Punxsutawney Phil The Groundhog

Punxsutawney Phil The Groundhog

Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow today which means 6 more weeks of winter...


Whose to say that the rodent knows what he is talking about!! So now is the perfect time to get your mower in & have it ready to go for Spring!!!!!

Give us a call today to get your mower in & have it ready to go for spring. (217) 342-2909. Don't forget that if you are a local customer you will receive FREE pick up & delivery through the month of February. Also, visit us online at www.lawneq.com.

Lawn Mower Filter Fouls

Lawn Mower Filter Fouls Are Not A Good Thing

I have a friend that is a HVAC repair person. When he comes to visit us he is known for checking the air filter of my HVAC unit. He charges me with a filter foul if it hasn't been changed in a timely manner and there is too much dirt on the existing one. He has stressed the importance of a clean air filter on more than one occasion. Air filters on lawn mowers are just as important as the filters inside your home.

The air filter on your lawn mower keeps dust, dirt, pollen & other contaminants out of the air intake manifold. These contaminants can damage the engines pistons, can clog valves and can cause expensive breakdowns. Your lawn mower engine won't last long if the filter isn't changed on a regular basis.

The air filter is porous with small enough holes to keep the bad stuff our but let plenty of air in. If the filter gets really dirty the good stuff, which is air, can't get to the intake manifold and it also allows the bad stuff to make its way to the engine.

Take care of the investment you have made in your lawn by cleaning and/ or changing your air filter regularly. Honda recommends checking the air filter element before each use and servicing it at least every 50 hours. More often if used in dirty/ dusty conditions.

A dirty lawn mower filter doesn't allow the engine to breathe and just like air is important to us, it is also important to an engine.

Author: Tara Funneman

Push Mowers Then & Now

Push Mowers Then & Now

Going to my great grandmother’s house was always a treat for me as a youngster. Some of the contraptions she had at her house were interesting in appearance. One of my favorite items she had was her push lawn mower. It wasn’t powered in any way, it was a manual push reel mower. It was a challenge for all of us to push, let along cut the grass with it. Granny didn’t feel the need to own what she referred to as “one of those new-fangled contraptions”. Dad would bring over his push mower to mow the lawn and have it cut before Granny caught on that he wasn’t using her mower.

Even Dad’s mower back then is a far cry from the walk behind, self propelled mowers that are now available for home owners lawn care needs. It is so nice mowing my lawn with my Toro Super Bagger walk-behind mower. It is self propelled, has a bag attachment to catch all the trimmings and leave my lawn so well manicured that all my neighbors are green with envy.

As I prepare to store my walk-mower for the winter, I fondly look back on my childhood days and Granny’s push mower and count my blessings that I won’t be mowing with it in the Spring.

Is Your Lawn Mower Leaving Stripes in Your Yard?

Is your Lawn Mower Leaving Stripes in the Yard?

How to level Your Mower Deck

You want your lawnmower to give you an even straight cut all over your lawn. When you start noticing that your lawnmower is leaving stripes in the yard, you will need to adjust your mower deck. These simple steps will help you learn how to level your mower deck.

As with any lawnmower adjustments or repairs, you want to ensure you familiarize yourself with your owner's manual first. Each lawnmower will have specific manufacturer's recommendations on the details of how to level your mower deck. With that in mind, these are the basic steps you will need to do in the process of how to level your mower deck.
Step #1
Ensure your lawnmower has been turned off and that the engine is cool. Then remove the spark plug's wire and keep it separated a good distance from the spark plug itself.

Step #2
Ensure your lawnmower is on a level surface. Next, under the center part of the lawn mower's deck, place a section of pipe or angle iron, or other such item.

Step #3
To balance your mower deck from side to side, you first need to remove the plates at the rear. Then you can have the deck's center and rear portions placed on the angle iron or other such object.

Step #4
Next figure out how far the floor is to the tips of your lawn mower's blade with a measuring tape. If this distance is more than 1/8 of an inch as measured from one side to the other, you will have to adjust the level. This involves loosening the eccentric's shoulder blade. You will need to then adjust the eccentric as needed until you get the distance between the floor and blade tips to within 1/8 of an inch. Then secure the shoulder blade back. Next, put the sector plates back on and remove the pipe or angle iron.

Step #5
Once your lawnmower has been leveled from side to side you now need to ensure the front and rear balance is correct. To do this, you will need to take off the sector plates for the rear lift arms. The rear lift arms will be connected with hairpins and washers, so you need to take those off. Then, adjust the sector plate so that it is in a position of being a quarter of an inch lower in the back. If you can't adjust the sector plates any lower, you might need to make adjustments to the lift front rods. This involves taking off the washer and hairpin that connects the front rear arm with the front lift cable. Then turn the front lift cable so that it can go into the front arm without having the deck raised.

Following these simple steps in how to level your mower deck will keep your lawn looking even and beautiful throughout the season. Once again, follow the manufacturer's specifications for this process, and you should be able to level the deck to achieve a stripe-free yard.

About the Author:
Blake Bahrns is a lawn mower parts and small engine parts expert with over 20 years of experience working on lawn and garden equipment. For additional lawn mower tips, lawn care tips, and more free lawn mower articles visit http://www.lawneq.com/.

Tips on General Lawn Mower Maintenance

Tips on General Lawn Mower Maintenance

You want to keep your lawn healthy, green and lush all season long, and your lawnmower is an important part of maintaining your lawn's overall health and appeal. By following these tips on general lawn mower maintenance, you will ensure that your lawn mower is working at peak efficiency every time you need to use it.

Tip #1
Keep your lawn mowers blade sharp. A dull lawn mower blade makes for an uneven cut to your lawn, and may even damage your grass. In addition, a sharp blade means cutting efficiency, reducing wear and tear on your lawn mower's engine and other parts.

Tip #2
Ensure your lawn mower's air filter is kept clean and free of dust and dirt. You can usually just shake the air filter out to remove dust and debris. However if your air filter has been in use for a while, and has a lot of build up on it you should replace it immediately. All of your lawn mower's parts work in conjunction with one another so saving money by not replacing an overly dirty air filter will only cost you money in the long run.

Tip #3
Clean your lawn mower's carburetor. Just like your car, your lawn mower's carburetor needs to be looked after. Before removing the carburetor, make sure the fuel line has been turned off. Once you have the carburetor out give it a good clean so that it's floating valve is able to move freely. Then replace the carburetor and turn the fuel on back on.

Tip #4
Check your lawn mower's fuel. In addition to keeping the fuel topped up, to at least halfway, you want to replace any gas that was left over from the previous season that did not have a stabilizer added to it.

Tip #5
In addition to keeping the fuel topped up and in good shape, you also want to inspect your lawn mower's fuel line. It's very common to switch your fuel line off at the end of the season, so it's easy to forget about it. If your lawn mower isn't starting check that first. If the engine still doesn't start the gas may not be getting to the carburetor. To check that, remove the fuel hose from the carburetor to see if the fuel is flowing through. If it is, you can reconnect the two. If it isn't your fuel line may be plugged or the filter may be blocked.

Tip #6
Check the spark plug. That's one of the most basic things you can do if your lawn mower is not starting or working properly. To check it, detach the wire at the end of the plug before removing it. You want to ensure the spark plug is not wet or dirty.

These tips on general lawn mower maintenance will keep your lawn mower doing its job properly throughout the season. You will save money on costly lawn mower repair and part replacement by performing regular upkeep on it. Your lawn mower will last much longer, and your lawn will be a lovely sight to behold.

About the Author:
Blake Bahrns is a lawn mower parts and small engine parts expert with over 20 years of experience working on lawn and garden equipment. For additional lawn mower tips, lawn care tips, and more free lawn mower articles visit http://www.lawneq.com/.