Cutting Grass
•
Cut only about a third of the grass blade at a time. Do not
cut below the 54 mm (2-1/8-inch) setting unless the grass
is sparse or it is late fall when grass growth begins to slow
down. Refer to
Adjusting the Cutting Height (page
•
When cutting grass over 15 cm (6 inches) tall, 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 machine may plug and cause
the engine to stall.
•
Mow only dry grass or leaves. Wet grass and leaves tend
to clump on the yard and can cause the machine to plug
or the engine to stall.
•
Be aware of a potential fire hazard in very dry conditions,
follow all local fire warnings, and keep the machine free
of dry grass and leaf debris.
•
Alternate the mowing direction. This helps disperse the
clippings over the lawn for even fertilization.
•
If the finished lawn appearance is unsatisfactory, try 1
or more of the following:
– Replace the blade or have it sharpened.
– Walk at a slower pace while mowing.
– Raise the cutting height on your machine.
– 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 a notch
lower than the rear wheels. For example, set the front
wheels at 54 mm (2-1/8-inches) and the rear wheels
at 64 mm (2-1/2 inches).
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 a single pass over the leaves.
•
If there are more than 13 cm (5 inches) of leaves on the
lawn, set the front cutting height 1 or 2 notches higher
than the rear cutting height.
•
Slow down your mowing speed if the machine does not
cut the leaves finely enough.
After Operation
After Operating Safety
9).
General Safety
•
Clean grass and debris from the machine to help prevent
fires. Clean up oil or fuel spills.
•
Allow the engine to cool before storing the machine in
any enclosure.
•
Never store the machine or fuel container where there is
an open flame, spark, or pilot light, such as on a water
heater or on other appliances.
Hauling Safety
•
Use care when loading or unloading the machine.
•
Secure the machine from rolling.
Folding the Handle
WARNING
Folding or unfolding the handle improperly can
damage the cables, causing an unsafe operating
condition.
• Do not damage the cables when folding or
unfolding the handle.
• If a cable is damaged, contact an Authorized
Service Dealer.
1. Remove and save the 2 handle knobs and 2 carriage
bolts from the handle brackets
Important: Route the cables to the outside of the
handle knobs as you fold the handle.
1. Handle knob
14
(Figure
29).
Figure 29
2. Carriage bolt
g032869