That mower is the same age as mine, but I've got the HR 215. With maintenance it's been a two pull start for 32 years & it still looks great! Helpful instructional video.
Yep, I have a HR215 HMA, a HXA and multiple SMA models that I've acquired over the years that family and friends all bought off of me. My all time favourite is the HR195 SXA 3 speed unit b/c it is a smaller size that is more suited to urban sized lawns. The most fancy one I have is the electric start HR215 in the dark grey (last generation masters series) with hydrostatic drive and that thing is a BEAST!
Thanks for the demo, your work is splendid. From the looks of your mower’s assembly, I suspect the procedure is similar for my ancient Honda HR 194 as well. Looking forward to giving it a go to fix my trusty old friend!
Love the old Hondas . I have a HR194 with the roller , it cuts like a dream when i first got it the mower would die when you engaged the clutch blade, then it would not restart .Turned out to be a duff plug breaking down when hot.
I am actually the 2nd owner of this mower BUT the original owner hardly used it because of their health issues so the mower sat mostly unused for its entire life. Since I took ownership of it over 15 years ago I have been EXTREMELY careful with it to not bang it around or scrape it against anything. I treat my power equipment like my cars... with extreme utmost care. I won't even do the first most in the spring on my lawn for fear of rocks and lawn debris damage. I hire out the first most and let someone else's mower take the abuse first... As weird as this might sound I've waxed the mower to protect its finish... neurotic behaviour of mine ;)
How do you keep your lawnmower so clean for 25 years? Looks like new. Great job! Good detail video . You can be greatest teacher or a talk show host. Very good radio voice. Thank you.
How do I keep them so clean? You haven't seen nothin' from me yet... my mower since the making of this video had a makeover and looks like I just purchased it from the FACTORY. The paint is more or less flawless and I've amped up some of the factory accessories I purchased years ago but never bothered installing due to being too busy. I really take insanely good care of my stuff. If you look in some of my other videos you'll see a mint 30 year old Honda car in my garage too that is 98% factory mint. Respect your equipment and it will serve you well!
I just bought a hr 214 yesterday. Only issue i am seeing is when engaging the blades it bogs the motor down and takes a while until blades come on. Would doing this fix my issue? Thanks
Excellent job of using sand paper to resurface the clutch/brake parts and explanation of what the clutch does. You have done a superior job of maintaining this mower! Master Series? I have an HR215 SMA that looks identical to yours, only electric start. Do I have a "Master" series model? Thanks!
yeah the Honda The HR215SMA is part of the masters series. Tell tale sign is blade brake clutch and aluminum deck. Electric start and self propelled were options depending on what model you have. Since your is a SMA that mean 3 speed, electric start. I'm betting yours was from roughly between 1990-1992?
have you tried using some penetrating oil and a bit of heat from a torch (exercise extreme caution) to free them up? Yeah I'm anal about my mowers... they will likely last until I die.. I wash and wax them as needed :)
Thanks for the tip. Finally got them off using a set of bolt grip sockets, which have a spiral groove inside that bite into the damaged nut. Even then on one of the bolts had to grind off the flange. My Honda is a hand-me-down from my dad who badly neglected it for years. Recently bought a new mower which made me realise how much more awesome the 30 yr old Honda is. My HR194 has electric key start with battery charge circuit, shaft drive with metal gearbox, and the roto-stop blade clutch, none of which the brand new mower has - despite costing $1000. They don't make em like they used to. Any suggestions on reducing smoke on cold start? common issue on these engines I think.
Yeah the new mowers in my opinion suck. This is why I've owned as many as 7 of the old masters series mowers. 2 of the 7 mowers I've kept for myself selling off the other units to family members that wanted something well made. Good to hear you got the rusted bolts off the blade. The HR194 is a workhorse and has a very good (albeit a bit underpowered) GXV120 engine in it. Still nonetheless an awesome piece of machinery. To reduce the smoke on startup? Make sure you've got a clean air filter and that you're using 10w30 automotive engine grade oil. Preferably synthetic if you really want it to last a long long time. If it continues to smoke on startup then you're not left with much of a choice other than to replace the piston rings and in extremely smoking cases new valves and valve guides which in most cases people would simply put in a newer GXV 140 engine. If the smoking is minimal then don't worry about it. Even my mint condition mowers have a tiny tiny bit of blue on startup and yet they don't actually use ANY oil. Always full even when I used the same oil for 3 years (my bad for using it for that long). If your mower ever dies then the closet match you'll ever find to what you have is the Honda Commercial mower. Uses the same fundamental design but with a heavy gauge steel deck but it does have the same shaft drive transmission, ball bearing supported wheels and a ultra duty GXV160 cc motor so it has a LOT of torque and mows like a dream. I almost had one of those last month brand new but wifey stopped me.
@@piercedasian I'm the same way. I wash and polish mine also. I also buy used Honda mowers on CL and restore and reselll them. Picked up an HRB215 and when I saw the rotor blade stop I went looking for some answers. And that's how I found myself in your company. Thanks Pierce for putting this up your vid was very helpful.
Great Video. I have a Sarp SLM5360 HXA Pro. Old style Honda Masters Deck and the new Honda 5.5hp GXV160 engine. At idle she is sweet. At full revs, runs smoothly, but lately before the blade is engaged, one can just hear a sort of shhh noise. As soon as you engage the blade that goes away. The Rotostop works perfectly. So I suspect I may have something like glazing, or the top or bottom rotostop bearings might be starting to Go? I jet wash it frequently, and think I forgot to run her after leaf blower drying last time. I don’t have an impact gun. I thought about using a strap wrench on the flywheel. Pain as I guess I have to remove the Magneto thingy to get the strap around? A friend has an impact gun max 270 Nm ... yikes. He says I could buy an air reducer valve , circa £11 to tame it. I thought about the damage high torque could do to that keyway. Then thought, hey if the crank is not held, the impact gun could actually be “kinder to the crank” my thoughts being the impacts could “break the grip” before applying twisting torque on the wooddruff key? Am I right? Alternatively could I use an Air Ratchet with a max torque of 95 Nm, very carefully and the air speed reducer to make it less potent. Or am I defeating my logic explained above? Would an air ratchet, albeit with a lower max torque, be more damaging because the torque is between you and the nut on a Air ratchet , whereas the impact gun effectively taps it around, so fast its against the dead weight of the crank; and hopefully breaks the bolt to shaft bond, before the torque is even transmitted to the keyway? Any views? Ref tightening it up. Can this be done manually?, and rather than strap the flywheel, could I use the top Flywheel special nut to hold the crank ? On mine that should be done up to 70-80 Nm , which is lower than the torque people say the bottom brake bolt should be (circa 39 Nm?). My thoughts being I should get the bottom bolt to 39Nm well before I get near the top crankshaft special nut’s 70 Nm. Or does it not work like that? Any comments much appreciated ... and as you guessed I know nothing about engineering.
Sounds like a bearing issue indeed. Get that replaced asap before someone gets hurt or the equipment gets damaged. As for what tool to use to remove? use the impact gun and just hit the trigger briefly to break the bolt loose and do the same to put the bolt back in plus maybe a few quick pulls to the trigger. If you're quick and gentle it won't do any damage. My impact gun will EASILY crank out 650+ ft lbs and I use it to fix big and small jobs all the time with no issues. Its how you use the tool that is the most important. Using a flywheel strap holder is of course the best with a torque wrench but that takes time and can be awkward if you don't have a helper to help you hold the flywheel. Keep the fix simple, zip the bolt off to get to the bearings and very gently zip the bolt back on plus a quick "hit" with the impact gun is MORE than enough.
Hi Pierce finally got round to doing this job. I was sent the Shop Manual by Honda. It says to “ Disassemble and reassemble, loosen or tighten the blade holder screw ‘with holding’ the Rotostop lever 55Nm - 40 ft lbs.” I am not sure what it means by “with holding” ... in other places “with actually means by” i.e. ‘by holding’. From what I can see, this is nonsense. If the blade brake lever is not depressed, then the blade holder is restricted by the brake disc, but that does not really help holding the end of the crankshaft? Depressing this Rotostop lever would surely only make things worse, namely the blade holder then would now be totally unrestricted, and still doesn’t hold the crankshaft to assist you locking up that central bolt to 55Nm? Only asking as this is the official Honda shop manual and I wonder if I am missing something? I agree, that Your idea of an impact gun obviously would work, as would my idea of holding the big nut on the other end of the crank ( holding on the recoil starter basket as this should be torqued to 75 Nm.) Love to hear your view on this, as I am a little nervous a out using the impact gun to tighten this bolt. Purely as I have never used one before. I just realised I do have a Makita battery impact driver, which should be a lot more gentle, would you advise an air tool novice to use the battery gun? Thanks Peter
It wasn't me that did the babying, it was the previous owner that did that plus the few times I mowed over some insanely long wet grass which cause the clutch to slip and glaze up even more.
Excellent video. I wonder if the clutch is the issue for my HR215HXC. The blade brake works fine, but when I try to engage the blade, the engine dies, even if I very slowly ease the clutch and with the engine warm and running at top speed.
To clarify, the blade did engage first try ( so cable is intact and blade is able to spin), then I raked up some hedge trimmings before mowing and could not get the blade to engage again. I wonder if the issue may be throttle/carburetor adjustment not happening when load increases upon blade engagement.
The clutch is identical from the HR195 to the HR215 (I own both models and only one spare clutch which means that 20 years ago when I bought the clutch that I knew it would fit either model). When the engine dies when you're engaging the clutch it can mean several things - a seized BBC assembly due to faulty bearings or a bad governor assembly on your motor that isn't allowing the motor to increase throttle when being "loaded" by the blade engagement. An easy test is to take the spark plug out of the motor, have a helper engage the blade clutch bale (the blade engagement handle) and then have you try to rotate the blade. If the blade doesn't budge then you know you've got a seized BBC assembly. If the motor rotates effortlessly then you have a governor/engine related problem. Hope that helps!
Such a helpful video! Thank you. Have two nearly identical mowers both with same engine. One has clutch that is completely worn. Planned to use the one from the spare but cannot for the life of me get the central bolt out! It just turns the whole centre and flywheel on the top.....any suggestions?
you'll need to either use an impact gun to break it free (due to the sudden jolt of the gun) or you'll have to undo the flywheel cover/gas tank and "hold" the flywheel with a banded tool to prevent the flywheel from rotating.
+Patty Garcia I looked at that washer on the cable assembly and I understand what you mean by not being able to get the washer onto the cable end. The washer is actually a one way gripper ring washer. You need to get a pair of needle nose pliers, open up the jaws slightly and the using the tips of the pliers to push on the outer edges of the ring to press it onto the cable end. What happens is the little tiny fingers on the ring will bend and deflect and allow the ring to slide onto the cable end. Since the ring will be a tight fit the cable can't back out b/c the little fingers on the ring are jammed up against the fingers. Does that make sense? It will go on but you just need to serious muscle to push it on. Get a helper to assist.
Good video. It looks as if, after removing the driven plate and exposing three bolt heads, removal of those bolts is what is necessary to access and replace the wheel drive V-belt. Is that correct?
Hi John, Unfortunately I can't say if that is the same way you'd take apart a clutch to gain access to the driver pulley for the transmission. The Honda's I've worked on (the old ones) always had a shaft driven transmission from a PTO shaft on the back of the engine. Which model of Honda do you have that uses the drive belt to drive the tranny? I suspect the newer HRX models?
@@piercedasian Thanks for your reply. The Honda I have is 6-8 years old, a Model HRR216VYA. It features a "dead man" clutch that covers the wheel drive pulley completely. Vaariable walking speed appears to be the result of varying the tension on a belt that goes between the engine shaft pulley and a pulley on the side of the rear axle transfer case. Both pulleys have cages around them to prevent the belt from coming off. The cage around the engine shaft pulley is held by two 10 mm bolts that can't be backed out enough to release the belt. Hence what seems to be the need to remove the entire blade drive clutch assembly. I hope that makes sense. When I saw in your video the three bolts holding the back plate of the blade clutch assembly, I guessed that would be the next step in getting at the hidden pulley. I may just tackle the disassembly you described, and go on with removing the three bolts. (Wish I had an impact driver!)
I would like to see an explanation of how that system actually works. I have one now but when I start it the blade is already turning. With engagement lever back it appears to have slack in the cable.
it is really quite simple how these things work. The when you engage the clutch the bbc assembly "bears down" the drive disc (the solid metal piece) onto the driven disc (the one with the friction material). When you let go of the handle the spring that sits between the 2 above mentioned parts is what disengages the drive disc from the driven disc. If it isn't disengaging then you either have a broken spring or you have a seized bbc where the cable actuates the clutch system. If you take the clutch system apart you'll get a better sense of how things work. Sorry for the not so good explanation but that what I can think of at this very moment.
I ran across your video, nice job. I have a Honda HRC 215 that had been sitting for quite sometime, and I don’t know who has done what to it. But, whenever I start the mower and engage the blades it Boggs down and dies. I have checked to see if anything is wrapped around the blades, but nothing. Could this be a clutch issue as well? Any input would be appreciated. Thanks.
WOW and old school HRC model! I wish I could buy one of those older models. Based on your symptoms it doesn't seem like its the clutch since you're able to get the mower started and it will run without the blade engaged. I suspect that the governor and the carb is where your problems are since it isn't "opening" up the throttle plate as the engine gets loaded up when the blade is engaged. Give the carb a good cleaning, and make sure all the linkages are setup properly and try again. These mowers are remarkably easy to fix and are VERY VERY well made machines that will last a lifetime if you put a bit of effort and care into them.
@@piercedasian I cleaned the carb really well today. The throttle linkage may be where the problem lies. I think someone has worked on it before because they had the idle screw all the way tightened down. Plus, the throttle linkage had been tampered with. They had it rigged up where it was running wide open. I put a new throttle cable on it today too. But yesterday when it was revved up the way they had it, the blades engaged fine. I may need to look into adjusting the cable again.
I know this is an old video, but I have a HR215 that has started to have a bad cut. I have replaced the blade, cleaned the carb, new spark plug and air filter, and it is still missing some blades. The engine starts and runs fine. How would I know if my blade clutch is going bad??
Blade clutches rarely go bad unless they’ve been abused or badly worn out follow the procedure in this video to renew your clutch plate and give it more grip and also make sure the rpm your engine is running at is sufficiently high enough. If the RPMs are slightly low you will negatively impact the quality of the cut.
I got a kubota mower that literally uses almost all the same parts as these Hondas, anyways the bearings were going out on the clutch so i replaced both the bearings put everything back together and now it stays engaged??? I don’t know why I’ve taken it apart a dozen times and can’t figure it out....any ideas?
Ah yes I ran into the same problem as well. Did you install the blade upside down? You may want to change the blade orientation as I sharpened my blade and forgot which way it was supposed to go on and I couldn't figure out what the heck was wrong until I compared it against my other identical mower and realized that the blade was reinstalled the wrong way.
Nice Clean Work. I have a Honda Harmony 215, but when using it the blades Is not moving. I opened but nothing was broken or damaged. What do you think I should do. Thank you and keep up the good work.
The Harmony 215 uses a different and less substantial blade clutch assembly. Have you checked for broken cables? if the cable snapped then the blade would never be able to properly engage. Check that first.
@@piercedasian I have the same harmony 215 HRB215 and the blade works when first started but when it heats up, the mower doesn’t rev up the way it does when it is cold. It is inconsistent, works and then doesn’t and then does. Any ideas?
You have access to an air gun, but I dont...How would you undo the centre nut with a ratchet, since I have to replace the bearing...how to lock the crankshaft?
having access to an air gun is the easiest way to do it otherwise you will need to use a flywheel holder tool (looks like a large strap type wrench to prevent it from turning. Sorry I couldn't offer up any better solutions to your dilemma.
I've HRU216 M2 mower and I've similar but little different issue here. I can't start my mower without pushing blade engaging lever in. It's very hard to pull cord without engaging the blade lever. I don't know is it a problem with clutch assembly? Any idea please.
I have a hunch... did you recently remove the blade to sharpen it and then this problem manifested itself? If yes, then there is a high chance you mounted the blade upside down. I made this mistake once and it is EXACTLY how you describe your symptoms.
you can but you will need to gain access to the flywheel where you use a band wrench to hold the flywheel from turning and then you'll be able to remove the clutch centre bolt. Probably easier to borrow or rent an impact driver to get the bolt off.
are you sure it is an HX model if it is a HR195? The HR195 to my knowledge only came in a PX and 3 speed SX version. HX mowers were available for its larger sibling the HR215 series. If you search for Honda HR195SX you should be able to find the owners manual straight off of Honda's website and it WILL have the manual for the BBC system. I am in the final stages of documenting and publishing a Honda HR195 restoration video where I do an extensive cleaning and part replacement on the SX version of this mower. Bought it off from one of the locals in town and it was in need of some serious external repairs. Will be a good tutorial for you if you're seeking info on how to properly adjust and setup the control cables properly and how replace things like cables and clutch bearings.
@@piercedasian My mistook. It is a 195-KL It's the three speed version. I found a 195PDA manual but that's not a BBC. Current issue is carb work as it starts than stalls 5sec later. Also rope rewinds reluctantly.
@@rfleakage3120 the car is jammed up. The engine on the PDA version vs. the SX (or in your case the KL version - you must be outside of north America?) is the same. Carb cleaning on these models are super easy. It is the high speed jet that is your problem. The rope can be fixed very easily. Unbolt the rope starter (3 bolts) and then spray some penetrating lube spray into the center of the recoil start and work the starter by pulling on the rope (don't disassembly the recoil starter). Get lubricant spray in behind the recoil reel and keep working at it and it will loosen right up and be as good as new. I just did my newly acquired HR195 that had that EXACT problem and it works like new!
@@piercedasian Inside The Beltway; not sure of origin of the KL but it's been local for many years. I'll give the carb and the rope some attention. Thanks.
it is opposite of a motorbike clutch where the motorbike you release the clutch lever to engage it vs. the mower you press in (to pull the cable) to engage it. It isn't the same design as a small motorbike clutch per se but in principle it operates the same way.
Sorry for the long reply but YES I do have video footage that hasn't been edited and published to my channel showing exactly that - clutch bearing failed on one of my mowers and the sound it makes is AWFUL! I'm in the midst of moving garages but once I get settled into my new place that you can be assured that I will be posting the clutch bearing replacement video.
absolutely not. The brake blade clutch system is a safety and convenience feature and to my knowledge there is no way to bypass it. Not sure why you'd want to bypass this feature as I LOVE having the BBC system on my Honda mowers.
Sorry Boliver if you took my answer the wrong way. Your original post didn't mention using it in applications other than for a mower. But to answer your question yes it can be completely removed and the motor be used for something else and no you likely cannot remove the clutch and use the mower without it - I believe the output shaft of the mower that drives the blade is shorter than a normal mower b/c the it has to accommodate the BBC clutch.
I haven't done one on a lawnmower before but if you look up how to replace engine main seal on TH-cam that how its done on a car is fundamentally the same as it is on a little lawnmower engine. Sorry I couldn't help further.
A very well made video thank you very much, I've saved it to my useful playlist. I have a question, my lawnmower is a 20 year old HR2160 with electric start and rear roller. I've kept it clean by hosing out the under side with water. The last time I did this I'm sure i sprayed the water momentarily into the clutch from the side by mistake. When I used it a week later it worked fine but there is now slight squeal when I engage the blade other than that it works fine. Have I caused damage by spraying in the water? Dirt could have got in I guess. Based on your video I was going to take it apart to have a look and clean it but I don't really want to unless I have to, what do you suggest?
sorry for the late reply but no not likely. What you probably did was rust up the driven disk and brake surfaces and you probably left the driven disc (the clutch itself) wet which then results in some squealing and odd noises when you engage the clutch. Just be mindful that the next time you wash the underside of the mower that you really should run the engine to operating temps and engage the blade for at least a few minutes several times in succession to dry things up good before putting them away.
Hey, that was a great video. thanks. The reason I watched this video about the clutch (just wanted to pick your brain if I may) is because I have a used clutch like the one in the video, and I was thinking of using it as a clutch on a home made mini-bike I am going to make for my grand son. Do you think this clutch would be strong enough for use on a 6.5 hp mini-bike?
+Richard Conquer I can tell you now that the clutch itself will likely slip. Extremely wet grass will make the clutch slip and a lawnmower is only 4.5 - 5HP. A 6.5HP motor would tear the clutch to shreds. I strongly advise that you spend the money to buy a comet clutch assembly that is purpose built for go karts and other similar applications.
Ironically I helped someone source our parts for a bar stool go kart so I have some experience with what you're trying to do. The lawnmower clutch definitely will not work. Good luck :)
I am repairing a customers mower and the blade brake is permanently engaged. even if you let go of the bbc handle on the handle bars. the blade does not stop rotating :-(
You likely have two problems with this clutch assembly. The release springs are probably broken in the clutch assembly. Take the centre bolt out as how I've done it in the video and see if there are things that look broken or out of place.
You are correct that it is sealed but I still prefer to cover up things if there is a chance that dirt can get past a seal and ruin the bearing. Just part of my OCD tendencies.
I got a new girlfriend and she had a lawnmower to cut her lawn with with and guess who cuts it now..Fuck me. Any way... this thing ripped last year but I got the blades jammed and the clutch started burning up. This video seem like enough to help me fix it. Thanks....
lol, its a solid mower and absolutely worth every penny to refurbish /repair. If the clutch is jammed chances are you mowed over some twine or string in such a way that it jammed up the clutch system.
Never ever sand like this!!! ALWAYS use a sanding block. It is very important to keep those surfaces as flat as you can so it can mate properly or you will end up glazing the hell out of it again faster. And STOP feathering the cable when engaging the blade. Engage it quickly. It's like riding your clutch in your car. That impact gun is way more than 40lbs and you did over tighten the assembly. There are scratches on the side of the deck so you either lied or are one of those people that live in a perfect world where unicorns roam freely and blow bubbles out of their butt. Lol!
There is zero harm in carefully removing the glaze on the clutch surface. Given how small this clutch is that I hardly doubt there would be uneven clutch grip - I was quite careful in sanding to just remove the glazing. In case you’re wondering how the glazing happened it was because one year my grass was extremely long and it bogged the mower down so much the clutch started to slip which then glazed the friction plate. Yes the impact gun is going to be for sure more than 40 ft-lbs. possibly as much as 70 ft-lbs but that isn’t going to break the bolt on this mower. Lastly I am not sure what you mean my scratches on the deck and unicorns and rainbows but this mower is as original as it is going to get. To this day even after years after making this video the mower looks like it is new - it is normal to expect some scratches it’s almost 30 years old! I have seen newer mowers in FAR worse shape.
That mower is the same age as mine, but I've got the HR 215. With maintenance it's been a two pull start for 32 years & it still looks great!
Helpful instructional video.
Yep, I have a HR215 HMA, a HXA and multiple SMA models that I've acquired over the years that family and friends all bought off of me. My all time favourite is the HR195 SXA 3 speed unit b/c it is a smaller size that is more suited to urban sized lawns. The most fancy one I have is the electric start HR215 in the dark grey (last generation masters series) with hydrostatic drive and that thing is a BEAST!
Great job on the video. You gave tolerance and torque specs. Very appreciated.
You're very welcome!
hands down most comprehensive B.B.C demo on youtube - thanks, great vid
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for the demo, your work is splendid. From the looks of your mower’s assembly, I suspect the procedure is similar for my ancient Honda HR 194 as well. Looking forward to giving it a go to fix my trusty old friend!
HR 194 is the HR 195's little brother. Procedure is fundamentally the same and even the clutch parts are likely identical.
What a brilliant video .........wonderfully presented and super clear photography !!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Excellently explained and filmed. Thanks!
Thanks! You’re most welcome!
Love the old Hondas . I have a HR194 with the roller , it cuts like a dream when i first got it the mower would die when you engaged the clutch blade, then it would not restart .Turned out to be a duff plug breaking down when hot.
Hey I have an old HR215 with that same issue. What exactly is a duff plug? Haven't heard that term before
@@mitchell5126 it's a UK term for bad plug
such a well looked after machine looks so clean!
I am actually the 2nd owner of this mower BUT the original owner hardly used it because of their health issues so the mower sat mostly unused for its entire life.
Since I took ownership of it over 15 years ago I have been EXTREMELY careful with it to not bang it around or scrape it against anything. I treat my power equipment like my cars... with extreme utmost care. I won't even do the first most in the spring on my lawn for fear of rocks and lawn debris damage. I hire out the first most and let someone else's mower take the abuse first... As weird as this might sound I've waxed the mower to protect its finish... neurotic behaviour of mine ;)
How do you keep your lawnmower so clean for 25 years? Looks like new.
Great job!
Good detail video .
You can be greatest teacher or a talk show host.
Very good radio voice.
Thank you.
How do I keep them so clean? You haven't seen nothin' from me yet... my mower since the making of this video had a makeover and looks like I just purchased it from the FACTORY. The paint is more or less flawless and I've amped up some of the factory accessories I purchased years ago but never bothered installing due to being too busy. I really take insanely good care of my stuff. If you look in some of my other videos you'll see a mint 30 year old Honda car in my garage too that is 98% factory mint. Respect your equipment and it will serve you well!
I just bought a hr 214 yesterday. Only issue i am seeing is when engaging the blades it bogs the motor down and takes a while until blades come on. Would doing this fix my issue? Thanks
Excellent job of using sand paper to resurface the clutch/brake parts and explanation of what the clutch does. You have done a superior job of maintaining this mower! Master Series? I have an HR215 SMA that looks identical to yours, only electric start. Do I have a "Master" series model? Thanks!
yeah the Honda The HR215SMA is part of the masters series. Tell tale sign is blade brake clutch and aluminum deck. Electric start and self propelled were options depending on what model you have. Since your is a SMA that mean 3 speed, electric start. I'm betting yours was from roughly between 1990-1992?
Wow your mower is in awesome condition. My 30 year old HR 194 is still going strong but the blade bolts have totally seized.
have you tried using some penetrating oil and a bit of heat from a torch (exercise extreme caution) to free them up? Yeah I'm anal about my mowers... they will likely last until I die.. I wash and wax them as needed :)
Thanks for the tip. Finally got them off using a set of bolt grip sockets, which have a spiral groove inside that bite into the damaged nut. Even then on one of the bolts had to grind off the flange. My Honda is a hand-me-down from my dad who badly neglected it for years. Recently bought a new mower which made me realise how much more awesome the 30 yr old Honda is. My HR194 has electric key start with battery charge circuit, shaft drive with metal gearbox, and the roto-stop blade clutch, none of which the brand new mower has - despite costing $1000. They don't make em like they used to.
Any suggestions on reducing smoke on cold start? common issue on these engines I think.
Yeah the new mowers in my opinion suck. This is why I've owned as many as 7 of the old masters series mowers. 2 of the 7 mowers I've kept for myself selling off the other units to family members that wanted something well made. Good to hear you got the rusted bolts off the blade. The HR194 is a workhorse and has a very good (albeit a bit underpowered) GXV120 engine in it. Still nonetheless an awesome piece of machinery. To reduce the smoke on startup? Make sure you've got a clean air filter and that you're using 10w30 automotive engine grade oil. Preferably synthetic if you really want it to last a long long time.
If it continues to smoke on startup then you're not left with much of a choice other than to replace the piston rings and in extremely smoking cases new valves and valve guides which in most cases people would simply put in a newer GXV 140 engine. If the smoking is minimal then don't worry about it. Even my mint condition mowers have a tiny tiny bit of blue on startup and yet they don't actually use ANY oil. Always full even when I used the same oil for 3 years (my bad for using it for that long).
If your mower ever dies then the closet match you'll ever find to what you have is the Honda Commercial mower. Uses the same fundamental design but with a heavy gauge steel deck but it does have the same shaft drive transmission, ball bearing supported wheels and a ultra duty GXV160 cc motor so it has a LOT of torque and mows like a dream. I almost had one of those last month brand new but wifey stopped me.
@@piercedasian I'm the same way. I wash and polish mine also.
I also buy used Honda mowers on CL and restore and reselll them.
Picked up an HRB215 and when I saw the rotor blade stop I went looking for some answers.
And that's how I found myself in your company. Thanks Pierce for putting this up your vid was very helpful.
Great Video.
I have a Sarp SLM5360 HXA Pro. Old style Honda Masters Deck and the new Honda 5.5hp GXV160 engine.
At idle she is sweet. At full revs, runs smoothly, but lately before the blade is engaged, one can just hear a sort of shhh noise. As soon as you engage the blade that goes away.
The Rotostop works perfectly.
So I suspect I may have something like glazing, or the top or bottom rotostop bearings might be starting to Go? I jet wash it frequently, and think I forgot to run her after leaf blower drying last time.
I don’t have an impact gun. I thought about using a strap wrench on the flywheel. Pain as I guess I have to remove the Magneto thingy to get the strap around?
A friend has an impact gun max 270 Nm ... yikes. He says I could buy an air reducer valve , circa £11 to tame it. I thought about the damage high torque could do to that keyway. Then thought, hey if the crank is not held, the impact gun could actually be “kinder to the crank” my thoughts being the impacts could “break the grip” before applying twisting torque on the wooddruff key? Am I right?
Alternatively could I use an Air Ratchet with a max torque of 95 Nm, very carefully and the air speed reducer to make it less potent. Or am I defeating my logic explained above?
Would an air ratchet, albeit with a lower max torque, be more damaging because the torque is between you and the nut on a Air ratchet , whereas the impact gun effectively taps it around, so fast its against the dead weight of the crank; and hopefully breaks the bolt to shaft bond, before the torque is even transmitted to the keyway?
Any views?
Ref tightening it up. Can this be done manually?, and rather than strap the flywheel, could I use the top Flywheel special nut to hold the crank ? On mine that should be done up to 70-80 Nm , which is lower than the torque people say the bottom brake bolt should be (circa 39 Nm?).
My thoughts being I should get the bottom bolt to 39Nm well before I get near the top crankshaft special nut’s 70 Nm.
Or does it not work like that?
Any comments much appreciated ... and as you guessed I know nothing about engineering.
Sounds like a bearing issue indeed. Get that replaced asap before someone gets hurt or the equipment gets damaged. As for what tool to use to remove? use the impact gun and just hit the trigger briefly to break the bolt loose and do the same to put the bolt back in plus maybe a few quick pulls to the trigger. If you're quick and gentle it won't do any damage. My impact gun will EASILY crank out 650+ ft lbs and I use it to fix big and small jobs all the time with no issues. Its how you use the tool that is the most important. Using a flywheel strap holder is of course the best with a torque wrench but that takes time and can be awkward if you don't have a helper to help you hold the flywheel. Keep the fix simple, zip the bolt off to get to the bearings and very gently zip the bolt back on plus a quick "hit" with the impact gun is MORE than enough.
Thanks for the comment Pierce. Much appreciated.
Hi Pierce finally got round to doing this job.
I was sent the Shop Manual by Honda.
It says to “ Disassemble and reassemble, loosen or tighten the blade holder screw ‘with holding’ the Rotostop lever 55Nm - 40 ft lbs.”
I am not sure what it means by “with holding” ... in other places “with actually means by” i.e. ‘by holding’.
From what I can see, this is nonsense. If the blade brake lever is not depressed, then the blade holder is restricted by the brake disc, but that does not really help holding the end of the crankshaft?
Depressing this Rotostop lever would surely only make things worse, namely the blade holder then would now be totally unrestricted, and still doesn’t hold the crankshaft to assist you locking up that central bolt to 55Nm?
Only asking as this is the official Honda shop manual and I wonder if I am missing something?
I agree, that Your idea of an impact gun obviously would work, as would my idea of holding the big nut on the other end of the crank ( holding on the recoil starter basket as this should be torqued to 75 Nm.)
Love to hear your view on this, as I am a little nervous a out using the impact gun to tighten this bolt. Purely as I have never used one before.
I just realised I do have a Makita battery impact driver, which should be a lot more gentle, would you advise an air tool novice to use the battery gun?
Thanks Peter
Nice video.
Stop babying the clutch when you engaging the blade. That's why you have a glazing effect
It wasn't me that did the babying, it was the previous owner that did that plus the few times I mowed over some insanely long wet grass which cause the clutch to slip and glaze up even more.
thanks. you saved me a lot of time and effort.
Did you just have the Air box/air cleaner off, or did you do something custom to the air cleaner. I don't see the typical air box covering everything.
Excellent video. I wonder if the clutch is the issue for my HR215HXC. The blade brake works fine, but when I try to engage the blade, the engine dies, even if I very slowly ease the clutch and with the engine warm and running at top speed.
To clarify, the blade did engage first try ( so cable is intact and blade is able to spin), then I raked up some hedge trimmings before mowing and could not get the blade to engage again. I wonder if the issue may be throttle/carburetor adjustment not happening when load increases upon blade engagement.
The clutch is identical from the HR195 to the HR215 (I own both models and only one spare clutch which means that 20 years ago when I bought the clutch that I knew it would fit either model). When the engine dies when you're engaging the clutch it can mean several things - a seized BBC assembly due to faulty bearings or a bad governor assembly on your motor that isn't allowing the motor to increase throttle when being "loaded" by the blade engagement. An easy test is to take the spark plug out of the motor, have a helper engage the blade clutch bale (the blade engagement handle) and then have you try to rotate the blade. If the blade doesn't budge then you know you've got a seized BBC assembly. If the motor rotates effortlessly then you have a governor/engine related problem. Hope that helps!
I got this same mower love it.
Such a helpful video! Thank you. Have two nearly identical mowers both with same engine. One has clutch that is completely worn. Planned to use the one from the spare but cannot for the life of me get the central bolt out! It just turns the whole centre and flywheel on the top.....any suggestions?
you'll need to either use an impact gun to break it free (due to the sudden jolt of the gun) or you'll have to undo the flywheel cover/gas tank and "hold" the flywheel with a banded tool to prevent the flywheel from rotating.
@@piercedasian ah right, thank you so much!
I put everything back together properly, but now I cant pull the rope to get it started. Do I need to untighten the benter bolt?
You installed the blade upside down. Flip it over and it should start easily assuming you have the factory honda blade.
I just installed a roto stop cable on my HR214 and can't get the "washer" to attach on the part under the engine.
+Patty Garcia I looked at that washer on the cable assembly and I understand what you mean by not being able to get the washer onto the cable end. The washer is actually a one way gripper ring washer. You need to get a pair of needle nose pliers, open up the jaws slightly and the using the tips of the pliers to push on the outer edges of the ring to press it onto the cable end. What happens is the little tiny fingers on the ring will bend and deflect and allow the ring to slide onto the cable end. Since the ring will be a tight fit the cable can't back out b/c the little fingers on the ring are jammed up against the fingers. Does that make sense? It will go on but you just need to serious muscle to push it on. Get a helper to assist.
I managed to bend the plate with the pins on it when reassembling had to get another one!
how the heck did you manage that?
I was under the impression the driven disc as you call it is actually a brake pad that stops the blade rotating when engaged.
It is actually both. The driven disk is also the blade brake. If you look at the friction material surface they're at slightly different heights.
Good video. It looks as if, after removing the driven plate and exposing three bolt heads, removal of those bolts is what is necessary to access and replace the wheel drive V-belt. Is that correct?
Hi John, Unfortunately I can't say if that is the same way you'd take apart a clutch to gain access to the driver pulley for the transmission. The Honda's I've worked on (the old ones) always had a shaft driven transmission from a PTO shaft on the back of the engine. Which model of Honda do you have that uses the drive belt to drive the tranny? I suspect the newer HRX models?
@@piercedasian Thanks for your reply. The Honda I have is 6-8 years old, a Model HRR216VYA. It features a "dead man" clutch that covers the wheel drive pulley completely. Vaariable walking speed appears to be the result of varying the tension on a belt that goes between the engine shaft pulley and a pulley on the side of the rear axle transfer case. Both pulleys have cages around them to prevent the belt from coming off. The cage around the engine shaft pulley is held by two 10 mm bolts that can't be backed out enough to release the belt. Hence what seems to be the need to remove the entire blade drive clutch assembly.
I hope that makes sense. When I saw in your video the three bolts holding the back plate of the blade clutch assembly, I guessed that would be the next step in getting at the hidden pulley. I may just tackle the disassembly you described, and go on with removing the three bolts. (Wish I had an impact driver!)
I would like to see an explanation of how that system actually works. I have one now but when I start it the blade is already turning. With engagement lever back it appears to have slack in the cable.
it is really quite simple how these things work. The when you engage the clutch the bbc assembly "bears down" the drive disc (the solid metal piece) onto the driven disc (the one with the friction material). When you let go of the handle the spring that sits between the 2 above mentioned parts is what disengages the drive disc from the driven disc. If it isn't disengaging then you either have a broken spring or you have a seized bbc where the cable actuates the clutch system. If you take the clutch system apart you'll get a better sense of how things work. Sorry for the not so good explanation but that what I can think of at this very moment.
@@piercedasian thanks. Are those two smaller springs supposed to pull the cable back back to allow the inner spring to do its job?
I ran across your video, nice job. I have a Honda HRC 215 that had been sitting for quite sometime, and I don’t know who has done what to it. But, whenever I start the mower and engage the blades it Boggs down and dies. I have checked to see if anything is wrapped around the blades, but nothing. Could this be a clutch issue as well? Any input would be appreciated. Thanks.
WOW and old school HRC model! I wish I could buy one of those older models. Based on your symptoms it doesn't seem like its the clutch since you're able to get the mower started and it will run without the blade engaged. I suspect that the governor and the carb is where your problems are since it isn't "opening" up the throttle plate as the engine gets loaded up when the blade is engaged. Give the carb a good cleaning, and make sure all the linkages are setup properly and try again. These mowers are remarkably easy to fix and are VERY VERY well made machines that will last a lifetime if you put a bit of effort and care into them.
@@piercedasian I cleaned the carb really well today. The throttle linkage may be where the problem lies. I think someone has worked on it before because they had the idle screw all the way tightened down. Plus, the throttle linkage had been tampered with. They had it rigged up where it was running wide open. I put a new throttle cable on it today too. But yesterday when it was revved up the way they had it, the blades engaged fine. I may need to look into adjusting the cable again.
Great video, but you didn't put the spring in between the clutch pack. That's the most difficult part. Thanks
I did do that but I can't film and do a the same time. Tripod for this particular camera was long lost/taken from me.
@@piercedasian still a great video. Thanks
I know this is an old video, but I have a HR215 that has started to have a bad cut. I have replaced the blade, cleaned the carb, new spark plug and air filter, and it is still missing some blades. The engine starts and runs fine. How would I know if my blade clutch is going bad??
Blade clutches rarely go bad unless they’ve been abused or badly worn out follow the procedure in this video to renew your clutch plate and give it more grip and also make sure the rpm your engine is running at is sufficiently high enough. If the RPMs are slightly low you will negatively impact the quality of the cut.
I got a kubota mower that literally uses almost all the same parts as these Hondas, anyways the bearings were going out on the clutch so i replaced both the bearings put everything back together and now it stays engaged??? I don’t know why I’ve taken it apart a dozen times and can’t figure it out....any ideas?
Ah yes I ran into the same problem as well. Did you install the blade upside down? You may want to change the blade orientation as I sharpened my blade and forgot which way it was supposed to go on and I couldn't figure out what the heck was wrong until I compared it against my other identical mower and realized that the blade was reinstalled the wrong way.
Nice Clean Work. I have a Honda Harmony 215, but when using it the blades Is not moving. I opened but nothing was broken or damaged. What do you think I should do. Thank you and keep up the good work.
The Harmony 215 uses a different and less substantial blade clutch assembly. Have you checked for broken cables? if the cable snapped then the blade would never be able to properly engage. Check that first.
Thank you , and yes I will check the cables and keep up the good clean work.
@@piercedasian I have the same harmony 215 HRB215 and the blade works when first started but when it heats up, the mower doesn’t rev up the way it does when it is cold. It is inconsistent, works and then doesn’t and then does. Any ideas?
You have access to an air gun, but I dont...How would you undo the centre nut with a ratchet, since I have to replace the bearing...how to lock the crankshaft?
having access to an air gun is the easiest way to do it otherwise you will need to use a flywheel holder tool (looks like a large strap type wrench to prevent it from turning. Sorry I couldn't offer up any better solutions to your dilemma.
I've HRU216 M2 mower and I've similar but little different issue here. I can't start my mower without pushing blade engaging lever in.
It's very hard to pull cord without engaging the blade lever. I don't know is it a problem with clutch assembly?
Any idea please.
I have a hunch... did you recently remove the blade to sharpen it and then this problem manifested itself? If yes, then there is a high chance you mounted the blade upside down. I made this mistake once and it is EXACTLY how you describe your symptoms.
@@piercedasian no, blades are fitted correctly and cuts well too.
sorry for the super slow reply. Something is totally wonky with your clutch. Have you had a pro look at it to resolve your issue?
Can you remove the center bolt without a power socket?
If so does it loosen clockwise or anti clockwise?
you can but you will need to gain access to the flywheel where you use a band wrench to hold the flywheel from turning and then you'll be able to remove the clutch centre bolt. Probably easier to borrow or rent an impact driver to get the bolt off.
I was just given a HR195 HX but can't find any manual covering it; the 195PDA one I do find is not a blade clutch model. Suggestions???
are you sure it is an HX model if it is a HR195? The HR195 to my knowledge only came in a PX and 3 speed SX version. HX mowers were available for its larger sibling the HR215 series. If you search for Honda HR195SX you should be able to find the owners manual straight off of Honda's website and it WILL have the manual for the BBC system. I am in the final stages of documenting and publishing a Honda HR195 restoration video where I do an extensive cleaning and part replacement on the SX version of this mower. Bought it off from one of the locals in town and it was in need of some serious external repairs. Will be a good tutorial for you if you're seeking info on how to properly adjust and setup the control cables properly and how replace things like cables and clutch bearings.
@@piercedasian
My mistook.
It is a 195-KL
It's the three speed version. I found a 195PDA manual but that's not a BBC. Current issue is carb work as it starts than stalls 5sec later. Also rope rewinds reluctantly.
@@rfleakage3120 the car is jammed up. The engine on the PDA version vs. the SX (or in your case the KL version - you must be outside of north America?) is the same. Carb cleaning on these models are super easy. It is the high speed jet that is your problem. The rope can be fixed very easily. Unbolt the rope starter (3 bolts) and then spray some penetrating lube spray into the center of the recoil start and work the starter by pulling on the rope (don't disassembly the recoil starter). Get lubricant spray in behind the recoil reel and keep working at it and it will loosen right up and be as good as new. I just did my newly acquired HR195 that had that EXACT problem and it works like new!
@@piercedasian Inside The Beltway; not sure of origin of the KL but it's been local for many years. I'll give the carb and the rope some attention. Thanks.
Nice video ! Thanks
So there is a cable that works that roto clutch . like a motorbike clutch ???
it is opposite of a motorbike clutch where the motorbike you release the clutch lever to engage it vs. the mower you press in (to pull the cable) to engage it. It isn't the same design as a small motorbike clutch per se but in principle it operates the same way.
Have you ever had to replace the clutch/brake bearing?
Sorry for the long reply but YES I do have video footage that hasn't been edited and published to my channel showing exactly that - clutch bearing failed on one of my mowers and the sound it makes is AWFUL! I'm in the midst of moving garages but once I get settled into my new place that you can be assured that I will be posting the clutch bearing replacement video.
I want to know if you can take the blade brake clutch off completely and use the mower without it?
absolutely not. The brake blade clutch system is a safety and convenience feature and to my knowledge there is no way to bypass it. Not sure why you'd want to bypass this feature as I LOVE having the BBC system on my Honda mowers.
Sorry Boliver if you took my answer the wrong way. Your original post didn't mention using it in applications other than for a mower. But to answer your question yes it can be completely removed and the motor be used for something else and no you likely cannot remove the clutch and use the mower without it - I believe the output shaft of the mower that drives the blade is shorter than a normal mower b/c the it has to accommodate the BBC clutch.
The crankshaft seal on my motor is leaking how do I replace it
I haven't done one on a lawnmower before but if you look up how to replace engine main seal on TH-cam that how its done on a car is fundamentally the same as it is on a little lawnmower engine. Sorry I couldn't help further.
A very well made video thank you very much, I've saved it to my useful playlist. I have a question, my lawnmower is a 20 year old HR2160 with electric start and rear roller. I've kept it clean by hosing out the under side with water. The last time I did this I'm sure i sprayed the water momentarily into the clutch from the side by mistake. When I used it a week later it worked fine but there is now slight squeal when I engage the blade other than that it works fine. Have I caused damage by spraying in the water? Dirt could have got in I guess.
Based on your video I was going to take it apart to have a look and clean it but I don't really want to unless I have to, what do you suggest?
sorry for the late reply but no not likely. What you probably did was rust up the driven disk and brake surfaces and you probably left the driven disc (the clutch itself) wet which then results in some squealing and odd noises when you engage the clutch. Just be mindful that the next time you wash the underside of the mower that you really should run the engine to operating temps and engage the blade for at least a few minutes several times in succession to dry things up good before putting them away.
Hey, that was a great video. thanks.
The reason I watched this video about the clutch (just wanted to pick your brain if I may) is because I have a used clutch like the one in the video, and I was thinking of using it as a clutch on a home made mini-bike I am going to make for my grand son. Do you think this clutch would be strong enough for use on a 6.5 hp mini-bike?
+Richard Conquer I can tell you now that the clutch itself will likely slip. Extremely wet grass will make the clutch slip and a lawnmower is only 4.5 - 5HP. A 6.5HP motor would tear the clutch to shreds. I strongly advise that you spend the money to buy a comet clutch assembly that is purpose built for go karts and other similar applications.
+piercedasian . ok, cool, I appreciate and trust your judgment. thank you.
Ironically I helped someone source our parts for a bar stool go kart so I have some experience with what you're trying to do. The lawnmower clutch definitely will not work. Good luck :)
I am repairing a customers mower and the blade brake is permanently engaged. even if you let go of the bbc handle on the handle bars. the blade does not stop rotating :-(
You likely have two problems with this clutch assembly. The release springs are probably broken in the clutch assembly. Take the centre bolt out as how I've done it in the video and see if there are things that look broken or out of place.
I know these are from the 80's But. I still hope to god that the material is not asbestos. (clutch)
Nope Honda has confirmed that they have never used asbestos in any of their equipment/cars (so I was told by their parts division at least).
excelant solved my problem
Glad to hear your mower is fixed :)
Good vidio
Thanks!
that's a sealed bearing you do not need to tape over it when sanding
You are correct that it is sealed but I still prefer to cover up things if there is a chance that dirt can get past a seal and ruin the bearing. Just part of my OCD tendencies.
I got a new girlfriend and she had a lawnmower to cut her lawn with with and guess who cuts it now..Fuck me. Any way... this thing ripped last year but I got the blades jammed and the clutch started burning up. This video seem like enough to help me fix it. Thanks....
lol, its a solid mower and absolutely worth every penny to refurbish /repair. If the clutch is jammed chances are you mowed over some twine or string in such a way that it jammed up the clutch system.
Never ever sand like this!!! ALWAYS use a sanding block. It is very important to keep those surfaces as flat as you can so it can mate properly or you will end up glazing the hell out of it again faster. And STOP feathering the cable when engaging the blade. Engage it quickly. It's like riding your clutch in your car. That impact gun is way more than 40lbs and you did over tighten the assembly.
There are scratches on the side of the deck so you either lied or are one of those people that live in a perfect world where unicorns roam freely and blow bubbles out of their butt. Lol!
There is zero harm in carefully removing the glaze on the clutch surface. Given how small this clutch is that I hardly doubt there would be uneven clutch grip - I was quite careful in sanding to just remove the glazing. In case you’re wondering how the glazing happened it was because one year my grass was extremely long and it bogged the mower down so much the clutch started to slip which then glazed the friction plate. Yes the impact gun is going to be for sure more than 40 ft-lbs. possibly as much as 70 ft-lbs but that isn’t going to break the bolt on this mower. Lastly I am not sure what you mean my scratches on the deck and unicorns and rainbows but this mower is as original as it is going to get. To this day even after years after making this video the mower looks like it is new - it is normal to expect some scratches it’s almost 30 years old! I have seen newer mowers in FAR worse shape.
Dang rob Peters! How anal of you. Did you have to enlarge the video to see the scratches?
Loosen up man you're all wound up. LOL