10
Adjusting
the Cutting Height
Each
wheel is adjusted individually with a wheel height
adjustment lever
. Cutting heights are 1, 1-1/2, 2, 2-1/2, 3
and 3-1/2 inches (25, 38, 51, 64, 74 and 86 mm).
DANGER
POTENTIAL
HAZARD
• Adjusting
the height-of-cut levers could bring
your hands into contact with the moving blade.
WHAT CAN HAPPEN
• Contact
with a r
otating blade can cause serious
injury.
HOW TO AV
OID THE HAZARD
• Stop
the engine and wait for all movement to
stop befor
e adjusting the cutting height.
•
Do not put your fingers under the mower
housing when adjusting the height-of-cut.
1. T
o change the cutting height, pull the adjusting lever
toward the wheel and move it to the desired position
(Fig. 14).
A = 1” (25 mm)
B = 1-1/2” (38 mm)
C = 2” (51 mm)
D = 2-1/2” (64 mm)
E = 3” (76 mm)
788
Figure
14
1. Wheel
height adjustment lever
2. Release
the height adjust lever and seat it securely in
the notch.
Note:
Set all four (4) wheels at the same height.
Operating
T
ips
General Tips
• Review
the safety instructions and read this manual
carefully before operating the mower
.
•
Clear the area of sticks, stones, wire, branches, and
other debris which could be picked up or hit by the
blade and become thrown objects.
•
Keep everyone, especially children and pets, away
from the area of operation.
• A
void striking trees, walls, curbs, or other solid
objects. Never deliberately mow over any object.
•
If an object is struck, or the mower starts to vibrate,
immediately stop the engine, disconnect the spark plug
wire, and examine the mower for damage.
•
Maintain a
sharp blade
throughout the cutting season.
Periodically file down nicks on blade.
•
Replace the blade when necessary with an original
T
oro replacement blade.
•
Only mow dry grass or leaves. W
et grass and leaves
tend to clump on the yard and may cause the mower to
plug or the engine to stall. They may also be slippery
to walk on and could cause you to slip and fall.
POTENTIAL HAZARD
• W
et grass or leaves can cause you to slip and
contact the blade.
WHA
T CAN HAPPEN
•
Blade contact can seriously injure you.
HOW T
O A
V
OID THE HAZARD
•
Mow only in dry conditions.
•
Clean clippings or leaves from the underside of the
mower deck after each mowing.
•
Keep the engine in good running condition.
•
Clean the air filter frequently
. Mulching stirs up more
clippings and dust which clogs the air filter and
reduces engine performance.
Cutting Grass
• In
the heat of summer
, cut the grass at the 2, 2.5, or 3
inch height-of-cut settings. Only about
!/3
of the grass
blade should be cut off. Cut below the 2 inch setting
only if the grass is sparse or it is autumn when the
grass grows slowly
.
•
When cutting grass over six inches tall, mow using the
highest height-of-cut setting and a slower walking
speed; then mow again at a lower setting for best lawn
appearance. If the grass is too long, the mower may
plug and cause the engine to stall.
•
Alternate the mowing direction. This helps disperse
clippings over the lawn for even fertilization.
If the finished lawn appearance is unsatisfactory
, try one
or more of the following:
•
Sharpen the blade.
• W
alk at a slower pace while mowing.
•
Raise the height-of-cut setting on your mower
.
•
Cut grass more frequently
.