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Riding Mower Maintenance

maint_admin : Updated on February 19, 2026

Lawn Mower Engines Maintenance & Repair Tips

How to Maintain Your Riding Lawn Mower

Have a big, sloping yard with lots of landscaping features like trees and flowerbeds? Riding mowers make yard work easy with easy maneuverability, intuitive design, and simple 3-in-1 convertibility from side discharge to bagging to mulching. Keep your riding mower in tip-top shape with a tune-up and regular maintenance every season, here’s a high-level checklist to cover the basics:

1. Clean your riding mower

Your riding mower has been working hard since you got it, cutting grass, clipping twigs and moving leaves and dirt around the yard. All of these can get stuck inside and outside of your riding lawn mower, affecting performance. Keep your riding mower looking good and running right by raising the hood and brushing off any debris that’s clogged the inside. Check the riding mower deck and carefully remove any grass clippings that are stuck underneath. Some Snapper riding mowers even have a handy deck wash-out port, for hooking up your garden hose to flush out debris from underneath the deck.

2. Lubricate Your Riding Mower Parts

Avoid wear and tear on your mower’s moving parts with lubricant. Using a grease gun is a quick and easy way to apply lubricant to small parts under the hood.

3. Change the air filter of your mower

After a long season in your backyard, you’ll likely have a dirty air filter. Simply remove the filter, clean the surrounding area and install a nice, clean replacement.

4. Replace your spark plugs

Spark plugs tend to require replacement about once per season and yield easier starts and better fuel economy. Before replacing spark plugs, be sure to correctly adjust the gap between electrodes.

5. Check your riding mower belts

Make sure your belts aren't worn or damaged, and ensure the correct tension. Replacement belts can be purchased from your local Snapper dealer and are easy install with just a screwdriver and some elbow grease.

6. Regularly change your oil

Just like a car, your riding mower needs oil to run smoothly and avoid seizing up. Unscrew the plug from the drain funnel and release the oil into a bucket or recycled milk jug. Replace the plug and fill your riding mower engine with oil.

Before performing any kind of maintenance, read through your owner’s manual. Lawn mowers carry a legacy of reliability and, with regular care should last for years to come.

Get Help From Your Local Dealer

Not sure how to perform recommended maintenance? Contact your local Briggs & Stratton dealer to perform the maintenance for you. With experience technicians and product expertise, your local Snapper dealer is your one-stop-shop for service and parts.