# Honda HS928 Engine bed repair advice needed.



## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

I got this Honda hs928 pretty cheap and by the pictures you can see why. The engine works well. the hydrostatic tranny and right side tranny works well. I checked it out pretty good before taking it all apart.

The top of the engine bed has several cracks and the one side of the handle bar broke fairly clean off.

At first i thought i would just weld this top plate in frame but the more i looked at it , it may be better to take top plate of the bed off to do a better job. Never attempted this before so am here to see if anyone has ever done this before.

It looks like i can disengage F/R cable and it looks like the hydrostatic tranny is only attached to top plate by only ONE nut? ( it may be more ) After i do that will the top plate just come out? or maybe i have to loosen some side bolts from the side plates to get the top plate off?

I can't see real well underneath. I was wondering if that top plate is just one piece or are those handle bars welding to the side plates? I wish I had to junk bed to practice on. This may not even be worth repairing but everything else on the machine is in fairly good condition. don't know how this bed got so wrecked. I think the owner did not realize how much damage there was until the handlebar broke off from the bottom. This was a residential machine and not used commercially.

so if anyone has done something like this , your insight would be greatly appreciated. BTW, that broken handlebar fits on the top plate almost perfect like a puzzle piece.

thank you.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

I forgot to mention that i am pretty new at welding and only have an electric lincoln 110 flux core welder. would i need to gas weld these cracks and broken pieces together?


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## tadawson (Jan 3, 2018)

if the metal is thin enough, you might be OK. Flux core is fine for that type of work (might actually be better than gas - better penetration, and need not be as clean).

The key is getting full penetration, or you will be doing it again . . .

- Tim


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## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

You could ship it to me and I can get it all fixed up and send it back your way (I do not think shipping will be cheap on it though......)

Yes, the transmission is held to the engine mounting plate with just one nut.

The lower part of the handlebars and the engine mounting plate is one piece. The side plates are independent.


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## thefixer (Nov 19, 2017)

Give me a call and I'd be happy to glue it back together for you. You have all the pieces, looks like it would be a piece of cake.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

thefixer said:


> Give me a call and I'd be happy to glue it back together for you. You have all the pieces, looks like it would be a piece of cake.


what kind of glue??? :wink2:

thanks Kevin. I'm gonna try to do this since i have the time and am trying to learn as I go. I'll post more after this storm passes over in the next couple days.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

YSHSfan said:


> You could ship it to me and I can get it all fixed up and send it back your way (I do not think shipping will be cheap on it though......)
> 
> Yes, the transmission is held to the engine mounting plate with just one nut.
> 
> The lower part of the handlebars and the engine mounting plate is one piece. The side plates are independent.


Thanks for the offer. If that top plate comes out without too much trouble , i think i'll try it first. Otherwise , my neighbor who welds for a living said he would help.

I was just wondering if anyone has done this particular repair job before.


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## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

orangputeh said:


> Thanks for the offer. If that top plate comes out without too much trouble , i think i'll try it first.


It’s a bit tricky but just the engine bed can be removed. I forgot exactly how I did I it whe I did the engine bed swap between the 828 and 1132.
If I do it again I’ll take some notes but I won’t be any time soon.....


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## thefixer (Nov 19, 2017)

You basically have to completely disassemble the entire lower end. Everything is gonna have to come off. You said you wanted the practice  And you know what kind of glue- it comes out of the magic wand:icon_smile_big:


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

thefixer said:


> You basically have to completely disassemble the entire lower end. Everything is gonna have to come off. You said you wanted the practice  And you know what kind of glue- it comes out of the magic wand:icon_smile_big:


i'll try it in a couple days when the weather clears up. it's snowing right now. 

I got all the necessary stuff to start making my own impeller kits. bolts and nuts from bolt depot, flat bar from ace hardware and a couple mud flaps.


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## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

orangputeh said:


> I got all the necessary stuff to start making my own impeller kits. bolts and nuts from bolt depot, flat bar from ace hardware and a couple mud flaps.


The best material for impeller kits seems to be 1/4" thick baler belt. 
You can get them from various places one being https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/wcco-belting-baler-belting-2-ply-7-in-x-60-in
You can make o lot of kits from what's posted on the link.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

YSHSfan said:


> The best material for impeller kits seems to be 1/4" thick baler belt.
> You can get them from various places one being https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/wcco-belting-baler-belting-2-ply-7-in-x-60-in
> You can make o lot of kits from what's posted on the link.


thanks.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

YSHSfan said:


> It’s a bit tricky but just the engine bed can be removed. I forgot exactly how I did I it whe I did the engine bed swap between the 828 and 1132.
> If I do it again I’ll take some notes but I won’t be any time soon.....


you were right about it being a little tricky. I was able to remove top plate of engine bed by using a long pry bar and very easily first lifting one side off and then the other. 

glad i took it off because it exposed some stress cracks on the side plates that i welded up and then ground down.

It seems what had happened is the bolts loosened up over time and created some play that caused everything to bang around to cause these cracks. the engine bed bolts were easy to remove.

now on to welding up that top plate.


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

orangputeh said:


> you were right about it being a little tricky. I was able to remove top plate of engine bed by using a long pry bar and very easily first lifting one side off and then the other.
> 
> glad i took it off because it exposed some stress cracks on the side plates that i welded up and then ground down.
> 
> ...


Can the masses see pics of the progress there brother puteh ?! :smile2:


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

nwcove said:


> Can the masses see pics of the progress there brother puteh ?! :smile2:


not sure if you can see but i am still learning to draw a good bead. welded back side also. seems very strong and was lucky broken parts fitted well.


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

orangputeh said:


> not sure if you can see but i am still learning to draw a good bead. welded back side also. seems very strong and was lucky broken parts fitted well.


nothing wrong with that work ! i will pass along my welding tip, which has nothing to do with welding at all ( kinda). the cord you use to plug the machine in is very important, keep it as short and as heavy (10/3 is as good as it gets) as possible.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

nwcove said:


> nothing wrong with that work ! i will pass along my welding tip, which has nothing to do with welding at all ( kinda). the cord you use to plug the machine in is very important, keep it as short and as heavy (10/3 is as good as it gets) as possible.


oops. i was using an extention cord as I like to do this work outside. learn something new every day. thanks.


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

orangputeh said:


> oops. i was using an extention cord as I like to do this work outside. learn something new every day. thanks.


get yourself a good extension cord, only the length you need. 10/3 is perfect, but 12/3 will work fine also. it can be cheaper to make your own custom cord .


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