The customer’s complaint on the Bed Bug we normally keep set
up for bed edging quit working. A quick
inspection revealed the tin idler sprocket failed and the chain came off the
drive sprocket. This Husqvarna Blue Bird
Bed Bug would get a “Tractor Supply” solid steel sprocket. The Husqvarna supplied cheap tin idler sprocket
has been a constant point of failure across the Husqvarna Blue Bird line of
products.
We have used the “Tractor Supply” solid steel idler on Blue
Bird Aerators, Sod Cutter and our other Bed Bug without a single failure. This Bed Bug would also get the broken bolt
replacement of set screw failures. We
have tried to keep set screws from loosening by using thread locking glues, and
doubling up set screws with no success.
The machining of the shafts, hubs and sprockets are too sloppy for set
screws to hold. Our fix for the constantly
loosening set screws is to use a 5/16 hardened bolt that is torqued to a point
of breaking. This has solved much of the sprocket and hub loosening that we see
on Bed Bug Bed Edger’s.
In completing the repair we found a defective weld on the
Blade we replaced in June. Half of the weld on a center tooth shows no penetration
into the steel. The Blade is made by a
New York state Manufacturer; warranty claims on defective blades always fall on
deaf ears. The Manufacture claims they
are not responsible because they supply blades built to Husqvarna specs. Husqvarna is just a wasteland of incompetence.
Cost is another $200.00 blade, $20.00 Tractor Supply Idler,
$20.00 for a new chain and miscellaneous hardware. Total cost of repair with
labor $300.00.
