Worth it to replace the deck on 20 year old HRX217 w/300 hours on unit?

[mitsuman47]

I have a 2004-2005 HRX217HMA with the Nexite deck. The unit has about 300+/- hours on it and runs great. All of the mechanical bits work like new. No issues with the transmission. It rolls smooth and true. Still has a great cut. And, I put new wheels on it last year. Basically, in true BITOG fashion, I have over-maintained this mower, and it runs as such.

Something knocked a dime sized hole in the deck that I fixed with JB Weld, and the repair seems like it will hold up well. However, I've also recently found a 2" long crack in the deck about half way between the engine and the front of the mower. I can rough up the area with some sandpaper and give it the JB Weld treatment, as well. But, I'm wondering if the deck is nearing the end of its life, and becoming brittle. I found a brand new deck for about $400, and think I could have what is basically a like-new HRX, since everything else works so well.

I now mow 3 lawns (mine and two elderly neighbors) that total a little over an acre combined. So, any mower I have will start to accumulate hours on it more rapidly than in the past. I can't find any mowers that can compete with the re-decked HRX for $400. And, honestly hate to think about junking the GCV190 since it runs so well.

Any thoughts on this? Am I putting lipstick on a pig? I figure I can re-deck this thing, and run the mower for another 20 years, but wanted a sanity check. lol

 

[oldcodger]

I would replace it and mow on. Decks are the "high wear" part and I have seen several mowers go through two decks before the rest of the mower is junk.

 

[Astro_Guy]

I have a 2004-2005 HRX217HMA with the Nexite deck. The unit has about 300+/- hours on it and runs great. All of the mechanical bits work like new. No issues with the transmission. It rolls smooth and true. Still has a great cut. And, I put new wheels on it last year. Basically, in true BITOG fashion, I have over-maintained this mower, and it runs as such.

Something knocked a dime sized hole in the deck that I fixed with JB Weld, and the repair seems like it will hold up well. However, I've also recently found a 2" long crack in the deck about half way between the engine and the front of the mower. I can rough up the area with some sandpaper and give it the JB Weld treatment, as well. But, I'm wondering if the deck is nearing the end of its life, and becoming brittle. I found a brand new deck for about $400, and think I could have what is basically a like-new HRX, since everything else works so well.

I now mow 3 lawns (mine and two elderly neighbors) that total a little over an acre combined. So, any mower I have will start to accumulate hours on it more rapidly than in the past. I can't find any mowers that can compete with the re-decked HRX for $400. And, honestly hate to think about junking the GCV190 since it runs so well.

Any thoughts on this? Am I putting lipstick on a pig? I figure I can re-deck this thing, and run the mower for another 20 years, but wanted a sanity check. lol

Perhaps you should purchase the deck now before they become rare, but wait until the original shows more signs of distress.

 

[Lubener]

Buy and change out the deck now. Don't buy it and then pickle it for the future. Who wants a new deck sitting around and if the engine ever blew, you wasted your money.

 

[fantastic]

$400 deck probably isn't worth it but I do think it would be worth saving the old deck. I've gotten pretty creative with JB weld & some small metal pieces you can cut up to shape it how you need to. You could have it powder coated again after some metal work is done. Might be able to get new stickers too but should be well under $400 for that.

 

[SHOZ]

$400 deck probably isn't worth it but I do think it would be worth saving the old deck. I've gotten pretty creative with JB weld & some small metal pieces you can cut up to shape it how you need to. You could have it powder coated again after some metal work is done. Might be able to get new stickers too but should be well under $400 for that.

Maybe take it to a welder?

 

[hemitom]

I would dremel out the crack to make a valley and jb weld it going past the crack point.
Worth a shot i think.
continue looking for another deck in the meantime and try and get the other deck down in price i'm sure there's not a big demand for them.

 

[Owen Lucas]

These decks have a lifetime warranty but unfortunately you have to be the original owner.

I'd try a cheap plastic welding kit and adding 1 or 2 reinforcing braces / wire loops. The issue with the bracing / wire is you would have to drill holes for these, but if spaced apart correctly, they might not crack towards each other. Just an idea to buy some more time.

Like @hemitom says, Dremel out to a clean surface but I would round out the end of the crack to avoid it spreading further.

https://pdf.lowes.com/productdocuments/f7d02f72-6ce9-4b59-ada2-5b5008c29414/42309995.pdf

 

[nate379]

Steel deck? This is a push mower or yard tractor?

 

[The_Eric]

Steel deck? This is a push mower or yard tractor?

In the first line of the post, the op said:

I have a 2004-2005 HRX217HMA with the Nexite deck

This is a push mower with a polymer deck.

 

[2heeldrive]

Can you convert it to a steel deck?

 

[nate379]

In the first line of the post, the op said:


This is a push mower with a polymer deck.

I don't have 20yr old obscure part numbers/models memorized

 

[JavierH19]

Honestly it's not really worth it in my opinion. I'd just run it into the ground and get a new one but before then drill two small holes into the ends of the crack first to stop it from spreading more then jb weld it and run it for more years, could get at least another 5 likely more.

 

[Hall]

$400 for just the deck ? No way.... Repair it.

These decks have a lifetime warranty but unfortunately you have to be the original owner.

Wouldn't hurt to contact Honda still. After 20 years, who would be expected to still have the original receipt from when they bought it ?

 

[mitsuman47]

Thanks for the replies, y’all. We seem equally split as a group. So, I’m in the same spot as when I started.

The deck is a bit expensive. However, with Honda’s soon departure from the power equipment market, I may not have many years left to grab a new neck. Also, mine was from the first year or two of production, and I’d bet they made some improvements over the years that may help with durability.

The redneck repairs have been made. It cured for the last 2 days, so I’ll be mowing today or tomorrow and will check in on the repairs. Hopefully they hold up.

 

[The_Eric]

Thanks for the replies, y’all. We seem equally split as a group. So, I’m in the same spot as when I started.

The deck is a bit expensive. However, with Honda’s soon departure from the power equipment market, I may not have many years left to grab a new neck. Also, mine was from the first year or two of production, and I’d bet they made some improvements over the years that may help with durability.

The redneck repairs have been made. It cured for the last 2 days, so I’ll be mowing today or tomorrow and will check in on the repairs. Hopefully they hold up.

If you didn't repair it,what route would you go?

If.your considering a new premium Honda, you're looking at twice as much money.. will it do anything that spending half as much won't do?

 

[The_Eric]

I don't have 20yr old obscure part numbers/models memorized

Well why not?!?!?! What kind of self respecting BITOGer are you??

 

[mitsuman47]

Oops.

 

[mitsuman47]

If you didn't repair it,what route would you go?

If.your considering a new premium Honda, you're looking at twice as much money.. will it do anything that spending half as much won't do?

I’d probably either buy a new HRX or a commercial push mower.

Prior to me starting to mow my neighbors’ yards, I thought about moving to a battery mower since my lawn is only 1/3 acre. Had looked at Makita offerings because I already have some of their 6ah batteries for chainsaws and other various tools. But, now that I’m mowing over an acre, I don’t think I’ll mess with batteries due to run time.

 

[The_Eric]

I’d probably either buy a new HRX or a commercial push mower.

Prior to me starting to mow my neighbors’ yards, I thought about moving to a battery mower since my lawn is only 1/3 acre. Had looked at Makita offerings because I already have some of their 6ah batteries for chainsaws and other various tools. But, now that I’m mowing over an acre, I don’t think I’ll mess with batteries due to run time.

First, arg... sorry for the ugly mobile post

Will a newer, expensive model get you anything that repairing your current one won't? Personally I'm all for fixing a quality piece of equipment, car, ect... I wish that we (collectively) wouldn't have moved away from that mindset.