# Stihl Kombi motors - anyone using these!?? How are they holding up?



## catman963 (Dec 26, 2009)

I am going to be making a trip to the Stihl shop, to get a new blower, in the next week or so ( a brand-spankin' new BR 600, of course  ) And I'm thinking.... Maybe I can get a better deal over-all - if I purchase a few things at once!??? ANYwho.....


I am really needing to get my own trimmer - I've been using my Dad's for about long enough! A buddy of mine has a FS110 trimmer that I have used some - and while I didn't like it at ALL the first time I used it - it grew on me over the summer, and now I have narrowed it down to either the Stihl 110 or the 130 for my choice of trimmers. Now.... On to my questions....

First - I have never ran the 130 to be able to compare - so.... Is it worth the $ to upgrade from the 110???

Second - Is the Kombi system worth the extra money? And do they hold up well over the long haul??


I really like the idea of having the option, of buying more attachments later, for the Kombi system - but only if they are gonna hold up as well as a solid, one-piece trimmer shaft set up!!

In my mind (and in the *long run*) here is kinda what I have in my head for a Kombi-tool plan :drool:

- KM 130 R KombiMotor
- Straight shaft w/ trimmer line head
- Straight shaft w/ metal blade 
- Shaft extension + pole pruner
- Straight shaft, lawn edger

So.... what do ya'll think?? Any input and info would be welcome!! Thanks guys (and gals) :Eye::Eye:


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## warjohn (Dec 26, 2009)

I have the km110 with the string trimmer, hedge trimmer and pole pruner attachments. As a string trimmer it is a little heavy but once I got used to it I like it. The pole pruner and hedge trimmer both work well. If you bought each tool individually you could get a tool that worked better for the task but for what I use it for it is perfect. I did have to have a valve replaced in my power head but I believe that was due to inferior fuel and oil. I am not the original owner. I would recommend buying a kombi system.


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## Evan (Dec 26, 2009)

i was going to get kombi 130 with the blower atachment first then ad a trimmer later.

but after several months of researching and thinking about i dcided to steer clear of the kombi system. i bought a bg86 and love it. ill later ad a trimmer that can run muliple attachments just like the kombi.

im not sure what i think about the 4mix stuff wich was the biggest decideing factor for me. i like 2 strokes


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## mikefunaro (Dec 26, 2009)

Just remember that there's a new edition Br600 that came out this year. I imagine the old ones are all but gone from dealers, but if you're stuck buying an old one, I'd try to wing a deal on it, since the new one is about the same price and has structural improvements and some changes to the fuel pickup, I believe. 

MGF


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## cjnspecial (Dec 26, 2009)

The KM130 powerhead is the way to go. Tons of torque and it is very easy to start. I have the the articulating hedge trimmer, pole saw, weedeater, blower and tiller attachment and the 130 engine has plenty of power to run all of them. Another big plus is only havng to maintain 1 powerhead......this is what pushed me over the edge to get it and now I have more space in my garage and fewer headaches maintaining a bunch of other crap.


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## catman963 (Dec 26, 2009)

TreeCo said:


> I'm also curious about the Combi system



Cool man! I'm sure we are at the right place - to get some answers!! 





mikefunaro said:


> Just remember that there's a new edition Br600 that came out this year. I imagine the old ones are all but gone from dealers, but if you're stuck buying an old one, I'd try to wing a deal on it, since the new one is about the same price and has structural improvements and some changes to the fuel pickup, I believe.
> 
> MGF




Hmmm... GOOD to know, thanks!!! Is there any way when I am at the Stihl dealer - to tell, with a quick glance, the difference between the old and new BR600 models???




cjnspecial said:


> The KM130 powerhead is the way to go. Tons of torque and it is very easy to start. I have the the articulating hedge trimmer, pole saw, weedeater, blower and tiller attachment and the 130 engine has plenty of power to run all of them. Another big plus is only havng to maintain 1 powerhead......this is what pushed me over the edge to get it and now I have more space in my garage and fewer headaches maintaining a bunch of other crap.



Thanks for sharing!! That is exactly why I am interested in the Kombi tools - ONE powerhead, with lots of options!!


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## davec (Dec 26, 2009)

I've had and used the Ryobi consumer version of this quick interchange system for 12+ yrs now. The motor is finally started to wear out I think, but for what I've put it through, that seems fair use. I have a brush cutter, lawn edger, leaf vacuum and the mini-tiller. They all work just fine, within the limits of the power available from the motor. The mini-tiller takes some effort to use, but is nice for working between tight rows or in a small garden. The tiller and the brush cutter are the ones that really work the motor hard, so if you are avoiding them, I would guess the Stihl Kombi would hold up great for a very long time. The system is very handy in general.

My $0.02
-Dave


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## mikefunaro (Dec 26, 2009)

To the OP regarding the BR 600:

the newer model has a "magnum" sticker mounted above the recoil cover/logo.


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## catman963 (Dec 26, 2009)

mikefunaro said:


> To the OP regarding the BR 600:
> 
> the newer model has a "magnum" sticker mounted above the recoil cover/logo.




Awesome! Thanks for the info!  I will definitely keep an eye out for which model I am getting!!


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## CentaurG2 (Dec 26, 2009)

The kombi system is a great way to get a lot of things done with only one powerhead and I have not heard of any problems with the split shaft.

If you puddle around the internet enough you might run across a few lawn oriented sites. They have endless debates about the pros and cons of the stihl 4-mixers. Amoungst contractors, in general, it is a love hate relationship. About 50 precent of the people who own them love it, 50 percent hate them. The biggest problem is the requirement for synthetic oil or you can get the old “carbon on the valves” problem. I figure most contractors are just too cheap to run the synthetic and the problems start. The other snafu with the 4-mix is the ignition modual getting “stuck” in the advance mode and the engine will not start for love nor money. This problem has happened to my ht131 but not to my fs130. 

My fs130 has been holding up great. I think it is going on year 5 or 6 and I have used it very hard and it has never missed a beat. It is not my preferred trimmer as it is kinda awkward and lacks throttle control. It is either at idle or it is on full throttle. I usually trim with just enough whip to cut what I am after. It does a great job running the brush knife. To be honest, for the weight, the stihl fs250 was a far superior machine but I think it is long gone now. Good luck with your choice.


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## catman963 (Dec 28, 2009)

Well thanks for the info guys!! I don't know what I want to do just yet...... I may just get a blower for now and try to do some more research on the Kombi systems....


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## wigglesworth (Dec 28, 2009)

Do you have to retune every time you swap attachments on the kombi system?


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## Evan (Dec 28, 2009)

i picked up the bg86 and love it. itl move 2" rock around and i can dang near grade loose 3/4 roadmix with it. it even blows bigh chunks of caked on mud of the road.


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## THALL10326 (Dec 28, 2009)

wigglesworth said:


> Do you have to retune every time you swap attachments on the kombi system?



No indeedy. Put on it what you want and pull the trigger..


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## Cantdog (Dec 29, 2009)

*Km 130r*

The only Sthil product I own is the KM 130R. I've had it about 2 yrs but don't put a lot of HRS on it. Haven't picked up any attachments for it either yet. Just use it with the string head and brush saw. It works and starts excellent. Was not sure about the 4-mix but is great has pretty darn good power. Paid the price but happy with the product. Had two cheapies before that worked OK the first yr, not so good the second and a real PITA the third. Went with quality this time. Not a lot to offer but my $0.02


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## WesternSaw (Dec 29, 2009)

*Kombi*

Okay here is my .02 cents worth.I bought the Kombi 90 powerhead,I have the trimmer head and the circular saw blade and the brush blade also the blower.
I like the unit for what I use it for,mostly homeowner stuff.I used the brush blade to wack down black berries,but found the factory edge on the blade was not that sharp,would have been better off using the circular blade.Blower works great,but the first one had a funny noise to it after awhile so returned it and got a new one.Now I think I hear that noise again but the unit is working well.Maybe Thall knows something about the blower issue.
Lawrence


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## WesternSaw (Jul 23, 2010)

*Synthetic oil*



CentaurG2 said:


> The kombi system is a great way to get a lot of things done with only one powerhead and I have not heard of any problems with the split shaft.
> 
> If you puddle around the internet enough you might run across a few lawn oriented sites. They have endless debates about the pros and cons of the stihl 4-mixers. Amoungst contractors, in general, it is a love hate relationship. About 50 precent of the people who own them love it, 50 percent hate them. The biggest problem is the requirement for synthetic oil or you can get the old “carbon on the valves” problem. I figure most contractors are just too cheap to run the synthetic and the problems start. The other snafu with the 4-mix is the ignition modual getting “stuck” in the advance mode and the engine will not start for love nor money. This problem has happened to my ht131 but not to my fs130.
> 
> My fs130 has been holding up great. I think it is going on year 5 or 6 and I have used it very hard and it has never missed a beat. It is not my preferred trimmer as it is kinda awkward and lacks throttle control. It is either at idle or it is on full throttle. I usually trim with just enough whip to cut what I am after. It does a great job running the brush knife. To be honest, for the weight, the stihl fs250 was a far superior machine but I think it is long gone now. Good luck with your choice.


Was going to make a post on my Kombi KM90 and was reading over the thread when I saw this.You know I can't find anything in my Stihl Manual that say's the KM90 is to run on synthetic oil.The manual say's to use Stihl 50:1 Heavy Duty Engine Oil
On another note I just took my KM90 in as it was running a tad rough.They replaced the spark plug and adjusted the valves.Man is that machine running sweet now!
Lawrence


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## mweba (Jul 23, 2010)

Get the Husky version, honda power head......Don't hunt me down!


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## abikerboy (Jul 23, 2010)

I should be watching this thread as well. Getting almost time to replace my 18 year old Echo SRM2301. I have almost 5 acres, so under normal circumstances, a trimmer sees a couple of hours run time per week. Wondering if I should spend the extra $$$ for the pro-grade, or should I just buy the homescaper series. Probably the only options I would use would be the line trimmer and a metal brush blade. I know nothing about the 4-mix, but I am really partial to a 2-stroke. As for a blower, I've got the Stihl BG55. It's their lowest grade, but for what I do, it will probably last me forever.


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## Zombiechopper (Jul 23, 2010)

I went through the same thought process but I decided on a 110 trimmer because I really wanted bike handles and wanted to run metal blades. Just something to think about. Those bike handles kick some serious ass - you can run that thing for hours and not get aching back.


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## WesternSaw (Jul 24, 2010)

*bikerboy and Zombiechopper*

I really like my machine, the Stihl KM90 Kombi.I have the blower,trimmer and articulating hedge trimmer.I don't know what other attachments I may get down the road.If you have 5 acres I would think you could use a Kombi.One power head and whatever attachments you would need.If I could have afforded it I would have even went to a bigger power head as then you are loaded for bear if anything comes your way.I have put the Stihl circular blade on my Kombi and that son of gun really kicks ass,zing,zing,so long.I had a thread started somewhere after I first bought the machine,Hmmmmm should try and find it.If you want any questions answered on my machine, feel free to ask.
Lawrence


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## Zombiechopper (Jul 24, 2010)

abikerboy said:


> I should be watching this thread as well. Getting almost time to replace my 18 year old Echo SRM2301. I have almost 5 acres, so under normal circumstances, a trimmer sees a couple of hours run time per week. Wondering if I should spend the extra $$$ for the pro-grade, or should I just buy the homescaper series. Probably the only options I would use would be the line trimmer and a metal brush blade. I know nothing about the 4-mix, but I am really partial to a 2-stroke. As for a blower, I've got the Stihl BG55. It's their lowest grade, but for what I do, it will probably last me forever.



4 mix is awesome. Don't be scared of it. It just plain works. One pull starts every single time- and I don't mean one pull a_fter_ it pops. Its just *one* pull every time. Plus, because they run valves it can run at part throttle really well. You can rev it just a little and hold that low speed to prevent slinging rocks around. And also because of the valves it is still producing good torque at lower rpms. But it can still run upside down inside out and backwards because it does not have an oil sump. Pretty cool stuff


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## WesternSaw (Jul 24, 2010)

*Zombiechopper*



Zombiechopper said:


> 4 mix is awesome. Don't be scared of it. It just plain works. One pull starts every single time- and I don't mean one pull a_fter_ it pops. Its just *one* pull every time. Plus, because they run valves it can run at part throttle really well. You can rev it just a little and hold that low speed to prevent slinging rocks around. And also because of the valves it is still producing good torque at lower rpms. But it can still run upside down inside out and backwards because it does not have an oil sump. Pretty cool stuff



Well said!
Lawrence


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## longjnsilver (Oct 21, 2010)

*a Kombi in my future???*

Thanks, guys, for the excellent input.
Looks like I'm gonna shop around for the best price on a KM 130 R Kombi head and then go for the attachemnts as I need them... brush cutter first.
- LongJnSilver -
Western NC
P.S. While I'm here... can you ####er with Stihl dealers to go under MSRP?
Thanks!


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## whitedogone (Oct 21, 2010)

go see Thall....he practically gives these away for a cheeseburger.


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## longjnsilver (Oct 21, 2010)

*Thall, huh?*

I believe you, and have a bridge in Brooklyn I wanna sell ya. 
I'll be traveling in NC SC and GA in a few days so will call half a
dozen dealers on my route (Asheville to Augusta) to root out
the best price I can find on a Kombi KM 110 or 130.
- LJSLVR-


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## Streblerm (Oct 22, 2010)

I am a little late to this party. I bought a used KM110 about three years ago from the local stihl dealer. It has seen heavy homeowner use with no problems. I did have to adjust the valves this year.

For lesser used attachments, any of the other brand's attachments can be used on the stihl. I have the stihl trimmer attachment. I just swap out the string head for the brush cutter when I need it. I also have the stihl edger. I have an "expand-it" chainsaw on a stick. It works fine for my use at 1/3 the price of the stihl model. I also have a John Deere rototiller attachment that works GREAT in the garden.

I just traded my KM leaf blower in on a BR600. It worked OK. Power wise it seemed about like my old SH85. It was a little awkward for extended use though. I didn't use it too much and figured I would use it even less with the new backpack blower.

Overall, I am impressed with the KM110. I have never been in a situation where I felt that it was underpowered for the task at hand. The ability to run consistently at partial throttle is a major benefit when trimming. I would definitely buy another one, or maybe the KM130...


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