Husqvarna 128LD 17″ Gas String Trimmer Review

At first glance Husqvarna 128LD gives impression that it might be one of the best choices if you are looking for a good gas string trimmer. It has good specs, isn’t super expensive and is made by a very reputable company. So does it live up to expectations?

Performance

Husqvarna 128LD is a gas powered string trimmer with 28cc 2-cycle X-Torq® engine that outputs 1.0 horsepower. Since it’s 2 stroke engine you will have to mix fuel with gas at a ratio of 2% (1:50). It runs about 30-40 minutes on a full tank.

It idles at 2,750 RPM however has a maximum power speed of 8,000 RPM. It has a cutting swath of 17 inches with dual life feed and Husqvarna recommends using 0,095″ string line.

Cutting performance is simply amazing. It’s seriously powerful and handles dense overgrowths with ease. It handles everything you throw at it without issues. For the pricing it might be the best performing string trimmer on the market today.

However there is one small issue you might experience. Just like many other Husqvarna products 128LD string trimmer might need its carburetor mixture screws adjusted richer. It’s simple process however you will need to have splined carb adjustment tool to do it. Alternatively you can pay specialized shops to adjust carb for you. So if your Husqvarna 128LD doesn’t run properly or can’t handle everything you throw at it then the chances are it needs its carb adjusted.

Husqvarna 128LD starts very well which often isn’t the case with gas weed wackers. To start it just follow these steps:

1. Push air purge 10 times
2. Turn to “full choke“
3. Pull 3 times
4. Turn to “half choke“
5. Pull to start
6. Turn to “off choke“

When the engine is warm you can skip first 3 steps.

Features

Husqvarna 128LD is very attachment friendly and fits many attachments from other manufacturers (like TrimmerPlus or PoulanPro). It also has bump line feed that works well. Other features include:

• Auto return stop switch
• Air Purge (removes air from carburetor and fuel system which makes starting easier)
• Detachable shaft (for easy transportation and storage)
• Kill switch that’s is conveniently placed at the thumb
  
  

Ergonomics

Overall ergonomics are decent but not great. In this segment Husqvarna 128LD has two flaws:

1. It’s heavy’ish – at 11.11 lbs it’s not the heaviest string trimmer by far but it’s on heavy side so you might want to buy a strap. Some of the electric string trimmers weigh half of that making them much less muscle fatiguing.
2. Shaft could be longer – if you are taller than average male then you might find shaft to be a little too short making you crouch.

Overall it isn’t uncomfortable to use but there is room for improvement ergonomics wise.

─── Related Article: Best Electric String Trimmers ───

Noise

It’s noisy – not terribly noisy but as noisy as you would expect a gas trimmer to be. It certainly isn’t among quietest string trimmers however neither is it among the loudest ones. If you can’t handle loudness then you should perhaps look for electric string trimmers (but good luck finding one that performs as well as this one).

Conclusions

Husqvarna 128LD is an amazing string trimmer and probably offers best value for money when it comes to gas powered string trimmers. With that being said it’s not perfect – it has some flaws but if you are looking for a good performing weed wacker then this is it! It’s truly a beast and although it’s marketed for residential use it’s often used for commercial purposes too.

Husqvarna 128LD 17″ String Trimmer Specs:

• Type: Gas powered
• Cutting Path: 17”
• Line diameter: 0.095” (recommended)
• Line feed: Dual
• Head: T25 (L)
• Engine:
  • Displacement: 28 cc
  • Power: 1.0 hp
  • Idle RPM: 2,750
  • Max RPM: 8,000
• Shaft type: Straight
• Weight: 11.11 lbs
• Fuel tank capacity: 13.53 fl. oz.
• Noise: 114 dB