How to Remove the Front Rim on a Lawn Tractor for Tire Repair

Remove the front rim to replace a tire on a lawn tractor.

Flat tires are an unfortunate fact of life, even on a lawn tractor. Removing the front rim on a lawn tractor to replace or repair a tire is similar to changing a tire on a car. However, unlike with a car, there are no lug nuts to contend with when removing the rim. It is a good idea not to attempt to raise the lawn tractor in the yard. Soil can be soft, and your jack will sink into the ground as you are raising the lawn tractor. Replacement tires and tire plugs are available at home-improvement centers.

Things You'll Need

• Floor jack
• 2- wood blocks
• Pair of jack stands
• Channel lock pliers
• Small flathead screwdriver
• Needle nose pliers

Instructions

1. Park the lawn tractor on a solid, flat surface. Ideally, park it on a driveway or in a garage.

2. Position a floor jack under the front frame of the lawn tractor. Place wooden blocks at front and back of one of the rear tires, like chocks. This will prevent the tractor from rolling forward or backward while you work on it. Lift the front of the tractor with the floor jack until the front wheels are 6 inches off the ground.

3. Position a jack stand under the frame of the lawn tractor on each side of the floor jack. Raise the adjustable stand to meet the tractor frame. Lower the floor jack just enough to place the tractor's weight on the jack stands. Leave the floor jack in the raised position.

4. Remove the axle cover in the center of the front rim with channel-lock pliers. The plastic wheel hub will pop off the axle with a little twist from the pliers.

5. Locate the retaining ring on the end of the axle that secures the washers and the rim to the axle. Pry the ring away from the axle with a small, flat-head screwdriver. Some lawn tractors use a cotter pin instead of a retaining ring. Bend the ends of the cotter pin straight with needle-nose pliers. Pull the cotter pin out of the axle with the needle-nose pliers.

6. Pull the two retaining washers straight off the axle. Grab the front tire and rim at each side, and pull the rim off the axle.

Tips & Warnings

• Installation is the reverse order of removal. You can bend the retaining ring when removing it from the axle. Replacement retaining rings are available at home-improvement centers.

References

• Murray: Lawn Tractor Owners Manual (page 30)
• Craftsman: Craftsman Lawn Tractor Manual (page 22)