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Thread: Honda HRX217HYA vs HRU216 - Arfa Brayne, 4 years commercial use final comparison.

  1. #1
    Senior Member Arfa Brayne's Avatar
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    Default Honda HRX217HYA vs HRU216 - Arfa Brayne, 4 years commercial use final comparison.

    Well after exactly 4 years of going side by side on about 4,400 lawns (average 2,200 each) the winner between the HRX and the HRU has been decided as one mower has terminally failed by blowing a hole through the deck.

    Rather than be all editorial - I'll just post the pictures and a description of problems and parts replaced. - you can make up your own minds.

    Bear in mind that both mowers have been modified.
    Modifications can be found here for the HRX http://www.indmowing.com.au/forum/sh...-an-Aussie-HRU
    and here for the HRU http://www.indmowing.com.au/forum/sh...s-What-s-yours
    "Can't" is a dirty 4 letter word.
    If someone says "Can't" , take the "T" off the end and brew it.
    Sip on a mugfull, relax, and take a look at what you've got left to work with.

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    Member Macka's Avatar
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    Default Re: Honda HRX217HYA vs HRU216 - Arfa Brayne, 4 years commercial use final comparison.

    both great machines, which one got the hole ? are you comparing the HRU216M2 or the old HRU216 the M2 is a thicker deck but heavier machine.

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    Senior Member Arfa Brayne's Avatar
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    Default Re: Honda HRX217HYA vs HRU216 - Arfa Brayne, 4 years commercial use final comparison.

    Sorry, NBN network going in our area to "improve" internet.............. So nothing is working, and when it is, it's jammed.
    Seems I'll have to post these in small lumps.- be patient.

    Here are the two warriors side by side, as someone once said = like a Hilux next to a F250
    sSide by side.jpg

    Both mowers had 2x new tyres fitted - the HRU's are completely shot, the HRX's have about 25% remaining
    HRU HRX front tyres.JPGHRU HRX rear tyres.JPG

    The HRX did a muffler and some damage to the cowl, but to be fair I backed over it with the ute.
    sHRX cowl damage.jpg
    "Can't" is a dirty 4 letter word.
    If someone says "Can't" , take the "T" off the end and brew it.
    Sip on a mugfull, relax, and take a look at what you've got left to work with.

  4. #4
    Senior Member Arfa Brayne's Avatar
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    Default Re: Honda HRX217HYA vs HRU216 - Arfa Brayne, 4 years commercial use final comparison.

    Try again - bloody internet "improvements"
    You can see where the HRU blew the hole - look nearby for the cracks where other holes are forming
    sHRU Deck damage1.jpgsHRU hole in deck.jpg

    The mulch plug and rear apron has seen better days too
    sHRU Mulch plug wear.jpgsHRU rear flap.jpg

    Every HRU I have owned (about 7x ) has been retired due to a hole in the deck.
    By the time a hole blows through, (about 2,000 - 2,400 lawns) the rear wheels have been replaced once and worn out again, the throttle cable has been replaced, you've gone through around 5x air filters, 12 - 16 full sets of blades, a catcher bag or two and sometimes a drive shaft.
    When you look at the mower for rebuild it needs -
    new deck
    full set of wheels
    full set of cables
    new disc
    new mulch plug
    set of rings
    new catcher
    drive shaft
    ...................the price of all these parts exceeds a new mower
    take into account you're re-using metal fatigued handles, a worn gearbox and worn motor
    and then add labour, even if it's your own

    And it's pretty obvious a rebuild just isn't worth the trouble.
    "Can't" is a dirty 4 letter word.
    If someone says "Can't" , take the "T" off the end and brew it.
    Sip on a mugfull, relax, and take a look at what you've got left to work with.

  5. #5
    Senior Member Arfa Brayne's Avatar
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    Default Re: Honda HRX217HYA vs HRU216 - Arfa Brayne, 4 years commercial use final comparison.

    Seems like only 4x pics per post.

    Here is the wear on the underside of the HRX - plastic vs metal = surprising results.

    The deck has copped some damage in places, but no signs of through cracks or holes.
    sHRX deck damage1.jpgsHRX deck damage2.jpg

    The mulch flap seems to wear on the lower leading edge - there is quite a bit of material missing here, but it's not obvious
    sHRX mulch flap wear.jpg

    The drive unit has done well, no leaks or anything yet, but the rubber flap was cut off before it fell off 6x months ago
    sHRX rear flap.jpg

    The HRX has gone through about 4x filters, 2x new wheels, 7x lower blades and 4x uppers
    Cables are all original and good, catcher is original (but this mower mulches most lawns)
    I haven't been gentle - this was my 1st HRX mower, so I tried to push it as hard and rough as it would go to find the limits.
    Handles have developed a bit of slop - about 50mm up/down play.
    The Hydrostatic is a bit slow 1st lawn of the morning (but so am I nowadays) - probably need a fluid change.
    Other than that it's still my favourite bit of gear.
    "Can't" is a dirty 4 letter word.
    If someone says "Can't" , take the "T" off the end and brew it.
    Sip on a mugfull, relax, and take a look at what you've got left to work with.

  6. #6
    Senior Member Arfa Brayne's Avatar
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    Default Re: Honda HRX217HYA vs HRU216 - Arfa Brayne, 4 years commercial use final comparison.

    Here is another retired HRU deck
    sHRU2 deck damage1.jpg

    Below is the 2nd HRU catcher bag and the original HRX bag
    sHRU Catcher.jpgsHRX catcher.jpg
    "Can't" is a dirty 4 letter word.
    If someone says "Can't" , take the "T" off the end and brew it.
    Sip on a mugfull, relax, and take a look at what you've got left to work with.

  7. #7
    Senior Member Arfa Brayne's Avatar
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    Default Re: Honda HRX217HYA vs HRU216 - Arfa Brayne, 4 years commercial use final comparison.

    Quote Originally Posted by Macka View Post
    both great machines, which one got the hole ? are you comparing the HRU216M2 or the old HRU216 the M2 is a thicker deck but heavier machine.

    Yeah - this is the Australian 2011 model HRU216D that was still "new in box" and the 2012 (USA) model HRX216HYA.
    The HRU was put into service late November 2012, and the HRX mid December 2012.

    Depending on who is my offsider on the day, I use either mower. One offsider prefers the HRU, the other the HRX. When working solo I only use the HRX, but I'd say hours on both mowers are pretty equal.
    A more "scientific" approach would be hour meters on both mowers, with log books kept on hours and repairs.
    For me - I just need to know reliability, costs, and results.
    There is a replacement HRU on the truck -2nd hand with about 200 lawns use. I try to keep my offsiders happy, (and I bought it cheap) but when it dies it will be the last one.
    It will be interesting to see how much longer the HRX goes - don't expect it to outlast 2x HRU's, but it would be funny if it did.

    The big questions when I imported the HRX were
    ......

    1 drive gear reliability = HRX has a belt drive, hydrostatic box and weak looking "pin ratchet" driving the rear wheels - vs the solid HRU shaft drive, manual box and solid rear wheel ratchets
    ......... both mowers have gone the distance without a problem. Both mowers needed only a set of rear wheels. I still prefer the solid design of the HRU, but the HRX is just so much better to use (modded) with the hydrostatic and more productive due to higher ground speed & power

    2 deck wear/reliability = plastic vs alloy
    ..............both mowers have worn. The HRX needed a metal ramp (mod) to stop sticks getting caught under the leading edge of the plastic mulch ramp. The HRU had to be "panel beated" a number of times to re-shape the tin catcher apron and out of round deck. In the end the HRU died like every other HRU I've owned - hole in the deck.

    3 lawn finish = HRX bar blade vs HRU swingbacks
    ............The finish of the HRX is clearly better in both catching and mulching, but it exceeds in mulching. With the twin bar blade and bigger catcher the HRX fills 2x catchers in the same space as the HRU fills 3x catchers, plus the HRX handles wet grass better.
    The savings in blade costs was a real bonus = The HRU eats blades twice as fast as the HRX. (remember I use double thickness cox ride on blades on the HRU) Cost wise the HRU is 3x the cost in blades if you run 4x blades and replace bolts every 2nd set. (Compared to the HRX blades I buy from the USA at $13 - $18 each)

    4 Blade clutch = Reliability ?
    .................. the blade clutch actually aids reliability - it helps protect the engine shaft from bending if you hit something big (which was always a weakness with bar blade mowers)
    I modded the blade clutch lever on the HRX, but everything else is still original parts and working well.
    "Can't" is a dirty 4 letter word.
    If someone says "Can't" , take the "T" off the end and brew it.
    Sip on a mugfull, relax, and take a look at what you've got left to work with.

  8. #8
    Member Tomo's Avatar
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    Default Re: Honda HRX217HYA vs HRU216 - Arfa Brayne, 4 years commercial use final comparison.

    How have you found the HRX catching fairly long wet kik with the small chute ?

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    Senior Member Arfa Brayne's Avatar
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    Default Re: Honda HRX217HYA vs HRU216 - Arfa Brayne, 4 years commercial use final comparison.

    Quote Originally Posted by Tomo View Post
    How have you found the HRX catching fairly long wet kik with the small chute ?
    No-where as good as a Rover with the full open rear chute, but the HRX is twice as good as the HRU - I think the blade lift and area, combined with the size and breathability of the catcher, helps the HRX push better into the catcher.
    In really "sticky" stuff like wet clover, the HRX suffers "grass drop" - the grass builds up under the deck and then drops in one big clump, sometimes stalling the engine.
    Even a rover will choke in long wet kikuyu - the grass "layers up" in the chute until it finally clogs. Even when you "bounce" the mower to dislodge it, it still wraps around the axle bar apron till it chokes.
    Honda will never be competitive in wet grass till it moves the gearbox outside the chute.
    "Can't" is a dirty 4 letter word.
    If someone says "Can't" , take the "T" off the end and brew it.
    Sip on a mugfull, relax, and take a look at what you've got left to work with.

  10. #10
    Member Tomo's Avatar
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    Default Re: Honda HRX217HYA vs HRU216 - Arfa Brayne, 4 years commercial use final comparison.

    Yeah.. true true about the gearbox Arfa if they ever repositioned it out the way you would have a perfect all seasons contractors mower...thanks for the updates Arfa.

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    Member irishjim's Avatar
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    Default Re: Honda HRX217HYA vs HRU216 - Arfa Brayne, 4 years commercial use final comparison.

    My hrx is crap in wet/long grass.def not for overgrown stuff,but did one lately just jammed the flap open and walked almost adjacent with one hand on the bar,still got destroyed so did handlebars and levers,luckily no windows were in smashing distance....

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    Senior Member steveo's Avatar
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    Default Re: Honda HRX217HYA vs HRU216 - Arfa Brayne, 4 years commercial use final comparison.

    Has anyone got the HRX217HZU (electric start). Would you recommend electric start? Is it relaible. Must be a battery on it somewhere and a starter motor I assume? Does it add much weight?

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    Member Victoria jal2007's Avatar
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    Default Re: Honda HRX217HYA vs HRU216 - Arfa Brayne, 4 years commercial use final comparison.

    My third HRX217 which was only 2 MONTHS old, already has problem with Gearbox. The grass clipping going to the transmission and damaging the sealant and gearbox.
    The seller trying to get the news from Honda whether is still under warranty or not.

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    Member Victoria jal2007's Avatar
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    Default Re: Honda HRX217HYA vs HRU216 - Arfa Brayne, 4 years commercial use final comparison.

    this is the problem with my HRX217

    http://www.lawnsite.com/threads/hond...cement.444747/

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    Senior Member 4 Gardens's Avatar
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    Default Re: Honda HRX217HYA vs HRU216 - Arfa Brayne, 4 years commercial use final comparison.

    Quote Originally Posted by steveo View Post
    Has anyone got the HRX217HZU (electric start). Would you recommend electric start? Is it relaible. Must be a battery on it somewhere and a starter motor I assume? Does it add much weight?
    Saw one last year in act small engines, not sure on weight etc

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