Review By : joseph on 8/11/2012
Price Paid : $189.00
Years of Use : 3+ Years
Implements :
Purchased From : lowe's
Strengths good power
Weaknesses fuel line replacement ($1.50) and primer bulb replacement (Walbro 188-12-1 $2.35)
Overall good value and easy repair
Parts : 10 Performance : 10
Ease of Use : 9 Financing :
Reliability : 8 Overall : 9
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Review By : Anonymous on Apr 17 2010 12:00AM
Price Paid : $189.00
Years of Use : 3+ Years
Implements :
Purchased From : Lowes
Strengths Powerful trimmer!! No oil/gas mixing as with two stroke engines. Fires right up every time.
Weaknesses As everyone else has said the fuel line is garbage but I had no trouble fishing the line and filter out of the tank with a coat hangar and replaced the line with some tubing from the hardware store. The job took about 10 minutes. Aside from regapping the plug and cleaning the air filter...no other maintenance. This thing has been a workhorse for 4+ years and if it does crap out...every part is available.
Overall Would buy this again for sure. I would advise the manufacturer however to invest the extra 85 cents in some decent fuel line and another 50 cents for a decent primer bulb. You get a lot of non-repeat customers because of a couple cheap parts on what is otherwise a pretty stout machine.
Parts : 10 Performance : 10
Ease of Use : 9 Financing :
Reliability : 8 Overall : 9
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Review By : Anonymous on Sep 6 2009 12:00AM
Price Paid : $0.00
Years of Use : 1-year
Implements :
Purchased From : Lowes
Strengths
Weaknesses The fuel line came apart after 1 year. After reading other reviews, it appears that this is a real problem. It seems that the manufacture would takenoticeand fix the problem..I definately will never buy another Troy Bilt product and will make sure that none of my associates or friends buy one either.
Overall Poor
Parts : 2 Performance : 5
Ease of Use : 6 Financing :
Reliability : 3 Overall : 4
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Review By : BRIAN OSCAR on Aug 24 2009 12:00AM
Price Paid : $0.00
Years of Use : 3+ Years
Implements : TROYBILT TB475SS
Purchased From : LOWES
Strengths
Weaknesses THE ONLY WEAKNESSES ARE THE FUEL LINES. LOWES DO NOT SELL MY SIZE..5/32 .. OF FUEL LINES. THEY BRAKE OFF IN THE FUEL TANK AND CRACK AT THE PRIMER BULB. I HAVE TO REPLACE THEM AT A LOCAL HARDWARE STORE, ON A REGULAR BASIS.
Overall VERY SATISFIED WITH THE BALANCE AND POWER AND VALUE FOR MONEY. WITH THE FUEL LINES UPGRADED THIS WOULD BE AN UNBEATABLE TRIMMER.
Parts : 5 Performance : 9
Ease of Use : 9 Financing :
Reliability : 5 Overall : 8
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Review By : Anonymous on Aug 9 2009 12:00AM
Price Paid : $0.00
Years of Use : 3+ Years
Implements :
Purchased From : Lowes or HD
Strengths Powe
Powerful engine, starts first pull, great in tall/tough weeds. Use it on five acres April-October.
Weaknesses Fuel lines broke after 4 years, replaced for $1 at a farm store using generic fuel line
Overall The big problem is replacing the primer bulb, MTD would like to sell you the entire carb. I bought a Walbro 188-15-1 primer bulb from a ~great~ local hardware store $3 and it is a perfect fit. Here's a link to the Walbro site, hope it helps someone http://www.ordertree.com/basket.aspx?AFID=18
Parts : 4 Performance : 6
Ease of Use : 7 Financing :
Reliability : 6 Overall : 7
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Review By : Anonymous on May 7 2009 12:00AM
Price Paid : $200.00
Years of Use : 2-Years
Implements : Blower, Edger
Purchased From : Home Depot
Strengths When it worked it was great!
Weaknesses Now it won't start so I poured out the gas from the tank and the freaking fuel lines came out of the tank, YES, out of the tank, in pieces. The fuel line that goes from the tank to the carb just pushes through a hole in the tank. no connector at all. I will NEVER, EVER, buy another Troy-Bilt product in my life and I will advise anyone I know to do the same.
Overall Off the shelf it is an attractive looking and easy to use trimmer. However, after a year of use, it falls apart.
DO NOT BUY ANY TROY-BILT PRODUCTS.
Parts : Performance : 3
Ease of Use : 5 Financing :
Reliability : 1 Overall : 4
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Review By : Anonymous on Apr 26 2009 12:00AM
Price Paid : $0.00
Years of Use : 3+ Years
Implements :
Purchased From : Lowe's
Strengths None
Weaknesses Fuel tank design is very lacking. Fuel started pouring out of the tank about 4 months after I bought it. The fuel would go all over the operator when using it. Tried replacing cap and didn't help a bit.
Overall I replaced my 12 year old ($65) Weed-Eater with this model. It has turned me against Troy-bilt products. I am tired of gas pouring out of the fill cap on me and now the string will not wind up on spool. Have only used trimmer for home use (maybe 6 times a year). Would definitely invest in a Stihl or Shindaiwa next time I buy.
Parts : 1 Performance : 4
Ease of Use : 7 Financing :
Reliability : 6 Overall : 4
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Review By : Anonymous on Sep 29 2008 12:00AM
Price Paid : $199.00
Years of Use : 1-year
Implements :
Purchased From : Lowes
Strengths Runs Good, Cranks Easy.
Weaknesses Fuel lines and primer bulb are crap...both craked and broke down within the first year...cant buy a bulb for it.
Overall
Parts : 2 Performance :
Ease of Use : 6 Financing :
Reliability : 3 Overall : 5
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Review By : Jon Bond on Sep 19 2008 12:00AM
Price Paid : $199.00
Years of Use : 2-Years
Implements : none
Purchased From : Home Depot
Strengths Started on first pull every time for 2 years, and worked great with no 2-cycle oil/gas mixing. No choke to deal with, just prime as instructed on label and pull the start cord. Let it warm up for a few seconds and ready to go. Easy to restring IF you read the directions first. No one likes reading the directions... but JUST DO IT!
Weaknesses What is with this quickly degrading fuel line that can't handle use with petroleum (and yes... I mean gas), fuel lines are supposed to be designed for this. With the fuel filter at the end of the fuel line inside the tank, it is nearly imposible to replace without buying a whole new tank, filter, and line assembly.
Overall It works great when it works. I guess I got lucky with the primer bulb as it didn't crack on me... the whole thing broke down first! MTD putting Troy-Bilt stickers on products they build, reminds me of when Black & Decker bought DeWalt and turned turned life-long tools into trash when used more than twice. Thankfully there, DeWalt is back in control. This product will make me never buy anything I know is made by MTD, which a lot of different brands are.
Parts : 1 Performance : 8
Ease of Use : 10 Financing :
Reliability : 2 Overall : 1
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Review By : Anonymous on Aug 24 2008 12:00AM
Price Paid : $0.00
Years of Use : 180-Days
Implements :
Purchased From : LOWES BOTH TIMES
Strengths CAN'T FIND ANY
Weaknesses NO REPACEMENT PRIMER BULB AVALIABLE CRACKED AFTER 4 MONTHS HARD STARTING AND RESTRINGING NOT WORTH THE MONEY
Overall BOUGHT 2 MACHINES IN 1 YEAR DID NOT LEARN MY LESSON THE FIRST TIME. SAME THINGS HAPPEN THE SECOND TIME WILL NOT BUY TROY PRODUCTS AGAIN
Parts : 1 Performance : 1
Ease of Use : 1 Financing :
Reliability : 1 Overall : 1
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