It is pretty annoying when your riding lawn mower does not track straight. It either pulls to the left or pulls to the right and never seems to go where you want it to without a fight.
The good news is that this is a solvable problem and I will give you some things to check to correct this problem and get your lawn mower back on track.
The easy thing to check is your tire pressures. A low tire on either side will cause the mower to pull in that direction. So a tire that is going flat on the right side will cause the mower to pull to the right side and you need to keep putting left correction into the steering wheel to keep the mower going straight.
So check all the tire pressures. The front tires are normally around 15psi and the rears are at 10.
Raise the front end up and check axles and bearings. They should feel tight and not have a lot of play in them when you move them back and forth. If they are loose, replace them with new bearings and check that the axles are not damaged with grooves worn in them.
There is a tie rod that can be adjusted as well on one or both wheels. Look at the mower from the front and see which wheel is pointed in or out. Sometimes they are both pointed in the wrong direction and an adjustment will cure this problem. If your tie rods are non-adjustable, they will need to be replaced.
Lastly, check the steering gear to be sure that it is not worn out or slipping in the gears. These gears need lubricated during maintenance to prevent them from wearing out.
These are the most common problems that cause steering issues. Check them one at a time to solve your steering problem in your riding lawn mower.
If you need professional help with your riding lawn mower, visit our Locations page for a shop near you.