Do-It-Yourself Lawn Tractor Maintenance
Your riding lawn mower is a high-performance, precision lawn-cutting machine. To keep it running properly, the unit requires regular maintenance to prevent mechanical issues from occurring. Running the mower on old oil, a lack of oil, worn-down belts and a mower deck not properly greased will reduce the running life of the machine components. Performing an entire overhaul of the riding mower before running it in the spring is highly recommended, since some parts may need servicing after a long winter's rest. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Run the mower engine for a few minutes to heat up the oil inside. Locate the oil drain plug and place an oil pan underneath the plug. Remove the plug and drain the crankcase of oil.
-
2
Change the oil filter by removing it with an oil wrench. The oil wrench is a metal loop attached to a handle. The metal loop wraps around the filter, allowing you to turn it. The oil filter is located near the oil crankcase. Turn the wrench counterclockwise to remove the oil filter.
-
-
3
Rub a small amount of oil along the lip of the new oil filter, around the rubber seal. The oil keeps the filter from sticking when it needs to be changed. Place the oil filter into the mower and tighten it down with the oil filter wrench.
-
4
Close the crankcase drain hole and fill the crankcase with the oil specified in the owner's manual.
-
5
Remove the mower deck, the portion of the machine that hides the mower blades, from the unit according to the instructions in the owner's manual. Most mower decks are held onto the unit with pins or clamps that are pulled off with pliers. Inspect the belts that run along the top of the unit for any wear, such as dryness or cracking. Replace the belts if there are any cracks or hard spots, using the belt diagram on the deck as a reference for removal and replacement.
-
6
Lube all the lube points on the mower deck and the rest of the tractor by placing the end of the lube gun on the lube point and pressing the trigger once or twice.
-
7
Pull the spark plug, which is located on the side of the mower engine, out of the unit, using a wrench to turn it counterclockwise and pop it out. Inspect the plug for corrosion. Replace it if necessary.
-
1
References
- Photo Credit Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images
