Another Old Ryobi Tool

[Jim Frye]

This is about a 30 year old Ryobi sidewalk edger attachment. It's not broken....yet, but it's getting close. The cast aluminum housing has been ground away from years of use. Look at the one bolt/nut at the front. They are almost half ground away. I'm not sure how to fix this one so it lasts much longer.

I received a new edger attachment for Father's day and it certainly works as well or better than its predecessor. However, there seems to be a serious design flaw in it. The wear surface is a plastic covering over a steel plate frame/chassis. The wear point is already showing after two uses. I'm trying to figure out how to attach a wear plate to this one.

[Jim Frye]

A bit of interesting side note. I contacted Ryobi customer support about the design of the new edger and how it causes undo wear on the plastic part. It hasn't gone very well. My questions apparently don't fit their scripts and they have been trying to get me to provide purchase documentation so they can register my edger for warranty purposes. They have completely ignored the fact that I registered it the day I bought it and it is listed on the Ryobi website in my list of the dozens of tools I've registered over the last decades. I understand how "well" offshored customer support works, but it's frustrating that they won't transfer the request to someone at Ryobi that is actually connected to the product. I continue to try to figure out how to mount a steel wear plate on this edger. More to follow.

[Jim Frye]

Received a response from Ryobi's customer support stating they would forward my questions on to product development. Meanwhile, I'm still working on a DIY solution.

[Jim Frye]

I found a steel mending plate in the junk box in the shop that is an exact fit for the area at risk. I have bent it to shape and will use some JB Weld to bond the plate to the plastic part. I will give Ryobi a few days to respond before I press on with my fix.

[Jim Frye]

Decided to go ahead with my repair instead of waiting for a response from Ryobi development. I bent the mending plate to follow the curve of the plastic and scuffed both mating surfaces with 80 grit sandpaper. I mixed up some JB Weld and buttered both surfaces. I clamped the plate in place for a few hours. It may be some time before I use it due to the severe drought we have here.

[LCHIEN]

probably better than new!

[twistsol]

I don't believe that is intended to be a wear plate. If you adjust the wheel to a lower position, you should be able to get it to where the area you are concerned with just hovers over the pavement you are edging. I have the same model and after 5 years there is very little wear on it and I edge about 360' of sidewalk and paved path every other week. I do like your solution

[Jim Frye]

Yes, if you are somewhat tall, it's really easy to make contact with the concrete regardless of the depth setting. Also, there is no guide flange to help you guide the tool in use. This makes it easier to put the plastic part n the surface being edged. The original was better in that regard.

[capncarl]

We have a simular Ryobi sidewalk edger, 40 volt. 2 rear wheels. The wife prefers this one over the weed eater atachment like yours because she dislikes having to tote it around. I see the same problem with hers, the bottom of the bearing housing is wearing. I see the cause of wear is twofold. 1 the pitifully short blade wears a bit and the operator has to gouge the machine against the concrete to continue cutting. When this happens, ( 2)the metal keel is forced deeper and requires additional force and is shoved harder into the concrete. The workaround I have used is to replace the flat bar style blade with 9” triangular style blade. This type blade last longer before it requires the force pushing the aluminum housing against the concrete.

[JamesDean19]

Works fine but not built to last like the old Ryobi gear. You might be able to extend its life by screwing or riveting a small stainless or brass wear plate over that high-contact spot.

[Jim Frye]

Second picture in post #5

[capncarl]

It’s not intended as a contact point. The blade is small and wears out as fast as butter on a hot pan and the operator (Jim) forces it against the sidewalk to make it work!