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EB802 Durabilty and longevity

5K views 11 replies 5 participants last post by  green monster 
#1 ·
The Shindaiwa EB802 blower is in its second year since introduction, has anyone experienced any issues with them? Mine has been rock solid but i would like to hear from those who have really given it a workout. Two dealers I have spoken with have stated that they are extremely durable and never see them in the shop. I would really like to hear unbiased claims from landscape professionals who have been using this blower under commercial operating conditions.
 
#2 ·
* bump
 
#3 ·
bump .....
 
#5 ·
Well I am pretty impressed with the units build quality and I was wondering if anyone had any bad experiences with the unit thus far. I have heard about broken valves on the Stihls, Broken fans on th EB8510's, and short life requiring rebuilds on the EBZ8001's. I have not heard anything negative regarding the EB802 so I am for now assuming that the design is very durable. Echo's PB755 also seems to have a very reliable history as well with peoples only complaint being its lack of power.
 
#7 ·
Well I am pretty impressed with the units build quality and I was wondering if anyone had any bad experiences with the unit thus far. I have heard about broken valves on the Stihls, Broken fans on th EB8510's, and short life requiring rebuilds on the EBZ8001's. I have not heard anything negative regarding the EB802 so I am for now assuming that the design is very durable. Echo's PB755 also seems to have a very reliable history as well with peoples only complaint being its lack of power.
The broken impeller fan of the older EB8510 were being recalled and covered under warranty (there is a bulletin on the Shindaiwa website). I have one of those also. It's a bigger blower with a shorter tube than the EB630. However, since the EB630 has the longer tubing, I get more spot-on control. On the down side the EB8510 is easier to work with in tighter spaces. I would think that the new EB802 would be the best of all worlds. Do the new ones always start by the second pull(like the EB630's)?
 
#8 ·
Just used mine in 20 degree temperature and it was 2 pulls from cold as always. Once in a while it has started on one pull.
 
#10 ·
Mictrik,

What factors did you consider when you chose the EB802 over the EB8520?
What lead you to finally pick the EB802?
Well, first off i did not consider the 8520 for a few reasons. The first being availability at the time. Secondly I limited myself to 2 cycle technology because of its simple tried and true design. Third, I believed (and still believe) that the units power to weight ratio was fantastic compared to the competition and lastly (though i was already resigned to buying the EB802) I found one brand new in the Box for 400.00 on the nose tax and all... So it was an easy decision. When I was first looking I thought i would buy a PB755 then i thought that it was not as comfortable compared to Redmax and Shindaiwa. After I excluded the Echo I was between the EBZ8001 and the EB802. The comfort, thought of greater longevity and price made me pull the trigger on the EB802. I have the EB802RT and where I live no landscaper wants the tube throttle version so dealers will sometimes heavily discount rather than have it sit around; that was fine by me... The Redmax ebz8001 was also very impressive both in terms of performance and comfort. i have compared the eb802 a number of times with a landscapers 8001 and in the beginning the 8001 seemed stronger but after a few months during fall leaf season the two were hard to tell apart in terms of performance. It seems the EB802 takes longer to "break-in" then most 2-cycles I have owned. The EB8520 may be as some say more powerful than the 8001 or 802 but i am still not ready to embrace the little 4 cycle. I believe more moving parts more points for potential failure though I am sure that the latest BR600'S (Magnum) and eb8520's are improved and very reliable. Echo has a new EB770 to be released soon and unless I needed a blower pronto would consider that unit if I was buying at this time; I see that it is currently for sale on some European sites.
A word on Power: All of the manufacturers inflate their numbers and Shindaiwa was at first very inflated. So the CFM and MPH numbers are just bogus and I would all but forget them. Engine displacement can give a rough idea of overall power but again the number has to be correct and it will only be a rough idea. The eb802 is claimed to be 79cc where as the ebz8001 is claimed to be 71.9cc. They are the same in terms of power once broken in with an edge to the Redmax if anything. You would not expect that if you look at the numbers. There is only one spec that is consistent with this finding and that is the HP rating. The EBZ8001 is claimed to develop 4.4Hp while the EB802 is claimed to develop 4.2. Now there are other variables like fan efficiency and tube design that may flow more usable air at greater speed with equivalent power applied by the engine. The EB802 and Redmax seem to have the same size tubes. For all this long winded explanation the bottom line is that real world comparison is the only way for the customer to test these units for power. The landscape industry could use a magazine that tests this equipment without bias but i doubt that will happen anytime soon.
Lastly, it is my opinion that build quality of the EB802 is truly top notch for a product built today. I am expecting a very long usable life cycle from it and this is why i made this thread as I wanted to see just how these units were fairing in the wild and so far I have not heard of any failures.
 
#11 ·
I purchased a shindaiwa t242x in September '09 . I have used it commercially, but considering that I am a beginner commercial user and that you dont use line trimmers very much during winter time, we will see truly how well the t242x does in a month or two. So far I think its a wonderful purchase and I might buy an 802 in the next couple of months. Im searching for a backpack blower and havnt quite made my decision over which I like best. The t242x starts on the 4th pull and when it was 20* outside started on 5th. No complaints whatsoever. This machine does everything I could want and fulfills all of my expectations. I also want to add that I also have an Echo srm-225 w/I start(both the trimmers have the ez reload heads, which are simply awesome although I think shindaiwas head is better). Both trimmers have been exceptional and I would buy either of them again.:usflag::usflag::usflag:

GOD BLESS AMERICA

p.s . if I left anything out or if you simply want more info about anything let me know.
 
#12 ·
Nobody has mentioned the shoulder straps and the weight. The Shindaiwa EB802 and EB8520 both have the most comfortable blower straps I have ever see. Also the weight is amazingly light on the EB802. I definately agree with Mictrick on being skeptical on the claims of the manufacturers. You just need to run them and then decide for yourself. Most good dealers will let you demo one quick in their parking lot. If you trust the brand, which Shindaiwa definately is a brand one can trust, and you like the power and the comfort, then your decision is made.
 
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