Mine is a 216VKA but I found just normal maintenance keeps this issue from happening. I just tore mine completly down to change the oil on the drive transmission. Cleaned and scotch brite everything when putting back together and it rolls backwards very smoothly. My bushings are cracked from age but work fine until the new ones come in.
Honda HRR Models: Rear Wheels Locking Up When Pulling Backwards
- Thread starter robert@honda
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However that is not normal or routine maintenance.
Nowhere has Honda ever told the homeowner they're supposed to disassemble their transmission or the oil/grease inside of it.
I don't even believe they actually go as far as talking about removing a wheel but you can basically prevent this from happening on most of these models even without removing the wheels or anything beyond that.
If you lubricate them at least once a season where the axle shafts go through the bushings on each side especially with that side towards the ground so the lubricant can seat down along the shaft and then spray a little bit on the wheel side by where the gear comes through and there's even a nice little notch there you can stick the tube of your lubricant straw behind the height adjuster to get some in there.
Then work the mower back and forth a few times and what I have found is to go in a tight zero turn circle to the right and then to the left and then backwards multiple times.
This normally gets the wheels pretty freely operational and they will get even better as you then use it.
My favorite lubricant for this is Lucas chain lube which is by far better than any other chain lube I've ever used.
I understand what you are saying but how many times have manufacturers avoided telling their customers what it really takes to maintain a specific area of their equipment? Changing the oil in the transmission isn’t necessary but full disassembly of the shaft and bushings is necessary after 10 years no matter what exterior lube you apply during the life of something that cuts grass. I only changed the trans fluid because I already had the thing out on the bench. Glad I did because it was full of metal shavings for 10 years from original break in. Honda also doesn’t tell you the dust seal—> Honda 42944-VE2-801 Dust Seal (12.7Mm) https://a.co/d/6XWw0nx will dry out and crack after 10 years but it does, and you guessed it, full disassembly is required to replace them.
While some things aren't a bad idea to do after a long amount of service and years, I cannot agree that it's even necessary to disassemble the shaft or bushings etc after 10 years or some other arbitrary timeframe.
I am not a Honda dealer but I have seen hundreds of these mowers and thousands of other brands.
I have seen them come in under 2 years old that would hardly pull rearward and I have seen them 15 years old that were still just fine with no disassembly so it just depends on each individual mower and it's particular situation.
Keeping one clean underneath, blowing out the bushing and the shaft with very strong air pressure, lubricating from time to time is likely what kept these older ones in perfect rollback operation without any service to it.
I will also say keeping the water hose away from them also helps.
Well, when you are retired what the hell else am I going to do between mounting bike riding and grand kids.
While some things aren't a bad idea to do after a long amount of service and years, I cannot agree that it's even necessary to disassemble the shaft or bushings etc after 10 years or some other arbitrary timeframe.
I am not a Honda dealer but I have seen hundreds of these mowers and thousands of other brands.
I have seen them come in under 2 years old that would hardly pull rearward and I have seen them 15 years old that were still just fine with no disassembly so it just depends on each individual mower and it's particular situation.
Yes, there is quite a difference. I used to basically be retired as I only worked on Saturdays and piddled all week long. Then I opened my lawn mower repair shop and since then I've done so many thousands of mowers that I have lost count.Well, when you are retired what the hell else am I going to do between mounting bike riding and grand kids.
I had 52 of them lined up in queue all season long until August.
I started out cutting off the list at 25 which was actually 27 because I always allow for a little smidge more. LOL then within a couple of years I was up to 50 plus my smidge of two more.
It's actually very frustrating and one of the reasons I will quit doing it eventually is because of the volume.
When you're this busy and stay this far behind, you don't have time for anything extra especially not on your own equipment.
Thankfully I have many interest, one of which is small engine equipment. But I love Mountain Bike’s and work on those as well. In addition I have been a gun enthusiast since I was a teenager and I reload. Camping with our travel trailer is also another one. Oh…and plenty of Honey-Do’s
For most people, dirt and water or at least moisture will certainly be getting back into the bearing area. Lol
That's a lot of the problem to begin with.
In many areas, it's always very damn once you start cutting the grass and then you have people who get water hoses near their lawn mowers which I am firmly against.
On top of this, it's a fairly bad design that doesn't really make a strong attempt to keep a sealed surface or a lubricated surface but rather puts what is more akin to a dust seal.
Like I mentioned in one of my other posts on this, if you simply flip the mower on each side and use a very good lubricant, (my favorite is Lucas chain lube) to soak the inside part of the shaft and let it run down the shaft towards the wheel that's on the bottom when you have the mower leaned on that side - then rotate the wheel back and forth several times and do two or three quick applications of the chain lube - you can get plenty of lubricant in that area and keep these things from seizing up or getting increased rotational resistance or pitting etc.
I also do the outer side for the wheel that would be on the top and let it soak down towards the middle too.
This is all quick and easy and doesn't actually incur any extra expensive buying parts to replace etc.
It gets the job done and keeps the mower pulling backwards like it should and has the same end result and longevity of any other type of repair for these.
I simply don't see the reason to take the time and disassemble, by parts, giving Honda or anyone else more money...when it makes no difference in the long run and within a season or two you can easily be back in the same position with hard to pull back if the mower is used in the exact same conditions it has been.
I know I might be a little weird but most of my decisions and preferences are based on many previous experiences and highly leaning towards the quickest, most efficient, cheapest methods to accomplish the needed task.
I don't understand people who are overachievers or he wants to do things in a way they say or think is "better" when the real world difference is negligible or nonexistent anywhere but in their own mind.
It reminds me of a friend of mine whose father was a GM retiree who of course owned lots of new GM cars over the years.
This friend would always go by ACDelco parts for his cars. It made him feel all warm and fuzzy and actually sleep better at night!
That is the expression but I really believe it what's true for him.
Peace of mind but in reality it was just a false sense of security.
He could have bought parts that were the same quality IF NOT BETTER from several other brands and save money doing it and been able to pick them up at multiple locations closer to him than going to a dealer.
I don't know, I guess I should stop trying to figure it out.
I am happy though that I have found lots of quick and easy ways to solve problems and how to keep them soft differently than most of the mainstream ways.
It still irks me to no end though.
John Deere service manual for an sb14 mower for the belt replacement says step 1: remove engine from deck.
What a waste of time and even an increased risk of scratching up the paint on the deck and possibly losing parts or bolts when it's not necessary in any way.
It's not even faster.
All you have to do is loosen up the bolts and slide the belt right underneath.
woodstover
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