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Black & Decker Strimmer GL720. Where is the hidden screw?

I have a broken drive belt but can't open the shell. A previous visitor (Ian Hart) mentioned a hidden screw, where is it and how do I get at it?

Stuart Cousens, April 2008

home Fix label Garden Tools label_important Grass Trimmers category Black & Deckerdone

The hidden screw is under the label which has numbers on it. Just prod around with a Philips screwdriver and it will go through the label where the screw hole is. If you are opening it because the head has stopped spinning I wouldn't bother. The motor is substantial with a metal drive, the drive belt is substantial and I doubt you could wear this out. The wheel that drives the flexible shaft to the strimmer head is plastic and will probably be melted like mine so the belt will keep coming off. Time to buy a new one!

Jez Watford, May 2017

thanks all, I found the hidden screw, they must hide it deliberately so that you throw it away and buy another. unless its so that you cant get it apart to see the appallingly bad design. the melted gear wheel is the only one that they make in plastic but if they had made it in metal it would have lasted a lifetime. its also the only one that they wont sell separately too. you have to buy the complete motor.

nigel, October 2016

Mine did the same. Only used it 30 times tips. Shame.

Duncan, May 2016

The most cost effective way to find the hidden screw on the GL720 is to pour a couple of litres of petrol over the strimmer and set fire to it. There is no way finding the hidden screw is going to help sort the problem youve got with it, so have a bit of fun, relieve your pent up frustration, you will end up junking it anyway.

kuib, August 2014

Yes my strimmer a GL670 has just failed with this plastic wheel melt down too, quite disgusted actually, same as everyone else, it worked great while it was going, for the size of my garden it was better than my noisy old petrol job, no premix, just plug and play.....strange that they wait until the 3 years to fail eh? Mine is just over the three years, and honestly for the hours it's done, not good really, rated at a £1 per hour I would guess.....

Simon in Folkestone, June 2012

can a thicker line be used on the GL720?

howardp, June 2010

the belt on my black & decker strimmer GL 720 is broken and needs replacing, ive taken out all the screws but the shell is giving a fight to come apart, how do i get this open?

kirk, September 2009

Thanks to this forum I found the hidden screw. The problem with my strimmer was that the engine was running but the spool wasn't turning. When I got the case off I found that the belt had come off the small metal wheel and that the teeth on the lower plastic wheel had melted smooth. If this wheel had been metal instead on plastic this wouldn't have happened.
It's a pity about this as I was happy with the strimmer up to this.

C Hughes, September 2009

under the sticker. don't bother though. from what I have read the parts are not available anyway/

balky, August 2009

My belt recently broke and the hidden screw had me baffled for a while. Ordered a new belt which broke within 10 minutes of using it. I've given up and thrown the strimmer away. Was a very good strimmer while it worked.

Jacqueline Paul, May 2009

Its a design falt the same thing happend to my strimmer the plastic wheel melts just bin it and dont wast your money on it

kelvin rubery, April 2009

Hi, the hidden screw is under the lable on the same side as all the other screws . press a screw driver into the center of the lable and it will pass through it to revel the hole with the screw. unfortunately my second belt lasted 1 day and the 3rd belt 1 hour.For some reason the teeth on the driver wear and just chews the belt. goodluck dave.

dave, June 2008

Having used this info to find the hidden screw I replaced the belt and guess what, it snapped again!!

mark, June 2008

It is under the long label on the side, about half way along. If you use your finger you can feel a depression although I peeled the label back. My drive belt has just failed as well

Chris Butlin, April 2008

under black plastic, just above the number 1.

stig, April 2008

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