My 13 year old Stihl FS45C curved shaft trimmer cooked the drive shaft bearings (near the line head), so I went to the Stihl website to buy the parts. I find out that Stihl does not sell parts online to customers, and they do not even make their parts diagrams available to the public.
So I go to my local Stihl dealer and ask them to order the bearing assembly for me. After 10 minutes of online searching, they tell me that Stihl does not have the bearing assembly available to order. I then asked if a curved drive tube with the bearing installed was available to order, and the answer was NO. I go home, get online, and confirm what they have told me. The bearing is available to Canadian and European dealers to sell, but not to USA dealers.
The bearing assembly is not designed for durability, which I understand for a non-pro trimmer. But to then make the bearing not available to buy when the original one fails speaks of planned obsolescence. Now a good condition power head is going to the trash heap. What a waste.
I then went to Home Depot and bought a Echo SRM-225 straight shaft trimmer for $199 (I paid $180 for the Stihl in 2006). Echo offers parts diagrams at their website, and also sells parts online. They are much more DIY repair friendly than Stihl.
So I go to my local Stihl dealer and ask them to order the bearing assembly for me. After 10 minutes of online searching, they tell me that Stihl does not have the bearing assembly available to order. I then asked if a curved drive tube with the bearing installed was available to order, and the answer was NO. I go home, get online, and confirm what they have told me. The bearing is available to Canadian and European dealers to sell, but not to USA dealers.
The bearing assembly is not designed for durability, which I understand for a non-pro trimmer. But to then make the bearing not available to buy when the original one fails speaks of planned obsolescence. Now a good condition power head is going to the trash heap. What a waste.
I then went to Home Depot and bought a Echo SRM-225 straight shaft trimmer for $199 (I paid $180 for the Stihl in 2006). Echo offers parts diagrams at their website, and also sells parts online. They are much more DIY repair friendly than Stihl.