OperatingTips
GeneralTips
•Reviewthesafetyinstructionsandreadthismanual
carefullybeforeoperatingthemachine.
•Cleartheareaofsticks,stones,wire,branches,andother
debristhatthebladescouldhitandthrow.
•Keepeveryone,especiallychildrenandpets,awayfrom
theareaofoperation.
•Avoidstrikingtrees,walls,curbs,orothersolidobjects.
Neverdeliberatelymowoveranyobject.
•Ifthemachinestrikesanobjectorstartstovibrate,
immediatelystoptheengine,disconnectthewirefrom
thesparkplug,andexaminethemachinefordamage.
•Maintainsharpbladesthroughoutthecuttingseason.
Periodicallyledownnicksontheblades.
•ReplacethebladeswhennecessarywithoriginalToro
replacementblades.
•Mowonlydrygrassorleaves.Wetgrassandleavestend
toclumpontheyardandcancausethemachinetoplug
ortheenginetostall.
WARNING
Wetgrassorleavescancauseseriousinjuryif
youslipandcontacttheblades.
Mowonlyindryconditions.
•Cleantheundersideofthemachinedeckaftereach
mowing.RefertoCleaningundertheMachineHousing
(page24).
•Keeptheengineingoodrunningcondition.
•Settheenginespeedtothefastestpositionforthebest
cuttingresults.
WARNING
Operatingamachinewithitsenginerunning
ataspeedgreaterthanthefactorysettingcan
causethemachinetothrowapartofabladeor
engineintotheoperator’sorbystander’sarea
andresultinseriouspersonalinjuryordeath.
–Donotchangetheenginespeedsetting.
–Ifyoususpecttheenginespeedisfaster
thannormal,contactanAuthorizedService
Dealer.
•Cleantheairlterfrequently.Mulchingstirsupmore
clippingsanddustwhichclogstheairlterandreduces
engineperformance.
CuttingGrass
•Grassgrowsatdifferentratesatdifferenttimesofthe
year.Inthesummerheat,itisbesttocutgrassatthe
2-inch(51mm),2-1/2-inch(64mm),or3-inch(83mm)
cuttingheightsettings.Cutonlyaboutathirdofthegrass
bladeatatime.Donotcutbelowthe2-inch(51mm)
settingunlessthegrassissparseoritislatefallwhen
grassgrowthbeginstoslowdown.
•Whencuttinggrassover6inches(15cm)tall,rstmow
atthehighestcuttingheightsettingandwalkslower;then
mowagainatalowersettingforthebestlawnappearance.
Ifthegrassistoolongandtheleavesclumpontopofthe
lawn,themachinemayplugandcausetheenginetostall.
•Alternatethemowingdirection.Thishelpsdispersethe
clippingsoverthelawnforevenfertilization.
Ifthenishedlawnappearanceisunsatisfactory,tryoneor
moreofthefollowing:
•Sharpentheblades.
•Walkataslowerpacewhilemowing.
•Raisethecuttingheightonyourmachine.
•Cutthegrassmorefrequently.
•Overlapcuttingswathsinsteadofcuttingafullswath
witheachpass.
•Setthecuttingheightonthefrontwheelsanotchlower
thantherearwheels.Forexample,setthefrontwheels
at2inches(51mm)andtherearwheelsat2-1/2inches
(64mm).
CuttingLeaves
•Aftercuttingthelawn,ensurethathalfofthelawnshows
throughthecutleafcover.Youmayneedtomakemore
thanonepassovertheleaves.
•Forlightleafcoverage,setallthewheelsatthesame
cuttingheightsetting.
•Iftherearemorethan5inches(12.7cm)ofleavesonthe
lawn,setthefrontcuttingheight1or2notcheshigher
thantherearcuttingheight.Thismakesiteasiertofeed
theleavesunderthemachinedeck.
•Slowdownyourmowingspeedifthemachinedoesnot
cuttheleavesnelyenough.
15