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So far this past week has been quite a downer Thursday Fedex lost my 6 week backorder shipment of a part for a warranty pressure washer repair. and yesterday ruptured the braxial tendon in my right arm, and appears that it will require surgical repair. I will be mostly out of commission for weeks, Won't be able to crank engines(chain saws, weedeaters, pushmowers, etc) or pull on wrenches that require bracing from the other arm.

Sorry to hear about the physical problems.

And here I was thinking I was having a bad day Saturday with my blood pressure dropping suddenly to 80/40 from 150/98. Dizzy as heck all day. Then having burred vision Sunday morning. Just hoping I got a bad BP pill. I know they haven't been working very well lately so they might have put all the meds in one pill as I have been having to take 1-1/2 pills a day.

Other than that three vendors not returning emails all last week. Will be on the phone this morning calling them. Probably get a lot run around especially from Hydro Gear as I got find what involved in becoming a dealer in order to get parts and complete new units warrantied. Gardner won't warranty then unless I am a dealer. I got a Bad Boy down with RH hydro bad that either needs a complete replacement or a major rebuild.

As for parts delivery it seems all the delivery companies are screwing up the last year. USPS is finally getting better with on time deliveries. They took a couple times to bearing three weeks on a three day priority shipment. UPS has lately been getting packages in Nashville and sending to Montgomery instead of Tullahoma before they finally get here. Takes an extra day to get the parts in. Don't usually get FedEx packages except when I order parts from Jacks.

But I just ordered some oil (30 qts of SAE15W50-SYN) from Walmart that supposed to be here Tuesday via FedEx. I am out of the oil and none of the local stores has it. Boy getting Walmart to accept my state's tax exemption took nearly two weeks. They nit picked things to extremes then they I have to go it again with the local stores as the current setup only cover online purchases. I reckon that is what I had to put up to save nearly $100+ on that grade of oil.

So glad it is the end of the season and I will be able to start a major cleaning of shop and do physical inventory so I can finally get my computer updated. Still finding problems two years later from the software update screw-up. Back then I did only a 50% physical of the most used parts. But first I got to get more storage bins as I have added a lot of parts from special purchases. There is only so much room in that two car garage. I got parts in two rooms of my home now that needs to be out in the shop.

I also got to finish burying the Cat 6 cable to my shop so I can get the computer back in the shop. Having to walk numerous times a day to office that is 600 ft away is getting aggravating as I can't watch the shop while at the office. I was going to setup a WiFi system after my last one died but the system I got requires me to have a smart phone to set it up. The company advertising said they had software for my computer to do it but they now say they don't so I got with useless equipment.

Some days I wonder why I work for myself. It would be better to let someone else to deal with all the headaches.

StarTech said:

Other than that three vendors not returning emails all last week. Will be on the phone this morning calling them. Probably get a lot run around especially from Hydro Gear as I got find what involved in becoming a dealer in order to get parts and complete new units warrantied. Gardner won't warranty then unless I am a dealer. I got a Bad Boy down with RH hydro bad that either needs a complete replacement or a major rebuild.

As for parts delivery it seems all the delivery companies are screwing up the last year. USPS is finally getting better with on time deliveries. They took a couple times to bearing three weeks on a three day priority shipment. UPS has lately been getting packages in Nashville and sending to Montgomery instead of Tullahoma before they finally get here. Takes an extra day to get the parts in. Don't usually get FedEx packages except when I order parts from Jacks.

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Hydrogear will pay 3 hours plus parts for repair or 1 hour labor plus the cost of the complete unit for warranty. If complete unit replaced will have to sent complete unit to hydrogear for warranty evaulation. If they determine failure not warranty you get billed the cost of the complete unit. Hydrogear will only warranty replacement units not covered by the original warranty for 90 days if you install the unit or as is if sold over the counter.

And I have to contact Gardner today about the lost Fedex shipment. They are my Karcher, and FNA distributor.

Well that the same do in house on complete units as I give 90 days warranty on complete units. Which with it being end of the season comes out as no warranty as there will no use of the mower. This means I cover the failures even if the OEM doesn't this why I having second thoughts on doing the Bad Boy hydro replacement. Might just send it to someone else that can afford to lose a $1000 on failure.

And if my luck is as usual they would deny warranty coverage on just about everything just like most engine companies deny warranty coverage as fuel related issue.

Now just got find out if they would require me to stock a lot of parts that I don't have the room for.

Right now it sounds like about the only good thing is lower parts cost.

Getting warranty coverage on about anything now days is nearly impossible even when their tech support agrees the part has failed under warranty. It comes down the manufacture assumes no responsibility for defective parts. Briggs and Kohler dealers will not even cover parts that you don't buy directly from them or at least that local policy. I had write off 4 Briggs fuel solenoids that came in defective because A&I (the distributor I brought the parts from) would not warranty the parts. Guess what, I am no longer one of their dealers because of this and other problems I had with them.

What's worst the customers never read the warranty fully to see that they written in such a way the manufacture covers nothing if they chose not cover it their faults.

StarTech said:

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What's worst the customers never read the warranty fully to see that they written in such a way the manufacture covers nothing if they chose not cover it their faults.

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I run into that issue with MTD/Yard Man/Yard machine/Remington all the time. Customer will call about an issue with the trimmer head. Warranty specifically excludes spark plug after first scheduled maintenance, air filter, starter rope, starter handle, starter pulley, starter spring, inner spool, outer spool, bump head, bump knob

Update on injury. I have a high grade almost complete separation of the bicep tendon with the torn pieces retracting 9 mm, and a partial tear of the tendon that caused tennis elbow. Waiting on update from the doctor for treatment plan. Most likely will have surgery in the next week. Then start the 3-4 month recovery period.

Wow, Sorry to hear, hope you heal fast..

ILENGINE said:

Update on injury. I have a high grade almost complete separation of the bicep tendon with the torn pieces retracting 9 mm, and a partial tear of the tendon that caused tennis elbow. Waiting on update from the doctor for treatment plan. Most likely will have surgery in the next week. Then start the 3-4 month recovery period.

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Gees
I go away for a couple of weeks & look what happens
Hope you heal well and heal soon

Sorry to hear about your tendon hope you have a speedy recovery. We quit doing Briggs warranty work, not our place to do warranty work for free.

Yes hope IL get better.

hlw49 said:

We quit doing Briggs warranty work, not our place to do warranty work for free.

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Good for you...It is our place to made the OEM whole by doing work for free when it is not our fault. I just signed up for the Hydro Gear dealer program and already thinking it is a mistake. Just ordered my first new transaxle and am getting a surprise $150 shipping charge from Gardner. No mention of it when I placed the order. And look at this nasty note on my invoice.


Looks like they are screaming at the top of their lungs.

Try Medart https://www.medartengine.com/

hlw49 said:

Try Medart https://www.medartengine.com/

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Medart isn't any better for freight, And Star is not in their distribution zone for Hydrogear. He is in Gardners distribution area for hydrogear and several other brands.

ILENGINE said:

Medart isn't any better for freight, And Star is not in their distribution zone for Hydrogear. He is in Gardners distribution area for hydrogear and several other brands.

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You right as I am in the AL/TN area. And I can actually the Hydro Gear parts from RBI too just at slightly higher cost. It is Tuff Torq parts that I must buy thru Gardner.

Well my salesman lie to me yet again as he said they had it in stock. Now it is on an over one month b/o. Darn if I knew that the order would have went to someone else.

I HATE liars. It might not help but I putting them on another six month no purchase ban here. They have already lost seven months of sales for the last problem I had with them which cover half of normal purchases from them. RBI just keeps getting the sales. Nearly 3K could have been Gardner sales last year that went to RBI instead. Now this chart don't include the current Gardner order nor any of the other open/partially received POs.


Look at what happen to A&I for their lies. At one time I was buying nearly 4K from them per year. I dropped them completely this year. I would rather pay more for the parts then to be lied to. Incorrect belts sizes, defective parts, and then the lies last year help make the decision for me.

ILENGINE said:

Update on injury. I have a high grade almost complete separation of the bicep tendon with the torn pieces retracting 9 mm, and a partial tear of the tendon that caused tennis elbow. Waiting on update from the doctor for treatment plan. Most likely will have surgery in the next week. Then start the 3-4 month recovery period.

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Hope you get better soon.

ILENGINE said:

Update on injury. I have a high grade almost complete separation of the bicep tendon with the torn pieces retracting 9 mm, and a partial tear of the tendon that caused tennis elbow. Waiting on update from the doctor for treatment plan. Most likely will have surgery in the next week. Then start the 3-4 month recovery period.

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What in the heck did you do to get this injury? Just curious, you don't have to say. Just sounds really bad.

StarTech said:

What in the heck did you do to get this injury? Just curious, you don't have to say. Just sounds really bad.

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Large round chuck of firewood, that was leaning against another smaller piece and I put my fingers under the edge of the wood, and started to lift to set it on edge, and at the start of the lift things went pop pop. From my understanding it is a very common injury in the 40-60 year class. It is caused by pulling on a straight elbow and the tendons since they are totally straight attempt to hold the elbow together under the strain and tear loose from the bone when things go wrong.

Yeoww ! Sounds very painful. Take care, & I'm in the well past 60 group.

7394 said:

Yeoww ! Sounds very painful. Take care, & I'm in the well past 60 group.

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Holding the arm straight is the equivalent of banging your elbow on a table. rotating your wrist from palm down to palm up is like getting stabbed, and bending the elbow normally is like getting slapped with a rubber band while being burned. I can go from 1 to yelling out on the pain scale just by reaching for something.

And this weeks projects was suppose to be replacing the rear cv shafts and doing a full service on a Polaris ranger. replacing the hydro drive belt and replacing the right hydro hose on a Big dog mower.

Sort like I was before I started wearing high top shoes. Before I could just be walking across the yard and step on a peddle the wrong and royal screw up an ankle. The last time I did nearly had to have surgery myself. Nothing like the feel of tearing tendons.

But my problem started before I was born. While I was infant I had to have corrective shoes as the soles of my feet was badly turned in so I think that why I have weak ankles.

Now people question me why I refuse to wear dress shoes. They like to laugh and point fingers from a distance because of the shoes I wear but I don't care as I don't like the pain if I don't.

IL you just got to be careful and watch out for yourself. Plus got change the way you do things to prevent injuries.

ILENGINE said:

And this weeks projects was suppose to be replacing the rear cv shafts and doing a full service on a Polaris ranger. replacing the hydro drive belt and replacing the right hydro hose on a Big dog mower.

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I can see those not getting done for a while; unless, the customer pulls the jobs.

Ouch, I wear a back brace when I'm gonna do some heavy stuff. It helps. Hurt my back very long ago.

7394 said:

Ouch, I wear a back brace when I'm gonna do some heavy stuff. It helps. Hurt my back very long ago.

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I think a lot of us have...Or at least I did back in my mid 20's by just lifting an IBM Selectric typewriter from on shelf to one higher. I didn't make it but as I went to the floor I did manage to save the typewriter. Out of work for two months then. Got better but 10 yrs the pain came back. I finally gotten it straighten out around 60. Turned out I had been living with a dislocated vertebrata for years.

Now if I got to done things like removing an engine I use a lift. Oh I know it looks like overkill but I don't enjoy pain.

All it takes to get hurt is to lift the wrong way at the wrong time. It sorta like my luck with the lottery tickets, all bad at times.

StarTech said:

I think a lot of us have...Or at least I did back in my mid 20's by just lifting an IBM Selectric typewriter from on shelf to one higher. I didn't make it but as I went to the floor I did manage to save the typewriter. Out of work for two months then. Got better but 10 yrs the pain came back. I finally gotten it straighten out around 60. Turned out I had been living with a dislocated vertebrata for years.

Now if I got to done things like removing an engine I use a lift. Oh I know it looks like overkill but I don't enjoy pain.

All it takes to get hurt is to lift the wrong way at the wrong time. It sorta like my luck with the lottery tickets, all bad at times.

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I can understand the back pain also. diagnosed with mild to moderate spondylosis with nitrogen gas pocket formation in the l1-l5 with stenosis at the l5/s1 junction.

And they have now added bursitis of the elbow to the mix. Waiting on ortho consult, which was supposed to call me back yesterday afternoon.

At least it sounds like you have insurance to help. Here I don't and that part of my problem as doctors don't want to work with me.

Star I have coverage if I use their facilities. Outside of the network I foot 100% of the bill.

ILENGINE said:

Star I have coverage if I use their facilities. Outside of the network I foot 100% of the bill.

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That at least you are still got better coverage a lot better than my zero coverage.

I hoping in a year and half to get on Medicare if it is even still there. Just depends what the nut cases in Washington DC does to it and Social Security. I keep hearing things like they want to cut it out altogether.

StarTech said:

I keep hearing things like they want to cut it out altogether.

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And call it an "Entitlement"............. Well it is, I paid in all my working years to it, since I was a kid.. But the politicians had to dip into it, it was self sufficient..Sustaining itself.

7394 said:

And call it an "Entitlement"............. Well it is, I paid in all my working years to it, since I was a kid.. But the politicians had to dip into it, it was self sufficient..Sustaining itself.

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Yes it was initially setup to maintain itself but as you said they just keep dipping into it for other purposes and never repaying the fund. And the fund really took a hit the first two years of the Covid pandemic. Well actually the tax scheme took a hit. Plus it doesn't help that some taxpayers completely avoid paying their fair share in taxes.

Right now I know a company that paying its workers cash and not paying any payroll taxes, plus when they sale products for cash they don't collect and pay the sale taxes. So it looks like they are not making as much as they are. No wonder they are building up so fast.

Just yesterday I read where the Republicans are now pushing for Medicare to start at 70 instead of 65 and they wanting to raise the full retirement age for Social Security benefits be move to 70 too instead of the current 67. The reason behind the idea is that we are living longer due better health care. It bad enough for me when they moved me to 67 and 8 months years ago now. Well I will just take the hit on the monthly payments and still retire at 65 which is 1yr and 7 months (and counting down) away.

As the article mention we seniors as a whole will be a lot less healthy by then and will actually cost Medicare more to cover us. But that is apparently not taken into the thinking of the bureaucrats. That sorta like buying cheaper mower to only find out later that it costs more to maintain it.

StarTech said:

Yes it was initially setup to maintain itself but as you said they just keep dipping into it for other purposes and never repaying the fund. And the fund really took a hit the first two years of the Covid pandemic. Well actually the tax scheme took a hit. Plus it doesn't help that some taxpayers completely avoid paying their fair share in taxes.

Right now I know a company that paying its workers cash and not paying any payroll taxes, plus when they sale products for cash they don't collect and pay the sale taxes. So it looks like they are not making as much as they are. No wonder they are building up so fast.

Just yesterday I read where the Republicans are now pushing for Medicare to start at 70 instead of 65 and they wanting to raise the full retirement age for Social Security benefits be move to 70 too instead of the current 67. The reason behind the idea is that we are living longer due better health care. It bad enough for me when they moved me to 67 and 8 months years ago now. Well I will just take the hit on the monthly payments and still retire at 65 which is 1yr and 7 months (and counting down) away.

As the article mention we seniors as a whole will be a lot less healthy by then and will actually cost Medicare more to cover us. But that is apparently not taken into the thinking of the bureaucrats. That sorta like buying cheaper mower to only find out later that it costs more to maintain it.

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And how many of those people that retire at 62-65 due to past injuries and other health issues will now be drawing disability.

All true, I believe.. Maybe some changes in guvment in near future.

Update on elbow. If nothing changes will be having distal bicep reattachment surgery after the first of the year. Then will start my 4 month vacation.

ILENGINE said:

Update on elbow. If nothing changes will be having distal bicep reattachment surgery after the first of the year. Then will start my 4 month vacation.

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Dang!!!!! Praying for you bro.

ILENGINE said:

Update on elbow. If nothing changes will be having distal bicep reattachment surgery after the first of the year. Then will start my 4 month vacation.

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IF it is going to work then go for it
Times like this makes me very grateful we have universal health care down here.
Take it easy, do the rehab & don't rush yourself
It has been 18 months since the RA crippled me and despite regularly challenging the body & doing all of the exercises the grip strength is less that 1/2 the pre RA and increasing very slowly , forearms are just over 1/2 & legs and just about as good as I can expect according to the occupational therapist .
We don't heal any where near as fast as we age so it is easy to say "what the heck" , turn on the TV and get caught in that downward spiral .
Good luck

bertsmobile1 said:

IF it is going to work then go for it
Times like this makes me very grateful we have universal health care down here.
Take it easy, do the rehab & don't rush yourself
It has been 18 months since the RA crippled me and despite regularly challenging the body & doing all of the exercises the grip strength is less that 1/2 the pre RA and increasing very slowly , forearms are just over 1/2 & legs and just about as good as I can expect according to the occupational therapist .
We don't heal any where near as fast as we age so it is easy to say "what the heck" , turn on the TV and get caught in that downward spiral .
Good luck

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With this surgery and recovery. Taking your time is the name of the game. One week of wearing a cast or locked arm brace. Five weeks of the lockable arm brace that is set to limit arm movement to avoid tearing the bicep tendon loose again while stretching the tendon back out to reach full arm straightening because it takes 6 weeks for the tendon to start to grow back into the bone and couple more weeks to be fully attached. Then at least another 6 weeks of rehab to strengthen the muscles before being turned loose for full use. Without this tendon repair I could be very limited in being able to lift anything palm up or tightening anything that resembles turning a doorknob. Up to 60% lose of strength is possible

Know where you are coming from but it is a no real choice option.
I have found that at 70 I have to double all of the projected recovery times which I am sure are for 30 year old footballers

Yea gettig old, does slow down things. Like healing. Hang in there.

T+12 12 hours post surgery Typing with left hand Nerve block for about another 12+ hours. Can't sleep. numb arm almost worse than pain. Doc told nephew no work for 3 months. Told nephew that he was glad I pushed surgery due to edema was filling damaged tendon muscle area causing further damage.

Certainly keep you & your surgery in thoughts & prayer.