Most of us have put down our gardening tools for the winter. The ground becomes too hard to work on and there’s
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However, it’s important to give tools such as the lawnmower a little bit of attention before it’s put away entirely for winter. It’s common for owners to have to take it to the repair shop each spring when they discover that it won’t start and this can be avoided by giving it preparation for the colder months.
Here are jobs to do before you put your machine away for the winter:
Clean Your Lawnmower Thoroughly. Remove every little piece of grass or debris otherwise they could harbour moisture and cause corrosion and rust. Wash and scrub it until both the top and the bottom are sparkling clean and then dry it carefully.
Check Your Cutting Blade. Look out for blunt blades, gouges and nicks. You might want to remove them and have them professionally sharpened or do it yourself. If you have a rotary machine, then be sure that the blade is rebalanced again upon reinsertion.
Check for Loose Parts. The vibration that occurs during use can loosen up parts, nuts and bolts. It’s also a good time to check the alignment of the wheels and the axles.
Check and Lubricate all Cables. Ensure that your cables are anchored where they should be and that they are properly fastened and in good condition. You might want to add some liquid graphite onto the cables.
Change the Oil. Some people prefer to do the oil change before the summer mowing season, but we recommend that you do it before you put your mower away. The oil can become high in acid due to the combustion process, and having this sit around all winter in your tank and engine won’t be very good for it at all.
These are the tasks that we recommend are done each year before over wintering your lawn mower. It’s well worth taking the time out to do them, even if winter has come along before they done. You’ll find that your lawnmower will be far happier when spring comes around again and you are quite likely to avoid any expensive repair bills.