How to Replace the Governor in a 25 HP Sears Riding Mower

Sears owns the Craftsman brand of riding lawn mowers. The 25 HP, or horsepower, Sears Craftsman riding mower features a Briggs & Stratton engine with a governor used to control the maximum speed of the mower for safety purposes. You may need to replace a malfunctioning governor rather than repair it. Replacement doesn't require the help of a professional repairman. Instead, you can replace the governor on your Sears mower without any unique tools and sans any previous mower repair knowledge.

Socket wrench
Replacement governor

Instructions

- 1
  Power off the 25 HP riding mower and allow it time to cool before proceeding.
- 2
  Remove the flywheel cover, or "shroud" on the Craftsman riding mower. Remove the bolts securing the flywheel cover in place using a socket wrench, then slide the cover off the flywheel.
- 3
  Find the end of the governor's plastic flap. This plastic flap on the Craftsman riding mower connects to the Briggs & Stratton engine assembly beside the magneto, which is on the exposed flywheel's side.
- 4
  Remove the bolt that holds the Sears governor's flap in place. Use your socket wrench.
- 5
  Disconnect the rod on the mower governor's plastic flap from the eyelet located on the carburetor. This eyelet is on the top of the carburetor. You can find the carburetor halfway up the right side of the Briggs & Stratton engine assembly.
- 6
  Disconnect the governor part from under the plastic flap now that it has been freed up. Insert the replacement governor.
- 7
  Reconnect the governor's rod to the eyelet on the top of the Briggs & Stratton carburetor.
- 8
  Resecure the plastic flap by reinserting the bolt that holds it in place beside the magneto.

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