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We apparently lost a retainer on the rear guard retaining rod that the guard pivots on and retains the guard springs that hold the guard in place.

Can anyone explain how to reinstall the springs? For the life of me I can't tell how to reinstall them and actually have the guard held in place. Any pictures or advice would be a huge help. I searched the forum and googled the issue and can't find any pictures of how the springs should be in the mower.

Thank you

brainwashed said:

We apparently lost a retainer on the rear guard retaining rod that the guard pivots on and retains the guard springs that hold the guard in place.

Can anyone explain how to reinstall the springs? For the life of me I can't tell how to reinstall them and actually have the guard held in place. Any pictures or advice would be a huge help. I searched the forum and googled the issue and can't find any pictures of how the springs should be in the mower.

Thank you

Click to expand...

Got a serial number? I can get you a diagram.

Thanks Robert

HRX217TDA
MAGA-1140751

First, recognize there are two springs that apply force to hold the guard (rear door) down, and there is a LEFT and RIGHT one. Might need a helper with locking pliers to hold them in position as you install the shaft. If the push nuts that install on each end are damaged or bent, you many need new ones. Here's the diagram from both the shop manual and parts catalog that should get you going.

If you need any parts, just 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

Big help. Thanks!

I've got it all threaded together, but I am not seeing where the spring sets against on the mower to tension it. For the life of me I don't see how to tension the spring...

Have any tips on what I might be missing?

There needs to be a little pre-load applied to each spring as it is installed. Here are left and right images of how it looks when assembled. The "J-shaped" end must thread through the slot in the door, while the other end presses against the mower deck.

To preload the spring do I just wind it a bit before installing the guard door? I think that's what I'm having an issue with.

The springs are threaded through my door, but not loaded at all to keep the door closed. This just allows the door to flop loosely.

brainwashed said:

To preload the spring do I just wind it a bit before installing the guard door? I think that's what I'm having an issue with.

The springs are threaded through my door, but not loaded at all to keep the door closed. This just allows the door to flop loosely.

Click to expand...

I've not actually done this, but can see the issue. Some thoughts:

1. Try installing the springs and rod without the door first, then position the door so the J-tips are just inside the holes on the door. Hold everything steady, remove the rod, move the door in to the final position, re-install rod.

2. Install the spring washer on one end of the long rod before trying to install the rod through all the holes.

3. Probably need a helper to keep everything in position when the rod is installed...

When correctly installed, the door should be held against the deck with slight tension when fully closed.

Thanks again Robert, I'll give it a shot tonight.

brainwashed said:

We apparently lost a retainer on the rear guard retaining rod that the guard pivots on and retains the guard springs that hold the guard in place.

Can anyone explain how to reinstall the springs? For the life of me I can't tell how to reinstall them and actually have the guard held in place. Any pictures or advice would be a huge help. I searched the forum and googled the issue and can't find any pictures of how the springs should be in the mower.

Thank you

Click to expand...

Take the springs and place that part in the body of the mower then insert the part that goes in the guard. You need to do one side at a time. You can move the guard up and down so you can position the springs. Before you install the rod place one of the push nut bar retainer clips on it. Then insert the rod. To attached the push nut on the other side you need to make sure the rod does not move. I took a piece of wood and placed it on the rod's end and pushed it against my shed so it would not move. It is impossible to hold with you hands so use that approach to secure. The tap the push nut on with a hammer by tapping on alternating sides. Took me about 10 minutes and about 2 hours to figure out how. Good luck.

I had to do this on my Honda HRX217TDA after one of the push nuts came off after 14 years of reliable service! I did this reinstall of the tension springs by myself and followed the advice to install the springs first prior to the retaining rod. Working alone I could only take two photos showing the springs mounted in the discharge guard (with no rod) then the setting of the guard in its proper position in the mower base and then installing the rod with the press nut on one end. The rest is just pushing the rod all the way through (slowly) the springs to the opposite side then install the remaining push nut. I will try to upload the photos but haven’t ever done that on this forum’s site so it may take me a while to figure it out. Happy American Independence Day!

Hi there. I just came across this forum as this is my specific issue. I have a few replacement springs and nuts for the rod. I can't, for the life of me, figure out how to install the springs so there is tension on the guard flap to close down. No Youtube videos show this.

In the picture below, the "hook" on that spring needs to twist down and underneath and inserted into a small slit on the mower frame. This creates the tension to close the flap. My issues is I don't have the finger room or way to pinch open that flap and get it inserted.
Could someone help a brother out???

MacBulldog said:

I had to do this on my Honda HRX217TDA after one of the push nuts came off after 14 years of reliable service! I did this reinstall of the tension springs by myself and followed the advice to install the springs first prior to the retaining rod. Working alone I could only take two photos showing the springs mounted in the discharge guard (with no rod) then the setting of the guard in its proper position in the mower base and then installing the rod with the press nut on one end. The rest is just pushing the rod all the way through (slowly) the springs to the opposite side then install the remaining push nut. I will try to upload the photos but haven’t ever done that on this forum’s site so it may take me a while to figure it out. Happy American Independence Day!

Click to expand...

My issue is there isn't enough finger room to "pinch" the spring to insert one end onto the mower while simultaneously inserted in the guard flap hole. Even without the rod, it seems practically impossible. I have tried pliers, a coat hanger hook, etc.

Update:

I took it to a local hardware store and it took three of us to carefully bend the springs. THere was no way I could have done that myself. Poor design!!

psuhammer said:

Update:

I took it to a local hardware store and it took three of us to carefully bend the springs. THere was no way I could have done that myself. Poor design!!

Click to expand...

I had the same problem but was able to reinstall the springs by myself in short order once I found out how to do it. One clip came off the rod and all of a sudden the chute would not operate as it should. Honda should have a video to show how to reinstall the springs. First of all, the two ends of the spring are not the same - one is longer than the other. The short end goes into the slot on the chute and the long end goes into the small plastic space on the mower itself. I positioned one spring (short end) into the chute and as I recall, flipped the chute over (held short end so it didn't fall out) then inserted the rod through the first spring and took a needle-nose plier and grabbed the longer end and put tension on it as I inserted it into the small plastic space on the mower. There was enough wiggle room to allow me to do the same with the other spring and finally inserted the rod through the mower and perhaps wiggled the springs so the rod would go through the whole way. Probably took me about 5 minutes once I figured it out.

This thread helped me get mine back together. We had lost a push nut and I noticed that both springs were not engaged. I took the guard off completely and removed the rod. When you look at the gray part of the mower you will notice two little resin pockets. They might be full of grass. Clean them out. Keep the rod out. Insert one end of the spring into one of these pockets - spring is still in the guard. Easier to do for me when the guard was almost closed. Move to the other spring and do the same. Insert the rod and add the push nuts back on.