This is the only small engine channel that I enjoy because, during the inspection, you show the condition of the entire mower, the oil, the gas, the air filter, and the blade.
I have almost the same mower here with the same engine and wheel drive. It has worked perfectly for over 22 years. The engine starts on the first pull, even after winter. But I also do my servicing regularly. You explained the oil dipstick and the somewhat complicated wheel drive perfectly. Thank you for your videos.
Thanks for the highly detailed explanation of the gear and bushing assembly, as it the most complex setup that I can recall. My Honda push mower is a little older than this one, I did have to remove the rear wheels to clean and lubricate, as it was getting hard to push and pull. Thanks to IHG for enabling all of us!
The HRR and HRC models were sure not as good as the good old HRA214 units. You did a great job on this machine though, and it is obvious some ham & egger was in there before you got it, trying to mess around. In my shop, I charge more if the customer tried working on it first only to mess things up. I spent 2 years in trade school as a young buck learning this stuff and have been in the industry for 30 years now, and it still blows my mind how many people think "Oh it's just a lawn mower, I can fix it!" Without actually knowing the intricacies of its operation or design. I am always highly impressed with your skill and the work you do.
Great video!!! Just picked up a HRR216 for free. It looked good and the pull cord was snaped off when got it, so I replaced it and saw the oil was changed and other maintenance items like that looked good. After installing that pull cord it starts up every time the first pull. It has some surface rust underneath the deck but for free I was very happy with it. good mowers, just a little more complex than other mowers like Toro and Briggs.
My opinion on the Honda mowers is that they make things more complicated than they need to. The engines are reliable but if you ever need to fix anything relating to the wheels or self-propel then it is a pain
Would I want a Honda mower? I'm going to say no. I wouldn't mind having a mower with a Honda engine, but the Honda mowers seem more complex than needed. Plus, I like to be able to side discharge, and the deck on this mower won't do that. I agree with the others on the cleaning. It's very satisfying seeing all that dirt melt away. Good video! Glad you got it going.
I've watched a few recent videos from Tom Doby Mower Repair, and I've seen that the drive belts on these Honda mowers can be a pain to replace. Honda push mowers are built for their reliability, but I wouldn't need one for myself lol
Once i u derstood how the self propel works on the hrr216, i really like them..give yourself a hour once a year cleaning gears and bushings.. if worn just buy new rear adjuster plates...the k8 and k9 are great my favorites
Hmm. To own one I might. As long as it runs I guess now as far as those issues hey im willing to learn to repair! More experience for me the better! Great find..I recently picked up a toro mower with a key start and came with the bagger and charger. Works good. Pull starter was jammed, fixed it and runs good..however the starter works but seems like it isn't coming in contact with the fly wheel. Going to work on it again tomorrow and see whats going on with the starter. after I wash it down. Little dirty but I'm happy to save this one.
Do you ever add tread back to a bald wheel? I used an angle grinder & cut off wheel to add some grip back to my drive wheels. I was wondering how the wheels work but, didn't feel like taking stuff apart. I'd like to drive some screws into the bald wheel so it has studs to grip with. I was unsure how long a screw I could use.
@billwilliams1369-- I had the same problem. A local tire store gave me the tread part of a truck tire that blew off a tire on the road. I used this to fashion a recap around the tire and attached them with 3/4 inch stainless screws. I just figured this would be quick cheap fix without risking the chance of buying the wrong replacements. This worked great and the self-propelled pulled again, but I ended up now using it as a push mower when the belt finally would not pull.
If the mower was going to be mine for personal use, no, I'd just leave it alone. The reason is because it's rear wheel drive, it'll have a lot more weight on it, and having tread won't really matter on grass. Now If I was going to sell it, I would just get new rear wheels, for the aesthetics.
I got a free Honda mower, and I always wanted a Honda, because I thought they were better. Now I see why my neighbor gave it away. The transmission is junk. It's a 3 speed. I did your video of cleaning up the driveshafts, as the mower wouldn't go backwards. The transmission is problematic under load it seems. I have since put it away, and went back to my Craftsman with a Quantum B&S. I just have to replace my FWD wheels every 3-4 years, but it's been a dependable mower otherwise. At some point, I will try and see if the transmission can be torn apart, see what can be done if anything. At least the engine is good. I just don't feel like tearing it all apart anytime soon lol.
if I recall the 3 speed transmissions has a plastic case, sealed with gasket maker and uses small screws to hold it together. You're braver than I am if you intend on taking it apart. I doubt, that it's able to be repaired.
I got the MTD pro one a I have to replace the carburetor, throttle cable and the engine break cable and if you lived in Binghamton NY I would let you have it for parts
Hey bro what's up? I was amazed to see the mower started up on the first pull. Although it had some problems with the rear wheels, the mower looks great after cleaning. Since it started up and ran properly, I'm guessing that you didn't have to check the carburetor, compression and valve lash.
Ah.. you're looking into my future! To spoil it for you, the engine does have an oil leak and it's related to the valve train, so I did end up checking the valve lash
@@HomeGaragechannel I somewhat had a feeling that the mower had an oil leak but I wasn't able to guess where since it had oil and dirt on it before cleaning. I'm curious to know if two blades are better than one on this mower.
Nice video. My honda (2019) out of the box has never allowed me to pull it backwards, but my problem is that now the drive wheels are completely locked unless I engage the self propeller. Any tips? Thanks.
interesting problem, I believe your problem is a combination of other smaller problems. Have you ever taking off the wheels to inspect the axle and the operation of the drive gear?
My is the same model as this. It is an excellent mower, but the drive belt design is horrible. I ended up removing the axle and using it as a push mower to prevent spending days trying to disassemble and reassemble the thing for my 1000 square foot or so of grass. Now I would like to sell that transaxle.
A lot of times the bushings on the gear box become egg shaped usually on the long shaft side and creates that end play but I can tell "GOOBER" was obviously experimenting on this one before you picked it up 👍
These are good mowers but I always sell them on after fixing them up. Pretty much every one I’ve ever had come in has had the rear wheel lockup issue, I always take apart both sides at once so I can slide the driveshaft over both ways and polish both sides up. I just do it automatically whenever I get an HRR mower in because it’s such a common issue. Nice mowers for flipping but not my cup of tea for a personal machine.
Not a fan of Honda self propelled rather have a simple transmission like the toro change the belt and I usually squirt some ATF fluid around the wheel bearings and I’m good to go even if you need a new trans you can pick them up for about $80. Just installed one for friend very simple. You want to see a real nightmare trans check out Snapper high vac Great vid very informative 👍
My Honda HRR216 front wheels are bent outwarded. not terribly but definitely noticeable. Are you familiar with what causes that and if I can fix it? The deck isn't shot or anything.
sure the "front axles" are bent at the brackets. You can bent them back by taking the wheels off and using a long pipe. It's not permanent but it'll work for awhile
Hey I got this john deere tractor I use and Im noticing that the engine is making sort of puffs/pop (like if you were to combine the two sounds into one I suppose) while running. I did get caught in some rain and had to drive about a quarter mile through some somewhat heavy rain. Along with that I noticed a stick poking out from under this sheet metal from the front (under the tractor) and it was starting to char, is it a fire hazard? Im assuming the sheet metal got bent allowing sticks and grass to get into whatever component is there.
@@HomeGaragechannel Its been a few days since the rain and ive ran it for hours since then and still the sound is there, is it a concern or just something to ignore? also it seems to not respond very precisely to the throttle but it does throttle up
I am still working on that same stupid GCV160. One of the studs is seized to the nut on the recoil. I have tried everything I can think of. I have even tried blue threadlocker on the stud, but I can't break it loose. Do you know any tricks?
Hello I have a question I have a 6.5 ninja snapper I changed the carburetor out and installed a new one it runs with a shot of gas the choke won’t work I pump it and no gas comes out what do I do
sure, remove the bowl while the carb is still connected, and take off the carb bowl and see if fuel is in flowing into the carb. If it is, clamp the fuel line to stop the fuel, and then install the bowl.
That's pitiful! That's what I OWN! An HRR (hardy har har). I LOVE mine! Looks as good as yours, maybe better! DEFINITELY his loss & your gain. I'd buy that mower & install tread on those racing slicks.😂🤣👍
He is weirdly cagey about it, and he always says "a cleaner at a store I frequently go to that is the cheapest one." My guess is some place like walmart, most likely the in-house brand (SuperTech).
Of course I’d still want one, that’s why I have two lol. But a PSA to the other viewers, if you do watch a how-to video, make sure that it’s an accurate and reputable video and not one that is going to mislead you into breaking your machines more and force you to bring it to a professional service shop
The bushings are the real issues here and probably why they pulled it apart to begin with. You should replace them, polish the shaft, grease the bushings, and add dust seals on both sides of the bushings. This is how Honda engineered it on the HRX which has far less “pulling backwards” issues than the HRR series. The HRR has no protection from dust coming in from the wheel side. Also some of these had known issues with a defective “too tight “ adjuster. Honda has a service bulletin on it. BTW - You do not want to use a lightweight lube on the bushing. It will not last at all and will stick again. Honda cautions against this in the service manual.
For all the wheel-driven mowers we found, we would disconnect the driven wheels, as they were totally unnecessary. Maybe the only people who would use such a mower were VERY feeble?
It's a shame that Honda Motors decided to stop manufacturing mowers. They set the standard. Also, why is it that Honda is the only manufacturer that put fuel shutoffs on all of their mowers? It seems like others would have taken that lead. The only reason I can think of is that the other manufacturers recognized what NOT having that feature caused people to junk their gummed-up carb mowers and buy new ones. My only complaint with Honda is the material used to make the wheels. Plasticized rubber means the drive-wheels will wear out in just a few years.
I can't stand Honda engines. They are way too complicated. There are too many things that can go wrong, particularly if they sit for any length of time.
It was very satisfying to watch you power wash that mower
thank you!
This is the only small engine channel that I enjoy because, during the inspection, you show the condition of the entire mower, the oil, the gas, the air filter, and the blade.
thank you, I appreciate that.
I have almost the same mower here with the same engine and wheel drive. It has worked perfectly for over 22 years. The engine starts on the first pull, even after winter. But I also do my servicing regularly. You explained the oil dipstick and the somewhat complicated wheel drive perfectly. Thank you for your videos.
thank you I really appreciate that
Nice fix. With these self propelled transmissions, attention to the one way pawl and drive gear on servicing is paramount.
you are correct
Thanks for the highly detailed explanation of the gear and bushing assembly, as it the most complex setup that I can recall. My Honda push mower is a little older than this one, I did have to remove the rear wheels to clean and lubricate, as it was getting hard to push and pull. Thanks to IHG for enabling all of us!
Anytime and thank you for your time!
SUPER good fix! They're a fine mower but I like the old Snapper drive better. Happy weekend to you!
Can't beat a real Snapper
@@HomeGaragechannel 'Fraid not!
The HRR and HRC models were sure not as good as the good old HRA214 units. You did a great job on this machine though, and it is obvious some ham & egger was in there before you got it, trying to mess around. In my shop, I charge more if the customer tried working on it first only to mess things up. I spent 2 years in trade school as a young buck learning this stuff and have been in the industry for 30 years now, and it still blows my mind how many people think "Oh it's just a lawn mower, I can fix it!" Without actually knowing the intricacies of its operation or design. I am always highly impressed with your skill and the work you do.
I don't like a Honda mower
I have an old Honda not sure what it is. Bought used & body rusted out. I own an HRR new (3yrs old now) & I love it.👍✊️🇺🇸
wow, I had no idea you were so experienced. I'm glad to have your perspective!
Great video!!! Just picked up a HRR216 for free. It looked good and the pull cord was snaped off when got it, so I replaced it and saw the oil was changed and other maintenance items like that looked good. After installing that pull cord it starts up every time the first pull. It has some surface rust underneath the deck but for free I was very happy with it. good mowers, just a little more complex than other mowers like Toro and Briggs.
wow you got a great mower there!
My opinion on the Honda mowers is that they make things more complicated than they need to. The engines are reliable but if you ever need to fix anything relating to the wheels or self-propel then it is a pain
Just keep them clean & lubricated, ESPECIALLY when u store it. No major prob with my HRR.
agreed!
They made it cheap, with plastics entwined with metal.
Parts are expensive and this this thing is meant to fall apart
You win, Home Garage.
I like this comment!!!
Great content on this channel. I learn a lot. 👊🏽
Thank you!
Looks like it would be a good mower THANK YOU FOR THE VIDEO
Thanks for watching!
awesome fix
thanks!
Beyond awesome video! Thanks
Glad you enjoyed it!
Fantastic information content
Would I want a Honda mower? I'm going to say no. I wouldn't mind having a mower with a Honda engine, but the Honda mowers seem more complex than needed. Plus, I like to be able to side discharge, and the deck on this mower won't do that. I agree with the others on the cleaning. It's very satisfying seeing all that dirt melt away. Good video! Glad you got it going.
I really like the way you explained that and it makes sense. Thank you!
I've watched a few recent videos from Tom Doby Mower Repair, and I've seen that the drive belts on these Honda mowers can be a pain to replace. Honda push mowers are built for their reliability, but I wouldn't need one for myself lol
I have to agree, I'm sure there's a good way to replace these belts, but I still struggle with them.
Once i u derstood how the self propel works on the hrr216, i really like them..give yourself a hour once a year cleaning gears and bushings.. if worn just buy new rear adjuster plates...the k8 and k9 are great my favorites
couldn't have said it better myself, the extra maintenance will keep it going for a long time!
Ok I’ll try it thank you
no problem and good luck
Hmm. To own one I might. As long as it runs I guess now as far as those issues hey im willing to learn to repair! More experience for me the better!
Great find..I recently picked up a toro mower with a key start and came with the bagger and charger. Works good.
Pull starter was jammed, fixed it and runs good..however the starter works but seems like it isn't coming in contact with the fly wheel. Going to work on it again tomorrow and see whats going on with the starter.
after I wash it down. Little dirty but I'm happy to save this one.
I will not on a Honda mower
@@rayburnett3066 understandable. They look over engineered. Simple maintenance to a headache. I prefer toro and anything with a briggs on it.
nice Find!
I can understand why. Thank you
I like your choice!
Do you ever add tread back to a bald wheel? I used an angle grinder & cut off wheel to add some grip back to my drive wheels. I was wondering how the wheels work but, didn't feel like taking stuff apart. I'd like to drive some screws into the bald wheel so it has studs to grip with. I was unsure how long a screw I could use.
Just buy new wheels there about $40 for the pair
@@angelicaconiguliaro3179 For people flipping mowers, that eats up a lot into profit
@billwilliams1369-- I had the same problem. A local tire store gave me the tread part of a truck tire that blew off a tire on the road. I used this to fashion a recap around the tire and attached them with 3/4 inch stainless screws. I just figured this would be quick cheap fix without risking the chance of buying the wrong replacements. This worked great and the self-propelled pulled again, but I ended up now using it as a push mower when the belt finally would not pull.
If the mower was going to be mine for personal use, no, I'd just leave it alone. The reason is because it's rear wheel drive, it'll have a lot more weight on it, and having tread won't really matter on grass. Now If I was going to sell it, I would just get new rear wheels, for the aesthetics.
great point
Amazing video, I'm sorry if it's taking a while, it's been very hot over here but I promise I'll send you the pics
No problem
I got a free Honda mower, and I always wanted a Honda, because I thought they were better. Now I see why my neighbor gave it away. The transmission is junk. It's a 3 speed. I did your video of cleaning up the driveshafts, as the mower wouldn't go backwards. The transmission is problematic under load it seems. I have since put it away, and went back to my Craftsman with a Quantum B&S. I just have to replace my FWD wheels every 3-4 years, but it's been a dependable mower otherwise.
At some point, I will try and see if the transmission can be torn apart, see what can be done if anything. At least the engine is good. I just don't feel like tearing it all apart anytime soon lol.
if I recall the 3 speed transmissions has a plastic case, sealed with gasket maker and uses small screws to hold it together. You're braver than I am if you intend on taking it apart. I doubt, that it's able to be repaired.
I got the MTD pro one a I have to replace the carburetor, throttle cable and the engine break cable and if you lived in Binghamton NY I would let you have it for parts
I appreciate the offer
you clean the center hole on the wheel shaft you can put grease into the hole
Thank you!
That degreaser seems to do a really good job. Can you tell us what you use?
sure, I'm using Super Heavy Duty Degreaser but you have to be very careful with it.
Hey bro what's up? I was amazed to see the mower started up on the first pull. Although it had some problems with the rear wheels, the mower looks great after cleaning. Since it started up and ran properly, I'm guessing that you didn't have to check the carburetor, compression and valve lash.
Ah.. you're looking into my future! To spoil it for you, the engine does have an oil leak and it's related to the valve train, so I did end up checking the valve lash
@@HomeGaragechannel I somewhat had a feeling that the mower had an oil leak but I wasn't able to guess where since it had oil and dirt on it before cleaning. I'm curious to know if two blades are better than one on this mower.
if you intend on mulching the grass, then yes, 2 is best in my mind.
Nice video. My honda (2019) out of the box has never allowed me to pull it backwards, but my problem is that now the drive wheels are completely locked unless I engage the self propeller. Any tips? Thanks.
interesting problem, I believe your problem is a combination of other smaller problems. Have you ever taking off the wheels to inspect the axle and the operation of the drive gear?
My is the same model as this. It is an excellent mower, but the drive belt design is horrible. I ended up removing the axle and using it as a push mower to prevent spending days trying to disassemble and reassemble the thing for my 1000 square foot or so of grass. Now I would like to sell that transaxle.
It makes sense why you did that.
A lot of times the bushings on the gear box become egg shaped usually on the long shaft side and creates that end play but I can tell "GOOBER" was obviously experimenting on this one before you picked it up 👍
ah, I didn't know that, thank you for the information
Can i ask what you sprayed on the mower before using the power washer please?
Many thanks
sure, I used Super Heavy Duty Degreaser from Harbor Freight
@HomeGaragechannel brilliant thanks,I'm in the uk, so I'm assuming engine degreaser
Hello UK, and yes it's an engine degreaser
@@HomeGaragechannel thank you
no problem
These are good mowers but I always sell them on after fixing them up. Pretty much every one I’ve ever had come in has had the rear wheel lockup issue, I always take apart both sides at once so I can slide the driveshaft over both ways and polish both sides up. I just do it automatically whenever I get an HRR mower in because it’s such a common issue. Nice mowers for flipping but not my cup of tea for a personal machine.
you are correct, If I have to, I'll end up doing the same with this one too.
Not a fan of Honda self propelled rather have a simple transmission like the toro change the belt and I usually squirt some ATF fluid around the wheel bearings and I’m good to go even if you need a new trans you can pick them up for about $80. Just installed one for friend very simple. You want to see a real nightmare trans check out Snapper high vac
Great vid very informative 👍
thank you and yes, I've looked that the Snapper Hi Vac's trans and it's quite complex
My Honda HRR216 front wheels are bent outwarded. not terribly but definitely noticeable. Are you familiar with what causes that and if I can fix it? The deck isn't shot or anything.
sure the "front axles" are bent at the brackets. You can bent them back by taking the wheels off and using a long pipe. It's not permanent but it'll work for awhile
@@HomeGaragechannel thanks!!!
no problem
Hey I got this john deere tractor I use and Im noticing that the engine is making sort of puffs/pop (like if you were to combine the two sounds into one I suppose) while running. I did get caught in some rain and had to drive about a quarter mile through some somewhat heavy rain.
Along with that I noticed a stick poking out from under this sheet metal from the front (under the tractor) and it was starting to char, is it a fire hazard? Im assuming the sheet metal got bent allowing sticks and grass to get into whatever component is there.
yes I would let the engine dry out and if it's still popping then it might need some attention, I would remove the stick too
@@HomeGaragechannel Its been a few days since the rain and ive ran it for hours since then and still the sound is there, is it a concern or just something to ignore? also it seems to not respond very precisely to the throttle but it does throttle up
it's not a massive concern just yet. I'd keep using it until it gets worse
I am still working on that same stupid GCV160. One of the studs is seized to the nut on the recoil. I have tried everything I can think of. I have even tried blue threadlocker on the stud, but I can't break it loose. Do you know any tricks?
well, I guess extreme heat or cold would be my next choice. Heat It up, throw it into the cold water and see it the shock from expansion helps out
Hello I have a question I have a 6.5 ninja snapper I changed the carburetor out and installed a new one it runs with a shot of gas the choke won’t work I pump it and no gas comes out what do I do
sure, remove the bowl while the carb is still connected, and take off the carb bowl and see if fuel is in flowing into the carb. If it is, clamp the fuel line to stop the fuel, and then install the bowl.
That's pitiful! That's what I OWN! An HRR (hardy har har). I LOVE mine! Looks as good as yours, maybe better! DEFINITELY his loss & your gain. I'd buy that mower & install tread on those racing slicks.😂🤣👍
yep, I'm considering keeping this one, at least for the rest of the year, so I will be getting new wheels for the back.
What cleaner spray do you use? 2:43
He is weirdly cagey about it, and he always says "a cleaner at a store I frequently go to that is the cheapest one."
My guess is some place like walmart, most likely the in-house brand (SuperTech).
I use Super Heavy duty Degreaser from Harbor Freight
What app or website do you use to find this free stuff?
sure thing, I use FB marketplace but also Craigslist.
Of course I’d still want one, that’s why I have two lol. But a PSA to the other viewers, if you do watch a how-to video, make sure that it’s an accurate and reputable video and not one that is going to mislead you into breaking your machines more and force you to bring it to a professional service shop
great advice
The top seal on the crankshaft below the flywheel needs to be replaced
you mean because of the oil leak? That's extremely rare, I've only had to do one top seal replacement in the last 10 years.
👍
thanks
The bushings are the real issues here and probably why they pulled it apart to begin with. You should replace them, polish the shaft, grease the bushings, and add dust seals on both sides of the bushings. This is how Honda engineered it on the HRX which has far less “pulling backwards” issues than the HRR series. The HRR has no protection from dust coming in from the wheel side. Also some of these had known issues with a defective “too tight “ adjuster. Honda has a service bulletin on it.
BTW - You do not want to use a lightweight lube on the bushing. It will not last at all and will stick again. Honda cautions against this in the service manual.
thank you for the information and yes, I plan on working on doing a better job on getting the bushing and shaft cleaned.
For all the wheel-driven mowers we found, we would disconnect the driven wheels, as they were totally unnecessary. Maybe the only people who would use such a mower were VERY feeble?
you might be right
It's a shame that Honda Motors decided to stop manufacturing mowers. They set the standard. Also, why is it that Honda is the only manufacturer that put fuel shutoffs on all of their mowers? It seems like others would have taken that lead. The only reason I can think of is that the other manufacturers recognized what NOT having that feature caused people to junk their gummed-up carb mowers and buy new ones. My only complaint with Honda is the material used to make the wheels. Plasticized rubber means the drive-wheels will wear out in just a few years.
you're guess is a good as mine, and I think you might be on to something
If it has an aluminum frame you should make a good profit.
this one is steel unfortunately
@@HomeGaragechannel
You still will make pretty good 👍 on it.
I think so too, thanks again.
I didn’t realize how much plastic is in these Honda mowers.I wouldn’t have one
There's even more on other models too, I guess you'll be using a reel mower then.
@@HomeGaragechannel naw I gots me a stihl 960i 💪🏻 Zero Turn 40hp Vanguard with oil Guard 👍🏻💪🏻
Honda mower engines can take quite a bit of abuse
yes they can.
I can't stand Honda engines. They are way too complicated. There are too many things that can go wrong, particularly if they sit for any length of time.
oh yes, I completely agree