Don't believe I saw anyone talking about treating underneath decks when mowing wet grass to keep it from sticking...I knew these landscapers that swore by spraying pam underneath deck for non stick effect.
Pam, WD-40, FluidFilm, etc. are short lived solutions to deck buildup. In the long run it is better to purchase a mower with an "open" style deck such as Scag or John Deere. Truth be told, though, all decks will get some build up if the conditions are bad enough but some are worse than others.
Can someone make a list of everything you should have with you? That would be awesome! I'm 17 and have started my own lawn care business to pay my bills, and for college now. I've got about 35 clients. I have a husquvarna tractor, commercial push mower, 2 husquvarna trimmers, back pack blower, trailer, locks for all equipment, etc.. what else should I always have handy?
In the manual for my Snapper hydro, it clearly states in bold writing to engage the PTO at full rpm's. I asked the dealer what was the correct procedure, and he also said at full rpm's. I relayed some negative feedback on doing it at full rpm's (from what I read here), and the dude said that the electric clutch is nothing like a manual clutch and should be engaged at full rpm's (I used poping the clutch in your truck at full rpm as an example). So what is the correct procedure? I was also told to pressure wash my machine to increase the life of the machine. I was poking around on the Exmark site, and in the FAQ's section on the site, they say that to pressure wash is a big no-no. Do you guys pressure wash at the end of the day? Not trying to start anything, I just want to do what is best for my equipment.
We have a gravely, and we wash and clean it thoroughly but don't pressure wash it except at the end of the season we take the deck off and blast that before we put it away.
Eric,
Lots of good advice there. Even for some of the guy's that have been in the business for a while. My dealer told me that I should let my engine run and COOL down a bit before shutting it down. He said it's not good to shut your engine down right away. I will let it run while I blow off the drives and walks, about 3-5 minutes. Engine dosen't backfire and shuts off smooth. To engage my blades on my Walker (geardrive) I just have engine off idle, same to disengage. Saves on the belt.
Mowman
I found out the other day that you should do the same thing with your truck, just giving it 30 seconds of idle in the driveway before you shut it off goes a long way to keeping your engine in good condition.
Don’t have time to check the 63 pages or posts to see if this in in here. Hell, I may already said it but...
Be wary of working in your own neighborhood, or at the least, on your own street. Some neighbors have boundary issues and think whenever you’re home, you’re at their beck and call.
Pam, WD-40, FluidFilm, etc. are short lived solutions to deck buildup. In the long run it is better to purchase a mower with an "open" style deck such as Scag or John Deere. Truth be told, though, all decks will get some build up if the conditions are bad enough but some are worse than others.
Which means stay as far away from husky as possible. I use to have a pz 52 and when you shut the deck off, after mowing 4" of dry grass, a whole hay bale would fall out. Piece of crap.
List of some of the tips off the top of my head that I wish I would have known starting out...
in no particular order. (Obviously, some are personal opinion suited to our situation.) ———save yourself some headaches:
1) use PB Blaster on a frequent basis on the ratchet strap mechanisms and on the 21” wheel/height adjustments.
2) if you use ratchet straps, get good ones
3) ALWAYS carry business cards
4) keep 3 sets of blades for each mower...easiest way to always make sure one set is sharp
5) a battery powered impact wrench is the 8th wonder of the world for changing blades as frequently as you should
6) Stihl safety glasses—the $10.99 in dark and smoke have been the best for staying on and limited fogging
7) carry a tire plug kit...I’ve been amazed how they hold...also cig lighter powered air compressor
8) add more good reflective tape to your trailer...if you have a trailer light failure after dark, it makes a huge difference
9) Stabil Marine to every gas can fill up. This is dependent on where you live, but with only ethanol conveniently available here, it has made a big difference for us..
10) HRX 217 has been a much better fit than the tank HRC for us...lighter, cheaper, and easier/faster to maneuver, and a better mulcher. Last as long? Maybe not, but we’ve yet to wear one out!
11) before the season starts, buy enough motor oil, air and oil filters, and grease for the entire season. You’ll stay up on maint better.
12) when you get a new lawn, immediately knock on the door of every neighbor within 5 or 6 houses in each direction and tell them you are mowing for so-and-so. This has had the highest rate of return of any marketing we’ve done.
13) type II justrite gas cans. Less spill, won’t tip over in truck, and on and on
14) for us, the largest model MoJack has been well worth...similar to the impact above, it helps me safely change the blades as often as I should
15) Fluid Film—great rust proofer under the trailer, etc..
16) Grass Flap is hands down our best OCDC
17) a laminated daily checklist in the truck to makes sure you have everything before heading out
18) keep a tourniquet and hemostatic gauze in the truck or on the mower (learn how to use on YouTube)
Very good point and so true. No pizzing behind the shed........
We have some unwritten rules at where I work. We only do commerical jobs, HOAs, Conds etc. No private homes.
Landscapers are always the first to get blamed if some thing is broken, missing or what every the clinet feels we did. Cover your azz !
Always be on the look out for broken windows or personal property. Take a minute or 2 and walk a property, cover your azz, stop and let the owner or your supervisor know.
DON'T move personal/private property. Mow around it or get the owner to move it.
Dogs and cats are not your friends, kids are worst, keep away from them.
There are some people out there just looking to get over on you, cover your azz
No way! You get to learn like the rest of us. But seriously the most important thing to take care of is your health and your workers health. Eat good. Hydrate. Take breaks. Watch each other as a team. It doesn't matter what kind of mower you have if your about to pass out!
My advice? Just don't be the new guy. There is like 1 lawn care company for every 2 people in my area (or so it seems) lol..If I were thinking of being the new guy, I wouldn't be haha..unless I just wanted to cut 4 or 5 yards for some extra money. The only reason I built mine back up full time for the second time is because it just sort of happened and I didn't really want it to, AND I already had the connections and people asking for me to service for them again.
My advice? Just don't be the new guy. There is like 1 lawn care company for every 2 people in my area (or so it seems) lol..If I were thinking of being the new guy, I wouldn't be haha..unless I just wanted to cut 4 or 5 yards for some extra money. The only reason I built mine back up full time for the second time is because it just sort of happened and I didn't really want it to, AND I already had the connections and people asking for me to service for them again.
Yeah I'm on my second go around, 20 years later. Cool to see how things have changed but many things are the same. It's low stress $$ compared to other ways of making $$. So here we go again. I had nicer equipment 20 years ago but had debt. Now my solo rig is paid in full and just looking for another source of income, but don't you know my phone is ringing regularly and I have been picking and choosing versus taking anything that comes my way.
Yeah I'm on my second go around, 20 years later. Cool to see how things have changed but many things are the same. It's low stress $$ compared to other ways of making $$. So here we go again. I had nicer equipment 20 years ago but had debt. Now my solo rig is paid in full and just looking for another source of income, but don't you know my phone is ringing regularly and I have been picking and choosing versus taking anything that comes my way.
It's the same for me, I have only been back full time for 11 months and my gross is probably 40% less than what it was when I stopped full time the first time. But, my expenses are down and everything I have is paid for. I didn't buy any equipment last year but had to buy some already this year, plus I wanted an enclosed trailer again, but I still got a small one this time. My stress level is so much better this time around just running solo 95% of the time. My phone has been ringing way more than I thought it would, and I don't even think I want any more mowing accounts unless something great just falls in my lap. It has been a nice feeling.
It's the same for me, I have only been back full time for 11 months and my gross is probably 40% less than what it was when I stopped full time the first time. But, my expenses are down and everything I have is paid for. I didn't buy any equipment last year but had to buy some already this year, plus I wanted an enclosed trailer again, but I still got a small one this time. My stress level is so much better this time around just running solo 95% of the time. My phone has been ringing way more than I thought it would, and I don't even think I want any more mowing accounts unless something great just falls in my lap. It has been a nice feeling.
Really nice feeling. That's the problem with the "new guy" They are not really wanted. lol...They have not built up a reputation and so many do poor quality work, and don't show up when they say they are going to. People don't like that.
621 - 640 of 753 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
A forum community dedicated to lawn care and landscaping professionals and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about performance, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more!