Review of the Ryobi ZRRY30550

The Ryobi RY30550, also called the SS30, is a gas-powered string trimmer with a straight drive shaft. As of 2014, Ryobi no longer sells the RY30550; it is replaced in the newer product lineup with all the low-emission 30 cc RY28140. Used and reconditioned SS30 models might be found on the secondary market.

Engine

The SS30 is equipped with a 30 cc two-cycle engine. Like most two-cycle motors, this engine takes a combination of oil and gas for fuel, instead of some four-cycle engine, which runs on pure gas and has a separate oil tank. The same 30 cc engine used on the SS30 can also be used on the related CS30 curved-shaft trimmer as well as the BC30 straight-shaft brush cutter. Two-cycle power tools are usually lighter than comparable four-cycle tools, but the SS30 weighs approximately 1 pound longer than Ryobi’s RY34446 four-cycle straight-shaft trimmer.

Dimensions

Without fuel in its tank, the SS30 weighs 11.8 lbs. That is more than one pound heavier than the CS30 but nearly 1/2 pound less compared to the BC30. The SS30’s straight shaft has a longer reach than the CS30’s curved shaft, nevertheless, and the SS30’s 18-inch cutting width is 1 inch wider than the CS30. The extra advantage and width come at the expense of maneuverability, but curved-shaft trimmers are generally better than straight-shaft trimmers at cutting in confined spaces.

Trimmer Head

The SS30 may use either the RealEasy trimmer head or the discretionary Pro-Cut II string head, either both or that are included with the trimmer. The RealEasy headset comes with a bump-feed mechanism also utilizes 0.095-inch diameter lineup. The Pro-Cut II is a non invasive manual-feed headset designed to cut effectively in tight spaces; it may handle line between 0.095 and 0.105 inches . Both heads have an 18-inch cutting width; their maximum line length is regulated by an automatic cut-off blade over the trimmer’s deflector shield.

Attachments

The SS30 includes a broken drive shaft that accepts the attachment of discretionary tool heads. Its quick-connect coupler enables for tool-free disconnection of this trimmer head along with the simple connection of other tools, which can be found individually. The SS30’s shaft connector can be used with Ryobi’s Expand-It lineup of tool attachments; the Expand-It line comprises edger, blower, hedge trimmer, brush cutter, pruner and cultivator tools, as well as curved- and straight-shaft string trimmer heads.

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