Honda Lawn Mower: Cheap Throttle Control Cable DIY

Brand: Honda
Lawn mower model: HRA214 PX, HRA 214 SX

This 40 year old lawn mower can be found cheaply and running strong, especially if the owner doing the oil change yearly.  The throttle cable in all the Honda lawn mower build in 1980 - 1990's are common to have the throttle cable rusted in the middle of the cable shell, and broken.

You are lucky if you are in US where you might be able to find the throttle cable for USD$5 online, but in the rest of the countries, it could be 5x - 20x more expansive to replace.  That means it could be USD$5 - USD$100 for just one cable.

Local lawn mower shop is charging me ~ USD$25 for the cable, so I find it not justify for it, and there is no aftermarket cable that is selling for cheaper price.  My other option is DIY the cable.

I don't find any specification of this cable in the Internet, as well as no description in Honda or any sellers' homepage.  Following is the measurement I found myself:

1. Length: 1.5 m, 150 cm or 5'
2. End: barrel ended
3. Barrel dimension: 5.5 mm or 1/16"
4. Cable diameter: 1.5 - 1.6 mm
5. Outer housing internal diameter: 1.7 mm
6. Outer housing outer diameter: 6 mm

A closer look at the throttle cable and its housing, I found that regular bicycle brake cable is a close fit.  Most of the time, the outer cable housing is good, so only the inner cable is rusted.  The inner cable can be remove by forcefully pulling on it.

Challenge using bicycle brake cable:

1. it only has 1 barrel end.  There are "cable stop" that is barrel shape that can be used.  The kit with various barrel size cost ~ USD$5
2. barrel diameter is 6 mm (or not mentioned).  Requires to sand it down to 5.5 mm
3. cable diameter is not mentioned.  Tested that it can slip into the lawn mower cable housing

Parts List

After 1 week of research, and running around town for the parts, I come out with part list that cost USD$5 for DIY, and when replace again in future, it is USD$0.50 or less.  Following is the preparation

1. ebay bicycle cable with barrel shape end - cost USD$0.20 - $0.50
2. 60 grid sand paper - cost USD$0.50.  We just used a small piece of it to sand down the barrel to 5.5 mm from 6 mm
3. Pliers - any type of pliers, but you need to have a good grip when pulling out the rusted cable
4. Cable cutter - used to cut the bicycle brake cable to 1.5 m length
5. 6 mm cable stop - this is the most challenging part.  It is one time investment.  Cost USD$0.50 - USD$10, and used to be able to get from bicycle shop, or motorbike shop.  Various sources I found
6. 2 mm drill bit - used to drill the cable stop hold so that bicycle brake cable can slip in

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074WBXVGB?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1&pf_rd_p=50372716301351393&pf_rd_r=a5f5c788-6559-42aa-b38b-bd8d8b4b4ce1&pd_rd_wg=BcK5y&pf_rd_s=desktop-huc-carousels&pf_rd_t=40701&pd_rd_i=B074WBXVGB&pd_rd_w=ni7rT&pf_rd_i=desktop-huc-carousels&pd_rd_r=a5f5c788-6559-42aa-b38b-bd8d8b4b4ce1&ref_=pd_luc_rh_crh_rh_sbs_01_04_t_img_lh

https://www.amazon.com/Dorman-03337-Cable-Stop/dp/B000CO8ZPG?SubscriptionId=AKIAI3UJXNKQSHF57B4A&tag=t4m00-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B000CO8ZPG

https://www.dormanproducts.com/p-549-03336.aspx

http://www.lucky2strokes.com/Cable-Stop-Pinch-Bolt-p/cable-stop-pinch-bolt.htm

https://www.1977mopeds.com/Cable-Stop-Throttle-Knarp-5-5mm-p/418.htm

Steps

1. Removes the broken lawn mower throttle cable from the lawn mower using the pliers.  Keeps the cable attached to the mower for each of removal
2. Do not loosen the cable housing as the rusted cable is very hard to remove
3. At the engine, removes the barrel from the throttle body.  Use pliers to pull the rusted & broken cable out from the cable housing.  Expected to apply force
4. At the handle bar with throttle control level, removes the hex screw using 8 mm socket/wrench.  Removes the old broken cable from it using pliers.  Expected to apply force
5. Take note of the metal plats in this plastic housing so that you need to keep the notch at the same place when installing it later
6. New bicycle brake cable's barrel is 0.1 mm too wide, and won't fit into the plastic housing
7. Using 60 grid sand paper, polish the new brake cable's barrel with force so that it fit into the plastic throttle control level housing
8. Sand for 10 sec, and try fitting.  Rotate and sand various angle of the brake cable barrel, so that the shape is still round.  We need to maintain its round shape, but don't need to be perfect
9. As soon as the barrel can fit into the hole in the housing, sand a little bit more, so that it is loose
10. Do not cut the new bicycle brake cable, so that it is easy to slip into the old cable housing.  The open end of the cable has a solder, which makes it easy to slip into the housing, so don't cut it yet.  The brake cable is longer than original throttle cable, so you should have plenty of excess
11. You can apply bicycle brake lubricant, or any light lubricant to delay the rust build-up.  Do this prior of inserting the brake cable into the housing, as this is easier.  This is optional, especially if you keep the lawn mower indoor or covered
12. Screw the throttle cable adjustment screw at the handle all the way in.  We will adjust the throttle after we cut the excess cable.  This is the screw that is next to the plastic housing at the handle
13. Moves the plastic throttle control level so that it is in "STOP" position
14. Pull and hold the brake cable at the other open end, and hold it at the other end at the throttle body
15. While holding the open end of the cable next to the level with the barrel's hole, cut the cable with 2 - 5 mm extra excess length
16. The hole of the cable stop is too narrow for the bicycle cable to slip in, so you need to use the 1.5 mm - 2 mm drill bit to expand the hole.  As soon as the cable can slip it, stop drilling.  Just drill one side of the cable stop, as we do not want the cable to come out from another end
17. Slip the brake cable into the 5.5 mm cable stop (Doman 03337) and slip all the way in.  We only need to use one, and you can sell the rest
18. Screw tight the cable stop, and make sure the cable is tightly hold by pulling it yourself
19. If cable loosen, trim the end, and slip it in again.  We have 2 - 5 mm buffer for ~ 2 attempts to make it right
20. Now the entire bicycle brake cable is converted into Honda lawn mower throttle control cable
21. Slip the cable stop into the hole the throttle body level
22. Back to the handle bar throttle control level.  Pull it all the way towards you, so that it is in "STOP" position
23. Adjust the cable tightness using the screw.  When pull the level towards engine, you should see the throttle move at the engine throttle
24. If not moving, then reverse out the throttle tightness screw so that it will move
25. This should be the "STOP" position where the engine will shutdown
26. Pull the throttle control level all the way to the "CHOKE" position
27. You should see the throttle move all the way and become shortest length
28. Start up the engine, and test both "STOP" and "CHOKE" position at both extreme
29. "STOP" position will stop the engine
30. "CHOKE" position will start the cold engine

When the cable broken in future, you just need to replace with another new bicycle brake cable that cost $0.20 - $0.50 in eBay.  Even from bicycle shop, it should cost USD$2 - $3.  You can find cheap bicycle brake cable anywhere in the world for a cheap price rather than lawn mower cable.

There are various type of cable stop other than the barrel shape shown in.  Newer Honda lawn mower doesn't use 2-way barrel stop anymore, so you need to find other cable stop to swap in.  This hack/mod still work.

In fact, any small engine is applicable, such as snowblower, leaf blower, gas power generator, boat motor