# Honda HS1132 Won't Move



## airmojo

Greetings everybody !

I was out the past two days clearing lake effect snow from my driveway, using my Honda HS1132 snow thrower (has tracks). I bought this new probably about 7 or 8 years ago, and it has worked flawlessly over the years.

But yesterday, just as I was finishing up, I go to engage the throttle, and it would not move or even budge... the engine and auger run fine.

Checked the transmission fluid, and it is at the full level which it always has been.

Have a lot more snow on the way today and this week (I live in Chardon, Ohio).

Hopefully, it's an "easy" fix for me.. if not, I plan on calling the dealer in town where I bought it and they can service it, but who knows how long that will take, and I would have to have them pick it up for service, since I would have a hard time getting it into the back of my pickup truck.

I have even entertained the idea of buying another for backup purposes, and rotate using them.

Any ideas what may be wrong with it ?

Thanks!

Ken H in OH


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## sr71

by any chance can you manually push her around? 

for lack of the right term ....it sounds like the manual lever has been engaged. On mine, there is a lever to unlock the power to the tracks so that you can manually push the beast around. You reach it from the back of the machine ... below the engine... perhaps it got disengaged


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## JnC

sr71 said:


> by any chance can you manually push her around?
> 
> for lack of the right term ....it sounds like the manual lever has been engaged. On mine, there is a lever to unlock the power to the tracks so that you can manually push the beast around. You reach it from the back of the machine ... below the engine... perhaps it got disengaged



I doubt that the "engage/Disengage" lever kicked itself onto the disengage position. 

If you are lucky then you probably sheared the clevis pins in the drive wheels, check them on both sides, if missing then replace them both. 

Sadly it seems like you sheared the driveshaft pin located in the right/reduction box, its a common issue with honda snowblowers and it usually happens due to the pin getting weak over the years and/or if you engage the drive clutch with the drive liver in fast position. 

Check the following video that shows the issue in detail.


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## 69ariens

Is there a belt that runs the hydro's?


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## JnC

69ariens said:


> Is there a belt that runs the hydro's?


Yes, there is a belt. 

Sorry, OP I forgot to mention the belt :facepalm_zpsdj194qh

To inspect the belt, you can either take off the belt cover or do what I usually do, place a cardboard in front of the auger bucket, tip the machine all the way forward (as shown in the video above as well) and check the belt from the opening under the belt area. You should be able to tell if the belt is ok or not.


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## airmojo

sr71 said:


> by any chance can you manually push her around?
> 
> for lack of the right term ....it sounds like the manual lever has been engaged. On mine, there is a lever to unlock the power to the tracks so that you can manually push the beast around. You reach it from the back of the machine ... below the engine... perhaps it got disengaged


No, I couldn't push it around... I had to disengage the manual transmission release lever to get the tracks to move so I could pull into into my garage... luckily it was not that far away.

So maybe its the "drive clutch lever" or the "drive belt".

Not sure how easy those are to check out or even see from the outside.

Ken H in OH


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## airmojo

*HS1132 Drive Belt*

Ok so, I pretty much knew there couldn't be an easy fix, except if I would've managed to accidentally disengage the transmission lever, and that wasn't the problem.

I managed to get the cover off to get to the drive belt and auger belt.

The drive belt slipped off of the pulley... some frayed segments on the bottom of the belt, but still in one piece... I have a gravel driveway... maybe some gravel got in there and caused the belt to slip off ?

To put new belts on, do you just remove the front pulley that holds both the drive and auger belts ?

Doesn't look like I can post any photos yet, since I am a new member.

Ken H in OH


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## airmojo

Looks like the whole front end with the auger blades has to be removed from the housing to separate it into two pieces ?

Ken H in OH


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## sr71

look at the positive side ... could have been driveshaft shear pin ... not had to do a belt myself (mine 1132 is 16 years old) google "replace honda snowblower drive belt"... a bunch of info on HS 928 belt replacement... perhaps it will get you going in the right direction

Edit: check out this video...


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## airmojo

Thanks Kevin (SR71)... I did some Googling yesterday and today... watched that very same video.

Helps a lot... I'm going to call the dealer in town tomorrow, and see what they say, and whether they have the belts in stock... I assume with all the snow we've had the past few days, their service department may be backed up.

But if I can get the belts, I will attempt it myself... looks doable... I hope ! 

I do have an old 1953 Farmall Cub tractor with a front snow blade that I use to use to clear snow, but haven't used it much since I got the Honda... the snowblower does a better job of eliminating snow piles that build up, with no where else to put the snow eventually.

Just drained the little bit of old gas out of it, and charging the battery, but the battery may need replaced too.

I should've got it going in the summer... duh !

Ken H in OH


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## jrom

If you get in there yourself, take a look at the auger and drive springs, there are four total – engage and return. One of mine broke off, lodged itself into the pulley and shredded the drive belt.

This does not happen often, in fact my dealer said I was the only one they heard it happening to. I was going back and forth at the EOD and lifting up trying to dig into some really set up snow pack.

While I was in there, I replaced both belts (as well as all four springs) as they were 19-20 years old.

Yours are probably just fine, but you never know.


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## airmojo

Thanks jfrom... I will take a better look at it tomorrow to check it out.

Ken H in OH


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## orangputeh

If you follow the video it is not too bad. couple hours for a first time attempt. I'm sure while you have it apart you will check condition of auger belt and the impeller bearing .

Maybe someone else will chime in on what else you should check while you are doing this job.


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## airmojo

Got my HS1132 back on Wednesday... the dealer was great at picking it up and getting it fixed.

I went and picked it up since I have a pickup truck, and a set of ramps, which saved me $42.50 return delivery fee that probably wouldn't have arrived in time for the next lake effect snow.

Used it Wednesday when I got back, and it snowed most of Thursday and into Friday... was outside for a couple of hours clearing the drive.

Feels good to have a good working machine again !

Thinking I probably could have fixed it myself had I had the time to do it and the belt.

I'll be ordering a spare drive and auger belt to have handy.

Another HS1132 and rotating the two sounded like a good idea to me, since I believe in backups and "the rule of two" (if you always have two of something then you never run out--when you only have one get another philosophy).

But my wife told me "that's not the same as having an extra box of cereal !".

Hah... I still may do it !

Thanks guys !

Ken H in Chardon, Ohio


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## jrom

airmojo said:


> Another HS1132 and rotating the two sounded like a good idea to me, since I believe in backups and "the rule of two" (if you always have two of something then you never run out--when you only have one get another philosophy).
> 
> But my wife told me "that's not the same as having an extra box of cereal !".
> 
> Hah... I still may do it !


I'm in the "rule of two" club also. When my 828 busted a drive clutch spring, it took two months for the part to come in (tried everywhere to locate one). I hand shoveled for two months and I hope I never have to do that again.

I was going to give my father-in-law my 828 and pickup a new 1332. He passed away during that transition time and I could not get myself to sell my trusty 828. My wife thinks I'm a little nuts with the rule of two law, but it sure feels good having a backup.

One main problem I have is once you snow blow a driveway, you can't get a plow truck to come in. My drive is too long and there are no push-pile zones. I'd have to either get an orchard tractor blower in or a front end loader, both at a pretty steep price.


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