Well, we're almost halfway through the mowing season. In a lot of places it's gotten so dry and hot that we've gotten a bit of a reprieve from mowing duties. So now is the time to make sure that when the grass starts growing again, your mower can still handle it with ease.
A few things youcan do now to keep you running for the rest of the season:
Make sure you use fuel stabilizer throughout the season. If you haven't been using it, hurry up and get some, because carburetors can gum up in only a few weeks of non-use.
-Check belts and pulleys for any signs of wear or impending breakage. In mid-summer, this is probably the most common equipment failure. On belts, look for signs of cracking or check marks, as well as signs of slippage (burned or glazed belts). Be sure to check belt tension too. As the sidewalls that run against the pulleys wear down, the belt slips farther into the pulley grooves, causing it to be looser (Contrary to popular perception, belts don't actually stretch)
-Check the blades. At this point they probably need sharpening. If you see rounded corners or cracks at the end of the blade, it is unsafe and needs to be replaced.
-Clean the mower deck. There is likely a lot of dried grass accumulating on th sidewalls of the deck which impede air flow and reduce performance.
-Check your air filters and oil. At this point they are probably pretty clogged. Especially if it has been dry and dusty.
Tags:
maintenance, midseason, mower, tractor
Posted at: 12:49 PM | Permalink
