It's hard to believe that Spring is just around the corner, but there's no better time than now to prepare your outdoor power equipment for the season. In an hour or two, you can tune up your mower yourself, ensuring it starts up immediately and performs to the best of it's ability.


Treat your lawn mower like you would a vehicle. Regular maintenance based on hours used will go a long way towards owning a dependable mower. This helpful lawn mower maintenance schedule will keep you on track.

If your mower is cutting inconsistently or in patches you may need to replace the blade. You can also inspect the ends of the grass and look for torn not cut grass blades which indicates a dull blade. You can sharpen the blade yourself or take it to a lawn mower repair shop who will do it for around $10.


Next comes an engine tuneup, which begins with replacing the spark plug. Small engine spark plug removal tools are available at any hardware store. Make sure your new plug has the proper gap by using a spacer before installing it. Lastly, give your carburetor a full cleanout. The video above shows you how to remove the carburetor and replace the needle, as well as clean out all of the components and reinstall it.

It's also good to check all cables, brakes and wheels for signs of wear and damage. If you buy a used lawn mower that's in rough condition, go through this tuneup and you'll bring it back to life in no time.

Repair Briggs and Stratton Lawn Mower Tuneup | The Ryker Dane (YouTube)

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