Honda Mower Rear Wheels Will Not Roll Backwards THE REAL FIX
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 24 มิ.ย. 2017
- My Honda Mower HHR2169VLA rear wheels lock up when pulled backwards.
This video shows THE REAL FIX for this issue. Previous to THE REAL FIX I cleaned, oiled/lubricated the pinion gears, the shaft around the bushings and gearbox but this did not resolve the issue. My mower is still under warranty but last year I could not leave it at the repair center for 2 weeks just to have them look at it. This year I finally disassembled the parts until I found the issue. The shaft may get contaminated again due to the design of the bushings.
Disclaimer: Honda knows there is an issue and the repair in this video is not recommended by Honda. Honda say to take your mower to a service center where they have the proper tools to lubricate and resolve this issue.
If you have 2 to 4 weeks to leave your mower at an authorized service center then do so otherwise watch this video and do it yourself.
If you Dislike this video (Thumbs Down) Please leave a comment why you are displeased.
Video Edited with Adobe Premiere Pro CC
Sorry for the annoying Soundtrack “High In The Sky” Created and Licensed by Sonicfire Pro - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
I have bought many lawn mowers in my life. Most were in the $300 to $400 range and usually ran for 8 years plus. Paying $700 for Honda and now having the drive wheels fighting back when pulling backwards only after 3 years has an engineering design flaw and quality in question.
Great job. I got lucky. I turned off the fuel supply, lifted the rear wheels off the ground by hooking the top bar to a support with a bungee, leaving the mower on its front wheels. Using good old WD40 Penetrant, I heavily sprayed into the axle area, after thoroughly cleaning the hell out of it. Turned the wheels by hand in both directions - difficult at first - and let it sit overnite. Did the same thing the next day, and haven't had a problem since. Crazy. Hope someone gets lucky with this method also.
I didn't see your post until after I did the same exact thing you did and it also worked for me. Hope people see your comment before the start ripping the axle out
Same thing for me. I had hosed off the whole mower - from the top and bottom - and left it outside to dry for an afternoon. I suspect water ended up in the axle and left dried crud in there. Maybe it made some existing rust worse. A bunch of WD40 loosened it up and I could pull it backward in a minute. I'm ready to take things apart and clean them if I have to, but it seemed like a good idea to try WD40 as a first approach.
Lol
How did you thoroughly clean the axle area before spraying the WD40.
@@rob36153 I dry cleaned it using an assortment of scrapers, red Scotch pads, and wire brushes, followed by compressed air.. This mower was here when I bought the house. I think the owners just gave up on it. Best of luck.
This video is what TH-cam is all about. Having a neighbor that has been down this road before and simply saves me the time of figuring out what went wrong. I’ll give this a shot! Thanks for taking the time to record this fix!
Thank you for understanding my intentions trying to help people. Not everyone appreciates that. I really do not like having to pay for someone to repair my stuff. There is so much information on the internet you can DIY almost anything. Thanks for the comments!
Thanks for great video and so easy to understand!
Thanks, Great video and good info for all. Just wanted to add this also.
First of all, remove the drive belt from both pulleys, turn the wheels backwards and see if they turn freely.
Make sure when you have the mower tipped to its side, that the bottom wheel is not touching the ground when you try to spin it.
If it spins backwards freely without the belt, then your transmission and bushings are fine.
if the wheels are hard to spin backwards when the belt is back on, then the belt is getting caught and binding against the pulley and the bracket that keeps it on. This happens if you try to use a non-honda regular black rubber belt. The rubber just causes more friction on the pulleys and creates the resistance.
The oem honda belt is brown and seems to have some kind of fabric looking material covering it that causes less friction on the pulleys.
I tested this just today 7/12/22 with a non-honda belt and with a brown 38" belt for cub cadet and troy, part no. 954-0257.
The belt was actually for a snowblower, my hardware store did not have the honda belt.
To my surprised, it worked just fine, it rolls backwards freely. I did spray the axles and bushing area with pb-blaster also.
Hope this helps others
Thank All for your inputs
Great video thanks for sharing I almost bought another mower thinking the transmission was about to go out. After seeing your video I went online and ordered the bushings and did as you did in the video saved me some cash great video 👍
I fixed my Honda with your advice and a few tools. Thanks for explaining everything in detail.
I watched this and it accurately described the problem. But rather than tear the whole unit apart, I decided to do a test. In my garage, pulling the mower backwards, the wheels would not rotate. I lifted the mower on some blocks and sprayed PB Blaster as best I could on the axles and the bushings. I was able to rotate the wheels manually. A few more sprays and manual movement, I put the mower back down and the wheels moved much better. This proved to me, the axles and bushings are the issue. Since it is December and my garage is unheated, this tear down and process will be the first thing I do in the spring. Thanks
Hi Vic,
It is my understanding that Honda has finally issued a recall. Service Bulletin #107. The bushings are undersized for the axle and that's why the wheels lock up. So reducing the axle shaft size with sandpaper fixes the problem also.
Thanks for the comments!
i did the same and got it working again
This happened to my mower within 8 months of purchase. I know several others who have had the same problem. Bad on Honda for not making this a recall.
I agree. Honda should have sent a postcard to registered owners for the recall. Thanks for the comments!
All four of my Honda mowers over the years suffer the same problem. They are just too lazy to redesign.
maintenance!
This was a recall in the USA. Can't find any reference to the recall for my French purchased version though.
Should of been a sealed roller bearing in there NOT a bushing on mild steel
This issue will definitely return. I had the dealer repair mine twice. First time it cost me $100. The second time, it was free. Both time "redesigned" bushings were used. Both times it worked fine for a few months. Now it's frozen up again. Clearly a design problem that Honda has had and known about for years. Other than the great engine, these mowers are total garbage.
Thanks for the heads up on this. So far my Honda has not locked up since this video. Hope it stays that way. Thanks for the comments!
I’ve had the same issue in the past. I use ‘Super Slick Stuff’ dry lube at Lowe’s as regular maintenance at least twice every mower season. Just lift the rear wheels and spray behind the wheels around the axle. Keeps corrosion from moisture under control. Cleaning the under side of the deck with a garden hose impacts adversely on this issue. Prevention maintenance is so easy and quick.
I'm going to have to disagree with the mowers being "total garbage" because the mowers are not that bad. However I think Troy bilt mowers in a similar price range, with the good honda Motor, are much better
Dave, first off, fantastic video! I removed the wheels and the pinion gears then sprayed Motorkote spray lube into the bushing. I also removed the circlip and washer on the inside of the deck and did the same. Wow what a difference! My mower is fun to use again. I intend on doing a complete removal of the gearbox off season, but for now this is working great. Thanks again!
Hi Alan, So glad this worked for you! I took the gearbox completely out in this video to see what was causing the problem but I think it is possible to polish the shaft that goes into the bushing without complete removal. Thanks for the comments!
Thanks Dave, I just received a free 160 GVC lawnmower real wheel self propelled and it wouldn’t start.
Finally got it going by cleaning out Emulsion tube while it was in carburetor with a bent plastic tube spraying Carburetor cleaning Spray
I will try your fix in a few.
Houli.
One helpful hint that I would like to lend out before everyone gets nuts about pulling the axle out of your Honda push mower; you may want to invest in a can of Hondalube and simply spray it in where the axle passes thru the bushing. My wheels unlocked quickly after applying it, and I now make it a habit of re-applying it periodically as preventive maintenance. The problem has never returned.
The first time my wheels locked up was right after I washed the mower prior to winter storage. I just bought it that season and I guessed that water got in there and started some rust. The second year it happened again after mowing while my grass was still kinda wet after a surprise shower. Keeping it lubed seems to imperative. I’m not saying that a complete disassembly, cleaning and greasing isn’t the best way to fix it (and probably well worth doing every year or two). But if you are in a bind, and want to prevent it altogether... Hondalube works for me plus it’s great to have around the house! Works great on door locks, hinges, just about everything. It comes in a spray can and can best be described as Liquid Wrench and WD-40 combined. Search Hondalube as one word. 👍
Was always a Craftsman man and had this problem. Decided to "step up to the Honda" and the first season I was in heaven. First time out this year I had this very issue. Went thru the manual fix by adjusting the cable from one extreme to the other with no help. Called Honda and a very friendly attentive operator was absolutely no help. I refuse to believe I have to disassemble a 1 year old Honda mower so I don't have to literally drag it out of any corner I mow into. BTW: DO NOT open the gearbox unless the mower is upside down or you can get under it. Has gear oil in there. Fortunately I had some to refill it.
Sorry to say I have been looking at this for 2+years and didn't think grease in the bushings would cure the issue. THRILLED to say I finally did it, AND IT WORKS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
So glad this helped. Thanks for the comments.
Great video! Although you didn't show the details on how to remove the transmission, there are other videos on youtube that do show the procedure. In my situation, simply lubricating the bushing resolved my issue. Thanks for sharing your abbreviated video on how to get your mower to roll backwards again!
thank you for the video. my lawnmower was doing this, and I worked on it as you said, and now it's going backward like normal again.
Glad it helped and thanks for the comments.
Thanks! I can see that the problem could come back over time as grit and dirt get between the bushing and axle and start to scar the axle again. I'm going to try the repair as you show, but also apply grease on the axle where the bushing goes to hopefully keep grit out.
Dave this is great helpful video.... Your explanation is clear and concise.... I have this problem with my Honda... It started looking up just 3 months after purchase .. I will check this out and follow your suggestion... It is easy to learn when the instructor is great.
I have the same model and my lawn mower is only 2 years and 7 months new. Honda mower comes with a 3 years warranty so i hope the Honda authorize dealer can fix it at no cost. I will have them do an oil change and sharpen the blades. If Honda don't cover it than will bring it home and fix it my self. Thank you for the Video.
I had my HRX mower back at the dealer to fix this problem a little over a year ago. Well, the same problem is back already! Ridiculous on a nearly $800.00 mower! I’ve had mine back to the dealer four times for various issues. I will never ever buy another Honda built mower. My next mower(hard to believe I’m saying that) will be a Toro with a Honda engine. Thanks for posting this fix. I still have a year left on the warranty so it’s back to the dealer AGAIN!!
Sorry to hear that. Too bad Honda will not make this defect good.
I just wanted to say thank you for posting this video.
It was exactly the fix for my mower, and quite literally saved me hundreds of dollars.
Glad it helped and I know this is a pain to repair. Thanks for the comments.
thank you for showing me this video, I have returned 2 mowers because of this problem! I will follow your instructions to fix my mower!
One comment from a viewer indicated to mention to your Honda repair shop, "Honda Power Equipment Lawn Mower Service Bulletin #107."
I purchased mine from Home Depot so they may not have access to these secret bulletins. Thanks for the comments!
Thank you for your video. Maybe simple to some, but something I never knew. Helped a lot!!! Got my wheels moving backwards by living the area up without removing it. Will do this better at the end of the season in a month.
thank you so much for this video, after spending close to 4 bills for a honda, I didn't think I would run into trouble on the 2nd year. I will be following the instructions on this video so I can free up my rear axle. Thanks again!
they are junk, I would never buy another one,
Great video for HRR216 mowers. I'm going to replace the bushings and seals and put a light coat of plastic friendly grease on bushings. Since you have to remove the transmission may as well replace the hydrostatic transmission fluid if you have a lot of years / hours on it.
Finished the repair yesterday. FWIW the job took longer than I thought since I went ahead and replaced the belt. This is a rental house mower - some idiot overfilled the oil and it leaked into the belt greasing it. What a mess under the mower! That oil mixed and caked grass under the deck.
I decided to use my bench wire wheel (fine wires) to remove the axle rust & roughness. Sanding may allow grit into springs slot. Worked great. Then I used automotive grade silicone grease to lube the new bushings and dust seals. There is about 1/8" gap between wheel dust seals and bushing. Add grease to this space. Decided to leave hydrostatic oil alone (10w30) since mower only has estimated 150 hrs on it. On my HRX217 it has over 600 hrs - I'm replacing the hydrostatic transmission oil in it.
Using plastic bushings is a stupid cost savings. Use brass and include spiral for grease.
Thanks CarveTools. I'm glad I watched your video---it works. Really! The snap rings are a true pain in the ass. On my mower the snap ring holes don't go all the way through the clip itself--they are just tiny indents. way stupid and unnecessarily difficult.
Thanks for the video. This did not fix my issue completely, but certainly helped. I suggest also changing the drive belt at the same time. My belt would hang up because it had been formed into an oval shape over many years. Because of this it would hang up on the transmission pulley when it reached the narrow portion of the oval.
Pramod Kotwal
I benefited from the video and managed to clean the rust from both ends of the shaft without actually removing the transmission from the lawn mower. Once you remove the gears and the clips from both ends, the transmission slides through the bushings enough to expose the area that is normally in the bushing. I had to use a wooden block and some tapping with a hammer to free up the shaft. Once it is clean and lubricated, it is amazing how freely it moves. Now assemble everything and the problem is solved. Thanks for the video and all the comments.
Wonderful! Glad this helped. What you did was much easier than the disassembly I did in this video to find the problem. Happy mowing and thanks for the comments!
Thanks for the video! I bought a brand new HRR mower in the fall of 2018. I used it a few times until the end of the season and it worked great. The next spring the rear wheels started locking up. I thought, "No problem, it's under warranty." WRONG! Honda would not fix it under warranty. Took it in for service, a few weeks after it was fixed it started doing it again. The dealer picked it up and a couple weeks later dropped it off. Worked great for two mows and then started locking up again. I feel like I wasted $400.
I like this guy and his wooden voiceover delivery.
Mine has been doing this for quite a while, just had a tune up and new rear wheels. It seems to be worse than ever, thanks for your explanation, think I will have to take it back in.
Excellent video because you get straight to the point and get on with it!
Thanks for the fix, I just thought this was the way this was supposed to be from the factory, it's been driving me nuts.
Many thanks! I have the same problem here in Australia. I took it back to get the mod done at the dealer, but it didn't make any difference, as it started locking up again after a couple of months. They even replaced the gear box and axle assembly.
Great vid. Went to the dealer and they were clueless. Said "wear & tear". I say design flaw. Otherwise XLNT mower. Trouble getting snap rings off, had to use grinder & cut them off. Another design flaw. Will share how it came out later.
I have the same problem, with my lawnmower. Thank you for sharing the video.
Great video, greasing the pinion & wheel gears helps but you probably need to do this once a year . I would soak the plastic bushings overnight in gear oil or a mixture of gear oil & STP. The real problem is that the Honda transmission lacks an internal clutch so the pulley spins backwards when you pull it backwards so there is more drag.
I’ve had the same issue in the past. I use ‘Super Slick Stuff’ dry lube at Lowe’s as regular maintenance at least twice every mower season. Just lift the rear wheels and spray behind the wheels around the axle. Keeps corrosion from moisture under control. Cleaning the under side of the deck with a garden hose impacts adversely on this issue. Prevention maintenance is so easy and quick.
Awesome video Dave and well explained .Mine works but has a little resistance going backwards but I will do what you said and maybe put a little grease on it . Thanks again. And Yes Honda should do something for this and not ignore it.
You solved two of my problems in one video. You rock sir
Thanks for the kind comments! Glad this helped.
I loved the video . Did exactly what you suggested worked like a charm the second time I took it apart.
Thank you for this excellent video. Engineers need to prevent this.
Thank you! I have watched countless videos trying to find out how to get my mower to roll backwards again. This video was very clear, concise and focused on the problem. I do recommend some of the other videos for how to remove the transmission and axle.
I would have thought that the answer to this question would be on Honda Power Equipment website but then they would have to admit there is an issue. I had nothing to lose by breaking it down to see what is wrong. I did not add the part on removing the transmission on this video, I just wanted to show the problem. Thanks for the comments! .
Do you remove the wheel adjusters? Is there another video? Where did you remove the bushing from?
@@sidneywhite749 - Yes, the wheel adjusters have to come out to even see the end of the axle.. There are a series of C clips flat washers, the pinion gear, another washer, to get the adjuster off.. Just mind where all these parts go back on, and especially, the pinion gear.. It has to go back on exactly as it came off or it will not rotate forward and click.. Watch out for that..
I ended up having to purchase 1 large C clip remover and 1 small C clip remover.. They were made by Channel Lock and work great..
The large C clip remover is needed for the large C clip on the inside of the axle underneath. This big C clip has to be released and moved off the axle with 1 large washer, if you are going to remove the entire assembly..
Perhaps, it might be easier if you can, get some emery cloth in the right grits, tear it into thin strips and sand down the ends of the axle with it still in the lawnmower and not have to remove the entire transmission assembly out of there..
Good luck !
Many thanks for doing this, it was exactly my problem, and your explanation for the fix was perfect, thanks again.
Hope this has helped. Thanks for the comments.
Finally someone has got down to the brass tacks on this issue!! I had the same issue. And as described the transmission was free spinning as were the wheels. But the main axle bushings were all but seized. Thank you Sir.
So glad it helped! My old Honda mower had ball bearings on the axle. Honda has saved millions of dollars by using plastic bushings on the newer models even though it has caused thousands of users pain and frustration of dragging the mowers backwards. You would think that registered owners would have received a recall notice.
Hi Dave, Very quick, concise and informative. Thank you.
Thank you! I have a newer video with a more detailed disassembly and without the annoying soundtrack.
This is good info for a person that owns the machine and want to tackle the job . from a service provider aspect this repair could easily take over a hour to perform . witch in some shops could be over a $100. to $150 dollars . IF there is any thing else wrong with the unit and depending on the age of it you may want to consider a new machine .
Thanks for the explaination. I've had mine since 2017 and it locked up Monday. I just took off the wheels and dripped in some mountain bike chain lube. Seems slick now. Prior to them locking up, the last use was in wet crabgrass on my neighborbor's lawn. The under deck go all mucked up so I hosed everything down.. I think the water hosing of the wheels may have had something to do with it.
Thank you, the other fixes out there did not seem right. I appreciate it.
Glad it helped and check out my newer video of The Real Fix Part 2. It has more details. Thanks for the comments.
Real nice job, I'm gonna start on my Honda push now.
Thank You!
Thanks for the video. I'm going to take my axle out tomorrow and check it out sticking bushings .
Hope this has helped. It is a pain to get to the root of the problem and I have had no issues since. Thanks for the comments.
Thank you for your video. Luckily, I found this video unintentionally and valuable for me because my Honda lawn mower just happened the same thing.
Glad it helped
Wow this is very helpful and easy to fix! Thank You!
Glad it helped!
Will be applying the fix this weekend. Thanks!
Hi Bert, Honda has a service bulletin on this issues and they are replacing the bushings with the correct size ones. Apparently many Honda service centers are not getting this information.
Thanks for the comments!
Same problem. I mow an elderly neighbor’s yard using her 3-4 year old Honda and have the exact same issue. I’ll definitely give this a try. The transmission also loses drive power as it warms up. I’ll chase that down after this fix. Many thanks!
How kind to help a neighbor! This is a link to my newer detailed video th-cam.com/video/zsHQYJEKY5M/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for the comments!
Thanks Scottie,
I haven't tried that but really think that is what needs to be done. It has been a good mower engine wise but that definitely is a problem, glad I'm not alone.
I did buy a RYOBI battery mower last year and it is a breeze to mow with. Still like my Honda as a backup, need to get it fixed.
Thanks. Watched a different video that just changed out the transmission. It was a waste of my time. Thanks FOR THE REAL FIX!
Glad it helped and thanks for the comments.
Thank you very much great video it wasn't very long and boring it was to the point and very help full
Thank you! The idea was to show where the problem is not necessarily step by step parts removal.
Thank you very much for the video. My Honda HRR lawn mower is only 2 years old but started locking up shortly after 1 year old. I believe the root cause of the problem is due to cheap soft steel used in the wheel shaft. I will keep record to determine how long it lasts. Maybe the bushing ( too hard) may have some contributing factor. Again thanks for your help and I will keep you posted about my findings and attach some pictures. Jose from Miami Beach
Glad I could help
Great video! Thanks. I have a quick question. I am replacing the drive gears that are worn. I noticed the shaft moves right and left about an 1/8 of an inch. Is this normal? I’m thinking of using washers to hold it in place because the ends of the drive gears were worn the most.
Great video thanj you. Just curious to know if you have experienced issues with small lines of unmowed grass left after mowing. I have struggled with this since purchasing the mower
Wow great video I was having the same problem👌🏼👌🏼
Thank you for the comments and I hope you were able to fix you mower also.
I appreciate this! About to go repair my mower!
Glad to help
I had a similar experience last year like the comment below where the authorized Honda repair shop had no clue to a fix. That’s why I tore it down myself and this year the wheels still turn freely when pulled backwards.
Got this comment;
noname Google commented: “Thank you. The local repair shop would not give me any information about the problem. They suggested that it might be the transmission, and would cost around $300! They probably sell a lot of new…”
Thanks for the share. My is starting to be harder to roll. I might have to deal with it soon.
Excellent. Thank you for your time and effort.
yea I have this problem would like more detail on parts removal. Thanks for the video.
Had a few minutes, did exactly what he suggests, it absolutely fixes the problem! I didn’t make the adjustment to the cable, but cleaning the axle, fixed it perfectly.
why not put some kind of lube on the bushing so this wont just keep happening? I have the same problem?
Glad it worked for you. Thanks for the comments!
Good video, I would suggest that you grease the shaft where the bushing is located to prevent this from ever happening again. You’ll have less resistance too.
Good job... thanks for the help and sharing your knowledge.
I hope this has helped and thanks for the comments!
If this sounds like too much work you can do what I did. I removed the wheel assemblies, left the bushings and pinion rod in place, and used my mixture of ABS and differential fluid I keep for my rusty Jeep projects to soak into bushing. If you adjust the deck height lever you'll notice the rod spins with it; grab the rod with channel locks and articulate the height lever back and forth for a while to work your lubricant into the bushing. You will feel the resistance wane as the lubricant works itself into the bushing.
I did clean all of my parts and gave them a nice coating of my ABS & gear oil mix. I didnt use grease because I feel it will trap more debris and figured its easy enough to oil a few times a year to prevent this going forward.
Great video!
Brake fluid is good stuff, just have to be careful what you mix with it. Glad that worked out and yes that would be much easier. Thanks for the comments!
Had a Husqvarna 4wd mower with same issue. Removed rear wheel & found out the rubber should that keeps dirt & grass & rocks out of gear drive at the wheel had gotten chewed up thru the years. Part of it had gotten caught in the gears & locked up the wheel. Thank God was easy fix. Just FYI if your mower has wheel shrouds check these out first.
Thought I would do a follow up for you. I am on my 4th time replacing those axles supports. I have been snapping up Honda mowers with this problem all summer. I just keep fixing them and reselling them. Honda really dropped the ball on that design. At least I am making bank fixing them. Now my own Honda mower needs a set. lol.
I feel relieved, at least for now. Have identical problem. Ready to attack the problem. May u live till 110.
Good luck Lorenzo, it is a pain to get to the bushings but I have had no issues since this repair. Thanks for the comments!
Thanks for this, mine has been doing this for a while, so will check it out
Hope this has helped. Check out my newer video of The Real Fix Part 2. It has more details. Thanks for the comments.
Thank you for the video. I did the fix, but the problem returned. I checked the honda service bulletin but it doesn't apply to my model. I guess I can repeatedly do this fix, and also try lubricants frequently. Will do so until I buy a Toro. Sad, as I like everything else about this mower.
Although the engine performance & quick start of this Honda model is outstanding, my rear wheels also lock up when attempting to back up the mower in just 1 1/2 seasons since purchase. I'm planning on using this excellent video you've posted as the probable resolve but given my many years with Honda products... wouldn't you think the Honda engineers would have gone back to the drawing boards & corrected this obvious fault in product material design... like a stainless steel wheel shaft ? This is a real safety issue as one has to actually lift the rear wheels to back up the mower when the mower blades are rotating when a forward directional change is limited or not feasible.
Hi Gary,I can only assume that Honda knows about this issue of the wheel lock up but no recall has been issued. My experience was Honda wants you to take the mower to an authorized service center and leave it there for 2 or more weeks until they can look at it. The service guy saw the wheels locked up but found nothing in their factory documents as to the problem or solution. I finally tore the mower down and found the issue in this video and have had no problem since other than all 4 wheels are completely slick and I had to replace them. A design with a SS shaft and a real bearing would fix this issue but would decrease profits on this product. It’s amazing how saving just 99 cents per product has caused such a headache (and backache) for the consumer. Other than that, it’s not a bad mower, just aggravating. Thanks for the comments!
@@CarveTools yes, the wait time for Honda service are insane... All year. It's almost better to resign to the fact that it's not going to be self propelled after a couple months.
I found out recently that in other markets outside the US Honda coats the shaft with a heavy zinc plating. They don't have this issue.
a stainless steel bushing would be much cheaper
Thank you so much! I have the same mower, with the exact same problem!
Thanks for the comments! Hope this helped.
Getting ready to go to the shed and fix it. Thank you, Sir!
Thanks! This will save me the Hassle of investigating the cause of this issue, been driving me nuts! I noticed it gets better when i rinse the thing off so im assuming this is likely the issue.
Glad it helped!
Thanks for making this video, been putting up with this for the last two years. I saw in one of the other videos on this topic , that you can get the (supposedly) upgraded part to fix it once and for all, it cost me about $13 per side, seems to work well, some resistance pulling back but at least they turn now and don't lock up anymore. My axle didn't seem to be rusted or pitted at all so I just put the new part on. Like one of your other subscribers below, I wish there was a little less resistance when pulling back, but didn't want to put grease in there as I'm sure that would attract dirt and eventually gum up.
Thanks again
Honda Part number is 42930 -VG3 - B01 (For the right side) and part number 42940 - VG3 - BO1 (For the left side). (you need a set of retaining ring pliers).c
Why didn't you submit a claim into Honda Power Equement for warranty services to have it repaired at no cost? I owned Honda mowers for years! Hands down, Honda mowers are the best, at least as far as I'm concerned.
@@captainfallsalotatppic2508 Meh, Honda mower engines are good, but their self propelled drive is a weak compromise. Snapper is much better in that respect.
I have the same problem thank you !
Thanks! Very well done video.
Thank you for this video! Very helpful fix and I literally pushed (couldn’t pull backwards) through the season to make the repair during the winter. Also, thanks for helping me realize Honda does not care about customers! This should have been a recall in or out of warranty. I will not buy another Honda mower as a result. My mower: HRR2169VKA
Again, thank you for this helpful video.
I will never buy another HONDA as well, mine won't pull forward when lever is engauged, and locked when trying to pull backward, the mower is only 4 years old and only mowed a small lawn, the MURRY I had before the honda lasted 26 years and still running strong, jut wanted a new mower, what a mistake
@@garysisk3431 Hello Gary, I agree that Honda isn't what they used to be - including their vehicles. I have an HRM215 3-speed plastic deck mower. The engine is excellent but the deck has some cracks and mine is also hard to roll backwards. It also jerks with self-propelled engaged, like the drive is dropping out and then grabbing again. Hopefully the belt and not the transmission. But I have some Honda HR-214 mowers from the 80's and they are outstanding. Still running good. I bought the plastic one at an Estate Sale to fix up ($50). Also the plastic deck mower kicks some grass out of the right-side of the deck where the HR-214's vacuum the grass up perfectly.
Excellent video, I just disassembled mine the other day and polished the shafts, I wish I'd have had new bushings, then I used synthetic grease on the old bushings and put everything back together and adjusted the cable as you recommend, wow, it worked. Go forward a few days and I took the mower out because my new belt came in and I tackled that job, what a nightmare. I got it all back together and adjusted the cable again and tested out the mower. It was back to doing wheelies like when it was new and it mowed great, but within ten minutes the back wheels returned to not backing up. I'm going to order new bushings (wish they were bronze) and try it one more time. Anymore trouble and this piece of Honda crap is going in the Mississippi River!
I feel your frustration Jim. Mine has not been an issue since this repair. Thanks for the comments!
I'm going to fix my son's HRR216 mower (6 yrs old - one wheel hard to turn backwards) with new bushings. They are cheap. I'll also lube with marine grease. That should last another 5 yrs. FWIW my HRX217 mower is heavier duty and 12 yes old. No problems. Why? Design of HRX217 doesn't use plastic bushings...
Great vid..just had one like this give to me and it had this issue as well as others..this will help
Thanks for this video. I'll have to try this. I've found that a shot of WD40 on the axles works for a little bit, but quickly wears off. For as much as these mowers cost, you'd think Honda could have used proper "bushings", not plastic garbage. I've only had my mower two years. I'm also disappointed that my plastic "tires" are worn down too. I only mow about 1/3rd of an acre once a week.
DATDesign WD40 is a fair cleaner but a horrible lubricant. Honestly almost any other product is better for almost any application. I grease the axle where it rides in the bushings and have no issues, other than the fact that you have to take it apart to do that, and re-do it every year or two.
thx for all your expertise on this!!
Glad this helped and thanks for the comments.
Hello Dave
First time listener, I had the same issue summer of 2018. I wish, I would have known about your channel. I had followed some incorrect advice. But my fix did not go as far as yours did! I had to clean out old grass clippings from the rear axles. And I, was up and running.
After watching your video, I am wondering how to keep this from happening. My Lawnmower is about fourteen years old plus. Do you have any suggestions?
Would the same apply for a Briggs & Stratton push mower on one back wheel dragging
GREAT NEWS!
Just mention to your Honda repair shop "Honda Power Equipment Lawn Mower Service Bulletin #107." If they have no idea what this is, find another repair shop.
Unfortunately in my case Honda did not feel compelled to inform registered owners about the rear wheel lock-up issue. It is my understanding Honda will repair this for free if your mower is still in warranty otherwise you pay for the repair. So I buy a new product and if it has a known factory defective and it is out of warrant, I pay to have it repaired. Seriously!
I just replaced the height adjusters for a customer according to #107. It said the bushings are larger, hopefully this fixes my customers issue. I may be doing the same to my mower this winter and hopefully the problem will be fixed for good.
yes same my Honda dealer said its a recall but honda wont actively notify customers or it unless they bring it in complaining.
the fix worked for me. My mower is only on it's second season. It's the HR21 model. My shaft wasn't that rusted or scarred up, but it wasn't lubricated and I think the tolerances between the bushing and the shaft are just too tight. I used emory cloth on the shaft, and added grease and it seems to have fixed it. I did my repair with the gearbox and shaft still installed in the deck.
There is a fix offered by Honda to replace the bushing assembly. You have to take it back to an authorized Honda repair dealer to get the fix.www.lawnmowerforum.com/showthread.php/42592-Honda-HRR-Models-Rear-Wheels-Locking-Up-When-Pulling-Backwards?s=1c7a18ffb5dfc1e04c7665e0e0d4145d
Roy G awesome thank u
Thank you!
Roy G good info, thanks. I wonder if there somewhere we can buy this upgraded part online for a reasonable price?
These parts are not that expensive but I've read that if you ordered the part you might not get the new and improved version but a part that had the original design flaw.
For Model HRR216VKA It's Definitely The Drive Pinion Gear Or Ratchet Key... Great Video For The Newer Model.
Thanks for the comments!
It all depends, I've replaced everything now, I'm doing this video's suggestion next.
My Honda mower made it 15 years to the month before doing this exact thing. I'll give it a shot. I plan on using this mower until it dies.
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you have saved me!!!!!!
Thanks for a great video, my wheels are freed. I have had this mower for 7 years now & I cannot get the electric start to work. I brought it to a repair center in late summer of 2019 & for $100 they got it working. The next spring 2020. It started with a freshly charged battery & that was the last time the electric start worked. The started does not crank at all. Do you have any suggestions on this issue?......... John
hi there, i have this problem on a viking mb455 , on the grass it looks broken, when i go backward on a ground made of concrete it does turn sometimes, i will give it a try and see how it is , thank you for this video
Thanks for that! Wouldn't you put grease on the shaft?
Great video. I've watched it many times, as I have the same problem. This fix worked on the shorter left side ( nearest to the transmission). However, I can't get the right side height adjuster off to get to the axle and bushing. I've verified I got the snap rings off, I've tried WD-40, dead Hammer and pry bar but it won't loosen up. Can you offer any thoughts of help or advice please?
Hi Yianni, The best I can remember the height adjuster is held in place with 2 nuts located inside the frame. I took the drive cable, spring and belt off to get the transmission out. One viewer commented to mention to your Honda dealer "Honda Power Equipment Lawn Mower Service Bulletin #107" and they will replace the bushings with the correct ones. Cleaning the shaft with sand paper worked for me and still no problem. Hope that helps.
Thank you sir, was a ton of help and thank you again.
Glad it helped