It is enough for the owner to properly thread and fix the ends in the head, and the winding operation will be performed by the tool itself when it is turned on. It is almost impossible to wind the line incorrectly into a trimmer with such a head, since the coil independently determines the position of the antennae. The advantages of the automatic trimmer head include ease of threading the line, and the disadvantages of frequent breakdowns of the mechanism due to the complexity of the design and high cost.

What types of woods are

The most common type of line, suitable for almost all types of round cord reels. This is an ordinary fishing line, suitable for cutting succulent grass, but it will be much more difficult to cut dead wood with it, and even more so it will not cope with shrubs.

As a rule, the diameter that can be used to cut young grass does not exceed 1.6 mm. The thicker the thread, the more coarse grass it is able to overcome.

There are fishing lines with sharp edges in the form of an asterisk or a square, this option is more adapted to mowing dry grass precisely due to the existing sharp edges, but its disadvantage is greater wear and is inferior in strength to a round cord.

There are fishing lines with improved aerodynamics with characteristic dents, scales and notches, such a product makes less noise, but it is used only on petrol cutters, since the exit of such a thread from the reel is difficult, it is used most often with discs into which segments are inserted. The disadvantage of such a product is its fragility.

Most often in gasoline trimmers with an engine with an output of more than 1.5 hp. Use cords with a metal cable inside.

This thread is ideal for cutting dry grass and small bushes. The presence of a core has a positive effect on the wear resistance of this material.

The disadvantage of such a cord is its price, which is significantly higher than the above listed opponents.

How to change the line in the trimmer and which one is better to choose

Since we considered the choice of a trimmer in the previous article, today we will tell you how to properly fill the trimmer with fishing line, and which one is better to choose based on the working conditions.

After you bought a trimmer and began to actively use it, sooner or later the question of replacing the fishing line will arise, since this is the most wearing element in the tool, then intensive use of the trimmer will lead to frequent replacement of consumables.

How to remove or tuck the line into the trimmer

It will take about 10-15 minutes to wind the line. What is a trimmer coil? Plastic body with a cassette inside, which has a special hook for easy winding of the fishing line.

Almost all trimmer reels have a similar fastening principle, this is a central screw-button, when pressed, it becomes possible to pull out the line of the required length. Below are a few examples of different trimmer spools.

The bobbins of the trimmers, the motor of which is located near the ground, have a different attachment to the axis of rotation, they have two buttons on the spool located on the sides that need to be wrung out, otherwise the replacement of the thread is no different from other cassettes.

The principle of correct winding of the fishing line is similar in all of the above cases, therefore, for example, consider the standard version with two antennae.

To remove the spool with the fishing line, you need to unscrew the screw located in the center, but note that the thread is left there, so you have to turn it clockwise, this was done on purpose so that during operation it does not open under the influence of centrifugal force.

Next, using a screwdriver, disassemble the head and remove the spool onto which the fishing line is directly wound.

Having measured the required length and folded in half, you need to tuck the fishing line into the reel, eventually bringing its ends opposite each other (for this there are special slots for fixing).

After that, it is necessary to assemble the head in the reverse order, threading the ends of the cord into two corresponding holes.

If you have doubts or it is not entirely clear how to load the line on the trimmer, we recommend that you look at: how to properly wind the line into the petrol cutter.

In this video, step by step, the instructor will open the trimmer head, measure the required amount of line, usually from two to four meters, and demonstrate the assembly and installation on the trimmer.

Things to consider when choosing a line

It is important to select the right material before inserting and locking the line into the detachable trimmer spool.

Related article:

Rating of the best petrol trimmer models. An overview of manufacturers and models, as well as useful tips from experts reviewed in this review, will help in a difficult choice among many device models.

How to wind the line around the reel of the double barb trimmer

You can look before work, and also take into account the following recommendations.

If there is only one track, both threads are wound in parallel.
If there are two tracks, each section is wound in a separate groove.
Wind the threads in the opposite direction to the rotation of the head.
The length of the free ends should not exceed fifteen centimeters.
Thread the ends through the outlet holes.
Assemble the head and check the trimmer performance.

How to wind the line correctly: replacement features depending on the type of removable trimmer coil

To figure out how to thread the line into the detachable trimmer head, the following guidelines and instructions will help.

By quality

Before putting on the line on the trimmer, you need to pay attention to the section of the cord:

Round thread is the most common option. They cut the grass perfectly, even in difficult areas;
Spiral line is suitable for thin grass. It is not very durable and is not suitable for old thickets;
A cord with notches and sharp edges is chosen for mowing weeds;
Fishing line with a variety of geometric sections will help to mow the lawn more evenly, but the consumable strength is low.

The owner of the brushcutter should be aware that it is strictly forbidden to use metal wire, fishing thread and various strings.

Related article:

Auto feed trimmer: how to wind the line into the removable spool

In some models of trimmers, a reel is installed, the line in which is refilled automatically. It is enough for the owner to fix the ends in the head, after turning on the equipment, the mechanism will perform all the winding manipulations on its own.

How to wind the line correctly on the spool of a single-barbed trimmer

Most often, a thread up to five meters long is used. The procedure consists of the following steps:

Bend the cord with a loop and insert into the groove of the head.
Wind the thread in the opposite direction to the marks on the body. They indicate the direction of movement of the head.
Leave the end of the thread up to fifteen centimeters long to increase the centrifugal force.
Thread the free end through the spool outlet.
Assemble the trimmer head.

How to remove the spool and replace the line

Trimmer owners, mostly beginners, find themselves in confusion, bordering on panic, when they need to change the cutting tool or line in the reel. Very often, when trying to unscrew the mowing head, users simply render it unusable, not suspecting that it is unscrewing in the opposite direction. To prevent this from happening, if you need to replace the tool, we recommend that you read the step-by-step instructions below.

Stop the brushcutter engine or power off the electric trimmer before threading the line into the reel to avoid injury from accidental starting rotation of the cutting tool.
Unscrew the nozzle attached to the gearbox shaft. To do this, the shaft must be fixed by aligning the holes on the washer and on the axle, and inserting a metal rod or screwdriver into them.
Unscrew the nozzle. You should be aware that the thread on the shaft is left-hand. Therefore, turn the trimmer coil to the right, that is, clockwise.
Disassemble the mowing head. Most often, the head cover is attached with clips. To remove it, you will need to sink these latches into the case, pressing the edges of the cover. If your trimmer has a semi-automatic mowing head with a button on the bottom, then the disassembly of the attachment should be done carefully, since you can lose the spring, which sometimes flies out when the cover is removed.
Cut off the required amount of line. Usually its length is 5 meters. Use a cord of the same diameter as indicated in the instructions for the tool. It is not recommended to exceed the maximum line diameter as this will result in increased engine stress and higher gas mileage.
Find the midpoint of the line by folding it in half. You will have a loop.
Special grooves are cut inside the coil (there may be holes). Insert a loop of line into this slot.
Wind the line around the spool by turning it counterclockwise. It is necessary to fill in the cord as evenly as possible, the turns should lie down without overlapping and with good tension. When the winding is complete, leave the free ends of the line about 20 cm long and fix them in the grooves on the sides of the reel.
Assemble the mowing head. Remember to insert the spring and washer (if equipped) before final assembly of the accessory. Place the spool in the body and thread the ends of the cord through the holes or eyelets.
Put on the cover and secure it with the latches.
Screw the adapter back onto the gearbox shaft, also securing it with a screwdriver. You will need to twist the trimmer coil to the left (counter-clockwise).

Line does not lengthen automatically

If the line does not lengthen when you lightly hit the trimmer button on the ground, then the reasons for this may be the following.

Option 1 a bite occurred, i.E. Clamping the cord between turns. This problem usually appears if the user has been winding the line on the reel unevenly, with intersecting turns, or winding it with insufficient tension. In the latter case, when the mowing head rotates at high speeds under the influence of centrifugal force, the cord begins to tighten, as a result of which inter-turn clamping of the fishing line is possible. To fix the problem, you will have to disassemble the coil on the trimmer and rewind the cord correctly, that is, in even turns with good tension.

Option 2 too short ends protrude from the head. The line may not come out when hitting the ground if the ends sticking out of the head are not long enough (short). In this case, the centrifugal force is not enough to stretch the line. Therefore, it is required to stop the unit (turn off the engine or disconnect the electric trimmer from the mains) and pull the line manually, after pressing the button.

Option 3 the line is brazed inside the mowing head. This causes the coil to lock and not spin when the button is pressed. Basically, this happens for several reasons: poor quality of the cord, overheating of the coil during prolonged operation of the unit, hitting the line against solid objects.

In the first case, third-party cord can be made of low-quality and low-melting materials that cannot withstand mechanical and temperature stress. Therefore, you should give preference to “branded” lines.
But, if you nevertheless purchased a fishing line of unknown quality, and it is often soldered during operation, then you can follow the example of some users who, after filling the cord into the reel, wet it with either silicone grease (from a can) or mineral oil. This procedure greatly reduces the likelihood of the coils of the line being soldered together.
Also, the line can be soldered if it hits a hard object (stone, fence, dry branch, etc.) during mowing. As a result, it stretches a little and is pulled back into the head at high speed. From friction, the cord heats up, and its turns stick together. The only thing that can be done to eliminate this malfunction is to open the trimmer spool and rewind the line.

DIY trimmer coil repair

A petrol or electric trimmer is the only solution for mowing grass in hard-to-reach places that a wheeled lawnmower cannot handle. As a cutting tool in trimmers, metal knives or a special line are used, which is tucked into the trimmer coil. But, unfortunately, the trimmer heads become unusable over time during operation. Some malfunctions can be eliminated by hand, and some require a complete replacement of the mowing head.

Trimmer coil device

Trimmer mowing heads come in a variety of designs, both simple and complex. The illustration below shows an exploded view of the semi-automatic trimmer head from a Husqvarna (Husqvarna) brushcutter.

This type of head is present on most mowers and electric trimmers, such as Stihl (Stihl), Patriot (Patriot), Champion (Champion), Bosch (Bosch), Huter (Huter) and others. The device of the mowing head is quite simple. It includes the following details:

Mowing head base;
Button for semi-automatic cord feed;
Bobbin (spool) into which the line is tucked;
Spring;
The eyes through them the line comes out;
Trimmer head cover;
Fishing line (cord).

There are also simpler trim heads as shown in the following.

All these attachments do not allow you to change the length of the line in a semi-automatic mode (after pressing a button). If the cord breaks, you have to stop the mower and change it manually.

Major coil faults

Users of electric trimmers and petrol cutters often face a problem with a semi-automatic mowing head. Coil malfunctions can be as follows:

The line does not lengthen automatically;
The cord spontaneously comes out of the spool.

The cord lengthens spontaneously

There are times when the trimmer user notices a very fast line flow. At the same time, he never hit the ground with a button to lengthen the line. The reason for the fact that the line spontaneously lengthens, being cut on a special knife on the casing of the device, may be the absence of a spring in the mowing head. Often, novice users of mowers, trying to load the line into the reel, forget to install the pressure spring in the head, or completely lose it when opening the lid, and in the future, do not even know about its existence.

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