OPERATING THE
SOD CUTTER
PREPARATION
1.Police lawn area for obstacles and debris (i.e. sprinklers, hoses, toys, etc.). Remove all items.
2.Make sure underground sprinkler heads and other hidden obstacles are marked to prevent damage.
3.Mark other areas where sod cutting will be a problem or too risky (i.e. mud, tree roots, steep hills).
OPERATING
1.Start the engine. CAUTION: To avoid injury, do not place your feet or other body parts under the blade while starting the engine.
2.Select the correct cutting depth desired up to 2 1/2 inches. Loosen the tee handle from the depth gauge plate, located under the height adjustment bar, (#3 on illustration) and put it to the correct height setting. Tighten the tee handle.
3.Push the wheel drive handle (#5 on illustration) and the cutter blade handle (#4 on illustration) to the "on" position toward the engine.
4.Raise the main handle upward so the front nose of the sod cutter rests on the ground.
5.Loosen the 1/2" handle nut (#2 on illustration) and lower the height adjustment bar to rest on the depth gauge. Now tighten the 1/2" handle nut securely so it will not loosen with the vibration of the machine.
6.Go to the back of the machine and lower the handle until the cutting blade rests on the ground. You are now ready to cut sod.
7.Turn the throttle to the desired operating speed by twisting the throttle control (#6 on illustration) toward you. Maximum engine rpm is recommended for smooth operation.
8.After cutting a short distance, stop machine by letting the twist grip throttle control go back to its original position. Check thickness of cut and adjust if necessary.
9.At the end of each cutting pass, lift up on the handle bar to clear the cutting blade from the sod. Retard the throttle control and turn machine around into the position for the next cut.
10.When finished cutting sod, reverse steps 6 through 3, leaving the wheel drive handle on for transportation.
BLADE ANGLE (PITCH)
Under normal operating conditions, the blade angle is slight (blade bottom is flat). In extremely hard soil or when cutting with a dull blade, the blade may want to ride out of the ground. At this time, it may help to angle the blade down. A short trial run will indicate what blade angle is best. To do this, you will loosen the pitch adjustment bolt (#7 on illustration) and move it slightly toward the engine, then retighten bolt and nut.
GENERAL MAINTENANCE
To keep the sod cutter in good operating condition, perform the following:
•Keep blade sharp; a sharp blade cuts cleaner, faster and more uniformly and places less load on the machine. Sharpen cutting edge on bevel or top side only.
•Keep drive belt at proper tension and free of oil and dirt at all times.
•Check engine oil level and air filter element daily.
•Check for loose bolts and connections.
•All grease fittings are pressurized type. Use a good grade Lithium Base Grease or equivalent. Grease eccentric arms sparingly every 4 hours of service, all others daily. Wipe off all grease fittings before and after each greasing (there are a total of 8 grease fittings).
•To make sure the chain on the front drive wheels is tight, you will need to remove the chain guard to check this. If tightening is required, loosen nuts and bolts on the 3/4" pillow block bearings and push the bearings toward the back of the sod cutter until chain is tight. Make sure both bearings go back evenly to keep jackshaft running even with the frame. After doing this, retighten nuts and bolts on the bearing and replace the chain guard.
•Engine (refer to Honda owner’s manual).
SAFETY WARNING 
DO NOT STORE GASOLINE (FUEL)
UNNECESSARILY OVER LONG PERIODS OF TIME. TO PREVENT POSSIBLE EXPLOSION, STORE ONLY IN AN APPROVED "SAFE" CONTAINER. TO PREVENT EXPLOSION OF VAPORIZED FUEL, DO NOT STORE MACHINE WITH FUEL IN TANK OR CARBURETOR IN AN ENCLOSURE WITH OPEN FLAME. (EXAMPLE: FURNACE OR WATER HEATER PILOT LIGHT.)
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