Operating Instructions48Clogging ChecklistIn case of clogging, there will be a distinct changein the sound of the blower, i.e., the blower soundwill stop. Also, the mower deck will begin to leave atrail of grass clippings. When this occurs, stop theengine, disconnect the spark plug wires, and makesure all movement has stopped before attempt-ing to unclog.Normally, any clogging will first develop at the backof the mower deck in the discharge opening into theblower chute. Clogging at this point does not indi-cate a particular problem in this part of thesystem, but is a symptom of something restrict-ing the flow of material throughout the entiresystem. The following list of items should bechecked if a pattern of clogging begins to develop.All of these items are capable of causing clogging atthe back of the deck.• Check to see if the RH and LH mower blades areinstalled for the correct rotation - install blades sothe cutting edges move toward each other.Blade Rotation for GHS Mower Deck(view from underneath)• Check the amount of flat section remaining atblade tip. This is the area that is ground away (re-moved) when the blades are sharpened. If too muchof the flat section is removed, the “air lift” perfor-mance or “shovel” effect of the blade deteriorates tothe point that discharge of grass clippings into theblower chute is marginal. Replace cutter blades ifless than 3/4 in. (19 mm) flat section remains at theblade tip.• Check that the interior of the deck housing andbaffling is reasonably clean and free of grass anddirt buildup. While some degree of materialbuildup can be tolerated, a point is finally reachedwhere the flow of air and grass clippings isrestricted.NOTE: One condition that quickly causes abuildup of material in the deck housing is mowinggrass and/or weeds which are “juicy.” The materialcollects under the deck with sticky, green juice. Clo-ver and weeds are especially a problem. The mow-er deck will need to be cleaned frequently when op-erating in these conditions.• Check the deck cutting height setting. Whenworking in thick, tall grass, lower deck settings[1 to 2 in. (25 to 51 mm) cutting heights] tend torestrict airflow from moving into and under thedeck. Raising the deck cutting height will signifi-cantly increase airflow and reduce clogging whenworking in thick, tall grass.• Check the interior of the chute connecting themower deck to the blower for smoothness andfreedom from obstruction.• Check the blower wheel for bent blades andexcessive clearance between the blade tip and theblower housing. A clearance greater than 1/8 in.(3 mm) will cause a significant loss of blowerperformance.• Check the blower discharge chute into the grasscatcher for smoothness and freedom from ob-struction.• Check the elbow inside the grass catcher for abuildup of material in the radius of the elbow. Incertain conditions (damp/dirty grass) a considera-ble “clump” of material can accumulate at this point,greatly restricting material and airflow.DANGERNEVER place hands under the mowerdeck or in the GHS blower dischargechute. Use a stick or similar tool to re-move any clogged material.FORWARDBlades Must Operate atRight Angles (90 Degrees)Mounting NutTorque = 60 ft-lb(81.03 N·m)Rear DischargeChute