Buying Advice Drive system and speed **down** a hill [??HRX217HYA]

I have a well worn Snapper BBC (blade brake clutch=blade stop system or BSS on the Honda) from 1993 and a 5 hp B&S engine. Sadly, the BBC has finally worn out. I've JB welded part of it! Most important, the Snapper has a drive system whereby the mower "brakes" like a car going down a hill - it does NOT "run away" from me, "speed up", or "free-wheel". I'd buy another Snapper; Snappers sells the same gear system today but NOT with the BBC system. Darn.

I never thought to ask about the free-wheeling behavior, and purchased a Honda HRR216VYA from HomeDepot (HD). Here is the problem: I have a hill (a good slope) that is not amenable to cross-mowing, so I have to go up and down. While the Snapper handles this with grace (just slow the mower speed down a notch or two - not the engine speed), the Honda went running down the hill. I returned it the next day to HD.

HD also has the HRX217HYA, but my local stores (I tried 3 of them) have sales people who have no idea whether the HRX217HYA (hdrostatic drive) behaves like the HRR216VYA *down a hill*.

Does anyone have experience with the behavior in the HRX217HYA...or could they try their mower in such a situation?

I was able to try the Toro Personal Pace System with the BBC (20333), and it behaved the same as the HRR216VYA.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Just for information, the cost of the HRX217HYA seemed really steep to me (~$700!). But the Snapper cost me ~$500 in 1993, which means with inflation in today's dollars the Honda is actually less. Wow.

Thanks!

thewrair said:

Just for information, the cost of the HRX217HYA seemed really steep to me (~$700!). But the Snapper cost me ~$500 in 1993, which means with inflation in today's dollars the Honda is actually less. Wow.

Thanks!

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The Honda is not cheap, but it is well worth it!! I have one and I love it. I am not sure if it will stay the same speed down a hill, though.

The HRX217HYA with the hydrostatic drive has ratchets in each rear drive wheel, so going down a slope, the ratchets are free to turn as physics/traction allows. In other words, no braking, and the mower just freewheels down a slope if gravity pulls it faster than the hydrostatic drive. Does not sound like it will behave the way you want on a hill...

robert@honda said:

The HRX217HYA with the hydrostatic drive has ratchets in each rear drive wheel, so going down a slope, the ratchets are free to turn as physics/traction allows. In other words, no braking, and the mower just freewheels down a slope if gravity pulls it faster than the hydrostatic drive. Does not sound like it will behave the way you want on a hill...

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Bought one this am, used it for around 3 hrs or so and I noticed the same thing when going down a slope. I thought the hydro system would slow it down (retard) it but the speed doesn't slow. Oh well, I got it from a new dealer and they had a Toro time master 30" and I was quietly dissapointed that I didn't research Toro more. I'm not unhappy with the honda at all, it's very quiet in fact I thought it wasn't at WOT. I'm on the fence as far as the hydro goes, sounds expensive when it quits, same for the blade clutch.....Makes me a bit nervous especially because the dealer is over an hour away.