As the dog days of summer give way to the more forgiving days of fall, all cool-season lawn care professionals know that a little “TLC” given to our turf this time of year can go a long way towards encouraging repair and recovery.

The same “TLC” principle can also be applied to your Steel Green ride-on spreader/sprayer application equipment. A little love now can pay big dividends and help ensure you finish out the rest of the busy lawn care season with a well-functioning machine that gets the job done.

I asked Mike Floyd, Inventory Control Manager at Steel Green Manufacturing, to give me a few fall maintenance recommendations for Steel Green units. Here are his top three tips:

  • “Make sure to lubricate all cables and bearings, to keep everything smooth during this stretch.” There are three cables (hopper open/close, deflector, diffuser) and five grease fittings (one on each castor tube, one on each front tire, and one on the idler arm) on every Steel Green unit.
  • “Never leave chemical sitting in the spray system for extended periods of time, to prevent any issues.” Besides possible reductions in chemical efficacy, leaving certain chemical products sitting in the tanks, hoses, and pumps too long can cause damage to seals, o-rings, diaphragms, etc…, while also potentially “gumming up” the spray system if the products are particularly viscous.
  • “Blow out your engine and engine bay area to keep it clean of debris so the engine can cool itself effectively.” As fall returns, grass growth increases again, and grass clippings become more abundant. Also, deciduous trees will begin to drop leaves, and if the leaves get mulched up while mowing, this can produce all kinds of organic debris that find a way to collect around the engine. Due to this increased potential for engine debris, it’s probably a good idea to also increase the frequency of checking the air filter on the engine, to make sure it stays clean as well.

A full maintenance checklist with recommended intervals can be found HERE. This chart is also included in the Steel Green owner’s manual.

Thanks to Mike for his tips! Mike and the rest of the team at Steel Green are available and ready to assist you with any other technical questions or maintenance concerns. They are the best in the business, so please take advantage of their experience and expertise. You can also call them at (765) 481-2890 when you need help.