What year was this machine made in? Ballpark guess is OK.
I personally think $170.00 for a piece of plastic with a rod through it is certifiably INSANE. The manufacturers have to be doing this with full intention that they fail and so that people will not pay the outrageous prices for the replacement parts.
Which is why I have told my wife NO MORE MACHINES WITH PLASTIC GEARS. Not even another Bernina.
And some might last 35 years, but others don't. The feed dog gears died on my wife's Singer 538 in less than 10 years of use. Since then they've been replaced twice more. PLASTIC = JUNK.
Joe