How To Properly Grease A Lawn Mower

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Lawn mowers can cost hundreds — if not thousands — of dollars, and ideally, you should expect your mower to last for well over a decade. However, the mechanical parts that keep the blade spinning at high speeds can overheat if they're not lubricated. That's why one of the best ways to protect your mower from wear and tear is to keep it greased. Not only can grease prevent your lawn mower parts from overheating, it can also protect the mechanical parts from rusting. This is especially important because grass clippings contain moisture (and it's why grass type is important to keep in mind when picking the right mower). The process of greasing a lawn mower is simple, but first, you need to know where to apply the grease.

Rather than applying grease generally, it's best to simply focus on several specific spots. For example, it's incredibly important that you hit the deck spindles. These rotating parts connect to pulleys, which transfer energy from the engine to the blades. These spindles operate on steel ball bearings that can grow very hot. If the spindles aren't working correctly, the blade will wobble or even stop turning altogether. It's also important to grease the front axle pivot, a hinge that allows the front wheel to turn the mower left or right. You should also lubricate the wheel bearings.

For this project, you'll need a standard grease gun with a hose — like the UTOOL grease gun on Amazon — as that will allow you to get to the hard-to-reach areas inside your mower. You should check the owner's manual to determine the right kind of grease for your machine (this is a fantastic use for WD-40). You should then grease the spindles once a month, and if you've got a microfiber rag, you can use it to apply the oil generally.

There's no need to disassemble your mower before you grease it, especially if you're greasing a push mower. Place the hose against the parts of the mower that require lubrication and squeeze the pump to apply the grease. Allow the grease to drip down to the spindles. Many mowers have grease fittings near the spindles, and you can connect the hose to these fittings and pump grease directly into them. The fittings will then distribute grease into the spindles. If there is excess grease, you should wipe it away.

There are several other ways to keep your mower running longer, such as keeping the blades sharpened, storing your mower in a dry space, and changing the oil and air filters as recommended. If you do this in conjunction with keeping your machine greased up, your lawn mower should operate more efficiently and stay in good shape for longer. This will hopefully save you time and money on repairs and part replacements in the long run.