Nice video, as a 40 year veteran of automotive repair I appreciate the clarity of the presentation. Would be very useful for the non-mechanically inclined.
There should be a class action lawsuit against Honda for this horrible design. I bought this mower brand new and after a couple months the rear wheels started locking up. The Honda dealer told me it's not even covered under warranty and you must have it serviced ever year. I've had them fix this three times and after a couple months the same thing happens. Unfortunately I'm not as mechanically inclined enough to fix it myself. Thanks for the great video!
Definitely a design issue with the bushings and apparently Honda does not communicate with Honda dealers the Lawn Mower Service Bulletin #107 March 2020 that explains how to fix this. Thanks for the comments and good luck.
Your detailed video saved me this past weekend! I've enjoyed my Honda lawn motor and did not want to purchase a replacement mower. Thank you for your time and effort in creating this tutorial video. Oh, and yes, I'm thrilled you had no music in the background!
I had this happen on my Honda 216r. I loosened the self propel cable adjuster, then I sprayed a ton of pb blaster. It warmed like a charm afterwards! I found that the combination of the drive pulley creating friction, and the lack of lubrication caused them to lock up. The ratcheting system is to help push and park the mower of inclines, and the reverse is actually mowing the gear box as well. So all these things have to be accounted for and maintained otherwise it'll be laggy and lock up.
Thanks for all your hard work here. There was a far lot more to this repair than I had anticipated so I will just continue to physically lift the rear of my mower up when I want to pull it backwards.
I had a much newer HRX 217 version of this machine purchased in late 2020 that I had to go through a similar struggle with after less than three years of ownership. I didn't do as thorough of a job as you did, but that whole drive gear setup on mine was completely filled with dirt and corrosion even though I've been pretty diligent about keeping it clean after buying it brand new. I had to clean all parts in that hub, and wiped everything down with anticorrosion oil, and it worked like new. Next time it acts up I'm probably going to follow your lead though and do a full teardown. You'd think there would be a world of difference in the drive system after so many years but it looks almost identical on the current models. Nice to know Honda mower fundamentals never change! 😆 Good machine though, other than that issue I haven't encountered any other problems.
Great job making a video that is easy to follow, has descriptive narration, close ups, and tips to make the job go easier like the magnetic bowl. Many how-to videos have shaky camera work, and useless footage, your video is well done! It's also a treat to see someone working on something without surgical gloves on. That may seem silly, but it irks me when I see people working on stuff that is not toxic with gloves on. That's like wearing a hard hat to get the mail from the mailbox, it's just silly. I used to have a Honda self propelled mower that was a pain to pull backwards, the rear wheels didn't lock up, but they were stiff. I gave the mower away when I got a tractor mower because of a knee injury, my neighbor has it now. I'll give him your channel name so he can look this up and see what kind of a job it would be to work on the drive. Thank you for your efforts making this video, it is really good.
Thank you so much for the kind words! I usually only wear latex gloves when processing peppers like jalapenos, habaneros and ghost peppers. Grease I can get off my hands and I take my contacts out daily, so gloved up for peppers is critical. Thanks for the comments and thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the great video !!! Eventually, if/when, water or moisture, etc., gets in between the bushing and the shaft, this problem will return....So, we have to get used to doing this periodically.... It only goes away forever, if you hardly use your lawn mower and have really short, dead, grass that does not get into that place between the bushing and the axle shaft again...
I’ve performed this service twice, but the problem returns after just one use. I have to continually lubricator. I took the entire shaft out each time and cleaned it to total smoothness. It works only for a short time. This mower is great as long as you only need to go forward.
What are you lubing it with? In my job as a motorcycle mechanic we have the same thing occur a lot on Harley axles in the wheel spacers and we use high temp red grease like you’d use on a wheel bearing. I only did the fix on the mower a couple days ago so I can’t speak to the longevity in this use case but it works great on bikes. Maybe give it a shot. If you’ve got anti seize also that’s another alternative some guys use.
This might be the best instructional video i have ever seen, professionally produced or otherwise. Your job should be teaching others how to make such a great video. Maybe that would be a good topic for a new video. You have mastered this. I do love my Honda mower and I am watching your video before I actually need it. I’m also looking at a used one as a backup that has this issue. The best part of the video is I am not straining to hear your instructions over a musical score or other ambient noise. This is wonderful! Please teach others how important this is. I want all future videos I watch to try and achieve the bar you have set so high. Thank you for your diligence and attention to detail.
Your kind words mean a lot to me. I’ve learned from experience that skipping the music and simplifying the process is the most effective way to assist others with fixing their stuff. I’m still on a learning journey and striving to improve. Thanks for the comments!
Thank you so much for your video!! Our Honda lawnmower wasn't rolling backwards or going forward with the drive handle pulled. My daughter watched your video and got ours FIXED ❤ with her fixing it along with new wheels, sparkplug, air filter and now waiting for the new pull to come ( it's getting weak) so just get it done before it won't retract 😂 our mower is like brand new!! 🎉🎉😊 Thank you again!!!❤
Using your video guidance I’m going to be doing this repair for my neighbor - approximately how long would you allow from start to finish (excluding tea-breaks) ? This will help to plan when I make a start on the job - thanks again.
Thank you sir, this allowed me to perform this exact fix on my Honda. Took a few rewatches, a few times putting the sprockets on backwards (despite the warnings), but its a grand new machine!
Thank you very much! I am about to retire this mower due to another issue. Check back soon and see the final video on this Honda mower. Thanks for the comments.
Thank you so much! Very informative and it fixed my mower! I originally was trying to fix my rear wheel drive not working and this did it with a new belt. P.S. the belt was not a easy replacement where it connects to my transmission. A tip that I did was, I got new snap rings from harbor freight, it came with a big assortment, and I replaced the snap rings right before the wheels go back on. The whole sprocket and washers fell off inside the dust cap luckily the first time I mowed after the fix, because the original snap rings were lose and wore out.
Great video! I’ll be saving this video because I’ll be doing this job this weekend. Replacing trans, gears and all new wheels. Having continued problems with the back wheels locking up so I’m just replacing everything. Still way cheaper than a new Honda!
Great video, this helped me out immensely. The main issue I had is in regard to those snap rings (called circlips here in Australia) but the circlip/snapring pliers we have here were too large to fit the holes making it incredibly difficult to remove. I ended up having to grind down the nose of the pair I have just to fit, but it took many many many attempts. Great tip about putting the gear in backwards too, I did it the wrong way the first time and found the mower would not self propel, the wheels would turn in the air, but not under their own weight. It wasn't until I re-watched this video that I realised I had them in backward and now it goes along great.
I think you forgot the inner c-clip when assembling the rear axle. One clip/washer is on the inside of the ratcheting gear... and one washer/clip is on the outside ! Here's an easier way to do the job. 2 sawhorses. Shut the fuel off at the side of the engine and/or remove fuel from the tank. Invert the mower. Upside down ! 4 bolts, remove the cover from the transmission. Having the cover off makes it very easy to remove/install the spring and the clip for the wheel control. At that point, you don't need to pull the big plastic retaining structure underneath ! Remove both wheels and etc from each side. On the 'long side' of the axle (opposite the gearbox), remove the c-clip on the inside of the frame and then remove the height adjuster. The gearbox and axle will lift out then. Insert the new axle, then remove the cover from the transmission. Put the spring and control cable on... then reinstall the cover. Easy peasy. Put the gears/wheels back on. Set the mower back on it's tires. Wait half an hour for the oil to go back to the crankcase. Check it and mow away.
Very good instructions and reference for reassembling but the problem is when the worn out bushes are rusted and seized in the adjuster housing it's a problem to get them out, just order a new set.
There are dots on the sprockets that have to face right when viewed from behind the mower. This is also the time to inspect and/or replace the lubricant in the transmission.
Very good video with excellent explanations of disassembly/assembly of the mower components as well as solution to problem. Great camera work as well. One of the best, if not the best, DIY videos I've seen. Thank you.
To keep the problem from reoccurring you need to add an additional dust seal on the outside of the adjuster. The lack of a dust seal allows the bushing area to get dirty way too quickly in dusty environments.
@@CarveTools They completely redesigned it for the HRN series. But to answer your question... No Honda is exiting the lawn mower business next year. Sucks cause besides this ONE flaw their mowers are excellent. Take care!
Great video , I watched the first one, but I’m glad I watched this one . This job looks to in-depth for my mechanical skills. I think I’ll take it to a repair shop ..
I got one of these on craigs list for $80 that had a rough reverse but instead of disassembling I just kept spraying the axel bushings with PBlaster after every use and gradually it loosened up.
Thank you!!! That spring loaded key makes a big deal if its orientation isnt the same as when it came off! I figured it out finally. Thx for this vid! helped a bunch!
I finally fixed my mower . It wasn’t the shaft, it was the self propelled cable which engages the drive was to tight. I backed off to the point where it was barely pulling. As the belt heated up the drive functions normally
Great video Dave! I own 2 of the HRX217 nexite deck models. Sad to hear from other commentors this is a perpetual issue. I have experienced this with both of my units. I wash my deck out with a hose after each day as I use them in my business. I need to keep these areas dry now I see. Clean with air instead of water as much as I can keep water out of wheel area. I have a hard time remembering what goes where putting back together uhg.
@carvetools, Thank you so much for helping me do this. I do not have a strong (read "any") background in repair or mechanical work; your clear instructions were invaluable.
Thanks so much for a very nice detailed video how to fix. My brother in law gave me his because he was fed up with it. I probably spent more time than expected dealing with the freaking broken Circlips on the back side of both bushing bracets. And all the circlips are so frustrating. I bought a big set at Harbor Freight. I also replaced my nearly broken belt and sharpened blades while I was at it. Putting the underneath cowling almost stumped me getting the Tnut back in where the hex head goes in. I taped it to a long offset punch and got it in. Changed, oil, fresh fuel with a little Gumout. Adjusted the smart cable. After running a few minutes both wheels finally can roll backwards okay. I was wondering if it was or not until I ran it a minute. Eta, did I say D@#$ them circlips!
Also I added a washer on the inside of each axle seal and a small screw drive hose clamp behind the washer all just a tad loose from the seal to keep the seal in place.
This a very nice video and much appreciate that it was put together. However, you should’ve probably noted that there was actually a recall on the drive shaft bushing. It was not the correct size from the factory. Everything mentioned in this video should be done, however the bushing should be replaced with the new, properly sized part as part of the process.
While under warranty I took this mower to my local Honda dealer and they could not repair it. I am guessing a TSB was not available at the time I first had the wheel lockup issue. Picked it up from the repair shop and I tore it down to find and fix the problem. It was registered with Honda and unfortunately, I never got a recall notice. Thanks for the comments!
@@CarveTools Yeah, that makes sense. The first time I brought mine in there was not a TSB either. I continued to have issues after that, so I brought it in several more times over the course of a year or two. The 4th time I brought it in, there was a TSB about the bushing and they did the replacement. Even after that, I continued to have the same rear wheel lockup issue and brought it in a 5th time and they replaced the bushing yet again. Currently my wheels don't lock up, but it doesn't roll back as easily as it should. I think I definitely need to do what you did and take it apart and clean everything, despite the bushing being the correct one now. Thanks again for the video!
Just got a 80 dollar Honda from market place and guy was like you are aware that it doesn't roll in the back I said I will fix this mower between the much easier way that it starts and I have never had a horrible experience with a Honda and everything is very good sometimes issues arise but the parts are all available and the cost is not close to what they get for new one in 2024 😢
Someone asked below about why the wheels have a hard time and/or stop going backwards. The reply, I do not agree with, being dirty drive mechanism? Dirt does not affect any drive mechanism only one-way. My first suggestion is to make sure you are using original honda belt (brown), the belt seems to be covered with some kind of fabric material?, this is by design to reduce friction on the pulleys when the drive is not engaged. If for some reason you ended up with the regular non-honda black rubber vbelt, then the belt has too much grip\friction on the pulleys, and when you pull backwards, it is binding on the pulleys and the guide brackets as well, causing the wheels to stop or very hard to spin going backwards. A simple test also, is to remove your belt from the pulleys and then spin your wheels backwards to see if they spin freely. If they do spin freely, then your belt is the problem. It's that simple. When spinning your wheel, lift the whole back end up so that the other rear wheel is not on the ground. If the wheels do not spin backwards when the belt is off, then it could be the bushings or the transmissions inner workings? I's hard for me to believe that the axle bushing are the problem, if they were, the issue would also happen going forwards and not just backwards. If the belt is old and is an original honda belt, maybe the fabric coating is worn out and causing the rubber underneath it to catch too much friction on the pulleys Also check the cable tensioner to the tranny and loosen it a bit for testing the wheel spin. Thanks for the great video! Hope these additional tips will help someone also.
Ruben Rivera - Thank you for pointing this belt as another issue.. I never thought of that.. Thank you.. What I can say is that after just cleaning out those 2 rear wheel bushings, the mower now moves so much easier backwards than before. So this bushing issue must have a certain amount of effect, when it is full of dirt, grass, etc., and yes, it only happens when the mower is pulled backwards... Then, after a few mows, this pull back hard when going backwards issue comes back... I will go out and look at the belt under there - it is the Original belt that came with the mower and see if I can apply your advice to it.. Thanks again, for bringing this up !!!
@@frandanco6289 Please let us know what you find out. It's still hard to believe that dirt and junk would affect the wheels in reverse only, that is just not logical is it? My belt is somewhat on the loose side when it is not engaged, I think this keeps the friction to the pulleys at a minimum. I noticed that when I tighten the cable, the harder it gets to rolling backwards. I'm guessing the the belt\pulley friction increases just enough to affect it. So far, I have mowed 4-5 times since, and all seems to be running fine. 8/7/22
The reason this is only a problem when pulling back is that, because of the ratcheting mechanism in those small gears that drive the wheels, when pushing forwards the axle is not turned, (which is why you hear that clicking noise).
A few years ago I read where you spray the piss out of both axles and wheels with WD40 and it will free things up. OK, I have to spray it occasionally, but better than disassembling every time.
I have an old hona mower, for me it was old hard grease on a part of the drive shaft that has little splines that pop out when its turned in a certain direction and fold in when reversed, kinda like the folding lugs on a pull start mechanism, i took it apart, cleaned and new grease and never had a problem with that since.
Great an very well presented. Still not sure if I am going to tackle it. My rear wheels are haven't locked up yet. but takes more energy to pull it backwards. Thanks
That is how it starts out when pulling backwards. I have no idea how many of these mowers have this issue, but it seems to be very common. Thanks for the comments.
I've replaced every single part of the drive system on my barely 3 yr old HRR21611VKAA ... new gears, wheels, bushings (replaced the entire axle holder assembly), belt. The only part between the engine and the dirt that I didn't replace is the transmission itself, but I opened it up and replaced the oil, gears looked fine, shafts had no play, seemed fine. It worked maybe a month before it started locking up again. I've wasted hours on this mower and spent nearly $150 in parts. The idea that the entire transmission should spin in reverse when pulled is a flawed notion. My 10+ yr old Toro Super Recycler has rocking pawls inside the gears that actively disengage the rear wheels when the transmission isn't pushing them. They fully freewheel instead, no drag at all -- a MUCH better design.
My HRR216 is about the same age and I have done everything you have done plus installed a new transmission (only because honda says that it is the only way to replace the axle) and after awhile it still locks up. This time I',m going to replace the drive pulley. The belt has to go around this when you pull back. This is it I have nothing else to replace. (the pulley hasn't come in yet,I had to order it). Contrary to most who try to fix this ,it is recommended NOT to use grease on these parts as it will collect debris . I am baffled by this one because I bought this mower brand new and remember it pulling back just fine....for a couple of years.
Add a dust seal to the wheel side of the adjuster. It will help a lot. Honda should have included this $0.10 seal from the factory originally. You’ll need a little epoxy to hold it in place.
Thank you great job hosting. I have mine apart now while it’s all apart should the axle turn in the transmission because mine does not move at all. I’m getting ready to sand down the edges of the shaft and put it back together just wanna make sure I’m not missing anything thank you great video
Mine locked up cause I used a hose to give it a rinse off from top to bottom. Next time I used it the wheels are locked up. Just get some spray lube that will penetrate and turn your mower sideways. Spray the back wheels and let sit for 5 minutes. Turn it on the other side and do the same. No roll your mower backwards till it frees up. You may have to reapply if its really stuck like mine was. It should work, try this first before taking everything apart. Spray it again when you put your mower away.
I did everything in this video and my HRR216 will either lock up or be stiff as heck while pulling backwards. I'm thinking my problem may be transmission related because I've got everything adjusted correctly.
I have the same mower and same problem. Honda had a "unpublished recall" on this very problem. I took mine to the Honda mower dealer and he had never seen the recall. They said the replaced the shaft, but it's now doing the same thing as before. It's a very bad design from Honda on this model and some others I'm sure for the rear wheel lock up. Very good video, but what's to stop it from happening again? Nothing in my opinion. I will not be buying another Honda mower, there are others with twin blades now.
Since my first video I have not had any further issues. I did this one to show in detail how I fixed it for good. The bushings are not the proper size and probably not the correct material. Thanks for the comments!
I sprayed garage door pulley lubricant between the axle and bearing and the axle rotated again. Not sure how long this will last, but it look 2 minutes
Wow. an awful amount of work and out of range for a home grown DIY like myself. I sprayed some WD-40 on to the axles and it worked. Even goes forward a lot easier. Maybe try that before this!
Don’t buy their cheap snap rin pliers. Get the more expensive ones. The snap rings are quite stiff. Make sure you use the tips that fit exactly in the holes of the snap rings. Using the smaller tips can result in the the tips breaking.
After owning Toro mowers for years with no problems, I talked myself into a Honda unfortunately. They make the best small engines but why can't they make a good mower. I've had the wheel lock up since brand new which became the first of many irritating problems with this thing. Transmission locked up after 1 month, dealer charged me $25 for warranty repair as of course not all parts are warrantied. Bagger leaks accross the top so I have to stuff a rag to keep grass from flying out. Not impressed Honda, never again
Thanks for the video. Great help. I am a 70 year old granny, and I just replaced one rear tire of my Honda mower. I think I did it pretty well, although I did not know that I should grease any parts. What exactly is used to grease parts? Is it Vaseline? Thanks so much.
Same thing happened to my Honda mower after about 4-5 years of use. Terrible design by Honda who is supposed to be a top of the line lawn mower manufacturer. I’m not taking the time to disassemble the entire rear transmission to “band aid” a problem that will only happen again. Adios Honda. You just lost a customer.
Hey, there. Great video. Thanks for sharing the information. Quick question: so is the issue of the wheels locking up with dirty bushings? Is that the primary goal: clean out the bushings? Or does the shaft also HAVE to be sanded down? My plan is to do both anyway, but just curious what the specific thing is that causes the wheels to lock up. Again, thanks for the video.
The issue are the undersized bushings and when they get dirt in them it makes it even worse. Honda issued service bulletin #107 which replaces both rear wheel bushing/adjuster arm assemblies but never bothered to notify registered owners of the problem. My local Honda dealer and repair shop never heard of it. Thanks for the comments!
@CarveTools damn!! Wish I'd seen that bulletin BEFORE I cleaned mine out and reinstalled them. I actually did contact Honda a few years back while I was still under warranty, and they didn't mention a Damm thing about this being a known issue. Still, thanks for the helpful video.
And this is exactly why I buy mine from a dealer repair shop ....lol.... Put it on the bench and do a good job guys, or it'll be back .... I'm going for a coffee ... Lol..... 🤣
If this is truly the fix and the bushings are just rusted to the shaft, wouldn't you have the same problem pushing it as well as pulling it? In self propelled mode or not?
When the shaft is binding, the gearbox/transmission turns reverse when pulling backwards. When pushed forward the rear wheels ratchet and has no drag. Hope that makes sense.
I just spray WD40 into the opening in the transmission and where the axles go through the bushing. It frees up the wheels to roll backwards. If I mow wet grass it always locks up the next time I use it.
Great video, I watched the original. Just rebuilt mine for the 2nd time with new drive grears, springs and keys. It was all wore out, wouldn't drive, roll back, nada. Question. Did you swap your rear adjuster assemblies over? Your rear wheels looks about 8 inches further back than mine. And if so, does that work better?
Thank you SO much! But Gaack! In my younger days I enjoyed wrenching. Now not so much. Have you ever heard snap rings referred to as "Jesus clips"? 😄 (I do not mean to offend anyone - it's just shop slang)
Hmm...I have an HRR216 2018 low miles, self propel mower with GCV160. Cuts great but wheels do lock up 80% of the time. NOW here is the interesting question. I put in new honda factor transmission w new axles but only briefly cleaned the bushings that have seals. I used some brake clean on a rag and a drop of grease on bushings but.....still rear wheels lock! What do you recommend??
Kind of the same issue and that's why I tore my Honda down to see what was causing the problem. I don't know of another way to fix it. So far, it's still working after the first fix. Thanks for the comments.
All this work!!! To just find out that thats not my issue! Did not worked for me, shaft is smooth and greased up, no reason to sand it, half a day wasted on buying tools and removing 200 parts just to find out its not the issue of wheels locking up. 😒🤕😵💫
What size snap ring pliers did you use? I bought the pair Home Depot sells, which have a 0.070” diameter tip, but they’re too big. I can’t find anywhere that says the diameter of the snap rings used on the Honda mowers.
I have only used Anti Seize on threads like spark plugs, nuts and bolts. I used marine wheel bearing grease but probably any grease would work. Thanks for the comments!
I have basically that same mower. My problem is, the self-propel works for a good 50 steps, but the back wheels lock up randomly while it’s moving forward causing the mower to instantly stop, and then I walk into the back of the hand rail. And it feels like getting punched in the gut! I hate it. But I kind of push and pull the mower and everything works again, for about another 50 steps….then POW! Locks up and I get punched in the gut. Any idea what could be causing that? But man, I really don’t want to disassemble that the way you did. I don’t have the right tools, nor the patience.
I figured it out. My “wave” washer was mangled into 5 pieces and was in the wheel housing just rolling around and would intermittently get lodged in the gears. Took out the 5 pieces and works well. But….I didn’t replace the wave washer. What will happen?
Are the bushing supposed to be "locked" in place inside the hub? both my bushing come out and go back in snugly. Ordered 2 replacement bushing. I could not get the new bushings into the hub. I am assuming i got the wrong bushing unless I need to press them into place?
