Awesome info
rubicon hondamatic rebuild
I am a retired Tool and die maker with a small hobby machine shop in my barn. I own a Rubicon and Rincon.
I just rebuilt a hondamatic from 2001 ruby with 2800 miles and 400 hours. bearing in motor side swivel swash plate went out.
(Almost always the problem, if you catch it before too much damage it is fixable, Honda put a bearing with a plastic cage in the motor side swivel swash plate??? if it was a metal cage bearing the hondamatic would still be running strong) a 85 mm x 49 mm x 19 mm angular bearing made only for Honda, can not buy it... a 7209b angular bearing 85 x 45 x 19 does work, make sure it has a metal cage not a cheap one with a plastic cage. must turn down swash plate swivel insert from 49 mm to 45 mm id of bearing. cleaned unit good and check all bearings.( make sure to clean all crap out of the whole unit and the other bearings) saved over a $1000 on a new one. they can be fixed!!!
plastic cage breaks and bearing fails, clogs the screen in oil tank and bottom of engine, causing low oil pressure and hondamatic failure from low lube and excessive heat. If you change oil and it has lots of crap including metal in the oil the hondamatic motor side swivel swash plate bearing is toast. STOP DRIVING IT!!! You will most likely have to replace both oil screens, the tank and bottom of engine screens. Make sure to check oil pump for damage, best bet is to put a new one in engine.
If you take hondamatic apart be careful with the two rows of small pins with c-clips, they tend to fall out, bearings are tight but they are not pressed in. The swivel swash plate bearing is tight with almost no lip to knock out, so be carful getting it out, i grind a couple of small grooves in old bearing race and use an air chisel to burp it out. It will also remove outside bearing. (make sure to remove the c-clip holding the bearing...) to bad it is so much work to get the hondamatic out. Wish they had designed it to come out by just pulling the front engine cover off and not having to split the case............
Willing to machine and fit bearing if anybody wants to fix their hondamatic.
swivel swash plate center is hardened steel but turns down easy on a lathe using ceramic inserts, Honda are good machines..
I just find it hard to believe they put a bearing with a plastic cage in the hondamatic.......7209b bearings with a metal cage are about $60. UPDATE just ordered some from Locate Ball Bearings, KOYO 7209b bearings with metal cage for $45 each. DO NOT USE ONE WITHOUT A METAL CAGE. The one i fixed was caught right away and had no other damage to hondamatic or the rest of the engine, oil pump looked okay but put a new updated one and new pump chain in anyway.
Also if front bearing on hondamatic seems a little sloppy, that is how they are. They all seem to be that way even the new units.
Just for information in my search for hondamatic info I did find a guy in Minnesota that rebuilds ruby hondamatics. he charges $450 exchange. he is the one who told me about the 7209b bearing.
hope this helps a few ruby people out there....
I just rebuilt a hondamatic from 2001 ruby with 2800 miles and 400 hours. bearing in motor side swivel swash plate went out.
(Almost always the problem, if you catch it before too much damage it is fixable, Honda put a bearing with a plastic cage in the motor side swivel swash plate??? if it was a metal cage bearing the hondamatic would still be running strong) a 85 mm x 49 mm x 19 mm angular bearing made only for Honda, can not buy it... a 7209b angular bearing 85 x 45 x 19 does work, make sure it has a metal cage not a cheap one with a plastic cage. must turn down swash plate swivel insert from 49 mm to 45 mm id of bearing. cleaned unit good and check all bearings.( make sure to clean all crap out of the whole unit and the other bearings) saved over a $1000 on a new one. they can be fixed!!!
plastic cage breaks and bearing fails, clogs the screen in oil tank and bottom of engine, causing low oil pressure and hondamatic failure from low lube and excessive heat. If you change oil and it has lots of crap including metal in the oil the hondamatic motor side swivel swash plate bearing is toast. STOP DRIVING IT!!! You will most likely have to replace both oil screens, the tank and bottom of engine screens. Make sure to check oil pump for damage, best bet is to put a new one in engine.
If you take hondamatic apart be careful with the two rows of small pins with c-clips, they tend to fall out, bearings are tight but they are not pressed in. The swivel swash plate bearing is tight with almost no lip to knock out, so be carful getting it out, i grind a couple of small grooves in old bearing race and use an air chisel to burp it out. It will also remove outside bearing. (make sure to remove the c-clip holding the bearing...) to bad it is so much work to get the hondamatic out. Wish they had designed it to come out by just pulling the front engine cover off and not having to split the case............
Willing to machine and fit bearing if anybody wants to fix their hondamatic.
swivel swash plate center is hardened steel but turns down easy on a lathe using ceramic inserts, Honda are good machines..
I just find it hard to believe they put a bearing with a plastic cage in the hondamatic.......7209b bearings with a metal cage are about $60. UPDATE just ordered some from Locate Ball Bearings, KOYO 7209b bearings with metal cage for $45 each. DO NOT USE ONE WITHOUT A METAL CAGE. The one i fixed was caught right away and had no other damage to hondamatic or the rest of the engine, oil pump looked okay but put a new updated one and new pump chain in anyway.
Also if front bearing on hondamatic seems a little sloppy, that is how they are. They all seem to be that way even the new units.
Just for information in my search for hondamatic info I did find a guy in Minnesota that rebuilds ruby hondamatics. he charges $450 exchange. he is the one who told me about the 7209b bearing.
hope this helps a few ruby people out there....
1 - 20 of 23 Posts
Here is the guy that is doing the exchanges:
https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/wsh/snw/5818458881.html
https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/wsh/snw/5818458477.html
I'm going to get ahold of him and ask he knows if the 400AT also came with a bearing with a plastic cage. I doubt it, but it's worth knowing.
https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/wsh/snw/5818458881.html
https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/wsh/snw/5818458477.html
I'm going to get ahold of him and ask he knows if the 400AT also came with a bearing with a plastic cage. I doubt it, but it's worth knowing.
Nice, how much time do you reckon it would take decent wrench turner to r&r the bearing before it failed? Not counting machining.
I have a 02 rubicon with over 7k miles and might be something I would like to do as preventative maintenance. Seems it would be a lot less involved than when it fails.
I have everything tightened up and runs great, hate to loose the tranny when I could take her down this winter and beef it up.
Thanks harig
PS. I looked at bearings and SKF explorer series seems to be a comercially available, high quality, bearing. The 7209 becbm is a machined brass cage. I think I can get one for $75, any negatives on this choice for a bearing harig? Thanks again.
https://www.zoro.com/skf-angular-co...gclid=COjhmMjF788CFYwehgodthgFhw&gclsrc=aw.ds
I have a 02 rubicon with over 7k miles and might be something I would like to do as preventative maintenance. Seems it would be a lot less involved than when it fails.
I have everything tightened up and runs great, hate to loose the tranny when I could take her down this winter and beef it up.
Thanks harig
PS. I looked at bearings and SKF explorer series seems to be a comercially available, high quality, bearing. The 7209 becbm is a machined brass cage. I think I can get one for $75, any negatives on this choice for a bearing harig? Thanks again.
https://www.zoro.com/skf-angular-co...gclid=COjhmMjF788CFYwehgodthgFhw&gclsrc=aw.ds
Good info. Thanks for taking the time to do the write up.
this, is something that should be a sticky. good solid information. thank you for sharing.
Can anyone explain to me how one can make this bearing fit. I'm trying to replace one. Thanks
I would recommend sending a PM to harig. He's not really active here, so if that doesn't work, try to reach him on hondaforeman.com
Has anyone seen a YouTube video on a hondamatic been taking apart
Someone said there is one but I cannot find it
Thanks
Someone said there is one but I cannot find it
Thanks
This guys' maybe?Has anyone seen a YouTube video on a hondamatic been taking apart
Someone said there is one but I cannot find it
Thanks
Same guy for all 3 vids
A guy in Minnesota rebuilds them for a fair price. I used to have his number but I don't think I have it anymore.
Rob
Rob
https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/wsh/snw/d/any-honda-rubicon-needing/6563371465.html is his most current ad. Can get ahold of him through the CL email to get number.A guy in Minnesota rebuilds them for a fair price. I used to have his number but I don't think I have it anymore.
Rob
Edit: with some searching I just found he is user brianb1263 over on the Honda Foreman Forum
He's a really nice guy and knows the Rubicons inside and out. Earlier this year I sent him a Hondamatic to be rebuilt but it was too far gone and it was going to be too much for me to buy one of his re-manufactured ones. He offered to buy my Rubicon for what I paid for it and drove down from MN the next day to buy it.
Rob
Rob
How do I get in touch with Brain that rebuilds the hondamatic units
I tried Craig list won’t work
Thanks
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I tried Craig list won’t work
Thanks
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I am a retired Tool and die maker with a small hobby machine shop in my barn. I own a Rubicon and Rincon.
I just rebuilt a hondamatic from 2001 ruby with 2800 miles and 400 hours. bearing in motor side swivel swash plate went out.
(Almost always the problem, if you catch it before too much damage it is fixable, Honda put a bearing with a plastic cage in the motor side swivel swash plate??? if it was a metal cage bearing the hondamatic would still be running strong) a 85 mm x 49 mm x 19 mm angular bearing made only for Honda, can not buy it... a 7209b angular bearing 85 x 45 x 19 does work, make sure it has a metal cage not a cheap one with a plastic cage. must turn down swash plate swivel insert from 49 mm to 45 mm id of bearing. cleaned unit good and check all bearings.( make sure to clean all crap out of the whole unit and the other bearings) saved over a $1000 on a new one. they can be fixed!!!
plastic cage breaks and bearing fails, clogs the screen in oil tank and bottom of engine, causing low oil pressure and hondamatic failure from low lube and excessive heat. If you change oil and it has lots of crap including metal in the oil the hondamatic motor side swivel swash plate bearing is toast. STOP DRIVING IT!!! You will most likely have to replace both oil screens, the tank and bottom of engine screens. Make sure to check oil pump for damage, best bet is to put a new one in engine.
If you take hondamatic apart be careful with the two rows of small pins with c-clips, they tend to fall out, bearings are tight but they are not pressed in. The swivel swash plate bearing is tight with almost no lip to knock out, so be carful getting it out, i grind a couple of small grooves in old bearing race and use an air chisel to burp it out. It will also remove outside bearing. (make sure to remove the c-clip holding the bearing...) to bad it is so much work to get the hondamatic out. Wish they had designed it to come out by just pulling the front engine cover off and not having to split the case............
Willing to machine and fit bearing if anybody wants to fix their hondamatic.
swivel swash plate center is hardened steel but turns down easy on a lathe using ceramic inserts, Honda are good machines..
I just find it hard to believe they put a bearing with a plastic cage in the hondamatic.......7209b bearings with a metal cage are about $60. UPDATE just ordered some from Locate Ball Bearings, KOYO 7209b bearings with metal cage for $45 each. DO NOT USE ONE WITHOUT A METAL CAGE. The one i fixed was caught right away and had no other damage to hondamatic or the rest of the engine, oil pump looked okay but put a new updated one and new pump chain in anyway.
Also if front bearing on hondamatic seems a little sloppy, that is how they are. They all seem to be that way even the new units.
Just for information in my search for hondamatic info I did find a guy in Minnesota that rebuilds ruby hondamatics. he charges $450 exchange. he is the one who told me about the 7209b bearing.
hope this helps a few ruby people out there....
Hi I know this an old post,Ihave a TRX500with the same problem but the bearing on the gearbox side is gone also,what type replacement bearing would you recommend for here
Sounds like I'm not the only one searching for a hondamatic for a Rubicon. Can anyone suggest a source for a good one? New ones are like 2 grand in Canada!
Hi I know this an old post,Ihave a TRX500with the same problem but the bearing on the gearbox side is gone also,what type replacement bearing would you recommend for here
Get ahold of "harig" over on hondaforeman.com. He learned from the original guy that figured out the bearing, machining, and rebuild process. Also see this: https://www.hondaforeman.com/130-foreman-500/165113-questions-about-hondamatic-transmission.htmlSounds like I'm not the only one searching for a hondamatic for a Rubicon. Can anyone suggest a source for a good one? New ones are like 2 grand in Canada!
Hi I know this an old post,Ihave a TRX500with the same problem but the bearing on the gearbox side is gone also,what type replacement bearing would you recommend for here
What did you end up doing??
i just bough a 2001 trx500fa same issue. trying to find a rebuilt one for a decent price is killing me, gonna cost me the same to put a new engine in it.
Anyone have any info on the guy that rebuilt them and sold them for exchange. Just bought one having issue it seems to be stuck in gear very sluggish taking off. Have a grinding noise when in neutral and you rev it and sometimes it won't move when in gear any info? Also was driving it doing prob 25 and out of nowhere the damn thing like locked up and almost flipped over went to the front bumper but I jumped off and pushed back onto all four..no idea im beat im a mechanic I haven't torn into it yet. Any idea? I'm assuming the hondamatic is smoked.
1 - 20 of 23 Posts
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