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Operation Tips
• The aerator attachment helps develop healthy, dense lawns by
loosening the soil to contribute to better root growth. The typi-
cal lawn should be aerated once or twice a year, usually in the
spring and fall. Lawns with heavily compacted soil, or lawns
with very hard soil may benefit from additional aeration during
the year.
• For best results:
- Mow and rake the lawn before aeration.
- The soil should be somewhat moist, rather than very dry and
hard.
- You may wish to dethatch your lawn before aeration. The
Power Rake attachment (available from your dealer or the
factory) works well for this purpose.
• The depth of cut is determined by a number of factors, includ-
ing: soil conditions; the height setting of the wheel bracket (if
equipped) or the drag stake (if equipped); the ground travel
speed; the engine speed; and the amount of pressure applied
to the handlebars. Be patient while learning to use your aerator
attachment – you may have to experiment to find that “just
right” combination for your particular lawn.
Operation
• Move the machine outdoors and start the engine (see the
“OPERATION” section in your Owner’s Manual for specific
starting instructions).
IMPORTANT:
USE SLOWER ENGINE SPEEDS AND A
SHALLOW DEPTH OF CUT WHEN FIRST LEARNING TO
USE THE AERATOR ATTACHMENT.
• The depth of cut is primarily controlled by the amount of
upward or downward pressure applied to the handlebar.
Upward pressure will result in a deeper cut; downward pres-
sure will result in a more shallow cut.
NOTE: On models equipped with a depth adjustment knob (G,
Figure 5), the height setting of the wheel bracket also helps to
determine the cutting depth. A higher setting will result in a
deeper cut; a lower setting will result in a shallower cut.
NOTE: On models equipped with a drag stake (not illustrated),
the height setting of the drag stake affects cutting depth. Start
with the third hole up from the bottom and adjust the drag
stake from there, as needed. If the unit stays in one spot or if
the handlebars are tipped too far forward, stop the engine and
raise the drag stake. Use slower engine speeds when first
learning to use the aerator attachment.
• Hold the handlebar firmly with both hands and squeeze the
engine throttle lever. When the tines begin turning,
slowly
lift
up on the handlebars until the tines enter the soil.
• Allow the machine to move forward while the aerator tines slice
into the lawn. Hold the handlebars firmly to prevent the unit
from moving forward too quickly and to allow enough time for
the tines to dig deeply enough. If the unit moves across the
lawn too fast, press down on the handlebars to raise the tines
out of the soil.
• Aerate the lawn by making side-by-side passes (see Figure 8).
For more thorough aeration, make a second series of passes at
a right angle to the first series (see Figure 9).
• After aerating the lawn, rake up any residue.
• A newly aerated lawn may benefit from an application of fertil-
izer (follow recommendations and instructions provided with
fertilizer). Or, if you have particularly troublesome spots, you
may wish to reseed these areas after aeration.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Figure 6: This model tiller/edger uses a threaded knob to secure the
tines.
Figure 7: This model tiller/edger uses a hairpin cotter to secure the
tines. Some models use a ring lock pin instead of a hairpin cotter.
Figure 8
Figure 9
TO AVOID INJURY:
• Do not operate machine when you are barefoot or when
wearing sandals, sneakers, or similar lightweight footwear.
Wear footwear that will protect your feet and improve foot-
ing on all surfaces.
• Do not carry the machine when the engine is running.
Always stop the engine before transporting the machine.
• Stop engine, allow it to cool, and disconnect the spark plug
wire before unclogging the tines or performing any repairs
or maintenance.
CAUTION
