Hopefully, your garden does not suffer from so many weeds that you need to take off a weed eater’s head regularly. Inevitably, there will come a time when you need to remove one so you can remove the debris from the weeds properly.
This can be tricky for the first time that you have to do it yet by following some simple instructions it can be done safely. Those instructions should work with many weed eaters as they prove to be similar mechanisms across the range of models.
In this guide, we will look at how to take a weed eater’s head off.
Why The Weed Eater Head Needs To Be Removed
Once the weed eater’s head becomes tangled with weeds and their debris, it can prove difficult for it to remain operational. That’s simply because it will fail to have that same freedom of movement due to how tangled up it is.
Straightforward cleaning can help yet if you want to perform a more thorough job or replace the weed eater head then you will need to remove it first.
How To Take A Weed Eater Head Off
The weed eater head may appear to be a tricky component, especially with a riding or self-propelled lawn mower. It can prove to be highly frustrating yet before you lose your patience with spools that need to be untwisted, you could replace the head entirely.
Bear in mind that there are modern weed eater heads with bump knobs and those with bolts or nuts.
How To Clean The Weed Eater Head Initially
There are some simple steps you can take before taking off the weed eater head and these include giving it an initial clean. There are still some safety procedures to follow, simply to ensure that it is off before you begin to clean it and cool to the touch.
- Turn the engine off and allow the unit to cool down entirely
- With an electric weed eater, disconnect the power cord and for a gas-powered weed eater, disconnect the spark plug boot
- Use an old towel or a wiping cloth to wipe the weed eater head to remove as many grass clippings and weed debris as you can
How To Remove A Modern Weed Eater Head
Once the significant proportion of grass clippings and weed debris has been removed, you can get started with removing the weed eater head. Most weed eaters that are manufactured these days have a bump knob that holds the spool in place and you will need to involve that to remove the weed eater head.
- Find the bump knob which should be on the trimmer head.
- Unscrew the bump knob counterclockwise to remove it entirely with the spring still inside.
- Slide the trimmer head off,
- If it is not sliding off easily, wiggle the head back and forth to eventually pull it off.
- Alternatively, try using a small screwdriver, or another small tool, to pry the head off gently.
How To Remove And Replace A Weed Eater Head With A Retaining Bolt Or Not
If your weed eater head comes with a retaining bolt or nut then it may prove a little tricky to remove. Thankfully, the manufacturer should have left instructions for how to remove the head so it can be simply done.
- Locate a retaining bolt or nut which attaches the weed eater head to the rest of the device.
- Unscrew the bolt or nut and then pull it off, it may be reverse-threaded so just ensure that it is loosening as you unscrew it.
- Examine the weed eater head and look for two holes, one will be an inner and the other will be the outer part of the weed eater head.
- Place a small screwdriver in the holes to effectively hold it while you use a wrench to remove the center nut and the head should come off with the use of a screwdriver.
- Put the new head onto the remaining shaft of the unit then use the screwdriver to block those holes.
- Should there be an exterior nut, replace it with a wrench.
- Insert the ends of the line spool through the relevant holes on the outside of a weed eater head but make sure it stays loose.
- To finish the job, tighten the bottom bump knob onto your new weed eater head.
Final Thoughts
Before you even contemplate taking the weed eater head off, make sure that you take the correct safety precautions. These could be as simple as making sure that the unit is not just turned off but disconnected from the power supply.
Even consider removing the spark plug boot for a gas-powered unit. That line from your weed eater moves quickly to remove the most stubborn of weeds and it can prove dangerous.
Most weed eater heads can be removed easily though other models may require a little more work. Make sure that you try to read the manufacturer’s instructions first before starting the job.
There may be some step-by-step instructions that will always work as they are directly from the manufacturer. As most weed eaters have similar heads, removing and replacing them should be a similar process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Tools Will I Need To Replace A Weed Eater Head?
Along with the replacement weed eater head, you may need some old towels or wiping cloths to remove the grass clippings and weed debris from the old weed eater head.
You will need a small screwdriver, perhaps a flathead screwdriver, and an adjustable wrench. In general, more tools will be required if a spool is involved, specifically to keep the line in place while the weed eater head is being replaced.
How Often Should The Oil Of A Weed Eater Be Changed?
Depending on the engine of your weed eater, the oil should be changed after the very first ten hours of use. Once it has been changed once, you can change it around every 28 hours after that.
Similarly to taking off and replacing the weed eater head, make sure that the engine is off first. However, you do want to change the oil quickly, especially as the engine remains warm.
