The repair and maintenance of all equipment used in grounds maintenance from edge trimmers to grass mowers, earth tillers to leaf blowers and hedge trimmers to chain saws is a large ongoing part of the business because of the constant wear and tear factors involved with this type of equipment.
Much of the smaller equipment used is of the high rev two cycle variety and require fuel and oil blends to maintain lubrication. Some have an auto oil inject feature that takes any guessing out of the equation making them easiest to operate unless of course it happens to malfunction in which case the result would be spark plug failure at the least or engine failure at the extreme. Others require oil to be premixed with the fuel at certain ratios depending on the manufacturers requirements (usually around fifty to one but can vary from one machine to another) but also carry drawbacks with improper blending resulting in plug fowling on the high side and engine failure on the low side.
Most larger equipment is of the four cycle engine type utilizing diesel, gasoline and propane as the motor fuel. Four cycle engines usually have a longer life span as they run at much lower rpm's causing less wear and tear but also have inherent issues that call for regular maintenance.
Grounds equipment maintenance covers every aspect of the machine, from wheels to wheel bearings, chains to sprockets, blades sharpening to power takeoffs and every attachment you can think of. It also covers the stocking of supplies used in regular intervals of grounds equipment maintenance such as grease, oil, belts, spare chains, spark plugs filters and a backup machine or two just in case a parts backlog develops which is always a possibility depending on your favorite equipment brand's popularity or lack there of.
There is one aspect you definitely will want to have in your toolbox of options when it comes to grounds equipment maintenance and that is to have and keep a strong relationship with a few different equipment rental companies as backup, should you experience performance problems that would otherwise slow the job and delay progress.
The best policy when it comes to equipment maintenance is to stay ahead of problems with a regular preventive schedule that includes greasing, changing oil, cleaning air and fuel filtersand keeping tires properly inflated. Last but not least is to keep the overall appearance of the equipment clean, there is nothing that speaks louder than neat clean looking equipment on the job, plus the added benefit in the ability to spot problems and make adjustments before failure occurs.
