Just bought new Honda HRR216VKA mower

Aronis

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Jun 9, 2018
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Hello all,

Just thought I'd share my 2 cents worth.

I have been looking at new mowers the past few summers as I have been repairing my 1996 vintage Snapper 6hp lawn mower that I have used for the past 22 years. It has needed new parts here and there, burns oil, but has served me well. My 13 year older used it last week (second time mowing for me) and he broke the carburetor clean off! Yes I could repair it, more later.

I had been eyeing the fancy electric start $900 dollar Honda Mower at my local John Deere dealer for the past two summers and finally went to buy one. Ended up with the lower end model, HRR216VKA, without the electric start and the smaller motor. They don't list the horse power. D'ooh.

I have a Honda Generator that I bought in 1997, still runs great, starts with ONE PULL, I start it twice a year to make sure it's ready. It's my back up-back up since i put a whole house generator in three years ago. But it's a Honda and it runs great! My oldest has a Civic, and I had two prior Honda cars (1981 Accord and 1987 CRX). So I expect a great motor from the Honda Lawn mower.

The mower runs great. Starts with 1 pull. Cuts great. The height adjustment and the bag are easy to use. It's not that loud either! The handle height adjusts easily and the handle can be folded easily. The lever to switch from Mulch to Bag is great.

But. I HATE IT. The self-propel setup on this mower STINKS. It's a variable speed that does just that VARIES all the time. The start-up from a stand still STINKS. You push the lever, nothing happens, then a little more and BANG it's off and running at full speed. The take-up on the clutch mechanism is terrible. I worked with it for a few hours today doing trim. The thing does not free wheel either so if you want to move it without the self propel you have to fight the mechanism. The adjustable speed setup allows you to adjust the starting position of the control but the control still can be pushed further forward, there is not stop on the control. So if you try to control the speed where you want it and push the handle a little farther, it's off and running. And when you go up hill it slows down without changing your hand position and when you go down hill it speeds up.

I know this is a Honda Forum and I will get hate from you all but I am ready for it.

Please tell me the more expensive Honda Version is better? I am bringing this thing back next week. If I can't get a refund it's going to the dump, in pieces.

Next I am heading to the partstree.com website for parts for my Snapper. :) That thing has six speeds in fixed ratios. So it stays at the speed you set. And it free wheels when you take out the clutch for the drive. Had I known the self propel in the Honda was that bad I would have shopped more carefully.

Mike
 

rkfast

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Apr 11, 2018
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Hello all,

Just thought I'd share my 2 cents worth.

I have been looking at new mowers the past few summers as I have been repairing my 1996 vintage Snapper 6hp lawn mower that I have used for the past 22 years. It has needed new parts here and there, burns oil, but has served me well. My 13 year older used it last week (second time mowing for me) and he broke the carburetor clean off! Yes I could repair it, more later.

I had been eyeing the fancy electric start $900 dollar Honda Mower at my local John Deere dealer for the past two summers and finally went to buy one. Ended up with the lower end model, HRR216VKA, without the electric start and the smaller motor. They don't list the horse power. D'ooh.

I have a Honda Generator that I bought in 1997, still runs great, starts with ONE PULL, I start it twice a year to make sure it's ready. It's my back up-back up since i put a whole house generator in three years ago. But it's a Honda and it runs great! My oldest has a Civic, and I had two prior Honda cars (1981 Accord and 1987 CRX). So I expect a great motor from the Honda Lawn mower.

The mower runs great. Starts with 1 pull. Cuts great. The height adjustment and the bag are easy to use. It's not that loud either! The handle height adjusts easily and the handle can be folded easily. The lever to switch from Mulch to Bag is great.

But. I HATE IT. The self-propel setup on this mower STINKS. It's a variable speed that does just that VARIES all the time. The start-up from a stand still STINKS. You push the lever, nothing happens, then a little more and BANG it's off and running at full speed. The take-up on the clutch mechanism is terrible. I worked with it for a few hours today doing trim. The thing does not free wheel either so if you want to move it without the self propel you have to fight the mechanism. The adjustable speed setup allows you to adjust the starting position of the control but the control still can be pushed further forward, there is not stop on the control. So if you try to control the speed where you want it and push the handle a little farther, it's off and running. And when you go up hill it slows down without changing your hand position and when you go down hill it speeds up.

I know this is a Honda Forum and I will get hate from you all but I am ready for it.

Please tell me the more expensive Honda Version is better? I am bringing this thing back next week. If I can't get a refund it's going to the dump, in pieces.

Next I am heading to the partstree.com website for parts for my Snapper. :) That thing has six speeds in fixed ratios. So it stays at the speed you set. And it free wheels when you take out the clutch for the drive. Had I known the self propel in the Honda was that bad I would have shopped more carefully.

Mike

Youre right, its not the best. Takes some getting used to. I wouldn't give up on it.
 

Roymg

Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2018
Threads
1
Messages
25
Hello all,

Just thought I'd share my 2 cents worth.

I have been looking at new mowers the past few summers as I have been repairing my 1996 vintage Snapper 6hp lawn mower that I have used for the past 22 years. It has needed new parts here and there, burns oil, but has served me well. My 13 year older used it last week (second time mowing for me) and he broke the carburetor clean off! Yes I could repair it, more later.

I had been eyeing the fancy electric start $900 dollar Honda Mower at my local John Deere dealer for the past two summers and finally went to buy one. Ended up with the lower end model, HRR216VKA, without the electric start and the smaller motor. They don't list the horse power. D'ooh.

I have a Honda Generator that I bought in 1997, still runs great, starts with ONE PULL, I start it twice a year to make sure it's ready. It's my back up-back up since i put a whole house generator in three years ago. But it's a Honda and it runs great! My oldest has a Civic, and I had two prior Honda cars (1981 Accord and 1987 CRX). So I expect a great motor from the Honda Lawn mower.

The mower runs great. Starts with 1 pull. Cuts great. The height adjustment and the bag are easy to use. It's not that loud either! The handle height adjusts easily and the handle can be folded easily. The lever to switch from Mulch to Bag is great.

But. I HATE IT. The self-propel setup on this mower STINKS. It's a variable speed that does just that VARIES all the time. The start-up from a stand still STINKS. You push the lever, nothing happens, then a little more and BANG it's off and running at full speed. The take-up on the clutch mechanism is terrible. I worked with it for a few hours today doing trim. The thing does not free wheel either so if you want to move it without the self propel you have to fight the mechanism. The adjustable speed setup allows you to adjust the starting position of the control but the control still can be pushed further forward, there is not stop on the control. So if you try to control the speed where you want it and push the handle a little farther, it's off and running. And when you go up hill it slows down without changing your hand position and when you go down hill it speeds up.

I know this is a Honda Forum and I will get hate from you all but I am ready for it.

Please tell me the more expensive Honda Version is better? I am bringing this thing back next week. If I can't get a refund it's going to the dump, in pieces.

Next I am heading to the partstree.com website for parts for my Snapper. :) That thing has six speeds in fixed ratios. So it stays at the speed you set. And it free wheels when you take out the clutch for the drive. Had I known the self propel in the Honda was that bad I would have shopped more carefully.

Mike

Yeah, I have the same Honda mower and it will drag you all over the yard. The speed set up is not the best. I also have the 6 hp Snapper mower I bought over 15 years ago and when I accidently burnt up the mower engine, I bought the Honda. I wasn't crazy about it either so I looked on the net and at a place called Small Engines I found an exact motor replacement which had the same size shaft as the existing Snapper. Now I'm back to using the Snapper but also use the Honda. The snapper with its platter drive design is the best around but I don't think you can find a Snapper walk behind with this drive system anymore. I do believe that Snapper was bought out by Briggs and Striation which also, I think, owns Murray. I'm keeping my snapper around for a long time. Parts can still be found for the older mowers.
 

(Account Closed)

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Yeah, I have the same Honda mower and it will drag you all over the yard. The speed set up is not the best. I also have the 6 hp Snapper mower I bought over 15 years ago and when I accidently burnt up the mower engine, I bought the Honda. I wasn't crazy about it either so I looked on the net and at a place called Small Engines I found an exact motor replacement which had the same size shaft as the existing Snapper. Now I'm back to using the Snapper but also use the Honda. The snapper with its platter drive design is the best around but I don't think you can find a Snapper walk behind with this drive system anymore. I do believe that Snapper was bought out by Briggs and Striation which also, I think, owns Murray. I'm keeping my snapper around for a long time. Parts can still be found for the older mowers.

Snapper still makes the "platter drive system" but have changed it slightly over the years.

My original (from 1985, 4 HP), had a tensioner pulley to keep the drive belt tight.

My second Snapper (about 13 years old now, 7HP, OHV), also has the belt but NO separate tensioner pulley.
I've never had to change it but I believe it's got an adjustment underneath (screw driver head) in the area of the disc.

I did have to change the bushing once in the drive unit, where the drive pully sticks out of the gear box (just got sloppy and not hard to swap). This Briggs doesn't burn a drop of oil, leak down test indicates the engine (internally) is about new (less than 2% leak down @ 100PSI)
 
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trekgod3

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Return it or sell it if you can and get the more expensive HRX model. I just got one and it's awesome. The self propel is easy to use and easy to adjust on the fly. Plus , the 2019 model has an even bigger 200cc engine. It's a little bigger and heavier than my old push mower but I can still lift it into the bed of my truck(I cut my mom's yard, too).
 

mechanic mark

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Last edited:

cruzenmike

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The Smart Drive system on the Honda mowers actually have two adjustments. The first adjustment is for the paddle on the handles. The second adjustment is in-line with the cable for the transmission. I had the older HRX217 with the smart drive system and loved it. I had to make a couple of adjustments over the years but it is very simple.

See pages 13 and 14 in the manual that is linked below:

http://cdn.powerequipment.honda.com/pe/pdf/manuals/00X31VL0N030.pdf

If this does not fix your problem then by all means take it back to the dealer. If the adjustment fixes your issue, then the mower should serve you well. With the HRX you are paying for the larger engine with more torque and Nexite deck which will not break or rust. For the extra couple hundred dollars it may not be worth it. But at the end of the day, it does have a different drive system that you may like more.

Good Luck.
 
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