MTD mower won't turn left; will turn right!

cshafer

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I was mowing and picking up leaves, and for a bit I noticed that when I turned left it clicked a bit. Then I slowly lost the ability to have my wheels turn left. It's like it won't engage somewhere. The steering wheel just spins and doesn't connect with anything when I turn it left. When I turn it right, all seems fine. If I get off the tractor and manually turn my wheels left, I am able to turn them, but I cannot turn them with the steering wheel.
I want to add that I did hit an approx 5" landscaping rock that had rolled out a bit and was under the leaves, so I'm wondering if I broke off a bolt or something. I know nothing about these machines. Please help me know where to even begin, an approximate cost of repair, and is this a do-it-yourself type of job, or will I need to get it repaired in a shop?

This is a Troy-bilt Garden Tractor Model B809H. 46" deck.

Correction! This is a Troy-bilt not MTD!
 
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Malcolm Rypauf

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At the bottom end of the shaft the steering wheel is mounted on, there is a nut that holds a gear onto the end of the shaft. If this nut is not really tight, turning left will tend to loosen the nut, turning right will tend to tighten the nut. It is possible that when you hit the rock, the shock loosened the nut just enough to cause this problem.

You will have to look up from underneath the front of the machine and put a wrench on the nut that holds the gear on the shaft. You can identify the correct nut by having someone turn the steering wheel while you are looking up.

While the assistant is holding the steering wheel, push the wrench towards the left side of the machine. "Left" side is as seen from the driver's seat of the mower.

This nut needs to be fairly tight.
 

crossarm

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I think it is just like the cub cadet. It has a bushing about halfway down the steering shaft where it goes thru the frame. They wear out quickly.
 

metz12

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mtd's streering sucks but they are easy to get to and work on. you will see like a quarter of a gear (behind the gas tank on the frame) and on the steering shaft there is another gear thing at the bottom of the steering shaft. have a friend turn the wheel to the left and see if its slipping. if it is there might be an adjustment to move that quarter of a gear up to meet with the shaft. it kind of shows it in the video. i couldnt find a picture. MTD Fast Tractor Update] #1 ] The Gameplan - YouTube
 

Carscw

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Very easy to just replace the hex washer where the shafts sits in the frame cost $4
The steering is the weak part of mtds bit like has been said very easy to fix.
You can also replace all the bushings with brass ones for $5 each
 
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