# Honda HS 80 with No Reverse? Anyone with Experience with this?



## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

As Honda people know the Honda HS50-55-70 and 80 has a mechanical 4 speed tranny with a friction disk. 3 forward speeds and one reverse.

I picked up a real nice condition Honda HS 80. Everything works great but it will go into reverse but does not move in reverse. This is puzzling as it works well in 1st,2nd, and 3rd forward speeds.

has anyone here ever had a similar problem ? and if you did what did you do to fix it? It seems like it may be just an adjustment ? ( hopefully ) and not a problem in the right side gearbox. I know not too many people are visiting the site this time of year but i would like to fix this before next winter. It's a very nice looking machine.

maybe this has happened to other brand machines with this type of problem. what was the remedy?


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

orangputeh said:


> has anyone here ever had a similar problem ? and if you did what did you do to fix it? It seems like it may be just an adjustment?


Hi Orangputeh,

This happened to my HS80 maybe 15 years ago and it was an adjustment and also cleaning of the friction disc area. There was a section of the service manual that the shop gave me a copy of which gave concise instructions on resetting the transmission lever, etc. I've attached Pages 27 through 29 and also 91 which shows the friction disc tolerances.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

tabora said:


> Hi Orangputeh,
> 
> This happened to my HS80 maybe 15 years ago and it was an adjustment and also cleaning of the friction disc area. There was a section of the service manual that the shop gave me a copy of (but I've lost the first page #27) which gave concise instructions on resetting the transmission lever, etc. Hopefully someone can send you Page 27 from the manual. I've attached Pages 28 & 29 and also 91 which shows the friction disc tolerances.


I have the manual. Thank you for direction. It just seems to me that since i have the forward speeds I should have a reverse and it MUST be something out of adjustment. I will work on it and check back when i figure it out. ( hopefully before the next snow  )


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## br2an (Feb 15, 2018)

orangputeh said:


> As Honda people know the Honda HS50-55-70 and 80 has a mechanical 4 speed tranny with a friction disk. 3 forward speeds and one reverse.
> 
> I picked up a real nice condition Honda HS 80. Everything works great but it will go into reverse but does not move in reverse. This is puzzling as it works well in 1st,2nd, and 3rd forward speeds.
> 
> ...


Hi orangputeh,

I haven't worked on a Honda tranny but the setup is pretty straightforward. 

I would check that the friction disc moves past the center point of the friction wheel when shifting to reverse. It should move to an offset approximately the same distance as the when it is in first gear (just the opposite side of center). 

For it to work the friction disc has to contact the friction wheel at a 90 degree angle, the distance from center will determine speed and the offset side will determine direction. If too close to center the disc will not rotate or will rotate very slow.

Since you have forward movement I believe the friction wheel is making good contact, just not in the right location.

Brian


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

br2an said:


> Hi orangputeh,
> 
> I haven't worked on a Honda tranny but the setup is pretty straightforward.
> 
> ...


Thanks Brian. That is what I was thinking. Maybe the friction wheel is not making contact or it is not far enough off center. It has been a couple months since i bought it at a pretty good price. Hoping that i can fix it. 

When i get to it and figure it out I'll report back. and i'll get page 27 of the manual on here too for everyone else .


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

I found the 2 halves of Page 27 elsewhere on the forum, pasted them together and re-posted all the pages above, so we should be good!


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## Fahrvergnuugen (Dec 29, 2020)

orangputeh said:


> As Honda people know the Honda HS50-55-70 and 80 has a mechanical 4 speed tranny with a friction disk. 3 forward speeds and one reverse.
> 
> I picked up a real nice condition Honda HS 80. Everything works great but it will go into reverse but does not move in reverse. This is puzzling as it works well in 1st,2nd, and 3rd forward speeds.
> 
> ...


I know this thread is ancient history, but my HS80 had the same exact symptoms - forward and no reverse. 

I found this thread searching for a fix, so I thought I would leave the solution that fixed mine.

Two turns of the adjustment screw on the gear cable fixed it. As the friction disc wears down, the cable needs to be adjusted to allow the disc to contact the friction plate.

to fix it:
Take the bottom cover off so you can observe the friction disc movement. (tip the blower forward so the handles are pointed straight up and support it on jack stands)

Put the transmission in gear. Now move the shifter out and back into the gear slot and watch as the friction plate rocks back and forth. The cable that is pulling against the spring which pulls the friction plate into the friction wheel can be “let out” with the adjustment screws which are right below the shifter handle. This will allow the spring to pull the friction plate into the disc farther. 

While I was in there I cleaned the disc with some sand paper. Works like new now!


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

Fahrvergnuugen said:


> I know this thread is ancient history, but my HS80 had the same exact symptoms - forward and no reverse.
> 
> I found this thread searching for a fix, so I thought I would leave the solution that fixed mine.
> 
> ...


Thanks for posting this.


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