Posts Tagged ‘Exmark’

Choosing the Right Oil

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

 

 

 

This post is part three in Exmark’s ten part Service and Maintenance Series.

Hey, David Martin again, customer service manager for Exmark.

Your choice of oil is just as important as lubricating your machine. Considering today’s economic climate, we all want to save a few bucks here and there. It’s understandable. But when it comes to your oil, going with a less expensive grease or generic brand of oil might actually cost you more in the long run.

As for appropriate types of oil and grease, many engine manufacturers recommend a certain grade of oil for various engines and equipment. Heeding this recommendation can make a big difference in oil consumption, as well as in the proper lubrication of the engine. It’s also important to note that all grease is not created equal. Using original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts could pay dividends if you have a problem with your mower.

In addition, most engine manufacturers do not recommend the use of full synthetic oils. The proper mineral-based oil lubricates the engine adequately.

Finally, depending on your wear points, you’ll also need to consider the lubrication of bearings. This information can be found in your maintenance guide or on Exmark’s YouTube channel by clicking here.

Next we’ll cover cleaning your equipment. Be sure to check back soon for the next tip.

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Lubrication, Lubrication, Lubrication

Monday, March 8th, 2010

 

This is the second post in Exmark’s ten part Service and Maintenance Series.

Hi there, David Martin here, customer service manager for Exmark.

We can’t stress it enough. Proper lubrication of your equipment is first and foremost in mower maintenance. Since this is a lengthy, not to mention significant, topic we’re breaking up the post into two parts. Here’s the first installation.

The most important oil change for your engine should happen after the first five hours of operating a new mower. Unfortunately, when you’re busy running your equipment, five hours can go by fairly quickly. But changing the oil at this time can increase the longevity of your engine. How? This “break-in oil” will typically break down quicker than normal, caused by the enormous amount of shearing force in the engine as parts begin to seat in the first few hours of operation. Ignoring this first important oil change can lead to expensive repairs down the road.

Your first hydraulic oil and filter change should be at 200 hours and then changed at maximum every 500 hours after that if you are using genuine Exmark Hydraulic Oil. For Mobil 1 oil, the maximum is 250 hours. This will provide the ultimate protection for your equipment to keep running smoothly throughout the season. Ignoring this recommendation will cause your equipment to work harder and run hotter.

Your mowing conditions should also help guide the maintenance schedule for your machine. If you regularly mow hills or run bagging equipment, consider changing both the hydraulic fluid and engine oil much more frequently than the manufacturer’s maximum recommendations.

Next, we’ll discuss your oil options, so please come back soon.

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Quick Maintenance Tips for Your Mower

Thursday, March 4th, 2010

This is the first post in Exmark’s ten part Service and Maintenance Series.

In just a few short weeks—or, what we hope will be short weeks—the snow will be melted, the flowers will bloom and the grass will again sprout its green shoots and be ripe for a trim.

With that in mind, this is the time to get your mower ready for the long-awaited season. Proper care of equipment can potentially save hundreds of dollars and increase productivity. But the biggest challenge is knowing exactly what to do and what’s best for your machine.

To help you get your mower going this season, we’ve pulled together the ins and outs of maintenance and service. There’s plenty to cover, so we’re breaking it out into a series of blog posts you may use as a handy guide to get ready for the season.

Here are some quick tips to help you get started:

  • Check fluids for leakage, and refill as needed
  • Clean every nook and cranny of your mower
  • Check your mower’s nuts and bolts
  • Supply your equipment with fresh gas
  • Sharpen and balance your blades
  • Check your air filters
  • Establish a regular maintenance cycle for the season—with or without your dealer, but preferably with

Our next post will be all about mower lubrication, so check back soon.

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Exmark Commercial 21

Monday, February 22nd, 2010

Hi, everyone. Tom Vachal here, principal design engineer for Exmark.

At Exmark, we’re constantly coming up with new ways of making our products even better, whether it’s through improving features on our already popular mowers or introducing new models that meet the specific needs of landscape pros. We just can’t help ourselves. For the past 18 months, I’ve had the pleasure of helping create the Commercial 21 and Commercial 21 Advantage Series – two new additions to our walk-behind line and a prime example of our obsession with delivering the very best to our customers.

Here are just a few of the features we’ve incorporated into the new Commercial 21 line:

  • Durable front height adjusters that eliminate the need for “pivot-style” adjusters
  • Single point rear height adjustment for quick changes
  • Easy on and off bag design that eliminates the need for levers and doors
  • New 5”-deep die-cast aluminum cutting deck for a precise Exmark cut
  • A choice of commercial-grade Honda & Kawasaki engines
  • 60 percent fewer parts

The Commercial 21s are available now. It’s definitely worth a trip to your local Exmark dealer.

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The First Year Report Card for the New Lazer Z

Monday, February 15th, 2010

It rarely happens around here – we almost never take the time to stop and look back. But with the first anniversary of our Next Lazer Z launch, we couldn’t just move ahead without reflecting and sharing the positive report that came in from the field. For starters, landscape pros have said that to call the newest Lazer Z’s increased durability, “dependable”, was quite the understatement. We’ve also heard that the mower isn’t just easy to maintain, but it’s easy on the body, making it one extremely comfortable ride. As for the cut, pros couldn’t be more pleased. They’ve confirmed the UltraCut Series 6 deck delivers Exmark’s signature cut with each pass. Other features that have the pros raving are the new spindles and hydros. Needless to say, the evolution influenced largely by landscape pros has become quite a hit. To see just how much pros are loving it, visit http://www.exmark.com/otherssay.asp. Also check out our latest video on the new Lazer Z on our YouTube channel.

The author of this post is John Cloutier, senior marketing manager for Exmark.

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Exmark Lazer Z AS

Thursday, February 4th, 2010

Hello. Ross Hawley here again, a product manager at Exmark. This post is the next in our series highlighting the newest from Exmark in 2010. Today, we’d like to highlight the Exmark Lazer Z AS.

We made sure the newest member of the Exmark Lazer Z family lives up to its high performance lineage. The Lazer Z AS is a commercial-grade, zero-turn mower with a 20 hp Kawasaki FX or Kawasaki FS engine. It comes with 48- or 52-inch full-floating UltraCut Series 4 cutting decks and offers a compact, heavy-duty, unibody frame with standard rear-sloping, easily foldable ROPS.

Here are some of the other features that set the Lazer Z AS apart from the rest:

  • Exmark exclusive Parker unitized 12 cc pump and wheel motor system with no hoses for improved performance and reduced maintenance.
  • 12 x 5.0-6 smooth-tread, pneumatic front caster tires for increased reliability.
  • Speeds up to 8 mph forward for increased productivity.
  • Heavy-duty canister air filtration system (available on FX engine models) to improve engine life and simplify maintenance.
  • High-capacity, 8-gallon, single fuel tank with single fill location to reduce time at the gas pump.

It’s certainly a mower that you need to experience firsthand at your local Exmark dealer.

Update: The Exmark Lazer Z AS is now the Lazer Z E-Series.

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Exmark Vantage

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

Hi, everyone. I’m Ross Hawley, product manager for Vantage – Exmark’s new stand-on mower. For months, Exmark has been designing and planning for this new unit – our first stand-on mower.

Vantage is built with the same craftsmanship and eye for detail as our other mowers. With a host of great attributes, I’d like to point out a few that truly set it apart from other mowers:

  1. Platform: Vantage’s stand-on platform allows for movement to maximize performance and conveniently folds up, leaving plenty of room for bigger machines on trailers
  2. Heat shield: The rubber heat shield separates you from the heat of the drive system
  3. Cutting deck: The single-point height-adjust means you can quickly raise and lower the cutting deck to meet your needs
  4. Fuel tank: The centered, eight-gallon fuel tank helps maintain consistent performance regardless of travel direction
  5. Muffler: Vantage’s heavy-duty muffler guard protects the muffler from the typical wear and tear
  6. Quality of cut: As with any Exmark mower, our exclusive UltraCut deck cutting technology provides beautiful results
  7. Controls: You can easily step off and on the mower without doing anything more than letting go of the controls
  8. Suspension – Self-compensating suspension makes standing easier for pros of all shapes

We interviewed a handful of landscape professionals about what they love about Vantage. You can see their testimonials and learn about other benefits of Vantage on our YouTube channel. Vantage will be available in late-February, I encourage you to visit your local dealer to experience the Vantage advantage for yourself.

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GIE+EXPO 2009

Monday, January 11th, 2010

Last fall, a handful of Exmark representatives were in Louisville, Ken., at GIE+EXPO, the largest tradeshow for the industry. While there, we unveiled our next generation of mowers. These four units complement Exmark’s already impressive lineup of professional-grade mowers, some of which have been enhanced for 2010 themselves.

Throughout the next few posts, Exmark representatives will take you through each of our new units. I’m anxious to hear your thoughts on what’s next from Exmark.

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Welcome to “What’s Next”

Tuesday, January 5th, 2010

Hi everyone. My name is Daryn Walters, and I’m the Director of Marketing at Exmark. Welcome to our new Exmark blog, “What’s Next.”

I wanted to take a minute and tell you why we’ve chosen to create this blog. Since opening for business nearly three decades ago, Exmark has enjoyed an ongoing dialogue with you, our customers and prospective customers.  And I can’t overstate just how valuable your feedback has been to us. It’s your advice and insight that help us to enhance and even develop new service offerings and products.  As we move forward, we hope this blog can serve as another way for Exmark to connect with you and collect your thoughts so that we can serve you better.

We’ll also use this blog to provide you with helpful and interesting information. For example, you’re going to see posts about service reminders and maintenance tips from our very own Exmark experts – some of whom have worked in this industry for more than 25 years. They will cover everything from simple tasks, such as blade sharpening, to more advanced techniques, such as leveling your deck.

In addition, you will see occasional posts about company news and other items of interest, such as product updates. If there are other things you would like to hear about, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

Thanks for visiting “What’s Next.” We hope you check back often, and wish you a happy, healthy 2010.

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