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How Many Hours Should a Commercial Mower Last?

A commercial mower is an important piece of equipment for any lawn care business. It is important to make sure that it is properly taken care of so that it lasts as long as possible. It is also vitally important that you choose the right mower for your needs. 

By choosing the correct mower and following the proper maintenance schedule you should be able to get a long life out of your mower. Of course, there are other factors like how you treat the mower and the conditions in which you mow. Several things can impact the life of a commercial mower.

Let's dive into some of the details.

How Many Hours Should a Commercial Mower Last?

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There is no set number of hours a commercial mower should last, as this will depend on the make and model of the mower, as well as how often it is used. However, most commercial mowers are built to last for several years with regular use. It is important to keep up with regular maintenance to ensure the mower continues to run smoothly.

Instead of determining how long a commercial mower should last, it is easy to predict how long the major components will last. In most cases, you won't run into any major, costly repairs for around 1,000 or more hours. Many times, this can be longer or shorter. It just depends. 

For example, the typical commercial mower engine will last around 2,000 to 3,500 hours before needing to be replaced. The average lifespan of mower transaxles is about 1,500 to 3,000. The spindles usually needed to be replaced around 500 hours.

There are a few other wear items on a mower that will need to be replaced fairly frequently like tires, blades, belts, steering dampers, and filters. There are just a few of the items that should be considered when calculating the total cost of ownership of a mower.

These are all just estimates and averages for most mowers. The biggest thing is to make sure you properly maintain your mower and don't drive it like a bat out of hell.

Choose the Right Mower

When it comes time to buy a lawn mower, there are many factors to consider.  Another important consideration is the size of the mower. If you have a small yard, you don't need a large mower that will take up too much storage space.

Gas Vs Electric

One of the more important decisions is whether to buy a gas or electric model. Gas mowers are more powerful and can cover more ground in less time, but they also require more maintenance. Electric mowers are quieter and more environmentally friendly, but they typically can't handle as much grass as a gas model.

Battery-powered mowers are a fairly new thing to the commercial mower market. This makes them a little less proven than similar gas mowers that have been around for years. The industry seems to be slowly moving to the battery side but it is still a little early to choose them over gas unless you have specific regulations to abide by in your State or City.

Determine the Usage

You should know how much you are going to use the mower. Do you mow lawns on the side? Are you a full time lawn care business owner? Are you a homeowner with large acreage? Answering this question will allow you to determine how many hours per week you will be mowing. 

If you're full-time, 40 + hours per week, the last thing you want to do is buy a mid-grade commercial mower… or even worse, a residential mower. Outside of the productivity, you'll be losing, you will also completely destroy that mower fairly quickly. 

Of course, there are those stories of a lawn care owner who used a residential mower full time and had no problems. Those are the exception in most cases. If you want a mower to last, you must understand how much you will use it and choose the correct mower.

Check out our best commercial zero-turn mower article for a good starting place.

Quality of the Machine

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Most well-known commercial mower brands will make a quality machine. Personally, I would be sure to make sure you choose one of these brands and make sure you have a dealer in your area. All of these mowers will be good, it is more important that you have the support of a dealer in case you need parts or repairs.

Environmental Conditions

Is your environment sandy? dry? wet? Knowing this can greatly help you in choosing the correct mower. If you live in a sandy area, or near a beach, you will want to make sure you have a mower with a durable, commercial mower deck. This will prevent holes in your deck that can lead to all kinds of problems.

Proper Maintenance

maintenance

No matter which mower you choose, proper maintenance is going to be the most important part. One thing to take into consideration is whether the mower has grease fittings or not. Many of the mowers now have sealed spindles. There are pros and cons to both, but I tend to like spindles with grease zerks more. 

Tip: if you go the grease route, make sure the zerks are completely clean before adding more grease. The main reason many manufacturers moved to sealed spindles is that people would have sand or debris on the zerk, then add grease, which pushed a lot of sand into the spindle… I'm sure you can guess how this ended.

Use the Mower for the Intended Purpose

This may seem like common sense, but I feel like I still need to mention it. Commercial lawn mowers aren't brush cutters and mid-grade commercial mowers aren't made for huge fields with rocks, etc. The point is, remember the purpose of your mower is to cut grass.

Replace Parts as Needed

lawn mower parts

As your lawn mower gets older you will surely have to replace parts. This is usually much cheaper than getting a new mower. When something goes wrong with your mower make sure you replace the parts immediately. This will prevent one problem to lead to many other problems.

FAQs

How Many Hours Should a Commercial Walk Behind Mower Last?

There is no definitive answer to this question as it depends on a variety of factors, including the make and model of the commercial walk behind mower, the type of terrain it is being used on, and how often it is being used. However, most commercial walk-behind mowers are built to last for around 2,000 or more hours.

How Many Hours Should a Commercial stand on mower Last?

Commercial stand-on mowers are designed to last up to 3,000 or more hours, but depending on the type of work being done, they may last less or more than that. Similar to any other type of commercial mower it will depend on many different facts previously mentioned.

How Many Hours Should a Commercial Zero Turn Mower Last?

Commercial zero-turn mowers are designed to last anywhere from 2,000 to 5,000 hours. However, the amount of time the mower lasts will depend on the type of terrain it is being used on, type of use, and maintenance factors. There is no sure way to say how long a mower will last since there is way too many major components and variables to give a guaranteed answer.

Wrapping it up

A commercial mower should last a long time given you choose the right mower and properly maintain the mower. By following the steps in this guide, you can make sure that it does. 

What do you think?

If you have a commercial mower, how long has it lasted for you? Leave us a comment below!

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