(Courtesy: Graham at flickr.com)
Just as you can troubleshoot problems with the lawn mower itself you can also troubleshoot actual mowing problems. That is, you can observe the results of cutting the grass with your lawn mower, identify problems, and figure out ways to avoid them in the future.
Here’s what I’m talking about. After mowing your lawn have you noticed such problems as streaking (thin strips of uncut grass left behind the mower), stepped cutting (sharp ridges left in the surface of the lawn after mowing), uneven cutting (wavy troughs in the surface of the lawn after mowing), scalping (deck of the lawn mower strikes the ground), or stingers (patches of uncut grass left behind the mower)?
All of these problems are caused by the lawn mower. The problems can result from an improper setting or adjustment of the mower, a dull blade, engine speed, clogged deck, damaged lawn mower part, and more.
Here are causes for certain problems and what you can do to prevent them from happening again.
Streaking
| Cause | Remedy |
| Blades are dull | Sharpen blade |
| Blades are too worn | Replace blade |
| Engine speed is too slow | Mow at full throttle |
| Ground speed is too fast | Mow slower |
| Deck is clogged with grass clippings | Clean mower |
| Not overlapping cutting rows | Overlap cutting rows |
| Not overlapping properly when turning | Overlap more when turning |
Step Cut
| Cause | Remedy |
| Deck is improperly leveled | Level the deck properly |
| Tires not installed correctly | Check and inflate tires |
| Blade is dented | Replace blade |
| Deck shell is damaged | Fix or replace deck |
| Mower spindle is damaged or loose | Fix or change spindle |
| Blade installed improperly | Reinstall blade properly |
Uneven Cut
| Cause | Remedy |
| Deck is incorrectly leveled | Level the deck properly |
| Blade is dull | Sharpen or switch blade |
| Blade is damaged | Exchange blade |
| Deck is plugged with clippings | Clean deck |
| Deck shell is damaged | Fix or change the deck |
| Spindle is bent or loose | Fix or change spindle |
| Blade installed improperly | Reinstall the blade properly |
Scalping
| Cause | Remedy |
| Lawn is uneven | Roll or level the lawn |
| Deck height too low | Raise cutting height |
| Ground speed is too fast | Mow slower |
| Deck is not leveled right | Properly level deck |
| Tire pressure is uneven | Examine and inflate tires |
Stingers
| Cause | Remedy |
| Blade isn’t sharp | Sharpen blade |
| Blade is too worn | Exchange blade |
| Engine speed is too slow | Mow at full throttle |
| Ground speed is too fast | Mow slower |
| Deck is clogged | Clean mower |
(Courtesy: Peter Kaminski at flickr.com)
