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Lawn Mower Parts

Shrinivas Kanade
Malfunctioning lawn mower parts can make you work harder than necessary. However, you can do away with the situation by choosing to replace these parts. Read on ...
There are times when one has to do something about a lawn mower that is not up to the mark. It may happen that the problems you are facing are because of the wear and tear or total breakdown of these parts.
It becomes very necessary to replace these parts if they are costing you in efficiency as well as quality of lawn care. However, in order to locate the malfunctioning parts for examination, and to decide what to do with them, it is necessary that you know what the tool is made of.
Getting to know this gardening tool is like getting to know a car. All cars have parts such as wheels, engine, etc., that are common to every other car. Same is the case with lawn mowers. Whatever their brand is and irrespective of the manufacturers, each and every gasoline-powered one has some parts common to the rest of its kind.

The Different Parts

Blades

When we think of a lawn mower, the first thing that comes to our mind is how well it is mowing the grass. The actual cutting is done by the blades which are connected to an on-board motor, via a shaft.
Some of these blades go further than that by mulching the cut grass and returning it to the lawn, to decompose and act as a fertilizer. The maintenance problems, such as blunting or the breaking of blades will make you replace them.

Bag

You may not find this part on every modern tool. But, those having blades, not designed to mulch the cut grass, use a bag to collect it; this grass must be disposed off. Lifting a heavy bag of cut grass eventually damages it and needs to be replaced.

Deck

Like the body of a vehicle, this gives shape, strength to lawn mowers. It is of metals like steel to support the engine, blades and other parts. Some manufacturers also refer to it as 'cutter deck', as it makes room for the blades under.

Engine

Basically, there are three types of lawn mowers: manual push mowers, gasoline consuming, and electric- or battery-operated ones. Using a gasoline-driven one gives a big relief to your back when one is dedicated to gardening.
Like any other vehicle that is using an internal combustion engine, a gasoline-powered one can also break down. Its week-after-week use can wear one of its engine parts, and may make you undertake the task of its replacement. Some models are self-driven, and the engine in it not only provides the power to the cutting blades, but also propels the mower.

Wheels

Most mowers come with wheels that are made of solid rubbers; however, those used in a rough terrain are provided with the big rear wheels, which makes maneuvering easy. These big wheels also make it easy for the mower to cross the ditches.
One can adjust the proximity of the cutting blades to the grass, by adjusting the wheel assembly, which is of great help in landscaping a lawn. This option gives one the ability to vary the height of the cut grass, and create patterns on the lawn. A self-propelled model comes in handy in this task if the lawn to mow is considerably big.

Handle

Every mower is provided with a handle. In a mower with only its blades powered by a motor, it is useful in pushing it in order to cut the grass. For this purpose, handles are made of sturdy metals like steel.
For this tool, the handle functions like a car dashboard. It has controls which help a mower operator to start the engine, control its speed, and a safety bar that shuts the engine if the pressure on it is released. In case of a self-propelled model, the handle on it is very useful in changing its direction as well as controlling the speed of the mower.
If one is having trouble because of his mower, online search on the Internet can prove effective in locating the parts. The availability of these parts may depend on how old your lawn mower is and whether its manufacturer is still making it.
Even if its production is discontinued, you can look for the parts with wholesale dealers. These traders place big orders for the spare parts with the manufacturers, and even after a product is discontinued, they are in a position to supply these spare parts.
Before you start the search for spare parts, it is essential to know about the model you have, its production year, and the exact part description that will suit it. If you want your lawn in a good shape by buying a lawn mower, then going through some reviews can be of help.