Simple, routine maintenance is one of the best ways to keep your mower running strong for years on end. And, teaching the younger generation the tools of the trade—and the knowledge associated with it—is equally as important in helping them grow. So, in this Backyard Life video, join rural living expert Daniel Arms as he teaches his son, Houston, several basic lawn mower maintenance tips.
For this video, Arms breaks out a kit he’s purchased to give some love to his Exmark mower. But we all need a bit of a tune-up ourselves before getting to work! So, prior to tuning-up his Radius, the two smoke up some mouthwatering Oklahoma breakfast sausage to prep for the job ahead. (For all you breakfast lovers, Daniel’s made sure to include the ingredients and cooking tips in this video, as well.)
Daniel’s Mower Tune-Up Steps
- Oil change: Unscrew the oil reservoir nut (“lefty loosey”) and drain the oil into a catch pan. Once it’s all drained, tighten the nut back (“righty tighty”) before refilling the mower engine with fresh oil (Daniel’s mower runs 10W-40).
- Oil filter replacement: Simply remove the old filter from its housing and replace it with a new one.
- Air filter replacement: Unlatch the filter housing clips, remove the outer housing cap, remove the old outer and inner filters, install new inner and outer filters, then put the housing cap back on and clamp it closed.
- Fuel filter replacement: Loosen the fuel filter hose clamps and disconnect the hoses from the old filter before removing it. Install the new fuel filter (refer to the arrow on the filter to reference the correct way to do so), and reconnect the hoses before sliding and tightening the clamps back into place.
- Spark plug replacement: Use a socket wrench to loosen and remove spark plugs, then replace with new plugs and tighten them back into place. (Daniel recommends replacing your spark plug wires while you’re at it.)
Use Daniel’s tune-up tips to give your mower some equal loving. By doing so, you can rest assured it’ll be in top working condition all year-round!
