Is it the mowing season yet? If so, get ready to cut your lawn using your lawn mower. However, before grooming your lawn, you must groom your lawn mower.
Preparing your lawn mower for mowing days requires you to check numerous things.
You need to verify whether all parts are working fine, the oil tank is full of changed fuel, the cord of the lawn mower is not stuck, and the ignition coil is giving you smooth starts.
However, an essential aspect to check about your lawn mower is its height above the ground. The height of the lawn mower changes with the type of trim you want for your lawn. You can do it by adjusting the blade’s position.
But there are chances that you might not be familiar with the most suitable height of the lawn mower for better mowing.
An improper lawn mower height gives you an improper cut despite your effort. Moreover, there are chances of low turn density if you trim your lawn too short. Over that, if you want a modified look of your lawn for a specific activity, such as sports, you need to trim it in a different pattern.
Hence, all these aspects lead us to the need to have complete control over the height of the lawn mower according to our requirements.
So, you must master the tricks to adjust the height of your lawn mower to achieve the mowing you want.
Hence, to help you out in your endeavor, we have brought you the method to adjust the lawn mower height for better mowing step by step.
Steps to Adjust The Height of The Lawn Mower
The height adjustment methods depend on the type of lawn mower you have. You could either have an electric/self-propelled lawn mower or a riding lawn mower. Here you can find the height adjustment tips for both.
Riding Mowers
If you own a riding lawn mower, you must know it has cutting blades installed under the mower deck. The mower deck, in turn, is attached to the riding lawn mower. Hence, in the case of riding mowers, you must use the life connection adjustments to change the height of the mower.
Bonus Read: How To Make A Riding Lawn Mower Go Faster?
Step 1: Go Flat
The first step to follow while adjusting the lawn mower height for better mowing is to park it in a suitable place. Such a suitable space is a flat surface without much grass on it. A flat surface is necessary to measure the height of the lawn mower correctly, which is impossible in case of uneven surfaces.
An area without much grass growth is also required for you to locate the tools and equipment quickly.
Step 2: Eliminate All Chances of Accidents
Now that you have your lawn mower on a flat surface, it is time to take precautionary measures to avoid accidents. You must ensure the engine does not start at any cost as it could cause mishaps with the blade.
Hence, you must eliminate all chances through which the engine could start. Smart ways to achieve the same would include disconnecting the ignition key, switch, and spark plug wire.
The spark plug wire may cause the engine to start with the motion of the blades. Hence, you must stay on the safe side.
Step 3: Equalize The Tire Pressure
The main purpose of keeping your lawn mower on a flat surface is to avoid tilting. However, tilting can also occur due to unequal pressure in the tires of your lawn mower.
Hence, you must check the tire pressure using a pressure gauge. If you find an imbalance, you must equalize the pressure in the four tires using air supply equipment.
Also Read:- How to Change a Lawn Mower Tire? – 10 Simple Steps
Step 4: Raise The Deck From Side to Side
The next move you need to make is to raise the mowing deck from side to side. You can perform this step by utilizing the lift link adjustment in your lawn mower.
You must know that every time you turn the lift link adjustment, you get a raise or declination in the height of your lawn mower by 3/16th of an inch.
Turn the blade sideways to make a side-to-side adjustment. It is necessary to keep measuring the height of the blade from the ground before and after making the adjustments.
You must follow the same process for the other side and ensure the blade tip’s height is equal on both sides of the lawn mower. On failing to achieve the same, you are doomed to get uneven cuts in your lawn.
Step 5: Time to Adjust The Mower Pitch
Adjusting the level of the mower pitch is also a requirement. You can use an adjusting nut to level the mower pitch front to back. The blade’s tip’s height must be calculated from the front and the back.
You must keep the front height lower than the back by a factor of 1/8th to 1/2 of an inch. After getting through with the measurements, you can use the adjusting nut and get your mower pitch balanced.
Hence, your riding lawn mower is ready to trim your lawn like a hero.
Electric Mowers
Now comes the time to deal with electric mowers. So, if you own a self-propelled lawn mower, the adjustment methods are slightly different than those for riding lawn mowers.
Before proceeding with height adjustments, you must know the differences between the mowing deck for riding and electric lawn mowers.
Unlike riding lawn mowers, the mowing deck is not attached to the mower but is part of its main body. You can find the cutting blades below the deck. Hence, you can not adjust the mower deck in the case of self-propelled lawn mowers.
Steps 1 & 2: Are Like Riding Lawn Mowers
where you need to park your lawn mower on a flat surface. Also, you must ensure the engine does not start during the height adjustments. Hence, disconnecting the spark plug and turning off the engine is necessary.
Step 3: Adjust The Tire Level
In the case of electric mowers, you need to adjust the tire level to adjust the height of the mower. An adjustment lever can be helpful. You must mount the levers inside the tires and connect them with the notches.
You can adjust the tire level by moving the lever forward or backward and fitting it into the notches. Hence, you can adjust the tire level per the cut required and follow the same for all other tires to keep them at the same level for obvious reasons.
Recommendations to Adjust Lawn Mower Height
Now that you know how to adjust the height of the lawn mower for better mowing, you might wonder what the appropriate height for the grass on your lawn should be.
You must know that it depends on the grass species you have on your lawn. You can find the appropriate height for those grasses and adjust your lawn mower accordingly.
The best setting of the lawn mower height also depends on the time of the year.
You can follow the 3 inches rule for this. If you mow between April and September, you can keep your lawn mower at 3 inches in height. However, if it is your first or final mow, you must shift to 2.5 inches.
Moreover, you must consider the depth of the roots for cutting tall grasses, as their roots stay deep inside the soil. You need to follow the 3x rule, i.e., the depth of roots to be three times more than the height of the grass, and adjust your lawn mower accordingly.
FAQ’s to Adjust Lawn Mower Height
You must mow the lawn once every week for a tall grass lawn. Also, you must remove at most 33% of the foliage every time you mow.
The highest setting of mower is usually the best setting for a lawn. Hence, you must not trust the middle setting blindly, as it does not always give the best cut.
You must sharpen your lawn mower’s blades after every 4 to 5 cuttings.
You can try mowing your lawn in different directions to test different styles. You can either mow lengthwise, breadthwise or diagonally.
Mulching of grass clippings provides an organic fertilizer to the lawn and keeps it healthy.
Conclusion
Achieving a perfect cut for your lawn can be a daunting task. But it becomes simple if you know how to change the lawn mower’s height for better mowing.
Hence, all you need is to find the right height for the grass in your lawn or the way you want your lawn to appear and follow the steps mentioned to adjust the height of the mower to achieve a perfect and flawless lawn.