Riding mower wheel removal. How To Remove A Stuck Lawn Mower Wheel

How To Remove A Stuck Lawn Mower Wheel

I love gardening, and if you live near me, you will see me in the yard walking behind my lawn mower quite often.

It may sound funny, but it is true. Maintaining and mowing my lawn is my happy place, and I always look forward to doing it. Except when the wheels get stuck; then I regret buying a lawn mower in the first place. This was something I faced very often when I was new to using lawn mowers.

I mention this because about a month ago, my best friend Lucy told me something I didn’t know about her. She said she never uses her lawn mower unless her husband is around in case the wheels get stuck or something bad happens. This was my cue to give her a few tips and tricks.

Soon after she left, I started writing this guide on how to remove a stuck lawn mower wheel. I figured if my friend has this issue, then there must be more people out there suffering from the same problem.

Hi! I’m Stacy, and hopefully, these tips and methods will help you take matters into your own hands.

How To Remove A Stuck Lawn Mower Wheel

Should You Call In A Professional?

I know how daunting it can be when you’re trying to mow the lawn, but the mower just won’t go ahead. It can pause the rest of the day’s activities and spoil the mood. But there is no need to call a professional for this or look around for help.

Most of the time, the wheel gets stuck because something on the ground gets stuck inside. It is nothing complicated and can be removed easily with tools available in the house. All you need to know is how to detach the wheel and then reattach it, post-cleaning.

There are multiple ways to go about this, and each method is as good as the next. However, I prefer to use oil and a mallet to get rid of whatever is jamming the wheel.

The Oil And Mallet Method

This is one of the easiest ways to go about fixing a stuck wheel. You will need gloves, a mallet, penetrating oil, and a hydraulic jack for this method. In addition, find a screwdriver, pliers, wrench, and woodblocks. All of these things are common tools available around the house.

Step 1

Ensure that the mower is flat on the ground, and put your gloves on. After that, make sure nothing is connected and disconnect even the spark plug as a safety measure. Once it is disengaged, use the hydraulic jack to lift the mower. Depending on which side the stuck wheel is at, you will have to lift the mower from there.

Step 2

Once the mower is lifted, you will have to place wooden blocks or a jack stand under it. If you have ever changed the tires of a car, everything should be easy till now. Much like with the car, you have to make sure the stand/blocks are well placed and are secure to hold the mower up.

After securing the blocks/stand, lower the mower onto them and remove the jack. This will leave you with the mower resting on the block/stand.

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Step 3

Since you have full access to the wheel, working on it is a lot easier. First, remove the hubcaps using a flathead screwdriver. On the off chance that the screwdrivers don’t work, use pliers to loosen it and then open it by hand.

Once the cap is off, you will have better access to the bolt, which can be removed using a wrench.

Step 4

Using a penetrating oil here is key since the oil will loosen the wheel from the axle and shaft. All you need to do is spray the wheel evenly, including the bolts and center of the rim, and leave it for 2 hours. This is a reasonable amount of time for the oil to do its job and loosen any gum/debris that are stuck.

Step 5

The next step would be to hit the rim with the mallet. Do it softly the first few times to check if it is loosening; if not, increase force. Tap the rim with the mallet and continue till the wheel starts moving. In case it is not moving smoothly, use the oil in 5-10 minute intervals and repeat.

Step 6

The final step will be to check if the wheel is entirely free from the gum/debris that were keeping it from moving. For this, you need to pull the wheel out of the axle, which should happen smoothly if nothing else is there. Once done, reinstall the wheel and continue with the mowing.

Word Of Caution

As I mentioned, there are many other ways to remove a stuck wheel, like by using heat and wax. However, the oil and mallet method is very easy and all the tools needed are right in your toolbox. But before you start working, there are few things to take care of.

First of all, make sure the engine is turned off. I know this one sounds silly, but it’s easier to miss small steps like these when you are a bit frazzled. So, always remember to turn everything off and disconnect the wires.

Secondly, clean the wheels as you work with them. Keep them clear of any debris, branches or anything that can cause them to get stuck again. And finally, do not overexert yourself. This may be an easy method for anyone to do at home, but it can become strenuous.

To Sum It Up

This is just a roundup of what I told Lucy, who later dropped me a thank you message and told me she was feeling more confident. I hope this method and my guide on it would be just as helpful for you.

Before leaving, I would like to remind you to take care of the lawn mowers and keep maintaining them from time to time. Regular checks will avoid the possibility of stuck wheels and make the mowing process smooth and fun. On that note, I shall say goodbye but promise to return with many more guides and tips.

How To Remove A Stuck Lawn Mower Wheel?

Lawn mower owners are more than familiar with their lawn mowers’ wheels getting jammed up. While it doesn’t really show up on the outside, you’re going to feel the problems later on.

That’s why you need to make sure that you know how to deal with jamming wheels. The most probable cause of this happening is an object getting stuck in the shaft.

So, if you want to fix this issue, you need to know how to deal with internal fixes. We’re going to teach you how to remove a stuck lawn mower wheel in the steps below:

Reasons Why Lawn Mower Wheels Get Stuck

Before we go on to the tips on how to fix a lawn mower wheel stuck in its place, we first need to understand why these wheels may get stuck in the first place.

We already mentioned one of the main reasons for this above. If an object gets stuck in the shaft, then you can expect the wheel to jam.

• A rusted or worn out internal wheel system
• Accumulation of debris inside the lawn mower
• Contraction of the system because of extreme temperatures
• Hydro-lock due to thickened oil stuck inside

How To Remove A Stuck Lawn Mower Wheel Guide

Those are some of the main reasons as to why your lawn mower wheel might get stuck. That’s why as early as now, you need to already learn how to remove stuck lawn mower wheel.

Here are the steps that you need to take if you happen to be a first-time user:

Position Your Lawn Mower

The first thing you’ll want to do is position your lawn mower properly. Just find a flat surface and cool your machine down. After that, put a rock under the two rear tires so that it won’t roll off.

Look For The Axle Cover

Then, look for the axle cover. Once you locate it, you need to remove the axle cover and find out why the wheel is stuck. Use your pliers to remove the axle cover off the wheel structure so that you can take it out easily.

Take Out The Retaining Ring

When you take out the axle cover, there is another layer known as the retaining ring. You need to use a needle nose plier to snap it out. After that, taking out the ring will expose the key of the axle shaft. You can just pull it out.

Take The Wheel Out

With the structure loose already, all you need to do is pull the wheel out. Now that you know how to get a stuck lawn mower wheel off, you can now determine what the problem is.

Go back to the reasons above and try to diagnose the problem. From there, you can make some possible fixes.

Look For Rust

If your wheel is rusty or corroded, then you might have a small problem taking it out. That said, you need to know how to remove rusted lawn mower wheel. You will need to either add some strength to when you pull out the wheel or use some pliers to try to take out some of the extra rust.

Reassemble Your Machine

Now that you are done with the process, you can now assemble your machine again. Put the key, retaining ring, and axle cover back in place. Make sure that everything is placed tightly.

Test Your Mower

The last thing you’d want to do is to simply test your machine to see if it works. That is, of course, if you were able to fix the main problem. But that’s a story for another guide.

Conclusion

By knowing how to remove a stuck lawn mower wheel, you can identify the key issues of your lawn mower wheel getting stuck. With this, you can fix your wheel and use your lawn mower again.

So, do not worry if your lawn mower wheel is stuck. Just follow the guide above and you should have no problem addressing the issue. With our quick guide, you should be able to fix your problem in no time!

If you do have some tips to share, please commend them down below to inform and help others.

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Lawn Mower Tire Flat Off The Rim? Here’s How To Fix It

If you’ve had a lawn mower for more than a couple of seasons, chances are you’ve had a flat tire. In this article, we’re going to tell you how to get a flat tire back on the rim and how to change a tire if you need to.

With our step-by-step guide—lawn mower tire flat off the rim? Here’s how to fix it, you’ll be back to cutting your lawn in no time.

Using simple tools and a few helpful tricks, you can get your tire back on the rim or replaced. With a little effort and minimal cost, your mower will be ready to go again.

Want to know how to get your lawn mower tire back in working order? Let’s get stuck in.

What you’ll need

For this repair, you’ll need a few tools. And if you need to replace the tire, a few more. For both repairs, don’t forget your safety gear. Here, we’ve listed what each job requires:

Additional tools for changing the tire

• Slot screwdrivers
• Pry bars
• Pliers
• Liquid detergent
• Valve stem core removal tool
• New tire

Causes of a flat tire

Not all flat tires are created equal. Sometimes a flat caused by a very slow leak or just time can simply be reflated. And it will last a good while until next time. But sometimes a flat causes the tire to come off the rim of the wheel, and this requires a more complicated fix. And in the worst case, with a damaged or worn-out tire, you’ll need to replace it.

No matter if your tire is just off the rim, or needs replacing, we’ve got you covered. Here is our step-by-step guide to fixing a flat on your lawn mower. Steps 1, 2 and 3 are required for both fixes. After that we’ve split the instructions depending on whether you’re putting it back on the rim (steps 4a to 7a) or changing the tire (steps 4b to 10b).

A step-by-step guide to fixing your flat

Step 1 – Turn off the mower

I know it’s obvious, but we’re nothing if not complete. Make sure your mower is on a flat surface. Then turn off the mower and remove the ignition key. It’s a good idea to chock the wheels as well.

What might not be so obvious, is that we highly recommend you remove the spark plug cable as well. Removing the cable means there is no chance of the blades moving while you’re fixing your flat. It’s never wasted time to do things safely.

Step 2 – Jack up the mower

In order to get to your tire, you’re going to need to jack up the mower. Any jack will do as long as it’s rated for more than the weight of the mower. We would recommend fixing your flat on a hard surface, driveway, garage or shed. But, if your mower is still on grass, and you’re using a bottle jack, you’re going to need to put wood under the jack to stop it from sinking into the grass.

Jak up the mower so your tire spins freely. You want enough height to make it easy to get your hand underneath the tire. Once you’ve reached the required height, support the mower with a jack stand.

Step 3 – Inspect the tire

You need to check the tire for obvious damage, holes or sharp objects. If it helps, put a little chalk mark on the tire. Carefully roll the wheel round, inspecting both side walls and the surface for damage. When your chalk mark comes back around, you know you’ve covered the whole tire.

If you can’t find any obvious holes or damage, and the tire is not completely worn out, you can try putting it back on the rim, inflating it and seeing if it holds. If the tire is punctured, ripped, or completely worn out, you’re going to need a replacement.

Instructions for putting a tire back on the rim

Step 4a – Wrapping the tire

These days most mower tires are tubeless. That means there is no inner tube inside the tire that holds the air. Instead, the air is held inside the tire by a seal formed between the tire bead and the rim.

In order to refill a tire where the bead has come off the rim, you first have to create a seal between the bead and the rim.

The easiest way to do this is to apply pressure to the surface of the tire. This pushes the bead outwards and helps create the seal you need. On used tires, it’s usually not possible to do this by hand. So instead, we can wrap a ratchet strap or a rope around the tire and use that to help.

Get your ratchet strap around the tire and ratchet it a few times to apply pressure. This pushes the middle of the tire down and the sides outwards.

Step 5a – Checking the seal

Once you’ve applied a bit of pressure, try pushing the sidewalls near the rim. If the bead seems solid against the rim, you can start adding some air and seeing if you have a seal.

If air still escapes from the sides and the tire won’t inflate, ratchet a couple of times on your strap and see if that helps. Once you have a seal, inflate the tire enough to keep the pressure on the bead so that you can remove the strap.

Step 6a – Inflating the tire

After removing the strap, you can continue to inflate the tire. The optimum tire pressure will be on the tire wall. And that is the number to aim for. Usually it’s between 15-40psi and often around 20psi.

Make sure you check your tire and inflate to that pressure. Under or over inflating can increase tire wear, decrease grip, and increase the chance of a puncture or blowout.

Step 7a – Remove the jack stand

That’s it, your tire is back on the rim and fully inflated. Re-insert your jack and raise the mower enough to remove the jack stand.

Lower the mower back onto all its wheels. We recommend letting it stand for a few minutes before moving it. This way you can wait and see if your tire will keep pressure.

Once your happy everything is working, don’t forget to reconnect the spark plug wire and remove any chocks on the other wheels.

Instructions for changing a tire

Step 4b – Removing the wheel

So, you’ve inspected the tire and decided to replace it. Now you need to remove the wheel. Take off the axle cover if there is one. Underneath will be a retaining ring. Use a slot screwdriver or pliers to pull it off.

Now you can remove the washer and pull off the tire. Beyond the tire is an inner washer. It’s best to pull that off as well. Make sure you put your two washers and the retaining ring somewhere safe. It’s really annoying to find you lost one when it’s time to put the tire back on.

Step5b – Removing the tire

Take the tire and lie it flat with the valve facing upwards. Remove the stem cap and use the stem core removal tool to unscrew and pull out the core.

Push down on the tire to dislodge the bead. Using a couple of slot screwdrivers, pry the tire up and off the rim on one side. Take your time. Pry a little of the bead up, slide another screwdriver next to the first and pry a bit more. Continue around the rim until the whole side is free. Flip the tire over and do the same again so that you can pry the tire completely off the rim.

Step 6b – Replacing the tire

While you’ve got the rim separate, give it a clean. Removing any dirt and grime will give a better seal between the new tire bead and rim.

Now it’s the reverse procedure from removing the tire. Using your slot screwdrivers (and make sure there are no sharp edges that could damage the tire) pry one side of the tire onto the rim. Flip it over and pry the other side on.

Step 7b – Sealing the bead

Flip your tire vertical again and find your compressed air. With a new tire, and not attached to the mower, it shouldn’t be necessary to use a ratchet strap or rope to get the bead to seal.

Push down a little on the tire and start to inflate. The bead should seal. Once you’re happy you have a seal, re-insert the valve stem core.

Step 8b – Inflating the tire

With the valve stem in, you can continue inflating the tire to the optimum tire pressure. Remember to check the optimum pressure on the tire wall and only fill to this value. As we said above (step 6a), over or under inflating a tire is not a good idea.

Step 9b – Replacing the wheel

Using the reverse procedure from taking off the wheel, you can now re-install it. Find your washers and the retaining ring.

Put the back washer on first and then slide on the wheel. Add the front washer. Using pliers, put the retaining ring back on the axle and then replace the axle cover.

Step 10b – Remove the jack stand

That’s it, you have a new tire. Re-insert your jack and raise the mower enough to remove the jack stand. Lower the mower back onto all its wheels.

Once your happy everything is working, don’t forget to reconnect the spark plug wire and remove any chocks on the other wheels.

Conclusion

Well done! You have fixed your mower tire and are ready to get back to your lawn.

I hope this guide has been useful to you. Whether you’ve put your tire back on the rim or replaced it completely, following our step-by-step guide should get your mower back on the grass in no time. Happy mowing!

I’ve been helping homeowners with appliance repair since 2016. Starting out as an enthusiastic amateur, I’ve since worked with many Appliance, HVAC, and DIY experts over the last 7 years. My mission is to help your fix your appliances and systems. saving you money and lowering your energy bills. Visit my author page to learn more! Read more

Hi there! My name’s Craig, and I started Appliance Analysts back in 2017.

My mission is to help our readers solve appliance-related issues without paying through the nose for contractors or a whole new model. I’m joining up with experts from across the HVAC, Appliance Repair, DIY industries to share free expert advice that will save you time, stress, and money.

Lawn Mower Wheel Won’t Turn? – Top 3 causes

Pushing a mower isn’t fun, especially a self-drive model, they’re even heavier. But help is at hand and you are in the correct place for self-drive repair. I’m a mechanic for over twenty years and I’ve repaired a ton of these types of issues.

A mower wheel won’t turn for three common reasons:

In this post, you’ll learn how to diagnose why your mower wheels won’t turn and you’ll learn how to fix them right now.

Mower Drive Belt Worn

Mower drive systems are driven by a belt and two pulleys. The belt is fitted to the engine’s crankshaft pulley which drives a second pulley on the transaxle. The drive belt works really hard, despite this they tend to last years without issue. Belts of course wear out over time, no big surprise there.

A worn belt commonly results in the belt:

Common symptoms of a worn-out drive belt include:

Checking The Belt

To check the belt, the mower will need to be turned on its side. But before we do that we’ll need to make it safe to work on and to that, we’ll remove the spark plug wire and turn the gas off (to prevent accidental starting).

Gas tap – If your mower has a fuel tap, turn it off. You can read all about finding and using your fuel tap here “Mower fuel shut off valve”.

A mower may only be turned over with the carburetor side facing upwards. Turning a mower incorrectly will cause the engine to flood with gas and oil, possibly preventing the mower starts.

Turn over – Mower carburetor side up, need help finding carburetor side? I wrote a post about turning your mower over correctly and you can read about it here, “Which way to tilt your mower”.

Is Belt On Both Pulleys, Loose or Worn Out?

Most mowers are rear-wheel drive and so the transaxle is located at the rear wheels. All mowers employ a shield on the underside of the deck, it protects the belt, pulleys, and transmission from flying debris. You usually don’t need to remove the shield in order to verify if the belt is on the pulleys, your view is obscured but you should see enough. However to replace a belt the cover will need removing. Have your WD40 to hand as old grass eats the shield bolts.

The belt on Pulley’s – With the mower turned over, air filter side up, check the belt is fitted around the transaxle pulley and crankshaft pulley.

Tight – If the belt is around both pulleys, go ahead and check it’s tight. A loose belt won’t transfer power. It may be loose because it’s worn or there may be a missing component such as a tension spring or perhaps the transmission itself employs an adjuster to remove belt slack by pivoting the transmission.

Many basic drive systems are adjusted by removing slack from the drive cable (see below).

Worn Out – A worn belt is the root cause of many a self-drive problem.

If the belt is in place, tight, and in good condition, then move on to the next section, the belt isn’t the reason your mower wheels aren’t moving.

If on the other hand your belt is loose, broken, or has jumped off, you’ll need to replace it. It’s possible to refit a jumped-off belt, but you’ll soon be refitting again. Belts usually jump off because they are worn out.

New Belt – Fitting a new belt is a job you can take care of, however, some mowers are challenging to work on. Many will require blade removal and some may require partial removal of the rear axle.

You may find this video helpful “Self drive troubleshooting”, which includes fitting a drive belt.

Mower Drive Cable Needs Adjustment

Mowers use a belt and pulleys to get power from the engine to the axle, but all that power is useless without control. Power is controlled by way of a transaxle lever, attached cable, and bail lever at the handlebars. Cables are just like bicycle brake or gear cables, they are a two-part component – black outer casing with a steel braided inner cable, and like a bicycle brake cable, they stretch out and break over time and need adjusting and eventually replacing.

All good drive cables will have a user-friendly adjuster that allows for easy drive cable adjustment.

How To Check If Your Mower Drive System Needs Adjustment?

Test – To check if your drive cable needs adjustment, apply the drive bail lever at the handlebars and drag the mower backways.

If the cable is adjusted correctly, the drive wheels will lock, if they slip, we’ll need to adjust. This whole process is covered below or checks out “Self drive troubleshooting video”.

How To Adjust The Mower Drive System?

Locate – First locate the drive cable, follow the cable from the transaxle to the bail lever to confirm you have identified it correctly.

Now look for an adjuster screw, commonly it’s at the handlebar anchor where the cable fixes to the handlebars, otherwise an inline adjuster may be fitted.

Open – All adjusters incorporate a lock nut. Open the lock nut and adjust the outer cable to remove slack from the inner braided cable.

Adjust – Lengthen outer to remove inner braided cable slack.

Test 1 – Before tightening up the lock nut, check by applying the bail lever and pulling the mower backways (as before). Wheels should lock, readjust until they do.

Test 2 – When it’s adjusted, pull the mower backways again, this time without the bail lever applied.

The wheels should turn freely. If they don’t, back off the adjuster until they do. Now your drive cable is in the sweet spot, go ahead and tighten the locknut.

Check out this post, “Honda self propelled slow” it covers a Honda drive adjustment in greater detail, but all mowers run similar setups. If you need video help check out the “Self drive troubleshooting” which covers many of the common problems.

Mower Wheels Worn

Most mower wheels are made from plastic and many use plastic gear inside the wheel. The axle drive gear which is metal, wears away the plastic wheel drive gear and the mower drive slips at first, before eventually losing drive altogether. The only fix is to replace the wheels, most wheels are inexpensive but some Honda wheels can be spendy.

To check the drive wheel we’ll need to remove them. A single fastener in the center of the wheel removes them. However, a plastic wheel cap will likely conceal the fastener. A flat screwdriver will pry loose the cap. Loosen and remove the fastener and the wheel pulls off.

Check – Check the gears inside the wheel, if they’re worn you’ll need to replace them. Best to replace both axle wheels. This is a Honda wheel and the gear is metal, they last longer than the plastic teeth but will wear out too. Check out “Fitting a wheel video”.

Drive Gear and Pin Wear

Drive Gear – While the wheel is off go ahead and check the drive gear and axle pins. They wear out on older mowers, learn more in this post “Honda mower slow”. or, if you need video help, check out “Self drive troubleshooting”, which covers wheel and drive pin replacing from start to finish.

Axle Pins – Axle pins transfer power from the axle to drive gear and are under constant stress, and are a common drive fault. Replacing is all covered in “Self drive troubleshooting”.

If you need new wheels, check out the Amazon link below.

Hey, I’m John, and I’m a Red Seal Qualified Service Technician with over twenty-five years experience.

I’ve worked on all types of mechanical equipment, from cars to grass machinery, and this site is where I share fluff-free hacks, tips, and insider know-how.

And the best part. it’s free!