Maintenance Tips
Maintenance Tips to Improve the Lifespan of Your All-Terrain Mowers
How do you ensure that your all-terrain mower can do the job efficiently? Will it serve you for a long time without glitches?
Some of your mowing equipment takes a beating depending on the type of contracts you have. Whether it’s the terrain, the exposure to weather or just regular wear and tear, they cop a lot. But one area we can control is the proper care and maintenance which can dramatically extend the life of your mower, improve reliability, performance and therefore customer satisfaction. A neglected mower is an increased risk contractors just don’t need.
Here are some of the few tune-up tips you can do before kicking off this growing season.
Revisit the Manual
It may look like just a simple leaflet to many, but it is the best way to keep your mowers in good condition. From safety maintenance tips, common problems to troubleshooting, manufacturer’s advice is researched through experience and captured in this leaflet! Think of it as the only thing that can tell you how the maker of your mowers wants you to handle it. So, always keep the manuals safe and refer to them whenever you need maintenance tips and troubleshooting ideas.
Get rid of the fuel in the tank
Most experts said that it is not a good idea to store the old fuel in the tank as it is usually the leading cause why mowers won’t start. With that in mind, use the remaining fuel in the tank or drain it all out and refill anew. Treat it like a car; don’t let it sit in your storage area for a long time without running the engine. Do this every end of the mowing season or during lean months.
Monitor oil levels
Just like cars, oil levels should be monitored from time to time. Look for any signs of debris or dirt. The oil may appear fine on a first glance, but as you look closer, you may be able to see black spots, which may contaminate the oil. So, make sure to replace the oil if it is contaminated, remove the drain plug and let the oil to drain on its own for at least five minutes.
If the mower has no drain plug, gently tilt it on its side so that oil will freely drain through the fill hole.
Change spark plugs
As a safety precaution, always disconnect the spark plug before you start doing this job. When changing spark plugs, clean the area around the spark plug first to avoid any debris from entering the combustion chamber. Use spray-on plug cleaner or wire brush to wipe off light deposits and a sturdy knife to scrape off hardened deposits.
For consistent and easy starting, it is best to change the spark plug every 100 hours or every season, whichever comes first.
Sharpen the blades
Nothing will improve the performance of your mower quite like a freshly sharpened blade. When your mower blades are sharp, it can cut more cleanly and requires less power from your engine.
Before sharpening the blades, make sure to check if these have cracks, bends or thin edges as it may need to be replaced. If not, remove the blades and use a coarse mill file (good) or a diamond file (better) to sharpen the blades.
To Achieve a consistent cut quality and overall performance, sharpen the blades more often or consider keeping additional mower blades.
Clean the mower decks
All-terrain ride-on mowers are designed to tackle nasty shrubs and thick vegetation. These stubborn grasses get caked in the mower decks and may clog the mower’s discharge chute. As a result, mowers may find it difficult to cut or fail to start. So, make sure to check the mower decks and remove grass clippings or specks of dirt by using a hard-bristled brush or a high-pressure hose.
There is no rule about how often to clean the mower decks, but it really should be done regularly to improve the lifespan of your mowers.
Gear Up and Let the Mowers Do the Job
As the sun kicks in this growing season stubborn grasses awake and thick vegetation can fuel up firebreaks causing a fire hazard. Much of this work can be in rough terrain or hard to access areas. This type of job usually needs a special all-terrain mower and can open new opportunities for contractors as not every homeowner will have a specialised all-terrain mower and brushcutter.
References
The importance of mower maintenance and 11 things you can do yourself, Omcpowerequipment.co.nz
How to Maintain a Riding Mower, Iowes.com
Be proactive. Don’t regret not taking action while you had the opportunity!
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