How to Adjust a Rotary Mower

Adjust your rotary mower's cutting height by moving the wheels up or down.

A rotary mower refers to an electrical or gas-powered mower that you walk behind. Just like riding mowers, rotary mowers can be adjusted to achieve your desired cutting height. Raise or lower the cutting height on most rotary mowers by adjusting the wheels. However, a few types of mowers have a deck height lever near the engine. Whichever type of lawn mower you have, be assured that you can quickly adjust the height and get back to mowing your lawn.

Things You'll Need

• Wrench

Instructions

1. Check for a deck height lever on your rotary lawnmower. This lever should be near the lawnmower's engine and have a height guide with notches next to it. Pull the lever out of the notch and move it up or down, depending on whether you want to raise or lower the deck height. Put the lever into the notch at the desired cutting height. If your rotary mower does not have a height lever, skip this step.

2. Pull the spark plug wire off the spark plug's terminal. Tip the rotary lawn mower onto its side. Remove the nuts holding the four wheels in place, using a wrench. Pull the bolts out from the wheels and remove the wheels and washers from the mower.

3. Line up the washers' holes with a new hole, either higher or lower than the hole it was previously mounted over. Place the wheels' center holes over the washers and slide the bolts through.

4. Twist the nuts onto the bolts. Check that you mounted each wheel in the same height hole. Use a wrench to tighten the nuts to hold the wheels in place. Set the rotary mower upright and push the spark plug wire back onto the spark plug's terminal.

Tips & Warnings

• Some rotary mower wheels have tabs. Pull the tab away from the mower and push it back or forth to raise or lower the wheel's height. Repeat with the remaining three wheels.

References

• Murray: Mower Instruction Book 20" Push
• Craftsman: 33-Inch Wide Cut Mower