Are HOP parts becoming scarce?

[hanz63]

It seems every summer becomes the summer of HOP backorders. The one I've used for years has been eaten by Gardiner and it seems like even common parts are now few in inventory or backordered. Same by you?

[bgsengine]

It seems every summer becomes the summer of HOP backorders. The one I've used for years has been eaten by Gardiner and it seems like even common parts are now few in inventory or backordered. Same by you?

I havent ordered parts in years, least not since mid-2019 ... However, since Husqvarna has pretty much exited the consumer models business (as in they quit making HOP) I would imagine that they'd treat repair parts business much like planned obsolecence - they'll have parts and components stocked until all the units have run out of warranty - typically 5 years after last production would be my guess.. Long ago, I'd already decided to have nothing more to do with HOP items, they tended to be worse than MTD stuff... when I heard the news Husqvarna was exiting the consumer (HOP) segment, I said to myself "Oh, so the Idiots at Husqvarna finally figured out how the cheapo crap from AYP and Poulan was screwing up the reputation of what used to be an excellent brand"... (Coulda told them that LONG ago, but all they could see was the dollar signs...)

[hanz63]

Lowes etc. still sell the Husqvarna riders. I saw the same press release, 4-5 years ago about exiting the US rider market. Know what gives Brian?
Parts wise, it's like those common composite driveline idler pulleys and many belts are not in stock anymore. You'd see hundreds in inventory in years past.

[bgsengine]

Lowes etc. still sell the Husqvarna riders. I saw the same press release, 4-5 years ago about exiting the US rider market. Know what gives Brian?
Parts wise, it's like those common composite driveline idler pulleys and many belts are not in stock anymore. You'd see hundreds in inventory in years past.

I considered taking a closer look at the Husqvarnas at those places (Home Depot, Tractor Supply) that I actually get to visit now and then.. I would suspect the consumer level models may be "new old stock" (Husqvarna's press release did mention they would continue to fulfill prior contracts but not taking new ones.. so perhaps they are just winding down until past contracts expire?) , that or they are actually Husqvarna's own "Pro-Sumer/Commercial" models (Which Husqvarna does build themselves, AFAIK) - Other than that I might suspect that they just licensed the branding which gets slapped on MTD built (Now Stanley Black & Decker) machines..

And yeah, parts-wise I would suspect things are going the way I predicted long ago - Consumer model dealers (smaller shops) falling by the wayside as owners retire or shops downsize (No profit margin to be had any more on wholegoods) and dealer models are being sold by the bigger mega-dealers (You know, you had to have over a half million dollars in wholegoods sales before the likes of Massey-Ferguson/Simplicity would even look at you as a potential dealer.. Deere wanted you to have a couple million in wholegoods sales... Polaris was the only "big" brand I felt I could even get close to, as they only required a big up-front investment and a proper shop building.. )

Upshot of it is, Parts are largely going aftermarket, and if you can't get them aftermarket, the manufacturers hope you just give up and buy a new machine..... There's no profit for the manufacturers in stocking parts (logistics, warehouse, employee costs, etc.) so the fewer they can stock (Ever wonder why they wanted to go modular? I.E. Replace transmission assembly with 1 part rather than repair and stock several dozen parts..) The better their balance sheet looks (Less inventory on hand = higher turnover ratios) Just my thoughts on it..

[KE4AVB]

I too am considering starting a shut down next Spring as I approach 65. Just trying to find parts is getting to be a major hassle.

Heck I had a throttle cable since September and it is still on B/O. The machine it is for was only 6 moths when cable fail due the customer leaving the machine out in the rain. I already told him just go buy another pole saw but he insists on this one being fixed.

[hanz63]

I had a customer replace his 54" rider with one just like it from Lowes this last year. Same same, sans they didn't put washers nor an anti sway bracket on the deck. I realize that HOP had some big changes over the years, but man- I just don't know if it is the new distributor or what. Lots of apparently OEM belts on EBay....