We’ve written before about the importance of consistent daily and weekly maintenance during the busiest period of the year for lawn care companies. The weeks when you have the most work and are most pressed for time are the same weeks that you can least afford to have a rig out of service. Just in case some basic maintenance tasks got shifted to a back burner during long workdays, we’re providing another quick rundown of the most important things you should be doing on a regular basis to keep your rigs and out of the shop and on the road.
– Rinse the screen: If the screen isn’t cleaned frequently, residue will build up on it, stressing the pump. This may lead to problems with calibration. If the problem gets bad enough, the diaphragm will eventually burst, putting the pump out of service.
– Test the reel: This step is so easy that it’s second nature for most pros, but sometimes habits are so ingrained that it’s easy to think you’ve already performed a task when you’re actually remembering doing it yesterday. A checklist may seem like too much trouble, but it’s a good way to make sure you don’t accidentally skip a step.
– Bucket-test the pump: As we all know, the easiest way to check your calibration is one minute filling a bucket with the spray gun. If the result is noticeably more or less than three gallons, the amount that’s appropriate for roughly 1,000 square feet of lawn, it’s time for an adjustment.
– Examine hoses and belts for wear and cracks, and tighten belts if necessary.
– Inspect spark plugs and the air filter: If you have trouble starting the engine on the first try or it doesn’t seem to be running smoothly, these are obvious possible causes.
– Check the oil: If you’re working your rig hard enough, your oil level might start to fall before you’re aware of it.
– Keep it clean: The single best thing you can do to prolong the working life of your rig is spray it down at the end of every workday and wash it once a week. When you’re spraying a lot of lawns, a lot of chemicals can build up on your rig. If you remove the residue regularly, you won’t have to worry about corrosion.
– Lastly, the end of summer is a good time to review your inventory of repair kits and frequently replaced parts.
If you have questions about maintenance, parts, or anything else related to your Graham spray rig, help is just a phone call away. All Graham customers enjoy free phone support for the life of your Graham equipment, which — with appropriate maintenance! – can be as long as 20 or even 30 years.