the 500 looks better in all the areas that fail on a 450 , the 2 little teeth of the winding cap replaced with a square drive. larger ramps for less chance of the string self unloading and flying out under load. stronger centre attachment design. captivated metal string guides. looks miles better I run the srm520es 50cc brush cutter and I can destroy a 450 in 5 minutes if I hit a rock or just melt them after a few hours from the heat of the gearbox. believe me the 450 needed a redesign glad to see this new 500. I have a huge bag of 450 parts but it's usually the same parts that break so they are not always that useful unless it just blew apart and you are missing the spring or a guide etc
I utilize your vids often...Thank you Sir. I use the 450 with .130 line on my Makita 2650(for my commercial properties) and its a beast. Plus i use way less line. Recently however I put a Shakespeare Max Load on my home trimmer(Makita 36V) and I must say it is really sweet. It holds up to .105 line. I use .95. I definitely recommend the Max Load over the SF 400. When going to the 450(now 500) you are actually moving into another level. Those heavy lines will tear up some stuff if your not careful.
I realize this is from 10 months ago, I’m wondering if your 500 head is still working properly. That’s the same head that came on my 3020T and I never could get it to release the line when bumping the head. I thought I was just using cheap line, so I bought different brands and sizes, but nothing worked. Turns out, the trimmer line was melting. The bushing in the 500 is all metal, whereas the 400 and 450 bushing is plastic. So with the bushing in the 500 head being metal, it was getting so hot it was melting the line and the head itself. Major design flaw. So I just put on the speed feed 450 and no more issues.
Definitely no reason to replace a 400 on a smaller unit, in some countries it's supplied stock all the way up to the 3020, I clear abandoned propertys, plenty of hidden rocks and metal, it's taken a serious beating on the 3020 holds up great and runs .105 round or twisted line fine. Thanks for the comparison and info on 450 and 500 heads.
Thanks for that feedback, Gwinnett! Have you noticed any difference when *bumping* the head? Less force to bump? Fewer bumps required? (Echo webside states "The Bump-to-Advance has been improved ... ")
I did not notice any difference. They both bumped pretty easy. I’m sure they have a way to measure the force required on the machine so maybe there’s a difference and perhaps it’s not really perceivable to us.
Great video. What is the difference between the 400 and the 500? Is it primarily the amount of line you can spool on the head? The 500 can store a bit more line? Thanks!
My 500 failed after maybe 30 or 40 hrs. I use it on a still fs35? I use it on my farm. I run it to clear weed us the fence. I run it straight for a couple of hrs at a time. It gear box gets hots and melts the line. I have to manually pull it apart. Also there is a gap between the top of head and gear box. Tall grass gets stuck there and I have keep shutting down and cut the grass out with a knife.
40cc. I have this size trimmer. I ordered the speed feed 450, supposedly I'm going to be receiving a 500 by what reviewers are saying. Sounds like I will need to use .130 line since I have stihl .095 line that will probably melt
the 500 looks better in all the areas that fail on a 450 , the 2 little teeth of the winding cap replaced with a square drive. larger ramps for less chance of the string self unloading and flying out under load. stronger centre attachment design. captivated metal string guides. looks miles better I run the srm520es 50cc brush cutter and I can destroy a 450 in 5 minutes if I hit a rock or just melt them after a few hours from the heat of the gearbox. believe me the 450 needed a redesign glad to see this new 500. I have a huge bag of 450 parts but it's usually the same parts that break so they are not always that useful unless it just blew apart and you are missing the spring or a guide etc
I utilize your vids often...Thank you Sir. I use the 450 with .130 line on my Makita 2650(for my commercial properties) and its a beast. Plus i use way less line. Recently however I put a Shakespeare Max Load on my home trimmer(Makita 36V) and I must say it is really sweet. It holds up to .105 line. I use .95. I definitely recommend the Max Load over the SF 400. When going to the 450(now 500) you are actually moving into another level. Those heavy lines will tear up some stuff if your not careful.
I realize this is from 10 months ago, I’m wondering if your 500 head is still working properly. That’s the same head that came on my 3020T and I never could get it to release the line when bumping the head. I thought I was just using cheap line, so I bought different brands and sizes, but nothing worked. Turns out, the trimmer line was melting. The bushing in the 500 is all metal, whereas the 400 and 450 bushing is plastic. So with the bushing in the 500 head being metal, it was getting so hot it was melting the line and the head itself. Major design flaw. So I just put on the speed feed 450 and no more issues.
Generally no issues with the .130 line. The .095 line tends to weld up sometime. I bought a bunch of old stock SF 450 to use when the 500's give up.
Im so impressed that 2620t handles that thick of a line, and at that length. Picking one up tomorrow to replace my fs94r
Definitely no reason to replace a 400 on a smaller unit, in some countries it's supplied stock all the way up to the 3020, I clear abandoned propertys, plenty of hidden rocks and metal, it's taken a serious beating on the 3020 holds up great and runs .105 round or twisted line fine. Thanks for the comparison and info on 450 and 500 heads.
I have a FS131 and a 450. works great except I just don't like that there's a gap with the spacer and the grass gets wound around the trimmer shaft.
Have you had any problems with the heat transfer welding the line? Echo has admitted that there is a problem with the 500. Chickanic broke the news.
We use .130 line and it cant get hot enough to melt that big ole line. Maybe the issue is with the .095 line since its smaller.
@GwinnettLawns Thanks for your feed back.i enjoy your channel
I got thre same setup wheel and all makes it great!!!
Thanks for that feedback, Gwinnett!
Have you noticed any difference when *bumping* the head? Less force to bump? Fewer bumps required? (Echo webside states "The Bump-to-Advance has been improved ... ")
I did not notice any difference. They both bumped pretty easy. I’m sure they have a way to measure the force required on the machine so maybe there’s a difference and perhaps it’s not really perceivable to us.
Great video. What is the difference between the 400 and the 500? Is it primarily the amount of line you can spool on the head? The 500 can store a bit more line? Thanks!
The 500 can hold a lot larger line as well.
What are you using as a guard? I want to run that same setup!
EdgitPro
Oofa, look at how that line curls up at the ends. Like a handlebar mustache 😅
Special feature for the classiest lawns!
Do you know if it can be put on a SRM 225 ?
It can but its too heavy and the trimmer is too weak.
@@GwinnettLawns thank you
Good video, What kind of line are you running? I like the green and it must be decent if you're using it..
Its from Rotary. I am testing 4 different types of line right now and will have a video out soon on which one I like best.
Will the 500 fit stihl trimmer?
I have never had a stihl but I am sure it would.
My 500 failed after maybe 30 or 40 hrs. I use it on a still fs35? I use it on my farm. I run it to clear weed us the fence. I run it straight for a couple of hrs at a time. It gear box gets hots and melts the line. I have to manually pull it apart. Also there is a gap between the top of head and gear box. Tall grass gets stuck there and I have keep shutting down and cut the grass out with a knife.
😢
grease the head?
@mikeflynn5651
Good point on greasing the head! Coincidentally I ordered some head grease for my FS250 stihl
So you use you can put the 130 size line but how many feets does it fits
Approx 15 feet which last a pretty long time with this thick line.
O ok I have a trex trimmer heads but can use the 500 echo trimmer head on the Stihl fs100rx in plus on the Husqvarna 500s
What’s the hp of a still FS 250 Thanks!
40cc. I have this size trimmer. I ordered the speed feed 450, supposedly I'm going to be receiving a 500 by what reviewers are saying. Sounds like I will need to use .130 line since I have stihl .095 line that will probably melt
My fs250 stihl is 40cc, or 2.67 hp im good to go lol
I've read and seen videos where the 500 speed feed heads are getting to hot and melting the string inside the head did they ever fix that problem
The line melting is going to be for .095 or smaller. We don’t experience that with the .130 line because it’s too big to melt.
Yall must have some tough grass in ga to use that big of a string
@@brucelewis1017 Bermuda is very dense and thick, but it’s more because we use the tremors to edge as well.