Is your lawnmower scalping your garden instead of trimming? Are you witnessing irregular cutting patterns all over your lawn? These are signs that you should consider adjusting your lawnmowers cutting height. In a lot of cases, lawnmowers have cutting blades that are too low to the ground. This results in shortly cut grass that ultimately decreases your turf density. Sometimes, you may want to give your lawn a variable cutting pattern similar to those seen on sports fields. In all these cases, you need to understand the mechanism required for adjusting the cutting height on a lawnmower. This blog post looks into the height adjusting mechanism for various lawnmower types.
How to adjust the lawnmower height, step by step:
- Step 1: Place your lawnmower on a flat surface. Take the ignition key off.
- Step 2: Check the air pressure from all the tires. They need to be similar.
- Step 3: For a riding lawnmower, tweak the lift link adjustment nut to lower or raise the mowing deck. Utilize the provided adjustment lever on the tires to raise or lower the tires for push mowers.
- Step 4: After adjusting the height, make sure that the lawnmower is completely leveled.
A lawnmower always has a mechanism that can lift or lower the lawnmower blades. The mowing deck can be adjusted for riding mowers using the lift link adjustment nut. For self-propelling mowers, the wheels are pressed onto the notches with the aid of the adjustment levers. Please note that the lawnmower needs to be leveled from the sides whenever you are changing the cutting height. If not done correctly, you may find a change in grass patterns in the side-to-side direction.
This blog gives you an in-depth understanding of height adjustment for different types of mowers and addresses some frequently asked questions.
Contents
Adjusting the cutting height for different lawnmowers:
We provide you with a step-by-step method to change the height for different types of lawnmowers.
● Required equipment:
For height adjustment, all you need is a wrench set and a ruler. You may also require a pressure gauge and an air pump to measure tire pressures. As a security precaution, we recommend wearing protective gloves when handling the blades of the mower.
● 1. Riding mowers:
In riding lawnmowers, the cutting blades are installed under the mowing deck. The mowing deck is a separate addition to the mower’s main structure. Lift connection adjustments are used to adjust the height. The whole procedure is detailed below:
– Step 1: Place the lawnmower on a flat mower
Before you change the height, it is best to park a riding lawnmower on a flat surface, such as a driveway, and apply the parking brake. It’s going to be easier for you to locate the screws and nuts that drop on the floor instead of grass.
– Step 2: Take precautionary steps as follows
You wouldn’t want the engine to start during the height change because you’re dealing with the blades on the deck. It is also a safe idea to detach the ignition key from the switch. It would be even better to disconnect the spark plug wire because spinning the blades causes the engine to start occasionally.
– Step 3: Change the pressure of the tire
Before increasing the height, we want to make sure that all tires have the same pressure so that the mower is not tilted to any specific side. To do this, you may need to use the tire pressure gauge to calculate each tire’s air pressure and then use the air supply to fill the tires.
– Step 4: Use lift link adjustment to raise the deck side to side
The lift link adjustment on the deck lowers or lifts the deck from the sides. Each complete turn raises or lowers the particular side by 3/16th of an inch. To make a side-to-side adjustment, turn the blade sideways and use a ruler to determine its initial height from the ground.
After you have achieved your desired level by changing the lift connection, calculate the blade tip’s final height again. Perform this process on the other side of the mower deck as well. You should ensure that the blade tip’s final height on both sides of the deck is the same; otherwise, you might encounter unwanted cutting patterns due to the blade cutting’s incorrect degree.
– Step 5: Adjust the deck from the front and back using the adjusting nut
Now that we have made a front-to-back change, we also need to check that the mower pitch or rake is within the defined limits. To this end, match the tip of the blade in the front to the back or lengthwise. Measure the blade tip’s height from the ground separately from the front and back.
Typically, the front is 1/8th to 1/2 inch lower than the back so that the cutting part does not spread the grass straws throughout the yard. Use the adjustment nuts provided to change the level from the front and back. Ensure that you remain within the tolerance values for any change you make as stated in the owner’s manual.
● 2. Self-propelled mowers:
In self-propelled lawnmowers, the cutting blades are mounted below the deck. The deck is not a separate item, and it is part of the main body. It cannot either be lowered or lifted, as was the case for riding mowers.
– Step 1: Place the lawnmower on a flat floor
The lawnmower should be positioned on a perfectly flat surface so that the height change does not create an error in the blade’s cutting level. If it is a gas mower, turn the engine off and detach the spark plug cable.
– Step 2: Find the level adjustment lever
For self-propelled mowers, the height can be adjusted by raising or lowering the tire’s level using adjustable levers. These levers are mounted on the inside of each tire, connecting with the notches.
– Step 3: Change the height of the mower with the adjustment lever
Move the lever forward or backward to lift or lower the height of the specific wheel. Since we’re going to increase the height, we’re looking to roll the lever forward and fit it into one of the notches.
– Step 4: Repeat the process for the rest of the wheels
Reiterate the third step with the remaining wheels on your lawnmower. All the wheels must be of the same level. Or else, your lawnmower could produce uneven cutting patterns on the opposite side.
Related Questions:
1. How to change the height of the reel lawnmower?
- Step 1: Put your mower on a flat surface, such as a driveway.
- Step 2: The bracket retains the assembly of the roller to its position. The bracket is externally attached with the aid of nuts.
- Step 3: Detach the nuts from each side of the bracket and take them out. Push the rolling pin out of the bracket.
- Step 4: Put the roller pin into a wider hole in the bracket. Place the roller on both sides of the hole at the same level.
- Step 5: Place the nuts back to protect the bracket. Tighten the bracket nuts on each side.
2. How high am I supposed to set my lawnmower deck?
The optimum setting for lawnmowers ranges from 3 to 3.5 inches. Usually, it’s best to mow your grass in the highest condition. This cutting height ensures a much greener and denser lawn, facilitates deep root digging, and prevents grass diseases. The middle setting is to be tried for the first and last mow of the season. Your shorter cut lawns typically use more water, are smaller, and have a light hue. Such turfs are favored for golf fields.
3. Should my mower deck be leveled?
The mower deck has to be on the same level sideways. There is a disparity in height, often referred to as pitch or rake for lawnmowers from front to back. This pitch increases the cutting deck’s aerodynamic efficiency and stops the grass from blowing across the yard.
Usually, the pitch value ranges from 1/8th to 1/2 inch. A value greater than this results in a short grass cut.
4. May I leave the grass clippings on my lawn?
Yeah, it is very useful to leave grass clippings on the lawn, as this adds organic matter to grass in the form of nutrients. They are mainly made up of water and often promote the activity of beneficial microbes.
The clippings decompose very easily, that is, in a couple of hours. As long as you do not cut 1/3 of the grass foliage during mowing, the clippings would not cause any damage but would instead have a beneficial effect on your lawn.
5. Why is my lawnmower leaving a row of grass near the blades?
If your lawnmower has been leaving rows of uncut grasses, it is most likely because your blades have become blunt or have been damaged or broken. Tilt your mowing deck to check the condition of the blades. If they don’t seem impaired, try a grinder or a file to sharpen them. The blades should always be tightened for improved results at the beginning of the season.
Final remarks:
Changing the cutting height of the lawnmower is an easy process. Whenever a height adjustment is made, always check that the mower does not pitch sideways due to incorrect level adjustment. Maybe you don’t want odd grass patterns all over your garden because that’s why you bought a lawnmower. Also, a test should be carried out on the mower blades, particularly when they have been in operation for quite some time. Blunt mower blades can produce rough grass patches and thus impact the entire beauty of your garden. After every 25 hours of use, we suggest sharpening the mower blades for improved mowing performance.