My Honda HRR216K9VKA is killing my hands and arm

[Looger]

I have a Troy-Bilt TB115, which I have been quite happy with. I mow ~1/3 acre weekly. The yard is flat, but pretty bumpy in areas, with a lot of turns and obstacles. The TB is fairly light and easy to maneuver, and the Briggs 550EX engine has been flawless.

However, we just purchased a new home which is on a hill. Anticipating the need for a self-propelled mower, I bought the Honda noted above. I mowed the lawn, and ended up with an ugly ulnar (and to a lesser extent, median nerve) neuritis. I have been using push mowers for ~38 years, and have never had that issue.

I believe the problem lies with the controls: my hands are forced into an odd position to accommodate the smart drive paddles. There is little room to grip the handles. Also, the bumpy areas of the yard result in a lot of bouncing of the handle, resulting in difficulty in maintaining an even speed via the paddles, as well as beating up my hands and arms. (This is odd, because the TB doesn't seem to have the bouncy issue at all).
Further, the Honda is much harder to maneuver. I know some of my difficulty may be due to acclimation to the mower, but it is about 20lbs heavier than the TB, and does not freewheel in reverse; maneuvering requires much more effort.
I double-checked the drive adjustment, and tried both handlebar positions. The lower position feels strange, but may be less damaging to my hands.
This isn't meant to slam the Honda: It seems to be a pretty nice quality machine. The engine is darn smooth and has plenty of power for my needs. It mulches nicely.

Anyway, I'm considering returning it and trying the Toro Recycler 20332. The personal pace system might be a better fit, but I'm not sure.

So my question is: given my situation, does anyone think the Toro might be a good solution? Heck, maybe I don't need a self-propelled mower...
Any advice would be very much appreciated!

Here is the back of my house. The front yard is flat.



Many thanks,
Bob

 

[lawn mower fanatic]

I have a Troy-Bilt TB115, which I have been quite happy with. I mow ~1/3 acre weekly. The yard is flat, but pretty bumpy in areas, with a lot of turns and obstacles. The TB is fairly light and easy to maneuver, and the Briggs 550EX engine has been flawless.

However, we just purchased a new home which is on a hill. Anticipating the need for a self-propelled mower, I bought the Honda noted above. I mowed the lawn, and ended up with an ugly ulnar (and to a lesser extent, median nerve) neuritis. I have been using push mowers for ~38 years, and have never had that issue.

I believe the problem lies with the controls: my hands are forced into an odd position to accommodate the smart drive paddles. There is little room to grip the handles. Also, the bumpy areas of the yard result in a lot of bouncing of the handle, resulting in difficulty in maintaining an even speed via the paddles, as well as beating up my hands and arms. (This is odd, because the TB doesn't seem to have the bouncy issue at all).
Further, the Honda is much harder to maneuver. I know some of my difficulty may be due to acclimation to the mower, but it is about 20lbs heavier than the TB, and does not freewheel in reverse; maneuvering requires much more effort.
I double-checked the drive adjustment, and tried both handlebar positions. The lower position feels strange, but may be less damaging to my hands.
This isn't meant to slam the Honda: It seems to be a pretty nice quality machine. The engine is darn smooth and has plenty of power for my needs. It mulches nicely.

Anyway, I'm considering returning it and trying the Toro Recycler 20332. The personal pace system might be a better fit, but I'm not sure.

So my question is: given my situation, does anyone think the Toro might be a good solution? Heck, maybe I don't need a self-propelled mower...
Any advice would be very much appreciated!

Here is the back of my house. The front yard is flat.

<img src="http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/attachments/mower-equipment-buying-pricing/26751-my-honda-hrr216k9vka-killing-my-hands-arm-picture-uh=a01dc64944bb3ae2aeed9db063b3dce-ps=89d08f7d9827df17ec319c5b723a7c48-jpg"/>

Many thanks,
Bob

Sorry your not having the most enjoyable experience with the Honda. In my opinion, if you are having trouble keeping a consistent speed due to the bouncing, I doubt a personal pace would do much better, because it relies on you putting force on the handle, kind of like the Smart Drive. I would say a mower that you push the drive bar in against the handle, and it stays a consistent speed, might be better for your needs. That doesnt mean you are stuck going one speed, either. My Honda HRX has a "knob" so you can adjust your speed that way. Just my opinion.
Any questions just ask.

 

[Honda Tech]

You're Honda should not be difficult to roll backwards. Other than that, it is an excellent consumer mower. I would recommend bringing it to the dealership and have them make sure the controls, etc. are all adjusted correctly.
As for your Troy-Bilt, which I also have one of, it is so light that all it does is bounce. My yard is flat, but rough. It beats me up every time, so I would find it hard to believe that it also doesn't bounce all over the place, more so than the Honda.
Like you said, it may just take some getting used to or it's just not the right mower for you.

Good Luck!

 

[Looger]

Thanks for the reply, Lawn Mower Fanatic.

I believe the new yard is much more smooth. But I agree with your assessment that perhaps having a bar that I can hold against the handle may mitigate the bounce/control issue. Might provide a more proper purchase for my hands (and position of my arms) as well.

Hmm...Toro has a model with a bar and high rear wheels (I know, but I like the high wheels!), model 20339 with a Briggs. It has a flat bar, much like my TB.
Oops, it is front wheel drive, which I have heard is not as effective on hills (is that true?).

I just Googled the Honda HRX...looks like a very nice mower. Plastic deck. Big 9" ball bearing wheels too.

My quandary is that I need to decide whether to keep or return the mower before I move into the new home...which of course sucks because I can't test it on the hill.
I was trying to get my ducks in a row, so I bought the mower before the move...oops.

Not sure if you looked at the picture, but there are also some obstacles to mow around--boulders. Maybe I will just keep the Honda and try it out.

Bob

 

[lawn mower fanatic]

Thanks for the reply, Lawn Mower Fanatic.

I believe the new yard is much more smooth. But I agree with your assessment that perhaps having a bar that I can hold against the handle may mitigate the bounce/control issue. Might provide a more proper purchase for my hands (and position of my arms) as well.

Hmm...Toro has a model with a bar and high rear wheels (I know, but I like the high wheels!), model 20339 with a Briggs. It has a flat bar, much like my TB.
Oops, it is front wheel drive, which I have heard is not as effective on hills (is that true?).

I just Googled the Honda HRX...looks like a very nice mower. Plastic deck. Big 9" ball bearing wheels too.

My quandary is that I need to decide whether to keep or return the mower before I move into the new home...which of course sucks because I can't test it on the hill.
I was trying to get my ducks in a row, so I bought the mower before the move...oops.

Not sure if you looked at the picture, but there are also some obstacles to mow around--boulders. Maybe I will just keep the Honda and try it out.

Bob

I would try it at least once on your new lawn, just to see what's it like. But about FWD mowers, I just used one yesterday (a Toro actually), and I did not like it. You go to turn around at the end of each pass and don't have any propulsion because you lift the front wheels off the ground, and also over any little bump not only did I have to keep the front wheels from leaving the ground, I had to use force to do so. So it was not enjoyable for me.

 

[Looger]

Thanks for the input, Honda Tech.

Funny, maybe I just handle the TB differently.

As I think about it, the Honda bouncing may be secondary to my less than stellar control of the speed. With the TB, I can only push so fast, and the bars are always loaded. The larger rear wheels help control bounce.
The Honda, if the speed isn't carefully controlled, will load and unload the bar pressure, allowing for a bouncy mow (the front end becomes light, even pulling slight wheelies, then settles into bumps...). I'm having trouble acclimating to the paddles/bar. I can't seem to find a comfortable position using my palms. It seems a bit better with my thumbs, but still not entirely comfortable or intuitive.

Regarding reversing the Honda: I guess the term "difficult" isn't the best descriptor.
The Honda does not freewheel in reverse. There is drag--the trans is still engaged. I adjusted the cable precisely per the manual, and even tried loosening it a couple of turns, without improvement. Perhaps there is another adjustment...?
This issue is part of my rationale for considering the Toro, as it apparently has some sort of disengagement mechanism allowing a true reverse freewheel. The lack of freewheel concerns me because of the obstacles at the new house: gonna have to do some pushin', pullin' and pivotin'.

As a side-note: I'm an ex master mechanic, but that was over 20 years ago. I'm comfortable with machinery (and I'm paying the price: trying to pack thousands of pounds of tools for this move sucks!), but don't have experience with the newer mowers. That is why I decided to come to this site and get some expert advice.

Again, many thanks,
Bob

 

[lawn mower fanatic]

Thanks for the input, Honda Tech.

Funny, maybe I just handle the TB differently.

As I think about it, the Honda bouncing may be secondary to my less than stellar control of the speed. With the TB, I can only push so fast, and the bars are always loaded. The larger rear wheels help control bounce.
The Honda, if the speed isn't carefully controlled, will load and unload the bar pressure, allowing for a bouncy mow (the front end becomes light, even pulling slight wheelies, then settles into bumps...). I'm having trouble acclimating to the paddles/bar. I can't seem to find a comfortable position using my palms. It seems a bit better with my thumbs, but still not entirely comfortable or intuitive.

Regarding reversing the Honda: I guess the term "difficult" isn't the best descriptor.
The Honda does not freewheel in reverse. There is drag--the trans is still engaged. I adjusted the cable precisely per the manual, and even tried loosening it a couple of turns, without improvement. Perhaps there is another adjustment...?
This issue is part of my rationale for considering the Toro, as it apparently has some sort of disengagement mechanism allowing a true reverse freewheel. The lack of freewheel concerns me because of the obstacles at the new house: gonna have to do some pushin', pullin' and pivotin'.

As a side-note: I'm an ex master mechanic, but that was over 20 years ago. I'm comfortable with machinery (and I'm paying the price: trying to pack thousands of pounds of tools for this move sucks!), but don't have experience with the newer mowers. That is why I decided to come to this site and get some expert advice.

Again, many thanks,
Bob

Yeah maybe the Honda bounces because it is just that fast compared to pushing it. As far as the wheels dragging in reverse, one of the people who works at Honda should hopefully reply and help you with that.