Stihl Tom foolery

[farmguywithasaw]

So I bought a new angle drive for my fs 550 and they have it so now you need a “special tool” to check/ fill the grease


So there is that little pin in the centre

I just used a drill bit and got it 90% of the way off. Now a t50 fits in there. What was wrong with the standard plug idk. I’m a big boy so I’ll grease my own shaft lol

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

Ha, Psych!

 

[jellyroll]

They are over engineering themselves out of the market.

 

[pioneerguy600]

Tamper proof Torx fitting, what next, I see more of this stuff all the time these days. I bought the set back in 90 when I was installing security hardware at prisons.There have been times when I did not have the bits with me and a small pin punch broke the center pin off nicely.

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

I must admit, if I was making machines, I’d cover it in everything tamper proof. People cause problems, it’s that simple. Most of the engines I come across have been messed with and as a result either damaged or incorrectly assembled. The more tamper proof the more likely I get an engine someone hasn’t fiddled with!

 

[Franny K]

That isn't an angle drive for a chainsaw. There is angle drive for the pole saws it is about 10 inches long and "bends" maybe 20 degrees. I think that might be called a gear head. I got one for my ht250 to make it a string trimmer/brushcutter. I threw the packaging away but seem to recall that is what it was labeled. The Ht550 likely comes with a scrench shaped tool for that plug. Did you really wear out the first one?

Is there a metric grease fitting that will replace that plug? A neighbor of mine told me of someone putting so much grease in a device like pictured that the shaft end got full of grease and heavy. I have a tube of genuine Stihl grease like lubricant and don't use normal grease. Would think the threads on the tube would go into those threads but not on my stuff.

Is it a solid shaft or a cable inside the tube?

 

[farmguywithasaw]

That isn't an angle drive for a chainsaw. There is angle drive for the pole saws it is about 10 inches long and "bends" maybe 20 degrees. I think that might be called a gear head. I got one for my ht250 to make it a string trimmer/brushcutter. I threw the packaging away but seem to recall that is what it was labeled. The Ht550 likely comes with a scrench shaped tool for that plug. Did you really wear out the first one?

Is there a metric grease fitting that will replace that plug? A neighbor of mine told me of someone putting so much grease in a device like pictured that the shaft end got full of grease and heavy. I have a tube of genuine Stihl grease like lubricant and don't use normal grease. Would think the threads on the tube would go into those threads but not on my stuff.

Is it a solid shaft or a cable inside the tube?

I bought it cheap, the previous owner blew the angle drive, gear box, final drive, gear case, whatever you want to call it. It probably happens because he never greased it from what I could tell. Even though the machine was poorly looked after the piston and cylinder look in great shape. After rebuilding the carb, replacing the fuel and impulse lines and removing the plugged spark arrestor screen that had a screwdriver poked through it, it runs mint

 

[Bill G]

How do you like your FS550? I have one and a 350. The 550 is just one heavy ole bugger. It has plenty of power but weighs a ton.

 

[farmguywithasaw]

I haven’t got a chance to use it yet but I think it will be a good machine. It can’t be heavier than my ole Husqvarna 165r. I have also run a fs 461c-em at work. It’s my favourite one there however it seems like the mtronic carb is always buggering up. It’s been in the shop 4 times for the same problem so I’m not sure what’s going on there

 

[ray benson]

Doesn't hurt to have a set in the garage.
https://www.menards.com/main/tools/...mc90235/p-1472733021842-c-10156.htm?exp=false

 

[Bill G]

I haven’t got a chance to use it yet but I think it will be a good machine. It can’t be heavier than my ole Husqvarna 165r. I have also run a fs 461c-em at work. It’s my favourite one there however it seems like the mtronic carb is always buggering up. It’s been in the shop 4 times for the same problem so I’m not sure what’s going on there

My biggest issue outside of the weight is the handle assembly has little adjustment. I just cannot get it in a decent balanced position. I have one of the good Stihl harness units also but it still is great. I had a Husky that was much more comfortable to run.

 

[farmguywithasaw]

Doesn't hurt to have a set in the garage.
https://www.menards.com/main/tools/...mc90235/p-1472733021842-c-10156.htm?exp=false

I actually have a big set of a bunch of security bits. However it didn’t have one big enough.

 

[farmguywithasaw]

My biggest issue outside of the weight is the handle assembly has little adjustment. I just cannot get it in a decent balanced position. I have one of the good Stihl harness units also but it still is great. I had a Husky that was much more comfortable

My complaint with my 165r and by the look of it the 550 as well is the length of the drive tube. Me personally I find it a bit short and I have to have it hung real low off the harnes not not be hunched over all day I have a 252rx and it hasn’t been a problem as it seems to be longer. Unfortunately i blew it up twice and am having trouble finding a cylinder for it

 

[Bill G]

It is too short and the engine is too close to my back.

 

[HumBurner]

I wouldn't call a security bit a "special tool", unless Stihl has a proprietary version that a regular bit won't achieve the same end.

Pretty sure both my newer Husky trimmers require this bit to grease them, but I'm not 100%.

 

[Chevboy0167]

 

[stihltech]

There is a reason for this and the deletion of the grease screw. No one used it any way
The only way you will loose grease is if the seal is taken out by debris do to the rotating deflector being left out. More of those plugs get left out than get greased.
It just ain't necessary.

 

[DND 9000]

A lot of guys over greased it in the past, until the grease came out at the clutch. So it is good the way like it is now. If it is really nessessary, you can grease it.

 

[Franny K]

If the bearing pockets become loose the grease or lubricant will not be the reason the gears go bad. In a way reading that the grease needs no attention could mean the bearings are under sized on the outside diameter. I had a similar Husky gear head that the pockets got loose so buying the whole assembly was the sensible way to go.

 

[Gratewhitehuntr]

There is a reason for this and the deletion of the grease screw. No one used it any way
It just ain't necessary.

Hey Stihl, this part broke because no one greased it because foo-foo fitting.
The reply?
Doesn't break, doesn't need greased, no-one would grease it anyway.

Um... I'm someone, I grease EVERYTHING, and frequently find the lowest quality grease from OEMs. Your reply comes off somewhere between complete incompetency in repair of high-hours machines, to snide and abusive to customers, to outright insane.

No one used it any way
It just ain't necessary.

*for those with poor reading skills, this indicates that StihlTech does not include grease in his service because NO ONE USED IT ANYWAY. IMHO, he is including himself in this blanket statement, he is "no one"

I do agree with Vintage Machinery regarding the tamper-proof heads. It makes sense for a lot of reasons.
However, that does not excuse Stihl spitting in the face of LOYAL customers as we see above.