Loose Front Wheel on Lawnmower

Causes

• Your lawnmower may develop one or two loose front wheels for a number of different reasons. If you're rough with the machine, and often bang its front wheels into solid objects such as trees and fences, one of the wheels may loosen over time. Likewise, if the area you mow has large holes or depressions, the lawnmower wheel may jarringly drop into those low spots in the lawn on a regular basis.

Symptoms

• You may notice that one or both of your lawnmower's front wheels are loose if you are having trouble steering it effectively, especially on an area of solid ground such as a driveway. The wheels may vibrate loudly enough to catch your attention, too. If you suspect a wheel is loose, lift the front of the lawnmower off the ground and wiggle the wheel by hand. If it moves easily, you'll need to fix it.

Misdiagnosis

• Sometimes, especially if you've used the lawnmower for an extended period of time, the inside of the wheels will develop a buildup of dirt or dried grass. These issues are minor, but can result in the wheel being unbalanced, causing it to give you the impression it is loose. Pick out the dried matter with a screwdriver, and give the wheel a shake. If the buildup was the problem, it should roll smoothly and evenly.

Repair

• Remove the cotter pin that goes through the wheel's axle pin, and then remove the axle pin and the wheel itself. Inspect the assembly to make sure the cotter pin and axle pin are not damaged. If one of these pieces is bent, it may result in the wheel shaking loosely. If they're damaged, replace them with the appropriate part, which you can buy at a lawnmower retailer. If your lawnmower has threaded axles, tighten them with a wrench to take the wobble out of the assembly.