Mower Service for Hattiesburg: Why Owners Drive to Collins
Hattiesburg mower and zero turn owners drive up Highway 49 to Collins for service. Here is what that trip is worth and what to check before you make it.
A fair number of the mowers on our lift in Collins came up Highway 49 from Hattiesburg. Not because there is nothing closer, but because owners want a shop that knows Ferris equipment inside and out and keeps the right parts on hand instead of ordering them after the fact.
The sand problem
The soil around Hattiesburg and down through the Piney Woods runs sandy in a lot of yards. Sandy ground kicks up more fine grit than clay soil does, and that grit goes straight for the air filter and the underside of the deck. An engine that sounds a little tired by August, or a deck that seems to dull blades faster than it should, is often just doing the math on a summer of sandy cutting conditions. Checking and cleaning the air filter more often than the calendar suggests is not overkill here. It is what the ground asks for.
What to check before you make the drive
Not every mower problem needs a trip to Collins, and we would rather tell you that than have you make the drive for nothing.
Won't start. Check the fuel first, especially if the mower sat for a few weeks. Old fuel is the most common reason a mower that ran fine in June balks in July. Check the spark plug boot is seated and the safety switches, seat switch and blade engagement, are doing what they should.
Cuts uneven. Before you assume a bent deck or a bad spindle, check tire pressure on all four tires against the numbers in your operator manual. Mismatched pressure is the single most common cause of an uneven cut on a zero turn, and it costs nothing to fix.
New noise. A squeal when you engage the blades usually points to a belt or an idler pulley. A growl or rumble from under the deck at speed, especially one that was not there a month ago, is often a spindle bearing starting to go. That one is worth calling about before it gets worse, because a bearing caught early is a small job and a bearing ignored can take the spindle housing and the belt with it.
What the drive is worth
If the fix is something you can do yourself with a filter or a set of blades from the parts counter, we will tell you that and sell you the part. If it is a bearing, a hydraulic issue, or anything under warranty, that is where genuine parts and a shop that works on Ferris equipment every day earns the trip. Warranty claims in particular go smoother with documented, genuine parts, which is one more reason it matters where the work gets done.
We also see LS tractors from the Hattiesburg area for the same reasons, sandy ground wears filters and undercarriage components faster, and owners want a shop that stocks the parts instead of ordering them the day you show up.
Our service department at Dykes Motors handles Ferris mower service, LS tractor service, and general equipment repair, all with genuine parts in stock. If you are not sure whether a problem is worth the drive, call first. We would rather talk you through a five minute fix over the phone than have you make a trip for something you could have handled at home.
For more on keeping a mower running through a long South Mississippi season, see our service blog.
Call the service department at (601) 336-2541, or come by 3069 Hwy 49 in Collins and we will take a look.