G4 upper arm replacement

[robinnest]

RBI is sending me a new upper arm for my 3wk old G4 demo I got at OP,KS wood show. Does anyone have any guidance or help in changing the arm? Or is it a simple process?

[Rolf]

What happened to the original?
1. I would ask RBI to send you some instructions.
2. Measure the distances between the arms at the back of the saw before taking it apart.
3. Take pictures of the assembly before taking it apart.

[workin for wood]

Rolf's advice sounds great to me. What's pkp? You put it in the back of a pickup and put a strap over the top of the arm? Seems like it would take a heck of a lot of pressure to bend or damage that top arm, that baby is solid.

[Scroll'ng Dave]

I'm curiuos to know what happened in the first place as I'm thinking of getting a Hawk myself?

[workin for wood]

Well Dave, I've had several problems with my Hawk, but it was a first year run machine. Supposedly the kinks are out of it now. There's a metal plate at the back for decoration, well the plate covers the access hole to the spring. New machines no longer have that plate there so I'm told. The spring keeps breaking over time, I'm now instructed to not fully tighten the screws that hold the spring in, just put a drop of nail polish on the screw so it doesn't vibrate out of hole due to not tightening it all the way. When new springs arrive, I'll find out if that works eventually, although I have my doubts.

The lower blade holder slides under a set of fingers. Over time, the fingers break. I'm told the problem has been rectified by upgrading the quality of aluminum used in the new fingers.

Originally plastic blade holders were used. Over time from constant tightening of screw, they would seperate, but this was solved some time back with aluminum blade holders.

There's problems with the switch. Supposedly it's just a problem of dust getting in behind the key and is solved by removing key once in a while and blowing out dust. I found this did work.

Customer service is great, although it can be difficult finding a service tech to talk to and they don't seem to call you back. I was recently dissapointed. I finally got in touch with one for replacement parts. 6 yr warranty, so that's a bonus, but now I'm told after 1 yr the parts are free but shipping is not. They billed me 6.95 to ship a couple springs and the lower finger assembly, which would easily fit in a $2 envelope.

Don't get me wrong, I do like the saw. It has great performance and capacity. I'm just saying it has issues all the way around. I'm sure they are no more or less than anyone else that sells good saws.