Some of us use our lawnmowers once a week or once a month, and there are those who mow a different square acre every other day. Regardless, when we have used our mower for a while, there will inevitably be parts that go through some wear and tear. From belts to blades to spark plugs to wheels falling off... something is bound to happen to an often-used lawnmower. These are five signs your lawn mower might need something replaced or even fixed.
1.) Poor Cutting Performance
The main thing a lawn mower does is cut grass. If it cannot cut grass, it is more of a lawn stroller. Keep an eye out for uneven clumps of your lawn where the blades may have ripped the grass and roots up rather than cutting the blades of grass. There are two options to solve a lawn mower that does not mow: sharpen the blades or get new blades. Sharpening the blades is fun, but it takes a long time and requires watching a few YouTube tutorials to see the order of operations and placement, how to use a whetting tool, etc. but buying new blades is much quicker and can save you a lot of frustration.
2.) Difficulty Starting
Nothing grinds our gears like getting the lawn mower out on a sunny, perfect day and spending thirty minutes pulling on the rip cord, only to hear the mower completely give up after a few puffs of exhaust. We might be able to start it, but it shouldn t take that many attempts. This could be a sign of a few things. It could be a faulty spark plug that needs to be replaced. It could be a clogged air filter that needs to be washed out or replaced. In the worst-case scenario, it could be old fuel or oil that will need to be changed.
3.) Unusual Noises During Operation
We have all heard a lawn mower before. It could be your neighbors on a Sunday afternoon, or your own mower that you have had for years. When we start hearing rattling or grinding, we might want to take a second to check it out, not just for the mower s sake but for our own safety as well. The belts turning the blades may be old and need replacing. A bearing might be damaged, or the blades might be loose and hitting the deck of the mower. You do not want a ball bearing getting shot out of the bottom of the mower at fifty miles an hour, which will take you down for the day, promise.
4.) Loss of Power or Stalling
When a mower stalls out, it completely halts the process of mowing your lawn. Let s say you hit a particularly prominent patch of grass, and you lift the front of the deck up and release the mower in an arc onto the grass. It suddenly comes to a halt and shuts off. What happened? It could be a dirty or clogged fuel filter, a worn-out belt that is not able to handle the tall grass, or an issue with the carburetor. You may have to clean the carburetor or fuel filter, or replace them if they are too far gone. The belt is an easy replacement.
5.) Excessive Vibrating or Shaking
Just like a Jeep, your lawn mower may suffer from a death wobble. If the mower starts to vibrate a little too crazily in your hands while pressing down the actuator bar, or if it feels extremely jerky during turns or specific routes, keep an eye on your mower s movements as you traverse your yard and take notice of any extreme wiggles. The blades might be imbalanced, a bolt might be loose, or, worst-case scenario, the engine mount might be damaged. Replacing blades and belts are common enough, but if the engine mount or engine is damaged, you may have to replace the entire lawn mower.
Conclusion
Identifying problems and replacing parts early can save you a lot of money in the future and will increase the overall lifespan of your lawn mower. A small purchase every so often is much cheaper than buying an entirely new lawn mower.
If you ever have any concerns about your mower suffering from any kind of degradation, feel free to contact us here at M&D Mower and Appliance, and we will make sure to guide you to the right decision.