Why Is My Riding Mower Making Noise When Blades Are Engaged?

The way that riding mowers, a remarkable evolution from traditional lawn mowers, have brought convenience to a gardener’s life is unmatched by any other product released earlier for the same purposes. Now while sitting on top of your riding mower, equipped with the metal engine and torque controls, you can easily and quickly ensure that your lawn is clean and the grass is cut equally.

Initially, with mowers, such as lawn mowers, you were sliding the equipment around your vast properties, making you dread the thought of mowing. This issue and your fear of mowing have been countered with a riding mower, almost akin to driving a small car, which only demands you to drive it around.

The concern we have to address in this article is why my riding mower makes noise when blades are engaged. The deck of the mower, the blade assembly, and the engine oil are some of the parts that might contribute to this noise, so stick through as you might; after all, find out that not every kind of noise produced through the machine is threatening.

Riding Mower Making Noise When Blades Are Engaged– Summary

One thing to be clear before we begin to evaluate why is my riding mower making noise when blades are engaged is that the production of sound while using a riding mower is typical. It is not only your riding mower that makes sound but everyone else’s.

Nevertheless, this should not be a triggering concern as the noise produced while using a riding mower will materialize regardless. But you should stay cautious of observing any minute shifts in the released noise. 

If you ever feel that the noise released from riding the mower has been increasing with every use or any weird sound is coming out of the machine, then it is valid for you to worry. Else not! 

Typical Noise Of The Riding Mower

Although we all love the convenience of using a riding mower, the noise released from it is sure a cause nuisance for everyone. Imagine the first thing you wake up to early in the morning is the sound of a riding mower. This will have you feeling agitated throughout the day.

But, the production of noise from the riding mower is to your benefit and must not be perceived as a personal detriment. If the riding mower did not release the noise, the machine would not come at the budget-friendly cost you currently avail it at. 

Our claimed statement seems complicated, but it is not. All we mean to say is that the reason why your riding mowers are loud and generate a sound is due to the mufflers that have been inserted into the engine.

To ensure that the costs are kept at a minimum and that the riding mower remains within the affordability of the users, manufacturers choose to install a cheap muffler. Even though the muffler will be efficient at undertaking the work it is inserted for, expecting it to be silent is something you should not hope for. 

Specifically, these mufflers are of the absorptive category, whereby they operate by making sure that the gas flowing out of the engine is at a very restricted and narrowed rate. 

This is a great thing that a muffler does and is to your advantage because when only some gas is used, you will not have to worry about refilling the tank instantly. However, the other side is that you have to even when you don’t want to deal with the noise from a riding mower. 

It is no issue for the production companies of the land mowers to make the machine less noisy. Still, they will only be sacrificing the engine power and costs, subsequently increasing the price of purchasing a land mower. 

Unusual Noise Out Of A Riding Mower:

Some noise out of the riding mower is justified and is essential for the machine to maintain its optimal functioning. However, as soon as the noise of the riding mower starts to get unusual and a lot, you must be ready to take action to counter it!

The following are reasons why my riding mower makes noise when blades are engaged. For every reason we put forward, we also bring you a potential solution that might be adequate for handling the noise problem.

Problem: Loosened Blade Assembly 

If you are experiencing a rattling and loud noise from the riding mower in addition to the noise typically released, then the cause of this problem lies in the assembly of the blades. 

Riding mower makes a noise when the blades are engaged because the assembly initially holding all the blades together and fastened has now lost its grip. 

Since the blades have drifted apart, the blades will start to rattle every time the riding mower is driven around. A reason for the loosened assembly within the blades can also be that the blades have been damaged due to continuous use. Such as they have either been bent or worn out.

Quick fix 

To quickly ensure that the loosened blade assembly is dealt with, you must fix it in the first instance you get. 

Now you proceed to fix the problem. You must tip the riding mower to a side and then, using a wrench or socket wrench, examine whether the nut that is supposed to hold the blades together is tightened and fastened.

In this scenario, you’ll need to carefully examine not only the blades but also the spindle, which holds the blade in place. Ensure that the spindle is secure and that there is no excessive wear or damage that might cause a rattling noise.

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Start by undertaking preventive measures, which is to manually detach the wire of the spark plug and then make sure that every switch on the riding mower used for starting it is switched off. 

Now you proceed to fix the problem. You must tip the riding mower to a side and then, using a wrench, examine whether the bolt that is supposed to hold the blades together is tightened and fastened.

Supposedly, if the bolt around the blades is loose, then take a small wood piece, jam it within the blades, and rotate the bolt clockwise until you feel it is tight enough. 

Problem: Build-up Of Grass And Debris

How often is it that you consider maintaining your riding mower, whereby you indulge in an effort not to use the machine and instead clean it, ensuring that there is no material build-up in any component of the mower? 

You don’t do it, we are aware. Hence, the grass you mow, which is frequently wet, will start to build up under the deck of the mower and within the spaces in the blades too. 

Even though at the start, this build-up is not perceived as a problem. However, when the build-up has amplified and is not cleansed, the blades start to get clogged, so they cannot function and begin producing a sound that seems clunking. 

Sound is intensified from before because the grass has occupied all the space within the blades and has left them without any room to freely circulate and perform their aspired function of cutting grass. 

Quick Fix: 

If scraping the debris proves to be a challenge, consider using a specialized tool designed for reaching into the elbow areas of the mower’s deck. An elbow brush or similar device can help you reach these awkward angles and remove stubborn buildup.

Getting rid of the debris and grass hindering the operation of your riding mower is relatively easy and poses no difficulty.

One way to cleanse the material in the blades is by using a massive pressure washer on the deck of your riding mower. Only opt for the option if you are sure that your riding mower can withstand such an enhanced water pressure. To confirm your suspicion refer to the owner’s manual that came in with the machine. 

If the manual allows you to use the pressure washer on the riding mower, go ahead instantly. This is undoubtedly the most straightforward fix and will provide you with a cleaner-than-ever deck for the machiner and sufficiently eradicate the noise problem. 

Another suggestion for you is to scrap the build-up from the deck. You can do this by using any scraping tool you have a skill in and the one you think will work best. Or simply use a blow-dried devised for commercial purposes to blow out the debris. 

Another suggestion for you is to scrap the build-up from the deck. You can do this by using any tool, like a leaf blower, scraping tool, or even a garden hose, to clean out the debris.

However, the first scarp and then blow dry the remaining out. We say this because sometimes the debris and grass adhere to the blades, and only using the blower will not bring you any good. 

Problem: Flawed Muffler 

Remember how we earlier mentioned the muffler in the discussion and said that it is, in fact, the reason for the common noise produced by a riding mower. If, when properly functioning, the muffler can be so loud, with a flaw in it, the sound from the muffler can be loud. 

If the muffler of the riding mower has been damaged in any manner or is not sealed with the engine per the required alignment, then the produced noise is only expected to enhance. Therefore, you will witness a lot more sound coming out of the mower than what you hear regularly. 

To see if the muffler has been damaged, you can observe if any cracks or holes are formed on its exterior surface. This is easy and is easily visible. An alternative to the immense noise creation can be that the muffler has lost its alignment with the engine. 

Quick Fix

If the muffler has been damaged, you can simply replace it. Thanks to the ever-evolving technology, most riding mowers, and surely yours, will have a compartment for easy removal and installation of a muffler near the engine. 

Another good news is that purchasing and installing a new muffler is not a struggle. A new muffler can be easily purchased from any retail outlet, and the cost that it comes at is not even much, so the price of the muffler will lie within the range of your affordability. 

Problem: Engine Oil Gone Bad

Engine oil is crucial if you want to prolong your engine’s life and simultaneously ensure that the engine keeps working smoothly. Users more than often miss out on the maintenance aspect of their machines, such as the belt maintenance or idler-wheel alignment.

Petroleum-based oils and synthetic blends can be used for this purpose.

Where they fail to take out the build-up and clean the deck of their riding mowers, they also do not notice whether the engine is lubricated enough. If you have not changed the engine oil in a long time and hear loud and weird sounds from your machine, you have a reason for it. 

Quick Fix

Immediately, replaces the engine oil by adding new oil to the engine. While adding the engine oil to the riding mower, keep a look out for the amount it is going. Lubrication must be enough only to lubricate the engine; hence, it should be added a modest amount. Not too much nor too less. 

Problem: Pulley Misalignment

A misaligned pulley can also create noise when the blades are engaged. The pulley system is responsible for transmitting power from the engine to the blades, and if any of the pulleys are out of alignment, it can create a squealing or whining noise.

Quick Fix:

Check the alignment of the pulleys and make sure they are parallel to each other. If necessary, adjust the pulleys according to the manufacturer’s specifications. Lubricate any areas where friction may be occurring, and replace any worn or damaged pulleys.

Conclusion 

In this article, we have talked about why my riding mower making noise when blades are engaged. Not only have we identified the possible causes, but we have also proposed potential fixes. We hope this helps fix the deafening noise produced by the riding mower!