Well it is spring again and for many of us the law cutting season has already begun. Although your lawn mower won’t see as many miles as your car it is important to tune it up and the best time to do that is in Spring.
Just like your car there are similar areas that you need to service.
The first thing you want to do is inspect the outside of the lawn mower for physical wear.
Wheels
Inspect your Tires and Wheels and if you have a self propelled lawn mower it is important to examine the gear surfaces inside the wheel for wear. Also Self Propelled lawn mowers tend to wear down the tires much faster then standard mowers. If you see you need some new wheels then contact your manufacturer early and have a set delivered to you by mail. You also want to check the tightness of the wheel on its axle shaft. Nylon wheels will quickly wear and you may be able to find some thin washers that can get you by or you may need to replace your wheels.
If you do need to replace your wheels there is a possibility that you can remove the tires and save them if they are not worn. They should fit perfectly on new wheels after the set that comes with your new order has worn down. I have placed rear tires on front self propelled lawn mower wheels that have the gears in them and they work well.. the only problem is you need a few screw drivers and a prybar to get them off and on.
Blade
After your wheels you want to inspect your blade. The blade is one of the most important parts of your lawn mower and it must be sharp to provide a good cut on the grass and also to reduce the horsepower necessary to cut thick grass. If you find that your lawn mower seems to be taking longer or bogging down with normal height grass you may need to sharpen your blade. However you may also need to raise the cut height if you let your grass grow too long.
Having your blade sharpened professionally is probably going to cost you about the same as replacing it. Figure about $20 for either choice. The reason professional sharpening cost so much and why you should ask one to perform this service is because Lawn Mower Blades need to be balanced when they are sharpened. If one side is heavier then the other then it could destroy your engine by forcing the crank shaft out of balance and eating up your bearings.
However if you decide to just replace the blade you may want to look at a mulching blade. They will reduce the need to use a bag on your lawn mower if you keep your grass long between cuts.
Spark Plug
The next item to inspect is your spark plug.
Simply remove the plug and examine it. If it is wet then you may have a problem. If the liquid is gasoline and the plug has black soot on it then you know that your mixture is way too rich and you probably have smoke coming out of your exhaust. If it is oily then you probably need a new piston ring. In either case fixing the problem before replacing the spark plug. If your plug is a light gray or light cream and seems to have few deposits or wear areas on the metal electrodes then you can continue using it.
Air Filter
Most lawn mowers have a foam rubber air filter that you should wash with standard hand or laundry soap. Do not use chemicals that could damage the foam. Once it is clean it must be completely dry before you re-install it. If your air filter is beyond cleaning or has physical damage … or if you just don’t have one then you should contact your manufacturer or local dealer for a replacement. Don’t just stick some random foam rubber in there and hope it works because it is specially constructed to allow air flow and foam in furniture or from other items is usually closed cell to keep it water proof and it will not let air through…
Oil
It is important to change the oil in your lawn mower once a year or as recommended by your manufacturer. There should be a drain plug near where your cutting blade attaches to your engine. Using a proper wrench not pliers remove the plug to drain the oil. For best results you may want to change your oil after it has heated up. Refill the engine with oil as directed in your manual. Most small engines take a 10w-30 or straight 30w oil. NEVER RUN THE ENGINE WITHOUT OIL…
Linkage and Cables
After the basic parts are inspected you can move on to things like your cable linkage and hand controls. Make sure they are in good condition and not lose. If possible you should lubricate them with oil. Standard grade oil or grease should work well.
Your carburetor is also an important area and while you have the air filter off you should inspect it for gum buildup and if necessary clean it then lubricate any moving parts. Take notice of the spring and make sure it is not crimped or catching.
Final Note
Since each Mower is different and push models will have much less servicing needed then tractors and ones with attachments it is important to read your manual and get a recommended service schedule for your specific model. The steps above are really a minimum and you may need to do things like service your battery on a tractor or inspect and clean your attachments.