Safe Mowing Practices; Mowing Tips - Honda HRX537HYEA Owner's Manual

SAFE MOWING PRACTICES

For your safety, keep all four wheels on the ground, and be careful to
avoid losing your footing and your control of the mower. Keep a firm
grip on the handlebar, and walk, never run, with the mower. Be very
careful when mowing uneven or rough ground.
If stuck, do not kick or shove the mower with your foot. Use the
handlebar to control the mower.
B
WARNING
The blades are sharp and spin at high speed.
A spinning blade can cut you severely and can
amputate fingers and toes.
• Wear protective footwear.
• Keep your hands and feet away from the mower
deck while the engine is running.
• Stop the engine before performing any adjustment,
inspection, or maintenance.
Slopes
Mow across slopes, not up and down.
Avoid steep slopes (more than 20°), and be
careful when changing direction. Mowing
on a slope when the grass is damp or wet
could cause you to slip, fall, and lose
control of the mower.
Obstacles
Use the side of the mower to cut close to
large obstacles, such as fences or walls.
Release the drive clutch lever to disengage
the drive when mowing around trees and other obstacles. Push the
mower around obstacles for better directional control. Be careful
when mowing over obstacles embedded in the lawn, such as sprinkler
heads, paving, edging, etc. Avoid anything that sticks up above the
surface of the lawn.
If the blade hits something, or if the mower starts to vibrate, stop the
engine immediately and check for damage. Striking objects may
damage the blade, bend the crankshaft, and/or break the mower deck
or other components. Vibration usually indicates serious trouble.
B
WARNING
A worn, cracked, or damaged blade can break, and
pieces of the damaged blade can become dangerous
projectiles.
Thrown objects can cause serious injury.
Inspect the blade regularly, and do not operate the
mower with a worn or damaged blade.
The warranty does not cover parts damaged by accident or collision.
Gravel and Loose Objects
Gravel, loose stones, and landscaping material can be picked up by
the mower and thrown many feet with enough force to cause serious
personal injury and/or property damage. The best way to prevent
potential injury from thrown objects is to release the blade control
lever to stop the blade before reaching areas with gravel, loose
stones, or landscaping material.

MOWING TIPS

When to Mow
Most grasses should be mowed when they have grown 12 ~ 25 mm
above their recommended height.
More frequent mowing is required for mulching than for bagging. For
best results, you may need to mow the lawn twice a week during the
growing season.
Cutting Height
Consult a local nursery or lawn and
garden center for cutting height
recommendations and advice about
specific types of grasses and growing
conditions in your area.
If you look closely, you'll see that most
grass has stems and leaves. If you cut off
the leaves, you'll scalp the lawn. Let the
grass recover between mowings. Your
mower will work better, and your lawn will
look better.
If your grass gets too tall, cut it once at the highest cutting height
setting, and then mow again in 2 or 3 days. Don't take off more than
one third of total grass height in any one mowing, or brown patches
may develop.
Cutting height adjustment levers are explained in the CONTROLS
chapter (page 4).
Cutting Width
For an even lawn finish, overlap each mowing swath by a few
centimeters. If the grass is very tall or thick, use more overlap and a
narrower mowing swath.
Blade Speed
The blades must spin very fast to cut properly. Always use the fast
throttle setting, and keep the engine running at maximum rpm.
If engine speed drops, it could mean the engine is being overloaded
by the blades trying to cut too much grass. Mow a narrower swath,
move the mower slower, or raise the cutting height.
Blade Sharpness
A sharp blade cuts cleanly. A dull blade tears the grass, leaving
shredded ends that turn brown. When your blade doesn't cut cleanly
anymore, have it sharpened or replaced.
Dry Grass
If the ground is too dry, mowing will stir up a lot of dust. Besides being
unpleasant to work in, too much dust will clog the carburetor air filter.
If dust is a problem, water your lawn the day before mowing. Mow
when the grass is dry to your touch, but the soil is still moist.
Wet Grass
Wet grass is slippery and can make you lose your footing. Also, wet
grass clippings will clog the mower deck and collect in clumps on the
lawn. Always wait for wet grass to dry before mowing.
Fallen Leaves
Your mower can be used to pick up fallen leaves for disposal. If using
the mower to bag large amounts of fallen leaves, and not for mowing,
set the cutting height adjustment levers so the front of the mower
deck is one or two settings higher than the rear. To start, position the
Clip Director knob in the #9 position (not quite full mulching). This
setting will allow the leaves to be recirculated and recut until the
particles are small enough to pass though the sliding door opening
and into the grass bag. Depending on the size, type, and water
content of the leaves, it may be necessary to open the sliding door to
ENGLISH
LONG ENOUGH
TOO SHORT
11