Stihl SG 51
Verified5 reviews
Broke two wands in a couple uses – Plastic wand is just crap first time I used it I slipped on a rock fell to ground and snapped the wand, after replacing it at a fair heffty price for a sparepart of cheap plastic, I bumped it with a half full jerry can when I was going to fill up my lawn mower snapped it off at the pistol. I wouldn't buy another one.
Very poor quality components and totally disappointing for a Stihl product – I bought the Stihl SG51 about 2.5 years ago as a more compact and comfortable looking sprayer to compliment my 21 year old BP20L Hardi Sprayer which has only required 1 minor repair in that time. The ergonomics on it looked good but a month out of warranty I accidentally kicked the wand against a plastic chair in my shed and the wand snapped in to 3 pieces. Took it back to the dealer and as the unit was 1 month out of warranty they refused to replace it or offer a discount on a replacement wand. I contacted Stihl Head Office with an explanation of what actually happened and it was clear that they thought I had snapped it using more major force and again refused warranty or out of warranty consideration, or even arranging wand replacement at a reduced price. In frustration I went to another Stihl Dealer (the dealer I bought the unit from said " we only sell the things, we don't make them") . The other Stihl dealer in Brisbane (Brisbane Mower Centre) was simply excellent, they again approached Stihl Head Office on my behalf to no avail, but they did get in a replacement wand at close to their replacement cost $38.00. Since then, the trigger valve does not shut off cleanly so the nozzle dribbles poison after you release the trigger handle - not handy if you are using Roundup or similar. I have now discovered that the nylon "O" ring between the nozzle and the wand has cracked. The same "O" ring on the original nozzle has also cracked so I can't swap them over. The label on the unit says it is made in Germany which I have always associated with high quality and part of the reason I bought it. I am puzzled how this company could produce a unit of such poor quality components and not show any interest when clearly this unit (not just mine) has a history of component failure and not fit for purpose. This unit, along with my old Hardi BP20 Sprayer is flushed out with clean water after each use and stored in a shed without exposure to UV light. This unit really is just rubbish quality and what compounds the matter is the abysmal attitude of Stihl themselves in supporting their products, in my experience. Cannot recommend this unit and sorry I bought it. The post script to this is that the pump unit has now failed so the whole unit is useless and not worth repairing. It has been consigned to the dump. This will be the last Stihl product that I will buy.
Has weak points but still the best – I bought the SG 71, which has a larger capacity (18 litres vs 12 litres) in Jan 2018 for $204 for spot spraying serrated tussock in very hilly rough country. I found it very comfortable and stable on the back. It has padded shoulder straps and a padded waist belt. However the default nozzle is not adjustable. I bought the brass adjustable nozzle ($25) which has a good jet spray but lacks a good range of adjustment. The wand is quite bendy and has a bow in it and is a little shorter than I'd like. I had a Hozelock nozzle, which I liked and, by using the Hozelock wand and a wrap of gaffer tape to enlarge its outside diameter, was able to fit it to the Stihl. The trigger began leaking and was returned to the dealer. It came back fixed after several weeks but has since started leaking again. I tripped on a fallen branch and the orange handle ($28.95) snapped on impact. I replaced the handle. Some months later I slipped on a near vertical section and one side of the lever, where the orange handle fits, broke away. I have not priced a replacement but have found a length of poly-pipe jammed on to the remains of the lever works well and is quite comfortable. When the unit is de-pressurised, such as when the tank has emptied, the lever falls forward. If climbing up a steep hill it is possible to step over the handle so that it contacts the underneath of the thigh which could be hazardous. The waist belt is very generous and to hold the dangling ends in place I added wire 'belt loops' covered with gaffer tape.
Very poor quality – The SG51 is fine in most respects in that i find it comfortable to wear and easy to operate. The problem is that the sprayer wand is so flimsy that i have broken 2 in the space of 6 months. It is made of very flimsy plastic and broke when it was resting in the wand holder. Just brushing past it with my leg was enough for it to snap. I will be taking it back to my retailer and asking for a full refund. I paid for a new wand after i broke the first one but this is clearly not fit for purpose.
Cheap and Nasty – I Bought the backpack sprayer thinking that being a Stihl product it would be good Quality and happy to pay the high price. Issues the strap attach point regularly comes when you trying to put on your back. The plastic stem on spray wind brakes and there is no adjustment in the nozzle you have to pay another $38 to get different people spray options. Even a $10 hardware sprayer is adjustable.
This product really takes my faith away from stihl
- Date Purchased:
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