How to Modify a Lawn Mower's Speed

Depending on the height and wetness of your grass, you may need to modify your lawn mower's speed to give the blades more time to cut the grass. You may want to modify the speed when you are not mowing at all but using it to haul a small trailer. Most mowers have a built-in governor that prevents exceeding safe speeds. They also have a built-in lever that modifies the speed of the engine to let you get a bit more speed out of your drive gears.

Instructions

- 1
  Position yourself safely on the mower before you attempt to start it. Sitting on the mower bypasses the emergency shutoff switch and allows you to start the mower. This is a safety feature found on almost all riding mowers.
- 2
  Turn the ignition key to start the mower's engine. If the engine is cold, pull the "choke' lever first.
- 3
  Move the shift lever from neutral to drive to engage the transmission and to move the mower forward.
- 4
  Move the lever for acceleration past choke or the universal symbol for slow, which is the turtle, towards the universal symbol for fast, which is the rabbit. Some mowers may not use the symbols and as they opt to use "slow" and "fast." As you move the lever up and down, it will increase or decrease engine speed accordingly.

The Best Lawnmower for Hills

How to Route a Craftsman Riding Mower Belt

Lawn Mowers