Still blower

[Ric]

I'd rather buy a new blower. If it lasted me five years and the engine needs to be pulled off, probably cheaper to buy a new one on the long run.

My Br 550 was almost 11 years old when it finally went bad that was when I replaced it with the 600. It never had anything done to it.

 

[Lawnboy18]

That is fine but down here they are 2 to 3 time the USA price and generally not a stocked item.
The oil sels on the crank need replacing every few years or they start leaking oil, very messy if on your back.
You also need to remove the motor to clean the space between the motor & the impellar housing and when cleaning the cooling fins or all the crap ends up between the motor & the impellar housing.
I rebuild a few every season.
Piston & ring replacement goes about $ 200 a lot cheaper than a new blower, even if it only ends up as the occasional use spare.

That is what I thought! Much more expensive in Australia! I wasn't aware of that seal leaking tho.

My Br 550 was almost 11 years old when it finally went bad that was when I replaced it with the 600. It never had anything done to it.

That is very good! You definetly got your money out of that blower!

 

[Ric]

That is very good! You definetly got your money out of that blower!

Yeah I got my money back on that blower for sure. I use the old adage if it ain't broke don't fix it. To many people like to play with there toys when there's no need.

 

[Lawnboy18]

Same here, I just maintain them and fix them when they need it.

 

[bertsmobile1]

Things are very different down here.
I am currently running at 3 weeks turn around
The shop up the road is also running 3 weeks average.
Most Stihl shops have a 2 week wait for a quote then another 2 to 4 weeks for the repair

Stihl warehouse has now set minimum order values to cut their warehousing & distribution cost so if the shop does not have the $ 2.00 part , I have to either ring every Stihl shop in the city to find one the pay shipping or wait till the shop I order through hs a minimum order which for them is $ 5000, depending upon when they last ordered this can be better than a month.
SO I do scheduled yearly services on the blowers during the quieter time July to Sept and replacing the seals is a routine maintanance job. Schedules servicing parts get preordered repair parts is luck of the draw if I have any in stock
My current store is nearly 3 times my annual turn over, there is only so much one can afford to hold.

 

[Lawnboy18]

It seems hard to be a repair man in Australia. Glad I can order all the parts I want here and get them the same week.

 

[Ric]

I go to the repair shop for any of my Stihl or Toro it generally comes back in no less than three days. I have taken equipment down and got it back the same day.