Making Adjustments - Yard-Man 978Q Operator's Manual

Stopping Engine
• Release blade control handle to stop the engine
and the blade.
• Disconnect spark plug wire and move away from
spark plug to prevent accidental starting.
UsingYourLawn Mower
• Do not operate the mower without any one of the
mulching baffle, discharge chute or grass catcher
properly installed.
,i_ WARNING" Be sure that the lawn is clear of
stones, sticks, wire, or other objects which
could damage lawn mower or engine. Such
objects could be accidently thrown by the
mower in any direction and cause serious
personal injury to the operator and others.
• Forbestresults, donotcutwetgrass. It may stickto
the underside of the mower, preventing proper
discharge of grass clippings, and could cause you
to slip and fall. New grass or thick grass may
require a narrower cut.
• For a healthy lawn, always cut off one-third or less
of the total length of the grass. Lawn should be
trimmed in fall as long as there is growth.
IMPORTANT:Move the shift lever only when the engine
is running. Changing the shift lever setting with the
engine off can cause damage to the mower.
,_ WARNING"
If the mower strikes a foreign object, stop the engine. Remove spark plug
wire from the spark plug and thoroughly inspect
for any damage. Repair the damage promptly
before restarting and operating the mower.
Mulching
For effective mulching, do not cut wet grass. New or
thick grass may require a narrower cut. If the grass has
grown in excess of 4", mulching is not recommended.
Mow using the side discharge to reduce the grass
height to 3.25" maximum before mulching.
Bagging GrassClippings
You can use the grass catcher bag to collect clippings
while you are operating the mower.
• Attach grass catcher following instructions on page
8 of this manual. Grass clippings will automatically
collect in the bag as you run the mower.
• Operate the mower till the grass bag is full.
• Stop engine completely by releasing the blade
control handle. Make sure that the unit has come to
a complete stop.
• While holding the grass bag by both the rear handle
and the lower handle, lift the grass bag straight up
off the adapter. The chute door will move the rope
out of the way of the bag.
• Continue to hold the lower handle and raise the
rear of the grass bag up toward your chest. The
grass bag will open and the grass clippings will
disperse.
• When replacing the grass bag, be sure the top of
the bag rests on the wire support between the
handles.
SECTION 6: MAKING ADJUSTMENTS
,_ WARNING"
Do not at any time make any adjustments without first stopping engine and
disconnecting spark plug wire.
Cutting Height
Your mower is shipped with the cutting height in the
lowest position. The cutting height adjustment lever is
located above the left rear wheel. To adjust the cutting
height, proceed as follows:
• Pull the lever out and away from the mower and
then move it forward or backward to another slot.
See Figure 12.
NOTE: For rough or uneven lawns, move the height
adjustment lever to a higher position. This will help stop
scalping.
Cutting Height
Adjustment Lever
Figure 12
11