People who take great pride in maintaining the perfect lawn and landscape generally also exhibit another trait. They also keep their lawn care equipment in perfect working order. The reason is partly because they want their equipment ready to go when work needs to be done, but another reason is simply a sense of pride in knowing everything is taken care of in the best possible way. A sense of pride in a beautifully manicured lawn is matched by the same pride in perfectly operating equipment.
If what we’re describing sounds like you, here’s a checklist of what to do to keep your lawn mower in tiptop shape.
9 things to do to keep your lawn mower working perfectly
1) PTO clutches: The PTO clutch transfers power from the engine to rotate the blade for cutting turfgrass. It’s important that the PTO clutch operates smoothly and with enough power to keep the blade cutting consistently. If the clutch begins to lose power, the result is a choppy looking lawn. These clutches eventually wear out and need replacement over the typical life of the lawn mower.
2) Spindle and shafts: Another part that plays a key role in the spinning movement of your blade is the spindle, which connects the blade to the deck. Everything from worn bearings, cracked housing and a damaged shaft can contribute to a malfunctioning spindle. The normal use of a mower will often lead to these problems. It’s very common to replace the spindle, shaft and housing at a certain point.
3) Blades: The blade of your lawn mower is the part that does the job. But over time, your lawn mower blade will become dull and perhaps damaged from hitting rocks, stumps and hardscape. You can sharpen blades up to a point, but eventually you’ll want to replace your blade. A dull or damaged blade will cut in a ragged manner that leaves your lawn looking less than ideal.
4) Belts: You want to make sure the engine and drive belts in your mower are in good condition. A slipping belt can hurt the performance of your mower, and a broken belt will idle your work at best and potentially cause damage at worst. But because belts are hidden away, you need to occasionally check them for cracking, fraying, glazing and tension. It’s best to get a deteriorating belt changed on your schedule than have a belt fail at an inopportune time.
5) Oil: Changing oil is a routine task, but it’s easily overlooked. Afterall, a mower with dirty oil will start, so it’s easy to ignore. Routine oil changes will generally extend the life of your engine. It’s a small thing that can pay off big.
6) Filters: Here’s another routine task that’s important. Changing both air filters and fuel filters improves both performance and longevity for your machine. Filters perform the important job of trapping gunk. When filters become overloaded, they can’t do their job as well. Replace all filters on a regular basis.
7) Deck Spray: Some people think using deck spray is merely a cosmetic act, but it has real benefits for the operation of your mower. When too much dirt and grass build up on the underside of your deck, it can cause clogging and restrict the movement of your blade. That restriction can impact everything from the appearance of your lawn to engine damage. A quick application of deck spray will prevent dirt and grass from adhering to the deck underside.
8) Starters: It’s really frustrating when the lawn mower is hard or, worse yet, impossible to start. While there can be many reasons for starting difficulties, a bad starter is a prime suspect. Starters are electrical components that crank the engine into operation. Like any component, they will wear out over time. If getting your mower going is becoming more challenging, investigate the condition of your starter.
9) Spark plugs: If your mower is a bit sluggish to start, or the engine is running rough, you might replace the spark plug. Many times, it’s amazing how much better a mower starts and runs with new sparkplugs.
A well-running lawn mower is key to a beautiful lawn
Keeping your lawn mower in prime condition will lead to a more beautiful lawn. The checklist of items listed here is just the beginning. There is so much more you can do to keep your mower going strong. But with good maintenance, your mower will deliver the satisfactory service you need.