Poor Cut from Honda HRT216

[LawnBoy97]

I just got this mower from a guy about two weeks ago, and although it is in good condition, and the engine runs great, the cut is definitely not the best I have seen. I did sharpen the blades when I got it, but it just seems to miss a lot of grass, especially when it is a bit tall, or especially thin-bladed grass. I either have to walk at a snails pace, or mow over it again to get a good cut. It has the Quadra-Cut blade, but it just doesn't seem to pick up the grass to give it a good cut. Is there a different blade I could use, or am I doing something wrong?

 

[robert@honda]

I just got this mower from a guy about two weeks ago, and although it is in good condition, and the engine runs great, the cut is definitely not the best I have seen. I did sharpen the blades when I got it, but it just seems to miss a lot of grass, especially when it is a bit tall, or especially thin-bladed grass. I either have to walk at a snails pace, or mow over it again to get a good cut. It has the Quadra-Cut blade, but it just doesn't seem to pick up the grass to give it a good cut. Is there a different blade I could use, or am I doing something wrong?

HOw about posting a photo from under the deck? The HRT came with TWO blades; do you have both? The upper is a thin, narrow one, and the lower has wider "ears" for lift and cutting. Maybe you have only one blade, maybe the wrong blade, or installed wrong? Just a guess, but let's see a photo of what you have...

When tipping the mower up, always raise the LEFT wheels up and keep the RIGHT wheels on the ground. This prevents oil from back-flowing into the carburetor/air cleaner. Of course, keep the fuel valve OFF when the engine is not in use to prevent possible fuel leaks/issues:

_______________________<----front of mower____________________________________________________back of mower---->

 

[LawnBoy97]

I do have two blades, and I'm fairly certain that they are on correctly, but I'll try to post a picture soon. Thanks

 

[LawnBoy97]

Okay, here it is....

 

[robert@honda]

Good, the blades are correct and installed properly.

A few tips and things to try:

--Lift the mowing height a notch or two, which will create more lift/airflow and help pull the grass up prior to being cut.
--Try and mow when you only need to cut 1-2" of grass.
--Mow when the grass is dry.
--If mulching, try bagging. Better airflow and overall cut quality improves when bagging.
--Clean the underside of the mower deck with a hose when the engine is cool. This will also improve airflow.
--Blades are cheap; might want to just buy a new set with a perfect factory edge to get maximum performance.
--Mow in a clockwise pattern, starting from the outside of the lawn and move to the center. This provides the best chance of getting all the grass cut on one pass (vs. up & down or -counter clockwise patterns).

 

[LawnBoy97]

Good, the blades are correct and installed properly.

A few tips and things to try:

--Lift the mowing height a notch or two, which will create more lift/airflow and help pull the grass up prior to being cut.
--Try and mow when you only need to cut 1-2" of grass.
--Mow when the grass is dry.
--If mulching, try bagging. Better airflow and overall cut quality improves when bagging.
--Clean the underside of the mower deck with a hose when the engine is cool. This will also improve airflow.
--Blades are cheap; might want to just buy a new set with a perfect factory edge to get maximum performance.
--Mow in a clockwise pattern, starting from the outside of the lawn and move to the center. This provides the best chance of getting all the grass cut on one pass (vs. up & down or -counter clockwise patterns).

Okay, thanks a lot. I'll try some of those, and I might just go ahead and get the new blades and see what happens. Thanks!:biggrin: