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Bummer! Ever broke the working end of a brush cutter?

Started by livemusic, July 25, 2019, 11:08:28 PM

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livemusic



Broken and expensive!

I have had a Husqvarna 345FR brushcutter (46cc) for a couple years but only used it the first few weeks I had it. I've cranked it from time to time just to run it since.

I blazed a trail through my woodlot using a brush cutter blade. Cut saplings up to 3 inches. The machine is strong. You can cut through a sapling like it's not even there except for the bigger ones and they're not much of a match. I used Husky Maxi 200-26t blade and also a Renegade brand blade. The latter is an 80 tooth carbide tipped blade. I can't recall if I liked it cuz it worked great or because it has lower cost? Regardless, now, I want to use this brushcutter again and find bad news. I noticed when I last used it the blade assembly would not stay straight on the shaft, it would slowly move with torque. I kept trying to tighten it but could not figure it out! Today, took the lower unit apart and lo and behold, a big piece of it just fell out! The part that has the gears and holds/spins the blade is bolted on to the shaft with two bolts. That gear head (here) had a crack I guess and the piece just broke off. Not a little piece, a piece a square inch or two. $200 is what this part costs! Sheesh. I can't believe that failed with such low hours on it. I am wondering if the Renegade blade was too much? We hardly have any rocks around here; I may have hit a rock but I don't recall. I did cut quite a few saplings, including some at the upper range of what can be cut. (EDIT: I now recall that I did hit a chunk of concrete under the leaves; it buggered up the Renegade carbide blade but it was kind of a minor glancing hit.)

It would be nice to find a junked unit with a good gear head but it seems the odds of finding that is low!

Wondering if this is common with these 'clearing saws.' Have you ever broken one of these gear heads? Is this a common failure for brush clearing? This machine cost $800, it's not some lightweight machine.

I'll end with another complaint. There are two bolts that hold the gearhead onto the shaft. There are two more bolts, different bolts, different shapes, that have the same head, looks like an Allen head bolt. I think it's about 5/32 but I guess it's metric since it's Husky? These bolts are ridiculously soft, way too easy to strip the Allen head. I've boogered them up real bad. It's maddening that I can't even find (and I have tried, including going to a dealer) exactly what type of tool I should use for these bolts. I would like to know the 'official' size and type. Is it Allen head and is what is the size! I spoke to a mechanic and he echoed my sentiments exactly, said it's way too easy to strip the head and that he replaces them with Stihl bolts. I wish I knew which ones!

Also wondering... I don't know what this material is but it reminds me of pewter. I wonder if could be 'glued' or 'welded' somehow. The piece that fell out fits right back in the hole, lol. Probably not, probably under a lot of stress? But I thought I'd ask.

Another thing I don't understand... not sure the dealer employee is correct. He said the entire gear head (a.k.a. called gear assembly) has to be bought (for $200) but I saw a parts diagram that seemed to indicate you could just buy the outer shell (the pewter? part of it) but I don't know how you could get all those gears and parts inserted inside there. But... that part shows as available for $70, so, they DO sell it!
~~~
Bill

leeroyjd

Not sure I follow your trouble, but if there is no internal problem with the gears can you use muffler clamps to keep it snug? 

Ed_K

 You got a deal. I was quoted $400. for the same part. I now wonder if this part is a bad design or material?
Ed K

livemusic

Quote from: Ed_K on July 27, 2019, 09:19:33 AM
You got a deal. I was quoted $400. for the same part. I now wonder if this part is a bad design or material?
Wow, so, somebody did break theirs, too. Did yours happen unexpectedly or did you hit something with it? Mine definitely should not have broken.
I am still confused on what I need to buy -- the entire gear head assembly and all inside parts or just the "metal" housing.
~~~
Bill

Ed_K

 I was told I'd have to buy the whole thing. And I have no idea when or how mine broke. Just noticed it when I was cleaning it and checking the grease housing.
Ed K

livemusic

Quote from: Ed_K on July 28, 2019, 08:27:26 AM
I was told I'd have to buy the whole thing. And I have no idea when or how mine broke. Just noticed it when I was cleaning it and checking the grease housing.
About how long you have it, any idea how many hours? I'm guessing mine happened in probably less than a dozen or so hours run time.
~~~
Bill

LeeB

I have the 336 FR. I'll be watching it. Have had it for almost 3 years now but it hasn't seen a whole lot of use. The head pictured looks a little different than mine. Where did yours actually break? At the back of it where it clamps to the shaft? 
'98 LT40HDD/Lombardini, Case 580L, Cat D4C, JD 3032 tractor, JD 5410 tractor, Husky 346, 372 and 562XP's. Stihl MS180 and MS361, 1998 and 2006 3/4 Ton 5.9 Cummins 4x4's, 1989 Dodge D100 w/ 318, and a 1966 Chevy C60 w/ dump bed.

LeeB

Mine is not the same. The bolts that tighten the clamping part are on the bottom and not at each side. Is it possible that you cracked it when attempting to tighten it enough to get it to stop shifting? 
'98 LT40HDD/Lombardini, Case 580L, Cat D4C, JD 3032 tractor, JD 5410 tractor, Husky 346, 372 and 562XP's. Stihl MS180 and MS361, 1998 and 2006 3/4 Ton 5.9 Cummins 4x4's, 1989 Dodge D100 w/ 318, and a 1966 Chevy C60 w/ dump bed.

lxskllr

Here's a diagram from Jacks...

Husqvarna 345 FR (2008-05) Parts Diagram for Bevel Gear

Doesn't look like they sell the housing itself, but it shows how it goes together.

barbender

When using my brush saw, I've noticed when you hit some of those larger saplings, and smaller trees😁 if you feed one direction the blade pulls itself in and really puts a lot of force on that head. I could see myself breaking one, I haven't used mine much.
Too many irons in the fire

livemusic

Quote from: LeeB on July 28, 2019, 11:22:06 PM
Mine is not the same. The bolts that tighten the clamping part are on the bottom and not at each side. Is it possible that you cracked it when attempting to tighten it enough to get it to stop shifting?
Yes, that is possible. It broke where the bolt squeezes the gearhead around the shaft. But, heck, I am not a 300 lb weightlifter, I got it tight but you wouldn't think you could break it just getting it tight. Now, my brother IS 300 lbs and he OVERtightens EVERYthing. It's ridiculous how tight he gets any bolt. He claims he does that because he learned his lesson many years ago that he needed to get everything super tight. I disagree with him on that. Like on our jointly-owned zero turn mower, he tightens the neat-o gas cap so tight I almost have to get a wrench. Anyway, it seems a design flaw if you can break that head just by tightening to make it run without spinning around the shaft! I will try to post a pic.
~~~
Bill

Satamax

Guys, they tell you to replace the whole head. Because they know if something ils wrong with one of the parts. The whole head is dead. If the gear are loose, the bearings get loose. And wreck the housing. So better to change the whole part. 
French CD4 sawmill. Latil TL 73. Self moving hydraulic crane. Iveco daily 4x4 lwb dead as of 06/2020. Replaced by a Brimont TL80 CSA.

Satamax

French CD4 sawmill. Latil TL 73. Self moving hydraulic crane. Iveco daily 4x4 lwb dead as of 06/2020. Replaced by a Brimont TL80 CSA.

livemusic

Quote from: Satamax on July 29, 2019, 10:11:46 AM
Is this the one?

Angle Gear Head Strimmer Brushcutter Husqvarna 323 324 325 326 327 Jonsered 537333802 53719920
I don't know, all I know is I posted a link to the part in my original post. It was in a sentence with the word "here" in it.

As for the wisdom of replacing all of the parts because this one part broke, I disagree with you. I think you are misunderstanding the failure. The entire assembly, there is zero wrong with any of it except that the HOUSING broke... like... a piece broke off... stress crack and then total failure. The parts inside are fine. Only a few hours on the machine. But you have to buy all of it so they make more money. All of the guts of it, I doubt anybody could put all that together other than during manufacture.

EDIT: Here is a photo, the part on the right broke off from where that 'hole' is in the housing...



~~~
Bill

LeeB

Go to the Husqvarna website and download the IPL for your model. Mine offers a part number for just the housing. 
'98 LT40HDD/Lombardini, Case 580L, Cat D4C, JD 3032 tractor, JD 5410 tractor, Husky 346, 372 and 562XP's. Stihl MS180 and MS361, 1998 and 2006 3/4 Ton 5.9 Cummins 4x4's, 1989 Dodge D100 w/ 318, and a 1966 Chevy C60 w/ dump bed.

livemusic

Quote from: LeeB on July 29, 2019, 10:45:12 AM
Go to the Husqvarna website and download the IPL for your model. Mine offers a part number for just the housing.
That is what I also thought. In my original post, I said...

"Another thing I don't understand... not sure the dealer employee is correct. He said the entire gear head (a.k.a. called gear assembly) has to be bought (for $200) but I saw a parts diagram that seemed to indicate you could just buy the outer shell (the pewter? part of it) but I don't know how you could get all those gears and parts inserted inside there. But... that part shows as available for $70, so, they DO sell it!"

I need to disassemble this gear head and see if I could stick the innards inside that. I feared a part is pressed in or something that would make it difficult of impossible for a DIY guy to do it.
~~~
Bill

LeeB

'98 LT40HDD/Lombardini, Case 580L, Cat D4C, JD 3032 tractor, JD 5410 tractor, Husky 346, 372 and 562XP's. Stihl MS180 and MS361, 1998 and 2006 3/4 Ton 5.9 Cummins 4x4's, 1989 Dodge D100 w/ 318, and a 1966 Chevy C60 w/ dump bed.

LeeB

'98 LT40HDD/Lombardini, Case 580L, Cat D4C, JD 3032 tractor, JD 5410 tractor, Husky 346, 372 and 562XP's. Stihl MS180 and MS361, 1998 and 2006 3/4 Ton 5.9 Cummins 4x4's, 1989 Dodge D100 w/ 318, and a 1966 Chevy C60 w/ dump bed.

livemusic

Quote from: LeeB on July 29, 2019, 10:56:45 AM
502 23 51-01 GEAR HOUSING
Yep, that's it. The entire gear head part number that I typed a link to in my original post ends in 201 and the part you are referencing, gear housing, is same number except ends in 101. Here it is: for $74 including shipping

Do you think one would need any special tools to put the innards inside that housing?
~~~
Bill

LeeB

'98 LT40HDD/Lombardini, Case 580L, Cat D4C, JD 3032 tractor, JD 5410 tractor, Husky 346, 372 and 562XP's. Stihl MS180 and MS361, 1998 and 2006 3/4 Ton 5.9 Cummins 4x4's, 1989 Dodge D100 w/ 318, and a 1966 Chevy C60 w/ dump bed.

lxskllr

Looks like circlip pliers, and maybe some small probes for pulling seals(should probably buy new ones).

gspren

Try to take it apart taking notes and pictures as you go, what have you got to lose?
Stihl 041, 044 & 261, Kubota 400 RTV, Kubota BX 2670, Ferris Zero turn

SwampDonkey

Yes, those angle gears go on clearing saws, but you have to be cutting a lot of ground or not keeping your blade sharp. Some guys will rush a dull blade into wood or hit it with a swinging hack, thinking harder is better. And it can only take so much. ;D

I do believe they have to be heated, but then that burns up the seals. Had a guy try to take one out with hydraulics, didn't know what he was doing, and didn't get the bearing out either. :D
They did run around $300 on pro models awhile back. I have not broken one in years, never did on a FS560, but had two go on old 550's, but they cut a lot of ground first. I cut 70 acres last year from June 26-Oct 30 on a new Husq 555 FX. Not 100 % on that saw, some was on old FS560.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

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