Operating Tips - Toro 20897 Operator's Manual

3. Install the side discharge chute and close the door
onto the chute (Figure 34).
Removing the Side Discharge Chute
To remove the side discharge chute, reverse the steps
above.
Important: Lock the side discharge door after you
close it (Figure 35).

Operating Tips

General Mowing Tips
• Clear the area of sticks, stones, wire, branches, and
other debris that the blade could hit.
• Avoid striking solid objects with the blade. Never
deliberately mow over any object.
Figure 33
Figure 34
Figure 35
• If the mower strikes an object or starts to vibrate,
immediately stop the engine, disconnect the wire
from the spark plug, and examine the mower for
damage.
• For best performance, install a new blade before the
cutting season begins.
• Replace the blade when necessary with a Toro
replacement blade.
Cutting Grass
• 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. Refer to Adjusting the Cutting
Height.
• When cutting grass over 6 inches (15 cm) 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 mower 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 mower
to plug or the engine to stall.
WARNING
Wet grass or leaves can cause serious injury if
you slip and contact the blade. Mow only in dry
conditions.
• 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:
– If the blade is dull or nicked, replace it or have
it sharpened.
– Walk at a slower pace while mowing.
– Raise the cutting height on your 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.
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