7
Operation
Cutting Height Adjustment
1. The cutting height of the 18 in. (45.8 cm) reel mower
can be adjusted from 1.1 in. to 3.2 in. (2.7 to 8.2 cm) by
moving the 5-position height adjustment levers to the
desired setting. The height adjustment levers are located
next to the rear wheels.
2. In order to set the mower to its lowest cutting position,
hold the mower by its lifting handle, and pull the
adjustment levers on both sides, one at a time, and set
them to position A (Fig. 10).
3. In order to set the mower to its highest cutting position,
hold the mower by its lifting handle, and move the
adjustment levers on both sides to position B (Fig. 10).
NOTE: The two adjustment levers MUST be set to the
same position (height).
\
4. Other cutting heights are achieved by moving the
adjustment levers to the settings between the highest and
lowest positions.
Ensuring a Clean Cut
m
WARNING!
The steel blades are extremely sharp. To
avoid injury, wear gloves while making adjustments. Keep
fingers away from the interface between the cutting reel blades
and stationary blade.
NOTE: Although the blades are pre-adjusted prior to leaving
the factory, it is recommended that the adjustment be verified
prior to first use.
NOTE: Vibrations during shipping can cause blade
misalignment, which often causes the blades to become too
loose or too tight. This will result in a rough, uneven cut, or
make the mower difficult to push (Fig. 11).
1. To verify if the blades make contact, place the mower
on a firm level surface with blocks in the front of the
rear wheels so the mower will not move during testing.
Raise the cutting height to the highest setting to improve
access.
2. With the mower resting on all four wheels, slowly turn
the cutting reel by lifting it upward, one blade at a time,
through a full rotation or two. If you hear scraping or feel
resistance, the blades are contacting each other and need
adjustment (Fig. 12).
3. Follow the instructions to adjust the mower blade.
4. To check if the mower cuts properly, turn the mower on its
side.
5. Starting with the end close to the ground, feed a strip of
paper between a cutting reel blade and the stationary
blade, keeping the paper flush against the side of the
stationary blade. About half an inch of the strip should be
visible beyond the stationary blade.
6. Slowly rotate the cutting reel toward the stationary blade,
and observe whether the paper is cut as the first cutting
reel blade passes (Fig. 13).
Adjustment
lever
Fig. 10
Lowest cutting
position
Position A
Highest
cutting
position
Position B
OUTSIDE
INSIDE
Quality
Fig. 11
Blocks
Fig. 12
