Engine, Transmission & Fuel
- ZTR Lawn Mower Air Filter – Clean air filters keep dirt and debris out of your engine and keep your mower engine running efficiently. Rule of Thumb – replace after 50 hours of use.
- ZTR Lawn Mower Fuel Filter - Rule of Thumb – replace after 100 hours of use.
- ZTR Lawn Mower Oil & Small Engine Oil Filters – clean oil is crucial to a well running mower engine. Rule of thumb - change oil & filters every 50 hours. Recycle old oil properly. For 2-stroke engines use MowMore.com No Smoke 2-cycle oil.
- ZTR Lawn Mower Spark Plugs - Fouled spark plugs prevent starting. Rule of Thumb – replace spark plug every 100 hours. Inspect plugs for black carbon deposits. Check owner’s manual for proper plug and gap recommendations. Select part number in MowMore.com.
- Check and clean battery terminals.
- Small Engine Fuel Treatment - An ethanol treatment with fuel stabilizer protects your lawn mower engine from corrosion caused by moisture in ethanol blended fuels. Rule of Thumb -add STA-BIL® fuel stabilizer to gas cans with every fill.
- Check Your Owner’s Manual - Always refer to the operator's manual before starting any maintenance on your equipment.
- Hydro Oil and Filter - Hydrostatic transmission oil and filters – Check your owner’s manual. Many newer systems are sealed. Many require a first change at 50 to 75 hours then changes every 300 hours thereafter.
Deck & Blades
- Lawn Mower Blades –Depending on usage blades may be replaced daily or weekly. With the MowMore.com Blade Grinder/Sharpener you can restore blades to a factory flat edge using a preset blade guide to maintain the proper angle for the best cut and edge life.
- Lawn Mower Belts – Mower belts that are damaged or that slip on pulleys will affect cutting performance. Check belt for side wall damage, glazed or burned sidewall, or cracks. This signals a mower belt could fail and needs replacement.
- Lawn Mower Pulleys - Check and clean tension pulleys, Noise or sluggishness could indicate bearing failure. Improper belt tension or grit could prematurely wear belts.
- ZTR Lawn Mower Lubrication – use dictates how often to grease. Most commercial lawn mowers have 10 to 20 grease fittings. Spindles, front pivot and caster wheels should be done around once a month or more due to moving interior parts. Heavy use could dictate grease every day. Deck wheels approximately every 50 hours.
- Clean Deck Undercarriage - These parts play in cut quality and deck performance. Make sure the underside of the deck is clean and clear of debris. Tree branches and accumulated grass clippings should be removed to ensure the best results from your lawn mower.
- Check Your Owner’s Manual - Always refer to the operator's manual before starting any maintenance on your equipment.
Tires & Wheels
- How should I adjust my lawn mower deck anti scalp wheels? - When the deck is at the height you want for cutting the grass, the anti-scalp wheels should be just above the ground (easiest to set up on a flat surface like concrete). The ground clearance should be between 1/4 and 3/8 inches.
- Fixing a flat - Flats can be a problem. Tire sealant works great but be mindful of how much weight this adds to the wheel. Do not use sealants that makes the tire hard. The tire is your shock absorber and you may put excessive load on the frame and drive system.
Author: Paul Hamilton, Owner/Partner at MowMore.com
MowMore.com is an online supplier of quality equipment parts for professional landscapers. MowMore is small enough to provide personal service but big enough to provide great pricing. Save your business time and money by shopping at MowMore.com.