Servicing the Vanguard EFI Engine

Posted on February 19, 2020 by leapgo

Vanguard EFIIt’s easy to see why Billy Goat equips their DL37 debris loader with Vanguard’s EFI big block. This engine delivers market-leading power while being fuel-efficient and easy to start in cold weather. Since this engine is equipped with fuel injection, caring for it is a little different from the carburetted engines you’re probably used to. Here’s what you need to know to keep this engine running.

Maintenance Schedule

Every 8 hours of operation or daily: Check the oil level. Clean off any debris around the muffler and controls.
Every 100 hours or yearly: Replace the spark plugs. Change the oil and replace the oil filter. Clean the air pre-cleaner and air filter. Check the exhaust.
Every 250 hours: Have a professional mechanic adjust the valve clearance.
Every 400 hours or annually: Replace the air filter and fuel filter. Clean the cooling fins and oil cooler.

Oil

This engine holds 78-80 oz of oil, which is about two-and-a-half quarts. Vanguard recommends oil that meets SAE SF or higher specifications. The oil weight you need to use depends on the outside temperature.

SAE 30: above 40°F
10W-30: below 80°F
5W-30: below 40°F
Synthetic 5W-30: All temperatures

Always change the oil filter when you change the oil.

To change the oil:

1. Run the engine long enough to warm up.
2. Shut off the engine and disconnect the spark plug wires
3. Remove the dipstick.
4. Unscrew the drain plug. Collect the used oil in a suitable container.
5. Screw the plug back into the oil pan.
6. Unscrew the oil filter.
7. Apply a thin layer of clean oil to the new filter’s rubber gasket.
8. Screw in the new filter. Once the filter seats, turn it another ½ to ¾ turn to get a good seal.
9. Add oil through the dipstick tube.
10. Check the oil level.

Air Filter

Open the clips on the cap at the end of the filter, then pull the cap off of the air filter body. Clean the pre-filter inlet on the cap.

Pull out the filter. Depending on your engine, the paper filter may be hollow, or it may have a safety filter inside it. Slide the safety filter out, if equipped. This inner filter should be replaced each time you clean the main paper filter element.

Tap the paper filter against a hard surface to remove dirt build up. Replace as needed. Insert a new safety filter (if equipped.) Place the filter assembly in the airbox, and reinstall the cap.

Fuel

This engine needs gasoline with an octane rating of 87 or higher. 85 octane can be used if you’re at an altitude above 5,000 feet. The EFI system automatically adjusts the fuel mixture to match available air, so you don’t need to install a high altitude kit when using the engine at high elevations.

When storing. the fuel does not need to be drained from the fuel tank as long as it’s treated with a stabilizer. Keep the tank full to reduce oxidation, and run the engine for at least two minutes to flush the old gas out of the fuel lines and injectors.

If you need to clean or replace the fuel filter, drain the fuel tank by disconnecting the fuel hose next to the injectors. Collect the gas in a fuel container.

Spark Plugs

The gap for the plugs in this engine should be 0.030 inches (.76 mm). When installing, torque each plug to180 in-lbs.

Battery

Using a trickle charger will stop discharge and battery degradation during storage. Always disconnect the negative battery terminal before hooking the battery to a charger. Otherwise, you could short out the starter. Never try to start the engine with a charger connected to the battery.

Cooling System

The front cover is held on by two screws directly below the ignition and stop/start switch. With this cover removed, you can access the cylinders. Use a dry rag or a stiff brush to remove debris from the cooling fins. Be sure to clean thoroughly clean the tops of the cylinder heads and the screen around the flywheel.

Get the Parts You Need Straight from Your Smartphone or Computer

Billy Goat Parts is an authorized Billy Goat and Briggs & Stratton Vanguard dealer. That means we offer the same OEM parts used to build your machine, so you can maintain its reliability. Need spark plugs or an air filter? We have sections for these common parts, so you can find what you need quickly.  If you need something more specific, our search engine can show you compatible parts based on your equipment’s model and serial number. We even have factory parts diagrams and descriptions, so you can always be sure you’re ordering exactly what you need. When you need parts for your Billy Goat, visit us at www.billygoatparts.com. We can ship your order to any address in the U.S. or Canada.

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Choosing the Right Bit for Your Billy Goat AGR1300H Auger

Posted on February 12, 2020 by leapgo

Billy Goat AGR1300H Auger partsThe new Billy Goat AGR1300H’s Z-Link drill mount makes it one of the easiest-to-use augers on the market at any price. This machine can handle 2-18 inch bits and works with 7/8 inch square, 1 ¼ inch square and 1 3/8 inch hex bits with the right adapter. With so many options, that leaves one question: which bit do you need to use? Here’s how you can break down your choice based on why and where you’re drilling.

How an Auger Works

An auger is made of four parts, with each one contributing to performance:

– The pilot bit creates a small hole to help line up the rest of the auger bit.
– The teeth shave off layers of soil, creating the hole.
– The flighting that wraps around the shaft lifts the dirt out of the hole.
– The top of the shaft has a hole that fits over the head of the auger’s drive system.

Auger Bit Types and Sizing

There are two ways to measure a bit’s width: strip width and total width. The strip width is the width of the flighting from the shaft to the outer edge. The outer diameter is the total width of the auger bit. This includes the shaft width and two times the strip width, once for each side of the bit.

The helix direction is the direction the flighting wraps around the bit. Think of it in terms of a bolt. If you need to turn the bit clockwise to screw it in, the bit has a right-hand helix. Most bits are right-hand, so spinning the bit clockwise cuts into the soil. If the bit needs to spin counter-clockwise, it’s a left-hand helix.

A 7/8 inch square bit adapter comes with the AGR1300H from the factory. It can be swapped out with a 1 3/8 hex adapter or a 1 ¼ inch square adapter to fit matching bits.

Choosing the Right Bit for Digging Post Holes

As a general rule of thumb, a post should be at least 1/3 as deep in the ground as its total height above the ground. For example, if you’re building a 6-foot high fence, each post hole needs to be at least two feet deep. Gate posts need to be deeper to handle the twisting forces of the gate. Height will vary depending on the gate design, but up to 50% is typical. If you live in an area that gets cold enough for the ground to freeze, the post needs to be below the frost line. Otherwise, frost heaving will gradually push the post out of the ground.

The hole width should be three times the post width. This lets you place the post in the ground and compact soil around it. Once you fill the hole, don’t be surprised if the post isn’t firm. It will take a while for the ground to settle and hold the post in place fully, even if you anchored it with concrete.

Choosing Bits for Other Uses

The AGR1300H can do more than just drill post holes. Here’s how you can match the right bit width to the job at hand.

2 inches wide: Boring under sidewalks, planting grass plugs, installing termite bait traps, soil moisture probes and stakes for trees
3 inches wide: Installing sand and snow fences. Mixing seeds, fertilizer, and other soil additions
4 to 5 inches wide: Planting three-inch potted plants, quart-size potted plants, shrubs, and large bulbs
7 to 9 inches wide: Planting one to two-gallon potted plants

In some situations, like boring under sidewalks, you may need to drill at an angle. This isn’t a problem for Billy Goat’s auger, but it does decreases efficiency. At 90 degrees, the bit will only drill 35-40% as fast as it would when drilling straight down.

Choosing the Right Pilot Bits and Teeth

The teeth and pilot bit do the cutting, so they wear out long before the flighting. That’s why these parts are made to be removable. Choosing the right material depends on the soil you’re working with.

Carbide is the hardest, most brittle material. It has no trouble breaking through rocks, but it also wears out the fastest.

Dirt bits and teeth use soft metal that is hard-wearing, but they blunt easily when striking rocks.

Hardface bits and teeth have hardened surfaces with a soft core. This balances the wear of dirt bits with the cutting ability of carbide bits.

We Have the OEM Billy Goat Parts and Accessories You Need

Do you need to get a new bit for your auger? Want an adapter to use 1 ¼ inch square or 1 3/8 inch hex bits with your AGR1300H? Billy Goat Parts has all that and more. We’re a certified Billy Goat and Honda dealer, which means we carry accessories for your machine as well as factory parts. Visit us at www.billygoatparts.com. We ship across the United States and Canada.

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Clearing Snow with Leaf Blowers

Posted on February 5, 2020 by leapgo

clearing snow with a leaf blowerYour Billy Goat leaf blower may not be a replacement for a snowblower or plow, but in some circumstances, it may be a faster, easier snow clearing option. Here’s how you can use your wheeled or stand-on blower for winter cleanup jobs.

What Type of Snow Can Be Cleared with a Leaf Blower?

Most of the time, you’ll want to use purpose-built snow moving equipment to clear driveways, sidewalks and parking lots. However, if you need to lift a thin layer of snow before it melts and turns into ice, a leaf blower is your fastest option. It can clear large areas with each pass, and you don’t need to resort to ice melting chemicals to keep the area ice-free. In some cases, you may be able to cut an hour-long job down to a few minutes.

For wide-open areas like parking lots, your snowblower will have no problem with dry snow that is less than four inches thick. For any other snow, you’re better off using a snowblower. Wet snow can’t be shifted by air, and thicker accumulation will just gather into drifts.

Leaf blowers are also a great option for moving snow in areas that can’t be reached directly. This includes underneath vehicles and decks as well as next to buildings. Left your car outside during a snowstorm? After using your blower, you won’t have to back up over snow. Need to control snowdrifts around buildings to keep entrances open? Looking to prevent moisture issues that can affect exterior walls and foundations? You can clear out snow piled against walls without resorting to shovels.

How Do I Use My Blower to Move Snow Effectively?

Treat snow like a layer of compacted leaves. You need airflow to skim the surface to push and lift the snow off of the ground. To do this, keep the nozzle set at its lowest angle. Keep in mind that wheeled blowers can only blow snow to the right. Plan accordingly to make sure your passes direct snow where you want it. Once you build up a snowdrift, you will need to use other means to move it.

Make several passes close together. While the air may be pushing snow across a long distance, it will only completely clear an area a few feet from the nozzle. By making multiple passes, you get all of the ground within that sweet spot. This works far faster than going slow and waiting for the air to push snow back over a wide area.

If you need to clear the side of a building, consider installing a 90-degree nozzle on your walk-behind, or use the front vent on your stander. This pushes the snow away from the building instead of moving it up the side of the wall, where it will settle back on the ground next to the building.

Using Your Leaf Blower in Cold Weather

Before you put your blower to work, check the tire pressure. Tires will naturally leak some air during storage, and low temperatures reduce tire pressure, even if the amount of air inside remains the same.

Don’t be surprised if you need to use the pull start on your electric start engine. Lead-acid batteries output fewer amps as temperatures drop: at 20°F, your blower’s battery is outputting about half the power it would at 50°F. Even a fully-charged, healthy battery will struggle to turn the engine over.

The engine needs more time to warm up before it will be ready to use. Wheel your stand-on or walk-behind blower outside away from buildings.

If you’re having trouble with the hydrostatic drive on your Hurricane stand-on blower, it may be due for a fluid change. Over time, the hydraulic fluid will absorb water. This won’t have a huge impact when using your blower in the fall. However, once the temperature drops below freezing, this water turns into ice and slush, restricting flow across the system.

Get Everything You Need for Your Billy Goat

Billy Goat Parts makes it easy to get the parts and accessories you need to keep your Billy Goat equipment running. We’re an authorized dealer for Billy Goat and their manufacturing partners including Hydro-Gear, Honda Engines, and Vanguard. That means we carry replacements for every part of your leaf blower. Not sure where to start? We have sections for common replacement parts like bolts and filters, or you can use our advanced search engine. Once you select your model and serial number, it will show you factory parts descriptions and diagrams for your machine. To order, visit www.billygoatparts.com. We ship to both the United States and Canada.

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Upgrades and Repairs You Can Do This Winter

Posted on January 29, 2020 by leapgo

OS500Thinking about starting the year with better lawn care tools? Now is the perfect time to look over your equipment and think about making some repairs and upgrades. Addressing these issues now will ensure an easy start when the spring rush hits. Here are some tips for repairing and improving your equipment.

Lawn and Construction Vacuums

– Check the nozzle for wear. A nozzle wear kit has the replacement plastic pads and hardware to replace the bottom edge of the nozzle.

– Inspect the intake hose. Billy Goat recommends rotating the hose ¼ turn every 20 hours to even out wear. If you find a hole, it’s time for a replacement.

– Working on hard surfaces? A front caster kit makes your vacuum easier to turn and reduces wear on the surfaces you’re working on.

– Check the debris bags for holes and replace as needed. If you work in dusty areas, consider getting a felt bag or a bag liner. These need to be cleaned more frequently than standard bags, but their fine mesh keeps dust from pouring out of the vacuum onto the operator.

Leaf Blowers

– If you want to cut down on maintenance, consider upgrading to a foam-filled front tire. It doesn’t offer quite as much shock absorption as a pneumatic tire, but you’ll never have to worry about airing it up or pushing the bead back onto the rim.

– Wish you could make sharper turns? The caster wheel kit replaces the fixed front wheel, making it easy to swivel your machine in place.

– The parking brake kit clamps down on the tires, keeping your machine from rolling away when you park it on hills.

– If you have an equipment trailer, you can make loading faster by adding a quick hold down. This bracket locks your leaf blower into place, so you don’t have to worry about straps.

Debris Loaders

– Billy Goat’s loaders use the same type of hose as their vacuums. That means they need to be inspected periodically and replaced if the plastic has a hole in it.

– After using your loader to get through the fall leaf rush, you should know the problems you have with the exhaust placement. Fortunately, this is easy to remedy. Billy Goat makes extensions, deflectors, and hoses that help you get debris from the loader to your truck bed or trailer.

– Now is a good time to open up the impeller chamber and clean it out. Check the condition of the liner, and replace it as needed. If you need to remove the impeller, be sure to pick up a new bolt. This bolt is made from spring steel that stretches when torqued, making it a one-use item.

Aerators

– Billy Goat offers new tines to let you pick the best fit for lawn conditions. This includes 3/8 and 7/8 inch spike and hollow tines. They’ve also added Zoysia transfer tines, letting you pull plugs from established grass to start a new lawn.

– These aerators use belts to drive the tine cam. If you can’t get the belt to tension, or it has surface cracks, it’s due for a replacement.

Sod Cutter

– Billy Goat’s sod cutter blades are made from a hardened steel. While this helps them slice through soil, it also makes them brittle. Replace the blade if it’s chipped, bent or damaged. When you replace the blade, you also need to replace the nuts and bolts, as these wear down as they scrape against the soil. Replacement blades come as a kit that includes new hardware.

Auger

Most of the wear on your auger will be the pilot bit and teeth. Billy Goat offers replacements in three materials. Choosing the right material is a matter of balancing strength against wear:

– Carbide is the hardest, so it cuts quickly through hard ground and rocks. However, it’s also brittle, so it chips easily and wears down faster than other materials.
– Dirt teeth and bits use the softest steel. They take the most damage when striking rocks, but they last longer than other materials when cutting through soil.
– Looking for something between these extremes? Hardface bits are strong enough to stand up to rocks, but they last longer than carbide bits.

Get the Billy Goat Parts and Accessories You Need Sent Straight to Your Door

Billy Goat Parts is an authorized dealer for Billy Goat and their manufacturing partners, including Briggs & Stratton, Honda Engines and Tuff Torq. That means you can get anything you need for your equipment and have it mailed to your door. Our site has sections for common replacement parts, and a search engine that can show you factory diagrams and descriptions specific to your equipment. Best of all, we ship across both the United States and Canada. Visit us at www.billygoatparts.com.

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Why is EFI a Good Choice for Debris Loaders?

Posted on January 22, 2020 by leapgo

Why is EFI a Good Choice for Debris Loaders?Carburetors may be simple, but they come with a lot of disadvantages. They need a lot of fuel, they’re temperamental, and they have problems with modern gasoline. That’s why Billy Goat chose to equip their DL37 debris loader with Vanguard’s Big Block EFI engine. If you’re looking for a high output debris loader, there are plenty of reasons why you should choose this fuel-injected model.

How Does it Work?

For the most part, Briggs & Stratton’s EFI system works like the one used in your car. In fact, it was co-developed with Delphi, one of the world’s largest automotive parts suppliers.

An electronic control unit (ECU) gets information from an engine speed sensor and a manifold absolute pressure (MAP) sensor. This tells the ECU exactly how fast the engine is running, and how much air is entering the engine.

A high-pressure fuel pump attached to the side of the engine pushes fuel into the injectors. The ECU activates the injectors to get the right amount of fuel to match the incoming air while maintaining engine RPM. During the exhaust cycle, an oxygen sensor tells the ECU how much fuel is being burned. This lets the computer make adjustments to keep the air/fuel ration balanced.

What are the Benefits of EFI?

For commercial lawn care businesses, fuel is the biggest operating cost next to labor. By delivering just the right amount of fuel at all times, EFI engines use about 25% less fuel than their carburetor-equipped counterparts. Using the onboard sensors, the ECU can lean out the fuel mixture under light loads without increasing engine temperatures, saving even more fuel on equipment that idles frequently, like a debris loader.

If you work in high altitudes, you don’t have to install a high altitude kit to get the engine to run. The ECU automatically trims fuel to match the incoming air.

Fuel injectors spray fuel to mix it with air, while carburetors depend on airflow to atomize and mix fuel into the air. In cold weather, this makes it much easier to start a fuel-injected engine.

By better matching the fuel mixture with operating conditions, an EFI engine can make more power. While peak horsepower is only a little higher, the torque curve is much wider than a carbureted engine. Since the ECU can react almost instantly to load changes, there’s also less throttle droop.

Precision fuel control also reduces exhaust emissions, so the engine meets the most stringent regulations.

The added electronics also make engine problems easier to diagnose. Basic error information can be displayed using blink codes. In diagnosis mode, the “check engine” light blinks a number of times to indicate the error. For major repairs, a shop technician can use a scanner to get error codes from the ECU or hook it up to a computer to get a full readout of engine information, including fuel pressure and RPM.

Why is EFI the Right Choice for a Debris Loader?

The Vanguard EFI Big Block was designed with large mowers in mind, but it’s perfect for use in Billy Goat’s DL37:

– Debris loaders are used infrequently, making stale fuel resistance a major plus.

EFI is better at burning stale fuel, which simplifies storage. Instead of draining the tank and running the engine until the carburetor is dry, this engine can be stored with fuel in the tank. Just add a fuel stabilizer, run the engine for 10-15 minutes, and top off the tank.

– Loaders see peak usage in the fall for leaf cleanup. An EFI engine is easier to start on cold autumn mornings.

The ECU automatically adjusts the fuel mixture, so there’s no choke to deal with. The engine always gets the exact amount of fuel it needs, making for easy starts whether the engine is warm or cold. This also takes the load off of the battery and starter, since it takes less cranking to get the engine going.

– Due to its size, a debris loader is one of the most demanding pieces of equipment that most landscapers will own. Better fuel economy can mean significant cost savings for the entire operation.

– Less throttle droop helps the engine recover as heavy clumps reach the impeller. This keeps performance consistent and prevents stalling.

If You Have a Billy Goat, We Have the Parts and Accessories You Need

Billy Goat Parts is a certified Briggs & Stratton Vanguard dealer. That means we can supply you with parts for your equipment as well as the engines that power them. Need something simple, like spark plugs or an air filter? We have a section for commonly needed parts. Looking for other components? Our search engine can show you diagrams and parts descriptions from the factory for your specific model, taking the guesswork out of ordering. Visit us at www.billygoatparts.com. We can have your order delivered to any address in the U.S. or Canada.

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Protecting Your Billy Goat from Rust

Posted on January 15, 2020 by leapgo

protecting your Billy Goat from rustIt’s one thing to have something break on your Billy Goat from wear and tear. It’s another to pull your machine out of storage and find you have frozen cables, sticky levers, and spark plugs that don’t want to leave their cylinders. How can you keep rust from damaging your equipment?

The Four Types of Rust and Their Causes

Not all rust is alike. Identifying the type of rust on your machine can tell you how it formed, and what you need to do to prevent it.

Red rust is a ferric oxide. It forms when iron is exposed to high levels of moisture and oxygen. Ferric oxide molecules are larger than iron, so it forms expanding layers on the surface of metal components. Eventually, these layers flake off, exposing more iron to oxygen. More rust is created, and more metal is lost. This makes it the most damaging type of rust.

Yellow rust is iron oxide-hydroxide. It forms when the iron is submerged, typically from water dripping into cracks and crevices on metal parts. This is common on poorly covered equipment and on cables surrounded by housings.

Brown rust is a type of iron oxide. This rust forms in spots on contaminated metal parts, usually in environments with high humidity. This type of rust is commonly found on unprotected bearings.

Black rust is another type of iron oxide. It forms on parts exposed to moisture, but not oxygen. This may show up beneath red rust, or on parts caked in dirt.

Manufacturing Strategies for Stopping Rust

The battle against rust starts at the factory.

If the oxygen can’t reach the metal, the metal can’t rust. Painting a metal part seals the surface. Chrome creates a hard layer on handles, but it’s expensive and doesn’t work well in all environments.

Stainless steel contains chromium, which bonds more readily with oxygen than iron does. The result is chromium oxide, which creates a protective layer. As long as there’s plenty of chromium left in the steel, the metal is rustproof. This makes it the best choice for control cables. However, stainless steel can’t handle high temperatures well, so it’s not used for engine components.

Lubricants don’t just reduce friction, they also block and absorb moisture. That’s why Billy Goat uses and recommends waterproof grease for their bearings and axles.

Preventing Rust on your Equipment

Stopping rust is easier than removing it. Here’s how you can keep your equipment rust-free during use and storage.

-Keep your equipment clean and dry
Lawn vacuums and debris loaders move dusty materials, so they need frequent cleaning. Never use a pressure washer on your equipment, and use only dry brushes and rags when cleaning the engine. Otherwise, you may contaminate grease and oil with water.

The core tines on your aerator should eject cores during use. If the tines are clogged with dirt after use, they may be worn out.

– Use touch-up paint
Briggs & Stratton and Honda Engines both offer small bottles of paint to cover up chips. If rust has already formed, remove it with a wire brush or apply a rust converting primer before applying the paint.

– Keep grease fresh
Dry grease shrinks and flakes away from bearings, exposing them to the elements. Contaminated grease can hold moisture against metal components. Adding new grease pushes out old grease and moisture.

– Apply oil to bare metal surfaces
Before you store your equipment, spray fogging oil over exposed metal. This oil leaves a protective film that blocks oxygen and moisture.

– Lubricate cables before storage
Water displacers like WD-40 do exactly that: they push water away from components. They don’t provide protection or lubrication. Instead, coat the cables in silicone lubricant or a non-detergent oil to create a protective barrier.

– Keep chains clean and oiled
Billy Goat walk-behind aerators use a partially exposed chain drive to the wheels. Use an aerosol chain cleaner and brush to remove oil and dirt, then apply a chain oil. Do not use chainsaw bar oil. This extra-tacky oil will make dirt cling to the chain, increasing wear.

– Seal the combustion chamber
When you’re ready to store your equipment, gently pull the starter handle until you feel resistance. This positions the valvetrain so that both the intake and exhaust valves are closed.

– Choose your storage location carefully
While storing equipment outdoors isn’t great, putting a tarp over it can be worse. This can trap moisture against metal components, promoting rust. If you can, keep your Billy Goat equipment in a shed or a carport.

Everything Thing You Need to Fix Your Billy Goat Straight from Your Browser

Billy Goat Parts is a certified dealer for Billy Goat and their partners including Briggs & Stratton, Subaru Power, and Honda Engines. That means you can get replacements for everything on your equipment from one place. Ordering is easy, too: just select your model and serial number, and our site will show you what will fit. There are even factory diagrams, so you can see exactly what you’re ordering. Visit us at www.billygoatparts.com. We ship across the United States and Canada.

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Creating a Lawn Care Schedule

Posted on January 8, 2020 by leapgo

Building a lawn from scratchSpring might be a few months away, but it’s still time to start thinking about your lawn. What problems did you have last year? Are there any landscaping projects you want to tackle? Are there things you need to improve to get the lawn you want? Here’s what you should be planning for in the year ahead.

The Main Components of Lawn Care

There are 5 main components of lawn care. Each one of these interacts with the others, influencing the growth and health of your lawn:

Watering – Grass needs water to thrive. Irrigation needs will vary depending on the grass varieties that make up your lawn. Watering must be balanced with rainfall to prevent the soil from turning into mud.

Fertilizing: To get the best results, soil samples should be sent in for testing two or three weeks ahead of time. From there, you can choose a fertilizer formula that can deliver what your grass needs. Have a Billy Goat overseeder? You can also use it to drop pelletized fertilizer.

Overseeding -After three or four years, grass matures and starts to thin out. Overseeding establishes new grass that fills in the gaps, creating a lush lawn.

Aerating and Dethatching – Compacted soil and thick thatch blocks water, sunlight, and oxygen. They can also lead to problems with insects, slow growth and weeds. If you need to do either frequently, it’s a sign that something else is wrong with your yard. Reducing foot and vehicle traffic can stop compaction, while better mulching and fertilizer practices reduce thatch.

Mowing – Grass needs to be short for seeds and fertilizer to reach the soil, and long to shade the soil in hot weather. Each cut should remove no more than 1/3 of the grass height. Otherwise, it will have problems recovering.

Here’s how you can break these tasks down into seasons.

Winter

Catch up on maintenance: Now is a great time to repair equipment, add accessories, and ready it for the growing season.

Remove brush: With plants either dead or in hibernation, this is the easiest time to do some brush cutting.

Clean up your lawn: Once the snow melts and the soil dries out, you’ll find your lawn covered in leaves, branches and other debris. Removing this debris now will uncover grass so it can grow.

Spring

Apply pre-emergent herbicides: These herbicides prevent weeds from sprouting, and they’re the only effective herbicide against crabgrass.

Aerate: Open up the soil to water, sunlight and oxygen. Correct compaction caused by foot traffic and vehicles over the winter.

Overseed warm-season grasses: Is your lawn looking patchy? Now is the time to lay down seed for warm grasses. Herbicides hinder new grass growth, so plan on at least a month between weed treatment and seeding.

Fertilize: Putting down fertilizer as the grass starts growing gives it a boost. This helps establish new grass and gives older plants the chance to store nutrients needed to weather peak summer temperatures.

Summer

Look for grubs: Grub worms show up in late May or early June. The presence of a few grubs is fine. However, if you start seeing lawn damage and can count more than 10 worms in a square foot of lawn, you need to apply an insecticide.

Remove weeds: Physically remove weeds or apply post-emergent herbicides to stop them from spreading across your lawn.

Mowing: Grass growth is at its fastest in the early summer. You may need to mow more than once a week to maintain grass height without cutting too much at one time. Once the summer heat hits, keep the grass as long as possible. This helps it hold in moisture and deflect heat away from the soil.

Watering: Most grass varieties need an inch of water per week to stay active in the summer. Go for infrequent, heavy watering to help the water reach deep in the soil. If the grass goes dormant, reduce watering to one inch of water per month. This keeps the grass from exiting dormancy too early.

Fall

Dethatch: Thatch is at its peak in the early fall. If the thatch layer is over ½ inch thick, it needs to be removed.

Aerate: Having compaction issues? Aerating breaks up the soil, so the root system can get the water and air it needs.

Overseed cool-season grasses: Planting these grasses extends your lawn’s growing season.

Fertilize: While spring fertilizer helps grass survive the summer, fall fertilizing helps grass gather the nutrients needed to survive the winter.

Remove leaves: Decaying leaves are acidic, and they prevent grass from getting sunlight. Collected leaves can be used as mulch.

Get Ready for Spring with Help from Billy Goat Parts

Need to get your equipment ready for the new year? Billygoatparts.com is a certified dealer for Billy Goat as well as their partners including Honda Engines, Vanguard, Briggs & Stratton, and Subaru Power. That means you can order everything you need to get your Billy Goat equipment running from one place. We can ship parts and accessories to any address in the United States and Canada.

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Billy Goat’s New NextGen Debris Loaders

Posted on January 1, 2020 by leapgo

Billy Goat's New NextGen Debris LoadersBilly Goat may be a leader in the debris loader market, but they’re not about to rest on their laurels. The company recently released 5 new “NextGen” models, adding new technology that makes them more durable and less prone to breakdowns. Like their predecessors, they still deliver excellent debris compaction, a choice of powerful industrial engines, and the flexibility of Billy Goat’s CustomFit mounting system.

What’s New?

The exhaust chute uses a new design, adding a 10 gauge steel square section with a reinforced backplate. This gives the chute a longer service light without adding extra weight, so it isn’t any harder to position than the previous tube chute. The end of the chute is still round, so it’s compatible with extension attachments.

Inside the impeller housing, you’ll find a new poly housing liner. This liner is just as durable as the quarter-inch steel liner used in earlier models. However, if it somehow breaks loose of its bolts, it won’t jam the impeller and bend the engine shaft. It mounts to the housing walls using bolts that are not countersunk. This means when it’s time to replace the liner, you won’t have to dig out debris to reach the bolt heads.

A lot of things haven’t changed with these new models. You still get Billy Goat’s plate steel Piranha Blade impeller. It has serrated edges that chop up leaves and debris, reducing their mass up to 12:1 to fit more into each load. They’re also compatible with Billy Goat’s CustomFit system. This accessory line makes it easy to mount loaders to your tailgate, stake body bed, hitch receiver or trailer. You also have the option of bolting these loaders directly to flat surfaces using their built-in skid mounts.

The NextGen line includes updated versions of the DL13 entry-level loader, DL14, and 18 contractor loaders, and DL 29 and 37 Contractor/Municipal loaders.

Next Gen DL1302H

This small unit is ideal for loading up small trucks. A 13 HP Honda GX Series engine drives a 14.25-inch impeller, generating up to 2,100 CFM of airflow.

Next Gen DL1402SE and DL1802

Aimed at the heard of the contractor and property manager market, both the DL14 and DL18 have a 16 inch impeller moving air at a rate of 3,700 CFM.

The DL14 comes with a 14 HP Subaru EX Series engine, while the DL18’s 18 HP Vanguard V-Twin adds extra grunt to handle heavy debris. The DL1402SE and DL1802VE come with electric starters, while the DL1802V uses a recoil starter.

DL2901VE and DL3701VE

Aimed at the commercial and municipal markets, these debris loaders offer maximum capacity for big jobs. Both units use a 20-inch impeller.

The DL29’s 29 HP Vanguard V-Twin can spin the impeller fast enough to reach a peak of 4,400 CFM. Step up to the DL37, and you’ll get a 37 HP engine that helps the loader reach a peak output of 5,050 CFM. This engine comes equipped with electronic fuel injection, reducing fuel usage by up to 25% while making it easier to start in cold weather. Both models come standard with electric starters.

Accessories

Many of the accessories available for Billy Goats older loaders are compatible with this new lineup.

Need a little more reach for the exhaust chute? The flexible metallic hose kit uses a clear hose that makes it easy to find and remove clogs.

The chute extension uses the same square shape and thick wall construction as the new chutes. It adds 24 inches to the chute’s height on the DL29 and 37, and 15 5/8 inches of height on other models.

A rake holder can be added to the DL2901VE and DL3701VE to carry tools. These loaders are also compatible with the exhaust deflector, which makes it easier to aim debris into truck beds and trailers.

Billy Goat’s CustomFit system lets you choose the mounting system that works best with your truck and trailer setup. Small loaders can hang off of the tailgate using the hanger kit. The hitch receiver mount works with DL13, 14 and 18 loaders. A swing-away hitch can be added to either attachment, letting you move the loader out of the way for easy dumping. For stake beds, there’s a swing-away mount that bolts onto the truck bed. Prefer towing? These loaders can be mounted to the highway legal CustomFit trailer.

New or Old, Get the Parts You Need for Your Billy Goat at Billy Goat Parts

Billygoatparts.com is a certified dealer for Billy Goat as well as Honda Engines, Vanguard, and Subaru Power. That means you can get equipment parts, engine parts, and accessories from one place. We have sections for commonly needed items like impeller parts, or you can use our search engine to find parts for your specific model. We can ship your order to any address in the U.S. or Canada.

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Billy Goat’s 50th Anniversary: A Look Back

Posted on December 25, 2019 by leapgo

Billy Goat's 50th Anniversary: A Look BackIn 1969, two men opened a small factory to build a lawn vacuum. From there, this endeavor evolved into one of the top commercial equipment manufacturers, becoming a favorite with professional landscapers, municipal departments and rental companies. Here’s a look back at Billy Goat’s 50 years in the lawn care equipment business.

The Early Years: Entering a Burgeoning Specialty Market

The outdoor equipment industry was booming with innovation in the late 1960s. Companies were rolling out new devices that could speed up lawn care, creating the first versions of industry staples including ZTR mowers to string trimmers. Noticing this trend, Bill Coates and Mort Platt decided to get in on the action by opening a new division under Clipper Manufacturing. In 1969, Billy Goat started production of its first product, the KD-50 lawn vacuum.

This vacuum looks a lot like current models from its nozzle-mounted hose port and signature green paint. However, taking a closer look shows just how far lawn equipment technology has come in the past 50 years. This vacuum uses a 5 HP Briggs & Stratton L-head engine to spin a tiny impeller. It rolls on spoke wheels and uses all-metal construction. The result is something that was competitive in the 60s but is heavy, hard to roll and low on power compared to modern machines. It doesn’t even have a wear plate, limiting the machine’s service life.

In 1974, the business was relocated to Lee’s Summit, MO, just outside Kansas City. Using the new space, the company added walk-behind blowers to their offerings. 12 years later, the company introduced its first truck loader, giving the company a complete lineup of leaf and lawn debris tools.

The 90s and 2000s: From Debris Removal to Renovation

After success building debris tools, Billy Goat shifted from a being specialty manufacturer to one that could provide a wide range of tools needed by professionals. In 1992, they introduced the Grazor for pavement crack cleaning. The first Outback brushcutter came out in 1995, and the Renovation line started with power rakes in 1997. By 2004, the line included aerators, sod cutters, and overseeders, letting buyers choose Billy Goat for most of their turf equipment.

The Coates family bought out Mort Platt’s stake in 1993. Under their ownership, they expanded the plant and added Billy Goat University. Now a commonplace practice for manufacturers, this was one of the first manufacturer schools outside of the auto industry to offer product education to dealers, distributors, and customers.

The Modern Era: Acquisitions

In 2009, Billy Goat added more warehouse and manufacturing space. To expand their operations further, they started looking outside of the company.

Manufacturing specialist SourceOne tackled aerator turf damage issues by developing two unique solutions: cam-based reciprocating tines and swiveling tines stars. They sold equipment under the “PLUGR” brand for a while, but it wasn’t a good fit for a company that specialized in engineering consulting. Billy Goat stepped in, acquired PLUGR in 2014. By pairing the designs with Billy Goat’s own equipment expertise, the PLUGR became one of the most popular aerators on the market.

In 2015, Billy Goat was purchased by Briggs & Stratton. The acquisition is part of the manufacturer’s push beyond the homeowner market, alongside the launch of their Vanguard engine line and high output commercial generators. While Billy Goat remains mostly independent, they gained the financial and engineering backing of the second largest small engine manufacturer in the world. When Briggs bought Hurricane in 2018, they folded the company into Billy Goat’s operations. Their stand-on blowers are the perfect complement to Billy Goat’s advanced composite walk-behind models.

Despite these acquisitions, in-house development remains an important part of the company. Models continue to be updated with new technologies like composite construction and laser sintering. In 2019, Billy Goat introduced the first dedicated self-propelled post-hole auger on the market. Today, Billy Goat is the first or second most popular option in every equipment segment they’re involved in.

When You Need Parts for Your Billy Goat, Come to Us

Billygoatparts.com is more than an online retailer. We’re an authorized dealer for Billy Goat and their manufacturing partners, including Briggs & Stratton and Honda Engines. That means you can trust that you’ll always receive genuine OEM parts. For easy ordering, our site has sections for commonly needed parts, like aerator tines and air filters. Need something more specific? Our search engine has built-in factory parts diagrams and descriptions, so you can see exactly what you’re ordering. We also have online parts manuals for older models dating back to Billy Goat’s first vacuums. We ship across the United States and Canada.

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Using Your Billy Goat Equipment in Cold Weather

Posted on December 18, 2019 by leapgo

using your equipment in cold weatherWinter is here, but that doesn’t mean you have to put your Billy Goat equipment away. Brushcutters, debris loaders, and vacuums can be used to finish projects before the spring rush. However, you may run into some problems if you try to use them the same way you do in the summer. Here’s what you need to know to keep your equipment working in low temperatures.

Fuel

Fresh fuel is important all year, but it has added importance when temperatures dip. Winter gasoline blends are more volatile, which means they evaporate more easily at low temperatures. This makes it easier to start the engine. Instead of treating fuel with a stabilizer and buying it every two or three months, try to limit fuel purchases to a month’s supply or less. This guarantees you’ll have fresh, easy-to-ignite fuel for your engine.

Oil

When operating in low temperatures, your Billy Goat’s engine may need a thinner oil to get adequate lubrication. Each engine manufacturer has their own recommendations for their products:

– Honda recommends 5W-30 or 10W30 for cold weather use. Single weight oils like SAE 30 are only approved for use above 50°F.

– Subaru Power recommends 10W-30 for temperatures as low as 10°F, and 5W-30 for use below 32°F.

– Briggs & Stratton recently revised their oil recommendations for their own engines, as well as those in their commercial Vanguard line. They recommend synthetic 5W30 or 10W30 for all temperatures, conventional 10W30 for use as low as 32°F, and 5W30 conventional oil for temperature below 40°F. Vanguard 15W50 synthetic can be used at temperatures as low as 20°F.

Using Electric Starters

On one hand, thick oil and low temperatures make it harder to start an engine. On the other hand, battery output decreases as temperatures drop. At 14°F, a lead-acid battery can only produce half of its rated cranking amps. This can make it difficult or impossible to get the engine to start on electric power.

If you only plan on using your equipment occasionally, keep the battery indoors. If you use it frequently, consider using a battery warming blanket. By keeping the cells warm, the battery will have a higher output.

Constant cranking will burn out the starter motor. After cranking the starter for 5 seconds, wait 10 seconds before trying again.

If the electric starter won’t work, or the battery is weak, you can always start the engine by hand. Billy Goat’s electric start models, including their brush mowers, debris loaders and leaf blowers, all have backup recoil starters. To start the engine, pull the recoil starter gently until you feel resistance. Give the handle a hard pull to kick over the engine.

Warming Up

Carburetors use a choke to restrict airflow. This makes the air/fuel ratio richer by adding less air, which helps the engine warm up. Once the engine is warm, the added fuel reduces power. Opening the choke returns the air/fuel mixture back to normal, so your machine is ready to work.

You may barely notice this happening on automatic choke engines in the summer, while manual chokes can be opened after running for a few seconds. In the winter, these warm up times can last several minutes. On manual choke engines, gradually open the choke as the engine warms up. The engine should run smoothly with an open choke before you use your equipment. On engines with fuel injectors or an automatic choke, the equipment should run smoothly under load. If the engine bogs down when you engage the transmission or other components, it needs more time to warm up.

Protecting Yourself from Cold

Weather exposure can take a serious toll on your body. Choosing the right clothing and taking frequent breaks will help you stay alert and reduce the chances of getting frostbite.

– Wear warm layers and maintain complete skin coverage to reduce skin exposure. Balance out layers, keeping yourself warm without sweating.

– Loose clothing can get caught in moving parts on your equipment. You’re better off wearing a balaclava to protect your head instead of a hat and scarf.

– If spilled gasoline lands on a hot engine, it can start a fire. When you need to refuel, take a break. This gives time for the engine to cool and gives time for you to warm up.

– Don’t forget to factor in wind. When checking the weather, pay attention to wind chill. Anything below -15°F will cause frostbite within a half hour. If you’re using a riding debris loader, you’re adding an additional 5-10 MPH to the total wind speed.

We’re Always Here to Help You With Your Equipment

No matter what you own, if it’s Billy Goat, you can get parts for it from www.billygoatparts.com. We’re a certified dealer for Billy Goat and their manufacturing partners including Honda Engines, Subaru Power and Briggs & Stratton. That means you can get replacement parts for anything on your equipment as well as OEM accessories. We ship across the United States and Canada.

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