Loose Steering - Rider Mower FIX! (AYP/Craftsman/Husqvarna) 

I bought the entire assembly referenced at the end of your video, and here I am three months later with the same part broken. It’s definitely the weak link. Interesting how the other comments have alternatives. Might try one of those. Thanks for posting this, it is helpful!

Thanks... this video convinced me to not attempt this repair. I'll deal with the sloppy wheel lol. I dont feel like taking the whole thing apart for a possible fix that would still be sloppy. I'm used to it 😂 but i am able to turn super far left and just partially right. Someone must have aligned that wrong like you mentioned. Mine still runs great otherwise.

I’m like you I remove the panel because it makes it easier and easier to see what your doing 😊 I don’t charge for removal of panels so I’m going to keep doing it 😊

I had the same issue (on all 3 lawn tractors I've owned/currently own), and I got tired of replacing this cheesy part. So, I made a permanent fix on my '97 Craftsman 19.5 hp. tractor. The shaft hole in the plastic coupler was, of course, worn to an oval shape. What I did was figure out a way to chuck the coupler in my lathe, and I line-bored it to the point where the steering shaft hole was round & perfect (and a little larger in diameter), all the way down. Then, I used a piece of steel rod, turned it down until it was a snug fit in the connector, and bored it out inside to the same diameter as the steering shaft. I inserted the bushing in the coupler, greased the heck out of the shaft, & re-assembled everything. It turns super easy & precise on the steering shaft, but has absolutely no play or wobble at all. WOW! Not only is the steering remarkably precise, it's WAY easier to turn the wheel at low speeds - almost like power steering (vs. the "Armstrong" steering it had). In addition, it will never wear out (not in the years I have left, anyway!) & I'll NEVER have to buy or replace the stupid thing again! It was actually quite easy, and I'm only a self-taught shade-tree machinist, working on a 75 year old lathe. Modifying the part & making the long bushing only took maybe an hour in total. I really should make a video on it, I guess, as there are a LOT of guys out there with this problem....

I replaced all three main components several years ago on one of these tractors (Sector, Pinion Shaft, and Nylon Support Bracket) and still had steering play after I was finished. When you turn the steering wheel back and forth you can see that the whole assembly moves within that steel bracket with the four bolts. My opinion is that it is a poor design and could have been made better. Thanks for sharing. 👍

Really an excellent tutorial on a fussy repair. Thanks!

Awesome video and thanks for posting! I love tinkering with my mower, but this looks like a job I'd do in the winter when I have a week with nothing to do. Looks like a lot of work, but if it ever becomes necessary to do, I will definitely review your video again. Very thorough video on how to do this.

Thanks for the vid. On mine that second E clip didn’t need to come off-if clocked properly it fits through the hole. Also, there were alignment marks already stamped on the parts, but using additional white paint pen marks on the actual splines made it much easier to get the correct spot, because with the second E clip in place the sideways play available to clock the pieces is limited.

This is a great rundown - thanks for making this. It explains why my ‘06ish Husky cuts left turns sharper than right and the major contributors to sloppy steering. As other have said it may be worth upgrading to a more robust setup. These front ends take a lot of abuse especially with a snow thrower hanging in front.

Thank you for the video. My husband was able to repair the play in the steering.

Great video, this is a very detailed video. Most vids are half assed and not good. You did an awesome job explaining everything. I was able to fix mine because of you. Thank you and you got me as a subscriber

Boom 🤯 💥 on that cotter pin - screwdriver trick woo hoo 👍🏻👍🏻 never would’ve thought of that. Just like thousands of other folks.

Thanks for making this. Very informative. Great job.

Thanks! I have a 1999 Weedeater Riding mower version of this that acts the same. Will get it done now.

Thank you !

Very well done.

Great video. Thanks

Thanks, I need to do this repair to my Craftsman LT2000

First let me say I admire your desire and ability to fix this. Well done. The only problem I see is you put way more time and effort into this project than the mower is worth. Thats why EVERY craftsman lt1000 and so on has this issue. At the end of the day your putting a $200 fix on a $200 mower and when your all done and it's put back together, its still a $200 mower. Again you did a great job repairing it and if this is your personal mower and the loose steering bothered you that much than it paid off for you but otherwise this is probably not a fix I would recommend to a customer. Your gonna lose money on the deal or the customer is gonna rip the steering wheel off when they get the bill 😆😀😄

Good replacement

For registration marks on the matching parts I normally make a set of two prick punch marks on either side which, when reassembled, are exactly opposite each other. That way they’re permanent and can’t be wiped off by accident.

That leftover slop could be a worn out drag link bushing or if the steering shaft has a coupling section with a bolt and nut connecting it, it can get wallered out. I had an early 2000 era LT1000 that had both those issues.

You can replace the entire steering assembly, probably better and safer than replacing one part. My 917 model , built in 1996 has a lot of play in the steering wheel before the wheels move. It's a 25 year old mower now and all is original except the carburetor and the deck. Mine has the Kohler Command 15 hp and it's bullet proof literally.

There is a lot of play in that joint at 11:00

Good video. However, it did not show how you loosened the steering wheel to pull it up. My Poulan tractor steering wheel bolt does not come off. It's stuck and won't turn. Do you have any tips on how to break the bold loose? Unfortunately, I don't have an air compressor nor impact tool.

And has a lot of work I wonder if you can get better than original equipment like steel that would last longer keep your staring tight

At 10:48 you can see the bolt at the bottom of the shot moving laterally, is there a bushing around the bolt? That being replaced would cure the remaining slot I think

Can always adjust wheels in or out to make straight.

I don't see many different Filterficial. I'll keep it with a little play

Looks like more than a five minute job. About five days for me.

looks like the play in the steering is up at the ball joint

A+

What you have there is a Quality Farm & Fleet pro, with a Craftsman hood. The Farm & Country name came about after Farm & Fleet merged with a backwards company and went bankrupt, putting hundreds of us out of work.

How much was the cupluer

Why do they make them so junky?

WOW I left a rude commit 😮 sorry buddy I must of been a stress at the time 🤔

It’s gonna take someone getting killed or seriously injured to force them to build them safe, loss of steering could result in death

bruh I'll leave it as it is thanks tho

😳👍🎯👏🏻

Easy job. But doesn't last very long at all. Better to just get a new mower. One that doesn't have first gen steering.

That is a Craftsman/AYP/Husqvarna, NOT an MTD!

good video. but you don't have to explain every little thing..

First

Plastic...

Terrible design for sure but it’s fixable, just spending money 😢😢😢

A waste of time. U didnt improve it very much. Its a lawn mower. U dont go fast.

What an awful system, made to fail. No ball bearings, not even bushings. Go karts are build more durable.