Professional tune up check list

[sblg43]

I do small engine repair as a side job.

As the summer gets closer, I am already getting phone calls for mower tuneups. What I would like to do is to get a systematic tuneup procedure down on paper (or on the invoice).

In my head, I know what needs to be done but I want to be more thorough.
For example, instead of just an oil change, air filter, spark plug and blade sharpening and balancing, I want to include a compression test, cooling fin cleaning, under the deck cleaning, belt checking (snow blowers and tractors), grease and lube, etc...

I think that for my own sake, I want to have a printed checklist that I can include with the invoice to show all of the items completed. That way, I can be more thorough and my customer can be confident in a job well done.

Does anybody here have a printed checklist that they use to be more thorough? If not, how about a mental list of what other things should be getting done?

[Fulltilt]

Most mower and eng. mfg. have a maint. schedule in their operators manual. The briggs site has a lot of good info :https://www.briggsandstratton.com/na/en_us/support/maintenance-how-to/browse/tune-up-schedule.html as well as most engine mfg. sites.
I don't use a list per se. I just put down something like " Service unit: sharpen blade , check plug, change oil," etc.
GOOGLE mower tuneup checklist.
You would probably be better off making up your own list.
Don't forget, you'll probably be messing with a lot of self propelled mowers. I always pop the wheels off, clean and lube the drive gears/mechanism, and check the drive shaft support bearings. As well as popping the covers off and cleaning all the packed in grass etc from around the trans area. You want to check the belt and the crank pulley also.
I don't always replace the plug and/or air filter, a lot of times they can be cleaned. My customers seem to like the fact that I don't just wholesale replace parts, works for me.
If the blades are not banged up, I usually sharpen them in situ, using my die grinder with a large carbide burr or my small angle grinder.

[sblg43]

I have googled for such a list. Mostly I get what a home owner should do to get his/her own mower ready.

I haven't found anything more detailed - like a professional shop would use.

I agree that I will be putting together my own checklist.

So I invite any and all comments, suggestions and practices that you guys/gals do in your own shops. I would like to take all the info and boil it down to a regular tuneup checklist.

Don't forget, you'll probably be messing with a lot of self propelled mowers. I always pop the wheels off, clean and lube the drive gears/mechanism, and check the drive shaft support bearings. As well as popping the covers off and cleaning all the packed in grass etc from around the trans area. You want to check the belt and the crank pulley also.

This is the kind of info that I am talking about! Thank you, I hadn't thought of the wheels! This will go on the list.

[StarTech]

Usually by time the mowers make it to my shop as they needing repairs. I do get few Spring operational prep. If a mower has sitting most of the off season it is good to check the blower housing for mice beds and chewed wires. I don't have set maintenance list to go by but I do service them as if it was my own mower. This is some do most mowers anything they come in for repairs. I charge what I think reasonable for what I have done. Most customers here are just to get by as cheap as they can. You just can't too much time for repairs as they can easily out strip the mower's worth; just my opinion and several years of dealing customers on lawncare equipment but I do have over 40 years of dealing with businesses and their office equipment; they are same when it comes to maintenance and the owners attitude be it.

A good example is a MTD mower I got in that would only turn over to compression point. Being an OHV you would think it was the valves that needed adjustment. No it wasn't it was a bad ground (Actually the engine was just held in with one bolt and it was loose). The customer had request oil change and general maintenance. Then he said they left blade was loose and the deck belt was off. Well the engine was serviced, the deck spindles rebuilt, new deck belt of the correct size install (customer had the wrong belt on it) and new blades as the old ones were bent. The customer is lucky that he didn't break the spindle and that will get out of the shop for just $200. Probably would have been closer to $300 if I used all OEM parts instead just the one spindle shaft.

BTW I don't use those AM MTD shafts. The Rotary version is a 3 point star that does work well with my aftermarket blade that use the "H" pattern. The other AM spindle I have seen is a 6 point star but the manufacture undercut the stars; easily sheared.