Mower won't roll backwards sometimes

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This Mower starts and runs just fine, however sometimes when you pull the mower backwards, the wheels will sometime lock up.

[@jackworsham2897]

I've worked on several Hondas that will no longer back up. It is caused by the axle rusting and clinging to the plastic bushings on the end of the axle. I remove the whole axle and transmission from the mower and use the wire brush on my grinder to clean the rust off the axle. I then apply a coat of grease as I reinstall them. I also add a little grease to the 3 speed gears on the HRT models. When done, they run like new. On a couple of these mowers, the transmission could not even turn, making you think the transmission was bad, but once cleaned, both were fine.

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

Yes you are absolutely right

[@rutbuster1]

I tried everything you did on that HRT. Have a HRR216, Did everything except take the transmission apart. Still don't pull backwards right without wheels locking up at times. Pushes forward fine.

[@TheLawnmowerLady]

I always lube wheels, and most any other moving parts. It's nice that Honda made that transmission serviceable. The sealed plastic ones are expensive throwaway items. Nice video!

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

I know right. Thank you The Lawnmower Lady

[@dfields9511]

Yah I have lubed up the transmission once in a toro. I used general purpose Grease. It didn’t work before that. After it worked well. And I usually spray wd40 on wheel adjusters. If they are locked up.

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

Thank you D Fields

[@HastyRhombus760]

I know old vid BUT... Yes lube the axles/wheel bolts but I use copper based anti seize grease. It will never need to be replaced and it helps fill in the gap that comes from wear. As for the transmission I have removed the oil and replaced it with a mixture of gear oil and worm drive grease. I mix it to be about twice as thick as the oil by itself this helps make up for the lost material and almost completely stops any more loss. The mix gets thinner as everything heats up so no worries. Lastly I have fixed the front wheel lean by putting shims/thin washers between the 2 plates and coating them with anti seize grease.

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

nice I might have to steal that idea.

[@HastyRhombus760]

@@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE Have at it. I posted them with the hopes that it might help someone.

[@MrGattor33]

Great video, good sir. You are correct about the transmissions now days as they are made of plastic just like the carbs; it's sad as they are cheap and don't last nearly as long and causes more unwanted or unneeded waste. I personally don't own a self propelled mower as I don't like it telling me how fast or how slow I have to walk... lol Anyway thanks for another great video with good content; two thumbs up from me 👍👍

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

Thank you Rob Kercheval

[@MrGattor33]

@@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE Absolutely 👍

[@rdspam]

Hmmm. My “plastic”, “cheap” Honda is 9 years old and running like new. Selecting how fast I walk is a matter of moving my thumb a fraction of an inch. I’d be wiped out after one session up and down the hills of my 1/2 acre of grass. To each his/her own.

[@themowerman]

Yeah had lots like this.. common problem.. hope all is good mate.. stay safe

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

I will try Mick and thank you.

[@user-xl5np5dp8n]

Thanks for your brief but informative video. There are some variations of these mowers but generally the maintenance is the same. I think you are right about periodic maintenance. Since these are kinda complicated, maintenance is mandated.

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

thank you!

[@agustingarcia9236]

Great video, I have an older model and I been having the same problems, I can’t wait to try all this information to make it work better, thank you

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

no problem and good luck

[@65csx83]

Good quick, concise once over of proper maintenance. Something I do regularly is wax the pull cord. I started doing that on a day when everything was going wrong and on first pull the cord turned to fuzz. I waxed it hoping to at least finish the day. It worked better than that and I include it as regular maintenance. I don't use the self-propel; too slow. I do the maintenance on the self-propel to make sure it doesn't become problematic.

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

nice, I'll have to try that out. what kind of wax do you use?

[@65csx83]

@@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE In that instance, I used canning wax which was handy. I've also used candle wax.

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

@@65csx83 thanks

[@tyroneclarke1666]

Nice repair job carried out and filmed.

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

thank you Tyrone Clarke.

[@warpig372]

Great mower. I recently started seeing the wheel move slowly after seven years. After examining the axle i determined rust had built up over time. I think I'm going to remove the axel and use a wire brush to clean it out. Load with grease and she should be fine.

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

that's a good idea

[@MCOult]

My Honda is a 2017 HRR216, which has given good service (strictly homeowner stuff). Yearly, I lube most moving parts, remove the wheels (along with spacers, snap rings, etc.) and clean and lube everything, plus blade care; other than that, it just needs drive cable adjustments, pinion lubing, etc. So far, I've only had to replace the blades (once) and filters (buy in bulk -- cheap!). I'm sure I'll eventually have to replace the wheels, but I expect the rear wheels (which give most of the problems) to last a VERY long time for this reason: I've been using gas-powered mowers since the mid-1960s and didn't have a self-propelled mower until the late '90s; for those reasons, I've always been in the habit of lifting the rear of the mower whenever I pull it backward. No stress on the wheels or trans. I'd recommend that the mower be thoroughly cleaned every 8 or 10 mowings; that also seems to help keep it going for a long time. Thanks for the video! -- Old Matt

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

hey I like the idea of lifting up on the mower!

[@MCOult]

@@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE It works for me. But then, it's hard to teach an old dog new tricks. ;-)

[@mjg263]

My SR4 mowers have grease fittings for the rear self propel axle bearings, pretty sure it’s something you’re supposed to do on any self propelled mower with or without fittings. The wheel ratchets should be done too as they get gummed up with dirt.

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

yes I believe you are absolutely right. Those SR4's are a wonderful mower. Have you had them long?

[@lewiemcneely9143]

I probably lube the wheels once a season, even idler wheels on the deck and I always balance blades. A smooth running bearing is a happy bearing and I always grind enough to get the blade sharp so I just try and eliminate a problem before I put the blade back on. Thanks!

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

you got that right.

[@georgemartinez1720]

I had a Mclance Front thrower And I lubricated the wheel s Chains Every 25 hours of operating And it 25 years til we sold it Got a Gardener to cut the Grass Si it sat in the Shed this taking up space great mower

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

why did you sell it?

[@73ingie]

Amazing mowers I loved all mine the best ❤

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

me too

[@johnhouli3450]

Thank you.

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

You're welcome!

[@daviddedick14]

This is an OK video, but a lot more far ranging than the title suggests. All the general maintenance tips are worthwhile, but many are unrelated to the wheel locking issue. The comment by Jack Worsham comes right to the point (as you finally do too as the video comes to an end). The axle is binding on the height adjusters and perhaps even the mower’s deck where it leaves the body of the mower. There are some dust caps on either side where the axle exits the body of the mower and I can see in your video (at one point where the mower is inverted) that one of those dust caps is out of place and just hanging on the axle. That will certainly aggravate the binding problem.

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

thanks for your opinion.

[@briantii]

Spot on. In addition Honda failed to put a dust seal on the wheel side which will allow fine dust to get in between the wheel adjuster and the drive shaft and jams everything up. That’s why the hrr models have so many issues with pulling backwards and the HRX line has far less. It’s because it’s sealed. I along with some other folks on a forum worked to come up with a better solution. I convert from bushings to needle bearings and added a seal. I had flawless performance for a long time, but the needle bearings were harder than the driveshaft and they cold worked the metal and mushroomed it slightly. Others had better results by switching from the plastic bushings to oilite bronze bushings and adding the seal. Even the plastic works better with the seal. The transmissions are actually very cheap - about $50 and have to be replaced as a unit since the driveshaft isn’t sold separately.

[@armandomarin-arias4021]

Those rear wheels need to be replaced for proper traction.

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

It wouldn't hurt

[@armandomarin-arias4021]

@@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE I know. I had the same problem with my Honda and it wouldn't roll back and lacked traction especially going uphill. I adjusted the tension on the trans cable and made new grooves (about 1/4 inch) on the rear wheels with a grinder. Problem fixed.

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

@@armandomarin-arias4021excellent work

[@BruceSommers]

What kind of oil did you use for the transmission?

[@matthewdavisnelson]

@@mc2whls I appreciate the info! If I were to change the lubricant in my Honda mowers transmission, any idea how much to use?

[@adammosher1115]

I had to remove the gears do to the fact that it no longer available

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

that makes sense

[@johnhouli3450]

Ty HG. Do you have a name so I can address you correctly. What do you think about retreading the wheels with new rubber instead of buying new tire wheels which are expensive. I see they sell treads that then can be secured with self tapping screws. What do you think about that?

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

I'd rather you keep you HG thanks, and as for the idea, of retreading them, that would be my choice. However no one sells just the tires. Instead you'd have to find other wheels and take the tires from them. As far as the self tappers, I wouldn't recommend it, but it's your mower.

[@byronturnbow2189]

Replacing the adjuster assembly will fix this

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

did you watch the entire video?

[@byronturnbow2189]

​@@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE yes that's why I wanted to share how to actually fix it

[@angelarogers4916]

I love the whistling sound Honda engines make why is this 🤔

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

thank you Angela Rogers.

[@anthonyhawkins3576]

Question: I have the Honda HRR216VGA and one of the three nuts for pull-start won't come off. The bolt turns with the nut. Any idea on how to grip the bolt so I can turn the nut off?

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

sure, after taking off the recoil and the fuel tank, use a 10mm box wrench on the "stud" side. Then use an impact or have someone turn the nut side using a socket and wrench. This is very common when someone has use too much force to tighten the nut.

[@anthonyhawkins3576]

@@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE Thanks. Was able to remove 2 cover nuts, swivel the cover around so I could get vice grips on the stud, which allowed me to turn the nut off. Then re-installed the stud with force.

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

nice work

[@smallengines1018]

Do you find these at the curb or do people being there's to you? Did you get this one from someone to repair?

[@smallengines1018]

@@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE don't you get rid of them and give them to friends?

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

@@smallengines1018 yes but only if they need them. I don't just give them away.

[@smallengines1018]

@@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE oh

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

@@smallengines1018 There's a possible profit on each mower and trimmer so I can't just over look it.

[@smallengines1018]

@@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE oh

[@MustPassTruck]

Looks very similar to my old toro 20092 SR4 mower hand me down.

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

thank you Steven Collier

[@jakechamberlin2601]

Great video and helpful. Question: Which type of lubricant is used on wheels? Many sites say “use lubricant”. Other say, dry graphite, still other say use grease, or “don’t use grease”. I’m so confused and really need to know .

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

they have pros and cons for each "lube" but to be honest use whatever you have on hand. I like to use lithium grease, because it's a very "light" grease, as opposed to multipurpose grease.

[@fishingwitheverett157]

Hey Inside house garage I found this old ryobi weed trimmer and when I got it, it would start and run for like 10 seconds but then it immediately stopped so I cleaned the carb still I could not get it to run without stopping but I have an idea if you are interested i could send you the trimmer and you can make a video of you trying to fix it for us viewers. I would really enjoy to see you try to fix it but if you don't want to that's fine too but if you are interested just reply to this comment and we can talk about how we could potentially make this happen. I can't wait to see what you think.

[@derekfankhauser1448]

I was wondering what fluid you put in the drive transmission

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

they are all different but manual for this one calls for motor oil. Some might be gear oil, or a special oil.

[@georgemartinez1720]

Is this your bussiness or your hobby or both

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

mainly hobby

[@RussellBooth1977]

If they have ball bearings in them they should really be lubricated periodically !

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

that was my thought as well.

[@johnsalles8248]

I lubricate

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

thank you John Salles

[@georgemartinez1720]

I use ti work in co.that rebuild and sold rebuilt transmission And that's looks ok I seen worse

[@georgemartinez1720]

Did you use Blast Spray on Grease

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

I'm not sure what that is

[@frank74zakk]

👍👍👍

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

thanks

[@WheresWaldo05]

Ummm what? Why does yours have an adjusteable engine throttle lever but my parents doesnt!??

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

Honda mowers several configurations, and one of them, is a choice for a throttle.

[@georgemartinez1720]

It a Mowrt not the space shuttke

[@gregwhiteart2696]

I took my wheel off and had a piece of wood behind it!

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

wow, that's pretty amazing, I wonder how it got there?

[@Robert67909]

I figured out that the pulley on the transmission gets too tight and causes this tension. Loosen the nut on the Pulley and see if that fixes it

[@leroyc5289]

##awre## ##JustSaiyan##

[@maggiesmith9770]

Didn't take drive gear off because afraid of losing parts???? You should have shown how to remove rust from axle rather than talking about it.

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

Coulda woulda

[@leomichalewicz6376]

Well , you never got to the cause of wheel locking up while going backwards. You walked around all kinds of other things besides getting to the point of why we watched this video. "To find out why wheels locked up when pulling backwards" I mean. REALLY??

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

so I had to look at the video again, and you're right, I don't come right out and say it but I'll give you the cliffs note version.. it was lacking maintenance to the transmission and the drive gears.

[@WillsSmallEngines]

First liker

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

thank you Will Gingrich

[@edgenet1]

You should have done the job properly, it was a must for to also remove the rear wheels to clean-out the grass build-up and lube the gears. This is why all small engine shops provide crap service.

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

sure thing