As spring and summer arrive, keeping your lawn tractor in good condition is important. These seasons are primetime for keeping lawns looking neat and tidy. Like any machine, lawn tractors require periodic maintenance to keep them working properly. Here’s what you need to do to make sure your lawn tractor doesn’t let you down during the busy lawn care season.
Maintenance inspection tips for lawn tractors:
1) Starters: You want quick and effortless starts the first time you try. If attempting to start your lawn tractor is getting harder, you may need a new starter. The starter is an electrical component that gets the engine going. You can expect to replace the starter in your lawn tractor over its service life.
2) Belts: Operation is dependent on belts that provide power to essential components in your lawn tractor. Over time, belts wear out and need replacement. It’s a good idea to periodically inspect belts for cracks, separation or glazing. Any of these signs indicate that a belt replacement is in order.
3) Blades: If the blade is dull or damaged on your lawn tractor, you’re not going to get the manicured lawn that you desire. Sometimes it’s just a matter of giving your blades a good sharpening, but other times replacing blades is a better choice. If your blades accidentally hit stumps or rocks, they may be damaged to the point that replacement is needed.
4) Steering components: When steering isn’t as precise as you’d like, you’ll want to inspect the gears in your steering system. Gears must be in good condition to ensure precise engagement for crisp and responsive steering.
5) Air filters: Contaminants circulating in your system are trapped by air filters. But by doing what they are supposed to do, they eventually get loaded with particles that reduce their effectiveness. Air filters are meant to be replaced periodically. If your air filter looks dirty, replacing it with a new one will restore more efficient operation to your lawn tractor.
6) Tires: When the tread on tires gets too worn, you lose traction. If traction deteriorates too much, you start to lose control and it becomes a safety hazard. Check your tires to make sure you still have sufficient tread and that your tires are wearing evenly.
7) Oil: Changing oil is one of the most basic yet important things to do to keep your lawn tractor running well and lasting a long time. It’s easy, however, to let time slip by without a timely oil change. As oil collects contaminants and loses lubricating properties, it’s common to overlook unless you keep a reminder calendar about service needs.
Lawn tractor maintenance pays off
A well-maintained lawn tractor will serve you well over many years. Taking time to inspect and fix any issues pays off with more reliable service and longer lasting machinery. The effort you put in is a wise investment in keeping your equipment in prime condition.
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