How To Make a Lawn Mower Fast | 10 Ways

Mowing the lawn is too much of a chore for some homeowners. Most wish they could get over this task as soon as possible. A solution for such a scenario is to make the lawn mower fast.

But how do you boost your lawn mower’s speed? You can make your lawn mower fast by cleaning its air filters, tweaking its pulley, modifying the speed governor, sharpening its blades, inflating its tires, oiling, reducing its weight, or swapping the engine.

A fast lawn mower is fun to operate and gets the job done quickly. You can bank on several measures to make your lawn mower faster. Let us look at some of these measures in detail.

Check the Air Filter

The air filter cleans the air getting into your mower’s engine. With continued use, the air filter may get clogged with dirt, limiting the engine’s air supply. Air is necessary for fuel combustion to power the engine.

A clogged filter will lower the mower’s performance due to incomplete combustion, which may affect fuel consumption. You need to clean the air filter regularly to have it in good shape. Repair any damages, and if necessary, get a new one for a fast and smoothly operating lawn mower.

Have the Right and Adequate Fuel

Your lawn mower might run on a powerful engine, but it moves slower than you want. The problem might be the fuel. You might have low fuel, which may bring secondary issues like a hard start.

If you use the wrong fuel, you should flush the fuel line, including the tank, before using the correct one. The same applies if you use high-octane fuel, another option to consider for a fast lawn mower.

Focus on the Engine’s Pulley

You can make your lawn mower faster by tweaking its pulley. Tweaking is a complex modification that applies to belt-driven mowers, which have two pulleys, one connected to the engine and the other behind the mower assembly.

The trick is to increase the size of both pulleys, translating to the mechanical advantage of using less force to get a decent torque.

Modify the Speed Governor

Lawnmowers have speed governors that regulate the engine’s fuel intake. Limiting the fuel going to the engine affects the speed. The governor has a spring mechanism, which you shorten to increase the mower’s speed, as it will allow more fuel into the engine. 

Alternatively, you can get rid of the entire governor. The downside to this measure is that you sacrifice fuel economy.

Oiling

Another tip for making your lawn mower faster is via oiling. Oil lubricates the engine’s moving parts, allowing them to turn effortlessly and fast. Lack of lubrication will damage these parts, besides decreasing the speed.

Like fueling, you must use the proper engine oil and flush out the wrong oil. Check the oil level regularly to prevent other problems, such as an overheating engine and failure to start.

Work on the Blades and Deck

On how to make a riding mower faster, you should check on the state of the blades. Blunt, unbalanced, worn-out blades can slow down your mowers due to the resistance created by their affected cutting.

Sharpen the blades regularly, followed by balancing. Doing so allows you to get a clean cut and prevent other mower complications. For badly worn cutters, replacement is the logical solution. 

On the resistance issue, the deck level can be the root of a slow mower, especially if you hear rattling noises when mowing. Adjust the deck to a functional level for efficiency.

Probe for Damages and Leaks

A slow mower is an indicator of several potential troubles. A thorough inspection, especially of the moving parts, is necessary to ascertain what is ailing the mower. Probe for damaged parts and leaks to get closer to the issue.

Inflate or Replace the Mower’s Tires

Another possible reason for having a slow mower is bad tires. It is easy to ignore the state of your mower’s wheels, particularly for the push type, until moving gets tricky. Common tire problems include low pressure, punctures, and lack of lubricant.

The good news is that it is easy to fix lawn mower tires. Fill up the pressure if low and patch the tire up if punctured. Get new tires if the ones you got are past their service life.

Reduce the Mower’s Weight

A heavy mower will be slow. You can make modifications to have your lawn mower faster than before. Some of these changes involve removing the hood and other removable attachments. Also, you might want someone lighter to operate your riding mower.

Swap the Mower’s Engine

An engine swap is another alternative for a slow lawn mower, though many people don’t consider it due to the associated costs. Most push mower engines have the same specs, and engines don’t vary much in horsepower.  An engine swap for a riding mower will enhance speed, provided the replacing engine is powerful.

Swapping your mower’s engine might not be so straightforward. You have to deal with wiring and modification of other systems. If you get past these hurdles, you can be a proud owner of a racing mower.

Final Thoughts

You can make your lawn mower faster by reducing its weight, installing a powerful engine, adjusting its speed governor, inflating its tires, oiling, and cleaning its air filters. Frequent maintenance is a sure way of enhancing the speed of your mower and averting other preventable issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do blades affect mower speed?

Bad cutters create extra resistance when mowing, thus, slowing your progress. Sharpening and balancing the blades will solve this hitch.

How often should I change the oil on my lawn mower?

For your mower’s efficiency, you should change the oil and oil filter after 50 hours of use or once per season, whichever comes first.

Is an engine swap worth it?

While an engine swap can make your mower faster, the associated costs may not justify it. It is better to get a new and powerful mower.

What is the downside of having a faster lawn mower?

The cons of tuning a mower for speed include poor fuel economy and structural damage, especially when you tweak the pulley and governor.