Post by naturelovr on Feb 22, 2011 20:21:16 GMT -6
Just a reminder 'cuz it's nearly that time of year...(26 days till spring)
Popular Mechanics - Lawnmower Tuneup 101
An hour a year will keep your walk-behind running right.
By Merle Henkenius
July 8, 2005 12:00 AM
No machine defines a homeowner like his mower. (Apartment dwellers, after all, don't cut grass.) And few tools do as much work. When you consider how much dust and plant matter they stir up, it's a wonder mowers last as long as they do. But they are workhorses, especially if you give them some routine maintenance. The good news is that most mowers are simple machines, so they're easy to service. With about an hour of effort each year, and less than $20 in parts, you can keep a $300 mower running for 15 years or more. Here are the basics:
Get Your Mower Running (In Four Simple Steps)
Seasonal maintenance consists largely of cleaning and lubricating. Dirt on the inside is abrasive, while dirt on the outside traps heat--both increase wear and shorten service life. To avoid these problems, follow this four-step program, further detailed in the diagrams on the following pages.
1. Clean the underside of the deck whenever you see windrows of grass clippings on the lawn. These indicate a clogged deck.
2. Sharpen the blade at least once a year. A dull blade tears the grass instead of cutting it.
3. Install a new spark plug every year. A fouled plug and stale gas are the two leading causes of hard starts.
4. Change the oil and filter, and clean the fuel tank at least once a year.
www.popularmechanics.com/home/improvement/lawn-garden/1645086
Popular Mechanics - Lawnmower Tuneup 101
An hour a year will keep your walk-behind running right.
By Merle Henkenius
July 8, 2005 12:00 AM
No machine defines a homeowner like his mower. (Apartment dwellers, after all, don't cut grass.) And few tools do as much work. When you consider how much dust and plant matter they stir up, it's a wonder mowers last as long as they do. But they are workhorses, especially if you give them some routine maintenance. The good news is that most mowers are simple machines, so they're easy to service. With about an hour of effort each year, and less than $20 in parts, you can keep a $300 mower running for 15 years or more. Here are the basics:
Get Your Mower Running (In Four Simple Steps)
Seasonal maintenance consists largely of cleaning and lubricating. Dirt on the inside is abrasive, while dirt on the outside traps heat--both increase wear and shorten service life. To avoid these problems, follow this four-step program, further detailed in the diagrams on the following pages.
1. Clean the underside of the deck whenever you see windrows of grass clippings on the lawn. These indicate a clogged deck.
2. Sharpen the blade at least once a year. A dull blade tears the grass instead of cutting it.
3. Install a new spark plug every year. A fouled plug and stale gas are the two leading causes of hard starts.
4. Change the oil and filter, and clean the fuel tank at least once a year.
www.popularmechanics.com/home/improvement/lawn-garden/1645086
