Rotating the Tires and Lubing the Wheels on a Push Mower

[Bruce Wrenn]

A grass cutting season comes to a close for some, it's time to get the mower ready for next spring. Change oil, fresh plug, drain gas, or add stabilizer. What about the wheels? Take the wheels off, polish axles with fine sand paper, then add some white lithium grease to axles before reinstalling wheels. If your mower is self propelled, look at the drive wheels. If they are worn, swap them side for side. Release blade lock cable from both engine and safety bar. Pull it out as far as you can from either end, and add some white lithium grease to cable, Repeat on other end. Just some ideas, based upon my experience. Here, it's grass cutting season year round, just not as often in the winter months.

[Bruce King]

We got one of the Kobalt 80v self propelled and love it. Not sure about maintenance yet. Has enough battery to do a medium size yard and have plenty left. We have a half acre with natural areas on 60 percent of it so not hard except after storms.

[roger wiegand]

None of the above, I'm afraid. Im afraid I just buy a new mower every 30-40 years. (On my second one now at this point, expect that it will take me through to the end. I'd still be on the first but for having hit a rock that bent the crankshaft.) I do turn the gas off at the tank and run it dry at the end of the season since leaded gas disappeared.

[Jerome Stanek]

I just bought a Kobalt 80V self propelled about 3 weeks ago clear out special $288 including tax with my military discount. so far I love it.

[mike stenson]

Spark plugs in a push mower?

[Bruce Page]

I perform all the maintenance you mention each year, along with sharpening the blade. I have never done more than add a drop or two of oil to the wheels/axles. I haven’t had one fail yet.

[Stan Calow]

I wait until most of the leaves have dropped so as to use the mower to vacuum them up. Then I'll do all the above maintenance (never thought about the wheels) on the same day I get the snow thrower ready.

[Doug Dawson]

A grass cutting season comes to a close for some, it's time to get the mower ready for next spring. Change oil, fresh plug, drain gas, or add stabilizer. What about the wheels? Take the wheels off, polish axles with fine sand paper, then add some white lithium grease to axles before reinstalling wheels. If your mower is self propelled, look at the drive wheels. If they are worn, swap them side for side. Release blade lock cable from both engine and safety bar. Pull it out as far as you can from either end, and add some white lithium grease to cable, Repeat on other end. Just some ideas, based upon my experience. Here, it's grass cutting season year round, just not as often in the winter months.

Same here (South Texas.)

I like to add stabilizer to the gas when I buy it, so I never have any starting problems.

My wheels get removed maybe once a year, the hubs get polished with 2000 grit sanding strip, and the wheels and hubs get oiled with engine assembly lube.

I only have a cover for the mower (no room for it in the garage, ahem,) so no climate control for it.

[Bruce Wrenn]

None of the above, I'm afraid. Im afraid I just buy a new mower every 30-40 years. (On my second one now at this point, expect that it will take me through to the end. I'd still be on the first but for having hit a rock that bent the crankshaft.) I do turn the gas off at the tank and run it dry at the end of the season since leaded gas disappeared.


Only bought one mower, and it was a return at Lowes. Regularly pick up used (non running) at local recycle bins. Most just need water/ gas mix drained from carburetor and tank. Once in a while get a bent crank, which I can straighten. No, I don't use a big hammer to straighten cranks. Back in the day, when mowers had points and condensers, on trash day rode around rich neighbor hoods in spring and had many choices to choose from, all located at the curb next to trash bins. Such an easy fix to file the points and reset them. Ethanol gas has created a new source for mowers, as it has an affinity for moisture from the air. Chinese carburetors are dirt cheap, and work just as well, if not better than OEM carburetors. Local vendor stocks Oregon brand blades for about fifteen bucks, so a new blade isn't expensive. Hardly worth sharpening an old blade at this price. Pop old blade off, and new one on, and in less than ten minutes mowing again.

[Rod Sheridan]

I clean it, lubricate it and wipe some oil on the blades in the reel and the stationary cutter bar.

No engine maintenance as it’s a push mower....Rod

[Bruce Wrenn]

I clean it, lubricate it and wipe some oil on the blades in the reel and the stationary cutter bar.

No engine maintenance as it’s a push mower....Rod


Runs on Musclene!