As there isn’t one cutting height that suits all lawns and all grass types, it’s important that you can adjust the height yourself. Thankfully, residential lawn mowers have super simple cutting height adjustment mechanisms that enable you to adjust the cutting height in a matter of seconds.
Unfortunately, unless you know how to adjust your lawn mower height and how the different mechanisms work, it can be confusing to work it out. So, let’s take a look at the methods used to adjust different types of lawn mowers.
The Different Height Adjustment Systems Found on Mowers
Adjusting the cutting height is done using a selection of different mechanisms depending on the type of lawn mower. Here’s an overview of the different systems lawn mowers use.
| Mower Type | Cutting Height Adjustment Mechanism |
|---|---|
| Reel |
|
| Hover |
|
| Walk-Behind |
|
| Tractor |
|
| Zero-Turn (ZT) |
|
| Standing ZT |
|
| Standing ZT |
|
How to Adjust Lawn Mower Height (Step By Step)
As you can see, there are many different methods used to adjust the mower cutting height, and what works for one doesn’t mean it will work for another. So, let’s take a look at how to adjust your lawn mower’s height.
Reel Lawn Mowers
There are usually three different methods used to adjust the cutting height on a reel lawn mower. The first is a lever that you click into different slots that are labeled with different cut heights. The second is hidden inside the wheel.
Reel lawn mowers, like the Scott Classic, require you to remove the wheel, make the adjustment, then reinstall the wheel.
Finally, reel mowers, like the American Reel Mower, use an adjustable rear roller that governs the angle at which the mower meets the ground.
Setting a Lever Adjuster
- Pull the Lever from its Slot
- Position the Lever at the Required Height
- Push the Lever into the Slot
- Repeat the Process on Each Side of the Mower
Setting an In-Wheel Adjuster
- Remove the Wheel Bolt Cover
- Remove the Bolt
- Remove the Wheel
- Rotate the Height Adjustment Disc to the Required Height
- Replace the Wheel
- Replace the Bolt
- Replace the Wheel Bolt Cover
- Repeat the Process on Each Side of the Mower
Setting a Rear Roller
- Remove Both Roller Mounting Bolts
- Adjust the Roller to the Required Height and Align Bolt Holes
- Reinstall Both Bolts
Hover Lawn Mower
Hover lawn mowers, like the Flymo Turbo Lite, are very different from any other mower when it comes to adjusting the cutting height. This is because these lawn mowers have no deck or wheels to adjust. To adjust the height of a hover lawn mower, you have to use spacers between the mower and the blade. So, let’s go over how to adjust a hover lawn mower’s height.
Steps to Adjust the Blade Height
- Disconnect the Lawn Mower
- Flip the Lawn Mower Upside Down
- Lock the Blade In Place
- Remove the Center Bolt
- Remove the Blade
- Add or Remove Blade Spacers as Required
- Position the Blade
- Install the Blade Bolt
- Remove the Blade Brace
- Upright the Lawn Mower
You can find a wide range of Hover Lawn Mower reviews on our blog.
Push Lawn Mowers
Walk-behind lawn mowers, both self-propelled and push mowers, usually have height adjusters on each wheel. Again, these have levers that you position into specific slots to select the required cutting height.
An important thing to remember is that you need to slot all four wheels into the same cutting height. If you forget, you will end up getting an unlevel cut.
New push mowers, like the Husqvarna W Series and the Toro Recycler Series, use the same method, but they have opted for a single lever to adjust all four wheels at the same time. The good thing about these mechanisms is that it’s faster to adjust, and there is no chance of accidentally setting the wheels at different heights.
How to Adjust a Push Mower with Individual Levers
- Pull One Lever from its Slot
- Position the Lever at the Required Height
- Push the Lever into the Slot
- Repeat the Process on Each Wheel of the Mower
How to Adjust a Push Mower with a Single Lever
- Take Hold of the Height Adjustment Lever
- Pull the Trigger on the Height Adjustment Lever
- Push or Lift the Lever While Holding the Trigger and Set the Lawn Mower’s Height
- Release the Trigger Once the Correct Height is Set
You can find lots of Push Mower reviews elsewhere on our blog.
Tractor Lawn Mowers
Tractors mowers, like the John Deere D Series and the Craftsman Turn Tight, use lever systems that fit into height selection slots. So, you pull the lever out of the slot, then either lift or lower the lever to the desired height, then push the lever into the required slot.
This is a very easy and convenient system that you can use even when you are on the go. Now, some people may need to use two hands to adjust the height as the decks can be a bit heavy, but these types of lawn mowers use pressed decks that are usually fairly light.
Setting a Lawn Tractor Cutting Height
- Take Hold of the Height Adjustment Lever
- Press/Hold the Safety Trigger on the Lever (If the Lawn Mower has One)
- Push/Pull the Lever Out of the Cut Height Slot
- Push/Lift the Lever to the Desired Cut Height
- Place the Lever Into the Required Cut Height Slot
- Release the Lever
Zero-Turn Lawn Mowers
Once you get to zero-turn lawn mowers, you start to get a bigger range of height adjustment mechanisms. So, to adjust the height on a zero-turn lawn mower, like on a Gravely ProTurn, you use a foot pedal. For mowers like the Husqvarna Z Series, you just have a lever like the ones found in tractor mowers.
A third method used on zero-turn lawn mowers is a combination of both levers and foot pedals. This means you can use both the strength of your leg and arm to lift the deck. This is especially helpful with heavy, fabricated decks.
A fourth method that seems to be a more modern solution to adjust your mower height is a dial instead of a pin. Mowers like the Cub Cadet Ultima use the same pedal setup and process, but instead of using a pin to select the cutting height, you just turn a dial. This means there is no more hunting around for a lost pin.
Zero-Turn Mowers with Cut Height Levers
- Pull the One Lever from its Slot
- Position the Lever at the Required Height by Lifting or Lowering the Lever
- Push the Lever into the Slot
Zero-Turn Mowers with Cut Height Pedals
- Press the Pedal with your Foot and Lift the Deck
- Position the Pin in the Desired Cut Height Section Hole
- Release the Pedal
Zero-Turn Mowers with Cut Height Pedals & Levers
- Press the Pedal with your Foot and Lift the Deck
- Position the Lever in the Desired Cut Height Section Position
- Release the Pedal
Zero-Turn Mowers with Cut Height Pedals & Rotary Dial
- Press the Pedal with Your Foot and Lift the Deck
- Turn the Dial to the Desired Cut Height
- Release the Pedal
You may be interested in these Zero-Turn Mower reviews I’ve done over the years.
Standing Zero-Turn Lawn Mower
Standing zero-turn lawn mowers are basically just a zero-turn without a seat. So, instead of sitting down, you stand on a foot plate at the rear of the lawn mower. Because their design is different to regular zero-turns, they use other types of mechanisms to adjust the cutting height.
The majority of standing zero-turn mowers use lever and pin systems that are positioned up on the mower’s dash. So, you set the pin to the required cutting height, then lower the deck.
Steps to Adjust the Cut Height on a Standing Zero-Turn Lawn Mower
- Pull the Height Adjustment Lever, and Lock in the Deck Store Position
- Adjust the Cutting Height Pin to the Desired Cut Height
- Lower the Height Adjustment Lever to Rest on the Pin
Robot Lawn Mower
Robot lawn mowers, like the Husqvarna Automower and the Worx Landroid, have a very simple dial that you just twist to set the height. Yep, that’s it, there’s nothing else to it. Turn the dial, set the height, and off goes the mower. Now, if turning a dial is too much, then manufacturers like LawnBa use digital systems which simply need to be programmed to adjust the cutting height.
Setting a Robot Lawn Mower Cut Height Dial
- Raise the Dial Cover (If your Lawn Mower Dial is Protected)
- Push/Pull the Dial (If Required)
- Twist the Dial to the Required Cut Height Setting
- Push/Pull the Dial to Lock (If Required)
- Close the Protective Cover
Setting a Robot Lawn Mower Cut Height Using the Digital Controls
- If your lawn mower uses a digital display and button to set the cut height, you’ll need to navigate the digital menu to set the required cutting height. This menu navigation varies between different robot lawn mowers.
Leave a Reply