Lawn Mower Maintenance

When spring rolls around, you want to just pop outside, get on your mower, and do your thing. But you really shouldn’t—not without performing a little preseason maintenance first.

We connected with Mark Davey, John Deere’s go-to-market manager for compact tractors, to find out what steps people should take to get their mower ready and running properly for a stress-free, smooth experience. He hears from customers that have had had the same tractor in their family for decades. But achieving that takes time and care.

Here’s what Davey has to say on keeping your equipment in good shape—for the long run.

Q: What’s the general rule of thumb for tractor maintenance?

Well, for one, it’s important to make sure you do it. Keeping your tractor serviced and well maintained is going to help reduce potential risk of repairs and really increase the productivity and longevity of your tractor. So whether you’re doing it yourself or having your local John Deere dealer complete the regularly scheduled service maintenance intervals, it’s really vital to make sure you stay on top of it.

Q: What should people do to get their tractor ready for the springtime?

Basic function and performance checks. Make sure all your different components are working correctly (and are properly greased), check your oil, and ensure you’ve got air in your tires and the tire pressure is right. Coming out of the cold season, batteries can take a little bit of a beating and can be a little harder to start up. So also make sure your battery is operating and has a good charge.

Q: Why is taking care of your tractor or lawn mower more fun and satisfying than taking care of a car?

Well, it’s pretty fun to play in dirt—and hopefully, you’re not going to get a ticket for doing the wrong thing on your own property. But seriously, it’s totally different, even just with the jobs that you do. For some people, it can even be therapeutic to get outside, change their oil, and take care of their lawn. It’s very satisfying to know you did something yourself.

Q: What do people often misunderstand about their lawn mower?

When people buy a big, expensive piece of equipment, they just assume it’s going to last for years and years (and yes, our equipment is designed to last a long time). But that’s only going to be true if you take care of it properly. So in addition to the things I mentioned, you also want to regularly check:

• The fuel water separator (open it and drain that water out of the system)
• The front grill
• The screen of your tractor (make sure the radiator is getting air freely)
• The coolant level in the radiator
• The transmission and engine oil
• The air filter system (find the rubber valve that opens up to dump dust out)
• The tires (look for damage, like if you accidentally run into a stump in your yard)

Q: What kind of fuel should people use?

Use good diesel fuel from a reliable source that’s not going to have water in it. At John Deere, we put water separators on our machines because water in your system isn’t good. So just making sure you use diesel fuel instead of gas would be a great place to start.

For more on getting your mower ready, check out our article “Riding Lawn Mower: How to Prepare for the Busy Season.”