Right so a multi-faceted question.
HS 56 c-e is running very badly. It is three and a half years old and has had a new blade set and main drive cog at beginning of 2019, which is fair wear and tear. One year ago it had a new carb as the original one was shot. We all know how rubbish Stihl carbs are. They seem to make them out of a type of metal that melts when exposed to petrol – smart idea that! I have both a Mitsubishi and a Kawasaki strimmer of the same age as the HS 56. They have had more use than the HS 56 and have run and continue to run perfectly. I have fitted all parts myself so have only had to pay for the parts, which is something at least.
So the HS 56 has recently started to run badly and has gotten worse and worse. I thought the symptoms were the same as before so fitted a new genuine [I have learned always to fit genuine] carb. It was £48 inc. It ran better for about one hour and then the symptoms returned. It seems like petrol starvation but obviously can’t be the carb. So is it a problem with engine itself, like a cracked piston or a crank case issue as regards fuel input? Or is it the coil? The coil packs are relatively cheap [twenty odd quid] so I could chance one of those. I have put a new plug in so it isn’t that. Any thoughts on a remedy?
At the same time I have decided to switch to a battery hedge cutter for next year. I am sick and tired of breathing in two stroke fumes. I have looked at the HSA 86 60cm with the current 2 battery and charger offer which I can get a discount on at my local dealers I use. But I do like the look of the HSA 94 R 30. The issue I have is that you have to be tethered to the machine with the battery on your belt. I use the ‘Easy Lift Harness’ which is the best thing in the world, so I can’t have a back pack battery. Also it would be cumbersome to some extent to have the E.L.H and a battery on a belt as the E.L.H. fastens around the waist. I can’t put the battery on the E.L.H. either because occasionally you need to work without the E.L.H. when under low trees etc. I tend to think that the tethered idea is not so good, which leads me back to the HSA 86. I know the HSA 94 tethered idea is to save weight but the E.L.H. eliminates all the weight anyway, so it would have worked better for me if the battery slotted into the machine. It still would have only been comparable to the HS 82 weight wise.
Has anyone any experience with these two battery machines?
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Hi Vic yes been using the HSA86's for over 5 years and the HSA94 [the 24 inch 'T' not the 'R' version] for a few months, as well as the long reachers, all good machines. I also use the 80 volt Greenworks/Stiga type trimmers but only for really rough overgrown hedges [usually the tops are worst] but even with the lowest capacity [lighter] battery they are a heavy unit. A lot of users make the mistake with the HSA86 of using the AP300 battery which is un necessarily heavy, and affects the balance of the machine, the AP100 is the best one to use although run time is consequently shorter of course.
thought being tethered to the cable would be worse than it actually is, i have been using the backpacks but now have got the battery belt and harness, which takes one of the small individual battery packs, for a hedge trimmer like hsa94 the backpack is over kill as battery hedge trimmers don't use a lot of electricity, whereas a blower or higher powered battery strimmer will cane a small battery quickly making it run very hot which maybe bad for them
How would you compare the ’86 to the ’94? The thing is that I would like to avoid buying another machine in three or four years’ time. Would it be better to buy the ’94 which is far a more commercial machine, or is the ’86 up to the job? My dealer tells me that the local Council have bought several ‘86’s and have had no problems. Are they that good? Are they up to doing a very large Privet hedge that is only cut once a year? Are they up to cutting slightly thicker stuff? The ’56 will cut anything you throw at it and has been brilliant, up till now.
As stated, my issue is wearing a belt with the AP200 on it and then the Easy Lift Harness on as well. Will they be in the way of each other?
Which machine would you recommend ?
My concern now is that the HSA 86 is to the HSA 94 R what the HS 56 c-e is to the HS 82 Rc-e.
yes the hsa86 will be absolutely fine with cutting the once per year privet. you might even find your easy lift thing un necessary. i tend to use my hsa86s for a few seasons then sell and get a new one as the cordless seem to have great re sale value. great when brand new but over time they can get a bit rattly and i like a brand new one now and again. you can keep your batteries of course as they should last over a decade.the running costs are so low i treat them almost as a disposable machine in a way. they will cut some thick stuff no problem if you hear them struggling then its too thick maybe but they will still do it. the hsa94 is streets ahead in a way better build quality but one gets what one pays for
not sure if the easy lift would get in the way of the cable but together they sound a bit of a heath robinson set up lol
you need both cutters really start with the hsa86 see how you get on then add a hsa94 at a later date.
there is the hsa66 as well, i have a couple of them, my go to machine for the finer leaved type topiary jobs where the hsa86 is too rough. they have a different type of blade. horses for courses
The Easy Lift Harness is an incredible piece of kit. When you use one there is no weight in the hedge cutter. All you need to do is ‘steer’ the machine. The hedge cutter is effectively weightless. This makes a massive difference to how you feel after two or three hours of hedge cutting as you can imagine.
The HS 56 c-e is only 4.5 kilos so is about the same as the HSA 86 with the AP 200 battery, which is 3.3 kilos plus 1.3 kilos equalling 4.6 kilos. Even with a machine this light the harness makes a huge difference.
Still not sure which way to jump - 86 or 94..
86 for now vic its the gateway to the cordless addiction lol. it was a road to damascus type revelation for me when i first got one. the hsa94 is a bigger investment and i only use mine on the long runs of straight hedges specifically sides of conifers and not up a ladder due to the cable. so i would say 86 first then see where you go after that maybe
I think you might have been expecting to much out of it reyour Stihl hs56...... they are classified as "semi-professional" so 3+ years doesn't seem that bad if it's had a lot of use.
True.. the ap100 is lighter but do you really want to spend £100 when for £60 more, you've 3x the capacity with the ap300? Even with the ap300, it's still about the same weight as a petrol Stihl equivalent and I've never noticed any problem with the balance myself..
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