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Last fall, I bought this Harmony HRT216KS3A for $125. I knew there was a little bit of rust. Never took care of it and this spring after 3 mows and hitting a 3/8" stick, the transmission guard broke off kicking off the cable, cracked a lot of the frame. It is bad..ugly! Now I was wondering what you all think...is the deck refab-able or is it too far gone? If not what are some good uses to re-purpose the motor because it is in excellent condition. It starts so easily that it basically starts itself.

Any feedback is greatly appreciated

Here she is....

It's done. Unsafe to use any longer.

I picked up two mowers identical to yours last year ($40 ea) with the exact same issue to use as engine donors for other mowers I am working on. Depending upon where you live, you may have success parting it out (bags tend to be popular, at least where I live).

It's dead Jim. Salvage the trans and engine throw the rest away

A brand new deck is $105. Part number 76110-VG4-E00ZA.

Attached is a parts catalog with the deck and deck parts. Only the parts for your mower are listed, but some parts NOT for your mower are in the illustration. Example, your mower uses the deck #2, but #3 is for other models. #3 is NOT in the list of parts, but is in the illustration.

Google any part number to find a Honda Dealer selling it online, or use this link to find a Honda Dealer in your area: Find A Honda Dealer

Robert,

Can you comment on the propensity of the metal-decked Honda to rust out so quickly? It's not only the Hondas, but it seems that a lot of metal-decked mowers made in the past 20 years have the same issue. And do the commercial Honda models use the same deck or are they made from thicker steel? A lot of those are on lawn crew trucks around here and I can't say that I've seen those rust out as much as the consumer-grade ones.

The reason it puzzles me is that I still have a 1960s MTD that I have used since I got it as a kid in 1975. That mower still has essentially zero rust (it has some light surface rust but it hasn't progressed any) despite the fact that I only scoop out the grass after cutting when the lawn is wet.

How can a 1960s metal deck still be holding up while these late-model ones seem to completely rust out in ten years or less?

My own hunch is that is has to do with the metallurgy and using lower-grade, recycled steel that has only who knows what in it.

redmondjp said:

Robert,
Can you comment on the propensity of the metal-decked Honda to rust out so quickly? It's not only the Hondas, but it seems that a lot of metal-decked mowers made in the past 20 years have the same issue. And do the commercial Honda models use the same deck or are they made from thicker steel?

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While the quality of the steel absolutely matters, coatings, paint, design, and of course, environment are equally crucial to the lifespan of a mower deck. I've seen plenty of rust-buckets, but also countless units > 20 years old that only have a few scrapes and scratches, and are otherwise just fine.

Current Honda commercial mowers (HRC series) have steel decks, but they are indeed manufactured with thicker steel than the decks used on residential-grade mowers (HRR series).

Thanks Robert, for the diagram/parts list. I may just get a new deck. It would have to be after I get my HRA216 all finished.

How do the new plastic decks hold up? I was very surprised to see plastic when I went into Home Depot the other day

freeloader700 said:

How do the new plastic decks hold up? I was very surprised to see plastic when I went into Home Depot the other day

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Honda has been making the NeXite (polymer/synthetic) mower decks since the early 90s at the plant in Swepsonville, NC. The material is very similar to car bumpers and football helmets. For residential use, a NeXite deck has a LIFETIME warranty. It won't chip, rust, fade, crack, etc. under normal use.

you could....sell or give the engine to me. I need one just like that. It rusted out because grass was left in there and or was not dried off after washing. Bummer. But seriously let me know if you want to get rid of the engine. Or build a go kart, put it on another mower. peace.