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KenBWisc 
Orange Level
Joined: 15 Sep 2009
Location: Fall Creek, WI
Points: 1184
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 Topic: Sear Parts Vent!
Posted: 21 Jul 2017 at 10:33am |
I've owned many Sears products over the last 45 years and
have, until now, I've been impressed. The weed wacker I bought to replace one
that died 'cause I could keep my old attachments began to start hard. Although the spark plug looked good I decided to try a new
plug. This is when the fun began!
The plug has no manufacturer's name on it and a very strange looking
number. Turns out it's a Sear's part number. The local store only stocks one
plug, "fitting most weed wackers", the wrong one! Upon checking
availability I'm told not one store within 60 miles has that plug. They then
offered to order it for with the caution ; "Of course you'll have to pay
shipping"!
I say; "The Hell with it!" thinking I will
cross reference to another brand. No, no no! No cross reference!! One
benevolent parts man of four contacted was able to provide me a Champion
number RDZ4H which works. The porcelain end of the plug is a bit longer than
the original but it works. The Champion number can be cross referenced.
Ain't it a bitch Sears
has become so proprietary that a product purchaser can't buy a replacement spark plug, even from their stores?
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'34 WC #629, '49 G, '49 B, '49 WD, '62 D-19, '38 All Crop 60 and still hunting!
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Ray54
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Joined: 22 Nov 2009
Location: Paso Robles, Ca
Points: 4752
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Posted: 21 Jul 2017 at 11:21am |
They are trying to squeeze a dollar or 2 more out of us before exit.
The kid dropped a ratchet down the o'l HD 5 adjusting brakes 6 or 7 years ago. No luck fishing it out,so just got another to go in the plastic box. This year dropped the new one and the direction changing lever broke off. The "local" Sears store is 40 miles away and been have a going out of business since spring. Several Ace hardware store sell Craftsmen tools,but are stocking a different style ratchet and will not trade and will not order me a new one like mine. But they are still sell the ones like mine in the plastic box with sockets.
So I understand your pain. Hope you can keep it running.
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DennisA (IL)
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Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: Ridott IL.
Points: 2074
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Posted: 21 Jul 2017 at 12:09pm |
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I stopped buying Sears products 15 years ago after taking a ratchet back for replacement. They refused to replace it but were willing to rebuild it. They replaced some of the metal parts with plastic parts. I now buy good quality tools only make in the USA. They may cost more but they don't break. Sears are China made. They pay to have the "Made In China" stickers removed. What a joke.
I also don't buy any "residential" products, only commercial grade. The residential grade is made to break and be replaced. We have a commercial 49cu.ft. refrigerator with factory 10 year warranty for parts and labor. It may not have all that fancy plastic, water or ice maker but it's all metal even the shelves.
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Thanks & God Bless
Dennis
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Gatz in NE
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Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: Lincoln, NE
Points: 1060
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Posted: 21 Jul 2017 at 1:33pm |
...the other side of the coin. Had a Craftsman pruner/lopper that
was missing a part of the anvil, and the cutting blade had a few nicks
in it. It was only about 23 yrs old. I took it apart looking for part numbers....just 1 p/n Got online to see if I could order replacement parts. Couldn't even find the model # Did a live chat with someone, but he wasn't able to identify it either. Asked if a local store might be able to help. He said "they should be able to"...right. Wire-tied the pieces together and went to the local Sears store. Looked on the wall display for one like it to see if I could get the replacement parts. Closest one wasn't the same model # but it appeared to have the same jaws. So, I grabbed the new one and along with the old one, stood in line for a few minutes. Young associate says "warranty?" I said "what ?..." He say's "You want a replacement, right?" I said "uh, Sure" He didn't flinch. Didn't even look the old one over....just saw that it was taken apart. Did some key punching, says "here ya go" No fuss, no muss. Brand new lopper. 
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Gary Burnett
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Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: Virginia
Points: 3092
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Posted: 21 Jul 2017 at 1:39pm |
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That's the way things go at places that are heading to bankruptcy.
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Tbone95
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Joined: 31 Aug 2012
Location: Michigan
Points: 12222
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Posted: 21 Jul 2017 at 1:39pm |
 Gatz in NE wrote:
...the other side of the coin.
Had a Craftsman pruner/lopper that
was missing a part of the anvil, and the cutting blade had a few nicks
in it. It was only about 23 yrs old.
I took it apart looking for part numbers....just 1 p/n
Got online to see if I could order replacement parts. Couldn't even find the model #
Did a live chat with someone, but he wasn't able to identify it either.
Asked if a local store might be able to help. He said "they should be able to"...right.
Wire-tied the pieces together and went to the local Sears store.
Looked on the wall display for one like it to see if I could get the replacement parts.
Closest one wasn't the same model # but it appeared to have the same jaws.
So, I grabbed the new one and along with the old one, stood in line for a few minutes.
Young associate says "warranty?"
I said "what ?..."
He say's "You want a replacement, right?"
I said "uh, Sure"
He didn't flinch. Didn't even look the old one over....just saw that it was taken apart.
Did some key punching, says "here ya go"
No fuss, no muss. Brand new lopper.
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That's good for you, but makes one think about the Sears business model as they approach extinction.
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Hubert (Ga)engine7
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Jackson Cnty,GA
Points: 6486
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Posted: 21 Jul 2017 at 1:48pm |
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One of the many reasons Sears is going under. Their business was built on customer service but that went out the door years ago. Years ago they started getting rid of the full time employees and hiring only part timers some of whom did not have a clue about the products they were selling although some were quite knowledgeable. Plus they went to centralized warehousing so if you needed a water heater, refrigerator, etc. in a rush you couldn't go to the store, buy one and haul it home. So guess who got the business....the place that had one on hand.
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Just an old country boy saved by the grace of God.
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Gerald J.
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Hamilton Co, IA
Points: 5636
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Posted: 21 Jul 2017 at 4:44pm |
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What today is called Sears management is not the Sears store management of the past century, its the faulty management of K-Mart that went bankrupt but somehow coming out of bankruptcy was able to buy Sears. All the Sears management seems to have departed and the K-mart version of Sears doesn't understand retailing just like K-mart stores don't understand retailing. The lack of understanding retailing is showing as they close stores all over and they will go belly up again.
Gerald J.
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DougS
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Joined: 03 Nov 2011
Location: Iowa
Points: 2490
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Posted: 22 Jul 2017 at 5:17am |
Sears parts have always been expensive. Ditto for their service contracts, which they try to push on every item that costs $50 or more. Generally you can figure out who makes the item and go with a part that manufacturer would use. Sears quality? It isn't what it use to be. They'd rather sell you a piece of junk and have you buy a service contract to keep it running. Even Craftsman tools, their banner of quality and service, has been sold. ETA: I recently bought a Stihl weed whacker from Bomgaars. I paid $159 for the thing. It uses a standard spark plug. By the time you get done purchasing that spark plug you'll have spent 10% of what I paid for my new weedeater.
Edited by DougS - 22 Jul 2017 at 5:30am
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Dave in PA
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Joined: 13 Sep 2009
Location: Mars/Wexford PA
Points: 2628
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Posted: 22 Jul 2017 at 5:30am |
For what it is worth, I buy parts for mowers on line at Discount Online Parts. They have lots of different stuff for mowers, chainsaws, etc. Not a issue with them to deal with yet.
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jaybmiller
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Greensville,Ont
Points: 24725
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Posted: 22 Jul 2017 at 5:59am |
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Prrt of Sears demise is the underining problem of our 'disposible society'. Virtually everything is made to NOT be fixed, cheaper to buy a new one.
No one resoles shoes...just one example.
I turned away a guy with 3 push mowers..not worth fixing,all less than 7 years old. Byt the time you buy new carbs and spend 2 hours getting one to run(and clean 20 #s of wet grass off the rusty deck..)...you're close to HALF the cost of a new one WITH a warranty ! I can't say how long a used/abused mower will last so I don't repair pushers any more.
Riders are getting close to 't**sers' too. You can't justify putting a $900 engine into a 20 year old rusty rider, when a new one is $1500. I've got a 2 car garage FULL of used riders and parts,15-20K worth when new, probably scrapyard bound and I'll get 5c/#.
It's sad but that's reality these dayze.....
Also got 2 D-14 loaders here as well...
Jay
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3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112
Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor)
Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water
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LeonR2013
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Joined: 01 Jan 2013
Location: Fulton, Mo
Points: 3500
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Posted: 22 Jul 2017 at 7:11am |
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When we got our Husqvarna-Sears-Electrolux rider it seemed like a good machine, and it has been and still going strong. The first deck belt went bad in about a year. So down to Sears I ran to get a new one. Found out that it could only be bought from Sears. 110.00. So went back home, took an idler off a deck I had and added it to the new deck. It required a longer belt but one I could get at O"Riellys for 34.00 dollars. Take that you money grubbing suckers!
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jeickman01
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Joined: 24 Feb 2017
Location: Dyer, TN
Points: 210
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Posted: 26 Jul 2017 at 8:19pm |
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I empathize with all the bad experiences. The Sears today is probably not the Sears where I went to get my radial arm saw and countless other Craftsman tools. I refuse to sell or scrap it even though it's obsolete technology because of how well it has served me. I have noticed how later models looked more "consumerish" and less like the centerpiece in a woodworking shop. Having said all that I still find Sears Parts Direct the best source for a lot replacement parts for all kinds of appliances etc. Just got done installing a Sears sourced part for a Husqvarna riding mower. Fit perfectly, wasn't labeled made in China.
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