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Online Flyin6

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Mower Springtime tune up
« on: March 09, 2017, 09:05:34 PM »
Springtime tuneups are much the same for most mowers, so I'll document mine this year, spring of 2017 to show how to do it correctly

The mower sat all winter and had maybe 2 gallon of old stale gas still in. I did add Sta-Bul fuel stablizer in the fall so the fuel although dated had not gone bad
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Online Flyin6

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Re: Mower Springtime tune up
« Reply #1 on: March 09, 2017, 09:06:19 PM »
So first of all, I added 10 gallons of fresh fuel
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Re: Mower Springtime tune up
« Reply #2 on: March 09, 2017, 09:07:36 PM »
The starter feature of the ignition switch stopped working last year about mid season
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Offline stlaser

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Re: Mower Springtime tune up
« Reply #3 on: March 09, 2017, 09:10:02 PM »
I however don't miss my zero turn or the reason I needed such a beast......
Living in the remote north hoping Ken doesn’t bring H up here any time soon…..

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Re: Mower Springtime tune up
« Reply #4 on: March 09, 2017, 09:10:33 PM »
The Skag mowers are amongst the very best made and are full on commercial which will last me forever the way I use them. Mine is still under 300 hours usage.

To remedy the starter problem, instead of picking up an expensive factory replacement switch, I picked up a Moroso start button and installed it
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Re: Mower Springtime tune up
« Reply #5 on: March 09, 2017, 09:11:49 PM »
While all that was going on I was topping the battery up with a trickle charge
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Re: Mower Springtime tune up
« Reply #6 on: March 09, 2017, 09:12:38 PM »
I installed new spark plugs
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Re: Mower Springtime tune up
« Reply #7 on: March 09, 2017, 09:14:03 PM »
And a new filter element for the two stage Donaldson air cleaner assembly
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Re: Mower Springtime tune up
« Reply #8 on: March 09, 2017, 09:15:02 PM »
And a new fuel filter
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Re: Mower Springtime tune up
« Reply #9 on: March 09, 2017, 09:17:54 PM »
The engine on this thing is a beast. It's a commercial Briggs and Stratton Vanguard V-Twin 32 horsepower big block

As big as it is, the thing still only needs two quarts of oil

I have been using semi-synthetic for years in this machine
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Re: Mower Springtime tune up
« Reply #10 on: March 09, 2017, 09:19:06 PM »
Before going further it was time to clean the thing with my trusty pressure washer
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Re: Mower Springtime tune up
« Reply #11 on: March 09, 2017, 09:20:46 PM »
That gave way to a complete greasing and chassis lube service.

I know to be very careful when changing fluids as somehow the projects start to get a lot more involved at this point if I am not careful!
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Re: Mower Springtime tune up
« Reply #12 on: March 09, 2017, 09:22:35 PM »
Next came the detail cleaning, wiping a preservative onto the plastic, and spraying the anodized stuff with a motorcycle chain lube, which I found stays on very well
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Re: Mower Springtime tune up
« Reply #13 on: March 09, 2017, 09:24:56 PM »
As always I finished with some spot painting, tire pressure and would have pulled and sharpened the blades, but I had no way to lift the sucker today, so I'll get that in a wee bit

And that should do it till next year, aside from the weekly oil level checks
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Offline Sammconn

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Re: Mower Springtime tune up
« Reply #14 on: March 09, 2017, 11:13:07 PM »
Doing a mower tune up...with green grass in the background.

I'm staring down mediocre six foot snow drifts, and snow blower tune up...lol

Can't say I miss cutting grass, I'm a winter guy.
And be careful...you know how fluid changes go...
I just don't want to wind up missing a digit or limb.  I can sometimes get in a hurry to get results.
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Offline Farmer Jon

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Re: Mower Springtime tune up
« Reply #15 on: March 10, 2017, 07:22:44 AM »
That reminds me I need to get mine done too. Got a John Deere x300 with 480 hours at an auction. The buy of the day. Until i found out the hydrostat was shot. Turns out its a common problem on these.
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Offline Dawg25385

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Re: Mower Springtime tune up
« Reply #16 on: March 10, 2017, 03:39:45 PM »
That reminds me I need to get mine done too. Got a John Deere x300 with 480 hours at an auction. The buy of the day. Until i found out the hydrostat was shot. Turns out its a common problem on these.

That that's the K46? That's what mine has i think...

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Offline Bear9350

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Re: Mower Springtime tune up
« Reply #17 on: March 10, 2017, 04:00:03 PM »
A X300 would have a K46.

Dawg, what model mower do you have?

Offline Dawg25385

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Re: Mower Springtime tune up
« Reply #18 on: March 10, 2017, 06:18:05 PM »
X300


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Re: Mower Springtime tune up
« Reply #19 on: March 12, 2017, 08:28:49 PM »
What is this SPRING you speak of??? We are into our sixth month of winter... BOoooooo! :cry:

2inches of the white stuff today. yuck

« Last Edit: March 12, 2017, 08:29:47 PM by cruizng »
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Offline JR

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Re: Mower Springtime tune up
« Reply #20 on: March 13, 2017, 03:20:20 PM »
We are  in the high 70's maybe 80's here. Pool is close to 70 already.
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Offline akcooper9

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Re: Mower Springtime tune up
« Reply #21 on: March 13, 2017, 09:44:55 PM »
Good post, I just wrapped mine up today as well. 10w40 oil change and hydro gear oil change. Ready for another year of service.

Offline stewie

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Re: Mower Springtime tune up
« Reply #22 on: March 14, 2017, 09:55:49 AM »
my cub cadet " has been going pretty much nonstop since we got it in august. We really didn't have a "winter" here, so the most it sat idle here was a month or so. We JUST got finished with our first huge spring mow (post rain_ and it seems we have to do it all over again.

The grass that has come up where we did the controlled burns is so thick and dense the 22 hp tractor struggled to get it cut down.

Now we just gotta maintain it which means 2-3 hours our of time per week.

The grass will stop when the summer heat hit (late june or so) and then come back full force sometime in mid to late sept.
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Re: Mower Springtime tune up
« Reply #23 on: March 14, 2017, 10:17:54 AM »
Just did my first mow yesterday. My Troy bilt 22 horse mower is used as part mower and part brush hog shredder. It goes through blades and spindles like a kid through a stash of chocolate.


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Re: Mower Springtime tune up
« Reply #24 on: March 14, 2017, 11:22:42 AM »
Sure you're not from KY there Charles :grin:
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