Operator's Manual

12
Operating a lawn mower with its engine running
at a speed greater than the factory setting can
cause the lawn mower to throw a part of the blade
or engine into the operator’s or bystander’s area
and result in serious personal injury or death.
• Do not change the engine speed setting.
• If you suspect the engine speed is faster than
normal, contact an Authorized Service Dealer.
Warning
• Clean the air filter frequently. Mulching stirs up more
clippings and dust which clogs the air filter and reduces
engine performance.
Cutting Grass
• Grass grows at different rates at different times of the
year. In the summer heat, it is best to cut grass at the
2 inch (51 mm), 2-1/2 inch (64 mm), or 3 inch (76 mm)
cutting height settings. Cut only about a third of the
grass blade at a time. Do not cut below the 2-inch
(51 mm) setting unless the grass is sparse or it is late
fall when grass growth begins to slow down.
• When cutting grass over 6 inches (15 cm) tall, first
mow at the highest cutting height setting and walk
slower; then mow again at a lower setting for the best
lawn appearance. If the grass is too long, the lawn
mower may plug and cause the engine to stall.
• Alternate the mowing direction. This helps disperse the
clippings over the lawn for even fertilization.
If the finished lawn appearance is unsatisfactory, try one or
more of the following:
• Sharpen the blade.
• Walk at a slower pace while mowing.
• Raise the cutting height on your lawn mower.
• Cut the grass more frequently.
• Overlap cutting swaths instead of cutting a full swath
with each pass.
• Set the cutting height on the front wheels one notch
lower than the rear wheels. For example, set the front
wheels at 2 inches (51 mm) and the rear wheels at
2-1/2 inches (64 mm).
Cutting Leaves
• After cutting the lawn, ensure that half of the lawn
shows through the cut leaf cover. You may need to
make more than one pass over the leaves.
• For light leaf coverage, set all the wheels at the same
cutting height setting.
• If there are more than 5 inches (12.7 cm) of leaves on
the lawn, set the front cutting height one or 2 notches
higher than the rear cutting height. This makes it easier
to feed the leaves under the housing.
• Slow down your mowing speed if the lawn mower does
not cut the leaves finely enough.
• If you mow over oak leaves, you can add lime to the
grass in the spring to reduce the acidity of the oak
leaves.