# Any Advice for New Owner



## hog'n Honda (Dec 6, 2014)

Hi. I was stationed in MAss a few years ago, and finally got tired of dealing with the '87 JD snow thrower attachment, that came with the house, so after spending 1/2 a day playing with all the different machines and reading up on brands I went with the 928TAS. I was a little hesitant to get the "tracked vehicle" because a few folks insisted they were a pain, but I have 2x120lbs dogs who litter my driveway and walkway if the snow is too high, so the 928TAS seemed like the best way to plow a path in the snow for them. And... assuming Honda holds up to its reputation when I'm 75 OR if my wife has to run the machine--which ever comes first  -- the " S-model or maybe I should say the $-model" should come in handy.

Originally I'm from Texas, so I'm a snow blowing newbie; if you have any advice on maitenace, tricks of the trade/operation I welcome the info.

Thanks!


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## JnC (Feb 21, 2014)

Welcome to SBF, are you still in MA? 

928 is a great choice, personally I think you could have done without the electric start as these hondas, if maintained well, start on first pull even after being in storage for a season.


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## db9938 (Nov 17, 2013)

Welcome, GO ARMY, and good choice of machines. Make sure you follow the maintenance, per the manual, and be darn sure to turn it off by killing the fuel supply. It's ok to kill it electrically, when you are expecting more within 24hrs, or when someone might have to operate it and is not as comfortable in the "details."

If you choose to stick around in the snow bound areas, then you will have to include this in your will, as long as you maintain it.


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## tinter (Apr 20, 2014)

Awesome machine, I have to do the same for my 120lb lap dog. Just keep up on the regular maintenance and keep it clean, it will last like the pyramids. Enjoy.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

ALOHA to the forms..


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## greatwhitebuffalo (Feb 11, 2014)

hog'n Honda said:


> Hi. I was stationed in MAss a few years ago, and finally got tired of dealing with the '87 JD snow thrower attachment, that came with the house, so after spending 1/2 a day playing with all the different machines and reading up on brands I went with the 928TAS. I was a little hesitant to get the "tracked vehicle" because a few folks insisted they were a pain, but I have 2x120lbs dogs who litter my driveway and walkway if the snow is too high, so the 928TAS seemed like the best way to plow a path in the snow for them. And... assuming Honda holds up to its reputation when I'm 75 OR if my wife has to run the machine--which ever comes first  -- the " S-model or maybe I should say the $-model" should come in handy.
> 
> Originally I'm from Texas, so I'm a snow blowing newbie; if you have any advice on maitenace, tricks of the trade/operation I welcome the info.
> 
> Thanks!


 my first advice is, if you can plow with a tractor, it's easier than snowblowing.

if you are all in with a blower, I would have bought an Ariens, rather than a Honda, if buying new.

and I'd stay away from the tracked machines, when they break, they break hard, as they're a lot more complex than just 2 tires with chains.


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## Shredsled (Nov 17, 2014)

Welcome!


So the areas you are clearing for your dogs, is it over grass yard, or what?
Just make sure your skids and scraper are adjusted properly.


And as far as the starter is concerned, I actually find it slightly more time consuming to grab an extension cord and hook/unhook than it is just to simply pull the recoil and let her rip. They pull so effortlessly. Unless it's a Canadian model with the onboard battery, I think the electric "S" model is kind of pointless.


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## liftoff1967 (Jan 15, 2014)

hog'n Honda said:


> I'm a snow blowing newbie; if you have any advice on maitenace, tricks of the trade/operation I welcome the info.
> 
> Thanks!


Keep track (no pun intended) of your first 5 hours of use, and swap out the break in oil with a good 5w-30. Syn or dino, up to you.

When you fill your gas can at the local station, mix in stabil at the pumps. Run that year round in all your OPE (outdoor power equipment).

End of the season change oil again, grease up what needs to be greased and cover it up for the off season.


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## Shredsled (Nov 17, 2014)

liftoff1967 said:


> Keep track (no pun intended) of your first 5 hours of use, and swap out the break in oil with a good 5w-30. Syn or dino, up to you.
> 
> When you fill your gas can at the local station, mix in stabil at the pumps. Run that year round in all your OPE (outdoor power equipment).
> 
> End of the season change oil again, grease up what needs to be greased and cover it up for the off season.



Oh yeah, brings up a good point that reminds me - Install an hour meter when the machine is new!!


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## hog'n Honda (Dec 6, 2014)

JnC said:


> Welcome to SBF, are you still in MA?
> 
> 928 is a great choice, personally I think you could have done without the electric start as these hondas, if maintained well, start on first pull even after being in storage for a season.


Yep, stI'll in Mass;probably here to stay. I chose the electric start so my wife can use it. Also because I'm hoping it lasts 30+ years, so when we are older we won't have to pull start it. And, if the pull cable ever breaks in a snow storm (big if, but when cables break it always when you need the machine)


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## hog'n Honda (Dec 6, 2014)

db9938 said:


> Welcome, GO ARMY, and good choice of machines. Make sure you follow the maintenance, per the manual, and be darn sure to turn it off by killing the fuel supply. It's ok to kill it electrically, when you are expecting more within 24hrs, or when someone might have to operate it and is not as comfortable in the "details."
> 
> If you choose to stick around in the snow bound areas, then you will have to include this in your will, as long as you maintain it.


Thanks and BEAT NAVY!! I hope you're right about the will; longevity/not a throw away machine was a critical to my decision.

As for killing it with the fuel shutoff, what's reasoning behind that? Is it to reduce old gas being used for ignition?


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## hog'n Honda (Dec 6, 2014)

Shredsled said:


> Welcome!
> 
> 
> So the areas you are clearing for your dogs, is it over grass yard, or what?
> ...


Shred, 

I went with the traks because I'm going to snowblower over grass for the dogs and didn't want to have to fool around with the skids. And, by that I mEan that I'm planning on using the foot lever to lock the scoop into the high position, which is a couple of inches oF the ground. Does anyone have any experience with this technique???

As for the starter, I probably won't use it until I'm an old man or the cable breaks. 

I was seriously considering an Ariens Pro 30, but the dealer had a military discount, so for a little more money I went with the hydrostatic drive, and a few other engineering characteristics that will hopefully minimize repair time.


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## hog'n Honda (Dec 6, 2014)

greatwhitebuffalo said:


> hog'n Honda said:
> 
> 
> > Hi. I was stationed in MAss a few years ago, and finally got tired of dealing with the '87 JD snow thrower attachment, that came with the house, so after spending 1/2 a day playing with all the different machines and reading up on brands I went with the 928TAS. I was a little hesitant to get the "tracked vehicle" because a few folks insisted they were a pain, but I have 2x120lbs dogs who litter my driveway and walkway if the snow is too high, so the 928TAS seemed like the best way to plow a path in the snow for them. And... assuming Honda holds up to its reputation when I'm 75 OR if my wife has to run the machine--which ever comes first
> ...


Plowing with the JD tractor may be easier when all is going well, but changing over the decks, replacing the belts, dealing with a shoot that doesn't turn well and falls of even after replacing the brackets that hold it, and being from Texas I have yet to master the chain installation so they typically fall off every storm. In my defense, a logger from VT installed the chains once, and they lasted 2 storms. So, the tractor is going to be solely for mowing which will hopefully prolong the life of it because it's an '87.

Has anyone had to deal with a broken TAS or had to replace the tracks?


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## hog'n Honda (Dec 6, 2014)

liftoff1967 said:


> hog'n Honda said:
> 
> 
> > I'm a snow blowing newbie; if you have any advice on maitenace, tricks of the trade/operation I welcome the info.
> ...


Thanks, I assumed the engine oil that came with it would be good for the season. What's the reasoning behind changing it after 5hrs. 

@shredsled---I was actually thinking how handy an hour meter would be. Has anyone installed one; if so, how do you tie it in to the system??


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## db9938 (Nov 17, 2013)

hog'n Honda said:


> Thanks and BEAT NAVY!! I hope you're right about the will; longevity/not a throw away machine was a critical to my decision.
> 
> As for killing it with the fuel shutoff, what's reasoning behind that? Is it to reduce old gas being used for ignition?


The reason is to burn off the fuel in the fuel bowl. This will reduce the chances of it varnishing over and reducing reliability. 

Insofar as the concern over track replacement, it's not T158 off of a Abrams. All you have to do jack it up, remove track tension, replace and re-tension per manual. But, for the life of me, I have yet to hear of anyone having a track break. I've heard of other drive components corroding out after 20 some odd years. 

I would also suggest looking for a post by Coby7, in the Yamaha section. He built a platform on casters, to aid off season movement.


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## Shredsled (Nov 17, 2014)

hog'n Honda said:


> Thanks, I assumed the engine oil that came with it would be good for the season. What's the reasoning behind changing it after 5hrs.
> 
> @shredsled---I was actually thinking how handy an hour meter would be. Has anyone installed one; if so, how do you tie it in to the system??


The hour meter is as simple as mounting the display with sticky tape or screws, then routing the cable out of he way of snags and movement, then wrapping the end around the spark plug wire about 5times and zip tying. Very simple, no cutting or splicing.
Can be had cheap at most motorcycle/powersports stores; mine was for a dirt bike.

And changing the first batch or two of oil evacuates the excessive debris from break in.






db9938 said:


> I would also suggest looking for a post by Coby7, in the Yamaha section. He built a platform on casters, to aid off season movement.


His is nice (better than mine) but check out the one made by user Dedeno! A true product of a skilled craftsman it appears. Could probably hold my truck, lol
http://www.snowblowerforum.com/forum/339193-post22.html


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## hog'n Honda (Dec 6, 2014)

db9938 said:


> hog'n Honda said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks and BEAT NAVY!! I hope you're right about the will; longevity/not a throw away machine was a critical to my decision.
> ...


The Abrams reference gave me a chuckle. I saw a classic blue Yama that was awesome! Maybe it was Colby7s.? Maybe its because I'm a newbie, but As for moving it in the off season, starting it to move it doesn't seem like a big deal especially if using the fuel shutoff valve and stabilizer. Am I missing something??


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## db9938 (Nov 17, 2013)

hog'n Honda said:


> The Abrams reference gave me a chuckle. I saw a classic blue Yama that was awesome! Maybe it was Colby7s.? Maybe its because I'm a newbie, but As for moving it in the off season, starting it to move it doesn't seem like a big deal especially if using the fuel shutoff valve and stabilizer. Am I missing something??


That's perfectly fine to start up and move it around, as you need to in the off months. It's just that some find the tracks a little more challenging to turn on dry pavement. The platform would make it easier to move without starting. But if you are fortunate enough to have a year round spot for it to reside, then this might be an overkill. 

And one last tip, try to brush as much snow off outside, before you put it to bed. This will dry it out faster, and minimize the puddles in the garage.


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## tinter (Apr 20, 2014)

Mine goes on a platform until the season starts. Just makes it a bit easier to get out of the way. There are several Hondas on tracks that I maintain and have never heard of a track breaking. Two of them are over twenty years old.


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## Freezn (Mar 1, 2014)

Other than routine maintenance, the single best thing you can do for a Honda Snow Blower (Tracked or Wheeled) is to remove the augers every year or every other year and grease the shafts with a high quality water resistant marine grease. Unfortunatly, Honda two stage machines don't have grease zerks, so pulling the augers is the only way to get fresh grease on the shafts. If the auger shafts aren't greased on a regular basis, water and salt can cause the augers to "bond" to the shaft which basically nullifies the effectiveness of the shear pins. In the event you hit something (frozen newspaper, part of the curb, etc) instead of the shear pin absorbing the energy and breaking as designed, all the energy is forced through the "bonded" auger shaft and transmitted to the impeller crankshaft which could result in some serious engine damage. Very similar to a lawn mower hitting a rock or tree stump and not having the flywheel shear key to absorb the energy. I know some folks pull the augers every year and grease the shafts, I generally pull them every two years and spray them with coat of black Rustoleum while they're off. Just make sure you note which sides the augers came off and the correct Left-Right orientation of each auger. Enjoy the new machine!


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## SnowG (Dec 5, 2014)

hog'n Honda said:


> Hi. I was stationed in MAss a few years ago, and finally got tired of dealing with the '87 JD snow thrower attachment, that came with the house, so after spending 1/2 a day playing with all the different machines and reading up on brands I went with the 928TAS. I was a little hesitant to get the "tracked vehicle" because a few folks insisted they were a pain, but I have 2x120lbs dogs who litter my driveway and walkway if the snow is too high, so the 928TAS seemed like the best way to plow a path in the snow for them. And... assuming Honda holds up to its reputation when I'm 75 OR if my wife has to run the machine--which ever comes first  -- the " S-model or maybe I should say the $-model" should come in handy.
> 
> Originally I'm from Texas, so I'm a snow blowing newbie; if you have any advice on maitenace, tricks of the trade/operation I welcome the info.
> 
> Thanks!


 Welcome! I'd recommend you add a soft cab. Reference my other posts about this in the New Members section. It will reduce wind chill, keep blowing snow/rain off your face and neck, and keep your head/shoulders drier.


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## hog'n Honda (Dec 6, 2014)

Shredsled said:


> The hour meter is as simple as mounting the display with sticky tape or screws, then routing the cable out of he way of snags and movement, then wrapping the end around the spark plug wire about 5times and zip tying. Very simple, no cutting or splicing.
> Can be had cheap at most motorcycle/powersports stores; mine was for a dirt bike.
> 
> And changing the first batch or two of oil evacuates the excessive debris from break in.
> ...


Dedeno's platform is definitely solid; i.e. very nice!


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## hog'n Honda (Dec 6, 2014)

SnowG said:


> Welcome! I'd recommend you add a soft cab. Reference my other posts about this in the New Members section. It will reduce wind chill, keep blowing snow/rain off your face and neck, and keep your head/shoulders drier.


That beast ate so much out of my wallet, the only thing it will be getting is gas'n'grease


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## hog'n Honda (Dec 6, 2014)

db9938 said:


> The reason is to burn off the fuel in the fuel bowl. This will reduce the chances of it varnishing over and reducing reliability.
> 
> Insofar as the concern over track replacement, it's not T158 off of a Abrams. All you have to do jack it up, remove track tension, replace and re-tension per manual. But, for the life of me, I have yet to hear of anyone having a track break. I've heard of other drive components corroding out after 20 some odd years.
> 
> I would also suggest looking for a post by Coby7, in the Yamaha section. He built a platform on casters, to aid off season movement.


Thanks. It looks like you've got a lot on your workbench. if you hadn't looked at Dedeno's platform, it's definitely worth a glance. Not sure what's nice the platform, the garage floor, or the portable air compressor...


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## hog'n Honda (Dec 6, 2014)

tinter said:


> Mine goes on a platform until the season starts. Just makes it a bit easier to get out of the way. There are several Hondas on tracks that I maintain and have never heard of a track breaking. Two of them are over twenty years old.


I'm sure the platform is nice, but it seems like the common theme from "trackless folks" is that "tracks are such a pain." I think it might be more track envy rather than a "true pain in the track" The first 928TAS model I played with seemed heavy and was a challenge to move, but when I went to a different JD shop a couple days later, the rep was a "trackster" and showed me the trick to turning it on a dime on the dry show room floor... simple, so on snow I would assume it would be easier; no?


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## hog'n Honda (Dec 6, 2014)

Freezn said:


> Other than routine maintenance, the single best thing you can do for a Honda Snow Blower (Tracked or Wheeled) is to remove the augers every year or every other year and grease the shafts with a high quality water resistant marine grease. Unfortunatly, Honda two stage machines don't have grease zerks, so pulling the augers is the only way to get fresh grease on the shafts. If the auger shafts aren't greased on a regular basis, water and salt can cause the augers to "bond" to the shaft which basically nullifies the effectiveness of the shear pins. In the event you hit something (frozen newspaper, part of the curb, etc) instead of the shear pin absorbing the energy and breaking as designed, all the energy is forced through the "bonded" auger shaft and transmitted to the impeller crankshaft which could result in some serious engine damage. Very similar to a lawn mower hitting a rock or tree stump and not having the flywheel shear key to absorb the energy. I know some folks pull the augers every year and grease the shafts, I generally pull them every two years and spray them with coat of black Rustoleum while they're off. Just make sure you note which sides the augers came off and the correct Left-Right orientation of each auger. Enjoy the new machine!


Freezn, 
I'm glad you mentioned the black Rustoleum; I saw a picture in a different thread, and was going to ask about it. Seems like a great idea. I don't use salt on the driveway because of my dogs, so hopefully I can get away with not pulling the augers for a few years. I would assume the dealer greased the shaft, but I truly hate to assume.

My neighbor has a 10 year old Husq that the augers froze to the shaft. He said the quote he got from the dealer was so much that it made more sense to put the money towards a new one. I told him he should use the engine to build a go-cart for his kids.

How much of a pain is it to pull the augers an grease the shaft?


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## hog'n Honda (Dec 6, 2014)

Shredsled said:


> The hour meter is as simple as mounting the display with sticky tape or screws, then routing the cable out of he way of snags and movement, then wrapping the end around the spark plug wire about 5times and zip tying. Very simple, no cutting or splicing.
> Can be had cheap at most motorcycle/powersports stores; mine was for a dirt bike.
> 
> And changing the first batch or two of oil evacuates the excessive debris from break in.
> ...


So... forgive my ignorance, but how does wrapping the hour meter wire around to sparkplug cable eliminate the need for a splice somewhere?


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## Apple Guy (Sep 7, 2014)

hog'n Honda said:


> Freezn,
> I'm glad you mentioned the black Rustoleum; I saw a picture in a different thread, and was going to ask about it. Seems like a great idea. I don't use salt on the driveway because of my dogs, so hopefully I can get away with not pulling the augers for a few years. I would assume the dealer greased the shaft, but I truly hate to assume.
> 
> My neighbor has a 10 year old Husq that the augers froze to the shaft. He said the quote he got from the dealer was so much that it made more sense to put the money towards a new one. I told him he should use the engine to build a go-cart for his kids.
> ...


 I pulled my augers after year 2 on my 928 and they were not greased very good and I had a load of rust. It takes all but 15 to 20 minutes to complete the job. After you do it it takes 10 mins. The shaft/long impeller tube that drives the auger gear box had almost nothing on it, lots of rust. The impellers backend had some grease and no rust. I did not use grease, I used Permatex anti-sease compound. 

I just pulled the impeller 2 weeks ago to add some metal to the impeller ends to tighten up the clearance a bit more and had my impeller balanced. After TIG welding a couple passes on the impeller ends I was 10 grams out of balance. 

And a poster said to change the first factory fill at 5 hours, I myself thinks this is too long. I drained mine after the second driveway and you could see the oil has metallic in it. The second time I changed it was after 3 driveway runs. Also you can see it was a fresh engine. If you rebuild lot of engines you know "the metallic first run oil look" I like to get it out of there since you have no filter. 

.


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## hog'n Honda (Dec 6, 2014)

Apple Guy said:


> I pulled my augers after year 2 on my 928 and they were not greased very good and I had a load of rust. It takes all but 15 to 20 minutes to complete the job. After you do it it takes 10 mins. The shaft/long impeller tube that drives the auger gear box had almost nothing on it, lots of rust. The impellers backend had some grease and no rust. I did not use grease, I used Permatex anti-sease compound.
> 
> I just pulled the impeller 2 weeks ago to add some metal to the impeller ends to tighten up the clearance a bit more and had my impeller balanced. After TIG welding a couple passes on the impeller ends I was 10 grams out of balance.
> 
> ...


Thanks Apple! 

As I listened to the store manager and his mechanic quibble over nonsense, I began loosing faith in the quality of their product assembly. So it looks like I'll be greasing the shaft in the spring. Anti-seize compound sounds like the key, and not putting the auger on backwards...

And it sounds like I will be changing the oil a few times this winter.


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## Kenny kustom (Nov 25, 2014)

hog'n Honda said:


> Shredsled said:
> 
> 
> > The hour meter is as simple as mounting the display with sticky tape or screws, then routing the cable out of he way of snags and movement, then wrapping the end around the spark plug wire about 5times and zip tying. Very simple, no cutting or splicing.
> ...


Induction. The wire pick up the magnetic field the coil wire puts out.


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## hog'n Honda (Dec 6, 2014)

Kenny kustom said:


> hog'n Honda said:
> 
> 
> > Shredsled said:
> ...


That's cool and definitely makes it easy!


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## hog'n Honda (Dec 6, 2014)

Anybody run a TAS over your grass yard with the bucket in the up position?


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## tinter (Apr 20, 2014)

hog'n Honda said:


> Anybody run a TAS over your grass yard with the bucket in the up position?


Yes. My delicate flower (120 lb bull mastiff) won't go out in the yard until I plow out a trail for her. But yet runs through all the neighbors snow drifts.


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## hog'n Honda (Dec 6, 2014)

tinter said:


> Yes. My delicate flower (120 lb bull mastiff) won't go out in the yard until I plow out a trail for her. But yet runs through all the neighbors snow drifts.


I think my 120# monster dogs prefer it when the droppings can actually drop; hence the need to "track" through the snow.

Is it really as simple as I imagined... hit the foot pedal to raise the bucket and head out onto the grassy knoll, or do I have to mess around with the skid plates?


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## tinter (Apr 20, 2014)

Nope, simply raise the bucket and go. No skid plate worry at all.


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## Shredsled (Nov 17, 2014)

tinter said:


> Nope, simply raise the bucket and go. No skid plate worry at all.


Yep exactly. I cleared a path to my pond over my back property; just blew it on high setting.




And yeah Kenny, thanks for answering about the hour meter to plug wire.


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## hog'n Honda (Dec 6, 2014)

shredsled said:


> tinter said:
> 
> 
> > nope, simply raise the bucket and go. No skid plate worry at all.
> ...


awesome!!!


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## db9938 (Nov 17, 2013)

hog'n Honda said:


> Thanks. It looks like you've got a lot on your workbench. if you hadn't looked at Dedeno's platform, it's definitely worth a glance. Not sure what's nice the platform, the garage floor, or the portable air compressor...


Ha, a dirty workbench is a good time. And yeah, it is a solid piece of equipment. When I get a chance around to it, I thought about making one that shaped more like a "T," that has a shortened cross bar section. This way the bucket can drain off of the platform, maybe into a tray. The rear skid setup should make the overhang idea easy. Course, I could be over thinking it, time will tell.


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## hog'n Honda (Dec 6, 2014)

db9938 said:


> hog'n Honda said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks. It looks like you've got a lot on your workbench. if you hadn't looked at Dedeno's platform, it's definitely worth a glance. Not sure what's nice the platform, the garage floor, or the portable air compressor...
> ...


I'm typically more satisfied with the outcome of something I've been "overthinking" than not; albeit a pain.


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## RoyP (Oct 16, 2014)

If your Honda is new.....now's the great time to take preventive measures....install a in-line fuel filter. My HS 1132 made in 2002 did not have one, carb was full of rust deposits. Prevent this NOW put the in-line filter in it now.
Also my carb has what they call a containment tank built into the carb, there's suppose to be a screen filter in it, my was never installed from the factory. Thus when I did have the surging problem, I took the carb apart to my amazement how must rust pieces were in the carb. Been working on engines since I was old enough to turn a wrench, never saw a carb with this much sediment in it.

Some will ask how I know that the containment tank filter was not taken out by someone else. This machine was previously owned by one person, this person hires a electrician to replace a light bulb. He would NEVER attempt to work on a mechanical piece of equipment.


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## bosco659 (Feb 1, 2013)

Changing the oil frequently will help ensure long engine life. For the first few oil changes use conventional oil then switch to synthetic after it is broken in. Oil is cheap and it's easy to do. I also check all of the nuts and bolts for tightness before 1st use and then once a season.


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