Month: June 2019

Lawn Mower Repair Tips

One Drive Wheel Stopped Turning on My Self-Propelled Lawn Mower

 

Today’s self-propelled lawn mowers either have steel or plastic drive gears. The steel gears never seem to wear out but their spring loaded woodruf keys that are on the axle can rest and stick in place. When this happens, one side or both can stop working.

If you have a plastic drive gear on the wheel, it can wear out and stop pulling the drive wheel.

In either case the drive wheels will need to be removed and the drive system inspected. While you are at it, inspect the drive belt for wear. If it is loose or rides deep in the groove, it is time for a replacement.

Carefully inspect the drive gears to make sure they are not missing any teeth or are worn out. Grass clippings can also get into them and fill the grooves between the teeth. Clean them out good and replace any worn parts. Also check the drive shaft on models that use the spring and woodruf key. Clean out the slots and ensure everything is dry and free of grease and dirt.

If this project is more than you want to tackle, visit our Locations page for a self-propelled lawn mower repair shop near you.

Lawn Mower Repair Tips

My Lawn Mower Blades Wear Out Quickly

Lawn mower blades normally last a long time and if yours are wearing out quickly, there are probably some external factors that you might not think about.

My first question is, are you cutting your grass when it has dew on it or is wet from rain? Water is very tough on lawn mower blades. Water is a solid and when the blade hits it, it quickly dulls the blade and begins to wear it out. Wait until the grass dries before you mow each time and this will place a lot less wear on those lawn mower blades.

Do you have tough grasses in your area? If you live in the south, this could be your problem. Thick lush grass will quickly wear out those lawn mower blades as well. Try cutting it more frequently or change to a different blade that is designed to handle these types of grasses. Better quality steel is the answer here.

Is there a lot of sand in your lawn? Sand is the big killer of lawn mower blades. You can upgrade to a better grade steel, but the sand is going to continue to wear out those blades.

For help selecting a lawn mower blade in your area, visit our Locations page for a small engine repair shop near you.

 

Lawn Mower Repair Tips, Push and Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Repair

The Pull the Cord on my Lawn Mower Won’t Move

Are you trying to pull the cord to start your lawn mower and it just won’t budge? You try to yank on it and it is just stuck?

It could be something very simple that is causing this problem or something a little more in-depth.

The first thing you want to do is make sure that you are pulling down on the Safety Brake Cable. If the brake is engaged, it makes it much harder to pull the starter rope.

If that doesn’t do the trick, remove the spark plug boot from the spark plug and check to see if a stick or rock is not bound up in the blade.

Still a problem? Remove the dipstick, wipe it off and then re-check the oil level. If it is very low or you don’t see any on the dipstick, the engine could be seized up due to a lack of oil.

The other possibility but it is not likely is that the pull starter itself is bad. You will have to remove it to test it.

If you need help with your pull cord on your lawn mower, visit our Locations page for a lawn mower repair shop near you.

Lawn Mower Repair Tips, Riding Lawn Mower Repair

I Turn the Key on My Riding Lawn Mower and Nothing Happens

This can be frustrating when you have a yard that needs mowed and you get nothing when the key is turned.

Let’s see if we can turn some of that frustration into a mower that starts and runs.

Check easy first.

Is the mower in gear? If so, place it in neutral. Is the PTO switch engaged? If so, disengage it. Do you have the clutch pedal pressed completely down? If not, press it in further. Are you sitting on the seat? You must be in the seated position on some mowers before they will start.

Is the main fuse blown? You can find it either under the hood or under the seat near the battery. It will always be located near the battery in almost all riding lawn mowers.

If the fuse is good, have the battery tested at your local parts store or check for voltage with a volt meter or VOM. Also check the battery terminal connections to ensure that they are clean of any corrosion and tight.

If the problem still persists, it is time to call in a professional riding lawn mower repair technician. Check our Locations page for one near you.

Lawn Mower Repair Tips

How To Prepare Your Lawn Mower For Spring

If your lawn mower has sat all winter long, there are some items that will need to be accomplished to ensure that it is ready for a year of mowing.

The first item should be a thorough tune-up. The oil will need to be changed, so start the mower and warm it up for about 5 minutes. Now change the oil and use what the manufacturer recommends.

The next times would be the air filter and spark plug. After you change them, blow off the dirt and dust off the engine and deck using compressed air. Lubricate the control cables with a dry film lubricant such as dry silicone.

Remove the spark plug cable and then remove the lawn mower blade and scrape the deck. Sharpen and balance the blade and install it and torque it to the manufacturers specifications.

Check the drive wheels and lubricate them with dry silicone as well. Remove the nut or bolt that holds the wheel on and lubricate both the axle and the drive gears.

Re-install the spark plug cable and  fill the mower with fresh gas and then test it to ensure that all of the functions are working properly. If everything works like normal, you are ready to mow your lawn!

If you need a professional in your area to ensure your lawn mower is ready for spring, visit our Locations page for help.

 

Outdoor Power Equipment Reviews, Push and Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Repair

Why should I buy a Honda Lawn Mower?

That is a very good question and when you compare Honda lawn mowers with other brands, the reasons become pretty obvious.

The biggest reason in my opinion is quality. You are going to pay a little more for a Honda lawn mower, but I have seen them come into my small engine repair shop that are more than 20 years old. You won’t see many other brands that will come even close to lasting that long.

Honda starts out with a very dependable engine. Their self-propelled and push mowers typically use a GCV type engine in 160 or 190cc. This is plenty of power to mow your lawn and pull the mower up hills easily. As long as you keep the oil changed and do the required maintenance, these engines are pretty bulletproof.

The decks on a Honda are either steel or plastic. Both of these are pretty rugged and the steel decks will almost never rust through. As long as you keep the deck scraped of the wet grass buildup, rust will not be a big issue.

The controls are pretty intuitive and are built fairly well. They require some lubrication and maintenance and the cables will go bad in them just like any other self-propelled or push mower.

Drive systems are a big one and Honda spares no expense here. They use steel on steel gears instead of a steel drive gear and a plastic mating one on the drive wheel like a lot of competitors.

Honda uses a Twin Blade system on some of their mowers. This cuts the grass very fine and helps to mulch it as well. This is another plus to a good looking lawn.

All in all, Honda puts quality in every aspect of their lawn mowers and it is money well spent to keep your yard looking great.