I have a love/hate relationship with my lawn mower. It’s a great tool, don’t get me wrong. But of course it only breaks down when I need it. Or, more correctly, when I’m using it. And then I need it fixed right now. Or I borrow my neighbor’s mower. It’s frustrating because I don’t mind (actually kind of enjoy) mowing the lawn but I hate futzing with the lawn mower.

My mower broke down three or four weeks ago. The drive belt broke. Replacing the drive belt on this machine is, in my opinion, overly complex. It’s easiest done using some tools that I don’t have, and in a better-equipped shop. I suppose I could do it … maybe. But I don’t like working on engines. I’ll do simple things, but after looking at this one I decided that I don’t need the aggravation.

So I pushed the thing up to the driveway, hooked up the trailer and pulled the mower onto the trailer with a come along (hand-operated winch). Dropped it at the shop. Then came back and borrowed my neighbor’s mower so I could finish mowing my yard.

The mower shop of course had a backlog and only one mechanic, so it took a while for them to get me an estimate and then do the work. I got the mower back on Tuesday and started mowing. I was pretty close to done when the right rear tire went flat. Not an uncommon occurrence around here, what with all the mesquite thorns and such. Turns out, though, that it wasn’t a mesquite thorn. Either a large, sharp rock or a pointy tree branch on the ground ripped a 3-inch gash in the sidewall. That tire’s trash.

I went online and called around and could not find a replacement tire nearby. The mower shop said they’d order one to be in next week. I went to Amazon and found a replacement for about half what the mower shop wants, and I could get it in two days. Cool.

So the new tire comes in. Take it to the mower shop to have it placed on the rim, right? Except the mechanic is out sick so he wouldn’t get to it until Monday. But the guy at the shop told me that Discount Tire would do it. And they did: for $10. The mower shop was going to charge me a half-hour of shop time. Their shop rate is $135 per hour.

If you have a riding lawn mower, here’s what I suggest:

1. If you can buy the flat-free tires (i.e. hard rubber wheels that don’t require pumping up) for your mower, do it. I just bought them for the front. Haven’t found them to fit the back yet.
2. If you can’t get the flat-free tires, buy a replacement wheel and tire for the front, and one for the back. Just store them in your garage. You’ll need them eventually.
3. When you destroy a tire:
   • Replace the wheel and tire with the spare that you have in the garage.
   • Finish mowing.
   • Order a replacement tire.
   • Take tire and wheel somewhere for mounting. Really, you don’t want to do that yourself. Discount Tire charges $10.
   • Stash the newly-replaced wheel/tire for the next time.

At least, that’s what I’m going to do. A new wheel/tire assembly costs something less than $100. I’ll count that as money well-spent. I’ll be able to swap out a wheel, finish my work, and have the old tire replaced at my leisure.