Early Summer Tips:

If you want to enjoy the sunny days and get some exercise too, get outside and do something around the house or hand wash your vehicle, clean the outside windows, pull up some weeds in the flower bed or go fishing and camping. Speaking about camping, I needed some information on towing a trailer. At first I thought, just hook up and go. I discovered that’s not right. The first thing I found out was, tongue weight, and maximum towing capacity. I want to share this knowledge to make it less confusing.

Tongue weight is the force, or weight, your trailer's tongue exerts on your tow vehicle’s hitch. The target tongue weight for any trailer is between 10 to 15 percent of the gross trailer weight — including all construction materials and tools. If the trailer’s tongue weight is too high, meaning too much of the load is riding ahead of the trailer’s axel, it could affect the tow vehicle’s balance. Too much weight on the hitch essentially lifts the vehicle’s front end, which in turn causes the front tires to lose grip on the road surface and makes steering difficult. In an extreme case, excessive tongue weight could even cause the tongue, hitch or the tow vehicle’s suspension system to fail. In a situation where the tongue weight is too light (too much of the load riding behind the trailer’s axel), the trailer will not track true behind the tow vehicle. Instead, it will sway side-to-side at all but the slowest speeds. If this happens in a towing situation, hold the wheel steady as you gradually reduce speed. Don’t brake sharply, increase speed or try to steer out of the sway as any of these actions will worsen the problem. Many times you can eliminate sway in a box-type trailer simply by moving some of the cargo forward in the trailer and securing it so it doesn’t shift. When you’re dealing with a boat trailer, however, you may have to move the winch stand forward or back on the tongue, and readjust the bunks or rollers, to achieve proper tongue weight. Determining tongue weight is fairly simple. You first need to know the gross trailer weight. This can be found in the owner’s manual or on the trailer hitch itself. In the case of a large boat and trailer where the combined weight is unknown , take your fully-loaded boat, motor and trailer to a commercial scale. Then, add the estimated total weight of your materials, tools, your gear, including tackle, batteries, trolling motor, sonar units, fuel load and anything else you normally carry. If you own a light, aluminum boat, and a homemade trailer where the tongue weight is unknown the procedure is very easy. Using a normal bathroom scale. Start by making sure the boat is loaded with the normal gear, then chocking the trailer tires so the trailer won’t roll. For an accurate reading, the scale must be elevated to normal towing height by placing it on a wide, stout block of wood, or something equally stable and sturdy. Rest the coupler on the scale and take the reading. Again, you’re looking for a tongue weight of something between 10 and 15 percent of the gross trailer weight. Because bathroom scales typically top out at 300 pounds, you may have to assemble a lever scale to measure the tongue weight of a heavy fiberglass boat and trailer. For this you’ll need:*A 300-pound capacity bathroom scale *A brick or piece of wood that’s equal in thickness to the scale *Two lengths of pipe short enough to rest lengthwise on the scale’s platform *A 6-foot beam that’s stout enough to take the weight of the trailer tongue Again, the assembly must be elevated to normal towing height, and the trailer chocked. Set the wooden blocks, or whatever standards you use, about 4 ft. apart, on-center. Center the scale on one of them and the brick or wood shim on the other. Center one of the short pieces of pipe on the scale, the other on the shim. Then place the beam across both pipes, as shown in the illustration.* At this point, be sure that the beam is level and at normal towing height, and that the standards are wide enough that they won’t tip forward, back or to either side once the trailer tongue is positioned on the beam. If the scale can be re-zeroed, do it now. If not, note the weight with the pipes and beam in place because you’ll be subtracting it later. If you are confident the assembly won’t tip or collapse under the weight of the tongue, rest the coupler on the beam 2 or 3 ft. from the pipe on the scale. Take the reading. If you could not re-zero the scale earlier, subtract the initial weight from the current tongue weight. Now, multiply the final weight by the number of feet between the pipes (by 3 or 4, in this case), and you have the trailer’s tongue weight.(* See Figure B) I hope this information is useful and remember enjoy the sunny days and the meaning of life is to live it.
Walt & Manny, Ext 217.

Here tips for spring:

Spring will be here before you know it, so with it, comes flowers, green grass, and light rain, weeds, and machine tune-ups; such as your vehicle or gas powered garden equipment. I want to focus on lawn mowers because the majority of the population owns or operates one. Gasoline-powered lawn mowers are not terribly complex machines. They’re easy to operate, easy to maintain and in general, easy to repair. But without proper maintenance, many mowers won’t even make it past their third cutting season. Breakdowns or bad performance can leave you thinking that it might be easier to simply discard your mower and buy an inexpensive replacement than to fix it. But why throw out a serviceable mower before its time has come? The seven of the most common repair scenarios which hat might lead you to believe that your mower’s days are numbered. But cheer up: In most cases, the remedies are quite simple.

The rewind starting system, also known as a recoil system, is operated manually by pulling a rope, which turns a pulley and a return spring that spins the crankshaft. If the recoil system is noisy, binds or feels rough when you pull, one or more of these parts may be jammed or damaged. If the engine crankshaft doesn’t turn, the ratcheting mechanism isn’t operating. Either way, you’ll need to replace the rewind mechanism. Because rewind assemblies contain a tightly wound spring, disassembling the mechanism to access broken components would put you at risk of serious injury from flying parts.

Step 1: Remove the nuts or bolts that attach the rewind mechanism to the blower housing. If necessary, use a 3/16-in. bit to drill out any spot welds or rivets.

Step 2: Install the new rewind unit over the mounting bolts. If the old unit was spot welded to the blower, insert new mounting bolts through the 3/16-in. holes, install the new rewind mechanism and tighten the nuts securely on each bolt.

Grass that looks ragged or has white, dead edges indicates that your blade probably needs to be sharpened or replaced. Hitting a rock or other hard object can chip the blade (or even damage internal engine components) beyond repair. But if your blade is merely dull, you can easily put a fresh edge on it. You can sharpen the blade with a file or a rotary tool, but a bench grinder produces the best results. (Be careful not to overheat the edge as you lay the blade against the wheel.) Don’t try to hone the blade razor-sharp; instead, leave an edge profile that’s about 1/64 in. thick.

Step 1: Disconnect the spark plug wire and make sure the gas tank is empty. Attach a C-clamp to the side of the mower deck to keep the blade from rotating. With a socket, remove the nut that secures the blade to the shaft.

Step 2: Sharpen the blade with a bench grinder or secure the blade in a vise and sharpen it with a file. Work to maintain the original cutting bevel.

Step 3: After sharpening, suspend the blade from the center on a nail or hanger to check its balance. If the blade tips, grind down the heavier side until it balances.

Step 4: Reattach the blade and measure from one blade tip to the bottom of the deck; then rotate the blade and measure the other tip — if the two don’t match, the blade or the crankshaft is bent. Replace a bent blade; have a professional service a bent crankshaft.

If you haven’t changed your mower’s spark plug recently and the engine is hard to start, a damaged or dirty spark plug is likely the culprit. Replacing one is about the easiest and least expensive mower repair job. Examine the old spark plug to see how well the mower is running. Tan carbon deposits are normal on a plug from a well-tuned engine. A plug that’s oily or black indicates a fuel mixture that’s too rich, whereas a plug with an electrode that looks burned indicates too lean a fuel mixture. To avoid damaging the new plug, make adjustments to the carburetor as recommended in your owner’s manual.

Step 1: Disconnect the spark plug wire from the spark plug and use a spark plug socket to remove the old plug. Avoid touching any part of the plug except for the porcelain insulator.

Step 2: Set the spark plugs electric gap to the correct distance (as specified by the manufacturer). Hand-tighten the plug in the engine; then use the wrench to rotate it a half turn past that point.

If you forgot to add fuel stabilizer to your tank last fall, the gasoline has probably gone bad. Over time, the volatile portions of the gasoline evaporate, making the engine hard to start — and as gasoline degrades, it can gum up your carburetor. You’ll need to siphon out the old gasoline and remove and clean the tank.

To prevent this problem, add fuel stabilizer to the tank when you store the lawn mower for any extended period of time. Stabilizer can be purchased in solid and liquid form. Follow the mixing ratios on the stabilizer container to ensure that you add the correct amount to the gasoline.

Step 1: Use a turkey baster or a siphon to remove the old fuel from the tank. Dispose of the old fuel at a hazardous-waste collection site. If the mower still runs rough after you add fresh gas, the carburetor will probably need to be disassembled and cleaned.

Step 2: Deteriorating gasoline can damage engine parts; adding a fuel stabilizer to fresh gas can save money on future repairs. Add stabilizer to fresh gas only, as it is ineffective when added to older fuel.

Step 3: As a stabilizing alternative, the new Fresh Start gas cap (available on new Craftsman mowers and from Briggs & Stratton) automatically dispenses concentrated fuel stabilizer into the tank.

An engine that bogs down while you’re cutting or seems starved for gas most likely has a clogged air filter (which inhibits combustion) or a plugged fuel filter (which keeps gasoline from reaching the carburetor). To replace the air filter, first open the filter compartment to see what type is required. Depending on your mower, you’ll see either a paper element similar to an automobile filter or a foam element that will need to be coated with motor oil before you insert it. To service the fuel filter, you may need to remove the fuel tank and inspect the internal filter. If the mower is equipped with an inline filter, you can just slide if off of the fuel line and replace it.

Step 1: Use a fuel-line clamp or another smooth-face clamp to seal the fuel line where it attaches to the carburetor. Disconnect the line; unbolt the tank from the mower and dispose of the fuel safely.

Step 2: Inspect the filter for debris and replace it if necessary. When shining a flashlight through the tank’s top opening, you should be able to clearly see light through the filter screen.

Step 3: If your mower is equipped with an inline filter, simply remove the metal clips on each side of the filter and slide it off of the fuel line.

As with automobiles, the engine oil in lawn can break down, resulting in increased wear and premature engine failure. You should change the oil — a simple job — after 25 hours of use (unless your mower is a two-stroke mowers model that has no oil tank). SAE 10W30 oil works for most four-cycle engines, but check your owner’s manual for specific recommendations from the manufacturer.

Step 1: Run the lawnmower for a few minutes to suspend dirt particles; then shut it off, disconnect the spark plug, remove the oil drain plug and allow the oil to drain from the engine.

Step 2: Tighten the oil drain plug; then add the correct amount of new oil. (Consult your owner’s manual for type and quantity.) Run the engine briefly and check for leaks.

A lawn mower that belches smoke has a problem — the severity depends on the color of the smoke. In general, white smoke indicates a fuel problem that is usually fairly easy to solve. If the mower blows white smoke for only a few minutes after starting, you may have inadvertently flooded the carburetor by over priming the engine or, depending on the location of the fuel tank, by tipping the mower on its side to clean beneath the deck. Either way, the problem will rectify itself as the engine burns the excess gasoline. If white smoke persists, the fuel mixture is probably too rich, and you’ll need to adjust the carburetor’s fuel mixture to fix the problem. Refer to the owner’s manual for adjustment procedures. Most mowers built after 1990 have nonadjustable factory-set mixtures and should be serviced by a repair shop. Blue smoke could indicate an oil problem that is easy to fix, or it could be a sign of a terminal condition. If you recently changed the oil, make sure that you didn’t overfill the oil reservoir, as excess oil can burn in the engine and cause blue smoke and carbon buildup. If the oil level is normal, the piston rings are probably worn and need to be replaced. This type of repair typically costs about $200, and if your mower is older, you may want to replace it. To adjust the fuel mixture, turn the fuel-mixture screw until the engine runs smoothly and no longer smokes. Mixture screws are located at various places depending on your lawn mower model, so consult your owner’s manual.

Again just because it won’t start does not mean you need a new one, 90% of lawn mowers thrown away can be repaired for under $100.00. Also if you use the brown dumpster ensure the lock is locked, we have lost too many to the trash truck in last several months.

Here some more tips for January and December:

Finally got the outside Christmas Lights working and it looks good. Before you know it it’s time to take them down again. The wind is here again, so please secure your outside items, trash cans, large toys, bar b ques, and anything that can be blown away. Remember you are responsible for your items that hit parked vehicles, buildings and people. Have you seen gas prices lately, I have some tips on reducing the cost of driving:

• Keep your car properly tuned to improve gas mileage about 4 percent.
• Improve mileage as much as 40 percent by replacing faulty oxygen sensors.
• Keep tires properly inflated to improve gas mileage more than 3 percent (as well as to extend the life and ensure the safety of the tires).
• Use the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil to improve gas mileage as much as 2 percent. Select motor oil labeled "energy conserving" on the API performance symbol to be sure it contains friction-reducing additives.
• Check and replace air filters regularly. Replacing a clogged or dirty air filter can improve a car's gas mileage as much as 10 percent, and a clean filter keeps impurities from damaging the inside of the engine.
• Curtail aggressive driving. Speeding, rapid acceleration and rapid braking all waste gas - and curb mileage as much as 33 percent at highway speeds, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Nix jackrabbit starts, opting instead for slow acceleration from a dead stop. And slow down in general: Each mile per hour you drive over 60 mph is like paying an extra 10 cents per gallon, according to DOE.
• When renting a car, ask for a fuel-efficient model. Also, remember to fill up the tank before returning the car to the rental company, which charges much higher gas prices - and sometimes an extra gas surcharge.
• Avoid idling. Cars with larger engines typically waste even more gas while idling than cars with smaller engines.
• Combine your errands into one trip, and plan your routes carefully to drive fewer miles and use less fuel.
• If available, use the vehicle's overdrive gear when appropriate to reduce engine speed, save gas and decrease engine wear.
• Use cruise control to help cut fuel consumption by maintaining a steady speed • If you own more than one vehicle, drive the one that gets better gas mileage whenever possible.
• Protect your health and your pocketbook by walking to your destination whenever possible. You'll lose weight, lower stress, save gas and money and reduce pollution.
• Pack lightly when traveling, and avoid carrying items on your vehicle's roof. An extra 100 pounds in the trunk cuts a typical car's fuel economy as much as 2 percent. Carpool and use public transportation whenever possible. I hope this information is helpful and don’t forget to do oil changes every 3000 to 5 000 miles.

Walt and Manny

Here some winter tips for November:

• November is a good month to move some maintenance efforts indoors. This month also provides an opportunity to see if your hard work during earlier months paid off -- nothing tests waterproofing efforts like a hard November rain.
• Maintain large appliances. As the holiday season begins, make sure your appliances are prepared for the demands you will place on them. Pull your refrigerator from the wall and clean the condenser coils in back with a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment. Also, vacuum dust from the front lower grille and clean the drip pan and the drain leading to it (if your unit has one).
• Clean the oven and stove drip pans on your electric range. Clean the surface burner on your gas stove to ensure proper flame level.
• De-stench your in-sink garbage disposal by packing it with ice cubes and 1/4 cup of baking soda; then turn it on. After the ice-grinding noise stops, pour a kettle full of boiling water into the sink.
• Clean and maintain closets Go to your closets and perform these two simple tests: Can you see floor space, and can you easily close the door? If the answer to either one of these questions is no, clean your closet. Cramped closets can provide haven for pests, too-full racks can break free from walls, and sliding doors can be derailed by too much stuff. Add compartments and hanging racks at different levels to utilize more space.
• November is a good month to repair and re-glue woodwork, since indoor air is at its driest. If you are re-gluing wobbly dining room chairs, clamp during drying by wrapping a rope tightly around the perimeter of the legs. Be sure to protect wood surfaces with cardboard before tightening rope. Try using toothpaste on white water stains on wood surfaces. Once the stain is removed, polish with furniture polish. Use wood paste wax and elbow grease to put a new sheen on wood furniture.
  Trees are dormant this time of the year and can withstand extensive pruning. Decide which ones need cutting back and trimming large trees is a dangerous job that should be left to an expert.
• Heaters, especially forced air and wood stoves, can rob a home of humidity. A touch of moisture in the air makes heated air feel warmer, so you can keep the heat at a slightly lower temperature if your humidity is balanced. If your woodwork is cracking or your skin seems excessively dry, you need more moisture in your home. A furnace-mounted humidifier is likely the answer if your home has central forced-air heat and other measures don't moisten things up. If you have a wood stove, put a teakettle (non-whistling!) on it and add water regularly (check it daily to make sure the water hasn't evaporated away). If you prefer not to go by feel, buy an inexpensive instrument called a hygrometer that measures humidity.
• Check your sump pump If you have one, make sure it is in good working order before the rainy season starts.
• Buy foam-cup covers for outdoor faucets, be prepared to protect your spigots when the weather gets chilly and flirts with going below the freezing level. The foam cups are commonly sold at hardware stores and provide a cheap insurance policy that will help keep exposed pipes from freezing.