Get Your Tools Spring Ready! [4 Easy Steps]

Posted by Jake Williams

With Spring around the corner, we slowly begin to notice the signs which welcome us back to our lawns, gardens, and forests. The excitement and energy that Springtime brings is accompanied by long to-to lists, and delicate timetables.

Looking back on previous seasons, it may be easy to remember the moments where to-do lists grinded to a halt, and plans just failed to launch. Let’s explore what many consider to be one of the most frustrating of all the spring chores: getting your gas-powered equipment up and running!

Lawnmowers, tillers, weed trimmers, chainsaws, and leaf blowers, to name a few, and all the ways they may try to tell you, "no, you're not getting this done today!" With a small investment of time, and the introduction of a quick reference and checklist , you can tell the equipment you depend on most, "Oh yes, WE are working today!"... end of the conversation.

But first, let's highlight some of the most common ways your gas-powered equipment will fail you and get an extra day off, roll back your lawn and farm methods to the 1700's, or have you making excuses to run out and buy a replacement:

get your yard tools ready for spring

- FUEL—you need fresh fuel. Whether it is left in the equipment's tank over winter, or stored in containers, gasoline has a shelf life. Opinions vary on what this duration of time is, how they are impacted by different storage methods, how fuel stabilizer products prolong the shelf life, ethanol-blended fuels, etc. (A future blog posting will be written that goes into much, much greater detail about the topic of fuel...but for now, let's bypass the unpredictability of anything other than fresh fuel.)

-AIR—you need a clean air filter. Air filters are the gatekeeper to any air which enters the engine. Dust, dirt, and debris buildup in the filtering media will gradually restrict the airflow. It's sometimes easy to not notice any loss in performance leading up to larger problems, but at some point the engine will be impossible to start.

-AIR—if not idling, check spark arrestor screen. The burnt fuel has to go somewhere, and most late model equipment has what's called a "spark arrestor screen" located on the outside of the muffler. Over time, this thin steel mesh or thimble-shaped screen will foul until the point it clogs and affects performance. It's easy to forget it is there, and this problem has snuck up on me several times - beginning with a noticeable loss of power, until the machine eventually will not idle. Without getting deep into the philosophy of this part - yes, some people remove it, entirely. Others, including myself, leave it intact, and clean it periodically. In my experience, the manufacturer's doctrine is that it is an essential and necessary part, and I've been told many brands involuntarily replace the part when servicing equipment at authorized dealers.

-SPARK—make sure spark plug is working properly. A visual inspection, to include checking for the appropriate spark plug gap, is the final basic step with gas-powered equipment. Make sure there is no cracking or damage to the ribs and body of the plug, and there is no heavy erosion to the electrodes. Wipe the threads, and consider carefully applying anti-seize lubricant prior to reinstallation of an existing or replacement plug.

Now is a great time to begin inspecting your equipment and performing necessary maintenance. Once Spring arrives, you will want to be out in the yard or on the farm, and not stuck at the workbench! You may also be planning on acquiring a few replacement parts, and setting aside a few extra of the difficult-to-find parts whose failure would take the equipment out of service for days, or weeks.

In order to simplify things, we’ve developed a simple Tool Maintenance Worksheet. This will allow you to keep track of maintenance performed, and consolidate key part numbers for quick reference when buying replacement parts. This is the sheet you will want to have in your workshop to record inventory and condition of parts on hand, and by your side when you order parts, whether factory or aftermarket. Whether this be online, over the phone, or at a parts counter, you will be able to quickly reference the specifications of your particular make and model without having the equipment with you.