Operation
DANGER
If the discharge door does not close completely, the lawn mower could throw objects. Thrown objects can result in serious personal injury or death to the operator or bystanders.
•Never open the door to the discharge opening when the engine is running.
•If you cannot close the door because the grass clippings clog the discharge area, stop the engine and gently move the discharge door handle back and forth until you can close the door completely. If you still cannot close the door, remove the obstruction with a stick, not your hand.
Operating Tips
•Review the Safety section and read this manual carefully before operating the lawn mower.
•Set the engine speed to the fastest position for the best cutting results.
•Maintain a sharp blade throughout the cutting season. Periodically file down nicks on the blade. Replace the blade when necessary with an original Exmark replacement blade.
•Clean the air filter frequently. Mulching stirs up more clippings and dust which clogs the air filter and reduces engine performance.
Cutting Grass
•Grass grows at different rates at different times of the year. In the summer heat, it is best to cut grass at the 2 1/2 inch (64 mm), 3 inch (76 mm), or 3 1/2 inch (90 mm) cutting height settings. Cut only about a third of the grass blade at a time. Do Not cut below the 2 1/2 inch (64 mm) setting unless the grass is sparse or it is late fall when grass growth begins to slow down.
•When cutting grass over 6 inches (15 cm) tall, first 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 and the grass clump on top of the lawn, the lawn mower may plug and cause the engine to stall.
•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:
–Sharpen the blade.
–Walk at a slower pace while mowing.
–Cut the grass more frequently.
–Overlap cutting swaths instead of cutting a full swath with each pass.
–Set the desired cutting height on the front wheels. Set the rear wheels one to two notches higher. For example, set the front wheels at 2 1/2 inches (64 mm) and the rear wheels at 3 inches (76 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.
•For light leaf coverage, set all the wheels at the same cutting height setting.
•If there are more than 5 inches (12.7 cm) of leaves on the lawn, set the front cutting height one or two notches higher than the rear cutting height. This makes it easier to feed the leaves under the lawn mower deck.
•Slow down your mowing speed if the lawn mower does not cut the leaves finely enough.
•If you mow over oak leaves, you can add lime to the grass in the spring to reduce the acidity of the oak leaves.
20