A riding lawn mower is sometimes also referred to as a tractor lawnmower. A riding lawnmower is different from other lawnmowers in the basic sense that it is ridable, unlike others that you must push because riding lawnmower is also called a tractor.
Having a driver’s seat has its perks, but it also has its downsides, and in the case of a lawnmower it is an exception. Having a bigger build means that the mower can have a bigger cutting radius. But these lawnmowers are expensive and only recommended for larger lawns.
Their size might be a blessing, but they are by no means cheap like they always say; the bigger it is, the more expensive. These mowers have a multi-blade mounted on the tractor and are built for cutting large pieces of land to save time.
These mowers are perfect for large and flat ground, but they require a lot of maneuverability for complex Trane.
How To Use a Riding Lawnmower
We understand that it might be a bit hard to wrap your head around by the name; a lawnmower that is driven like a car is brilliant. To help you use this kind of lawnmower to its utmost potential, you need to know what you have to do.
The first thing that always comes to mind when driving something is the fuel. Check the fuel gauge to make sure you have enough fuel for the mower to work properly. Ensure that the oil you are using is in good condition as running it on old oil or not enough fuel could harm it.
After you have checked the fuel and oil condition, the next thing is to start the lawnmower. There are two types of riding lawnmowers one is manual, and the other is automatic.
When it comes to the manual riding lawn mower, it is exactly like a car; press down the brake and clutch, then turn the key to start the mower. Some manual models of lawnmowers have a single pedal that works as both brake and clutch.
As for the automatic model riding lawnmower, it is a lot simpler than the manual. All you need to do is sit on the driver’s seat and press down on the start button; the lawnmower will do the rest. After you are done starting the engine, you turn the steering and mow away.
Automatic awn mowers are easy to use, unlike their cousins (manual models), which require changing gears after some time to keep the engine in mint condition. As I said earlier, it is exactly like driving a car; turn the wheel to the direction you want to mow.
Having completed the initial task, let us get to the real business. Riding lawn mowers have the option of adjusting the height of the cuts. Using this option, you can cut the grass as tall or small as you want. To change the size, all you need to do is press the blade engagement switch. After you lower the blade, you can easily mow your lawn using the steering wheel.
How Much Long Does Riding Lawnmower Life?
A lawnmower is a significant investment, and it is not some trivial amount of money that you can spend to check how it works and performs. The average life of a lawnmower depends on a lot of different factors. These factors include manufacturer, shape, and design, how it is used.
When you get a new lawnmower, the average life expectancy is written on the warranty. If used correctly and care and maintenance; are provided, it can last longer than expected.
Average Life of Riding Lawnmower
On average, a regular riding lawnmower can have a life of somewhere from eight to ten years if it received proper care and maintenance. A lawnmower not taken care of can only last half that amount.
For providing an average life expectancy of a lawnmower, manufacturers measure different components usage in hours and maintenance. For example, some cheap lawnmowers have a service life of 200 or so hours, while on the other hand, more expensive lawnmowers have a service life of upwards of 500 hours.
From this, it can be surmised that a life expectancy can be based on how the mower is used and how often it is used. Two mowers of the same design-build quality can have two different service life based on how they are used and if they are taken care of or not.
Things That Shorten a Mowers Life
A lot of things go into consideration while determining how long a riding lawnmower can live. For example, a lawnmower that is neglected for any maintenance and proper use might not even have a service life of a single year.
If you cut your lawn on a regular basis that is thick and long, the lawnmower has to work harder, which inevitably shortens its service life. The size of a lawn also affects how long a mower can live if you are using your lawn mower for two hours or more every week, which equals about 60 hours of mowing per year.
If we compare the average user to a mower with an average expected service life of 200 hours, then we find that the mower can live up to three or four years if the current situation remained constant.
Compared to this lawnmower, a mower that is only used for an hour per week can have a service life of 200 hours will last twice as long. The reason is the usage of the lawnmower. After the usage factor, the next factor is maintenance.
Using a mower and then leaving it in your garage till the next use is just playing stupid. It will deteriorate the health of the mower even faster. By keeping it clean and maintaining it, you can add somewhere between one to two years of service life. Additionally, the body parts of lawnmowers are not that expensive.
It is Old not Broken
Having reached its expected service life does not mean that a riding lawnmower will not be of use anymore, and you will need to get a new lawnmower. A lawnmower can live well beyond its expected service life with proper maintenance or by replacing some damaged parts, which in this case should not be expensive and relatively easy to get your hands on.
For example, the average life of a battery-powered lawn mower battery is somewhere from four to four and a half years. Just because the battery dies, it does not mean the mower itself is dead as well. By replacing the faulty component, which in this case is the battery, you can squeeze a couple more years out of the lawnmower.
It is true that you can easily replace any damaged component, but it does not mean that you use a mower without any care and maintenance. Proper maintenance is a must if you want your mower to work smoothly.
Tips for Taking Care of Your Lawnmower
Maintaining your riding lawnmower is really important if you want it to have a bigger service life and work properly. Following are some of the tips that you should use to maintain a better lawnmower.
- Check the oil and fuel before starting the lawnmower.
- Warm up the engine before starting to mow.
- Provide occasional tune up preferably once a year.
- Check air filter and engine fins for any junk.
- Check the gas tank for any grit.
- Make sure the mower is protected from the rain.
- Sharpening the blades
- Check the tire pressure.
- Check the battery cables and terminals for any damage or corrosion. Corrosion usually looks like white hardened foam or crusty build-up, mainly on the terminals.
The corroded area of the terminal creates resistance to the flow of power from the battery to the starter; by doing so, it prevents the recharging of the battery by the alternator.
The most common cause of this is the engine not starting and making clicking noises.
Maintaining your Lawnmower
Taking care of the lawnmower is important, but its maintenance is also very important. Care is done on a regular basis when you are using the mower; on the other, maintenance is done occasionally to keep the mower in pristine condition.
The most basic maintenance is to keep the mower clean once you have cut the grass, give it a quick clean up. Replacing the old oil with new and clean oil is another great way to maintain engine quality.
Sharpen the blades to have an even and consistent cut. Tightening up loose screws that might become a major problem if left unchecked. Last but not least, giving an occasional tune-up to keep the riding lawnmower in pristine condition.
Conclusion
A lawnmower is not just a simple tool that you can buy and use carelessly. Some of the mowers can be really expensive, and we would hate to see you ruin them when their maintenance is really a simple task.
This guide should help you in understanding the importance of maintains and hopeful it is useful to you in how to take care of your mower.
