On Thursday, July 28, 2016 at 12:01:01 PM UTC-4, Percival P. Cassidy wrote:
We have a couple of 20-year-old recliners, one of which needs new
plastic bushings and drive shaft. But we have been told by the retailer
that no parts are available for anything more than 7 years old. The only
parts I can find on line are a different size. I may be able to ream out
the holes to accept the larger bushings and replace the original square
tube by a round one with flats ground in the appropriate places, but
that is a pain.

Perhaps, when buying anything these days, one needs to ask, "Which parts
of this thing are most likely to wear out?" and buy replacements at the
time.

Perce

I'm hoping that I just foiled some "planned obsolescence".

I just replaced a hose reel that is attached to SWMBO's garden shed with
the same style that was broken & repaired a few years ago. Yes, it's a cheap
plastic hose reel, but we need narrow "sidewinder" in that location and
it's hidden from view anyway.

http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/pro...c0a56b_400.jpg

Anyway, here's the deal:

The hose reel slips over a plastic "cone" on the mounting bracket. The
weight of the hose eventually cracked the top of the cone so that the
reel sagged. I bridged the crack with some steel strapping inside the
cone to carry the weight, but it was never perfect. It lasted 2 years
but last weekend the crack extended itself and the sagging began again.

When I bought the new one, I added the strapping *before* I even mounted
it, i.e. before any cracking had started. I am hoping that by bridging the
weak area right from the start, it won't ever crack.

If there is no cracking 3 years from now, I will laugh in the face of the
manufacturers.