Walker B18 Operator's Manual

Operating Instructions35RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MOWINGDANGERDo not mow around overhanging treebranches or bushes at the same height asthe operator’s torso and head where inad-vertent contact may cause injury.Avoid Low Hanging BranchesIMPORTANT: Operate the engine at full throttlewhen mowing, to allow the engine to produce fullhorsepower and to increase efficiency of the enginecooling system.• Keep the mower deck and discharge shield clean.• Mow with sharp blades. A dull blade tears thegrass (resulting in poor lawn appearance) and usesextra power (slowing the mowing speed).• It is preferable to cut grass when it is dry and nottoo tall. Mow frequently and do not cut grass tooshort. (For best appearance, cut off 1/3 or less ofexisting grass height.)• When mowing, operate the engine at full throttlefor the best cutting action. Mowing with a lower engineRPM causes the mowing blade to not cut clean andtear the grass. The engine is designed to beoperated at full speed.• When mowing in adverse conditions (tall and/orwet grass), mow the grass twice. Raise the mowerto the highest setting - 4 in. (102 mm) - for the firstpass and then make a second pass cutting to thedesired height.• Use a slow setting on the FSC for trimming op-erations.• Make sure the mower is leveled properly for asmooth cut. Refer to Deck Leveling in Assembly Instructions.• Use an alternating stripe mowing pattern forbest appearance and vary the direction of the stripeeach time the grass is mowed to avoid wear patternsin the grass.• Avoid damage to the grass by slipping and skid-ding of the drive tires. Use smooth control move-ments of the steering levers since the transaxles are“power boosted controls” and jerking the levers caneasily slip the tires. For sharp turns, do not allow theinside wheel to stop and twist on grass; pull insidesteering lever into reverse for a smooth “rolling” turn(one wheel rolling forward while the other rollsbackward).• When using a side discharge mower deck, theside discharge deflector shield must not be removedand must be kept in the lowest possible position todeflect grass clippings and thrown objects downward.Orient the side discharge away from sidewalks orstreets to minimize cleanup of clippings. Whenmowing close to obstacles, orient the side dischargeaway from obstacles to reduce the chance of damageto property by thrown objects.DischargeShieldSide Discharge Deflector Shield inLowest Position