QUESTION: How often should the air filters on mowers and other equipment be cleaned
or replaced?
ANSWER: Keeping a close eye on the condition of air filters is a simple
way of keeping equipment in top operating condition. If a mower has
a foam pre-cleaner, clean the filter when it becomes dusty and dirty
looking.
Use a soapy solution and then lightly spray the foam insert with
oil. Squeeze out any excess oil before putting filter back on the mower.
For
air filters with paper elements, replace the filter insert when it
becomes dirty and dusty. Do not attempt to blow out the dirt with compressed
air. This will decrease the integrity of the filter and allow dirt
to
infiltrate the enlarged pore openings.
QUESTION: Is there a tire designed to alleviate the problem of damaging
turf when making a tight turn with a gear-drive walk-behind mower?
ANSWER:
The problem with tight turns with any mower is that the inside
wheel is not moving. This means the tire pivots on the turf and can
cause
damage. The simplest way to prevent this is to keep the tire
moving by making wider turns.
QUESTION: When using a sprayer in cold weather, what is the best
way to prevent freezing problems?
ANSWER: Keep the sprayer engine running
and the product in the tank circulating. When storing spray
tanks for the winter, remember water
remains in the pump even when the tank is empty and when
this water freezes it can damage the pump. To avoid this,
store the sprayer
in a heated
area or run a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze and water into
the
pump before putting the unit away for the winter.
QUESTION:
How important
is it to
drain gas or two-cycle fuel mix before storing equipment
for the winter?
ANSWER:
Draining fuel is an important winterization step for
several
reasons:
- It
helps eliminate fuel system contamination problems
- Fuel
left in the system can create gummy deposits in the carburetor,
which may
prevent the unit from starting when
spring arrives
- Fuel
additives can actually pull moisture from the atmosphere; causing
corrosion and damaging internal engine
components
QUESTION: Do the baffles on air-cooled engines need to
be cleaned?
ANSWER:
All air-cooled engines have baffles designed
to direct the
cooling air around the hot parts of the engine and,
yes, these passageways
can
become blocked with debris. Most engine manufacturers
recommend inspecting the baffles every 50 hours of
operation or more
frequently if the
equipment is regularly subjected to extremely dusty
and dirty conditions.
QUESTION: How important are sharp mower blades?
ANSWER:
Very important. Dull mower blades tend to tear
or shred turfgrass
blades rather
than cutting them. This can cause the turf to take
on a brownish color and creates an entryway for
disease organisms.
Also, when changing or sharpening mower blades,
check for loose spindles
by wiggling
the blade. If there is movement, the big nut
on the top of the spindle needs to be tightened to pre-load
the bearings.
This prevents
premature
failure of the spindle shaft or bearings.
QUESTION: How important is it to clean under
the mower deck?
ANSWER:
To maximize quality of cut and
extend the
life of the mower,
cleaning under
the deck is very important. When grass adheres
to the underside of the deck, the mower will
tend to
leave strips
of uncut grass. Plus clumps of the accumulated
grass may fall off
during mowing.
Another
reason is that grass buildup can cause bearings
and the mower deck housing to wear prematurely.
At the
end of
each day,
spray the underside
of the
deck with water. Gently scrape away any debris
that is difficult to remove. Never attempt
to remove any
debris
from under
the mower deck with the
mower running.
QUESTION: Do loose or worn belts influence
the performance
of a mower?
ANSWER:
Most definitely. Loose or worn belts can slow down the mower as
well
as the speed
of the
cutting blades.
A loose or worn
transmission/pump
drive belt and/or wheel drive belt(s)
can slow a mower’s
ground speed and also make the unit more
difficult to control because of different
wheel speeds caused by belt slippage. Loose
or worn blade belts can produce poor cut quality caused by
slowing blades. In thicker
and/or
wetter turf,
loose or worn belts are likely to slip.
Loose
or worn belts can also cause accelerated pulley wear as well
as generating
heat in
other components.
Checking belts regularly is a must.
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