Honda HRX217HZA very hard to maneuver
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Chris Parman
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If you still have the Users manual for your HRX217 look for the Drive cable adjustment section and follow the procedure for maintenance adjustment.
logert gogert
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you should just be able to follow the cable from the drive handle down to the front or rear, depending if its front or rear wheel drive.
Chris Parman
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Carol, take a picture of the carburetor side of the lawn mower enough so that the cables are in the shot. By the way, are you a chick? Also, take a close up picture of the identification tag that shows the model/VIN.
cruzenmike
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Carol,
I have attached a picture of the cable adjuster from the HRX217. Being about 8 years old and most likely the VKA variant, this should match up with your equipment. What I am about to tell you, you can and should be doing with the mower OFF. If you stand behind the mower handles, place your left hand on the bar and follow the cable down towards the engine and right before the cable passes through the deck you should find this adjustment. All you have to do is loosen the lock nut by turning it counterclockwise and then turn the "adjuster" so that it lengthens the section of the adjuster away from the nut. The way to know that you it adjusted properly is to slowly pull the mower backwards using just the handle and then apply slight pressure to the Smart Drive paddle. If it is properly adjusted, the back wheels should lock up and stop the mower from rolling. When you let go of the Smart Drive paddle it should start to roll freely again. You keep rotating the adjuster incrementally to lengthen the section until you get the wheels to instantaneously lock up when activating the paddle when pulling backwards while still rolling freely if let go. If you find that it won't roll freely after you adjust the cable then it is too tight and you need to rotate the adjuster opposite of what you had been doing until it works properly. Once you have found that sweet spot, tighten the lock nut against the adjuster and give it a try with the mower running on level ground.
I have also attached a link to the manual for the HRX217 from 2013 which should still apply (see page 14 "Smart Drive Cable Check/Adjustment). These directions are a bit more concise, but will get you the same result.
Hopefully this helps.
Mike
[/URL]
I have attached a picture of the cable adjuster from the HRX217. Being about 8 years old and most likely the VKA variant, this should match up with your equipment. What I am about to tell you, you can and should be doing with the mower OFF. If you stand behind the mower handles, place your left hand on the bar and follow the cable down towards the engine and right before the cable passes through the deck you should find this adjustment. All you have to do is loosen the lock nut by turning it counterclockwise and then turn the "adjuster" so that it lengthens the section of the adjuster away from the nut. The way to know that you it adjusted properly is to slowly pull the mower backwards using just the handle and then apply slight pressure to the Smart Drive paddle. If it is properly adjusted, the back wheels should lock up and stop the mower from rolling. When you let go of the Smart Drive paddle it should start to roll freely again. You keep rotating the adjuster incrementally to lengthen the section until you get the wheels to instantaneously lock up when activating the paddle when pulling backwards while still rolling freely if let go. If you find that it won't roll freely after you adjust the cable then it is too tight and you need to rotate the adjuster opposite of what you had been doing until it works properly. Once you have found that sweet spot, tighten the lock nut against the adjuster and give it a try with the mower running on level ground.
I have also attached a link to the manual for the HRX217 from 2013 which should still apply (see page 14 "Smart Drive Cable Check/Adjustment). These directions are a bit more concise, but will get you the same result.
Hopefully this helps.
Mike
[/URL]
cruzenmike
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Carol,
I had not paid attention to your post title so much as the question you asked, but does your machine have the select drive paddles or the Hydrostatic Transmission with the bar that you push up to propel? If it is the Hydrostatic variant, there is a drive clutch cable adjustment that can be done in the box under the handle. I have included information on this as well in case that is what you need.
Go to this site: https://powerequipment.honda.com/lawn-mowers/maintenance-and-support
and click on the section titled "How do I adjust the Drive Clutch cable?"