Step 1 – Clean your lawn mower. Take some pride in the unit and make it shine for the new season! First off, disconnect the spark plug so that the unit cannot start up in any way while you are under it. Be sure to clean underneath the entire deck, getting rid of any caked on grass or leaves that you may have missed while cleaning in the fall. Do not use any sharp or abrasive objects to clean such as steel wool as it can scratch the paint and cause rust to form. If you do have rust forming under or around your deck be sure to give the unit a nice coat of paint and you have removed the rust to prevent deterioration. Wither you have a rider or a walk behind, start off the season with the unit looking like it is in showroom condition.

Step 2 – Check or replace the oil in your lawn mower. Treat your lawn mower as if it was your car, you wouldn’t run your car without oil or with old oil would you? Unless your engine is a check and add engine (like our B&S 725 EXI) then it should have the oil topped off every month and changed at the beginning or end of the season. This is simple, most riders will have a drain plug that you remove and collect the oil in a container, then when it is removed you top it off with the recommended oil (in most cases SAE30, but check your manual). Walk Behind mowers can be a bit trickier as the drain plug many times have limited access; you may need to tilt your mower to the side to get the oil to come out.

Step 3 – Spark plugs should be checked every season. This includes pulling the spark plug out, checking for corrosion and making sure that the gap is set properly. If there is any corrosion or damage to the spark plug it should be replaced immediately. We offer a wide variety of spark plugs, the higher the quality the longer they will last and the more often it will start on the first pull.

Step 4 – Check your Belts and Air Filter. Air Filters should be replaced seasonally if needed and cleaned on a monthly basis. If your unit has a paper filter any type of water or rain can damage the filter significantly, it is always recommended to have a cloth or paper type filter if available for your unit. Belts are replaced as needed, however it always helps to have a backup in your garage. If you notice any dry rot or cracking on your belt you should replace it now, before you are in the middle of your yard. Every month or two a spray of belt dressing helps limit the amount of dry rot and cracking. Lastly, be sure to check the tension on the belt, no belts should be loose, typically there are several places where you can make adjustments to the belt to increase or decrease tension.

Step 5 – Check your blades. Blades should be sharpened every season to make sure that you have a nice clean cut on your grass. This is a very simple procedure, either using a metal file, drill attachment or by taking it into a local service center. Blades typically will get 3-4 sharpenings before they need to be replaced, or they should be replaced if there are any nicks, chips or damage to the blade itself.

Step 6 – For Riding mowers and Zero Turns, balance your deck. This is something that is usually overlooked going into the season, but is going to mean quite a bit once you get cutting. Scalping or uneven cuts are a sure sign that your deck is not balanced. This task is very simple and requires typically two wrenches, a ruler and level pavement.

• First, put the unit in park, disengage the blades and move the deck to the highest position (take this opportunity to check to make sure tires are properly inflated)
• Rotate the blades to the side of the mower and measure, if the difference between the ends of the blades is over 1/8” then you will need to turn the lift link lock until the blades are even, measuring each full turn (typically adjusts about 3/16” per full rotation). This is typically in front of one of the rear wheels or on a deck hanger. Once they are within 1/8” then you are halfway done
• Now rotate the blades so they are facing the front and back of the mower and measure. If the difference of each end of the blade is over 1/8” then you will need to make an adjustment. Typically on the back of the mower there will be an adjustment jamb nut (has a lock nut to hold in place) that you will need rotate and measure every full turn (typically about 3/16” per rotation).
• Once you have made sure that the side to side and front to back measurements are within 1/8” of each other you are complete and your deck is balanced.

Step 7 – Reconnect everything and start mowing!