Echo Speed Feed 450 Trimmer Head Upgrades to Make this Unbeatable

[@orlandorivera9011]

Thanks, very good and usefull modificación. Thanks for your tutorial.

[@sintontexasmowingyardservi1818]

Thank for engaging with us Russell

[@flattenthecurve8623]

How many drill bits does it take to drill one hole?

[@johnmbell4642]

Hey Russell, next time you drill out the bottom of the trimmer head use The biggest drill bit that fits snug inside that plastic circle drill just enough to mark the center then use a smaller bit to drill through and work your way up to the desired size perfect center every time great video and have a good one🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸👍

[@GwinnettLawns]

That’s a super idea!

[@steadyeddie7453]

Or press the nut down into the cavity and use it as a drill guide. Once you drill a dimple into the plastic remove the nut and use a step drill (unibit) to drill the hole to size. Step drills are the best for drilling any type of plastic. Cheers.

[@ricksmith3914]

Should use Blue locktite on the bolt to make sure it doesn't loosen up, but its still serviceable

[@dannyward6153]

Very good thank Danny

[@gls3894]

Great video partner! I'm fixen to move to the 450 and do this modification. I've tore up the last head relatively quickly and I am going to try a heavier line.

[@tmeyer2022]

I'm going to do the "Bolt" mod to my 400, but I will stick to the standard .09 class of line. I only do my own property. Thanks for the tip.🤓 😎

[@conradb7200]

Russell, thank you so much for such a very helpful video. I am new to this, and I have a question that I hope you or somebody can answer. What exactly is the advantage of using the heavier line? Is it that it runs longer before getting broken?

[@GwinnettLawns]

That and it is better for edging.

[@christiereynolds1335]

Thanks

[@rellmonger7935]

Wow, Thanks. I will try this soon. I already bullet proofed it, but the 130 line I want to try

[@jimmungai1938]

I want to recommend something whenever you guys do something like this where are your safety glasses cause you got those loose ends come up and poke in the eye I do that when I’m working with say a piece of Thai wire like bailing wire or wire to use use tying rebar now what I’m using Tarwar say I’m doing something where I got to work with one end and I got a 4 foot tail I always without exception fold the one and over this way if it comes back and hit you I can’t poke in the eye I had that almost happened to me many many years ago when I was tying rebar for a living could’ve took my eye out guys anyway hey I like the trick you’re using her that’s pretty cool all right thank you have a good day this is Jim mungai from Kennerdell Pennsylvania

[@MrMtrent5]

For the last 18 months I've not let the lawn crew edge or use a weed eater in my back yard. kzbin.infoUgkx_rBCFuDW1zD6blTGhLkvAkxU657uR_lG I didn't like the fact that they just kept cutting the edge of the lawn further and further from the rock lining the flower beds and leaving bare ground. And the grass was trimmed or scalped several feet around trees, etc. It was a constant battle with them so I told them to just mow and no trimming. I have Zoysia grass so it grows pretty slow. Obviously after a while it could use some trimming. I'm in my 80's so I can't do much of it myself.Finally I decided that if I could find a lightweight battery powered trimmer I might be able to do some light trimming. I decided to buy the LST201 20V trimmer. And it works great for my needs. I have back yard with about 150' of flower beds and several trees to be trimmed. I can lightly trim the whole yard with a single charge! The grass I trimmed was only a few inches high but the trimmer was more powerful than I expected.

[@rocknral]

Like to see I'm not the only one who uses the garbage bin as a work bench...LOL BTW...I reckon a step/Christmas tree drill bit would be perfect for this job.

[@1thinkhealthy]

Great tip. I've been doing that the last couple of years and it works great. I did try a nylon bolt and nut but it came loose after a while. Guess I could have glued it. I haven't notice the metal bolt harming anything.

[@Boyo1956]

What is the difference between the 400 and 450 speed head?

[@GwinnettLawns]

450 will hold up to .130 size line and is physically a larger head.

[@Boyo1956]

@@GwinnettLawns Okay, thanks!

[@sarahwhite8698]

I have a greenworks pro, i cant get the old head off to put a speed feed on. I dont know which bushing to use, do i use a spacer? This is so confusing and its making me feel dumb.

[@paulb2769]

Hi Sarah. Trimmer heads usually tighten and loosen the opposite direction than you are used to. Give this a try! Good luck.... Paul

[@JasonJayJJ1]

I do the same thing to my Speed Feed 400 on a Dewalt string trimmer and Stihl trimmer with a Kombi motor. Another tip I learned to make the Speed Feed head last longer and not crack is don't bump slam the head on the ground but instead push the head down like a pogo-stick on its spring, so it's gentler on the plastic head. This works best on concrete like hard surfaces. It's easier if you use your left hand to hold down just above the Speed Feed head on the trimmer shaft when doing this pogo-stick spring motion. The head will last much longer.

[@GwinnettLawns]

I will try that tomorrow!

[@1thinkhealthy]

I will try that when the snow clears. Thanks.

[@benkanobe7500]

How does it work with 0.095 line after the fix for the bigger line??

[@donrebeko]

Same question here!

[@JBetta-jm3ly]

Can I still use the same size bolt and washers for the 400? What size is it also in length?

[@GwinnettLawns]

Yes 3/8 bolt it’s 1 inch long

[@waterloo217]

Hi, great ideas, thankyou for sharing, would you please list the string you use please, thanks.

[@Best_Served_Neat_On_Ice]

Gwinnett, Have you heard about the new Speed-Feed *500* head? The 500 seems to be the official replacement for the 450 head; the 450 is no longer shown on the Echo website. (Price is up $10 over the 450.) I don't have the 500, myself, but there seem to be two differences between the 500 and the 450 ... First, the 500 accepts 40' of .095 line as compared to the 25' of the 450. (The 400 accepts 20'.) Second, according to the Echo website, "The Bump-to-Advance has been improved on the Speed-Feed 500 making it easier for the end-user to remain productive throughout the trimming task ... " I did see a product review from some guy who had purchased the 500 where the guy said, "I'm really happy with the Speed-Feed 500 heads. They hold more line then my old 450 heads and they also feed out line easier. No more whacking the head on the ground repeatedly in order to get them to advance." There doesn't appear to be any review or feedback yet on KZbin of the new 500 head. I currently use the 450 head with .155 line and so could really benefit from the extra capacity of the 500 head. I'm wondering if there is a noticeable improvement in the Bump-to-Advance feature as compared to the 450.

[@GwinnettLawns]

Nope did not even know they existed. I only have the 450's right now.

[@Best_Served_Neat_On_Ice]

@@GwinnettLawns, I just found out about the 500, myself. But that customer feedback I saw was from back in October of 2022 so the 500s must have been out for a little bit. The bigger capacity would be nice for that 130 line you use. And the 500 is supposed to bump out the line better than the 450. I would think you'd be curious to try it.

[@B-leafer]

How long is the bolt?

[@GwinnettLawns]

1 inch

[@firstname6208]

Do you feel the edgeit and sp450 adds considerable weight way out there, throwing off the balance of the machine? I just lengthened my trimmer shaft 5". Took a shaft and cable from a (pas) articulating hedge trimmer and installed the speed feed head, edge it and Darwin bar. For vertically gifted persons only. Lol

[@GwinnettLawns]

No the balance is perfect but maybe I am used to it.

[@vaejoviscarolinanus]

I just got a shindawa speed feed 400 , will this work for it?

[@Altamahacat]

Next time use a grade 8 bolt and it will last longer. Thanks for the video 🍻

[@daveweber9737]

What the trick to keep the line from getting all locked up tight in the spool?

[@GwinnettLawns]

Not putting too much line inside.

[@daveweber9737]

@@GwinnettLawns I usually use about 10 feet. It still gets locked up. Maybe try less line then?

[@GwinnettLawns]

@@daveweber9737 ARe you using a Speed Feed 450 and with what size line?

[@daveweber9737]

@@GwinnettLawns it's a speed feed knockoff with I think the .10-- line.

[@GwinnettLawns]

@@daveweber9737 I’ve never had anybody have anything good to say about the speed feed knock offs it’s probably just not ever going to work right.

[@sintontexasmowingyardservi1818]

What will happen if I put it with the letter R up I’ll mess it up and will have a problem taking it apart?

[@GwinnettLawns]

It will not feed the line properly. R means it spins right, L means it spins left. Some trimmers spin opposite of what the Echos do so they would use it with the R facing down.

[@perucabana]

How big has to be the trimmer engine to run 0.13 line trimmer please let me know?

[@GwinnettLawns]

Around 26cc or more.

[@sintontexasmowingyardservi1818]

Just got the 450 and it very big I freaking out on it and the .135 it’s gray and fat I didn’t know it was that big man

[@johnlucas452]

Will this head work on one of those Costco 80v 16 inch greenworks trimmers.They claim their load and go head is proprietary.loads exactly like the one in your video.The only problem may be the adapters and spacers?

[@GwinnettLawns]

You’ll need to contact the manufacturer. I have no idea because I’ve never used them before.

[@mlm398]

Will the 450 speedhead fit onto the 2620T unit???

[@GwinnettLawns]

Yes.

[@Phuztone]

Will these heads fit on battery powered models???

[@GwinnettLawns]

No clue on that.

[@dontblameme6328]

A battery powered trimmer won't last long enough to need it.

[@GwinnettLawns]

@@dontblameme6328 LOL True!

[@anthonytriolo3643]

You better put some lock tight on the threads or else will spin off.

[@GwinnettLawns]

Nope that is why it has reverse threads...no locktite needed.

[@b.j.555]

Does doing this affect the rpm's? Or the lifetime of the weed eater

[@GwinnettLawns]

Nope it handles it just fine.

[@b.j.555]

@@GwinnettLawns cool!

[@wallyallyn5473]

That's right they were designed for 095 not any other size of line and putting a bolt in the bump part of the head is very dangerous they come apart and can dangerously injure someone or go through a window or anything so be aware of that!!!! Just trying to save you from headaches brother!!

[@GwinnettLawns]

Impossible for the bolt to come out unless I were to take it out. Have probably close to 500 hours cumulative and the bolts have never even loosened up.

[@GwinnettLawns]

Oh and you’re incorrect about it only being for .095 line. Go to the specs about the speed feed 450 head and you’ll see if it’s designed to hold .095-.130 25 feet.

[@es2709]

I've personally used this exact (Nyloc) nut, bolt, washer hack on my speed feeds for easily 5 years without not only any accidents but my nut/bolt connection has never become even slightly loose. Always proceed with caution when experimenting but 5 years of steady use trouble-free service is plenty for me to call it safe. I do highly recommend the use of a Nyloc nut, it can only help the relied upon mechanical connection.

[@joestuccio900]

WTF. Why would I do all this? 🤔

[@carlosgodinez2942]

Chris, do a trimmer line welding on Yardworks .105 which is sold at Menards and ECHO crossfire. 105 together to make a hybrid trimmer line use a lighter to weld trimmer lines to save money and economy and spit on trimmer line weld and voila A hybrid trimmer line (Yardworks/Echo Crossfire) both .105 trimmer lines