Mower maintenance

It doesnt take much to keep the mower working!

That time of year has come again when everyone is pulling out their old mower hoping it will work for another season. There are a few things that can be done to service your mower, to keep it running, save you money, and make sure you are slightly more confident when pulling it out the shed next year.

1. Clean your mower after every use. Wash the underside of the mower clean with a rag. It’s a good idea to also spray the underside deck with vegetable oil to prevent grass stick.

2. Check the oil. Check the oil before every use. If its low top it up, and if it’s dirty replace it.

3. Check buts and bolts. Every now and again check that nuts and bolts are tight. If your anything like me and are a fairly aggressive mower check more often.

4. Lubricate. Moving parts that are easy to get to should be lubricated every month or so. This will prevent any rust of seizing up of moving parts.

5. Clean the air filter. Air filters need cleaning regularly as a blocked air filter will hinder the performance of the mower and place stress on the engine. Many filters are behind a protective housing and often they consist of two parts: a foam outing and inner paper element. The foam outing should be cleaned in water with a drop of soap and allowed to dry naturally. The paper element can be cleaned by compressed air or by being lightly tapped. Brushing the dirt will force it in to the filter fiber which will cause lasting damage.

Just a little bit of effort has helped my mower sustain a long and healthy life. I’m sure your mower will become a lifelong companion if these simple steps are followed. It may be worth having your mower serviced by a professional every year or so to ensure the harder to reach more technical components of your mower are in sound working order and your blades are nice and sharp!