Shank's Lawn Blog

Most of us learned how to use a lawn mower when we were young, and we haven’t thought about how we do it since then. That means most of us aren’t doing everything we could to improve the health and appearance of our lawns. Here’s a list of the most common bad mowing habits, and what you can do to avoid them.

Mowing the Grass Too Short

It seems logical: the shorter the grass is, the less often you’ll need to cut it. However, cutting grass too short damages it, thinning out your lawn. This is particularly true of varieties that have grass crowns. Cutting into the crown can kill that clump of grass, leaving a bald spot behind.

Most turf grasses need to be between one and two inches in length, while some varieties, like Kentucky Bluegrass, can grow up to 3.5 inches high before cutting. The key to having healthy grass is to cut it before the weight of the leaves makes them bend down on themselves. When you mow, limit each cut to no more than 1/3 of the total blade length. 

If you’ve had to delay mowing for a while due to heavy rains, you may need to mow multiple times to get the grass down to its normal height. In this case, wait a couple of days between each mowing to give the grass time to recover.

Using the Same Pattern When You Mow

It’s easy to get into a routine, using the same pattern, starting point, and end point when you mow. However, this repetition means the wheels on your mower go over the same spots each time. This leads to matting, soil compression, and ruts, which damage the grass. Instead, try starting at different points, and change up your patterns. This spreads out the load from your mower, helping the grass recover and thrive.

Mowing with Dull Blades 

A dull mower blade doesn’t slice through grass, it rips off the ends. This makes the cut inconsistent, leaving a poor finish. The tears also make the grass more susceptible to infections. If the surface of your lawn looks uneven after mowing, or you notice the grass tips look jagged, you need to sharpen your mower blades.

If you live in an area with sandy soil, you’re well aware of how fast the sand picked up by your mower accelerates blade wear. If you’re getting tired of sharpening, consider upgrading to blades made specifically for this soil. Sandy soil blades have a hardened surface that resists scouring, cutting wear significantly.

Need Something for Your Mower?

Shank’s Lawn Equipment sells and services most major brands of lawn mowers, including Exmark, Scag, Cub Cadet, Troy-Bilt, Woods, and Honda. We’re also an authorized service center for all major small engine brands, including Kawasaki, Kohler, Honda, Vanguard, and Briggs & Stratton, so we can repair your equipment. Visit us in person at 4900 Molly Pitcher Highway in Chambersburg, PA, or online at www.shankslawn.com. We ship parts and accessories across the U.S. or Canada.

Are ruts showing up on your lawn, leaving areas bare? There are several issues that cause this problem, ranging from poor lawn care practices to dead vegetation. Here’s how you can address these problems, as well as what you can do to repair the ruts in your yard.

What Causes Ruts?

If you mow the same way every time, the wheels of your mower will compress the soil. Break up your routine by trying different mowing patterns. The same goes for foot traffic. If you’re walking over the same place over and over again, you will compress the soil. Have a dog in the backyard? Often, they like to run back and forth over the same spots, compressing the ground while tearing up the grass.

Avoid driving vehicles over your lawn. The weight compacts soil and the tires can rip out turf. Likewise, using the wrong tires on your equipment can cause ruts. Turf tires have large lugs and wide profiles that spread out the load, while garden tires have long, deep lugs that dig into bare soil. If you use garden tires on turf, they will tear up the grass, especially when making turns.

Wet soil compacts more easily than dry soil, compounding the problem. If you see blades of grass bent over from water, you can be sure the ground is too wet to mow.

Sometimes, it’s not your equipment causing the problem, it’s what’s underneath the soil. When organic matter breaks down, it can leave gaps in the soil, allowing the turf to collapse inward. This is usually caused by the decomposition of dead tree roots.

Repairing Ruts

The best time to repair ruts is when grass growth is at its peak. For warm-season grasses, this is late spring. For cool-season grasses, this is early fall.

Ruts that are less than four inches deep are caused by compacted soil and can be relieved by lifting the soil off of the ground. Using a spade, pry up the topsoil at a 45-degree angle. The lifted sod should stand about two inches above the surrounding ground. Over time, the soil will settle and flatten out, eliminating the rut.

Deeper ruts need to be filled in with dirt. Cut out the sod in the rut, and set it aside. Fill the hole with a mix of soil and either sand or compost. This encourages deep root growth, which helps anchor the new dirt into the ground. This fill dirt should be one to two inches above the surrounding topsoil. Put the sod you cut out earlier on top of the new dirt and overseed as needed.

Need Help with Your Lawn Care Equipment?

Shank’s Lawn Equipment carries a wide range of equipment brands, covering everything from residential walk-behind mowers to small tractors. Want to cut down on scalping and ruts? We carry anti-scalping wheels, turf tires, and other accessories for all the brands we carry. When you need help with your outdoor equipment, visit our shop at 4900 Molly Pitcher Highway in Chambersburg, PA, or see what we offer online at www.shankslawn.com. We ship parts and accessories across the USA and Canada.

The BCS tractor is a compelling option for commercial and residential lawn care. Thanks to its attachment system, you can use one machine to cover several landscaping tasks. Which model is right for you? Here’s a breakdown of lawn care attachments and the tractor models you need to power them.

A Note About Model Names

The higher the number used in your BCS tractor’s model name, the bigger and more capable it is, with one exception: the 660. This hydrostatic drive tractor uses a 16 HP Vanguard V-Twin. This makes it the most powerful tractor in the lineup. The 660 requires a two-bolt 750 bushing to use all the attachments on this list. For other tractors, we’ve noted the accessories you’ll need to connect attachments.

Sickle Bar Mowers

For single-action bars, the 710 and 718 only support 30 and 40-inch bars. You need a 732 or larger tractor for 45-inch bars, and an 852 or larger tractor for 53-inch bars.

The 710 and 781 don’t support dual action bars. You need an 852 or larger tractor for a 71-inch bar. These rules apply to mowing attachments with and without fingers.

Bar transmissions support all bar lengths that use the same action. That way, you can switch between bar lengths based on the job, balancing mowing speed against available space.

Flail Mowers

You can use a 24-inch mower with a 732, but BCS recommends upgrading to 5 x 10-inch wheels for this application. Other bar sizes require at least an 852 tractor.

Brush Mowers

The 21-inch mower works with all models, as long as they have 5 x 10-inch or larger wheels. The 710 and 718 don’t support larger mowers. The 620 doesn’t support mowers wider than 26 inches.

Combo Mower

This attachment works with 732 and larger mowers with 5 x 10 inch or larger wheels.

Lawn Mowers

22-inch mowers work with 620 to 732 tractor models. 38-inch mowers work with 852 and larger tractors with a PTO extension.

Dethatcher

This attachment works with 732 and larger attachments.

Mowing Sulky

This attachment works with all tractors except the 710 and 781.

Chipper/Shredder

This attachment works with all tractors except the 710 and 781. You’ll need a 750 bushing to use this attachment with the 750 tractors.

Log Splitter

This works with 718 and larger tractors. It requires a power cradle kit and a curved coupler. The 718, 732, 852, and 853 need a short coupler, while other models need a long coupler. You’ll also need a 750 bushing to use this attachment with the 750 tractors.

We’re Your BCS Headquarters

Are you looking to buy one of these versatile tractors? Do you want to add attachments? Shank’s Lawn Equipment always has BCS equipment and parts in stock. We’re also an authorized dealer for Vanguard, Honda, and Kohler, so we can service everything on your tractor. Visit our shop at 4900 Molly Pitcher Highway in Chambersburg, PA to see our tractors and attachments, or check out what we have in stock at www.shankslawn.com. We also ship parts and accessories across the United States and Canada.

When you get a sickle bar attachment for your BCS tractor, you aren’t stuck with the bar it came with. As long as your tractor and transmission are compatible, you can switch between bars with different lengths to fit the job at hand. That means you can use any single action bar with a single action transmission, and any dual action bar with any dual action transmission. Here’s how you swap these bars.

Tools Required

You’ll need these tools to replace the bar on your sickle bar transmission:

• Torque wrench
• Ratchet with an extension and a 22mm socket
• 13 mm socket
• 22 and 10 mm wrenches
• A block to support the transmission

Removing the Bar

1. Place the block under the transmission to support it.
2. Loosen one of the bolts on the side of the blade coupler with the 22 mm wrench. Once loose, use this wrench to keep the bolt in place, while using the 10 mm wrench to loosen the adjusting pin inside the bolt. Turn the pin until you can separate the drive bushing from the coupler.
3. Use the 22 mm socket and extension to remove the nuts and washers behind the bushing. These hold the transmission onto the bar. Lift the transmission off of the bar.

Installing a New Bar

1. Remove the nuts and washers on the transmission mount studs. Slide the transmission onto these studs. You may need to open one of the adjusting pins to make space for the bushing.
2. Put the washers and nuts back on the studs, and tighten the nuts. The dome of the washer should face up. If you aren’t sure which way to put them on, place the washers on a flat surface. If they don’t rock back and forth, the domes are facing up.
3. Torque the nuts to 100 ft-lbs.
4. Tighten the adjusting pin you loosened earlier. Once it makes contact with the drive bushing, loosen it by 1/8 of a turn. Hold the pin adjuster in place with the 10 mm wrench, and use the 22 mm wrench to tighten the locking nut.
5. Fit the skid shoes to the bar. This is easier to do if you mount the transmission to the tractor. Place the block under the bar to raise it off of the ground. Use the 13 mm socket to bolt the skid shoes to the bar, then use it to set the skid angle. This angle controls the mowing height.

We’re Your BCS Headquarters

Whether you need parts for your two-wheeled tractor, or you want to pick up one of these versatile machines, visit Shank’s Lawn. We’re an authorized dealer for BCS, as well as Vanguard, Honda, and Kohler, so we can service everything on your tractor. Visit our shop at 4900 Molly Pitcher Highway in Chambersburg, PA to see our tractors and attachments, or see what we have in stock at www.shankslawn.com. Not in the area? We ship parts and accessories across the United States and Canada.

Overheating can quickly kill your engine, whether it’s air or liquid-cooled. However, while we may have a regular maintenance schedule for our car’s coolant system, the condition of the cooling systems used in our small equipment is often overlooked. What steps can you take to keep your engine from overheating and destroying itself?

A Dirty Engine is a Hot Engine

While motorcycles rely on passing air to stay cool, most small engines are fan-cooled. The flywheel has fan blades, which pull air through the front screen and pushes it around the cover and past the cooling fins on the cylinders. Dirt on the fins reduces heat transfer, and it can block airflow. Some V-twins have ports built into the cover, which let you blast compressed air through the housing to remove dirt. On other engines, you need to remove the cover and wipe off surfaces with a dry towel or brush. Never use water to clean your engine, as it may make its way inside, contaminating the oil.

Have a water-cooled engine? Check the radiator to see if the fins are clogged with dirt. If you have a Kohler Aegis engine, pick up their radiator cleaning kit. It has everything you need to clean the cooling fins without removing the radiator from your equipment.

Do You Have Enough Oil?

Oil doesn’t just lubricate, it transfers heat from the combustion chamber to the rest of the engine. This increases the effective surface area of the cooling system. Keep your engine oil topped up, instead of waiting for the low oil cutoff to kick in.

Check the owner’s manual for your engine for oil recommendations. Manufacturers recommend using a synthetic or heavier weight oil for high temperatures to prevent burn-off. For example, Kawasaki recommends going from 10W40 to 20W50 for use above 100°F, while Vanguard recommends their 15W50 synthetic oil for high-temperature operating conditions.

Is Your Engine Getting Enough Fuel?

If the engine’s air/fuel ratio is too lean, it will be down on power, or won’t run at all. However, even small changes can increase combustion temperatures. Leaking seals around carburetors add air to the mix, while clogged jets reduce the amount of fuel added. Modern gas degrades quickly, so you can bet you’ll have issues with deposits if you didn’t drain the fuel system before storage.

Getting the right ratio of oil to gas is critical for two-stroke engines. If the fuel mix has too much oil, the lean mixture can cause engine damage.

Need Parts for Your Small Engine?

Shank’s Lawn has everything you need, whether your equipment uses a Honda, Kohler, Kawasaki, Vanguard, or Briggs & Stratton engine. Not sure why your engine isn’t running right? Our service department can take care of it. Need to replace your old equipment? We carry a wide range of residential and commercial equipment from top brands, including Cub Cadet, Honda, Troy-Bilt, Wright, Woods, and more. Visit our shop at 4900 Molly Pitcher Highway in Chambersburg, PA or see what we offer online at www.shankslawn.com. We ship parts and accessories across the United States and Canada.

You’ve used your mower all season, but when you go to mow this time, it just won’t start. Now what? Before you start shopping for new mowers, there are a few things you should try to get your mower running again.

Check the Oil

Most small engines sold today have a float in the crankcase connected to the ignition system. If the oil level gets too low, it cuts the ignition. This keeps a lack of lubrication from damaging the engine.

Make sure you’re reading the oil level correctly. If the dipstick pushes into the filler neck, it must be fully inserted to get an accurate reading. Dipsticks in Hondas must be read with the dipstick inserted but not threaded into the filler neck. For other engines, check the owner’s manual. Measurement methods aren’t consistent, even within engine families.

Oil burnoff is normal, especially at high temperatures. Check your owner’s manual for oil recommendations. Most manufacturers suggest using a heavier weight oil or a full synthetic oil for use above 90°F.

Fuel

Modern fuel goes stale quickly. Always use fuel that is less than 30 days old, or less than 90 days old if it was treated with a stabilizer. Fuel-injected engines are less sensitive to stale fuel, but manufacturers still recommend using fresh gas. If the engine was stored for a long time with fuel in it, you may need to take it apart and clean off the deposits in the carburetor, fuel line, and tank. 

When you tilt the engine, always keep the carburetor pointed up. Otherwise, you will flood the engine. If this happens, you need to turn the engine over a few times. This gets the excess gas out of the combustion chamber, so the engine can start.

Air

A clogged filter puts a strain on the engine and could throw off the air/fuel ratio. To loosen dirt on paper filters, tap them against a hard surface. Foam filters should be washed in soap and water. Wipe out the air box to remove any dirt buildup. If your engine has a vortex filter box, clean it thoroughly. These systems remove most of the dirt before it reaches the filter, so they get dirty quickly.

Some foam filters need to be oiled, while others don’t. Check your owner’s manual for instructions. Always use clean oil.

Spark

If you don’t have a good spark, the engine can’t ignite the fuel. Check the plug wires for damage, and make sure the connections are secure. Remove the spark plug and inspect the electrode. If the plug is fouled or damaged, replace it. Don’t try to sand off deposits: you could end up with grit inside the engine. Check the electrode gap, and make sure it’s within specifications.

Do you think you have a faulty coil? You can test it by removing the spark plug and plugging it into the plug wire. Hold the plug so that the electrode is against a metal part of the engine, then pull the starter. If the ignition system is working, you should see a spark between the electrodes.

Need Something for Your Mower?

Shank’s Lawn Equipment is an authorized service center for most engine brands, including Honda, Kawasaki, Kohler, Vanguard, and Briggs & Stratton. We also carry a wide range of residential and commercial mowers, including Exmark, Scag, and Cub Cadet. Visit us at 4900 Molly Pitcher Highway in Chambersburg, PA. If you need parts or accessories, order online at www.shankslawn.com. We ship across the United States and Canada.

Do you want a vehicle for snow and ice, but can’t find anything that quite does what you need it to do? Maybe what you need is a Snowdog. This motorized sled lets you pull trailers over winter terrain, giving you plenty of space for cargo and people. They’re also a fraction of the price of comparable UTVs, and they’re narrow enough for single track trails. With Snowdog’s new Advance and Pro models, you get more power, better hill climbing and greater comfort. They’re also the first Snowdogs to get a reverse gear, making them easy to maneuver in tight spaces.

Snowdog Advance
The Advance comes in two models that offer more standard features than the Snowdog Standard or Compact.

Utility B13 MER
This new model comes with a 13.5 HP Briggs & Stratton engine. An LED headlight, electric starter and disc brakes come standard. This sled is 24 inches wide, making it as narrow as the standard Snowdog. The Utility can tow up to 440 lbs.

Sport B13 MER
This model adds to the features of the Utility. It comes with heated handles, hand guards, a 12 volt accessory socket and a plastic box trunk. This model is also wider than the Utility at 31 inches, increasing storage space while helping shield the operator from wind and snow. The Sport B13 can tow up to 440 lbs.

Snowdog Pro
While the Pro models are based on the same chassis as the Advance, they come with features that make them ideal for heavy loads and difficult terrain.

Long Track B13 MER
This model is built to handle deep snow. It comes standard with Snowdog’s trolley suspension, and a high output 6 diode LED headlight. The track is 20 inches wide, and 131 inches long. This added length spreads out the weight of the sled, helping it float over snow. The Long Track comes with a cargo box that has 3 cubic feet of storage space. Like the Advance Sport, it comes with heated grips and hand guards. It can tow up to 550 lbs.

Twin Track V14 MER
The twin track is built for power. It comes with a Vanguard 408cc engine, and replaces the CVT with agearbox that has low and reverse gears. The two 15 inch wide tracks come fitted with the trolley suspension, giving this machine the grip to go up 35 degree inclines. This model comes with heated grips and hand protectors. It can tow up to 660 lbs.

Shank’s Lawn Equipment is More than Just Lawn Care

Whether you need a snowblower for work or a Snowdog for fun, we have you covered. We’re an authorized dealer for Snowdog, Vanguard and Briggs & Stratton, so we can help you with anything on your motorized sled. Visit our showroom at 4900 Molly Pitcher Highway in Chambersburg, PA, and we can set you up with a sled system that fits your needs. Need parts for your Snowdog? We ship across the U.S. or Canada. To order, visit us online at www.shankslawn.com.

Are you using the right blades for your mower? Depending on the soil and the type of mowing you do, your current blades may be limiting your mower’s performance. Here’s what you need to know to select the right blades, whether you’re mulching, bagging or using your deck’s discharge chute.

How Does a Mower Blade Work?

Mower blades have two functions: create vacuum and slice through grass. Vacuum pulls the grass straight, so the blade can cut each piece to the same length. Increasing the surface area of the blade helps it cut more grass with each pass.

Mulching

To mulch grass, the blades have to make enough vacuum to keep grass clippings in the mowing chamber. With each cut, the clipping floats up, then falls back down to be cut again. Once the clipping is small enough, the air pressure can’t keep it from falling below the blade and onto the ground.
High lift blades are twisted, like a fan blade. This keeps the grass in the mowing chamber as long as possible. Honda’s Twin Blade mowers use two blades stacked on top of each other. This cuts the grass twice in the first pass, and twice with each pass through the mowing chamber. Other mower manufacturers use blades with jagged edges. They only cut once on the first pass, but they can cut multiple times with each additional pass.

Side Discharge Blades

The less the mower has to cut, the less power and mowing chamber space it needs. Side discharge blades have almost flat sides. This moves air toward the ends of the blade, instead of up into the mowing chamber. These are great for cutting thick grass. You can still mulch clippings with these blades by making a second pass over the lawn.

Bagging Blades

These are shaped like mulching blades, side discharge blades or something in between. A side discharge profile helps throw grass into the bag, while a mulching blade slices up clippings, making them more compact. Some manufacturers offer “2-in-1” blades with profiles and edge designs to cover bagging and either mulching or side discharge.

Blades for Sandy and Rocky Soil

Sand and rocks are hard on blades. Soil with high sand content erodes blade surfaces, and the resulting dust can cause respiratory problems. Sandy soil blades have hardened edges that are resistant to sand, and have a low lift profile to minimize dust.
Marbain blades use a tempering process that gives them a hard surface that’s resistant to impacts. This makes them ideal for rocky soil. Scag fits all of their mowers with these blades, while versions are available for other mowers.

Do You Need New Blades for Your Mower?

When you need parts and service for your mower, go to Shank’s Lawn Equipment. We’re an authorized dealer for most major mowing brands, including Cub Cadet, Honda, Wright, Scag and Exmark. Our shop is at 4900 Molly Pitcher Highway in Chambersburg, PA. We also ship OEM parts and accessories for the brands we carry across the United States and Canada. Visit us at www.shankslawn.com.

Zero Turning Radius mowers are faster than lawn tractors, but their lap bar steering system is difficult to learn. These bars control the drive motors independently, so the operator has to carefully adjust their speed to turn and drive straight. Cub Cadet’s Synchro-Steer replaces the lap bars with a steering wheel and a pair of pedals. If you drive a car, you should feel right at home. Originally developed for their commercial mowers, this steering system is now available on their Ultima residential mowers.

The Synchro-Steer Advantage

Synchro-Steer replaces the lap bars found on other ZTRs with a steering wheel and pedals for forward and reverse. Electric motors turn the front tires to aid in steering. This doesn’t just make the Ultima easier to learn, it makes mowing faster. In Cub Cadet’s development tests, they found experienced lawn care professionals mowed 15% faster on average, thanks to decreased overlap. For residential operators, this difference should be even bigger.

What Do You Get with an Ultima?

The mid-deck Ultima series uses a 2 x 2 inch tubular steel frame that extends around the engine, protecting it from bumps when backing up. Top forward speed is 7 MPH, and reverse speed is 3.5 MPH. The low slung chassis is stable on slopes up to 20 degrees.

Cub Cadet outfits these mowers with their AeroForce fabricated decks. The shell is made from thick sheets of steel, helping it withstand impacts. Inside, baffles enclose the area around the blades, increasing vacuum. This helps these decks deliver the smooth finish of a stamped deck. In fact, it works so well that the mulching kit for this mower doesn’t need additional baffles.

Models

The Ultima ZTS comes in two versions. It launched with the ZTS1, which comes equipped with a Kohler 7000 Series engine and Hydro-Gear EZT 2200 hydrostatic transmissions. It’s available with 42, 46 and 50 inch decks.

The ZTS2 comes out this spring. It uses a Kohler 7000 Series Pro engine and a Hydro-Gear ZT 2800 transmission. Both the engine and transmission have upgraded components compared to the ZT1, but offer similar performance. The ZTS2 will be sold with 50, 54 and 60 inch decks.
All models have an adjustable steering column, a rubber-covered foot plate, seat isolators and
LED headlights. Cub Cadet also offers an hour meter, striping kit, mulching kit and bagging kit for these mowers.

We’re Your Mower Headquarters

Is it time to get a new mower? Do you want to add something to your ZTR, or need to have it worked on? Shank’s Lawn Equipment is an authorized dealer for Cub Cadet and Kohler. We don’t just sell these mowers, we have a service department and a massive parts warehouse with everything you need to keep your Cub Cadet running. Visit us at 4900 Molly Pitcher Highway in Chambersburg, PA.

Need parts or accessories for your Cub Cadet? We ship across the United States and Canada. You can order what you need and check our inventory of new and used lawn equipment at www.shankslawn.com.