Everyone wants a well-mowed lawn because it adds beauty to your house’s curb appeal. However, the work that goes into a well-mowed yard isn’t easy. While it might be hard to get an attractive yard, having a faster machine can make it easier.
Hydrostatic lawnmowers make mowing easier because it has speed and control. However, sometimes the mower might not be as fast as you want due to some factors.
Luckily, there are proven ways you fasten the machine if you’re experiencing speed issues. Without further ado, this article will educate you on how to make your hydrostatic lawn mower move faster. You’ll also get invaluable maintenance tips to help you use your machine for optimal performance.
What is A Hydrostatic Lawn Mower?
A hydrostatic lawn mower runs using hydraulics rather than belts and gears. Hydraulic pumps and motors help power the machine to ensure it functions perfectly. Most hydrostatic lawnmowers will have two pedals or hand levers that you can use to control them.
Hydrostatic lawnmowers usually come either in a walk-behind or ride-on mower. A walk-behind mower is one you control using your momentum while standing behind it, while a ride-on is one you ride on like a car.
It isn’t complicated to start hydrostatic lawnmowers if the machine isn’t faulty. Mostly, you’ll only need to press a switch to start and stop the engine.
Hydrostatic lawnmowers are also very controllable, and you can regulate the speed well as your lawn in your yard. Their controllability will make them work your yards faster and better than most other types of mowers out there.
Whether it’s a wet or dry surface, they always work perfectly as long as you maintain the machine well. Maintenance is a crucial aspect of the lawnmower. Generally, care equally for all the different parts of the machine to keep it at its best. You’ll get detailed maintenance tips for your mower later in the article.
How to Make a Hydrostatic Lawn Mower Faster
Whether making simple modifications to the crucial parts of your machine or observing routine maintenance, there are many hacks to increase the speed of your lawn mower. What are some of them?
1. Use Bigger Tires
Tires are one of your machine’s most vital speed system components. Pay attention to this part if you want a faster lawn mower. Install bigger tires on your mowers because they can improve speed.
However, be wary of installing very high tires as it could make the deck too high. A high deck might increase the chance of your machine tumbling over during high-speed turns or climbing steep slopes.
Buy the correct brand of tires for your system. Check the owner’s manual if you have doubts about the tire types to purchase.
2. Get Sharper Blades
A lawnmower is as good as its blades. It’s pointless if every part of your machine is in perfect state, but your blades are at their worst. Therefore, it’s essential to ensure that you sharpen this core part every time.
The more intensive your mowing work, the more frequently you need to get the blades sharp. If the blades are old, buying new ones is best because they’ll go blunt quickly, no matter how well you sharpen them.
Cleaning your blades after every mowing session is key to ensuring their longevity. Use a pressure cleaner or a hose to wash the grasses of it. You can also use your hands to remove the grass from the blades. Cleaning the blades will ensure the grasses don’t enter the mower’s engine, no matter how little.
3. Install Bigger Pulleys
As installing bigger tires can help increase speed, getting larger pulleys can also work magic if you do it correctly. Only replace the pulleys with the correct hydrostatic transaxle model for your machine. Also, the size is an area you should get right.
As a general rule of thumb, you shouldn’t just jump the sizes of your pulley. If your machine uses 3.5 inches, don’t jump to 5. Try smaller sizes first, like 4, 0r 4.5. You can change to bigger sizes if your machine can handle it fine.
4. Remove Unimportant Attachments
You can do without some of the accessories that come with your machine. So keeping them on while working will only decrease the speed due to the heavy load. You can check removable attachments on your mower through the owner’s manual.
If you’re dissatisfied with performance after you remove a particular accessory, put it back, and your machine should function normally again.
5. Remove the Governor
A governor is a part of your lawnmower that helps regulate its speed. It does its duty by adjusting the machine’s motor rotation.
If you do away with the governor, you’ll release the engine torque and increase the motor rotation per minute, making your machine faster than usual.
6. Use High-Quality Fuels
Hydrostatic mowers use a hydraulic engine; therefore, the quality of fluids you use will directly impact their performance. Go to the best stores and quality fuels for your engine. You’ll be surprised at how much this step can enhance the speed of your machine.
These are some tips that can make your lawnmower faster. Although some of these tips can work for other mower types, this one strictly applies to hydrostatic lawnmowers. The following section will touch on essential maintenance tips to help you get the best out of your machine.
Regular Maintenance for a Faster Hydrostatic Mower
The importance of maintenance to the overall performance of your lawn mower can’t be over-emphasized. All the parts of your machine have ways that you can care for them to ensure optimal performance. However, some specific maintenance routines can directly impact the speed of your mower. What are some of these maintenance routines?
1. Inspect the Tires
There aren’t many complex maintenance procedures you must carry out on your tires other than ensuring the air pressure is correct. Your machine can only have the opportunity to go at its fastest if the air pressure in the tires is okay.
Luckily, it’s one of the simplest maintenance you can carry out on your lawnmower. It’s essential to ensure all your tires have the same air pressure.
2. Check Regularly for Leaks and Damages
Leaks and damages in your hydrostatic setup can impact the machine’s performance. Fluids can only travel unrestricted if all connections are intact. Your mower can only move at maximum speed if all fluids travel unhindered.
Therefore, you should regularly check for any breakages and fix them before they can cause problems.
3. Ensure that The Underside of the Mower is Clean Always
Most of the mowing work happens under the mower. Therefore, you must ensure it’s free from grass debris.
A clean underside will fasten up the mowing work and make it easier for the machine to cut grass. On the other hand, a dirty underneath will make the whole mowing work slow, tedious, and rough.
4. Check the Air Filter
The air filter in your lawn mower protects the engine from grass debris. Also, it regulates the amount of air that gets into the mower. A blocked air filter won’t be able to control the air that gets into the filter perfectly.
So it’s essential to clean it regularly. If the air filter is old, you can buy and install a replacement from your favorite store.
Final Verdict
Most of the things you’ll have to do to make your hydrostatic lawnmower faster are simple. If you use any steps and aren’t getting the desired result, it might be time to consult a technician.
Read and understand the owner’s manual of your hydrostatic lawn mower before you use the machine. It will be easier to get the best out of your mower if you know how it works.
You should practice pre-use and post-use checks on your lawnmower. These checks will allow you to detect problems that may hinder its performance and make the machine faster.
