5
GET THE MOWER READYHandlebar Height Adjustment
Adjust handlebar height for a comfortable operating position (page 3).
Clip Director®
Adjust the Clip Director knob in any one of the ten positions to achieve
the desired mowing results.
To adjust the Clip Director knob, pull the knob downward and towards
the rear of the mower. The knob adjusts a sliding door from the fully
open BAG position to the fully closed MULCH position.
IMPORTANT SAFETY PRECAUTION
Always turn the engine off, remove the key (HMA), and disconnect the
spark plug cap (page 13) before lifting the discharge guard to view or
clean around the sliding door. This will prevent contact with the
rotating blades and prevent objects from being thrown into the
discharge area.
Some grass accumulation in the discharge opening is normal when
the Clip Director is fully closed. To remove this grass, close the
discharge guard, fully open the Clip Director, start the engine, and
engage the blade control lever several times.
If a high resistance is noticed when moving the Clip Director knob
from side-to-side, excessive grass may have built up on top of the
sliding door.
Sliding Door Position
The sliding door can be positioned to produce different mowing
results. If the preferred sliding door position is unknown, install a
grass bag and begin mowing with the Clip Director knob all the way to
the BAG position. Check the appearance of the lawn. As the knob is
moved towards the MULCH position, more grass will be recycled back
into the lawn. Adjust the Clip Director knob until the desired result is
achieved.
Rear Discharge
To discharge clippings to the rear, remove the grass bag and position
the Clip Director knob in the BAG range. Maximum rear discharge will
occur when the Clip Director knob is all the way to the left (BAG)
position. As the Clip Director knob is moved toward the right (MULCH)
position, less grass will be discharged through the rear discharge
guard.
Fallen Leaves
Use the Clip Director to shred and collect fallen leaves for disposal.
Set the front wheels so they are one or two settings higher than the
rear. Set the Clip Director in position #9 (not quite full mulching) and
adjust the setting from this point for best results.
Rear Shield
During normal use the rear shield is subject to deterioration and wear.
Remove the grass bag and raise the discharge guard to check the
rear shield for cracks or tears. If the rear shield is excessively worn,
have it replaced by your authorized Honda servicing dealer.
CLIP DIRECTOR KNOB
SLIDING DOOR
(FULLY CLOSED)
DISCHARGE
GUARD
BAGGING OR REAR DISCHARGE
AND SOME MULCHING
SLIDING DOOR
(50% open)
CLIP DIRECTOR KNOB
FULL BAGGING OR
REAR DISCHARGE FULL MULCHING
KNOB (MULCH POSITION)
KNOB (BAG POSITION)
SLIDING DOOR
(fully open) SLIDING DOOR
(fully closed)
REAR SHIELD
DISCHARGE GUARD