Honda HRN 216vka Smart Drive Won't Work - Used 0.78 Acre x 4?

[mrup5260]

First...I registered after "surfing" and nothing out here on HRN 216vka smart drive trouble shooting.

Disclaimer / PREFACE: I live a honest life in recovery and won't mislead you nor Honda Dealer....I have used mower 4 times but it is on a wooded lot and 1/3 of the 0.78 acres is bumpy and has hidden small stumps the blades don't hit but wheels do.

The smart drive quit working 98% of way done 4th use. I can push the push mower forward and aft ;- like a push mower. I have replaced the brand new looking belt and....well, it's a push mower still. If it means anything, I adjusted the cable full one direction and opposite and nothing. When I push the smart drive handle (if it means anything) I see the cable at the mower deck to gear box "moves" when I push smart drive handle, When incident occurred....other than 98% done---> there was nothing exciting to report like a sudden event. It was about out of gas / thirsty --> I filled up, started engine and smart dive did nothing.

From living under a bridge to surrendering to addiction, fought like hell-busted ass (clean) to get a rental but but have to mow yard----refused a mtd and know it's lower end, but "I" saved for "a honda". Could Cry! Have 1 round still in spine from Afghanistan / low back pain....gonna have to push it now though.

I live very rural in Pocono Mountains - prayed for trouble shoot and looked over many other model threads and sounds like I didn't do research when I saved for "a honda" if you tell me what I see w/ others: drive wheel bushing is worn???

This is the best website and not nonsense telling me to try putting gas in it, etc? If you have advice, "I listen today". I just respectfully am not looking for "it's under warranty". I own up to my today, in motion - bumps, etc.

Appreciate you.

Mark

 

[Briantii]

Congratulations and keep up the great work on recovery and thank you for your service. I know it’s a crazy tough road and I have nothing but respect for you for fighting the good fight. Please keep it up and I know you can do it!

Regard the HRN, I know you don’t want to hear it, but it is a new mower and frankly it should hold up way better than that. There’s no shame in taking it back and letting Honda deal with it. That’s part of what you paid your hard earned money for.

Honda redesigned some aspects of the drive system with the introduction of the HRN and being a new model not many people have experience working on them yet. With that said you could check the cable going from the handlebar to the transmission - it typically pulls up on the trans which pivots and tightens the belt. If the belt tightens when you try to engage the trans, then look to see if the trans is outputting power to the drive shaft. You should be able to either turn the top of the trans pulley by hand with the engine off / spark plug disconnected. You could get a friend to push down on the handlebars while running and engage the drive and see if you can tell the problem FROM A VERY SAFE DISTANCE. If the input to the trans spins, but the output doesn’t you’re looking at a bad transmission. If the shaft is spinning then your problem is in your wheels where the pinion gears and are. They redesigned that area on the HRN so can’t say from personal experience wha maybe wrong, but on the older ones bad pinion gears, or ratchet spring / key could cause it... but likely only one wheel.

Realistically this is Honda’s problem though. They generally make and sell a very tough mower. For whatever reason they have failed this time and there is nothing wrong letting them own their problem. A belt on one of these things should last 5+ years for example.

Good luck sir and let us know what you find out.

 

[Honda Tech]

Mark, I wish you the best! Thank you for you service.

You mention that you live fairly remote, but I would encourage taking it to an authorized Honda power equipment dealer to repair under warranty, but if you're up to it, there are a couple fairly simple things you can check.
1. Be sure the belt tensioner spring is in place.
2. Remove wheels and check ratchet. These are a new style ratchet Honda is using on this model and considering the terrain you are operating the mower on, I suspect it's possible for them for break.

The Honda HRN series is, in my opinion, the best mower in it's class, but it is a new model for Honda with some new designs and it is not all that unusual for new products to have a couple bugs in them, but Honda has always been excellent at addressing and correcting issues.

Best regards from the West Coast!

 

[ADK homeowner]

I had a similar problem with my Honda HRN216VKA mower. While mowing (and mulching) the transmission stopped working. Turned in to a push mower. Less than 1 year and 10 hours use old.

I found your post yesterday and dreaded the possibility of a broken transmission. But the problem was actually very simple--once I found the small piece of wood that jammed the belt in the transmission pulley.

The belt and pulleys on the motor shaft and transmission have guides to keep the belt on the pulleys--See part #4 on the diagram. I don't think it would be possible to replace the belt on the transmission without removing the entire transmission and then removing the nuts the attach the guide to the the transmission body. Most parts sellers have pictures (see attached) of the transmission with the belt installed--replacing the belt (~$9) is much harder than just replacing the entire transmission with the new belt (~$50).

A small piece of wood--about the size of a large pea--jammed into the transmission pulley under the belt. The resulting bulge in the belt could not pass under the belt guide. Jammed tight. The pulley would not turn nor would the transmission shaft to the wheels. The wheels turned easily.

After taking the blades off and unmounting the transmission shaft from the mower deck I was able to jiggle the belt back and forth and out popped the little piece of wood. Reassembled everything and back in business.

I've found that it's usually something very simple that causes problems with appliances and small machines. A cherry pit in the dishwasher pump impeller nearly had me buy a new dishwasher until I took the pump assembly apart and out dropped the pit.

 

[slomo]

A fellow veteran, WELCOME damn-it welcome!!!!!

You should have someone mow your grass for the rest of your life. Such a tiny giveback for what you are enduring.




slomo

 

[nbm8181]

I had a similar problem with my Honda HRN216VKA mower. While mowing (and mulching) the transmission stopped working. Turned in to a push mower. Less than 1 year and 10 hours use old.

I found your post yesterday and dreaded the possibility of a broken transmission. But the problem was actually very simple--once I found the small piece of wood that jammed the belt in the transmission pulley.

The belt and pulleys on the motor shaft and transmission have guides to keep the belt on the pulleys--See part #4 on the diagram. I don't think it would be possible to replace the belt on the transmission without removing the entire transmission and then removing the nuts the attach the guide to the the transmission body. Most parts sellers have pictures (see attached) of the transmission with the belt installed--replacing the belt (~$9) is much harder than just replacing the entire transmission with the new belt (~$50).

A small piece of wood--about the size of a large pea--jammed into the transmission pulley under the belt. The resulting bulge in the belt could not pass under the belt guide. Jammed tight. The pulley would not turn nor would the transmission shaft to the wheels. The wheels turned easily.

After taking the blades off and unmounting the transmission shaft from the mower deck I was able to jiggle the belt back and forth and out popped the little piece of wood. Reassembled everything and back in business.

I've found that it's usually something very simple that causes problems with appliances and small machines. A cherry pit in the dishwasher pump impeller nearly had me buy a new dishwasher until I took the pump assembly apart and out dropped the pit.

Where does part #3 connect to?

 

[slomo]

Am I the only veteran on here?