Operating Tips
•Review the safety instructions and read this manual carefully before operating the lawn mower.
•Clear the area of sticks, stones, wire, branches, and other debris that the blade could hit and throw.
•Keep everyone, especially children and pets, away from the area of operation.
•Avoid striking trees, walls, curbs, or other solid objects. Never deliberately mow over any object.
•If the lawn mower strikes an object or starts to vibrate, immediately stop the engine, disconnect the wire from the spark plug, and examine the lawn mower for damage.
•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.
•Mow only dry grass or leaves. Wet grass and leaves tend to clump on the yard and can cause the lawn 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.
•Clean the underside of the lawn mower deck after each mowing. See Cleaning the Underside of the Lawn Mower Housing on page 15.
•Keep the engine in good running condition.
•Set the engine speed to the fastest position for the best cutting results.
Warning
Operating a lawn mower with its engine running at a speed greater than the factory setting can cause the lawn mower to throw a part of the blade or engine into the operator's or bystander's area and result in serious personal injury or death.
•Do not change the engine speed setting.
•If you suspect the engine speed is faster than normal, contact an Authorized Service Dealer.
•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 inch (51 mm),
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 leaves 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.
•Raise the cutting height on your lawn 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
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 1 or 2 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.
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