5 Tips For A Successful Spring Startup

You could do real damage to your mower with the season's first start.....unless you do it correctly.

Spring is here—and that means the official start of mowing season. Chances are, your zero-turn mower has been collecting dust in a corner of the shed or garage all winter, and now that it’s time to get rolling, here are our top five tips to make your spring startup a success.

1. Review Owner’s Manual: It’s always a good idea to revisit the manufacturer-recommended maintenance procedures at the beginning and end of each season. Also, give your machine a good once-over, checking electrical connections, spark plugs and hydraulic connections. Also, make sure the blades are sharp. Sharp blades not only make you ultimately more productive, but also improve quality of cut and foster overall health of the grass.
2. Charge it up: Starting your machine after a winter of inactivity begins with a well-charged battery. Give yours a good charge to make sure your seasons gets started off on the right foot. Another good recommendation is to always utilize a battery minder (trickle charger/battery tender) to ensure the machines are continuously charged.
3. Dust it off: Clean off any debris, dirt, dust with a good Spring cleaning. Remove dried clippings and make sure the cutting deck is clear of any dried material from last season.
4. Pump it up: Make sure your tires are inflated to the recommended PSI and check your owner’s manual for more information specific to your model.
5. Top it off: Hopefully, you drained the fuel and oil from last season so that you’re starting the season fresh. If so, add new oil. It’s the lifeblood of your engine and changing it out regularly is much easier and less expensive than an oil breakdown related issue down the line. While you’re at it, fill it up with fuel that’s less than 30 days old. Running the engine dry in the fall and starting with fresh fuel at the beginning of the season helps avoid clogged fuel lines.