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Posted: 8/22/2017 11:39:47 AM EDT
[#1]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Don't have one but most are little pieces of green foam like my off road motorcycles....right.? I see my yard guy sharpen his stuff once in awhile. |
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Posted: 8/22/2017 11:40:49 AM EDT
[#2]
Oil gets changed and filter gets cleaned before winter storage. Spark plug and valve adjustment every other year. Blade gets sharpened when I'm bored sometime during the winter.
For those with K46 hydrostatic equipped riders (box store riders and JD X300) out of warranty I recommend changing your "non serviceable" transmission's fluid to 15w50 synthetic. |
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Posted: 8/22/2017 11:41:52 AM EDT
[#3]
Oil? Every spring.
Air filter? Check and blow out with compressed air, or replace every spring. Blades? I keep spares and swap when it stops cutting cleanly. Sharpen the old one and hang it up for next time. Spark plug? Every few years. Tires? Put tubes and Slime in all 4. Grease fittings? 1-2 times a season. Axle boots/00 grease? When torn/needed (Snapper). |
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Posted: 8/22/2017 11:42:59 AM EDT
[#4]
What's the best blade sharpener? Saw the ones you mount to a drill but I'm looking for something easier. By hand perhaps?
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Posted: 8/22/2017 11:44:51 AM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
What's the best blade sharpener? Saw the ones you mount to a drill but I'm looking for something easier. By hand perhaps? |
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Posted: 8/22/2017 11:45:13 AM EDT
[#6]
If by changed you mean remove, tap on driveway and replace, then all the time.
If you mean go out and actually buy a new one, never. |
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Posted: 8/22/2017 11:45:48 AM EDT
[#7]
At the end of last year's riding season. Didn't change the air filter. Just cleaned it.
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Posted: 8/22/2017 11:51:20 AM EDT
[#8]
Interesting that this thread came up. My mower just broke down and I'm trying to figure it out. Help me, GD.
It'll start (mostly) fine, but the second I hit a bit of grass it's like the resistance makes it stop. Almost like I'm mowing high wet grass, but this is low dry grass. It also sputters when I push forward, then pull back rapidly. I'm thinking it's the carb, but just want to make sure before I start taking stuff off. |
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Posted: 8/22/2017 11:55:39 AM EDT
[#9]
Change oil, filter, plugs in my commercial 60" front deck mower each spring and blow out air filters and again change oil filter and top up mid season. I mow around 5 acres each week. Blades is another matter. The deck on this beast weighs around 400#s and requires jacks to raise it up on it's pivot points. The blades it swings weigh around 3 pounds each and it swings 3 of them. Whole mower weighs 1200+ pounds. Powered by an old ONAN 20 Performer. It's a 1990 Kut Kwick. It's basically a yard brush hog with a motor and seat. Will cut through 1-1/2" sapplings if need to.
Got a '05 Craftsman GT5000(manual trans) that I did have to do main mowing, but now does our rock driveway blading and does mowing when my other mower is down for repairs. Also got a 1967 Cub Cadet 102 that I've repaired/cleaned and got back up and working to do some mild work around the home with wagon pulling and dragging of stuff to take to our burn ditch. Almost forgot about my push mower which only does trim mowing and weed cutting around our pond bank where I can't see the inside edges with the big mower. |
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Posted: 8/22/2017 11:58:34 AM EDT
[#10]
I want to add a turbo to my lawnmower or at least a shot of nitrous so when the engine bogs down I can just hit the juice.
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Posted: 8/22/2017 12:05:19 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I want to add a turbo to my lawnmower or at least a shot of nitrous so when the engine bogs down I can just hit the juice. 
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Posted: 8/22/2017 12:09:01 PM EDT
[#12]
Mine was kinda clogged up so I threw it away, it runs perfectly now!
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Posted: 8/22/2017 12:14:09 PM EDT
[#13]
I usually do it in the spring. My Toro Super Recycler is going on 15 years and still starts on the first or second pull. We've used it so much, the wheels actually wore down to starts cracking because the tread was so thin.
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Posted: 8/22/2017 12:17:55 PM EDT
[#14]
I did mine maybe a month ago.
The blades need replacement or sharpening fairly often. I usually swap blades and sharpen the other at my leisure. I buy the tune-up kits and change the filter, oil, and plug, but I am honestly not sure any of that is is really needed. I use a push mower to cut a half acre of grass from April to November, sometimes longer, and even after three years the oil looks relatively new, the filter is clean, and the plug isn't fouled. If nobody told me all that stuff had been replaced I wouldn't have noticed. |
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Posted: 8/22/2017 12:26:59 PM EDT
[#15]
Beginning of the summer.
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Posted: 8/22/2017 12:33:45 PM EDT
[#16]
I fucking hate mowing the lawn in the South Florida summer heat and humidity. I have a gas powered push mower (no drive wheels, just push).
But I sharpen the blade every time before I cut the grass, and it cuts cleaner and leaves less spots with random weeds that pop back up after going over them, than an un-sharpened blade. As some of you may remember from my machete "incident" a few months back, I have an affinity for sharp blades on all my tools. |
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Posted: 8/22/2017 12:45:58 PM EDT
[#17]
About 3 days ago. New sparkplug. New filter, and fresh oil.
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Posted: 8/22/2017 12:58:04 PM EDT
[#18]
I also changed the spark plugs this year.
I thought I broke it as it ran like crap and bogged down when I engaged the blades. It ran perfectly when I actually plugged in both spark plugs.
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Posted: 8/22/2017 1:02:04 PM EDT
[#19]
Change the oil and filter once every 10 years or so
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Posted: 8/22/2017 1:19:12 PM EDT
[#20]
Man, I know preventative maintenance is important and all, and I'm pretty meticulous with my vehicles, but my mower? I bought the cheapest Murray at WalMart for like $125 and ran it for 10 years without doing any maintenance (none--no oil change, filter, plug, nothing), except a new blade half way through. In the end, it wasn't even an engine issue that killed it--the deck itself broke some welds and was not serviceable. Went back to WalMart and got another one last year. They raised the price ten bucks over the last 10 years though, dagnabbit!
Props to you guys who actually maintain your stuff, though--I'm not bragging about how I abused my mower. |
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Posted: 8/22/2017 2:58:31 PM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Interesting that this thread came up. My mower just broke down and I'm trying to figure it out. Help me, GD. It'll start (mostly) fine, but the second I hit a bit of grass it's like the resistance makes it stop. Almost like I'm mowing high wet grass, but this is low dry grass. It also sputters when I push forward, then pull back rapidly. I'm thinking it's the carb, but just want to make sure before I start taking stuff off. |
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Posted: 8/22/2017 3:01:42 PM EDT
[#22]
My mower has an air filter? Oil change? Wtf.
I just sharpened my blade after 4-5 years. |
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Posted: 8/22/2017 3:04:36 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
You'd be suprised how much of a difference it makes... Same with the cabine air filter in your vehicle. Had a Honda riding mower, when a gf moved in, the mower moved to the side of the house. It always ran, but sometimes sounded sick. Bored, I changed the oil, filter, and plug, friggin' thing purred like a kitten. Good mower considering I treated it like shit. 
Were you sleeping with your mower? |
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Posted: 8/22/2017 3:16:46 PM EDT
[#24]
I have an electric mower.
My man card is in the mail. 
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Posted: 8/22/2017 3:31:20 PM EDT
[#25]
I treat mine like shit and begs for more. Last spring it was making noises and somehow the oil was non exists to. Threw some Mobil 1 10w-30 high mileage in there and it's purred since. I check my oil before every now now
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Posted: 8/22/2017 3:55:02 PM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Were you sleeping with your mower?
Otherwise, I hope he never burned his willie on the exhaust. |
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Posted: 8/22/2017 3:56:12 PM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I have an electric mower. My man card is in the mail. |
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Posted: 8/22/2017 3:57:50 PM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Had the same mower for almost 5 years. Haven't done any of that. The deck will go bad long before the engine even with zero maintenance |
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Posted: 8/22/2017 3:58:37 PM EDT
[#29]
I have a mower that I picked up used in some kind of gun trade 6 or 7 years ago. The only thing good about it is that it has a Honda engine. It already runs lean and takes a little while to warm up so I will probably never clean the filter.
I sharpen the blade with an angle grider and change the oil every couple years. Based on the condition of the wheels, they will probably die before the mower does. The handle broke this spring and I welded it. It is getting pushed over to beater status for cutting weeds and stuff in the pasture as I bought a $130 Troy Bilt off the return rack at Lowes. Same horsepower but lighter body which makes it more nimble. I have repaired/replaced lots of things on mowers over the years, including a camshaft on a Tecumseh, but only one time did I replace a plug that needed it. Most of the time I just check them and clean them but if your mower is running right, the plug will last for many years. Same thing with a weedeater. |
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Posted: 8/22/2017 4:00:57 PM EDT
[#30]
Cleaning the grass clippings off and out from under the deck after every cutting can go a long way toward keeping the deck from rusting through. Especially if you cut damp grass.
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Posted: 8/22/2017 4:01:53 PM EDT
[#31]
I bought my Craftsman lawnmover (the cheapest model) 17 years ago, and I have NEVER changed the spark plug, air filter or oil. I replaced the blade once about 14 years ago, but I couldn't tell any difference, so I never bothered to do that again. I occasionally check the oil level and pour in a little more if it seems low.
It has always worked fine. I might actually finally get rid of it this year, because last year we finally caved and hired a service to mow our yard, so it doesn't seem like I will be using it much. It would clear up a little bit of space in the shed, I guess. |
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Posted: 8/22/2017 4:02:57 PM EDT
[#32]
My Troy-Bilt mower is 9 or 10 years old. I think I have changed the blade 3 times. I have never touched anything else and so far it still runs great.
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Posted: 8/22/2017 4:05:34 PM EDT
[#33]
Just got a mower from my dad that sat for 2 years outside covered with a tarp.
Emptied out the half tank of gas. New plugs. New air filter and pre filter. New gas filter. New battery. New positive side connection due to old one being welded on the old battery due to rust. Slimed 4 tires. New oil and filter due to gas in the motor after 1 mowing. New Carb as the old carb was not able to be taken apart and rebuilt due to rust/seizing of the bolts for the float. New blades as the old ones looked like the original ones from 2003 when the mower was new and had never been sharpened and looked beat to shit. $375 in what would be a $1,400 mower from Lowes. Edit: all done by me except for the Carb and blades since the mower was there got them to do the blades. Edit: my moms Craftsman had maintenance done on it the first couple of years and has only had the blades sharpened once since then, no oil changes or anything else. Runs great just needs blades sharpened again. |
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Posted: 8/22/2017 4:07:39 PM EDT
[#34]
Still on the first spark plug 2 year old mower. Just changed the filter, mainly because the wife who cuts the grass tipped it on the carb side and oil leaked into the filter which clogged it early. While I was at it, sharpened the blade as well.
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Posted: 8/22/2017 4:10:18 PM EDT
[#35]
Just did today. Started up and kept dying. Pretty good run for 5 years.
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Posted: 8/22/2017 4:11:56 PM EDT
[#36]
The air filter and blade are original to the mower, 1978 vintage.
The plug I changed a few years ago. |
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Posted: 8/22/2017 4:12:34 PM EDT
[#37]
Plug, filter and clean the carb in the spring.
Sharpen the blade in the spring and the beginning of August. |
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Posted: 8/22/2017 4:12:57 PM EDT
[#38]
I'm pretty much a maintenance geek. I've never had a mower go bad. Long story short, I bought a Homelite-Jacobsen 20" push mower for my very small yard in 1990. Aluminum deck, 'premium' B&S 3.5HP (compression release and quiet muffler). Moved to big yard in '94 and bought different mower. Gave the HJ to brother-in-law who really abused it. He died :). I got it back and brought it back from the dead. Gave it to my brother who took care of it and cut a small yard with it for a few years. He is 83 now and quit cutting grass so I picked it up the other week and went over it again. Gave it to the SIL who had it before since she bought a house with a small flat yard. Took it over there the other day and taught her teen daughters how to use it and how to mow the lawn and not cut off fingers/toes. The thing still looks pretty good and is perfect condition. I use Castrol Edge full-synthetic 10W-30 in my mowers. When I had this one I cleaned and oiled the foam filter at least yearly. Since other people have had it, I usually just buy a new one, oil it and install it when I do a refresh on it.
Otherwise, my 'new' mowers are a 2004 Lawn-Boy 10684 (Tecumseh) and a 2008 Lawn-Boy 22271 (Honda GSV190). I replace the paper air filters when they get dirty - once or twice a year on the 10684 but not so often on the 22271 because it has a foam pre-filter that I wash and re-oil in the spring. 
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Posted: 8/22/2017 4:19:41 PM EDT
[#39]
This spring, like always.
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Posted: 8/22/2017 4:20:54 PM EDT
[#40]
Never for the air filter. Clean it every spring though. Do oil, oil filter, and fuel filter while I'm at it. I replace anti-scalp wheels on a random rotation schedule throughout mowing season. Fuckers keep breaking off when I do a side turn into our driveway. Blades are changed once a season. I somehow end up hitting previously mentioned anti-scalp wheels or some damn river stones that pop up and trash the hell out of them. All three turn at different heights most times and I have that pimp daddy roller look.
60" Hustler Z with 25hp Kawa engine cutting about 6 acres once a week. CHRIS |
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Posted: 8/22/2017 4:26:22 PM EDT
[#41]
I have been running the same filter and plug for at least 8 years now. Changed the oil a couple times. I looked at the air filter earlier this year and it looked brand new. Not dark or clogged one bit.
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Posted: 8/22/2017 4:31:45 PM EDT
[#42]
I charged the 40v battery this morning for the 16 year old to use later. With a small yard, a push mower is fine and this is way simpler (and quieter) that messing with a gas burner.
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Posted: 8/22/2017 4:38:54 PM EDT
[#43]
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Posted: 8/22/2017 5:30:13 PM EDT
[#44]
I am on my 12th season mowing with my Scag Wildcat 61" cut 27h Kohler.
I change the oil and filter once or twice a year depending on how much it gets used. Change the inner air filter once a year and the outer once or twice depending on how dusty it is and how much it gets used. Change the hydraulic fluid and filter once a year. New spark plugs about every other year. Grease fittings once or twice a year except the blade spindle bearing get serviced every couple mowings. I do like the way sharp blades cut so I sharpen blades very frequently. Every couple mowings usually The grass clippings are cleaned out from under the deck after every mowing unless it is so dry that nothing builds up under there. I am on my 17th year running my John Deere 30hp tractor and it gets pretty much the same treatment except I only change the hydraulic fluid every other year. My push mower gets somewhat neglected but I only use it to mow in some spots I can't get to with the Scag. Don't get me started on my boat and motor, I actually care about it.
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Posted: 8/22/2017 5:34:39 PM EDT
[#45]
I hose it off every year or two. Sharpen the blade every year.
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Posted: 8/22/2017 5:36:42 PM EDT
[#46]
Quoted:
Or the oil or spark plug? How about the blade? Do you keep it sharpened? One of the simple joys in life is plowing through tall grass with a lawn mower that is running in tip top shape. Agree? Oil, filter, plug every 3 years. Blade as needed, but was replaced this year. 8 year old Honda mower. |
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Posted: 8/22/2017 5:42:33 PM EDT
[#47]
Will you help me sharpen my blades? Three years in sandy soil appears to have dulled them.
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Posted: 8/22/2017 5:49:21 PM EDT
[#48]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I'm pretty much a maintenance geek. I've never had a mower go bad. Long story short, I bought a Homelite-Jacobsen 20" push mower for my very small yard in 1990. Aluminum deck, 'premium' B&S 3.5HP (compression release and quiet muffler). Moved to big yard in '94 and bought different mower. Gave the HJ to brother-in-law who really abused it. He died :). I got it back and brought it back from the dead. Gave it to my brother who took care of it and cut a small yard with it for a few years. He is 83 now and quit cutting grass so I picked it up the other week and went over it again. Gave it to the SIL who had it before since she bought a house with a small flat yard. Took it over there the other day and taught her teen daughters how to use it and how to mow the lawn and not cut off fingers/toes. The thing still looks pretty good and is perfect condition. I use Castrol Edge full-synthetic 10W-30 in my mowers. When I had this one I cleaned and oiled the foam filter at least yearly. Since other people have had it, I usually just buy a new one, oil it and install it when I do a refresh on it. Otherwise, my 'new' mowers are a 2004 Lawn-Boy 10684 (Tecumseh) and a 2008 Lawn-Boy 22271 (Honda GSV190). I replace the paper air filters when they get dirty - once or twice a year on the 10684 but not so often on the 22271 because it has a foam pre-filter that I wash and re-oil in the spring. http://i.imgur.com/8zEv25c.jpg |
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Posted: 8/22/2017 5:53:04 PM EDT
[#49]
Quoted:
Or the oil or spark plug? How about the blade? Do you keep it sharpened? One of the simple joys in life is plowing through tall grass with a lawn mower that is running in tip top shape. Agree? I could not agree more. I'll sharpen the blades every other trip, and hit all the grease points at the same time. Change oil once per season (diesel), air filter same. Fuckin bahia grass is rough on blades, and I got 3 acres of it. The rest (3 acres) is bermuda/centipede/St. Augustine. Kubota ZD221 w/54" deck. It's a damn monster. |
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Posted: 8/22/2017 5:59:38 PM EDT
[#50]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Interesting that this thread came up. My mower just broke down and I'm trying to figure it out. Help me, GD. It'll start (mostly) fine, but the second I hit a bit of grass it's like the resistance makes it stop. Almost like I'm mowing high wet grass, but this is low dry grass. It also sputters when I push forward, then pull back rapidly. I'm thinking it's the carb, but just want to make sure before I start taking stuff off. |
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