Compact Tractor and Lawn Mower Maintenance Tips

posted on Monday, November 21, 2022 in How To

Compact tractors and lawn care equipment such as lawn mowers are two of the most utilized tools for any landowner, farmer, or property manager. Compact tractors are responsible for farming, landscaping, construction, and animal management tasks. Lawn mowers help keep small and large lawns looking clean and well-groomed.

Providing your equipment with proper care and maintenance can help it perform at peak operational levels for many years. Use the following compact tractor and lawn mower maintenance tips to keep your equipment in good working condition.

Compact Tractor Maintenance Tips

Compact tractor upkeep is pretty straightforward. Learn how to properly maintain this mighty machine.

Do Daily Maintenance

Any wise compact tractor owner will tell you, it’s absolutely necessary to inspect your tractor’s parts and functionality on a daily basis. Not sure which parts need to be checked every day? Use our daily maintenance compact tractor checklist.

Keep it Clean

A compact tractor’s multi-purpose ability allows it to perform a variety of tasks including plowing, tilling, and reaping. While tackling these tasks, your tractor is likely to get dirty.

Leftover mud, snow, and debris can affect how your tractor will function and how long it can work efficiently. That’s why it’s important to clean your tractor after every job. Wiping surfaces, removing debris, cleaning the tires, and replacing air filters are just a few of the ways you can clean your compact tractor.

Avoid Rust

In addition to keeping your compact tractor clean, you want to make sure harmful rust isn’t forming on your machine. Rust occurs when excess moisture is present. Rust can corrode and damage your farm equipment. To avoid rust, apply preventive rust coating and be sure to store your compact tractor in a dry area, away from any moisture. In the winter, compact tractors are more prone to rust after driving through snow and salt. Hose off these winter flurries with warm water to prevent rusting.

Schedule Regular Maintenance

Daily maintenance helps keep your tractor in good shape, but it’s critical to schedule regular maintenance too. Depending on your tractor type the best times to service your equipment can vary. Consult your compact tractor’s manual for more detailed information. TriGreen has 29 locations where you can bring in your compact tractor for comprehensive maintenance.

Mower Maintenance Tips

Lawn mowers may be smaller than compact tractors, but they also require proper care and maintenance. These tips can prolong the life of your lawn mower.

Remove Grass Clippings

Just like it’s important to keep your compact tractor free of dirt and debris, your lawn mower needs to be cleaned too, especially the underside of your mower deck. Be sure to clean your lawn mower immediately after each use. If you wait too long to clean, the grass clippings can dry, clogging the underside and making it difficult to mow in the future.

Here’s one way to clean your mower:

Move the lawn mower to a flat surface for stable cleaning.
Turn off the engine and all moving parts.
Lower deck height and remove bag.
Turn on the hose at low pressure. Aim it in front of the right rear wheel to wash out the grass clippings. Do not use a pressure washer to clean. It can damage vital parts that should not get wet.
Start the mower and blade. The glass clippings will flow out from the underside. Run it until the clippings are cleared out. You can also scrape under the mower deck to remove any remaining clippings, but make sure the engine and blades are turned off before scraping.
Run the mower again to dry out the underside.
To clean the topside of your lawn mower, use a leaf blower.

Replace Old Fuel

If you stored your lawn mower with fuel, always replace old fuel before using your lawn mower again. Stale fuel can damage the engine and shorten the life of your lawn mower. To get rid of old fuel, consult waste disposal guidelines.

Change Filters

Air filters block dirt and debris from entering your engine, which is why it’s essential to keep the filters clean. Cleaning filters will also help you avoid unnecessary engine repairs. Your lawn mower manual can provide guidance on how often you need to clean and replace the air filters.

Keep Blades Sharp

A lawn mower’s blades need to be sharp to properly mow your lawn. Be careful when checking the blades, as doing so will require special gloves and eye protection. Consult your lawn mower manual for more information or have a professional service technician like the ones at TriGreen inspect the blades for you.

Schedule Your Next Compact Tractor and Lawn Mower Service At TriGreen

Regular professional maintenance performed by a knowledgeable expert can help your compact tractor and or lawn mower stay in good working condition and help you avoid costly repairs in the future.