Ryobi Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Won’t Propel - Why? And How to Fix?

The ease of moving a self-propelled lawn mower is the main reason to get one over a push mower. You will not exert much effort to move it around. In addition, because all you need to do is guide rather than push it, self-propelled lawn mowers will allow you to work larger areas faster and even help in getting an even cut. Ryobi manufactures various equipment, including self-propelled or walk-behind lawnmowers.

It will be vexatious if the main feature for which you bought a Ryobi self-propelled mower does not work. If you are here, you probably own a Ryobi self-propelled mower, and this is your predicament. It is more frustrating knowing that the self-propelled lawnmower is more expensive than the push mower.

Thus, in this article, we want to explain some reasons why the self-propelling feature of your Ryobi mower has failed and how you can fix it and get the value you paid for.

Why Ryobi Self-Propelled Mower Won't Self Propel and How to Fix It

Self-propelled lawnmowers use a motorized drive system to move forward. All you, as the operator, do is guide it to the areas you want to mow. Ryobi has different walk-behind mowers, including the Ryobi 18V and 40V self-propelled lawnmowers. Also, Ryobi recently launched an 80V self-propelled lawnmower.

There are a lot of components in the walk-behind mower that allow it to propel itself. Here we want to point out the common reasons for the self-propelling feature to fail in Ryobi's machines and how to fix it.

1) Worn Wheel Assembly

The Ryobi self-propelled lawnmower's wheel assembly has teeth-like gears that interface with the transmissions drive gear. Worn-out teeth on the wheel assembly will prevent a functioning transmission from engaging the wheels and propelling your mower.

• You need to inspect the wheel assembly to see if it is the culprit in the self-propelling issues of your Ryobi mower. If the gears in the wheel assembly are worn out, then you must replace them to fix this propelling issue. It is possible for you to replace the wheel assembly yourself.
• Remove the wheels hub cap to show the wheel nut.
• Unscrew the wheel nut until the wheel falls from the drive shaft.
• Clean the transmission gear after removing the wheel.
• Put the replacement wheel on the shaft and set the wheel gear in line with the drive gear.
• Tighten the wheel nut and restore the hub cap.
• Put on your Ryobi mower and activate the self-propelling feature to see if it works.

2) Damaged Or Worn-Out Drive Belt

An important component in the Ryobi 18V and 40V self-propelled lawnmowers are the drive belts. The drive belt is responsible for transferring power from the Ryobi mower's brushless motors to the transmission's input shaft, which allows the mower to self-propel. Whenever you engage the self-propel mechanism, it engages the drive cable, which tensions the drive belt and propels the mower.

As time passes, the drive belt will stretch and wear out with use. Even without use, the belt can harden, and cracks will appear on it. Cracks in the belt will lead to easy breaks when tensioned. In some other cases, the belt may get stuck, twisted, or broken. Regardless of the cause, if the drive belt on your Ryobi walk-behind mower gets damaged, the self-propelling feature will not work.

To be sure, the drive belt is the reason your Ryobi won't self-propel, remove the cover and inspect the belt. Replace a worn, stretched-out, stuck, twisted drive belt. Follow your user manual for replacing the drive belt, and make sure you use a genuine replacement drive belt for your mower.

3) Transmission Problems

Ryobi self-propelled lawnmowers are electric battery-powered machines that use an electric lawnmower transmission assembly to transmit power to the wheels. The drive belt transmits power from the electric motor to the pulley. Then, the pulley moves the power to the wheels. The drive cable moves the transmission ahead to engage the drive belt and rotate the pulley when you activate the propelling function.

If any of the components in the transmission system is malfunctioning, including the drive belt, which we discussed earlier, your Ryobi may not propel when you engage the mechanism. Inspect the motor, drive belt, pulley, and other transmission components to discover where the problem lies. Then, fix or replace the transmission component causing the issue. Consulting with an expert might be helpful.

4) Drive Cable Issue

There is a drive cable that connects the handle drive lever of a Ryobi self-propelled lawnmower to the transmission. When you pull the lever, it tensions the cable and sends a signal to engage the transmission and propel the mower forward. The drive cable can break, freeze, disconnect, or suffer some other type of damage.

Inspect the drive cable for any connection issues. If you notice a disconnection on either end, reconnect the cable. Afterward, try the self-propelling feature again. Replace the drive cable if it is damaged.

5) On/Off Housing

Some user complaints about the Ryobi 40V self-propelled lawnmower identify the on/off switch or speed selector housing as the reason the lawnmower will not self-propel. There are two switches in the on/off housing. One button is the on/off switch. The other button controls the self-propelling feature. If the components in the housing that connects the self-propelling switch to the lever get broken, the propel feature will not be activated when you try to engage it.

You may be able to put back together the internals of the housing with strong adhesives since most are made with plastic. Replace a damaged on/off housing with a new one.

6) Battery Issues

The Ryobi walk-behind mowers are all battery-powered electrical self-propelled lawnmowers. As such, a possible reason for the mower not propelling as expected could be a result of battery-related problems. The self-propel feature may not work at all, work intermittently, or work slowly. For either one of those issues, the battery could be the problem. Batteries will typically lose their efficacy with time and struggle to hold a charge before eventually dying.

A dead battery won't power the machine at all. A battery that is dying but still with a little life might power on your Ryobi self-propelled lawnmower but may not be able to propel it forward. Otherwise, it might propel the mower forward but only sluggishly.

Here the fix is quite simple, if the battery for your Ryobi self-propelled lawnmower is dead or dying, you need to get and install a replacement. Ensure the replacement battery is of the required specification.

7) Grass Clippings

Grass clippings getting stuck in the drive wheels can accumulate and prevent the wheels from moving forward when you activate the self-propel feature. Stuck grass clippings are unlikely to cause the propelling problem. However, check it if you are yet to get a solution. Grass clippings and other debris could clog the wheels or gear and break or loosen the drive cable.

Inspect the wheels and drive gears for debris and grass clippings that could impede your Ryobi from propelling forward. If you spot grass clippings or other foreign items, carefully clean and remove them.

If, after going through all the possible causes and fixes for a Ryobi self-propelled lawnmower to not propel and you cannot solve the issue, we recommend taking your machine to a service center near you for professional consultation. Some owners have complained that their Ryobi lawnmowers self-propelling did not work after a new purchase. In that situation, you should try to claim your warranty on the machine.

General Tips for Preventing Ryobi Lawnmower Self-Propelling Issues

The best way to prevent self-propelling is through frequent maintenance. Below are tips for doing that.

• The Ryobi self-propelled lawnmowers are battery-powered, so ensure you charge the batteries regularly.
• Inspect critical components like the drive belt and wheel assembly frequently.
• Lubricate moving parts in line with the recommendations in the product manual.
• Regularly clean the mower, especially around the wheel assembly. Remove grass clippings and debris that may hinder machine use. You should clean the mower after every use.
• Learn how to correctly operate your Ryobi lawnmower from your manual or user guide.
• Carry out all routine maintenance steps recommended by Ryobi for your particular self-propelled lawnmower.

Conclusion

Ryobi produces self-propelled lawnmowers with varying specifications to suit different lawn needs. The key feature of these machines is their ability to move forward without the operator needing to exert their strength. Yet, in some cases, this feature fails. We outlined some likely reasons why Ryobi self-propelled lawnmowers may not propel as expected and how to fix them.

Some possible issues identified include worn wheel assemblies, drive belt and transmission problems, drive cable issues, and even grass clippings. We also explained how the battery and on/off switch's housing cable could affect a Ryobi lawnmower's self-propelling feature. An important way to prevent self-propelling issues is to maintain it properly, and we presented some general tips for doing that. If you cannot solve the self-propelling problem, seek the help of a technician.