Weedeater Line Trimmer - no spin with head on

linkmaster6

Forum Newbie
Joined
Jul 11, 2019
Threads
1
Messages
5
Hi everyone,
First timer on this site.

I'm having a bit of difficulty with my Weedeater Featherlite SST25CE (pretty sure that's the right model number). Trimmer starts up and runs fine but will not spin the trimmer end, I've disconnected my shaft in the middle and verified that the inner flex shaft head (square receiver) spins properly when the throttle is engaged. I've also, with the shaft together and the motor off, manually spun the trimmer head and been able to hear the piston in the motor move (a puff noise).

To me it doesn't sound like anything in my shaft assembly is stripped, and my trimmer head does spin freely like the day I bought it. So my thinking is the issue lies where the motor transfers power from the motor to the shaft.

Would I be off in thinking this is a fly-wheel issue?
Thanks in advance!
 

ILENGINE

Lawn Pro
Joined
May 6, 2010
Threads
39
Messages
9,865
There has been issues over the years with the shaft sliding out of the clamp on the front of the engine. Remove the handle pieces, and loosen the clamp around the nose of the starter housing and slide the shaft all the way back in and tighten the clamp and put the handle back on.

I have seen one square driver on the engine strip out and also cause those issues, but only 1 in 20 years.
 

linkmaster6

Forum Newbie
Joined
Jul 11, 2019
Threads
1
Messages
5
I'll take a closer look at it tonight, confirm the model and get some pictures. I'd had this happen close to the end of the warranty but the local Weedeater repair place sat on doing the work on it over the winter and it my have worked once afterwards.
 

linkmaster6

Forum Newbie
Joined
Jul 11, 2019
Threads
1
Messages
5
Ok so I double checked, it is a SST25CE.
I checked the trimmer shaft over from motor to trimmer head and I believe I've found the problem. The flex shaft in the upper part of the handle has about 1/4 inch to a 1/2 inch of movement back and forth. I check to make sure it was the outside shaft but sits securely.
But if I hold the trimmer as if I was going to use it the flex shaft in the upper part slides forward and is no longer being spun by the motor.
I looked at the end of the flex shaft, it doesn't appear to be stripped so I believe I just need to somehow tighten the thing holding the flex shaft sliding all the way out. But I can't seem to figure out how to do it. I'll post some pictures tomorrow
 

linkmaster6

Forum Newbie
Joined
Jul 11, 2019
Threads
1
Messages
5
Sorry for the delay, busy busy.
So I'm not sure how well this is going to lay out my pictures, but this is how much play I have in being able to slide my upper flex shaft back and forth, somewheres between 1/4 to 1/2 and inch. Looks like its enough for it to not be making contact with the motor.
20190713_172546.jpg20190713_172541.jpg

I realize there should be some play in this shaft and most likely just needs to be adjusted but I con't figure out how this is done or how this shaft is even taken out. Here are some pictures of each end of the upper shaft.
20190713_173325.jpg20190713_192924.jpg
I'm assuming collar or nut on the male side is how it gets adjusted, any hints on how to? I haven't had any luck getting a socket to fit on it.
 

linkmaster6

Forum Newbie
Joined
Jul 11, 2019
Threads
1
Messages
5
So I got my issue sorted out, it was indeed the upper drive shaft that was sliding too far forward and falling out of the drive coupling.

Here is what I did to fix the problem:
Inside the upper drive shaft, there is the flex shaft, the nut (clamp?) that holds it in place, a vinyl core that runs pretty much the full length of the housing, and the receiver for lower shaft.
On the model the vinyl core that the flex drive fits through is actually what prevents the shaft from sliding out completely.
So I took a socket that was wide enough to cup the receiving end of the flex shaft and placed it on the floor, with this in place I began to push the outside of the drive shaft towards the floor. This caused the receiver to push the vinyl core towards the top, it didn't take much force to get this to slide.
I pushed the vinyl core until it was about 1/4 inch away from the slot cut into the top of the drive shaft.

Gave it a try last night and it worked alright, didn't slide out of place again.
 
Top