I shut it down for winter tonight

That's it. My leaves were finished yesterday @ 5:00. Today after work I took out the machine as it was getting dark and washed and dried it. I removed the collection system, then stored those parts in my shed. Then I brought the machine over to my heated garage and jacked it up, and went thru it, grease, fresh oil & filters scraped the deck and before I quit reshaprened the blades.
I took it back over to it's garage and let it run out of fuel (by turning the shut off). I then topped the tank off and plugged in my battery tender jr. See you next year. The problematic craftsman tractor will finish off mulching the leaves as they continue to pile against the fence until the snow falls.
I'm kinda hoping it blows up again so I can make a planter out of it......:laughing: This is the first year the craftsman didn't give me trouble, but I only let it pull the lawn cart, a few times a month....

Last year when the craftsman died (I put over $800 in parts on it, then the head gasket blew on a 4 year old, $2,500 tractor!) I went to Home Depot looking at their cheap riding lawn mowers. It was November so all the lawn mowers were gone.
I found an Ariens tractor inside for $699 ($1,100 normal price) and bought it on the spot. It was "reconditioned" meaning someone brought it back. I bought it for the engine, but got the rest of it for free. I brought that home gased it up and it ran nice. I cut the lawn in the front and found out what was wrong with it, the deck was not level. So I got out the wrenches and leveled the deck. Everything else is fine....

So I drained the gas, changed the oil and it sits ready when the craftsman dies again....

A bit of a story, but I'm tired. The Scag was finished up at 10pm. About 5 hrs to get it stored for winter...

Cool, & a good read.. My New Toro is sleeping well prepped & quietly as well..

I have my own (money pit) craftsman story.

Hi Troops,
Going to do the same with my Tiger Cub tomorrow and bring home my Ingersoll GT and set it up with the plow. Wednesdays forecast is for some of the white stuff, oh well, it is winter, but 60 degrees today!!! Got 30-35 folk coming for Thanksgiving, may have to push snow all over so we can park them all!
Mad Mackie will turn 71 tomorrow, officially and Old Buzzard!!!LOL:laughing::biggrin::smile:

Mad Mackie said:

Hi Troops,

Mad Mackie will turn 71 tomorrow, officially and Old Buzzard!!!LOL:laughing::biggrin::smile:

Click to expand...

Happy Birthday! :thumbsup:

Did the same last night. Cleaned the YBravo, emptied the gas tank to then run it dry. I then blowed the whole mower to dry it. As for the lawnboy, I cleaned it, checked under the deck to see if it is clean. I added some fuel stab and a bit of gas and let I let it run for a few minutes. Both mowers are good for winter. Now I need to bring my trimmer for warranty repair and clean my blowers and cover up the mowers in the garage.

Come spring I will change the oil, plug and filter on the mowers, replace the carb on the Ybravo and add so missing bolts and stickers.