Mower Maintenance Matters
July 16, 2012
I'm Dan Hounsell, editor of
Maintenance Solutions magazine. Today's topic is, effective mower maintenance.
Preparing mowing equipment for the rigorous mowing season can help ensure efficient, successful mower performance.
First, managers should ensure their staffs follow the mower maintenance program outlined in each owner’s manual. If mechanics and operators fail to follow the program outlined in the manual, the equipment warranty might not remain effective.
Before filling the fuel tank and mowing for the first time, mechanics should thoroughly inspect all equipment, and a mechanic should complete annual lawn mower maintenance procedures.
Operators must be sure to inspect safety features to ensure they work. Do not allow operators to override or modify safety devices. One accident can quickly negate all the benefits of saving a few minutes each day.
Attention and commitment to routine mower maintenance goes a long way to ensuring operator safety. Worn belts and brakes, loose bolts, faulty wiring, improper tire pressure and even broken seat belts can lead to injuries.
Manufacturers continually improve safety features on mowing equipment and tractors. Automatic shutoffs, ergonomic hand controls, vibration and noise reduction, roll bars, and seat belts are among the safety features included in today’s mowing equipment.
Deflectors and guards are also more common on mower decks and should remain in place when mowing near streets, parking lots and other places where flying objects thrown by the mower might damage property or injure people.
Some manufactures have equipped riding mowers with back-over protection devices, which prevent the blade from turning while the mower is in reverse. These back-over protection devices might include a sensor that stops the engine or the blades or the wheels when it detects a bystander behind the machine.
Managers should set up routine equipment mower maintenance schedules before operations hit full stride. Mechanics should document their daily, weekly and monthly maintenance activities and communicate them to the operators.
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