As a homeowner, keeping your lawn beautiful and free from weeds is important. But that often means having the right tools for the job — such as a weed eater. However, sometimes no matter how much you take care of it, your weeder might start to get worn out, including issues like the line not feeding in the head of the weed eater.
In this guide our team of lawn experts will teach you how to fix a weed eater not feeding line so you can stay one step ahead of those pesky weeds – plus a few extra tips and tricks!
In This Guide
6 Reasons Weed Whackers Not Feeding Line
One of the most common problems for gas and electric weed eaters is the line not feeding while the head is spinning. This can be caused by several different things, but the most common are a clogged spool, worn out string trimmer line, out of line, or incorrect line size, or a bad fuel mix.
Clogged Spools
When the spool is blocked up with grass or dirt it will prevent the line from feeding properly. To fix this you’ll need to take apart the spool and clean it out. The usual cause of the problem is grass clogging the area around the spool that prevents it from moving freely.
The easiest way to fix a clogged spool is to use a screwdriver, a small stick like a toothpick or similar object to push out the clog. If this doesn’t work, then you can take apart the spool and clean it manually. Make sure to turn off the engine before you start so you don’t get any surprises!
Worn Out String Trimmer Line
If the string trimmer line is worn out, it won’t feed properly. The easiest way to fix this is to replace the line with a new one. Make sure you use the right size and type of line for your weed eater – some types are designed specifically for different brands.
You can tell if the trimmer line is worn out by looking for frays or breaks in the line. If it’s worn out, you’ll need to replace it with a new one.
Out of Trimmer Line
If the trimmer head is not turning properly, it can cause the line to be out of line. This can happen if you have used the weed eater too many times without replacing the line.
The best way to tell if you are out of trimmer line is to look at the head. If you can see gaps between the line and the head, then it’s time to replace the trimmer head with a new one.
Incorrect Line Size
If you are using an incorrect size of line for your weed eater, it will not feed properly and could cause damage to the motor or other parts. Always make sure to check what gauge trimmer line your weed eaters uses so that you don’t run into this problem.
If you recently installed a new spool of trimming line and it won’t feed the problem might be the line size!
Bad Fuel Mix
If you are using the wrong fuel mix for your weed eater, it could cause the line to not feed properly. Make sure you use the correct ratio of gas and oil in your trimmer and never use a mixture that has been sitting for more than two months.
Most weed eaters need the motor to spin the head in order to feed new line. If the fuel is bad the motor can’t spin the head and this will cause it to not feed line.
Worn Out String Trimmer Line
Over time string trimmer lines tend to wear out and become brittle, this can cause them to break easily and not feed properly. Timmer line has to be strong enough to cut grass, but flexible enough to spin quickly so if your weed eater has been sitting in the garage for a few seasons it will need new trimmer.
To fix this you should replace the line with a new one, and make sure the head is spinning correctly after threading a few inches of the line into the feeder holes.
Related Posts:
How To Fix A Weed Eater That Won’t Start When Hot
How To Fix A String Trimmer That Dies When You Give It Gas
How To Fix A String Trimmer Head That Won’t Spin