Spring Mower Tune-Up: Timing and a Start-Up Checklist
The grass in the basin doesn't wait for the last snow. Here's when to get the mower ready and what to check first.
When to tune up
Aim for March and early April, before the first real mow. By May, every shop and mobile tech in the region is backed up. Worland and the lower valleys green up earlier than Powell and Cody, so book there a bit sooner.
First start of the season
- Check the oil level and color. If it's milky or black, change it before running.
- Smell the gas. Varnish smell means stale fuel. Drain it rather than fight it.
- Charge the battery on riders before you try the key.
- Air up the tires. A low tire makes for an uneven cut.
- Look at the blade. Rounded edges tear grass instead of cutting it, and the tips brown.
What our tune-up covers
Oil, plug, air filter, oil filter if equipped, blade sharpening and balancing, air up tires and grease zerks where equipped, fins blown out and a test run. Push mowers are $125, self-propelled $140, riders $250 and zero-turns $275. See the mower page.
Putting the snowblower away
Run it dry or stabilize the fuel, change the oil, and fog the cylinder if it'll sit until November. Then it'll start in the fall.