How to Make Your Lawn Mower Faster
You can make your lawn mower faster by making certain modifications to the vehicle. Upgrading the pulley system, adjusting the governor, and increasing the fuel intake are some ways you can make your tractor mower faster. You can also modify the exhaust, reduce the tractor’s body weight, and use high octane fuel.
The average speed of a tractor mower is around 4 mph. With some modifications and changes, your mower can reach speeds of up to 15 mph! You may want to increase the speed of your mower for a variety of reasons:
- Your lawn is large, and you want to spend less time mowing.
- You take part in the ever-popular lawn mower racing hobby.
- You want to use your tractor mower for towing purposes.
- You simply want to experiment and learn how your mower works.
Whatever your reason, this article explains the various ways you can incrementally increase your mower’s speed.
Some of the remote-controlled lawn mower supplied by Mowrator USA are already pretty fast. But there are ways you can upgrade your current mower to be faster. We’ll show you what components can be upgraded, modified, and adjusted to offer you more speed for your tractor mower.
Key Takeaways
- Adjusting your mower’s pulley belt, governor, and carburetor will impact the speed significantly.
- Sharpening your mower blades will decrease mowing time.
- Your mower’s transmission plays a big part in making it go faster.
- Replacing your mower’s engine can also increase speed and decrease mowing time.
What Modifications Make a Lawn Mower Go Faster?
Modifications that make a lawn mower go faster:
- A pulley system modification
- Add larger tires
- Use high octane gasoline
- Adjust or completely remove the governor
- Replace the air filter
- Re-jet the carburetor or replace it with a larger one
- Reduce the weight of the mower
- Add a high performance spark plug
- Adjust the transmission
Let’s look at each of these options more closely and explain how these modifications make a ride-on mower faster.
The Pulley System
The engine pulley is a small disc that’s attached to your mower’s engine crankshaft. Your ride-on mower has a blade pulley and an engine pulley. The engine pulley can be replaced with a smaller one, which will increase the speed of the tractor mower itself. A smaller blade pulley will simply spin the blade faster, but it will not have any effect on the speed of the mower.
Important note: Replacing your pulley system with a larger engine pulley will put more strain on the transmission and the belt. Consider upgrading these too if you replace the pulley.
The Tires
Replacing your existing tires with larger tires will slightly increase your mower speed. This makes the mower more maneuverable, and gives it more traction on rough or uneven terrain. Larger tires will also cover more ground per rotation — so, the bigger, the better!
Fuel Options
High octane fuel will increase the overall performance of your lawn mower. It adds more combustion efficiency, which can increase the speed.
The Governor
Your mower’s governor regulates the revs per minute (RPM). You can choose to adjust this so that there’s less limitation on the RPM. You can also remove the governor completely so that your mower is unrestricted in its power output. This modification should be done together with a transmission adjustment or upgrade so that you do not put too much strain on the engine.
The Air Filter
Replacing your air filter regularly (once every season or every 25 to 50 mowing sessions) will keep it at peak performance. A clean air filter slightly increases your mower’s performance.
The Carburetor Jets
If you replace your current carburetor with a larger one, it will allow more air and fuel into the engine. This increases the speed and performance significantly, and is a sure way to make a lawn mower go fast.
Weight Adjustments
Making your riding mower lighter, or any adjustments to reduce its weight, will also increase the speed. Those who use their mowers for racing often remove any unnecessary parts of the mower structure to reach higher speeds.
A High Performance Spark Plug
You can replace your mower’s standard issue spark plug with a high-performance spark plug. And, you can replace the ignition coil — both of these adjustments will maximize performance and make your mower go slightly faster.
Transmission Gear Ratios
If your mower has a hydrostatic transmission, you’ll be able to adjust it to reach higher speeds on individual gears. If not, you can replace your transmission with one that’s built for more speed and better performance.
Is it Safe to Increase Your Lawn Mower's Speed?
Yes, it’s safe to increase your lawn mower’s speed, but precautions should also be taken. There are the risks of engine stress, general wear and tear, and warranty voiding to take into account. It’s also worth considering safety installations like high traction tires and a safety belt when making your mower go faster.
| Factor | Safety Concerns | Potential Solutions |
|---|---|---|
| Engine Stress | Over-revving can cause overheating or engine failure | Upgrade cooling system, use high-quality oil |
| Transmission Wear | Increased speed may cause belt slippage or damage | Use reinforced belts, adjust pulley alignment |
| Braking Ability | Stock brakes may not handle higher speeds | Upgrade to stronger brakes or disc brake systems |
| Steering Stability | Higher speeds make turning harder, increasing tip-over risk | Widen wheelbase, improve steering linkage |
| Frame Durability | Stock frame may not withstand high-speed vibrations | Reinforce frame with stronger materials |
| Tire Safety | Stock tires may not handle high speeds or rough terrain | Install larger, high traction tires |
| Loss of Control | Mower is not designed for racing speeds | Adjust weight distribution, add a seatbelt |
| Legal Issues | Modifications may violate local regulations | Check laws before making modifications |
| Warranty Voiding | Speed modifications may void manufacturer warranties | Confirm warranty terms before modifying |
| Blade Safety | Higher speeds can cause imbalance, leading to injury | Use balanced, lightweight blades designed for speed |
Does Sharpening the Mower Blades Impact Speed?
No, sharpening the blade of your mower won’t necessarily make it go faster, but it will cause the grass to be cut faster. In that sense, having a sharper mower blade will decrease the time it takes you to mow your lawn. For the purposes of simply driving your mower, a sharper blade won’t impact vehicle speed.
Can You Replace Your Mower's Engine to Make it Faster?
Yes, you can replace your mower’s engine to make it go faster. Doing this usually means making other adjustments to the overall system. You’ll need to consider:
- The mower’s cooling system
- Replacing the transmission to handle higher RPMs
- The space in your mower to house the new engine
Unlike traditional mowers that require tweaks to go faster, the Mowrator’s S1 models are engineered to handle any terrain with precision and agility right out of the box. Just power it up, take control, and enjoy effortless mowing at its best. Upgrade your lawn care today with Mowrator!
FAQs on How can you Make Your Lawn Mower Faster?
Can changing the mowing pattern influence speed?
Yes, changing the mowing pattern can influence speed by reducing turf wear. Consistency in the mowing pattern will compact the grass and cause resistance, so changing it midway can suddenly increase speed. This also affects the traction of the mower.
Does cutting grass more frequently impact mower speed?
Yes, cutting your grass more regularly will impact mowing speed. Shorter grass makes for easier cutting and less resistance. It’s also easier on your blades. This results in less wear and tear, less stress on the mower’s components, an increase in maneuverability, and overall speed.
Can I use a turbocharger on my lawn mower engine?
Yes, you can use a turbocharger on your lawn mower engine. This is only done by enthusiasts who use their mowers for racing, and involves a lot of other compatibility changes. Tractor mowers aren’t designed to accommodate turbochargers, so a series of expensive and time-consuming changes need to accompany an installation like this.
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