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How to Restring a Yard Machine Weed Eater

Keith Dooley

A Yard Machine weed eater is a trimmer that uses nylon cutting line to cut grass and weeds in the lawn and landscape around a home. Featuring a two-cycle gasoline powered engine, Yard Machine weed eaters are available in straight or curved shaft models with different horse power engines.

Replace the trimmer line in a Yard Machine weed eater as part of the routine maintenance.

You should install a new trimmer line in a Yard Machine weed eater periodically to replace line that is used and worn down during normal operation.

  1. Position the Yard Machine weed eater on a sturdy work surface or on the ground. Remove the spark plug wire from the spark plug to prevent accidental starting while replacing the trimmer line.

  2. Loosen and remove the bump knob on the bottom of the spool assembly by turning it to the left. Pull the spool assembly from the Yard Machine trimmer.

  3. Pull the inner reel from the outer spool housing. Remove the spring from the housing and set aside.

  4. Pull old trimmer line from the inner reel, if necessary, and discard of old line.

  5. Cut a 20 foot length of 0.080-inch diameter trimmer line from a trimmer line filler spool. Use a pair of sharp scissors to cut the line free from the filler spool.

  6. Double the line by holding the free ends of the 20-foot length of trimmer line together forming a U shape in the middle.

  7. Hold the inner reel from the Yard Machine weed eater so the two small holes on the bottom are easily accessible.

  8. Insert one free end of the doubled trimmer line into each of the two holes on the bottom of the reel. Pull the line through the holes until the U in the line is flush against the bottom of the inner reel.

  9. Hold both ends of the trimmer line extending from the holes in the inner reel. Wind the line clockwise on the inner reel. Leave 6 to 8 inches of both line ends extending from the reel. Clip both extending line ends into the retaining clips on the side of the reel.

  10. Place the spring back into the outer spool. Feed the free ends of the line extending from the inner reel through the holes in the side of the outer spool. Pull the free ends through and push the inner reel securely into place inside the outer spool.

  11. Attach the spool assembly back on the Yard Machine weed eater and secure in place with the bump knob.

The Drip Cap

  • A Yard Machine weed eater is a trimmer that uses nylon cutting line to cut grass and weeds in the lawn and landscape around a home.
  • Pull the spool assembly from the Yard Machine trimmer.
  • Pull the inner reel from the outer spool housing.
  • Insert one free end of the doubled trimmer line into each of the two holes on the bottom of the reel.

Check out this related video from Homesteady on Youtube.