Why does my lawn tractor cut unevenly?

Taming the wilderness of your yard can make you feel like you've conquered the world. But after spending an hour or so mowing the lawn, it's disappointing to look over your domain and see grass that is uneven or not completely cut. Below are a few quick tips to help achieve a well-manicured lawn. Our lawn tractor not cutting evenly symptom page also explains causes and how to fix them.

Level the mower deck. Leveling the deck under the tractor is essential to getting a smooth, even cut on your lawn. This Sears PartsDirect video shows you how to adjust and level the mower deck.

Use sharp, straight blades. Inspect your blades before every use to see that they’re sharp, straight and free of chips. Replace the blades at the start of each cutting season or any time you find damage.

Clean the mower deck. A buildup of grass clippings under the mower deck interferes with airflow and grass clipping movement under the deck, hindering the lift of the blade. We have tips for preventing clippings from building up.

Slow down. The taller and thicker the grass, the slower you should go to give the blades time to lift and cut the grass.

Mow at full throttle. Although your ground speed should be slower, the engine should be at full throttle for the right blade speed.

Check the air pressure in the tires. Overinflated or underinflated tires cause the tractor to travel unevenly across the yard. Refer to your owner’s manual for the correct pressure.  To find the manual, look up you model number.

Overlap your passes. The blade extends only to the edge of the deck. Overlapping by just an inch makes sure that the lawn tractor blade reaches each blade of grass.

For more advice about riding mowers and lawn tractors, check out our repair guides and articles.