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Stihl 85 Manual

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    10 English / USAFS 80, FS 80 R, FS 85, FS 85 R
    During Operation
    Holding and controlling the power 
    tool
    Always hold the unit firmly with both 
    hands on the handles while you are 
    working. Wrap your fingers and thumbs 
    around the handles. !Warning!Never attempt to operate 
    your power tool with one 
    hand. Loss of control of 
    the power tool resulting in 
    serious or fatal injury may 
    result. To reduce the risk 
    of cut injuries, keep hands and feet away 
    from the cutting attachment. Never 
    touch a moving cutting attachment with 
    your hand or any other part of your body.
    !Warning!
    Do not overreach. Keep proper footing 
    and balance at all times. Special care 
    must be taken in slippery conditions (wet 
    ground, snow) and in difficult, overgrown 
    terrain. Watch for hidden obstacles such 
    as tree stumps, roots and ditches to 
    avoid stumbling. For better footing, clear 
    away scrub and cuttings. Be extremely 
    cautious when working on slopes or 
    uneven ground.
    !Warning
    To reduce the risk of injury from loss of 
    control, never work on a ladder or on any 
    other insecure support. Never hold the 
    cutting attachment above waist height. Working conditions
    Operate and start your power tool only 
    outdoors in a well ventilated area. 
    Operate it under good visibility and 
    daylight conditions only. Work carefully.
    !Warning!
    As soon as the engine is 
    running, this product 
    generates toxic exhaust 
    fumes containing 
    chemicals such as 
    unburned hydrocarbons 
    (including benzene) and carbon 
    monoxide that are known to cause 
    respiratory problems, cancer, birth 
    defects, or other reproductive harm. 
    Some of the gases (e.g. carbon 
    monoxide) may be colorless and 
    odorless. To reduce the risk of serious or 
    fatal injury/illness from inhaling toxic 
    fumes, never run the machine indoors or 
    in poorly ventilated locations.
    !Warning!
    If the vegetation being cut or the 
    surrounding ground is coated with a 
    chemical substance (such as an active 
    pesticide or herbicide), read and follow 
    the instructions and warnings that 
    accompanied the substance at issue.
    002BA055 KN
    002BA054 KN 
    						
    							
    11
    FS 80, FS 80 R, FS 85, FS 85 R English / USA
    !Warning!
    Inhalation of certain dusts, especially 
    organic dusts such as mold or pollen, 
    can cause susceptible persons to have 
    an allergic or asthmatic reaction. 
    Substantial or repeated inhalation of 
    dust and other airborne contaminants, in 
    particular those with a smaller particle 
    size, may cause respiratory or other 
    illnesses. Control dust at the source 
    where possible. Use good work 
    practices, such as operating the unit so 
    that the wind or operating process 
    directs any dust raised by the power tool 
    away from the operator. Follow the 
    recommendations of EPA/OSHA/
    NIOSH and occupational and trade 
    associations with respect to dust 
    (“particulate matter”). When the 
    inhalation of dust cannot be substantially 
    controlled, i.e., kept at or near the 
    ambient (background) level, the 
    operator and any bystanders should 
    wear a respirator approved by NIOSH/
    MSHA for the type of dust encountered. Operating instructions
    !Warning!
    Do not operate your power tool using the 
    starting throttle lock, as you do not have 
    control of the engine speed.
    In the event of an emergency, shut off 
    the engine immediately – move the slide 
    control / stop switch to  0 or  STOP .
    !Warning!
    The cutting attachment 
    continues to rotate for a 
    short period after the 
    throttle trigger is released 
    (flywheel effect).
    !Warning!
    The rotating cutting attachment may 
    fling foreign objects directly or by 
    ricochet a great distance. To reduce the risk of eye and other injury 
    always wear proper eye protection (see 
    the chapter on “Proper Clothing“) and 
    ensure that bystanders are at least 50 
    feet (15 m) away. To reduce the risk of 
    damage to property, also maintain this 
    distance from such objects as vehicles 
    or windows. Any coworkers who must be 
    in the restricted area should also wear 
    goggles or protective glasses. Stop the 
    engine immediately if you are 
    approached.
    15m (50ft) 
    						
    							
    12 English / USAFS 80, FS 80 R, FS 85, FS 85 R
    !Warning!Before you start work, 
    examine the area for 
    stones, glass, fence wire, 
    metal, trash or other solid 
    objects. The cutting 
    attachment could throw 
    objects of this kind.
    !Warning!
    This trimmer/brushcutter is normally to 
    be used at ground level with the cutting 
    attachment parallel to the ground. Use of 
    a trimmer/brushcutter above ground 
    level or with the cutting attachment 
    perpendicular to the ground may 
    increase the risk of injury, since the 
    cutting attachment is more fully exposed 
    and the power tool may be more difficult 
    to control.
    !Warning!
    During cutting, check the tightness and 
    the condition of the cutting attachment at 
    regular short intervals with the engine 
    and attachment stopped. If the behavior 
    of the  attachment changes during use, 
    stop the engine immediately, wait until 
    the cutting attachment stops, and check 
    the nut securing the attachment for 
    tightness and the blade or head for 
    cracks, wear and damage. 
    !Warning!
    A loose blade or head may vibrate, 
    crack, break or come off the trimmer/
    brushcutter, which may result in serious 
    or fatal injury. Make sure that the cutting 
    attachment is properly tightened. Use 
    the wrench supplied or one of sufficient 
    length to obtain the proper torque. If the 
    blade or head loosens after being 
    properly tightened, stop work 
    immediately. The retaining nut may be 
    worn or damaged and should be 
    replaced. If the blade or head continues 
    to loosen, see your STIHL dealer. Never 
    use a trimmer/brushcutter with a loose 
    cutting attachment.
    !Warning!
    Replace a cracked, damaged or worn-
    out head or a cracked, bent, warped, 
    damaged, dull or worn out blade 
    immediately, even if damage is limited to 
    superficial cracks. Such  attachments 
    may shatter at high speed and cause 
    serious or fatal injury.
    !Warning!
    When using rigid blades, avoid cutting 
    close to fences, sides of buildings, tree 
    trunks, stones or other such objects that 
    could cause the power tool to kick out or 
    could cause damage to the blade. 
    STIHL recommends use of the nylon line 
    heads for such jobs. In addition, be alert 
    to an increased possibility of ricochets in 
    such situations.
    !Warning!
    If the head, blade or deflector becomes 
    clogged or stuck, always shut off the 
    engine and make sure the cutting 
    attachment has stopped before 
    cleaning. Grass, weeds, etc. should be 
    cleaned off the blade or from around the 
    head at regular intervals.
    !Warning!
    To reduce the risk of unintentional 
    rotation of the cutting attachment and 
    injury, always shut off the engine and 
    remove the spark plug boot before 
    replacing the cutting attachment. To 
    reduce the risk of injury, always shut off 
    the engine before adjusting the length of 
    the nylon line on manually adjustable 
    mowing heads.
    !Warning
    The gearbox becomes hot during 
    operation. To reduce the risk of burn 
    injury, do not touch the gear housing 
    when it is hot. 
    						
    							
    13
    FS 80, FS 80 R, FS 85, FS 85 R English / USA
    !Warning!
    The muffler and other parts of the engine 
    (e.g. fins of the cylinder, spark plug) 
    become hot during operation and remain 
    hot for a while after stopping the engine. 
    To reduce risk of burns do not touch the 
    muffler and other parts while they are 
    hot. 
    !Warning!
    To reduce the risk of fire and burn injury, 
    keep the area around the muffler clean. 
    Remove excess lubricant and all debris 
    such as pine needles, branches or 
    leaves. Let the engine cool down sitting 
    on concrete, metal, bare ground or solid 
    wood away from any combustible 
    substances.
    !Warning!
    Never modify your muffler. The muffler 
    could be damaged and cause an 
    increase in heat radiation or sparks, 
    thereby increasing the risk of fire and 
    burn injury. You may also permanently 
    damage the engine. Have your muffler 
    serviced and repaired by your STIHL 
    servicing dealer only. Catalytic converter
    !Warning!
    Some STIHL power tools 
    are equipped with a 
    catalytic converter, which 
    is designed to reduce the 
    exhaust emissions of the 
    engine by a chemical 
    process in the muffler. Due to this 
    process, the muffler does not cool down 
    as rapidly as conventional mufflers when 
    the engine returns to idle or is shut off. 
    To reduce the risk of fire and burn 
    injuries, the following specific safety 
    precautions must be observed.
    !Warning!
    Since a muffler with a catalytic converter 
    cools down less rapidly than conven-
    tional mufflers, always set your power 
    tool down in the upright position and 
    never locate it where the muffler is near 
    dry brush, grass, wood chips or other 
    combustible materials while it is still hot. 
    !Warning!
    An improperly mounted or damaged 
    cylinder housing or a damaged/
    deformed muffler shell may interfere 
    with the cooling process of the catalytic 
    converter. To reduce the risk of fire or 
    burn injury, do not continue work with a 
    damaged or improperly mounted 
    cylinder housing or a damaged/
    deformed muffler shell. 
    Your catalytic converter is furnished with 
    screens designed to reduce the risk of 
    fire from the emission of hot particles. 
    Due to the heat from the catalytic 
    reaction, these screens will normally 
    stay clean and need no service or 
    maintenance. If you experience loss of 
    performance and you suspect a clogged 
    screen, have your muffler maintained by 
    a STIHL servicing dealer.
          
            
             
                  
    						
    							
    14 English / USAFS 80, FS 80 R, FS 85, FS 85 R
    USING THE CUTTING 
    ATTACHMENTS
    For an illustration of the various cutting 
    attachments and instructions on proper 
    mounting see the chapter on Mounting 
    the Cutting Attachments in your 
    instruction manual.
    !Warning!
    To reduce the risk of severe or fatal 
    injury from blade contact and/or loss of 
    control, never attempt to use a metal 
    blade on an FS model for which it is not 
    authorized.
    Using the Mowing Heads
    Do not use with mowing line longer than 
    the intended length. With a properly 
    mounted deflector, the built-in line-
    limiting blade will automatically adjust 
    the line to its proper length.  
    Using the unit with an overly long nylon 
    cutting line increases the load on the 
    engine and reduces its operating speed. 
    This causes the clutch to slip 
    continuously and results in overheating 
    and damage to important components 
    (e.g. clutch, polymer housing 
    components). Such damage could, 
    among other things, cause the cutting 
    attachment to rotate at idle. Mowing heads are to be used only on 
    trimmer/brushcutters equipped with a 
    line-limiting blade in the deflector in 
    order to keep the line at the proper 
    length (see Parts and Controls chapter 
    in your instruction manual).
    If the lawn edges are planted with trees 
    or bordered by a fence etc., it is best to 
    use a nylon line head. It achieves a 
    softer cut with less risk of damaging 
    tree bark etc. than polymer blades.However, the polymer-bladed STIHL 
    PolyCut produces a better cut if there 
    are no plants along the edge of the lawn. 
    Sharpening is not necessary, and worn 
    polymer blades are easily replaced.
    !Warning!
    To reduce the risk of serious injury, 
    never use wire or metal-reinforced line 
    or other material in place of the nylon 
    cutting lines. Pieces of wire could break 
    off and be thrown at high speed toward 
    the operator or bystanders.
    STIHL SuperCut mowing head
    Fresh line is advanced automatically. 
    Frayed line is replaced by a simple 
    adjustment (see instruction sheet 
    supplied with mowing head).
    STIHL TrimCut mowing head 
    Frayed line is replaced by a simple 
    adjustment (see instruction sheet 
    supplied with mowing head).
    STIHL AUTOCUT mowing head
    Nylon cutting cord advances 
    automatically when tapped against the 
    ground (TapAction).
    000BA015 KN 
    						
    							
    15
    FS 80, FS 80 R, FS 85, FS 85 R English / USA
    STIHL PolyCut mowing head
    Uses either nylon lines or nonrigid, 
    pivoting polymer blades.
    !Warning!
    Three rectangular wear limit marks are 
    applied to the base (periphery) of the 
    PolyCut. To reduce the risk of serious 
    injury from breakage of the head or 
    blades, the PolyCut must not be used 
    when it has worn as far as one of these 
    marks. It is important to follow the 
    maintenance instructions supplied with 
    the head. STIHL FixCut mowing head
    Uses pre-cut lengths of nylon line. 
    Observe wear indicators.
    Do not continue using the mowing head 
    if the raised moldings (1) on the base are 
    missing or worn – see right illustration 
    above. The mowing head may otherwise 
    shatter and flying objects could result in 
    injury to the operator or bystanders. 
    Install a new mowing head.
    Risk of Kickout (Blade Thrust)
    with All Rigid Cutting Blades
    !Warning!
    Kickout (blade thrust) is the sudden and 
    uncontrolled motion towards the 
    operators right or rear that can occur 
    when the shaded area (especially the 
    darkly shaded area) of a rotating blade 
    comes in contact with a solid rigid object 
    like a tree, rock, bush or wall. The rapid 
    counterclockwise rotation of the blade 
    may be stopped or slowed, and the 
    cutting attachment may be thrown to the 
    right or to the rear.
    This kickout (blade thrust) may cause 
    loss of control of the power tool and may 
    result in serious or fatal injury to the 
    operator or bystanders. To reduce the 
    risk of injury, extreme caution should be 
    used when cutting with the shaded area 
    of any rigid blade.
    002BA177 KN
    002BA135 KN 
    						
    							
    16 English / USAFS 80, FS 80 R, FS 85, FS 85 R
    Using the Grass Cutting Blade
    All kinds of grass and weeds can be 
    easily cut with the grass cutting blade. 
    The power tool is swept in an arc similar 
    to a scythe.
    !Warning!
    To reduce the risk of serious or fatal 
    injury from blade breakage, never 
    attempt to use this blade to cut woody 
    materials.
    The  4-tooth  grass cutting blade is 
    intended to cut grass and weeds. It has 
    4 cutting knives with cutting edges on 
    both sides, i.e. front and rear. When the 
    cutting edges on one side become dull, 
    the blade can be turned over to utilize 
    the cutting edges on the other side. The 
    8-tooth  grass cutting blade is 
    recommended for cutting fern or reed.
    Both types of grass cutting blade have to 
    be resharpened when all cutting edges 
    are dull.
    Using the Brush Knife
    When fitted to the power tool, the brush 
    knife is suitable for applications ranging 
    from cutting matted grass to clearing 
    weeds, wild growth and scrub.
    To cut wild growth and scrub, lower the 
    rotating brush knife down onto the 
    growth to achieve a chopping effect – 
    but keep the tool below waist height at 
    all times. 
    !Warning!
    Exercise  extreme caution  when using 
    this method of cutting. The higher the 
    cutting attachment is off the ground, the 
    greater the risk of loss of control and of 
    cuttings being thrown sideways. Use the power tool like a scythe to cut 
    grass, i.e. sweep it to and fro in an arc.
    !Warning!
    When cutting woody materials, use the 
    left side of the blade to avoid kickout 
    (blade thrust) situations.
    !Warning!
    Improper use of a brush knife may cause 
    it to crack, chip or shatter. Thrown blade 
    fragments may seriously or fatally injure 
    the operator or bystanders. To reduce 
    the risk of injury, avoid contact with hard 
    or solid foreign objects such as stones, 
    rocks or pieces of metal. 
    !Warning!
    When cutting young saplings or other 
    woody materials up to 2 cm (3/4) in 
    diameter, use the left side of the blade to 
    avoid kickout situations (see section 
    on “Risk of kickout (blade thrust) with all 
    rigid cutting blades”). Do not attempt to 
    cut woody material with a larger 
    diameter, since the blade may catch or 
    jerk the power tool forward. This may 
    cause damage to the blade or power tool 
    or loss of control of the power tool, 
    resulting in personal injury.  Use a 
    circular saw blade for such work. 
    !Warning!
    Inspect the brush knife at regular short 
    intervals for signs of damage. Do not 
    continue working with a damaged brush 
    knife. Resharpen the brush knife 
    regularly (when it has dulled noticeably).
    000BA020 KN
    002BA066 KN 
    						
    							
    17
    FS 80, FS 80 R, FS 85, FS 85 R English / USA
    Using the Circular Saw Blade
    Circular saw blades are suitable for 
    thinning brush and cutting small trees up 
    to a diameter of 4 cm (1 1/2”). Do not 
    attempt to cut trees with larger 
    diameters, since the blade may catch or 
    jerk the trimmer/brushcutter forward. 
    This may cause damage to the blade or 
    loss of control of the power tool and 
    result in serious injury.  Use a chain saw 
    for such work.
    !Warning!
    To reduce the risk that the blade will 
    crack and/or break, avoid all contact with 
    stones, rocks or the ground. Sharpen 
    blades in a timely manner as specified – 
    dull teeth may cause the blade to crack 
    or shatter.
    When a trimmer/brushcutter with a 
    circular saw blade is used to cut down 
    small trees, STIHL recommends that the 
    standard deflector be removed and 
    replaced by the special limit stop 
    deflector (see chapter on “Mounting the 
    Deflector”). This limit stop helps to keep 
    the unit positioned against the tree 
    during the cutting process. 
    Inexperienced users should place the 
    left side of the stop against the tree trunk 
    before beginning to cut. This will keep 
    the trimmer/brushcutter against the tree 
    during the cutting operation and will 
    reduce the risk of loss of control and 
    possible kickout (described above and 
    briefly again below). Before starting the cut, accelerate the 
    engine up to full throttle. Perform cut 
    with uniform pressure. STIHL 
    recommends that the circular saw blade 
    be applied to the right of the tree, using 
    the non-shaded area of the blade, as 
    shown in the illustration above.
    000BA016 KN
    002BA214 ST
    002BA068 KN 
    						
    							
    18 English / USAFS 80, FS 80 R, FS 85, FS 85 R
    !Warning!
    The risk of kickout is highest when 
    cutting in the darker shaded area. To 
    reduce the risk of kickout and resulting 
    injury, do not use this area of the circular 
    saw blade for cutting trees or shrubs. 
    Special techniques using the lighter 
    shaded areas of the blade to cut shrubs 
    and trees should only be used by 
    experienced operators with specialized 
    training in the use and control of the 
    trimmer/brushcutter.
    !Warning!
    To reduce the risk of loss of control and 
    serious injury to the operator or 
    bystanders by a kickout, never use a 
    circular saw blade on a trimmer/
    brushcutter with a loop handle, but 
    rather only on one with a bicycle handle.
    When felling small trees, maintain a 
    distance of at least two tree lengths from 
    the nearest coworker.
    !Warning!
    In order to reduce the risk of injury from 
    thrown objects or operator contact with 
    the blade or head, be sure to remount 
    the standard deflector when no longer 
    using a circular saw blade.
    MAINTENANCE, REPAIR AND 
    STORING
    Maintenance, replacement, or repair 
    of the emission control devices and 
    systems may be performed by any 
    nonroad engine repair establishment 
    or individual. However, if you make a 
    warranty claim for a component 
    which has not been serviced or 
    maintained properly or if 
    nonapproved replacement parts were 
    used, STIHL may deny coverage.
    !Warning!
    Use only identical STIHL replacement 
    parts for maintenance and repair. Use of 
    non-STIHL parts may cause serious or 
    fatal injury.
    Strictly follow the maintenance and 
    repair instructions in the appropriate 
    sections of your instruction manual.
    !Warning!
    Always stop the engine and make sure 
    that the cutting attachment is stopped 
    before doing any maintenance or repair 
    work or cleaning the power tool. Do not 
    attempt any maintenance or repair work 
    not described in your instruction manual. 
    Have such work performed by your 
    STIHL servicing dealer only. 
    Wear gloves when handling or 
    performing maintenance on blades.
    !Warning!
    Use the specified spark plug, and make 
    sure it and the ignition lead are always 
    clean and in good condition. Always 
    press spark plug boot snugly onto spark 
    plug terminal of the proper size. (Note: If 
    terminal has detachable SAE adapter 
    nut, it must be securely attached.) A 
    loose connection between the spark 
    plug and the ignition wire connector in 
    the boot may create arcing that could 
    ignite combustible fumes and cause a 
    fire. 
    !Warning!
    Never test the ignition system with the 
    spark plug boot removed from the spark 
    plug or with a removed spark plug, since 
    uncontained sparking may cause a fire.
    !Warning!
    Do not operate your power tool if the 
    muffler is damaged, missing or modified. 
    An improperly maintained muffler will 
    increase the risk of fire and hearing loss.  
    If your muffler was equipped with a 
    spark-arresting screen to reduce the risk 
    of fire, never operate your power tool if 
    the screen is missing or damaged. 
    Remember that the risk of forest fires is 
    greater in hot or dry weather. 
    						
    							
    19
    FS 80, FS 80 R, FS 85, FS 85 R English / USA
    !Warning!
    Never repair damaged cutting attach-
    ments by welding, straightening or 
    modifying the shape. This may cause 
    parts of the cutting attachment to come 
    off and result in serious or fatal injuries.
    Keep blades sharp. Tighten all nuts, 
    bolts and screws, except the carburetor 
    adjustment screws, after each use.
    Store the power tool in a dry and high or 
    locked location out of reach of children.
    Before storing for longer than a few 
    days, always empty the fuel tank. See 
    chapter Storing the Machine in the 
    instruction manual. 
    						
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