Getting to know your lawn mower is an important part of owning a lawn mower. The handle on your lawn mower can be adjusted to make cutting grass easier and more comfortable.
You may find that after years of use, the handle has become bent or warped and needs replacing or adjusting, especially if you’re taller or shorter than average. The first step in adjusting the handle is knowing how it works.
Put On Your Safety Glasses Before You Start
So, it’s time to get your hands dirty and make some adjustments. Before you begin, put on your safety glasses and gloves.
Next, adjust the wheels so that they’re even with one another. This will help keep them rolling smoothly across the lawn and prevent uneven wear on either wheel over time.
Then loosen up the nuts holding each wheel in place with a wrench (they’ll be labeled A through D).
Adjust each wheel by turning it clockwise or counterclockwise until it’s perfectly perpendicular to its neighbor (this may take a few tries). Once all four wheels are straight, tighten down their nuts again so they stay firmly in place!
Use The Phillips Screwdriver To Loosen The Handle Support Screws On One Side Of The Mower
- Use the Philips screwdriver to loosen the handle support screws on one side of the mower.
- Loosen each screw just enough that it can be easily turned by hand, but do not remove them completely; if you do so, you will have to re-align them when putting everything back together.
Remove The Nuts Holding The Handle To The Mower
To remove the nuts holding the handle to your lawn mower, you’ll need a socket wrench.
To do this, make sure you have a good grip on the nut before you start to unscrew it. You may need to use a ratchet wrench if your socket wrench doesn’t fit well or if there isn’t enough room for it.
Pull The Handle Away From The Mowing Deck
The first thing you will need to do is make sure that you wear safety glasses. You can’t adjust the lawn mower handle without them because it is very dangerous and could result in eye damage if a nut falls into your eye.
Now, grab a screwdriver and use it to loosen two nuts on either side of your lawn mower handle that holds it onto the mowing deck. Once these are loose, carefully pull down on the end of the handle until its position matches where you want it set to be when cutting grass.
A common mistake people make when setting up their new riding lawnmowers is forgetting about replacing their nuts once they have been loosened off before replacing them back into place.
This means that your riding lawnmower may not function properly or even worse cause injury if someone steps on one while walking inside or outside of their home!
Tip The Lawn Mower Onto Its Side With The Carburetor Up
The first thing you need to do is tip the mower onto its side so that the carburetor is facing up. Then, make sure that your mower is in a safe position and not in gear. The engine should be off and the wheels should be free of all obstructions.
Once you’ve got everything where it needs to be, grab an adjustable wrench and loosen both bolts on each side of the handle.
Once these are loose, you should be able to pull them out with your hands (make sure they don’t fall into places where they shouldn’t!).
Remove Any Primary Clamps And Bolts Holding The Handle In Place At Each End Of It
To remove the mower handle, you will need to remove any primary clamps and bolts holding it in place at each end of it.
These can be found on both sides of the mower, as well as on either side of the mounting brackets. Once you have removed these components, you can then remove your handle from your mower by pulling it out from underneath all other components (such as levers).
Next, you will want to disconnect any secondary clamps and nuts that may be holding your handle mounts in place.
This includes any nuts that hold bolts together as well as any screws that have been welded together over time due to being repeatedly used under certain conditions (like rain).
Unscrew And Remove The Handle Mounts From Both Ends Of The Handle
To adjust the lawn mower handle, you will need to unscrew and remove the handle mounts from both ends of the handle.
The directions for this will vary depending on your particular brand of lawnmower and model, so it’s best to refer to your user manual or consult with a professional if needed. However, here are some general guidelines:
- Unscrew one end of the mower’s wooden handle piece (it’ll probably be marked by an arrow).
- Remove that end of the wooden piece with pliers or other tools (optional).
- Pull out any washers or spacers that were inside; make sure they go back in later before reattaching!
Slide A New Handle Mount Onto Both Ends Of A New Handle
Make sure that the holes in your new handle line up with those in the mounting bracket on your mower. If your mount does not have any pre-drilled holes, you may need to use a hole saw to drill them yourself. You can find these at most hardware or home improvement stores for about $5 or so.
If you do not have access to a socket wrench and/or bit set, use caution when tightening the nuts down on each end of the bolt through which it will pass.
For example: if there are two nuts holding this piece together one at each end only tighten one slightly before securing its mate; if they are too tight against one another before fully secured, they could strip out their threads or break off altogether (both would require replacement). Do not overtighten either nut when attaching them!
Push A New Handle Into Position Between Both Mounting Brackets, Replacing Any Washers If Required
Push the new handle into place between both mounting brackets, replacing any washers required.
Make sure that you can see the threaded end of the bolt through each of the holes in the handle bracket and that it is not twisted or bent in any way (if so, you will need to straighten it out).
Tighten all three nuts by hand until they are snug – no more than finger-tight; do not over tighten these bolts!
Screw On And Tighten All New Mounting Bolts And Clamps That Hold The Handle In Position On Both Sides Of It
Next, you’ll need to tighten all new mounting bolts and clamps that hold the handle in position on both sides of it.
Use a wrench for this and make sure you don’t over-tighten them! Don’t use pliers or a hammer you could damage your lawnmower if you do so.
And finally, take care not to miss any steps when installing a new handlebar or attaching it too tightly. If you’re having trouble getting everything lined up properly, check out our guide on how to replace a lawn mower blade before continuing with these instructions.
Lift Up One Side Of The Lawn Mower And Slide New Nuts Onto Each End Of Its Handles
Lift up one side of the lawn mower and slide new nuts onto each end of its handles. Then, lay it back down on its side again with its carburetor facing upward.
You’re all done! Try to avoid using your lawnmower for at least a few days before you use it again; this will give time for all that gas to work itself out of the system and leave less residue behind when you start up again.
Conclusion
To complete your lawn mower handle adjustment, turn the nuts clockwise until they are tight and then start the engine.
You should be able to move your mowing deck up and down smoothly without feeling any resistance from the handle or its mounts. If everything feels good, go ahead and try out your new handle!
Hi! My name is Hellen James, and I’m here to help you with your home-maintenance needs. Whether it’s building a better yard or just trying to fix a garden—I can show you how.
