A common discussion surrounding trimmer use is whether or not to remove the trimmer guard. Do NOT remove the trimmer guard.
The guard keeps the trimmer in working condition and should always be in place during operation. Some lawn care professionals feel they can work faster and more efficiently by removing the trimmer guard. If you remove the guard, there are risks to your machine.
The guard is critical to the safety of the operator and people near the trimmer. It protects the operator from flying objects and debris as well as dangerous materials including rocks and sticks.
Another purpose for theses guards is to keep the trimmer line at a specific length or the suggested length for the trimmer. The guard on your trimmer features a small razor blade along its edge. As you bump the trimmer head into the ground to feed the line out, the edge of the guard will trim any excessive line, keeping your trimmer line at the acceptable length.
If you remove the guard, you will also remove the trimmer’s ability to maintain a consistent line length. If you decide to run a longer trimmer line, you need to completely remove the guard.
If you only remove the blade, the trimmer line will get too long and get wrapped up in the guard. As the string wraps around the guard it increases the resistance on the engine and causes the engine to lose its power and RPMs.
Without the safety guard on your trimmer, the trimmer line can run a lot longer, increasing the load on the engine which makes the engine temperature increase and the RPM decrease so, ultimately, you get a less efficient cut.
Lastly, trimmers are optimized to run smoothly at a particular trimmer line length. Removing the guard and running more line will increase the vibration of the machine.
You risk long term damage to the machine. Having that extra load on the engine may cause some extended engine wear, as well as some damage to the crankshaft, bearings, and other main engine components.
Protect your investment. Failure to have the safety guard in place during operation is not only dangerous but will void the warranty on your trimmer.
Should you remove the safety guard from your trimmer? Long story short – no.
Why Weingartz?
Weingartz, family owned and operated, began in 1945 as a farm supply store for local Michigan families. In the 1970s, we began to focus exclusively on outdoor power equipment. Over time, we morphed into the “power equipment superstore” that now defines all of our locations. The staff and experts at Weingartz work diligently to provide the best service possible and give honest and helpful advice to each and every customer.
Weingartz also sells parts for all outdoor power equipment at https://weingartz.com/parts-lookup.
Weingartz
5436 Jackson Rd.
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
(734) 239-8200
info@weingartz.com
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