The Importance of Routine Maintenance
Why is it important to regularly maintain your equipment?
If you had a neighbour with a mint-condition car from the 1970s in his driveway and you asked him how he kept it in such great shape, the first words out of his mouth would probably be “I took care of it.” He had to perform maintenance on a regular basis. It may sound basic, but that’s also one of the most important things you can do to help your equipment last longer.
Manufacturers’ recommended maintenance schedules aren’t just arbitrary suggestions. They’re based on extensive testing of what’s required to maintain the integrity of your machine. And these recommended scheduled events need to take place to get the best quality out of your unit.
How can I find my recommended maintenance schedule?
The first place to look is your operator’s manual. If you don’t have yours handy, you can contact the Parkland customer service team, or search online:
- TORO – Visit TORO Parts & Manuals and search by model or serial number.
- Yamaha – Visit Yamaha Owners Manuals and search by year and model.
- Grillo – Visit Grillo Operators Manuals and search by model or serial number.
- Ventrac – Visit Ventrac Support and search by model and serial number.
1. Make a list of daily operation checks and use it. Some maintenance items are based on hours of operation. But your operator’s manual will also recommend checking certain things each time you use your machine. Recommendations vary by model, but examples include checking the engine oil level, hydraulic system, cooling system, etc.
2. Use the proper engine oil classification for your machine. This may not sound like a big deal, but using the wrong viscosity grade or weight of engine oil can be serious enough to void your warranty.
3. Don’t exceed the specified service interval. You can always perform regular maintenance sooner than required, but skipping or delaying tasks may shorten the life of your machine. Also beware of products and manufacturers that make claims that conflict with the manufacturer’s maintenance schedule. These claims don’t always hold up, and cutting corners can lead to costly problems. Choose quality products and follow the timing the manufacturer recommends for your operating conditions.
4. Document everything. Keep records of the maintenance you’ve performed and parts you’ve ordered. This gives you a timeline to keep your maintenance on track and helps answer questions if you need to make a warranty claim. You may be surprised how often owners estimate they changed the engine oil “a couple of months ago,” when in reality it has been a couple of years.
5. Don’t forget to do a functional pre-maintenance safety check. Before you perform any maintenance tasks, make sure all the safety items are working properly. For example, can you disengage the drives and lower the cutting unit? These “preflight” inspections can give you an indication if you have any leaks (such as bearings leaking grease) or help you identify and repair early failures before these issues become more costly problems.
6. Stick with genuine parts of the original equipment manufacturer. It may be tempting to grab a filter from the local auto parts store when you need one, but an off-the-shelf product may not have the same specifications as the genuine part. It may look and fit the same but still vary in specification, such differences can result in equipment damage, which can end up costing much more to repair.
