Lawnmower Maintenance

During the winter months, there is no need to mow the lawn as the grass stops growing without the summer sunshine and warmth - you may have noticed this already. While we're sure you're itching to get out there and keep your garden in check, this down-time presents you with the perfect opportunity to give your lawnmower a little bit of extra attention and TLC, in preparation for all the work you will be carrying out in the coming spring.

Here's our top tips for maintaining your lawnmower this winter:

Clean Your lawnmower

You will need to remove all of the leftover grass cuttings from the lawn mower. A top tip from us to you: never tip the mower on its side - fuel from the carburetor or oil from the sump could flow into the air filter or silencer, which will cause difficulties with the machine, rather than make it work better! Don't leave the mower in the tipped back position for long periods of time. Wear thick gloves before carrying out any work on your mower. Always ensure the engine is switched off and remove the spark plug cap so there is no chance of the engine starting. Use a soft brush to remove the excess grass, and you can use a plastic scraper to remove any dried on grass deposits from the cutting cylinder ... Just don't be too rough! Use a stiff brush and water to clean the machine, avoiding letting any water make it's way into the fuel or oil tanks. To avoid any corrosion of the cutting cylinder and bottom blade spray with WD40 or a light oil before drying and storing.

Drain The Fuel

Everything has a shelf life, including fuel. If you don't drain the fuel before storing your cylinder or rotary mower away over the winter, your fuel can go off. Once you've drained the fuel, if there's a small amount of fuel left, just leave the lawnmower running until it empties the tank and the carburetor. You can find out how to drain the fuel in your particular engine in the engine manuals (see below). It's perfectly safe to leave the oil in the lawn mower over the winter but we'd recommend that you change the oil in the spring before you begin your lawn maintenance again!

Check Your Mowers

Before using your lawn mower, give it a full once over. Make sure all guards are in place and if you notice any damage, get in touch with your local Allett Dealer who can put your machine through a proper winter service to ensure optimum performance once you come to use it again! Your dealer will also be able to sharpen the blades and check your cutting action for you; getting your garden mower blades maintained professionally will ensure the best results and a sharp cut to your lawn. Once all this is done store your mower in a cool dry place.

Engine Manuals:

Provided below are engine manuals to assist you with your mower maintenance. Honda Engine (Allett Buckingham/Westminster): Honda GX200 http://engines.honda.com/parts/ownersmanuals/gx200 Loncin Engine (Allett Classic) (154F-1) http://www.barrus.co.uk/media/1163/loncin-lc154f-1-owners-manual.pdf Kawasaki (Kensington) FJ100-D https://www.manualslib.com/manual/850646/Kawasaki-Fj100d.html?page=22&term=drain&selected=1

If you have any further questions related to your Allett cylinder mower feel free to contact us sales@allett.co.uk or 01889 271503 or your local Allett dealer.