Storing Your Lawn Tractor? 4 Easy Steps For Storing It Properly
A storage unit is a great place to store your lawn tractor when you don't have to use it for several months. However, you can't simply pull your tractor into the unit and leave it. There is a little prep that you must to to ensure that your riding mower will be in optimal condition when you need it again. If you fail to get your tractor ready for storage, you could have a mess of issues to deal with before you can use it again. Following are four easy steps for storing your lawn tractor properly.
Remove Debris
First and foremost, remove all debris from the top and underside of your mower with a broom or brush. This includes dead grass, leaves and mud. To get rid of stubborn or stuck-on debris, wash the deck of your mower with a water hose. After letting the mower dry thoroughly. Spray the deck with a thin layer of silicone spray. This will help prevent the build up of debris in the future.
Perform Maintenance
Now is the perfect time to perform necessary maintenance on your mower. Remove the blade and take it in to have it sharpened. Change the oil, air filter and spark plug. If you perform necessary maintenance at the end of the season, you won't have to worry about it when you take your tractor out of storage and for quite some time after you start using it again.
Treat Fuel
If left untreated, fuel will start to break down after about three months. It will not only lose its ability to combust, it may also cause gunk to build up in your fuel tank, fuel lines and carburetor. If you're only storing your mower for a short time, you can prevent this with fuel stabilizer. However, it has its limits. If you're storing your mower for an extended period of time, remove the fuel from the tank and run the motor until it cuts off, signaling that there is no more fuel in the lines.
Remove Battery
Lastly, remove the battery and store it separately to prevent corrosion. Store the battery on a sheet of cardboard on a raised surface, such as a work table.
By performing these simple steps, you will be able to take your tractor out of storage, put fuel in it, and begin using it when you need to. You will avoid a great deal of hassle, repairs and expense if you take the time to store your tractor properly. For more advice, talk to a unit like Regency Self Storage about their tips for machine storage.
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