We’re in mid-November now, and not too far away from the first snowfall of the season (especially for certain readers who live in snowy areas!) With that being said, Snow Blower Source has compiled a list of snow blower maintenance tips you should be performing before taking out the machine for the first time, just to make sure it operates like it’s supposed to.
Make Sure Everything’s Tightened in Place
The last thing you want is for a screw, bolt or nut to come loose when you’re driving your snow blower up and down your yard. Best case scenario, something pops loose and you have to put it back in. Worst case, it’s a crucial part (like the drive belt or spark plug) and your snow blower just shudders to a halt.
It takes all of a few minutes to complete this step, and if you do it right you don’t have to check it every single time you pull out your snow blower. Just go over where parts are bolted together, and check that everything’s tight and in place. Everything should be tight and secure, so pull out that wrench and get to work.
Is Your Oil Filled Up to the Right Level?
While snow blowers aren’t overly complex, like the way F1 race cars are, it still has a lot of moving parts inside that need to be lubricated. If there’s not enough oil, then the metal begins to scrape against other metal and damage takes place. Again, if this doesn’t happen on a regular basis, then the damage can be minimal; if it’s a repeated occurrence, you risk blowing out the machine entirely.
This step is really and only takes a couple of seconds. Remove the oil dipstick, wipe it against a rag or paper towel, insert it back in again, and pull it out. If the oil falls to the right level on the dipstick, you’re good. If not, you have to fill it up a bit. But to make sure you don’t overfill (that’ll cause another set of problems!), fill it up slowly with a funnel.
Inspect Important Parts for Wear and Tear
While there may be a lot of parts in your snow blower, the main ones you want to be concerned with are: