Backup resistance

acutabove said:

My e-mail service says that rober@honda isn't a valid address.

No, I'm not in Spokane, but in the midwest.

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No he's a user on these forums his name is robert@honda and we have a cut above mow service in spokane

acutabove said:

I have a Honda HRX217HXA mower. It has become very resistant to pulling it backwards when the wheel drive is fully released. It acts like some kind of clutch is not releasing as it should. The front wheels are OK, but the rear wheels don't want to go backward. I've adjusted the drive clutch cable according to the specs in the manual, but that doesn't help. The problem exists whether the engine is running or not. Would appreciate any help in solving this so the mower will free-wheel when I need to pull it backward.

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go to honda forum and scroll down to rear wheels locking up posted in june this year, this website, click on forums then honda, hope this helps you out.

mechanic mark said:

go to honda forum and scroll down to rear wheels locking up posted in june this year, this website, click on forums then honda, hope this helps you out.

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Thanks for this reference. Sounds like a fix might get pretty involved. Could well be beyond my meager mechanical abilities, so would probably be better to have the pros take a look at it.

acutabove said:

I have a Honda HRX217HXA mower. It has become very resistant to pulling it backwards when the wheel drive is fully released. It acts like some kind of clutch is not releasing as it should. The front wheels are OK, but the rear wheels don't want to go backward. I've adjusted the drive clutch cable according to the specs in the manual, but that doesn't help. The problem exists whether the engine is running or not. Would appreciate any help in solving this so the mower will free-wheel when I need to pull it backward.

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Is your mower in warranty? If you're not sure, share the serial number with me and I can check:



I would of course get it to a Honda dealer if in warranty for sure. If you want to DIY, "hard to roll backwards" sure sounds like the control arm may be binding, or the clutch cable may be damaged or binding. There may be debris or a lack of lubrication near the control arm that is compounding the problem; here's a screen grab from Service Bulletin #93 from April of this year that shows what to do:

robert@honda said:

Is your mower in warranty? If you're not sure, share the serial number with me and I can check:

I would of course get it to a Honda dealer if in warranty for sure. If you want to DIY, "hard to roll backwards" sure sounds like the control arm may be binding, or the clutch cable may be damaged or binding. There may be debris or a lack of lubrication near the control arm that is compounding the problem; here's a screen grab from Service Bulletin #93 from April of this year that shows what to do:

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Thank you very much for this information. No, my mower is no longer under warranty, sad to say (bought it in 2006). The screen grab will be very helpful in getting the problem handled, as will the Service Bulletin number if I decide to take it in for authorized repair.

acutabove said:

I have a Honda HRX217HXA mower. It has become very resistant to pulling it backwards when the wheel drive is fully released. It acts like some kind of clutch is not releasing as it should. The front wheels are OK, but the rear wheels don't want to go backward. I've adjusted the drive clutch cable according to the specs in the manual, but that doesn't help. The problem exists whether the engine is running or not. Would appreciate any help in solving this so the mower will free-wheel when I need to pull it backward.

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acutabove, I purchased a Honda mower (HRR216K9VLAA) about 3 years ago. Everthing worked great the 1st year. The 2nd year I started experiencing this very issue. I adjusted the drive clutch cable so many times I can do it in my sleep, but nothing helped. This year (3rd year) I did a major underside cleaning, thinking the accumulated crud was somehow causing the issue. That didn't help either.

Then I mistakenly loosened 4 bolts on a cover plate of a mechanism that the rear drive axle goes thru. It's kind of a transmission, but it only engages/disengages the drive axle. Oil leaked out. I did some googling and someone said it was 10w30 motor oil, so I topped it off and tightened the 4 cover bolts. It still wouldn't disengage tho.

So here's what I did. I flipped the mower over, removed the 4 bolts & cover plate, and sucked out the old oil with a turkey baster. It was full of metal shavings. Then I refilled it with 5w30 oil, thinking something thinner might help. I tested a few passes in my yard and it never locked up.

I will know for sure if it's fixed, when I mow the entire yard next time.

Very interesting dickman. Let us know how your beta test goes.

Horsehockey said:

Very interesting dickman. Let us know how your beta test goes.

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UPDATE
Yesterday I mowed about half my yard and the rear wheels starting locking up when I wanted to pull the mower in reverse. So my attempted fix was a bust.

Today I googled my mower ( Honda Lawn Mower Model HRR216K9VLAA ) to see if the transmission assembly was available to purchase. This site came up: repairclinic.com

Then I put in my Honda model number in the box at the top and clicked Search. Up popped a list of parts. On the left side of the window was a Parts Category. Scroll down to Transmission, Brake & Clutch, and click it. That returns a list of parts, one of them being a Lawn mower pinion gear.

Below the Lawn mower pinion gear was a link to a video on how to replace it, so I watched the video. The video shows them being well greased before they are installed. So I went to look at my pinion gears - they were dry as a bone. I cleaned them up, and threw in some wheel bearing grease where the pinion gear slides onto the axle. Then I fired up the mower and finished the yard. The rear wheels are not locking up any more.

This procedure may become a preventative maintenance thing I do every spring. And I may order a couple of these pinion gears for backup, as some people say they will wear out over time.

Thank you sir. Very helpful.