# Honda HRX217 - Difficult to adjust rear wheel height or is it just me?



## CPOx (Jul 30, 2021)

HRX217 is the only mower I've owned in my young 'adult' life. This is my 3rd season with it now. Between scalps and testing out different HOCs, I've always found adjusting the height of the rear wheels to be a major hassle, especially the right wheel.

I'm using a large flathead screwdriver as a pry bar and a hammer to knock the lever over - and even with that it's taking me a few minutes to complete the adjustment. I know I'm not the strongest person in the world but I'm wondering: Is this normal and is there a way to make it easier?

edit to add: I am using a block of wood to jack up the side of the mower that I'm adjusting.


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## klsmith259 (Oct 6, 2020)

It's a little tougher than what I am used to but I can do it with one hand and lifting up the side of the deck. I would start with the front adjustment, then do the rear. At least that's my approach.


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## Mister Bill (Apr 12, 2019)

CPOx said:


> HRX217 is the only mower I've owned in my young 'adult' life. This is my 3rd season with it now. Between scalps and testing out different HOCs, I've always found adjusting the height of the rear wheels to be a major hassle, especially the right wheel.
> 
> I'm using a large flathead screwdriver as a pry bar and a hammer to knock the lever over - and even with that it's taking me a few minutes to complete the adjustment. I know I'm not the strongest person in the world but I'm wondering: Is this normal and is there a way to make it easier?
> 
> edit to add: I am using a block of wood to jack up the side of the mower that I'm adjusting.


This is a common issue with Honda mowers. The pivot bushings begin to seize over time from rust and dirt build up where they rotate on the wheel adjustment assembly shaft. There are dust seals to help prevent this from happening, but they are not very effective long term.

Sliding back the dust seals and squirting rust buster or the like into the bushing areas will sometimes help, but typically the fix is to remove and disassemble the adjusters, clean and polish off the rust, add grease and/or anti-seize to the pivot parts, and reassemble. When working properly, they adjust up and down easily.

I would suggest while the rear wheels are off to also clean and lubricate the drive wheel bushings to prevent them from locking up when pulling the mower backwards. This is another common issue with the Honda mowers.


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## Mathwiz (Jul 20, 2021)

No OP, you are not alone. I have had this issue with my HRX for several years. I took the right rear wheel off and lubed. After reassembly, it was a little better, but not much. It appears to be an issue Honda engineers were not smart enough to conquer.


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## Mister Bill (Apr 12, 2019)

Mathwiz said:



> No OP, you are not alone. I have had this issue with my HRX for several years. I took the right rear wheel off and lubed. After reassembly, it was a little better, but not much. It appears to be an issue Honda engineers were not smart enough to conquer.


When the adjustment assembly is taken off and cleaned/lubed properly, it will work as it did the day it left the factory. Removing the wheels only gives access to the adjustment assembly. The assembly itself needs to be removed from the mower deck and serviced as I described above. Rust swells metal, and if the rust is not properly removed from the spindles and bushings to bring the parts back into spec, no amount of grease alone is going to remedy the issue.

The reality is, a large portion of end users neglect maintaining their equipment, either from sheer laziness or lack of knowledge. That is, until it quits working, then they point fingers at the manufacturer. Designing a residential use mower built to last a lifetime without routine maintenance is not beyond the scope of an engineers ability, it goes beyond what people are willing to pay for such a product. The trade off is having the equipment serviced periodically so these issues do not arise.


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## TheCutShop (Jun 24, 2021)

Mathwiz said:


> No OP, you are not alone. I have had this issue with my HRX for several years. I took the right rear wheel off and lubed. After reassembly, it was a little better, but not much. It appears to be an issue Honda engineers were not smart enough to conquer.


Must not be a "MaintenanceWiz"


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## raymond (May 4, 2018)

I have the same problems and it drives me nuts… I just deal with it since I'm not changing the height that often


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## Mathwiz (Jul 20, 2021)

TheCutShop said:


> Mathwiz said:
> 
> 
> > No OP, you are not alone. I have had this issue with my HRX for several years. I took the right rear wheel off and lubed. After reassembly, it was a little better, but not much. It appears to be an issue Honda engineers were not smart enough to conquer.
> ...


LOL


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## CPOx (Jul 30, 2021)

Mister Bill said:


> CPOx said:
> 
> 
> > HRX217 is the only mower I've owned in my young 'adult' life. This is my 3rd season with it now. Between scalps and testing out different HOCs, I've always found adjusting the height of the rear wheels to be a major hassle, especially the right wheel.
> ...


I finally got myself a pair of snap ring pliers and took care of this job today for both of the rear wheels. Everything was covered in dust and grime in the wheel assemblies. The most challenging part for me was removing the snap ring under the deck on the axle's right side. The snap ring was essentially seized in place and I had to put a lot of pressure on it to rotate it in such a way that I could use the pliers to remove it. It honestly took me a really long time to do that part.

I cleaned everything up and bent the adjust arms a bit to get them to seat flat against the pivot point and the results are *incredibly satisfying*. I went through a series of adjustments in seconds just because it was so easy.

I used this video as a reference to disassemble the rear wheels. It's a different model than the HRX217 but it's close enough.
edit to add the video:


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## david_ (Aug 22, 2019)

Nice job OP.


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## Mister Bill (Apr 12, 2019)

CPOx said:


> Mister Bill said:
> 
> 
> > CPOx said:
> ...


Well done, Sir. :thumbup:


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## UltimateLawn (Sep 25, 2020)

My HRX217HYA is on it's first season (purchased in October last year). It is going strong and I'm happy with the cut. I've had no issue adjusting the height, but I keep it at the highest level regularly for my StAug so I am not constantly adjusting it.

Maybe related to the rear assembly adjustments, my rear wheels/axle (assembly I think) is squeaking a bit when I push it around after the engine has stopped. It started doing this about two months ago, but I think it is getting louder.

I checked the owners manual and there is mention of a grease maintenance yearly to the Pinion Gears and two year Rear Wheel Adjuster Bushings. Of course the instructions are part of the Honda Shop Manual @ $39.00 each copy.

Is this a similar problem in the rear wheel assembly that is highlighted here? Are others having to perform this maintenance regularly as well due to similar squeaking?


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## CPOx (Jul 30, 2021)

UltimateLawn said:


> My HRX217HYA is on it's first season (purchased in October last year). It is going strong and I'm happy with the cut. I've had no issue adjusting the height, but I keep it at the highest level regularly for my StAug so I am not constantly adjusting it.
> 
> Maybe related to the rear assembly adjustments, my rear wheels/axle (assembly I think) is squeaking a bit when I push it around after the engine has stopped. It started doing this about two months ago, but I think it is getting louder.
> 
> ...


I have not had an issue with squeaking, but my gut reaction recommendation is that applying grease to the bushing should help. As shown in the screenshot below that bushing slides onto the axle and if there's any rust or contamination it could lead to squeaks.


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## UltimateLawn (Sep 25, 2020)

So I pulled both of the rear wheels off as well as the pinon gears. I greased the inside and outside of the pinion gear, cleaned out the key ratchet and greased the axle where the bearing races lay across. I think that did it since the squeaking went away. I stretched out one of the snap rings a bit not paying attention to my plier applied force. I went ahead and ordered some replacements and I'll replace them.

The mower handled the front and back yard without drive issues, so it does seem to be working nicely. The ratchet is definitely quieter than before.


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## jimwnola (9 mo ago)

Mister Bill said:


> Mathwiz said:
> 
> 
> > No OP, you are not alone. I have had this issue with my HRX for several years. I took the right rear wheel off and lubed. After reassembly, it was a little better, but not much. It appears to be an issue Honda engineers were not smart enough to conquer.
> ...


I have owned three of these mowers. The height setting on all three was extremely difficult to adjust, right from the very first day. In each case, I eventually just left it on the same setting. The problem is that I now have different grass in the front and back, and would like to change the setting each time I mow . My present mower is less than two years old, and it just came back from $135 of "maintenance." Still, it is almost impossible to adjust, and it is way too difficult to do for each time I mow. The main issue is the back wheel setting. Long ago, I also used to own a Toro Recycler. It did not have this problem. I am a fan of Honda, but the back wheel height setting is flawed engineering. Honda should be ashamed of itself for this level of difficulty. I will look at the posted video to see if it might help. However, I read on another forum about someone taking off his wheel to try to troubleshoot what he thought was a problem unique to his mower, and he accidentally broke the gears on one of wheels for the self-propel. I don't want to risk breaking my mower to try to improve a problem that is obviously the result of Honda's design defect.


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## jbcarter14 (Aug 12, 2018)

I don't have much of a problem. You have the get the weight off of them. I just lift one up or put my boot under the deck and lift with my foot. Just get one of them off the ground a half inch and it will move pretty easy.


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## Mister Bill (Apr 12, 2019)

jbcarter14 said:


> I don't have much of a problem. You have the get the weight off of them. I just lift one up or put my boot under the deck and lift with my foot. Just get one of them off the ground a half inch and it will move pretty easy.


This. It takes far more physical effort to push the retainer arm out of the setting slot than to move the axle adjustment up or down. In fact, if properly cleaned and lubed, the axle will literally free fall from its own weight once the retainer arm clears the setting slot if the mower wheel being adjusted is raised off the ground.


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