Hello all, new member here.
I am so happy to find this web site! My 2 month old Absolute 43 worked great until this past week (not constantly, only about 2 dozen bags through it when i am there). When I open the hopper to add pellets it started making the EXACT same grinding noise from the combustion motor fan blade assembly..... THEN it ground itself to a halt, stopping the combustion motor dead (with the fire still brightly burning)! When the tech arrived, a couple of days later, he of course question me (as if I had something to do with this - NO!!). When he took the solid cover off the blade assembly one of the blades had caught (for some unknown reason) and broke most of the way off. As a short term repair (until he will be able to get one in stock), he removed the rest of the broken blade and made sure everything was straight. (He checked in the compartment for any obstruction, and verified no lateral movement with the motor bearings) The absolute started fine (with a minor vibration because of the missing fan blade). THEN, while he was still here, I opened the hopper cover. Guess what..... it is grinding again (but running). I stopped at the dealer and he was skeptical at first, then I told him about this site and people having the same issue with the 43. The owner called the factory while I was in his shop. HARMAN has NEVER heard anything about this issue!! A new blade assembly is on order, any the dealer said he will make it right. My observations: 1) the blade assembly is much more convoluted than any other Harman blade system, 2) there is very little clearance behind the back of the blade and the casting. The blade assembly sits on a collared shaft and tightens with a nut. There is no set screw to move the blade assembly forward.