Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

I just picked up a 2012 Honda HS928K1WA. I just replaced my Yamaha YS828 and am clueless  on Honda's Hydro-static trans..

How do you use it?? If I put it is what would be speed 3 and engage the clutch it clunks and does an instant engagement. There is no slipping the clutch so to speak no matter how slow I engage it or how fast.  OR do I have to always have to have it in neutral and ease it up to speed every time I have to start out. If so, that would suck. HELP!!

Do you have any pictures?

Pictures of what? The shoot gear cutting?

YES.  Would like to see how you modified it.

I think Honda hydrostatic drive is the most user friendly.  It has very fine adjustability and ability to go from forward to reverse without declutching is great.  Plus, there's no stiff gates to wiggle the lever in and out of.  Its so smooth I can change the speed while turning.

They have the crispness of the engagement just right, for me.  There is two things that I think they could improve or change.  Forward and reverse maximum speeds.  Reverse is really slow, especially on tracked models, for liability reasons.

Honda warns you NOT to push the machine with the engine off Unless you throw the disengage lever located between the handles way down low on the rear of the machine or you will severely damage the transmission.  If you have a transmission that is NOT damaged by some moron at the dealer pushing it, the machine should always engage the wheels smoothly, silently.  If you are not getting that result have the dealer check the machine for what is wrong with it.  

Here are the pics of the shoot modification. I used a Dremel Multi Tool to cut the teeth out. The cutter on the below link of the tool has the non hardened wood blade on it, I used the hardened metal cutting blade that looks the same.

http://media.marketwire.com/attachments/201008/632547_CordlessDremelMulti-Max_3-4view.jpg



See how far back the shoot goes now. It swings back the same both ways now. You must file off the  added metal that is used as a stop for the worm gear to the same as the rest of the shoot were the gears are.




http://www.walleyecentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=798&pictureid=7308


http://www.walleyecentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=798&pictureid=7309

Nice work and pictures.  You are a professional as I could not discern between your and the factory cuts.  The blue machine (Yamaha) looks good too.  No snow for some time in the Twin Cities - I mowed the lawn yesterday and have never mowed this late in the season.

You bought a $ 3000.00 Snowblower, and Obviously did not read and understand the Owners Manual.   Once the engine is running the transmission engages by the simple movement of the forward and reverse control lever, PROVIDING that you have placed the transmission lever located between the handles and almost underneath the back of the machine in the "ENGAGE", and Not The "DIS-ENGAGE" position.  I use a broom handle to move that lever.  Once you do this the transmission requires no additional " Understanding " as it will be maintenance free beyond the very RARE addition of fluid when it eventually needs some, which is not very often.  The owners manual is written so anyone can understand the operation of the machine, perhaps read it a few times with a friend till you understand what it tells you.

New_Yorker,

When are you going to show us your Honda snowblower that you been hiding inside the library? 

New_Yorker wrote:
What PLANET are you on? Read the owners manual before buying, I am not "professor ANAL and smart BY A HALF"  It is a snowblower.  I am very mechanically inclined, I had a business for some time as an Audi mechanic/owner. I can wire and  plumb a house in code, so BUYING a snowblower without reading the owners manual seems ok to ME.  Yes, it was a surprised that the Honda engineers could be so inept in their transmission design. Common design logic would dictate that you would not want to ADD a step to your hands while powering a snowblower. Common design logic would also dictate to use a bleeder valve to NOT to  produce an instant on scenario that would be hard on the trans.  How common 2-stage snowblowers work is time tested, adding another step that gives you operational LESS CONTROL  and calling it BETTER is ASININE.  Who cares if it is a Honda or an Apple computer  with great design thought instilled into their products.   A Lexus with a CV style transmission that you would always have to have one hand on to advance your speed from the center console,  INSTEAD  of the foot pedal is a bad design even though it is a Lexus.  And being a fanboy defending a illogical design flaw seems DUMB to me. No need to get pissed at me, it is just my opinion, and I disagree with others that this IS a design flaw. Like I said I will get use to it.  Yamaha doesn't sell in the USA and Yamaha only makes track drive now. I don't like track drives. So Honda is the next choice even if it is flawed.