How To String Up An Echo Weed Eater Head The Right Way

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Among the best major brands for string trimmers, not many beat out Echo. It sells a range of different weed eaters, including gas-powered and cordless electric 56V tools, as well as heavy-duty options like the 42.7-cc 2-Stroke Straight Shaft Pro. String trimmers can be one of the most useful tools in your shed in the warmer seasons, but — as anyone who’s had to replace the string can tell you — they can also be one of the most frustrating.

Echo’s tools don’t all use the same types of trimmer heads, and the difficulty level of replacing the string depends on what type of head you’re using. Not every Echo tool can use every trimmer head type, and some are better suited for certain string sizes, which include 0.080-inch, 0.095-inch, and 0.105-inch diameters, than others. Ideally, you should always be using whatever line diameter — and head type — Echo specifically recommends for your model to avoid any problems.

The process of replacing the string on an Echo weed eater is relatively simple and shouldn’t take you more than a minute or two. However, it’s important not to rush and to make sure you’re doing each step correctly so that you don’t end up with a jam or winding issues once you get to cutting. Here’s the right way to string up an Echo weed eater, including those with either bump-feed or Speed-Feed heads.

When it comes to traditional bump-feed heads, replacing the string is the same general process no matter what brand you’re using. If you know how to string up a Black+Decker weed eater, for instance, then you can likely figure out how to do the same with an Echo tool, though there may be a few slight tweaks to the steps. To make sure you know exactly what you’re doing when it comes to replacing the string in a bump-feed head, here are step-by-step instructions for stringing up an Echo weed eater:

1. Make sure the trimmer is turned off. Remove the 56V battery or, if it’s gas-powered, disconnect the spark plug wire.
2. Lay the tool on an even, flat surface with the head facing up.
3. Push in the housing tabs on either side of the head to remove the trimmer head cap.
4. Grab the end of the new line and cut it to the length recommended for your trimmer head.
5. Insert the line into the starter hole. Wind it tightly in the direction indicated on the spool and make sure you keep it neat and even, without the layers overlapping or crossing haphazardly.
6. Keep around 5 inches of line unwound at the end.
7. Thread both ends of the line through the eyelets on the trimmer head.
8. Replace the head cap and make sure it locks into place with both tabs.

It’s a fairly straightforward process, but remember that using the trimmer head and string diameter recommended for your specific model is key if you really want to avoid any headaches down the line (pun intended). Always check the manual since each trimmer head type differs slightly — especially the Speed-Feed.

One of the differences between Echo and Stihl tools is that, when it comes to battery tech, Echo likes to keep things simple — it just has one cordless power system (its 56V line). However, Echo does have multiple types of trimmer heads. Despite the name, a Speed-Feed head is also a bump-feed head since it’s used the same way while trimming. But replacing the string in one is much faster than replacing the line on a bump-feed trimmer head.

Echo’s Speed-Feed heads, such as its 400 Universal Trimmer Headare designed to replace string in just 30-60 seconds. Here’s how to replace the string on your Echo weed eater with a Speed-Feed head:

1. Make sure the battery is removed or the spark plug wire is disconnected. Lay the trimmer on a stable and even surface.
2. Align the two arrows on the knob with the eyelets by rotating it.
3. Start feeding the string through the head until the sides are even. Use 15-20 feet of clean-cut line.
4. While firmly holding the head, use the knob to evenly wind the string inside the head by turning it clockwise.
5. Leave around 5 inches of line protruding from either side. Simultaneously give each end a slight pull to make sure the line is secure.

That’s all you need to do, which is why it takes less than a minute and is called a Speed-Feed head. If winding your trimmer line evenly is one of the trickier parts of using a weed eater for you, follow the advice given to a Redditor with the same problem: just use a Speed-Feed. One commenter adds that if you don’t want to measure your line manually, three wingspan lengths with your arms should do it.