Repairs Honda rear wheels locking on pull back. Any Fix? Which models affected??
Im hoping for some advice please. I have a Honda Izy HRG536 VKEA (variable speed/paddle on handle bar). I am struggling with the dreaded wheel lock when pulling back. I have disconnected the clutch cable (attached to Smart drive paddle on handlebar) in case it wasnt releasing properly but that has made no difference. Ive also greased up the little key and the bearings. I have done lots of research, seen lots of videos and it seems the bushes seizing up on the axle shaft (shaft across the rear connecting the wheels) are the common problem.
Has anyone come up with a permanent fix for this or is it still case of stripping it down and regular lubrication of the bushes??
Has anyone found a lubricant that works well for this??
Lastly. Is it just the variable speed/Smart drive Honda mowers that are affected with this problem. Does the single speed (ie not Smart mow paddle controlled) Izy suffer also?
robert@Honda
Lawn Addict
I have done lots of research, seen lots of videos and it seems the bushes seizing up on the axle shaft (shaft across the rear connecting the wheels) are the common problem.
I confirmed with our Service Team here at American Honda that the IZY mower is pretty much the EU-equivalant of a Honda HRR mowers. American Honda issued a Service Bulletin a while back that addressed this issue on USA-spec HRR mowers. At fault was the rear bushings were not made to spec when installed on a limited number of mowers. Honda says to replace both the adjuster AND bushing at the same time, and the mower will be good to go. Here’s a link with details:
You should probably check with a dealer over there in the UK and see if Honda UK ever issued a similar bulletin “rear wheels lock up or difficult to pull backwards” for IZY models. Chances are good some IZY mowers got the bad bushings fitted at the factory.
Edolsen
Forum Newbie
Hi folks. My first post. sorry its a problem
Im hoping for some advice please. I have a Honda Izy HRG536 VKEA (variable speed/paddle on handle bar). I am struggling with the dreaded wheel lock when pulling back. I have disconnected the clutch cable (attached to Smart drive paddle on handlebar) in case it wasnt releasing properly but that has made no difference. Ive also greased up the little key and the bearings. I have done lots of research, seen lots of videos and it seems the bushes seizing up on the axle shaft (shaft across the rear connecting the wheels) are the common problem.
Has anyone come up with a permanent fix for this or is it still case of stripping it down and regular lubrication of the bushes??
Lastly. Is it just the variable speed/Smart drive Honda mowers that are affected with this problem. Does the single speed (ie not Smart mow paddle controlled) Izy suffer also?
Ed Olsen Longview WA. hope this helps #1 I shut the fuel off and run i’t out of gas. Remove the air filter so if there is some gas left in the carburetor it won’t get on the filter. #2 Turn mower on it’s side and remove the rear wheel. You need lock-ring pliers to remove the lock ring. #3 Pull the pinon-gear off the shaft and remember how it came off, Has to be in same position for the key to lock into the gear. #4 Take the key off (it already fell out) remove the spring (about the size of a ball point pen spring) I would replace the spring’s and key and the pinon-gear if it looks bad. I wash out everything with spray carburetor cleaner and even get in the hole and scratch around with a toothpick, should be really clean. #5 Put the spring in the hole and the worst part is getting the key against the spring and the wheel back on. String would work I use a strand of wire. Make a circle with the wire at least 12 inches or bigger and put over the shaft and on the key and keep tension on it to hold the key in against the spring. #6 Put the Pinon gear back on (has to be the same direction as it came off-upside down creates a big problem ha) If you get it on the first try your doing great, usually take’s me 3 or 4 time’s and the pinion gear has to come back off and start over holding the key against the spring. #7 When you get the pinion gear on I use WD-40 and as I’m getting oil on the shaft and inside the gear I want to have the spring getting enough oil. #8 Put the lock ring back on and the wheel. I mow 4 and 5 yards a day and around 3 or 4 month’s I pull the wheels off and oil inside the pinon gear and shaft. Before every mowing season I replace the key’s and spring’s if needed. If I have to change the pinion gear I change the rear wheels so you have new teeth against new teeth.
Just an update for any UK users with similar problems. I have spoken with my Honda dealer about this. He has no record of any service bulletin from Honda UK, however the part numbers for replacement rear height adjusters do include bushing and are the same part number as in the US bulletin. I can only hope that Honda UK stock has the updated bushes. I have placed an order and will update once fitted.
Another update. New bushes and adjusters fitted and solved the problem for only a month! before the problem re-occurred. I cannot believe Honda have got away with such a poor design.
Roymg
Another update. New bushes and adjusters fitted and solved the problem for only a month! before the problem re-occurred. I cannot believe Honda have got away with such a poor design.
I can’t take ownership for this fix and I can’t find where I got this article from to be able to give credit to the originator. But I tried the fix he suggested and it worked for me. Why I’m not sure, but heck I was willing to try something to take care of the problem. I have a HRR216K9VKA Honda mower. I got my thrust washers from ACE and even though they were not an exact match, they worked. So far I cut my yard only once with this fix and ran this mower for an hour and one half, with good results.
14 year old HRT216 would no longer backup (rear wheels would not release when the drive handle was released, and the wheels just “locked”. My remedy below is uniquely different from any others I have seen on this subject. Honda Mower Rear wheel xmission has a unique design that uses Thrust Washers to help release the drive from the rear wheels so that the operator can easily back up the mower when the Drive Handle is released. As the machine ages, these washers lose their load Thrust and the rear wheels will not properly release to enable an easy back up. This makes the mower very hard to operate due to its “braking weight in reverse”. A Simple Fix in lieu of replacing the entire transmission (175 or so) and repair bill of 175 (total xmission repair is very difficult and time consuming) is to place two thrust washers (Pt # 90505-VG3-000) (13 x 27mm) in series and add one more spacing wheel washer (Pt # 90455-VA2-000 (13 x 27 x 1mm) to each Rear Wheel Assembly instead of just one thrust washer and spacer washer. These are items #16 and #19 in Jacks-Parts-Lookup/Model-Diagram. Adding these washers “in series” will double the Thrust Force and aid the wheels to release. I used the existing Thrust Washer and Spacing Washer from the existing mower and added one Thrust Washer and One more Spacing Washer to each Wheel Assembly and got excellent results. Put the Spacing Plain Washers on each end of the Series Assembly of two Thrust Washers (i.e. Top and Bottom Sandwich with Thrust Washers “back to back” as shown in the Solon diagram referenced below: Be sure to orient the Washer Assembly as shown in Solon Belleville Spring Features via One of the Thrust Washers Convex Head must be oriented to point towards the Wheel Axles Bolt Head, the other Trust washer Convex Head must point towards the Wheel Cover Item #6. Two Thrust Washers and two Wheel Washers will cost about 6.00. Time to un-assemble and re-assemble each wheel is about ten minutes each. Clean the large driver perimeter gear(s) on each inner wheel if badly caked with lubricant, grass, and dirt. Apply a thin coating of Gear Grease or Heavy Motor Oil to each driving gear
Honda LAWN MOWER WHEEL 200mm (8 INCH) 42710-VJ9-000
Replacement wheel for the following Honda lawn mower models: HRU217D, HRU19D1, HRU19R1, HRU197D, HRU197, HRU196, HRU214, HR214, HRU195, HRU194, HR19R, HRU216.
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Honda Lawn Mower Wheel Bolts
We are an Authorized Honda Engine Dealer carrying a large selection of Honda Wheel Bolts. If you do not see the Honda Wheel Bolt you need, please complete the Lawn Mower Parts Request Form and we will be happy to assist you.
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New Honda Caster Wheel Mower Delivers Ultimate Maneuverability
Honda Power Equipment has introduced a caster wheel version of its popular Honda Harmony II lawnmowers to meet customer demand for enhanced maneuverability, the company announced today.
The Honda HRZ216TDA joins the existing 5-model lineup of value oriented Harmony II mowers, and is available through Honda Power Equipment Dealers and The Home Depot.
Front mounted caster wheels provide for zero turning radius, enabling users to turn around in place or easily navigate around landscape obstacles like trees, shrubs, beds, and rocks with minimal effort. The front wheels also can be easily locked in place for directional stability when traveling in a straight line or across a slope.
“Customer FOCUS is one of Honda’s core philosophies,” said Rock Reed, Honda Power Equipment product planning and marketing manager. “The new HRZ216 mower is an example of our commitment to listening to customers and offering the features they desire.”
Maneuverability is further enhanced by the new mower’s low overall weight of 92.0 pounds. several pounds less than similar offerings from principal competitors. without compromising Honda’s unparalleled durability, quality and reliability.
Operator comfort and convenience are maximized through the use of an ergonomically designed ErgoActive handlebar and controls, with an integrated caster wheel locking mechanism and shift lever located in the control area. This enables the operator to lock and unlock the caster wheels without leaving the control area or shutting off the engine.
Other performance advantages over similarly equipped competitive models include easy conversion between bagging and mulching, standard large capacity bag with a larger opening for easier dumping, larger discharge opening for more efficient bagging, and a shorter distance between the mower deck and the bag for reduced clogging and friction loss.
- Exclusive twin blade Honda QuadraCut mulching system
- Heavy duty steel caster support
- Ball bearing supported wheels
- 3 speed transmission
- 6 mowing height adjustments
- Proven Honda overhead cam/overhead valve engine for ease of starting, fuel efficiency, and clean, quiet operation
- Optional leaf shredder and rear mounted side discharge chute
In keeping with Honda’s long standing commitment to environmental leadership, all Honda Harmony II mowers meet or exceed California Air Resources Board (CARB) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emissions standards.
Editor’s Note: Honda Power Equipment, a division of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., manufactures and markets a complete range of outdoor power equipment, including outboard marine engines, general purpose engines, generators, lawnmowers, pumps, snowblowers, tillers and trimmers for commercial, rental and residential applications. Its comprehensive product line consists exclusively of environmentally advanced 4-stroke engines.
A good version of a standard mower
This dependable, popular Toro performs as well as other decent self-propelled mowers and stands out for its ability to be stored upright (like the Egos), saving valuable garage space.
Buying Options
At the time of publishing, the price was 449.
If you want to pay the lowest price possible and still get a quality self-propelled mower, we recommend the Toro SmartStow Recycler 20340. At around 450, the Toro costs less than the Egos and the Honda, and, like other good options at this price level, it offers intuitive self-propulsion and excellent mulching performance. The Toro’s unusual feature—and the reason we recommend it over a lot of similar machines—is its space-saving ability to be stowed upright in a crowded garage or shed (the Egos can be stored this way as well). However, with the Toro, you don’t get the Ego’s gas-free convenience or the Honda’s cut quality.
The best lawn mower
The self-propelled Ego LM2135SP’s battery runs for an hour and easily mows down overgrown grass—and it spares you the noise, emissions, and maintenance of a typical gas mower.
Buying Options
With Ace Rewards membership (free to join)
For the lawn perfectionist
This reliable Honda gas mower’s dual blades manicure a lawn with precision, and its unique system can dial in the ratio of grass you’re bagging and mulching.
Buying Options
At the time of publishing, the price was 699.
The research
Over the past nine mowing seasons, we’ve spent more than 120 hours researching nearly 250 mowers, interviewing experts, and extensively testing some of our top picks.
An invaluable source has been Roy Berendsohn, a Popular Mechanics lawn mower guru who has more than 20 years of experience testing and writing about mowers. If Berendsohn isn’t writing about mowers, he’s often being interviewed about them (see here and here).
We’ve interviewed landscapers, including Chad Crosby of West Michigan Lawn Services and Paul Koehler of Koehler Landscape Construction Services. We’ve called people at lawn mower retail/service outlets, like Nick Ortiz at Kellam Lawn Mower in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, and Boston Lawnmower Company’s David (who asked that his last name be withheld). We’ve talked to product managers at Honda, Toro, Troy-Bilt, Ego, Cub Cadet, and other manufacturers.
Personally, I maintain a rural property in New Hampshire that is far too large for a push mower to cover but that does provide ample room to test our recommendations. This guide’s editor, Harry Sawyers, assists with testing mowers on his LA property and draws from his previous experience as a professional landscaper.
Who this is for
If you want to be able to stand the sight of your yard this summer, you’re going to need a lawn mower. Anything larger than a half-acre gets into riding-mower territory, but a self-propelled push mower is perfect for a half-acre or less. Going at a pace of about 3 mph (roughly average walking speed), it will take about an hour to cut this amount of grass. (If you have a particularly small lawn, a reel mower is an option—but it’s quite hard work.)
If you already own a gas mower that’s less than a decade old, you will probably not notice a tremendous difference by upgrading to a newer gas mower. Upgrading to a cordless model is a more noticeable change you could immediately appreciate.
The Best Reel Mower for Your (Small) Lawn
After 30 hours researching and testing reel mowers, we think the Scotts 2000-20 20-Inch Classic Push Reel Lawn Mower is the best pick for manual lawncare.
Thinking of studding my lawn mower tires
I have a nice Honda self propelled lawn mower. Rear wheel drive, rubber tires on plastic wheels. I am blessed to have a nice green yard that is growing very well. My trouble is I have multiple slopes in the back yard, compound slopes if that makes sense. I am always slipping and sliding downhill as I mow. Thinking of driving some sheet metal screws into the rear tires for traction. I googled it, and some people have done it. One guy put them down the middle every six inches. I am thinking of alternating left to right every couple of inches. My only concern is moving on concrete surfaces. I keep the mower in the garage as well as having to cross a couple of sidewalks.
What about cutting strips of anti slip material like used on stair treads? That would likely give more grip without the issue crossing walkways and paved surfaces.
Edit: Sorry, I got distracted by the plastic wheels part and missed the rubber tires thing. I still wonder is bands of the anti slip around the tires similar to what you described with the screws would work.
That’s an idea. I also forgot to mention that I also slip on these slopes. When stores open back up, I am hitting up Goodwill for some golf shoes.
If I could find these things to fit, man o man:
If you’re slipping too, those are some slopes. Between the golf shoes and those beauties you’d never have to rent an aerator again, there’s that!
Studding the tires is a good idea, they won’t be pleasant on hard surfaces but it should fix the slipping on grass. Your alternating pattern sounds like a good idea. You don’t want them to project out of the tire too much, I figure 5mm of projection is plenty. I assume these aren’t pneumatic tires?
Correct, not pneumatic. Hard plastic wheel with a rubber tire. Why such shallow? is better, right?