Mulching walk behind, anyone else had problems with Husqvarna?

atco

Forum Newbie
Joined
Aug 27, 2014
Threads
1
Messages
1
  • / Mulching walk behind, anyone else had problems with Husqvarna?
My1st post so I hope this is in the right place.
I mow about 1 acre with an old Kubota tractor and topper, but chose a 」900/ 1500?USD Husqvarna LB553SE 'professional' mulching mower for the area round the house thinking it would last for years. It's about 2 months old and I suppose I've used it about 6 times. The bolt holding the blade sheared last week, leaving the body of the bolt in the engine shaft. The dealer I bought it from told me I probably hit a stone and the repair won't be covered by warranty. This seems like a either a poor warranty or poor design - I would have thought a shear pin or slipping friction washer arrangement (like the Stiga it replaced) would make more sense.
Is this just bad luck on my part or have other people had bad experience with this model?
 

Carscw

Lawn Pro
Joined
Aug 11, 2011
Threads
66
Messages
6,375
  • / Mulching walk behind, anyone else had problems with Husqvarna?
The bolt should not have broke even if you did hit a rock.

It could have been over torqued when the blade was put on.

I would go right to husqvarna. The warranty should cover it.
 

BlazNT

Lawn Pro
Joined
Apr 26, 2012
Threads
28
Messages
6,973
  • / Mulching walk behind, anyone else had problems with Husqvarna?
I agree. And if the blade hit something that would break that bolt the blade would show it.
 

bt3

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2014
Threads
5
Messages
249
  • / Mulching walk behind, anyone else had problems with Husqvarna?
It is unfortunate that the dealer is giving you gas over this issue. A sheared bolt head is not a "Hitting a rock" issue. It was either over torqued OR it is an inferior manufactured bolt. Lots of times when a bolt is not of good quality manufacture, and if there is oil on the bolt threads or in the threads in the nut or hole, the head of the bolt will shear off, especially under load or stress like when you have a blade spinning at over 3k rpm.

If it was an older mower not under warranty, I'd just pull that shank out of the shaft myself, but I've got the tools to do it easily - (Sears Power Extractors) Sears.com

In your case, I'd contact the manufacturer and ask them to help you.
 

AndyT

Forum Newbie
Joined
May 15, 2019
Threads
0
Messages
1
  • / Mulching walk behind, anyone else had problems with Husqvarna?
My1st post so I hope this is in the right place.
I mow about 1 acre with an old Kubota tractor and topper, but chose a 」900/ 1500?USD Husqvarna LB553SE 'professional' mulching mower for the area round the house thinking it would last for years. It's about 2 months old and I suppose I've used it about 6 times. The bolt holding the blade sheared last week, leaving the body of the bolt in the engine shaft. The dealer I bought it from told me I probably hit a stone and the repair won't be covered by warranty. This seems like a either a poor warranty or poor design - I would have thought a shear pin or slipping friction washer arrangement (like the Stiga it replaced) would make more sense.
Is this just bad luck on my part or have other people had bad experience with this model?

My LB553SE (2017) has been reasonably okay so far (bought second hand a year ago in good condition). I knew the plastic wheel trims on the inside of the wheels were broken when I bought it. What I did not realise was that on the front driven wheels they stop the grass cuttings going into the aluminium wheel rim which has gear teeth on the inside of it for the drive gear to engage with. Works fine if the wheel trim is intact but if part is broken off as in my case then grass gets in and gets ground up between the gear teeth and then when dry makes the drive very stiff. Especially noticeable when pushing the mower by hand. Luckily I noticed this before any damage and removed, soaked, cleaned, then greased the wheels and gears and replaced the trims with new ones (not expensive). Worked so much better and easy to push as well as use power drive.

Recently had the slipping friction washer on the blade drive (as described above) disintegrate while mowing. All of a sudden the mower was still being driven but not cutting grass. The blade just spun round freely. I took the blade bolt out and wondered what had happened ?? It took me a while to find the spare parts list online and work out that there was a 60mm dia slipping fibre friction washer - my other mowers in the past have always had shear pin type fixing or just steel washers. Ordered the part and now fixed. Yes after reading this post I made sure the bolt was not oiled nor over tightened (I think they say 40ft/lb in the instruction manual online)

I like the mower because of its aluminium deck (no rust and lightweight), its mulch only and does a good job because of not trying to be 3 different mowers in one (collect, discharge, mulch), front wheel drive is maneuverable around shrubs and plants as slight pressure down on the handle and the wheels lift and stop driving. My other mowers are a Honda HRS536VK mulching or discharge - again second hand, but I prefer the Husky. Plus a very old (1990s) 2-stroke Victa 160c Powertorque for rough cut around the orchard.
 
Top