There’s
nothing like the feeling of the wind blowing through your hair, the
bugs in your teeth, and the jealous glances of your establishment
type neighbor’s as they hear the thunderous roar coming from the
engine your mighty iron horse! Well, the monotony of riding around
the lawn on your riding mower, or garden tractor, does leave you some
time to fantasize, doesn’t it?
Anyway,
back to reality. Your iron horse needs some regular maintenance to
keep it in top shape, so let’s start with the basics. Here is a
list of what you should do, and how often.
Before
performing any of these steps unplug the spark plug and secure the
spark plug wire to the engine block, well away from the spark plug.
That way the thing can’t start and all your fingers, and other body
parts, will remain attached.
After
the first 5 hours of operation for a new machine:
Change
oil in the engine and replace the oil filter. Change it again after
another ten hours, then every twenty-five hours.
Check
the belt that drives the blades for proper tension. New belts need
to stretch in, so check them often until they don’t seem to be
stretching anymore.
Check
the condition of the blades and make sure they are tight.
Check
the tire pressures. Uneven pressure can cause uneven cutting.
Every
25 hours of operation:
Change
the oil and filter. Some machines may not have a filter. The
frequency of changing oil is the same.
Clean
the air filter, or replace it if you have been pretending you’re
an off road racer and raised a lot of dust.
Check
the drive belt tension and condition of the belt. Replace frayed and
badly cracked belts. There are belts that drive the blades, and
those that drive the differential. Some machines may have a shaft or
chain drive to the differential instead of a belt.
Sharpen
the blades and make sure they are reattached with the specified
torque. Check your manual for details. For obvious safety reasons,
this is very important.
Check
to see if the mower deck is level. If not, check the manual on how
to level it. This is important for a nice cut and helps prevent
scalping uneven areas of the lawn.
Clean
the underside of the mower deck. Scrape off grass build up.
Lubricate
the mower deck, front axle and wheel bearings. Look for grease
nipples on these areas and use the type of grease specified in your
manual. Usually, good quality, general-purpose grease is called for.
Check
and lubricate the differential as needed. If there is a chain drive,
lubricate that too. Refer to your manual.
Every
couple of years:
The
various bushings and bearings tend to wear to the point where you
can feel some play in the spindles that the blades are attached to.
When you go to sharpen the blades, give each one a shake before you
loosen it off. If you feel play there, the bushings may need to be
replaced. That’s a job for a pro.
Jack
up the front end and give the wheels a shake. Again, if there is
play there, the bushings or bearings may need to be replaced. Also,
if you notice that the machine has a tendency to wander from the
straight and narrow while your cutting the grass, the front wheels
may need aligning. Or, maybe you just need another cup of coffee.
Check
that all controls are working smoothly. There should be no binding.
Binding can be caused by maladjustment, dirt build up or damage to
the control mechanism. Give the machine a good cleaning, especially
on the bottom, and check your manual regarding instructions on
making adjustments. It is also a good idea, at this point to check
the safety interlock system on the machine. This system is designed
to prevent the machine from starting accidentally in an unsafe
manner. In order for the machine to start certain controls must be
disengaged and someone must be sitting in the seat. Check the manual
for the starting procedure for your make and model of machine.
You’ll need to make sure that the spark plug is connected to do
this. Test and see what happens if you violate that procedure, the
machine should not start. If it does, take it to a qualified
mechanic right away, it is unsafe to use.
Storing
the Iron Horse:
In
some areas of the country you can live to ride and ride to live all
year round. Lucky you! But in most areas you just have to store your
ride for a while. So here’s some pointers on how to store it during
the snow so that, come spring, it will go.
Clean
it good. Get all those old grass clippings, and hunks of your neighbor’s hedge, out of there. If you use a pressure washer,
make sure the engine’s air intake is blocked off so water can’t
get in there. Also cover the ignition system to prevent it getting
wet. Don’t use too much water pressure on the engine.
Change
the oil and filter.
Clean
the air filter.
NO
SMOKING AT THIS POINT! Check the fuel filter, if your machine has
one, and replace it if seems to be loading up with dirt. Drain the
fuel into an approved container at the same time. You want to store
the machine without any fuel in the tank, or in the engine.
Run
the engine until all remaining fuel is used up. When it runs out of
gas, try to start it again, just to make sure all the gas has been
used up. If the machine has a fuel shut off valve, shut it.
Sharpen
the blades.
Lubricate
the mower deck, wheels and axles as specified in your manual.
Check
the differential fluid level and top up if needed.
Lubricate
any drive chains.
Remove
and clean the battery. Store the battery on a wooden surface.
Close
the vent on the fuel cap.
To
prevent rust, apply a light coat of oil to any exposed bare metal
surfaces.
Store
the machine inside, protected from the elements.
Come
spring, you will need to charge up the battery before reinstalling
it. Then, add some fresh, clean gasoline, and you should be ready to
get your motor runnin’; head out on the lawn, looking for adventure
- or at least tall grass. Ride (and fantasize) responsibly.
Note:
The author is not responsible for any injury of damage caused to, or
by, readers performing the tasks mentioned. Readers proceed at their
own risk.