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The reason why one side of your Husqvarna zero-turn mower isn’t working might be due to a dragging brake, rust in the mower or a lost connection between the hub and the shaft.

Fortunately, these problems can be easily identified and solved by following the right guidelines.

In this article, I share seven common reasons why one side of your Husqvarna mower may not work and practical fixes to help solve the issue.

Contents show

Husqvarna Zero-Turn One Side Not Working: Reasons and Possible Solutions

Before I go into details, let’s look at some common reasons why one side of your Husqvarna zero-turn mower may not work on one side and their practical fixes

Reasons	Possible Solutions
1. Lost connection between the shaft and hub	Replace bad spindles with new ones
2. Dysfunctional dampers	Switch out the dampers Replace the springs
3. Traction adjustment	Contact a technician to solve the problem.
4. Dragging brake	Remove the mower tires and inspect the brakes Apply pressure to the pad with a standard C-clamp and pull the pad back into position so that the stuck pistons can be released. Use hydraulic pressure in the brake system to free a stuck caliper piston.
5. Lack of tire compression on one side	Contact a professional to solve the problem
6. Deck belt issues	Tighten the deck belt. Replace the belt if it is worn.
7. The freewheeling rod is not in place	Contact an expert to fix the issue

Tools You Need for this Job

While troubleshooting, you might need to have the following tools nearby:

½-inch wrench
Cheater bar
New deck belt
A pair of gloves
Screwdriver

Husqvarna Zero-Turn One Side Not Working: Reasons, Diagnosis and Fixes

1. Lost Connection Between The Shaft and Hub

If your mowing machine is working on one side, you may need to check the mower’s shaft and hub. It is important to troubleshoot this problem so that it will not affect the performance of your Husqvarna zero-turn mower.

Diagnosis

Inspect the splines of your zero-turn mower. If the splines of a side are weak, it indicates that there is a lost connection between the hub and shaft, causing the mower to work on one side.

Fix

Replace bad spindles with new ones.

Tips to Follow While Changing Spindles on a Husqvarna Zero-Turn Mower

Pull the cover out of the socket by loosening the three bolts that hold the cover of the deck spindle assembly with a ½-inch wrench.
Use the same wrench to take off your deck. Release the belt from its position with a cheater bar and socket wrench and relieve your tensioner pulley.
Detach the nut that is located on the topmost area of your spindle’s spline and you are good to go.

2. Dysfunctional Dampers

The function of the dampers is to ensure that the mower’s pumps do not have to deal with sudden loads or jerky drive control. The mower will work on one side if the dampers are broken.

Diagnosis

Inspect the dampers for signs of breakages or faulty springs. If this occurs, it means that the dampers are not working.

Fix

The simple way to solve the problem is to switch out the dampers.
You can also replace the springs.

3. Traction Adjustment

When both throttles that control the back wheels are pushed forward with the same effort. One wheel may transfer power more efficiently than the other wheel. This can cause your mowing machine to push towards a weaker side.

Diagnosis

Check the two throttles that control the back wheels of your mower. If you notice that one wheel is transferring power more than the other wheel, it means that you need a proper traction adjustment.

Fix

Contact a technician to help you solve the problem.

4. Dragging Brake

If one of the drums or disc brakes does not let go easily as the other does when you try to move your zero-turn mower, it can pull to one side.

Furthermore, a stuck brake caliper can also cause this problem.

Diagnosis

Inspect your mower for faulty brake discs, drums or a stuck brake caliper.

Fix

Remove the mower tires and inspect the brakes.
To release stuck pistons, apply pressure to the pad with a standard C-clamp and then pull the pad back into position.
You can also use hydraulic pressure in your brake system to free a stuck caliper piston.

5. Lack of Tire Compression on One Side

Tire compression is used to describe the force applied by the tire against the ground.

If you observe that your Husqvarna zero-turn mower is not working on one side, it might be a result of improper installation of the valve stem, or damaged valve stem of the damaged wheel.

Diagnosis

Check your zero-turn mower for signs of damage in the wheel and valve system.

Fix

Contact a professional to help you solve the problem.

6. Deck Belt Problems

Another reason that may cause one side of your Husqvarna mower not to work is the deck belt. The deck belt allows the blades to rotate and if it is faulty, your mowing machine may stall or yield to one side.

Diagnosis

Check the deck belt for any sign of looseness or wear. If it is loose or worn, it requires replacement.

Fix

Depending on your Husqvarna zero-turn mower model, you can tighten the deck belt by adjusting the belt tension or idler
Replace the belt if it is worn.

How to Change a Deck Belt on a Husqvarna Zero-Turn Mower

Here are some tips on how to change a deck belt on a Husqvarna zero-turn mower:

The first step is to gather your tools such as gloves, a screwdriver, and a new belt
Locate the spring tensioner and the eye loop. Take a screwdriver through it to hold it and also loosen it to relieve the tension from the idler.
Carefully remove the old belt from the pulley and loosen the guard of the pulley for it to be free.

Please note: Ensure that you check the belt number of your model from your manual or deck.

Put a new belt between the pulleys.
Once the belt is inserted, put the guard back in place and check the pulleys for any kind of noise or bad bearings. Ensure that the belt is inserted in the reverse form that you took it off.
Use your screwdriver to tighten the loop. The belt shouldn’t be too tight and insert back the shield of the pulleys.

7. The Freewheeling Rod is Not in Place

Husqvarna zero-turn mowers feature a hydrostatic unit that has a completely sealed unit. This unit has its power source on the side.

If the freewheeling rod is partially broken, a leak may happen in the hydrostatic unit whenever the seal breaks.

Diagnosis

Inspect the rods and confirm if they are moving freely. You can also take a look at rods that adjoin your hydraulic motors. To do this, you need to pull the rods to separate the hydraulic motors from each other.
If you notice that the rods are weak, you need to inspect the hydraulic tank.

Fix

To check the hydraulic tank, you need to inspect how much fluid is left in the tank. Contact an expert to fix issues with the valve system, hydraulic pump filter and disengagement lever.

Husqvarna Zero-Turn Mower Weak on One Side.

If your Husqvarna zero-turn mower is weak on one side, it might be due to the following reasons:

Tire Pressure Does Not Match

This is one of the reasons why your Husqvarna zero-turn may become weak on one side. Uneven tire pressure can cause one side to drag.

When you notice this, it is important to park your mowing machine on a level surface and troubleshoot the problem.

Diagnosis

Park your zero-turn mower on a level surface and inspect the tire pressures of your tire with a tire pressure gauge. Check one side of the tire for the maximum PSI and repeat the same process for the other tires to know the one that is causing your mower to feel weak on one side.

Fix

The first step is to gather your tools such as a tire pressure gauge and tire pump
Test the tire pressure of the four tires and inflate them to the recommended PSI

Mower is Out of Balance

Your mower might be out of balance due to the load it is dragging or carrying. This might cause it to be weak on one side. In this case, it will affect the performance of your zero-turn mower.

Diagnosis

Inspect your Husqvarna zero-turn mower for any excess load or attachments that are causing one side to drag.

Fix

The simple fix is to remove all the attachments and test out your mower. If this does not work, you may need to avoid overloading our mower.

Dragging Drum Brakes

The drum brakes of your mower are always located on the wheels. If the drum brakes are faulty, it may cause them to drag and this gives you the feeling that one side of the mower is struggling.

Diagnosis

To examine the problem, you need to chock the wheels, disengage the hydros, release the brake and jack up your rear wheels so that they will be off your floor.
Spin these wheels and inspect for the difference in resistance. The wheel that drags will be hard to turn.

Fix

Here are some tips on how to fix dragging drum brakes:

Place your mowing machine on a level surface and disconnect your spark plug. Chock your front wheels to prevent the mower from moving and release the parking brake.
Loosen the wheels’ center nut with a socket wrench and a long extension. You can also use a pair of pliers to remove the nut if there is a cotter pin through it.
Jack up the mower’s rear so that it will be off the ground (the inches off the ground should be according to Husqvarna’s recommendations).
Screw off the hub nut and take off the wheel’s hub.
Take time to check your brake. If the brake shoes are dragging, then there is an issue with one part of the system.
Use pliers to remove the springs that link the shoes together and set them aside. After removing the springs, lift the shoes out of position and place them to one side with your attached adjustment screw.
Install new brake shoes in the right position of your mower. Re-install the adjustment screw between the shoes and turn the adjustment screw so that the shoes can fit closer to each other.
Install your wheel hub and nut. Ensure that the nut is well-tightened.
Spin the wheel and inspect for any resistance. If the brake is rightly installed, the hub should be able to spin freely and there should not be resistance.
Take the wheel, put it back into your mowing machine and screw your bolts and nuts. Use a wrench to tighten the bolts/nuts and lower your mowing machine. Check if it is tight and install the cotter pin.
Adjust the brake and the shoe adjuster screw. Apply the brake and tighten your adjustment screw. Make sure that you do not over-tighten it to prevent the case of a dragging brake.

Conclusion

Several factors such as dragging brakes, bad dampers, and lost connection between the hub and shaft can cause your Husqvarna zero-turn mower not to work on one side.

Follow the troubleshooting guide and recommended fixes in this article to identify and solve these problems. It is advisable to see the help of a technician if the problem persists.