I combed the forum for solution but only saw things that I have already determined to not be failing. Transmission drives, cable can adjust as recommended in all service posts. It seems as though the pin has too much play in the cable head but I can't get a picture of the cable fitting and an already in pretty steep for all other smart drive replacement parts. Suggestions would be great. Really not impressed with this Honda mower. (and from what I can gather all smart drive functionality is the same) Model HRR2169VKA purchased at Home Depot - new, not refurbished - and currently out of warranty.
Repairs Smart Drive Pin not staying engaged...
- Thread starter JLO1970
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robert@honda
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Send me a private message with your full email address and I'll send you some details on smartdrive. If you've had it apart, there is a definite 'trick' to getting it back together properly.
rocketmenno
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I am having a very similar problem with my Model HRR2168VKA also purchased at Home Depot. I have had it many years and i really liked it I replaced the smart drive cable after it failed and also replaced the worn out drive belt and the rear wheels. all seems to be working fine except the cable doesn't move very much when I rotate the smart drive controller on the handle. The pin seems loose and I can rotate the smart drive controller all around so I'm assuming i didn't get the top part put together correctly.
Any help with what the trick is to getting it put back together properly would be greatly appreciated
Robert . I have the same problem with the smart drive handle. Can you please send me details on how to get it working. The pin slips out of the groove.
catbob2024
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This not the exact model but it might help you. This from my service manual. They might not be in order look at page numbers.
tonymy01
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What is the strategy? I replaced the cable and the pin seems to slip out of the grooves when I put just a small amount of tension on the smartdrive, causing it to fully rotate around (black clipped in piece is rotating even without the smartdrive grey section on, can rotate it all the way around just gripping with fingers and it barely puts any tension on the drive, wheels will turn lifting up the mower but not enough tension can be forced by rotating the grip before it clicks and the pin presumably dislodges from the grooves until rotated back around).
tonymy01
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Ok, I worked it out after pulling apart and assembling it at least 5 times.
1. Doing it without the cable connected to the gearbox is significantly easier to check if it was done right.
2. Can push and pull the cable and twist the grip while the gearbox end is out the mower to properly check operation (ensure holding and cable doesn't allow easy 360 rotation of the hand grip where it partially clicks into place on some positions, this means the pin is at an angle still).
3. It would appear the multiple failed attempts the pin went at a slight angle and that was enough for it to engage only lightly in the top or bottom half, it had to be perfectly straight and then it goes properly into both halves.
This is really only easily done with the tension fully released from the cable (the first few failed attempts I tried to shorten the cable to release as much tension as possible and got my partner to hold the gearbox to further release the tension but it likely wasn't enough, I didn't try the "wedge long screwdriver in place and hold it on that position by putting the mower weight down on it" method, maybe that would have worked as that may have stretched the belt sufficiently to give enough movement on the cable top end to ensure the pin would seat properly on top and bottom half grooves.
I had initially thought that in my effort to initially pull apart the 2 halves that I had distorted the shape or stretched the 3 clips a little, and this was enough for the pin to slip out, was contemplating cutting a slightly longer pin to get around this, but realised I was not getting any kind of tension required to push the box against the belt for any mower movement, and a longer pin would have likely not yielded much improvement. It was only when I realised that the pin could easily sit at an angle and easily give the symptoms observed that I made an extra effort to pull the cable out a bit so the pin could be oriented and ensure 100% it would seat in both halves that I finally had success.
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