Top 5 Best Accessories for your Exmark Lawn Mower

Posted on September 15, 2015 by baggervance71

Top 5 Exmark Lawn Mower Accessories

If you have an Exmark Lawn Mower, then you already know how great it is. It’s not hard to fall in love with an Exmark mower. Between Exmark’s tremendous engineering, quality and intuitive controls, it’s not hard to see why Exmark is ahead of the class in commercial and residential lawn mowing. Along with Exmark’s amazing performance, they even have a few accessories that can instantly improve your mowing experience. If you would like to take your cutting to the next level, then check out these awesome Exmark Lawn Mower Accessories.

5. 12 Volt Adapter

This 12 Volt Adapter lets you power anything you might need while you’re mowing. This is an absolute must-have for any operator. Whether you’re charging your phone, GPS or any other accessory, this adapter is a necessity. It’s also conveniently located to make it easy to access during operation.

4. Trash Container Kit

You don’t have time to stop and worry about debris while you’re mowing. And now you don’t have to! The Exmark Trash Container Kit allows you to pick up any trash or debris and throw it away on the go – in no time at all. This container is conveniently located within arm’s reach of the operator. It features a 2.5 Gallon capacity basket with durable, easy to clean, mesh material.

3. UltraVac Bagger Collection System

The Exmark UltraVac Bagger Collection System takes your yard to the next level of quality. This bagger collects all excess debris into the hopper with every pass, which leaves behind a neat, crisp appearance. Along with picking up any grass clippings, bagger systems are also great at picking up leaves in the fall, making your lawn look flawless.

The Exmark UltraVack Bagger collection system also features quick-attach capabilities, which allow you to easily switch between side discharge and bagging. Plus, only Exmark’s bagging system features a wide diameter tube that helps reduce clogging.

2. Operator Control Discharge

When mowing around sensitive objects like cars, windows, and mulch beds, you know that every second counts. The operator control discharge system allows you to quickly and easily operate the discharge chute. This awesome accessory is compatible with any Exmark Lazer Z or Vantage Lawn Mower. This is a must-have accessory – especially for landscape professionals.

1. Turf Striper Kit

Have you ever been at a baseball game and paid attention to the outfield? Most ballparks use a really neat looking striping effect for their outfield grass. This gives the lawn a beautiful, professional look. Well, now lawn stripes aren’t just for the ballpark. With the Exmark Turf Striper Kit, you can have that fresh, ballpark look right in your own backyard.

These striping kits attach to existing mounting points, which makes installation quick and easy. The innovative design makes it easy for you to service the striper kit, which will make sure that it lasts season after season.

Mid-Summer Mower Maintenance Tips

Posted on July 21, 2015 by baggervance71

4 Steps to Keeping your Lawn Mower Running all Summer Long

Summer is almost halfway over, which means your lawn mower has probably seen it’s fair share of daylight. In order to keep your lawn mower running great all summer long, now is the perfect time to give your mower a mid-season tune up. Here are five steps to giving your lawn mower some mid-season maintenance.

1. Give your Lawn Mower a Good Cleaning

The first step in giving your lawn mower a mid-summer tuneup is to clean it up a little bit. During the first half of the summer, chances are, your mower has collected some dirt, debris and grass. It’s important to give your mower a good cleaning. Clean thoroughly, especially underneath the mower deck. Grass buildup underneath the mower deck can hold a great deal of moisture, which will make your mower deck rust.

PRO TIP: Save water and use an air compressor to get rid of debris quickly! If you don’t have an air compressor, a leaf blower will work just as well.

2. Tighten Bolts and Hardware

Over the course of a summer, your lawn mower takes on a great deal of wear. Vibrations among other things can cause bolts on your lawn mower to loosen. Grab a wrench and make sure all of your hardware and bolts are tightened up!

3. Change the Air Filter

If your air filter is dirty, then it’s probably time to change it. Replacing your paper air filter can maximize your mowers performance and engine life. If your air filter is foam, then you could probably benefit from cleaning it. Using soap and water, remove all debris, grass, and anything else it might have collected so far.

4. Check the Blades

Well sharpened blades can make all the difference in the world, when it comes to cut quality. Remove the blades and carefully inspect them for chipped or dull edges or any chunks that are missing. Properly balanced and sharpened Lawn mower blades are without a doubt, the most important part of achieving a high quality of cut.

After you do these 4 simple steps, your lawn mower should be all ready to take on whatever you throw at it, as we head into the last half of the summer. Happy Mowing!

Taking a Look at Electronic Fuel Injected Engines (EFI)

Posted on June 16, 2015 by baggervance71

Why Choose an EFI Engine Lawn Mower?

About three decades ago, the automobile industry went through a nationwide revolution! Between rising gas prices and pressure to become environmentally friendly, automobile manufacturers made the switch from traditional, carbureted engines to Electronic Fuel Injected Engines. Following the success of EFI Engines in the automobile industry, most commercial mowers and landscapers were also looking for an EFI Alternative in their lawn mowers, which led to a nationwide boom in Electronic Fuel Injected Lawn Mowers. If you’re still running on a carbureted engine, here are some reasons why switching over to EFI engines could be huge for you and your mowing operation!

How Does EFI Work?

Fuel injectors are electronic valves that send a fine mist of fuel to each cylinder. Each valve is connected to a computer that calculates factors, such as:

Temperature
Air Density
Throttle Position
Air Intake Volume

The EFI Engine’s computer takes real time readings of each of these factors, then uses these readings to adjust the amount of fuel that is being injected into the cylinders. Because of the flexibilty, EFI engines perform better and consume less fuel than carbureted engines.

Environmentally Friendly

EFI Equipped mowers use less fuel, give off less CO2, and offer a cleaner burn than traditional engines. Studies have shown that EFI engines use between 25 and 30% less fuel, which greatly reduces it’s carbon footprint! EFI engines are also more flexible and versatile than the bulky design of the traditional carburetor.

Cost Effective

Along with being incredibly environmentally friendly, EFI engines will also save you a lot of money! EFI engines use 25% less fuel, which means you will save 25% on fuel costs! Is that not impressive enough? Let’s put that into real-world terms.

Let’s pretend that you own a commercial mowing business. You run your carbureted lawn mower 600 hours per year, and your lawn mower consumes 1.35 gallons of fuel per hour. If gas prices are $3.50, then at the end of the year, you will pay $2835 in fuel costs alone. But when you switch to an EFI engine, your fuel consumption will be reduced to 1.01 Gallons per hour, and your annual fuel cost will be reduced to $2121! With an Electronic Fuel Injected Engine, you will save around $714 per year, and that’s only for one mower! If you replace four of your mowers with EFI mowers, you will save over $2800 per year on fuel costs! If that’s not enough to make the switch, I don’t know what is!

If you would like to see how much you can save by switching to EFI, check out this EFI Fuel Savings Calculator.

If your commercial mowing operation hasn’t made the switch over to an EFI engine, do it today! EFI engines perform better, burn cleaner fuel, are more environmentally friendly and fuel efficient! Think of all the money you will save with an EFI Engine Lawn Mower!

How to Change your Lawn Mower’s Spark Plug Like a Pro

Posted on May 26, 2015 by baggervance71

Changing the Spark Plug on your Lawn Mower

If you can’t get your lawn mower to start, many times it’s because of a faulty spark plug. An old or dirty spark plug can cause your lawn mower to have problems starting. Does your lawn mower start on the first pull? If not, simply replacing your spark plug can usually be exactly what your mower needs. Fortunately, replacing your mower’s spark plug is one of the easier things you can do for your mower. Here is a step by step guide to changing your lawn mower’s spark plug in under 10 minutes!

Does your Spark Plug Need Changed?

If your lawn mower doesn’t start on the first or second pull, then it’s probably time for a new spark plug. To decide whether or not you need to change your spark plug, first remove your old one and inspect the tip. If it’s black or dark in color or covered in debris, then it’s time to change your spark plug. Fortunately, spark plugs are incredibly inexpensive and super easy to replace!

You will Need:

New Spark Plug
Spark Plug Socket Wrench (These types of sockets contain a rubber insert that protects the ceramic spark plug.)

How to Change the Spark Plug

1. Disconnect the spark plug wire and clean around the spark plug hole with a wire brush.

2. Using a spark plug socket, remove the old spark plug.

3. Purchase a new spark plug. New spark plugs typically only cost a few dollars. Take the old spark plug into your local lawn mower service professional or hardware store to have it replaced. All spark plugs come with the model number printed right on them, so you can be sure you’re getting the right one.

4. Install the new Spark Plug. Insert the new spark plug into the spark plug hole. Turn the spark plug by hand until you can’t anymore, then use the spark plug socket to tighten the spark plug into place. Don’t over-tighten the the spark plug – applying too much pressure can crack the ceramic spark plug. Once the new spark plug is in place, connect the spark plug wire and you’re ready to go!

How to Get your Lawn Mower Ready for Spring

Posted on April 30, 2015 by baggervance71

5 Easy Steps for Tuning up Your Lawn Mower

Last weekend, the weather warmed up enough for me to celebrate with my First Mow of the spring! I pulled the lawn mower out of the garage, and pulled the string, only to find it wouldn’t start… After a long winter of sitting in the garage, my mower wasn’t ready to take on the task at hand. That means it’s time for a tune up!

Even if your lawn mower is running fine, annual tune ups can prevent costly repairs, increase your engine life and improve your fuel economy by 33 percent! Here are five steps for tuning up your lawn mower and getting ready for spring!

Change the Oil

After a long winter, if your lawn mower won’t start, the first thing to check is the oil. It’s usually a good idea to change the oil in your lawn mower at least one time each year. If your oil needs to be changed, here are three steps to change your oil.

First, before messing with your lawn mower, be sure to REMOVE THE SPARK PLUG WIRE. That will ensure that your mower doesn’t accidentally start up while you’re in there working on it.
Next, remove the drain plug and tilt the mower back to empty the old oil. Be sure the gas cap is on tight, or remove the gas in order to avoid spills.
Refill the mower with the new oil. Make sure you don’t put too much oil in. Most mowers hold 18-20 ounces of oil. If your lawn mower has a dipstick, use that to check the level.

Check the Gas

It’s usually a good idea to start each mowing season with a fresh tank of gas. Keep that in mind this fall, before you put your mower away for the season. Let your gas run out or empty the tank before storing it for the winter. In the winter, condensation can build up in the tank and gas line and freeze, which can lead to bigger issues. Using fresh gas can make sure your lawn mower starts right up.

Check the Air Filter

The next step in tuning up your lawn mower is checking the air filter. If you have a paper filter, it will probably need to be changed at least once per year. If your air filter is gray or brown, then it’s time to change it. New air filters an extremely inexpensive way to be sure your mower is running at it’s top performance. New air filters increase fuel efficiency, reduce emissions, and extend your engine life.

If you have a foam filter or pre-filter, you can also rinse it out with soap and water.

Change the Spark Plug

If, like me, you go to start your lawn mower in the spring and it won’t start, there’s a good chance it’s the spark plug. On the bright side, sparkplugs are also a cheap and easy fix. If the tip of your spark plug is black or dark, then you could probably use a new spark plug.

All you have to do is use a socket wrench to remove the old spark plug, and replace it with the new one. Make sure you purchase the correct spark plug by taking it into your local dealer or checking out this online lawn mower parts store. There’s a good chance that after switching out your spark plug, it will start right up!

Change or Sharpen Blades

Another aspect of tuning up your lawn mower is checking your blades. Before mowing, make sure your blades are balanced, sharp, and free of nicks and damage. Balanced lawn mower blades will make your lawn look as great as it can be!

If you need to change your lawn mower blade, tilt the mower so you can easily get to the bottom of the deck. Again, be sure to UNPLUG THE SPARK PLUG CABLE, and WEAR GLOVES! With a socket wrench, take out the bolt that’s holding your blade to the mount. Also, make sure to clean out the bottom of your mower deck of any grass or debris.

When putting the new blade on, pay attention to the direction and position of your blade. Make sure it’s the same position as your old blade. Use a socket wrench to attach the new blade.

After you follow these 5 steps, your lawn mower should be all tuned up and ready to take on anything you throw at it this summer!

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