Keep Your Lawnmower Running Longer With These Essential Maintenance Tips
If you use a lawnmower to keep your grass beautifully trimmed, your mower will need the proper upkeep so that it can last longer. No matter what type of lawnmower you have, you should make sure that it receives the necessary maintenance at the right intervals to avoid problems that could wear down your lawn mower faster and require a replacement. Just remember to disconnect the lawnmower’s spark plug before doing any maintenance work. These useful tips can help you stay on top of all your lawnmower’s maintenance tasks.
Change the Oil
Just like the vehicle you drive, your lawnmower should have its oil changed so that old, dirty oil doesn’t damage the motor. A good time to change the oil will be when you have finished mowing for the year and you're about to store your lawnmower for the winter. You can simply drain the oil and then put in new oil so that your lawnmower will be ready to go when the next mowing season starts.
Lubricate the Moving Parts
Lubrication of your mower’s moving parts is essential for top performance. The blades on your lawn mower that cut the grass will need proper lubrication to prevent rust formation and to keep grass from sticking to the blades. Lubricant can also be applied to the wheels so that they can continue to roll forward and backward smoothly. The rear door hinges, handle bracket mounting pins, and brake spring bracket should be lubricated as well.
Replace the Air Filter
Check the air filter to see if it’s heavily soiled with dirt and debris. A dirty air filter can’t do as good of a job at keeping impurities out of your lawnmower’s system, and cleaning or replacing the filter can help keep your lawnmower’s parts cleaner so that they can function without interference.
Manually Clean the Lawnmower
As clean as you try to keep your lawnmower, it’s bound to get dirty with all the dirt and grass blades that it encounters. It’s best to clean your mower manually periodically to remove the grass clippings and other debris that could clog parts of your lawnmower and keep it from working correctly. You can turn your lawnmower on its side and use a brush to clean the bottom sections of the mower. Never use your hands to pull out grass and other debris so that you don’t cut yourself on the blades or other sharp parts.
You can continue to operate your lawnmower with less interference by tending to your mower’s maintenance. Many of the essential maintenance tasks are easy to perform and can be completed in little time.