Lawn Mower Maintenance

Whether you’re the owner of a professional landscaping business or you are simply the owner of a large piece of residential property that needs maintenance, your lawn mower is the key to your success. Keeping your lawn mower functional is vital to getting optimal results when tending grass, so you don’t want to let it fall into disrepair due to neglect. Fortunately, these pieces of equipment aren’t exceedingly complex. With a little know-how and the right set of tools, you should be able to easily keep your machine maintained.

This guide to lawn mower maintenance comes to you courtesy of Morgan Power Equipment, located in Halifax, Massachusetts. Read on to learn more about how to properly maintain your mower so that it will serve you well for years to come.

Read The Manual

Your lawn mower came with an owner’s manual for a reason: to inform you about how your machine works and how to take care of it properly. While you don’t need to read it cover-to-cover, it’s important to peruse it and make sure you understand the basic mechanisms of your mower and what steps you need to take for your particular model. You can also make notes of any professional maintenance you have performed and any parts you have replaced, as well as oil changes, and so forth.

Change The Oil

Speaking of oil, this is one of the most crucial components of any engine’s function. You should change the oil in your lawn mower just as you would your car or truck, and you can check it in a similar fashion. Remove the dipstick, wipe it, reinsert it and remove it again to check the color and consistency of the oil. Clear and runny oil only needs to be topped off, but sludgy and opaque oil necessitates a change. You’ll want to swap out the filter at the same time. If you find metal shavings or water in the oil, you may need to contact the service department here at Morgan Power Equipment so our mechanics can take a look at your engine.

Clean The Undercarriage

If you don’t take the time to sweep out the undercarriage of your mower, you’re going to notice a gradual drop in performance. This is because dried grass, caked-on mud and other debris can slowly clog up the blades and inner workings of your lawn mower. If you have a push mower, you can tip it up and clean it out easily, but a riding lawn mower will require you to put it up on blocks to properly access the cutting deck. A high-pressure hose can easily clear out all the grass and mud from your undercarriage.

Clean out the chute if you have a hopper or use a bag system for your clippings, since clumps of grass can stick in here, too. You never want to leave grass in the hopper between mowings, since it can dry out and stick into one big brick that’s hard to remove.

Sharpen The Blades

The cutting blades of your mower can become dull over time from hitting rocks or chopping up branches. Use a burr, file or grinder to remove the dullness and leave your blades sharp again. You don’t need them to be razor-like; just sharp enough to move efficiently and shear the grass without shredding the blades.

We hope this guide helps you to keep your lawn mower tuned-up and ready to go at a moment’s notice. Still need some lawn care equipment? Visit our dealership in Halifax today to check out our full stock of new and used lawn mowers for sale. If you need some professional maintenance assistance, don’t hesitate to contact our parts and service departments to schedule an appointment with our mechanics. We even offer financing options to help you get the landscaping equipment you need for your home or business. Morgan Power Equipment proudly serves the cities of Brockton and Taunton, Massachusetts.