Honda mower-First time DIY service

[Atesz792]

Originally Posted By: skyactiv
NEVER blow out an air filter with compressed air.

Why not? A bit unrelated, but it's even in my motorcycle owner's manual, coming straight from Suzuki.

 

[Garak]

Read here, courtesy of member Richard Widman.

 

[Atesz792]

Originally Posted By: Garak
Read here, courtesy of member Richard Widman.

Ouch.

 

[DrRoughneck]

I've replaced the air filter on mine with a piece of foam that I can wash with dish soap each year.
Change oil with Mobil 1 15W50 every two years.
Also added a magnetic dipstick which catches a lot of metal goo. Oil is pristine looking as a result.

 

[gizzsdad]

Originally Posted By: BigD1
If it's a Honda self propelled like mine, the rear wheels need to be taken off and cleaned. I used Valvoline GM red grease to grease it all back up.

Need a set of snap ring pliers too, and pay attention to how the gears are installed because they can be installed backwards, and watch out for that little spring popping out of the channel. Clean it out good, and then grease it too along with the gears. That spring in the channel is what works that little part that makes the clicking sound when it is rolling. The channel and spring gets gummed up.

My back wheels starting locking up during the third mowing season with zero maintenance. Rolls like new after I did the service.


As my mower is new to me, I was not aware of this service requirement. Does anyone know of any videos or shop manuals that would help a first timer?

 

[NH73]

Originally Posted By: JTK
Yep, it's the rear axle bushings that seize up and eventually put so much of a load on the drive system that it will destroy the gear or hydrostatic drive. The problem is, you often don't know it's happening because the rear wheels will freewheel fine given they are independent to the drive axle. You can usually get years between clean/lubing these bushings.
I heard about this issue with this mower, but didn't see the maintenance in the OM. Any info. would be helpful.

 

[vronline]

Originally Posted By: Astro_Guy
Originally Posted By: skyactiv
NEVER blow out an air filter with compressed air.

Why not? Been doing that on the OPE for years...


Because forced air can rip the media. You can tap them to knock out the dirt, but why not just replace on a regular schedule as they are cheap?

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: NH73
Originally Posted By: JTK
Yep, it's the rear axle bushings that seize up and eventually put so much of a load on the drive system that it will destroy the gear or hydrostatic drive. The problem is, you often don't know it's happening because the rear wheels will freewheel fine given they are independent to the drive axle. You can usually get years between clean/lubing these bushings.
I heard about this issue with this mower, but didn't see the maintenance in the OM. Any info. would be helpful.


There is no write-up or recommendation on this in the OM. I stumbled upon the issue myself. A metric wrench or socket set and some good snap-ring pliers are all that's needed. Remove a rear wheel and you'll see the small gear driven by the rear axle that meshes with the ring gears cast into the rear wheels. Like said above, it's a series of washers, the little drive gears and an axle key. Just take a pic or carefully lay them out in order. You have to remove that stuff to gain access to the axle shaft bushings.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: vronline
Originally Posted By: Astro_Guy
Originally Posted By: skyactiv
NEVER blow out an air filter with compressed air.

Why not? Been doing that on the OPE for years...


Because forced air can rip the media. You can tap them to knock out the dirt, but why not just replace on a regular schedule as they are cheap?


I've never used compressed air, but I've Shop-vac'd out filters if they just have fluff type debris on them. Obviously if they're oily and nasty, I toss and replace.