Most people make sure their lawn mowers are ready to go when the ground thaws and the grass starts growing, but your mower isn’t the only equipment you use to keep your lawn and landscaping beautiful. Trimmers, blowers, edgers, and chainsaws are all important pieces to the yard maintenance puzzle, and it takes a little TLC to keep them in top operating condition. If you’re handy and have an available afternoon, you can perform this maintenance yourself. Here are some tips to get you started:
- Contact us or or stop by one of our store locations for expert advice on the proper replacement parts for your two-cycle handheld equipment. Parts typically include a spark plug, air filter, and fuel filter (all equipment) and sometimes trimmer line, edger blades, or a new chain (depending on what type of machine you are working on).
- Clean the cooling fins of your two-cycle engine. This is done with a brush or lightly-regulated air source from an air compressor.
- Next, empty any leftover fuel into an approved container.
- Install a new fuel filter and replace the old fuel with a high-quality, two-stroke engine oil mix (ratio of 50:1) using a mid-grade unleaded gasoline with a minimum octane rating of 89 (click here for more on mixing oil and fuel).
- Add a fuel stabilizer to the fuel mix if the fuel is going to be left in the fuel tank for over 30 days between uses.
- Replace the spark plug and air filter.
- Remember: Before each use, you should visually inspect all cables for frays and check shields or deflectors and any safety devices for damage, replacing if applicable.
- For handheld trimmers and stick edgers, replace the trimmer line in the head or the blade; this is also a good time to check the lower gear box for the proper amount of grease.
- On blowers, check the end of the blower tube for wear.
- For chainsaws, check the anti-vibration system, which includes a number of rubber buffers for splits or damage. Check the chain brake, then remove the sprocket side cover to inspect the chain sprocket. Replace the sprocket if there are wear marks deeper than approx 0.02” — a good rule of thumb is to replace the sprocket after you have replaced the chain twice. At this time, you’ll also want to clean and grease the chain sprocket bearing.
- Next, check the chain catcher, which is often overlooked. Check the chain and have it re-sharpened or replaced. Inspect the bar for wear—on most chainsaws, you can turn over the bar every time you sharpen the chain, as this helps avoid one-sided wear.
You May Also Enjoy These Articles:
Fuel Tips for your Outdoor Power Equipment
5 Reasons to Use Pre-Mixed Fuel
Lawn Mower Maintenance Checklist
Buyer’s Guide to Walk Behind Lawn Mowers
Why Weingartz?
Weingartz, family owned and operated, began in 1945 as a farm supply store for local Michigan families. In the 1970s, we began to focus exclusively on outdoor power equipment. Over time, we morphed into the “power equipment superstore” that now defines all of our locations. The staff and experts at Weingartz work diligently to provide the best service possible and give honest and helpful advice to each and every customer.
Weingartz also sells parts for all outdoor power equipment at https://weingartz.com/parts-lookup.
Weingartz
46061 Van Dyke Ave.
Utica, MI 48317
(586) 731-7240
info@weingartz.com
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