# Self Maintenance



## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

So I have a Toro ZTR and it's expensive (at least to me) so I'm thinking there must be some things I can do myself. I'm sure there are plenty of folks on TLF that service equipment or at least have knowledge.

I'm not talking anything major but changing the oil, changing out blades, sharpening blades...that kind of stuff. Then I could take the unit in every 2-3 years...


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## FRD135i (Oct 15, 2017)

@MasterMech ?


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## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

FRD135i said:


> @MasterMech ?


Sorry I dont get it? Is that someone on the forum?


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## FRD135i (Oct 15, 2017)

ctrav said:


> FRD135i said:
> 
> 
> > @MasterMech ?
> ...


yea, usually provides some pretty good equipment advice. It's tagged so they receive a notification


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## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

FRD135i said:


> ctrav said:
> 
> 
> > FRD135i said:
> ...


thanks...


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

You can certainly DIY most maintenance on your mower and if you keep it up, you won't have a reason to take it in for quite awhile. Without knowing the specifics I can't pinpoint any weak areas. But I can certainly generalize! :lol:

Engine maintenance is pretty easy. Keep an eye on your air filter and tap it out on a hard surface (driveway?) once a month or so. More if you run a bagger. Change the engine oil according to the manual, or every 25 hours of no other interval is specified. If it has an oil filter, you can probably go 50 hours unless you run in very dusty conditions all the time. Ignore the spark plugs unless you have running issues, they very rarely wear out or cause issues in mower engines.

Buy a spare set of blades and either take the dull set in to get them sharpened or DIY. Sharpen every chance you get!

If you always mow dry grass, you probably won't have to clean under the deck all that often. If you mow wet grass, clean off the underside either via hose or scraper. Always put it away with the top of the deck clean. Skipping this has a dramatic effect on the life of your belts. And if the chaff on top of the deck gets wet, it tends to hold that moisture, encouraging rust and doing not nice things to bearings in your idler pulleys.

Keep after the tire pressure, losing a lb or two of air pressure can make a visibly uneven cut. Not mention handling issues with a zero-turn.

Figure out a safe method of lifting the front for under deck maintenance work. Wether you invest in a Mo-Jack type of lift or something else, don't go banging, scraping, and wrenching under just a jack. It's way too easy to knock the machine off the jack unexpectedly and get yourself in a world of hurt.


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## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

MasterMech said:


> You can certainly DIY most maintenance on your mower and if you keep it up, you won't have a reason to take it in for quite awhile. Without knowing the specifics I can't pinpoint any weak areas. But I can certainly generalize! :lol:
> 
> Engine maintenance is pretty easy. Keep an eye on your air filter and tap it out on a hard surface (driveway?) once a month or so. More if you run a bagger. Change the engine oil according to the manual, or every 25 hours of no other interval is specified. If it has an oil filter, you can probably go 50 hours unless you run in very dusty conditions all the time. Ignore the spark plugs unless you have running issues, they very rarely wear out or cause issues in mower engines.
> 
> ...


Thanks so much for the advice MasterMech! No kidding about tire pressure  I felt the machine was too low as the blad was 1/2 inch off from what the settings said.. I would set the deck at 2 1/2" and it was cutting at 2" so I checked tire pressure and they were low. I put 12# in the rear and 15# in the front...Hope this is ok as it was my best guess. I called around to three different shops and never got a straight answer as to how much air to put in the tires (what a joke).

I'm picking up new blades this weekend and will take a shot at changing so I will always have a spare. Ok silly question do the new blades come pre sharpened? I will check filter next cut and tackle an oil change.

I never cut when grass is wet and I always blow off the ZTR before putting away...

Looking forward to asking more questions later...


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## ForsheeMS (May 21, 2018)

Yes, always sharpen new blades. IMO they simply aren't sharp enough from the factory pus that nasty thick coat of paint makes them even worse. If you sharpen them often enough you can use a flat file. In the long run this will help the blades to last longer by always keeping a relatively sharp edge on them plus it's better for the grass.

You should be able to go to the Toro website and download a copy of the owners manual if you don't have one. All of the maintenance intervals will be listed in there. The oil, oil filter, and air filter are the life of your engine so stay on top of that and it should last you a long time. Taking the few minutes to blow it off after each mow is a good thing. I go a little overboard sometimes as once every couple months I go over the entire mower with some spray wax. It's great for removing dust and dirt and those grass stains on the edge of the deck. Once a year (usually during the winter) it gets a full blown wax job and clean up.


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## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

ForsheeMS said:


> Yes, always sharpen new blades. IMO they simply aren't sharp enough from the factory pus that nasty thick coat of paint makes them even worse. If you sharpen them often enough you can use a flat file. In the long run this will help the blades to last longer by always keeping a relatively sharp edge on them plus it's better for the grass.
> 
> You should be able to go to the Toro website and download a copy of the owners manual if you don't have one. All of the maintenance intervals will be listed in there. The oil, oil filter, and air filter are the life of your engine so stay on top of that and it should last you a long time. Taking the few minutes to blow it off after each mow is a good thing. I go a little overboard sometimes as once every couple months I go over the entire mower with some spray wax. It's great for removing dust and dirt and those grass stains on the edge of the deck. Once a year (usually during the winter) it gets a full blown wax job and clean up.


@MasterMech

If my wife catches me waxing the lawn mowers i am positive it will send her over the edge  

In all seriousness I'm going to do just that (wax on, wax off)... I will get a set of blades from Home Depot this weekend. As for sharpening myself do I just use a file? I was told by someone not to do this myself because I would end up with an unbalanced deck??

Speaking of deck... how do you know when it needs balancing and is this something i can do as well? My Toro SS 4225 is on its second season and when I had it serviced last December it supposedly needed all this work so it cost me almost $400. I'm thinking that a new ZTR should not need that much attention!

I also read that spraying the underside of mower decks with a light coat of DW-40 or cooking spray helps to keep grass from sticking underneath...thoughts?


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## ForsheeMS (May 21, 2018)

ctrav said:


> If my wife catches me waxing the lawn mowers i am positive it will send her over the edge
> 
> In all seriousness I'm going to do just that (wax on, wax off)... I will get a set of blades from Home Depot this weekend. As for sharpening myself do I just use a file? I was told by someone not to do this myself because I would end up with an unbalanced deck??
> 
> ...


Check out a few YouTube videos on balancing blades. It's really easy and typically if you're using a file to sharpen them they don't get out of balance. I check mine by balancing them on a phillips head screwdriver. If balanced it will sit level, if not the heavy side will be lower.

I had a Hustler Raptor which is basically the equivalent of your Toro. In 5 years all it ever needed was the blades sharpened, oil changes and a new air filter each year. My son has it now and it has needed nothing other than general maintenance. The hydro's on those aren't serviceable so that wouldn't add to the expense. Not sure what it would have needed to cost that much.

I've never put anything on the underside of the deck. Like you, I don't mow wet grass so there's really no build up although I do take a look under there occasionally it never has needed to be cleaned.


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## bassadict69 (Apr 2, 2018)

I have a Gravely HD and recently changed my hydro fluid myself...there was nothing to it! The dealer wanted over $200 to do it!

If you have an air compressor, buy an impact gun. It will make breaking the blade nuts much easier!


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## social port (Jun 19, 2017)

@ForsheeMS this is a bit of a convoluted question, so bare with me...
I also use a screwdriver to check the balance of my blades. But, as far as I can tell, this method requires that you find the exact center of the blade to test for equal weight on both sides. The tiniest of pushes left or right unbalances the sides. And far be it from me to know when the screwdriver is placed at the exact center of the blade. So, how does one know if the blades are truly balanced vs simply pushing the blade a bit off of center while it is on the screwdriver?

Have any insight or tips here?


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## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

social port said:


> @ForsheeMS this is a bit of a convoluted question, so bare with me...
> I also use a screwdriver to check the balance of my blades. But, as far as I can tell, this method requires that you find the exact center of the blade to test for equal weight on both sides. The tiniest of pushes left or right unbalances the sides. And far be it from me to know when the screwdriver is placed at the exact center of the blade. So, how does one know if the blades are truly balanced vs simply pushing the blade a bit off of center while it is on the screwdriver?
> 
> Have any insight or tips here?


I read that having a nail in the wall and hanging the blade was a good approach???


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## social port (Jun 19, 2017)

@ctrav I think screwdriver in a vice and nail on a wall are different methods for the same thing. But both require you to find the center of the blade and let that area alone rest on the nail/screwdriver. 
I'm curious about the process finding that center point. I can make an unbalanced blade appear balanced by tapping it a little in one direction. There just seems like there is a lot of room for error.

I suppose that the blade could be measured and the midpoint precisely marked.


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## Smokindog (Jun 20, 2018)

@ctrav

I'm just down the road from you in FloMo.

I run pure synthetic oil in my mowers and cars. Costco has $10 off on 6 starting this weekend!

I get most everything else online and some smaller things at Northern Tool and/or Harbor Freight.

I get multi-packs of oil, air, and fuel filters online. They are expensive at the big box. Don't overlook Walmart.com as a source.

I've got 4 sets of these Copper Head blades that I really like. Blades can be a lot less online than at the big box. I saw no reason to sharpen these before use and they hold an edge better than any others I've had. I tried all the variants of the Husqvarna blades (highlift, mulch, ...) and these work best for me. There are a lot of variables with deck design and how/what you mow so YMMV. Obviously you'll want the blades for your Toro but this is what I have. Don't be afraid to shop. I ordered another set of these about a month ago and while getting the link for this post I noticed they're now $10 cheaper 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06Y1SDRNP/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

If you do that you can also get these things in the same order. They're inexpensive and useful. PS - the nail on the wall works too.

Northern sends out coupons if you're subscribed and there's always a $5 off $15 purchase. That's when I get these kinds of things.
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200273174_200273174
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200273124_200273124

Get one of these for the winter. Keep your eye's open and Northern will have them for $19.99 sometimes and $24.99 fairly often. Take care of your battery and it'll last longer.
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200332201_200332201


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## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

Smokindog said:


> @ctrav
> 
> I'm just down the road from you in FloMo.
> 
> ...


Much appreciated...need to have a tasty beverage one day!


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## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

@MasterMech

HELP PLEASE...

I noticed my Torro SS4225 was cutting a little strange so I checked the tire pressure and sure enough it was off so I adjusted. Next thing was to change the blades so I bought a fresh set as the old ones appeared dull. Thats when I noticed the deck was off and wobbly. Not sure how to explain but there are two rods (one on each side) that run from about mid point to the rear of the deck that hook into the sides and rear. I assume this is how the deck is raised and lowered. Well one rod is not hooked to the side or rear as it is on the other side. Here are some pics and hopefully someone can guide me on this...











Thanks for looking!!


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

Looks like the left rear bracket has popped off the draft arm in your pics. Is it as simple as just heaving it back on there?


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## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

MasterMech said:


> Looks like the left rear bracket has popped off the draft arm in your pics. Is it as simple as just heaving it back on there?


If you look at the last pic it shows the rod going into a black rubber like piece but on the other side (bad pic) i can see its not in place and thus does not hook in the back...


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## ForsheeMS (May 21, 2018)

social port said:


> @ForsheeMS this is a bit of a convoluted question, so bare with me...
> I also use a screwdriver to check the balance of my blades. But, as far as I can tell, this method requires that you find the exact center of the blade to test for equal weight on both sides. The tiniest of pushes left or right unbalances the sides. And far be it from me to know when the screwdriver is placed at the exact center of the blade. So, how does one know if the blades are truly balanced vs simply pushing the blade a bit off of center while it is on the screwdriver?
> 
> Have any insight or tips here?


I set the blade flat down on the screwdriver and "eyeball" it to get the blade centered according to the hole in the center of the blade. Once you get the feel for doing it this way I think it's a pretty accurate way to check them. At least I've never noticed any type of vibration after checking them this way.


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## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

@MasterMech

Here is my problem with my Toro mower rod. Im not so sure the bracket is bent or damaged but this is the issue. This video explains what is wrong starting at 3:30 into video. He talks about ratchet straps which I dont have so any suggestions as to how to fix???


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## social port (Jun 19, 2017)

Thanks, @ForsheeMS . That is what I do as well, and I've never noticed any vibrations either. I'm probably just overthinking this one.

@ctrav I will also put up a vote saying yes, you can definitely do a lot of the maintenance on your ZTR. FWIW, I had very little experience working on mowers, cars, motorcycles etc. It took me a while to get the hang of everything, and I had to purchase some additional tools. I also had a few missteps along the way. But in a very short time, I think the kind of maintenance you mentioned in the OP will become relatively easy and quick to do, and I definitely think it is worth the investment to learn how to do everything. That's been my experience, at least.


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## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

social port said:


> Thanks, @ForsheeMS . That is what I do as well, and I've never noticed any vibrations either. I'm probably just overthinking this one.
> 
> @ctrav I will also put up a vote saying yes, you can definitely do a lot of the maintenance on your ZTR. FWIW, I had very little experience working on mowers, cars, motorcycles etc. It took me a while to get the hang of everything, and I had to purchase some additional tools. I also had a few missteps along the way. But in a very short time, I think the kind of maintenance you mentioned in the OP will become relatively easy and quick to do, and I definitely think it is worth the investment to learn how to do everything. That's been my experience, at least.


I agree social port...now if I can just get my deck back on properly :?


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## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

Well folks...I DID IT!! 
I was inspired by all those beautiful lawns and MasterMech, ForsheeMS, social port, and Smokingdog...thanks all!
I ended up taking the deck off, using a ratchet strap (which I didn't even know I had)and removing some other minor parts. It took several tries to get the angle right with the ratchet strap but once that was done it went smooth. Since I had the deck off i cleaned out the belt areas.

I really feel like I accomplished something but this grass is not going to cut itself...Now if I can just get this deck back on


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## CopperCreekCuts (Aug 2, 2018)

ctrav said:


> Well folks...I DID IT!!
> I was inspired by all those beautiful lawns and MasterMech, ForsheeMS, social port, and Smokingdog...thanks all!
> I ended up taking the deck off, using a ratchet strap (which I didn't even know I had)and removing some other minor parts. It took several tries to get the angle right with the ratchet strap but once that was done it went smooth. Since I had the deck off i cleaned out the belt areas.
> 
> I really feel like I accomplished something but this grass is not going to cut itself...Now if I can just get this deck back on


Congrats @ctrav! Great job doing it yourself!


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## social port (Jun 19, 2017)

@ctrav Man, that is awesome! It's a great feeling, isn't it? Before long, working on your mower will feel like an old hat :nod:


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## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

social port said:


> @ctrav Man, that is awesome! It's a great feeling, isn't it? Before long, working on your mower will feel like an old hat :nod:


I won't go that far but yes it did feel good. Mower rides better and cuts better. I was so stoked I gave the ZTR and Push Mower a nice bath 

Thanks for the comp @CopperCreekCuts!


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