Laminated Half Cranks

[StarTech]

I parting out a Bolens BL150 yesterday and looking for what had failed.

Customer he got it to run after putting some Seafoam in it but it quit.

No wonder after what I found upon my initial look see. The reed valve was damaged. Well pulling the crankcase cover I found a bent connecting rod and the crank pin was busted out the laminated crank. Now this wasn't the result of the root cause. This was that the piston rings locator (both of them) pins were completely worn away allowing the rings to rotate and catch on the transfer ports.

Just wondering has anyone ran into this? KInda a shame this happen to this Bolens as it had a chrome plated cylinder and only had minor damage. Nothing that would kill it cylinder wise.

[bgsengine]

Those are the cheap "throw away" designs that were first built by Ryan and sold through Central Tractor (tractor supply now) for $59.95 new Design has changed very little over the years - company had problems, and got sold to IDC and built under the Ryobi brand, then bought out by MTD which continued building them before selling the Ryobi brand to TTI (Parent company of Homelite and Ridgid - all cheap chinese built junk) MTD stopped making those for a while and then started them back up once they were able to get them to meet EPA standards but the internals design has changed very little in the last 30 years. They were designed and built as "disposables" when they were first made, and have always been so. cheaper to throw away and buy a new one than to fix what breaks. Now sold at Wal-mart under the Murray M2500 branding for $88 last time I was at wal-mart.

[StarTech]

The American public must really like supporting the Chinese and buying crap for equipment. I figured it was an elcheapo trimmer just made to last maybe through the warranty period. No wonder AVB has so many in his recycle bin; says they are not even worth the time to recycle them other trying to keep envorniment clean.

The other day when I was at his shop a customer came with a Troy Bilt 4 cycle trimmer for repairs that was leaking oil of the air cleaner; he told go buy a new one. After the customer left I asked why. He explain that the engine could only be replaced and it cost more than a new by the time you add even hour worth time for a job that takes 4 hours to do.

[bobodu]

The American public must really like supporting the Chinese and buying crap for equipment.

OR.....maybe not everyone has $1300 for a push mower or $12,000 for a rider.

[KE4AVB]

I think it is that some people rather spend $6 a day for a pack cigarettes, a case of beer every week and play the lottery everyday.

I had a nice Bolens self propel mower that I had recondition for $75.00. The only person that was interested only wanted to pay $25 max for it. I had twice that in the blade, blade mount, control cables, and carburetor rebuild. Parting it now. I quit trying to sell used was equipment; I get more out the parts themselves.

The only used equipment that I recon now is something I want for my own use. Of course I still do major repairs for the customers that willing to pay the costs.

[RoyM]

Did you suggest Mr Cheap try yard sales? The last two dealers I worked for quit taking trades, there was no money once we cleaned up and serviced them. We did lose new equipment sales because of it but that's life.

[bgsengine]

And manufacturers wonder why more dealers are closing up shop or dropping lines or going service only, or, like us, we only service the brands we sell any more.
Turn away a lot of Stihl and Husqvarna and Homelite ... I tell em to take it to the dealer that sells them in our area, they don't want to.. that dealer charges labor rates way higher than ours. (wonder why, eh?) we have some customers coming as far as 2 hours drive because the shop they would otherwise go to (for the brand) would have charged them twice as much... and if they want us to work on their equipment, it better have the brand (or they can buy new ones from us) Once people start figuring out they cant get their equipment repaired for what they consider "reasonable", they either stop buying it in favor of brands they can get serviced, or they go the "disposable" route.

[KE4AVB]

Did you suggest Mr Cheap try yard sales? The last two dealers I worked for quit taking trades, there was no money once we cleaned up and serviced them. We did lose new equipment sales because of it but that's life.

Yes I suggested buying one from and then have it fixed.

Probably why IF I ever win a lottery I might just quit this business. But you guys knows how well that is going happen. Meanwhile I keep fighting the battle.

But as said we got to change our business models to meet the demand or in the case of used equipment the lack of demand. This year a lot my repairs have been straightening out the DIYers repairs. One just left that had buy new belts from me as the ones he brought thru Amazon were the wrong sizes and he done had burnt them up. Always fun to spend an extra hour or two correcting problem to get actual problem that started it.

And BGS, I have been lucky enough to find a Stihl dealer that only charges an arm for parts. Before that I had one dealer that wanted an arm and two legs.