My $400 hydraulic pole pruner saved my back but cost me in repairs

I spent $400 on a hydraulic pole pruner last spring to handle the tall oaks on a property I maintain. After six months of heavy use the seals blew out on both cylinders and the repair bill was almost $200. Has anyone else had trouble with the reliability of these pruners or is this just bad luck?

2 comments

2 Comments

garcia.charles10d ago

...and that's how you turn a back saver into a wallet drainer. I feel your pain, my seals went out after a wet fall trimming. Turns out the hydraulic fluid is basically gold dust when you need to replace it. My neighbor swears by just using a manual pole saw and taking more breaks, but he's also the guy who still uses a flip phone. Hope your next repair is just a few squirts of WD-40 and some good vibes.

leor3710d ago

You know, I used to laugh at the old-timers who stuck with manual tools, but after dropping $400 on a simple hydraulic fix, I get it now. @garcia.charles, your neighbor might be onto something with that flip phone logic because my fancy saw is currently sitting in the shed while I'm back to using a hand clippers. Nothing like paying for "convenience" with your whole paycheck to make you reconsider your life choices.

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