8 Common Riding Lawn Mower Steering Problems!

Are you struggling with your riding lawn mower steering problems? Is the steering gear stripping or skipping? 

If so, don’t worry you’re not alone; these are common steering issues that may occur regardless of the brand of your Riding Lawn Mower. 

That is why you should be prepared to deal with them like a pro, and this complete troubleshooting guide will assist you in doing so! 

8 Common Riding Lawn Mower Steering Problems (Fixes Added)

1. Mower Not Going Straight or Steering in The Right Direction: 

This is a common Husqvarna Riding mower steering problem that often users encounter after a certain period of use. 

Steering only functioning in one particular direction may arise due to bad or leaked O-rings in your Riding mower’s steering valve assembly.

Users may also notice that the right turns are sharper than the left or no steering movement in the left direction. This is one of the common Craftsman T2600 and Craftsman T1600 steering problems.

Causes: Imbalanced Tire pressure, defective components (bushings, gears, or washers), and bad Dampers.

What to Do?

Fix Imbalanced Tire pressure:

• Use a tire gauge and locate the tire valve on one of your mower tires. 
• Take off the valve cap and  connect the gauge to the valve. Once the gauge is connected to the tire valve, press it down to release some air.
• Now check the reading displayed on the screen and remember the PSI of the tire. Repeat the same method of tire pressure testing on all the tires. Then, compare the PSI.  
• Afterward, Refill the weaker side tire/s with enough air needed.

If functioning only in one direction, access the valve assembly on your mower’s steering and inspect the O-rings. Replace them if necessary.

Watch and follow this simple DIY tutorial to check the steering components and replace or repair them as needed:

2. Won’t Turn While Steering or Makes Unusual Metal Noise: 

Riding lawn mower users, especially Troy-Bilt Bronco Auto users may occasionally notice issues like their mower not turning while steering or hearing unusual metallic sound (the sound may feel like metal-on-metal contact) coming out of their mower as they try to steer. 

One (Craftsman, Bad Boy, or Husqvarna mower users) may also notice weird clunking or rattling sounds while directing their Riding mower.

Causes: Loose Steering components like bad coupler and faulty or worn-out Nut Bushing.

What to Do?

Examine and replace the Coupler that holds the pinion shafts and rack, if needed:

3. Loose or Sloppy Steering Skips Gear: 

A loose steering wheel is a common complaint among riding lawn mower owners. Even Husqvarna and Ariens Riding mower users may occasionally encounter a situation where the steering skips gears.

Causes: Worn out or loose steering mechanism. Any issue in the steering linkage, improper wheel alignment, lack of lubrication, faulty or broken bushing.

What to Do?

Inspect your mower’s steering linkage to find any signs of damage. Tighten any loose ends or connections if there are any. Repair or replace the damaged parts. 

Or you can also directly follow the instructions provided in the below DIY Steering linkage fixing tutorial:

Check the steering wheel alignment and adjust the alignment if required.

Examine the steering bushing and replace it if necessary.

4. Steering Wheel May Not Return to The Center Position: 

Several Bad Boy and Husqvarna Riding mower users reported that their mower’s wheel won’t return to the center position after turning, which can be another indication of the mower’s steering problem.

Causes: Broken cotter pins or faulty steering gearbox. Even if the tie-rod ends are bent, the steering wheel may also malfunction like that.

What to Do?

Replace the broken Cotter pin:

• Use a jack to raise the mower and put cinder blocks or jack stands to support the front.
• Check if your mower has a hubcap and use a flat-head screwdriver to pry the hubcap off. If it does not, you can directly access the axle spindle that is attached to the cotter pin.
• Use pliers to grip the bent portion of the pin and pull it straight out of the axle spindle. 
• If the pin legs are bent use the pliers to straighten them before pulling it out.
• Set the older one aside and put the new cotter pin in that position securely.

If the steering tie rod is broken or bent, replace it.

Inspect and repair or rebuild your steering gear (if necessary):

5. Hard Steering, Gears May Strip and Fails to Steer: 

Steering suddenly becoming hard, gears may strip, and failing to steer either straight or to the left are some of the common Craftsman YT3000 and T1600 Craftsman steering problems. 

Causes: May arise due to lack of lubrication and normal wear like Bad steering gear, bearing, or steering rod.

What to Do?

If you are encountering similar steering issues, replacing the steering bushing and shaft may fix your problem:

6. Mower May Only Pull to One Side or Hard to Rotate: 

Sometimes, your riding mower may pull to only one particular side or direction while running, and rotating the steering will be difficult. 

This is a common issue on Troy-Bilt, Husqvarna, Cub Cadet, John Deere, and Craftsman T1700 riding mowers. 

Causes: Lack of tire pressure, steering isn’t adjusted correctly, or faulty components such as bad spindles or damper.

What to Do?

• Check the pressure on all of the mower tires and inflate them if needed. 
• Examine and make sure the steering is adjusted (left and right) correctly.
• Check the damper and if necessary, replace it.

Follow the steps shown in this tutorial to inspect and replace the steering spindle if needed:

7. Steering May Lock Up and Chew the Pinion Gear/ Tooth Rack: 

You also encounter situations where your mower’s steering may suddenly lock up, chew up the pinion gear/tooth rack, take a bad turn, or continuously slip from the steering wheel. 

Causes: Lack of lubrication or damaged circular gear components.

What to Do?

You can try to perform this simple adjustment on your mower to fix the problem:

8. Out of Alignment Issue on Front Wheel or Mower Tires: 

Over time, your riding mower’s front wheels as well as the tires can go out of alignment and when that happens you will have difficulty handling the steering wheel properly. This is common for Craftsman riding mowers.

What to Do?

If you are also experiencing a similar steering issue, follow this tutorial to fix the out-of-alignment problem:

Frequently Asked Questions -FAQs:

Why is it so hard to steer my riding lawn mower?  

Steering difficulties on any Riding mower can occur due to worn-out steering components, lack of lubrication, or a loose steering system that needs adjustment.

What should I do if the steering wheel on my riding lawn mower feels loose?

Tighten the steering wheel’s center bolt and look for any worn-out or loose components in the steering system. If necessary, repair or replace them.

Why does the steering wheel on my riding mower vibrate when in use?

This can be due to an imbalanced blade, worn pulley or mandrel, debris caught inside the pulley, broken or loose blade belt and nuts. Check these components to see if any of them need to be fixed or replaced.

How can I prevent steering problems on my riding lawn mower?

Follow these:

• Regularly inspect and maintain the steering system, 
• Keep all steering components properly lubricated,
• Avoid overloading the machine, and 
• Operate with care to reduce stress on the steering mechanism.