Replacement Of The Trimmer Head

How to replace, remove the Black trimmer head; Decker GL716 Removing the BlackDecker trimmer head requires a simple tool and little time to replace. A step by step description and how to remove the mowing head.

How to remove a trimmer head on a BlackDecker GL716.

The trimmer has an overhead engine and curved bar. For ease of use, turn it over with the engine down or lay it horizontally. We disassemble the mowing head. To do this, simultaneously press the side latches and remove the top cover. Disconnect the line spool.

A slightly recessed dark screw is visible in the middle of the head body. We fix the head body with one hand and use an asterisk nozzle to unscrew the screw counterclockwise. If you don’t have a sprocket at hand, you can do this with a wide, flat screwdriver.

Now, pull the trimmer head towards you to remove it. If it sour and sits firmly in place, then add light swaying movements to the efforts, periodically changing the places of their application. Do not use harsh or impact forces. The case is plastic and it is quite easy to damage it.

How to remove the trimmer mowing head.

The design and fastening of the working part of the electric scooter differ significantly from different manufacturers. But given that there are many copies of less well-known brands in our markets, the described procedure may suit owners of other portable garden equipment for lawn and grass care.

How to replace, remove the BlackDecker GL716 trimmer head

No matter how well the electric trimmer purchased by us works in a summer cottage or a country house, sooner or later the time will come when we need remove the head trimmer for replacement or prevention. I will make a reservation right away that you do not need to completely remove the trimmer head to replace the fishing line. In this article I will tell you how to completely remove or replace the cutting head using the example of the BlackDecker GL716 electric trimmer.

Tool for changing the trimmer head.

To replace, remove the mowing head from the tool, we need an asterisk nozzle, usually supplied in the kit, or a flat wide screwdriver. Using a hexagon instead of an asterisk will not work, the nozzle slips, licking the edges of the asterisk on the screw.

Fitting the mowing head to the Black Decker trimmer.

Installing the mowing head to the trimmer is carried out in the reverse order. When the screw is replaced, it is tightened with medium force.

I wish you a successful summer cottage season and that the gardening equipment does not let you down. I hope my advice on how to remove the cutting head on the BlackDecker GL716 trimmer has saved you time and hassle.

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.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
    Replacement Of The Trimmer Head
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Find the midpoint of the line by folding it in half. You will have a loop.
  7. Special grooves are cut inside the coil (there may be holes). Insert a loop of line into this slot.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. Put on the cover and secure it with the latches.
  11. 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).

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.

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.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.

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.

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.

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.

TRIMMER HEAD

The trimmer head, often also called the mowing head, is a specially designed reel that contains a cord of a certain length. An 8-15 m piece of cord is wound onto the inner spool, the ends of which are pulled out of the reel to the required length as they wear out or break off when they meet a too hard obstacle.

As a rule, for different models of trimmers, certain mowing heads are used, which differ in both the internal structure and the way of attachment. For some trimmer heads, special adapters are available that allow the use of such heads on trimmers of various models and from different manufacturers.

Trimmer heads are usually subdivided into manual, semi-automatic and automatic according to the type of line feeding. In the first, as the name implies, the line is fed from the head manually. To do this, you will have to stop working, turn off the trimmer and manually lengthen the ends of the cord.

For the second, it is enough to hit the ground with the mowing coil. In this case, by pressing upon impact on a special button, the anchor mechanism is released and the cord is fed due to centrifugal force. Line lengthening is carried out with the trimmer working.

In the third option, to lengthen the cutting line, simply reduce the engine speed, then with a subsequent increase in speed, the trimmer line is automatically fed.

As follows from the above description, the most inconvenient is the mowing reel with manual cord feed, and the most optimal is the mowing head with automatic feed. However, she did not win much love from users due to the increased, in comparison with other types, line consumption. Therefore, the most popular and demanded today are semi-automatic trimmer heads.

Also, different models of trimmer heads differ in the way the line is threaded. They can be quick-loading (for example, Shindaiwa Speed-Feed), when there is no need to disassemble the reel to wind a new portion of the cord, and collapsible.

In the first version, you can leave the mowing reel on the trimmer. The end of the cord is threaded through both ears in the spool, then the required amount of line is wound and cut off. Or both ends of a pre-cut piece of cord of the required length are tucked into the corresponding holes and screwed on.

In the second option, to charge a new portion of the cord, the trimmer coil will need to be removed, disassembled and wound on the spool inside. Different models of reels have different ways to disassemble and wind the line. But in all cases, the line must be wound in the direction indicated by the arrow on the body (both ends in one direction).

On cheap Chinese mowing heads, the so-called no-name, such an arrow is often absent. Also, branded models may have two arrows in different directions (when it is possible to use them on trimmers with different directions of head rotation). In this case, the cord must be wound in the direction of rotation of the shaft (that is, the engine must wind it). If the cord is wound in the wrong direction, then when the button hits the ground, it will fly out too much.

The opposite option is also possible, when the line is not fed when the semi-automatic mowing head hits the ground. This can be caused both by improper winding of the line, or by the fact that after installation on the trimmer, you simply forgot to pull the ends of the cord out of the retaining grooves on the spool.

Another problem when mowing vegetation with a trimmer line is sintering the turns inside the coil. This happens because, when meeting with an obstacle that is too hard, the cord is sharply inhibited. With such jerks, it is pulled inward and sticks to the part wound on the spool. As a result, it is necessary to interrupt work, disassemble the coil and tear the stuck together turns of the cord. In some cases, this can be avoided by spraying the line wound on the spool with silicone spray before installing it into the spool.

Most often, a semi-automatic head is used for trimmers, consisting of two spring-loaded parts (body and spool). Structurally, the spool can be in two versions. Two-section, where each end of the cord is wound into its own section, which reduces tangling and sintering. Or one-piece, when both ends of the line are wound together.

Our craftsmen came up with a simple, cheap and elegant way to turn a one-section spool into a two-section one, the essence of which can be understood from the graphs given.

For this, a ring is cut out of a strong and thin plastic plate, the inner diameter of which corresponds to the thickness of the spool in the winding zone of the fishing line, and the outer diameter to the protrusions. That is, such a ring should move freely along the spool. Then a cut is made for the cord, the ring is cut, put on the spool and the cut is glued with tape. Now each end of the line can be wound into the section intended for it.

The prewound mowing head has two or four opposed openings from which the mowing ends protrude. In addition to feeding reels, there are also trimmer heads with plug-in pieces of fixed length line (such as the Oregon Jet-FIT).

In this case, the number of working whiskers can be up to twelve. Some users consider such a design to be quite convenient, but the other part is unhappy, because they believe that this increases the consumption of the cord and it is necessary to stop working to replace it. In such heads, as a rule, cross-cut fishing line is used.

TRIMMER LINE (CORD)

The classic cutting tool for all types of tools is a special trimmer line or line, also sometimes called a string. Its thickness (diameter) ranges from 1.2 to 4 mm. Each trimmer specifies the maximum cord thickness that can be operated without overheating the engine and accelerated bushing wear.

In addition to differences in thickness, the trim cord also has a different cross-sectional shape: a circle, a polygon (from three to hexagon), an asterisk, rounded protrusions, etc. In addition, it can be twisted along the longitudinal axis in the form of a twisted square or a spiral round string, and have various notches and recesses. All these tricks are designed to increase efficiency when mowing vegetation.

The most versatile is the round cross-section trimmer line, which can be used for cutting both fresh grass and dead wood. In addition to this versatile cord, manufacturers also produce more specialized line.

Taking into account that the smaller the contact area of ​​the cord with the stem, the greater the force of its impact, a figured cord with a cross-section in the form of a polygon or an asterisk with sharp corners appeared. Later, for strength, particles of aluminum began to be added to it.

Square fishing line with a thickness of 2.4 mm and more will allow you to easily cope with thickets of dry weeds and even stems of raspberry bushes. The star, on the other hand, is designed for gentle mowing of fresh grass. Due to the profile, it cuts vegetation cleaner, the grass leaves faster after cutting and does not dry out as often as after using a round fishing line.

A round spiral line is considered low noise, but this parameter is only relevant for electric trimmers, since the sound of a running gasoline engine blocks the whistle from any line.

When using a trimmer line with a curly section, its thickness should be taken less than the maximum for this trimmer, this will avoid problems with the supply of line from the mowing head. Fill such a cord into the spool with gloves.

The trimmer line comes in a variety of colors and in most cases it has no functional value. But for some manufacturers, the color determines the diameter of the cord (for example, Stihl) or the properties of the material used (for example, Oregon).

Trimmer lines are made from nylon (polyamide) or polypropylene. Leading manufacturers use PP6 polypropylene for cord production. Various low-quality polyethylene is often added to the fishing line of Chinese origin to reduce the cost. But in any case, after long-term storage, the polypropylene cord becomes brittle. To increase elasticity, such a fishing line should be soaked in water for half an hour before use.

Under no circumstances should thin wire or stranded wire be used as a trim line. Thinking in this case about the strength and durability of the fishing line, they forget that the trimmer string is specially made in such a way as to break off to soften the dynamic impact on the transmission and engine of the tool. In addition, the cable and wire still break off. At the same time, broken-off pieces accelerated to high speed easily pierce leather shoes.

TRIMMER WE MAKE THE OPTIMAL CHOICE. Part 3 (trimmer line, trimmer head, trimmer knife)

The optimal choice of trimmer characteristics will not be enough for comfortable cutting of vegetation in the personal plot. For both the electric trimmer and the petrol brushcutter, you need to choose the right cutting tool. As such, a trimmer line (cord) or a special knife is used.

The type of vegetation is fundamental when choosing what to mow. For the convenience of work, the user can choose the type of cord, the type of trimmer head, the method of threading the cord into it, choose a knife of a certain shape. Therefore, you should familiarize yourself with these characteristics in more detail.

TRIMMER KNIFE

When mowing tall grass with the trim line, it will wrap around the spindle where the mowing head is attached. How often this will happen depends largely on the design of the head and the properties of the mowed grass, but it is practically impossible to completely avoid this. The optimal way out will be mowing not with a cord, but with a trimmer knife specially designed for such cases.

The trimmer knife used as a cutting tool can be made of plastic or metal and have a different number of blades (teeth) of various shapes.

On curved bar trimmer models, only plastic blades should be used (for the safety of the mower and commensurate with the flexible shaft capabilities). In addition, they often come with electric trimmers.

This can be either a special mowing head with replaceable removable plastic knives, or a one-piece design in the form of a circular knife with a different number of blades. Tough vegetation (dry grass, burdocks, nettles, etc.) is in the teeth of such trimmer knives.

For processing large areas and mowing not only grass, but also cutting shrubs or even young trees, metal knives are used. The only thing such trimmer knives are afraid of is collisions with objects that are too hard for them (for example, stones).

Metal knives can only be used on straight bar trimmers. They cannot be mounted on tools with a curved shaft. This is due primarily to safety technology. If, when mowing vegetation, the disc hits a solid obstacle, then in this case it is thrown back. With straight bar trimmers, the distance to the user’s feet is much further.

Plus, the T (U) or J-shaped handle helps to hold the tool, and a special protruding limit bar is added to the D (O).Shaped handle, which rests on the leg does not allow the cutting tool to reach it. Curved bar trimmers are usually equipped with a D (O).Shaped handle without stopper.

Second, the high torque metal disc coulter puts a lot of stress on the flex shaft and motor, resulting in quick tool breakage.

As user experience shows, the shape of the blades (triangular, rectangular, etc.) has practically no effect on the quality and speed of mowing. But their quantity becomes important when using a hay trimmer. Three or four blade blades chop the grass too much when mowing.

Almost round eight-tooth knives or with four large and additional smaller teeth between them are considered the most optimal for haymaking. Also popular are perforated discs with a large number of teeth, such a lightweight trimmer cutter can be installed on low-power tools.

Using a trimmer cutter, that is, a circular knife with a large number of teeth, you can not only easily clean the area of ​​luxurious perennial weeds, raspberries, etc., but also cut trees with a trunk diameter of several centimeters.

Device

The device in question is a special configuration reel, which is equipped with an internal cord. It can be of various sizes, it is screwed onto the inner element of the spool up to 15 meters long.

The edges of the line are set at a certain distance to allow work. If it hits solid objects (stones, trees, etc.), the working element is destroyed. Depending on the type of fixture, the heads can have different configurations. The universal analog is suitable for most modifications. This is due to the possibility of using a number of special adapters.

Criterias of choice

When purchasing Champion trimmer heads and other models, you need to focus on the purpose of using the unit. For a large area with a flat lawn surface, it is better to use light and not very powerful modifications. If it is planned to process an overgrown summer cottage, it is more reasonable to take a model with a high power indicator.

The selection of the cutting element also plays an important role in the final functionality of the unit. The working part is a special line or working knives. This takes into account the rigidity and density of the plants. The universal trimmer head will allow you to process most of the vegetation, but it does not always differ in durability and efficiency.

Description

Trimmer heads include a cutting element, a special bar, a propeller and a control mechanism with a handle. The unit is designed for cutting grass in the courtyard and garden areas. The compactness of the device and ease of control allow you to do high-quality work in the most inaccessible places. With this unit, you can also prune shrubs and young gardens. Adjustable elements allow you to set the required cutting height of grass on lawns and sites.

When choosing trimmer heads, pay attention to the following parameters:

  • Power indicator.
  • The mass of the device.
  • Type of food.
  • Engine placement, which can be either top or bottom.
  • A type of cutting part.
  • Rod type.

Classification by type of line feed

Husqvarna trimmer heads are classified according to line feed method, namely:

  1. Manual type. The line is fed in this version by a mechanical method. To lengthen the cord, you will need to stop the operation of the device and pull out the edges of the cutting part by hand.
  2. Semi-automatic. Such copies allow changing the cord without touching the head of the ground surface. This option is implemented using a special key and an anchor mechanism, which makes it possible to lengthen the working part of the line due to centrifugal action. It is important that the whole procedure is carried out with the unit turned on.
  3. Automatic trimmer heads are distinguished by the fact that during their operation, the cord lengthening is performed automatically after a decrease in engine speed. The line is fed in the normal mode.

Of the above mechanisms, the manual version is not very practical and convenient. Automatic variations are also not popular due to the high line consumption. The optimal version will be semi-automatic execution.

Threading the line

According to this parameter, trimmer heads can be divided into two categories:

  1. Fast charging. On such models, when winding the cord, it is not necessary to disassemble the spool. One edge of the next tucked line is wound into a reel and wound several times. After choosing the required length, the material is cut.
  2. Collapsible heads. To refuel them, you need to remove the coil from the unit, then remove the used line and wind a new analogue.

The working head contains special pointers in the form of arrows. They are responsible for the direction of movement of the working part during rotation. If it is necessary to wind the fishing line in the direction of rotation of the shaft, it is turned into a certain position. Excessive amount of cord is fraught with equipment failure.

If it is impossible to wind the cord after hitting the semi-automatic head, winding should be done again. Most likely, the user did not pull the ends of the forest out of the nests.

Popular models

Consider briefly the representatives of the most famous bobbin manufacturers on the domestic market:

  1. Trimmer head Oleo-Mac М-10 / 11.25. This model belongs to the professional semi-automatic options, is used when operating a brushcutter. The diameter of the working part is 13 centimeters, it is characterized by fast line threading.
  2. Husqvarna T-45X has an open eyelet, easy line feed. Work items can be changed individually. Increased reliability and reduced wear are provided by a ball bearing surface.
  3. Husqvarna T-35. This model is an auto-feed head (just lightly hit the reel on the ground). There is a tap and go function.
  4. Champion. Modification ET 1002KA belongs to the middle price category. Differs in ease of disassembly, strong vibration is not felt during operation.
  5. Trimmer head DDE. The variant of the Win 6 type is designed for mowing grass with a line with a diameter of 2-3 mm. Suitable for electric and gasoline mowers with a 10 mm working shaft. The maximum permissible speed on the shaft is 10 thousand rotations per minute.
  6. Autocut С-4-2. This head is suitable for Stihl brushcutters, used for mowing grass and cleaning the territory. There is an automatic adjustment of the length of the working strings when the head touches the ground. Compatible with 2mm line.