II OPERATO °$ SELF-PROPELLED ROTARY UAL LAWN MOWER Assembmy Operation o Maintenance • Service and Adjustments o Storage o Troubleshooting _,WARNING: This lawn mower is equipped with an internal combustion engine and should not be used on or near any unimproved forest-covered, brush-covered or grass-covered land unless the engine's exhaust system is equipped with a spark arrester meeting applicable local or slate laws (if any).
Safety Rules ...................... 2-3 Maintenance ............. 22-26 Storage ............. ............. 33-34 Assembly ........................... 5-B Service and Troubleshooting .............. 35-36 Operation ...................... 9-21 Adjustments ..................
• Remove obstacles (rocks, treelimbs, etc,,) • Watch forholes, ruts,orbumps_ Tall ,, grasscanhideobstacles away from your vehicle before filling,. Remove gas-powered equipment from the truck ortrailerand refuelitonthe ground, tf this is not possible, then refuel such equipDO NOT: ment with a portable container, rather than ,, Do not trim near drop-offs, ditches or from a gasoline dispenser nozzle.
TO REMOVE LAWN MOWER FROM FRONT CARTON o Remove all loose parts from carton° • Remove lawn mower housing wilh care,, Avoid touching blade under housing_ Always wear gloves or other protection when working under or lifting mower,, LEFT HAND SIDE RIGHT HAND SIDE THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU ASSEMBLE OR OPERATE YOUR LAWN MOWER Do I have a side or rear discharge lawn mower? Look for the grass discharge opening on your mower..
_CAUTION" Do not operate this lawn mower without the discharge guard or an entire approved grass catcher in place° These guards are for your protection and are required by the American National Standards Institute and Consumer Products Safety Commission° _GAUTION: Disconnect spark plug wire from spark plug and place wire where it cannot come in contact wilh plug , Insert handle bolt through handle and bracket and secure with knob_ o Repeat for opposite side of handle, Handle bracket Knob Bolt HOW TO SET
INSTALL REAR WHEELS ("HIGH WHEEL" MOWERS ONLY) Some high wheel models require washers which will be provided in a parts bag, If provided, install washers on the axle first as shown, + Install one (1) rear wheel on the axle of rear wheel adjuster_ , Install 3/8-16 locknut and tighten se+ curely.
. For DOOR PIVOT PIN mounted cafcller, place lhe grass catcher Irame tlooks onto the door pivot pins _tns Catcher frame hook Rear Grass catcher handle ", . For DOOR SLOT mounted catcher, place the grass catcher frame hooks into the slots of the rear door. NOTE: The grass catcher is secured to the lawn mower housing when the rear door is lowered onto the grass catcher frame.. __ ._.__ Catcher frame hook SPARK PLUG BOOT On some models a spark plug boot is packed loose in the parts bag..
TO PREPARE BATTERY HANDLE-MOUNTED (ELECTRIC START MODELS ONLY) NOTE: Your battery must be charged before you can start your lawn mower° = Open battery box (if equipped)° • Disconnect engine connector (male) (if equipped) from battery connector (female), o Connect battery charger connector (male) to harness connector (female),.
The operation of any lawn mower can result in foreign objects thrown into the eyes, which can result in severe eye damage, Always wear safety glasses or eye shields while operating your lawn mower or performing any adjustments or repairs. We recommend standard safety glasses or a wide vision safety mask worn over spectacles.
"QU ICK+PIN" ADJUSTMENT "DUAL POINT" ADJUSTMENT Both front wheels are adjusted by a single lever on the lett front wheel.. Likewise, both rear wheels are adjusted by a single lever on the lelt rear wheel+ , Pull adjuster lever toward wheel. To raise mower, move fever forward to desired position.. To lower mower, move the lever toward the rear+. Be sure to adjust both front and rear wheels to the same height, ght fever .
"THREE POINT" ADJUSTMENT (18" (45cm) HI-VAC MODELS ONLY) Both rear wheels are adjusted by a single lever on lhe left rear wheel, o Pull adjuster lever toward wheel° To raise mower, move lever forward to desired position. To lower mower, move lhe lever toward the rear. NOTE; There are seven (7) height adjustment positions for the rear wheels.. Both front wheels are adjusted as follows: !.. Remove wheel, bolt, and hardware and reassemble in desired adjustmenl hole..
"SIDEDISCHARGE ONLY" MOWERS MULCHER PLATE To convert to bagging or discharging, mulcher plate must be removed from underside of lawn mower_ o Remove the four (4) screws and lock nuts securing the mulcher plate to the mower,, * Store mulcher plate and hardware in a sale place. o Mower can now be used for side discharging or optional grass catcher accessory can be attached o To return to mulching operation, simply reinstall mulcher plate and tighten hardware securely.
"MULTI-CUT" MOWERS Your lawn mower was shipped ready to be used as a mutcher To convert to bagging or discharging: REAR BAGGING o Open rear door and remove mulcher plate or plug (if equipped) Store mulcher plate or plug in a safe place • You can now tnslall grass catcher. = To convert to mulching or discharging operation, install mulcher plate or plug (if equipped) into rear discharge opening of mower, making sure all labs are seated properly_ Close rear door.
SIMPLE STEPS TOREMEMBER 18" (45cm) HI-VAC MODELS: WHEN CONVERTING YOUR lawn mower was shipped ready to "MULTI-CUT" LAWN MOWER: Your be used as a mulchero To convert to rear FORMULCHING bagging or side discharging: o Rear mulcher plateorplug(ifequipped)REAR BAGGING installed andreardoorclosed., 1o Remove knob securing mulcher door . Mulcher doorclosed,. to lawn mower housing. FORREAR BAGGING 2. Open mulcher door and position discharge chute over both threaded studs, 3.
3. Secure rear of side discharge deflector to lawn mower housing with knob_ = Mower is now ready for side discharging operation, SIMPLE STEPS TO REMEMBER WHEN CONVERTING YOUR 18" HI-VAC: FOR MULCHING 1- Grass catcher, discharge chute and side discharge deflector removed 2. Mulcher door secured to mower housing with knob FOR REAR BAGGING 1. Side discharge deflector removed. 2.
3,,Secure rearofdischarge chute;to lawn ........ SIMPLE STEPS TO REMEMBER mower housing withknob, WHEN CONVERTING YOUR 21" HI-VAC: 4, Place rearhandle ofgrass catcher on FOR MULCHING thecrossbar ofthelawn mower's tower 1, Grass catcher, discharge chule and handle as shown.
OPERATOR PRESENCE CONTROL BAR (ALL MODELS) Your lawn mower is equipped with an operator presence control bar which requires the operator to be positioned behind the lawn mower handle in order to start and erate the lawn mower_ AUTION: Federal regulations require an engine control to be installed on this lawn mower in order to minimize the risk of blade contact injury, Do not under any circumstances attempt to defeat the function of the operator control.
"DUALBAIL" DRIVE CONTROL . To start forward motion, lift drive control bar up to handle° ° To stop forward motion, release drive control bar_ Operator presence control bar DRIVE CONTROL ENGAGED "AUTOWALK" DRIVE CONTROL o Self-propelling is controlled by holding the operator presence control bar down to the handle and pulling the ddve control lever(s) rearward to the handle. The farther toward the handle the lever(s) are pulled, the faster the unit will travel. .
"VARI-SPEED"DRIVECONTROL Over time,thedrivecontrol system may become "loose", resulting indecreased speed° There isa tumbuclde onthe underside ofthedrivecontrol housing to increase tension onthedrivecable.Proceed asfollows: - Turnunitoffanddisconnect spad( plug wirefromsparkplug. ,, Turn nut on underside of drive control to increase drive speed.
BEFORE STARTING ENGINEI:' ::::::::::::::::::::::: If your mower has a primer, to start a cold engine, push primer as many times Read the engine manual packed with your mower,, as instructed in the engine manual packed with your mower_ Use a firm FILL ENGINE WITH OIL push_ This step is not usually necessary Your lawn mower is shipped without oil in when starting an engine which has the engine.
MOWING TIPS CAUTION: Do not use de-thatcher blade attachments on your mower, Such attachments are hazardous, will damage your mower and could void your warranty_ ° For most cutting conditions and better bagging performance, the engine speed should be set in the FAST position,, o Under certain conditions, such as when mowing very tal_ grass, raise the mower height on the first cut to reduce pushing effort, to avoid overheating the engine, and to avo+d leaving clumps of grass c}ippings,.
MAINTENANCE JJ AFTER ieEFORE EACH SCNEDILILIE L USE Check {or Loose Fasteners V' Clean /inspect t/ G'mss Catcher" _i_ec_ T.es !0 USE HOURS EVERY , J,, EVERY 25 HOURS V' OR SEASON BEFORE HOURS STORAGE .................. v' ' ............ CieanLawnMower"_';; J l,,n'_'i'ean'under Drive cowr'" .... Check Drb'_ Be'li'7'Pulreye"'* [ " .............. I' ' F' .... ........................ ti/ .............. w Check / Sharpa. / .epla_,;'Bi_d;' V'_ Lubrication ...............
LAWN MOWER Always observe safety' rules when performing any maintenance TIRES o Keep tires free of gasoline, oil, or insect control chemicals which can harm rubber_ o Avoid stumps, stones, deep ruts, sharp objects and other hazards that may cause tire damage BLADE Belt Ing edge CARE For best results, blade must be kept sharp_ eplace a bent or damaged blade. CAUTION: Use only a replacement blade approved by the manufacturer of your mower.
BLADES WITH ROUND HOLE: " To check blade balance, drive a nail into a beam or wall. Leave about one inch of tl_e straight nail exposed.. Place center hole of blade over the head of the nail.. II blade is balanced, it should remain in a horizontal position, If either end of the blade moves downward, sharpen the heavy end until the blade is balanced.. BLADES WITH "STAR" HOLE: . To check blade balance, you will need a 5/8" diameter steel boll, pin, or a cone balancer.
GEAR CASE IN-LINE FUEL FILTER (KOHLER ENGINES ONLY) The fuel filter should be replaced once each season, If fuel filler becomes clogged, obstructing fuel flow to carburetor, replacement is required. 1.. With engine cool, remove filter and plug fuel line sections. 2. Place new fuel filter in position in tuel line with arrow pointing towards carburetor, 3, Be sure there are no fuel line leaks and clamps are properly positioned. 4 Immediately wipe up any spilled gasoline.
WATER WASHOUT FEATURE (IF EQUIPPED) Your lawn mower may be equipped with a fitting that allows quick and easy cleaning of the underside of the housing° To use this feature, proceed as follows: 1• Move lawn mower to an area of cut grass or another hard surface NOTE: Water, grass and other debris will drain from beneath the mower housing during the washout process, 2,, Remove grass catcher and discharge chute assembly from lawn mower° 3, Close mulcher door (if equipped).
,_CAUTION: Before performing anyserviceoradjustments: o Release operator presence control bar . Make suretheblade andallmoving parishavecompletely stopped.
3 POSITION "QUICK" HANDLES _'.... ;__':: TO REMOVE/REPLACE DRIVE BELT The handle on your lawn mower has three FRONT WHEEL DRIVE MODELS: (3) height positions - adjust to height that : "STANDARD" OR "DUAL BAIU' MODELS: suits you. ° Remove drive cover., Remove belt from ,, Squeeze the bottom ends of lower gearcase pulley by pushing down on handle towards each other until the pin pulley and rolling belt off it, in handle can be inserted into one of the * Turn lawn mower on its side.
MODELS WITH GEARCASE-MOUNTED BELT KEEPER: o Remove drive cover and belt keeper. o Remove belt from gearcase pulley° • Turn lawn mower on its side. See engine manual for proper direction of turning over the engine, o Remove blade and blade adapter. , Remove belt from pulley of blade adapter.. ° Install new belt by reversing above steps, NOTE: Always use factory approved belt to assure fit and long life.
MODELS WITHGEARCASE-MOUNTED Route theotherendofthenewdrivebelt BELT KEEPER: through hole in housing. ,, Remove drivecover, • Return mower to upright position. • Install new belt on gearcase pulley. • Remove spring andbeltkeeper, o Remove be_t fromgearcase pulley,, • Reinstall belt keeper and spring. _i. Reinstall drive cover. NOTE; Always use factory approved belt to assure proper fit and long lifeo . Turn lawn mower on its side with air filter and carburetor down,. .
6 21" (53cm) Remove screw securing debris shield,, Note that the debris shield has a tab which HI-VAC MODELS: fits into a gap in the housing,, Crankshaft Tab Housing hole _ Blade Hardened washer shield 2. Route the other end of the new drive belt through hole in housing. TraIIlng edge Lock-washer 3. Reattach debris shield to housing with 7.
22PLUS REAR WHEEL DRIVE MODELS: "ENGINE 1, Remove screws securing rear baffle, 2,, Turn lawn mower on its side with air filler and carburetor down., 3., Remove rear baffle from mower, 4., Remove blade bolt, lockwasher, hardened washer and blade_ 5o Remove debris shield, 6o Remove gearcase belt keeper, 7., Remove drive belt.
tmmediatemy prepare yourlawn mower for Operator F cenlrolbar storage at the end of the season or if the unit will not be used for 30 days or more. _CAUTtON: Never store the lawn mower with gasoline in the tank inside a building where fumes may reach an open flame or spark. Allow the engine to cool before storing in any enclosure_ MOWING _. POSITION ,f?, FOLD FORWARD FOR STORAGE LAWN MOWER When lawn mower is to be stored for a period of time, clean it thoroughly, remove all dirt, grease, leaves, etc..
"QUICK-RELEASE" HANDLES Youcanfoldyourlawnmower handle for storage, 1..Loosen thetwo(2)handle levers on sides oftheupperhandle andallow handle tofolddowntotherear. 2_Move height adjustmenl lever forward toraisemower tohighest position° 3. Loosen handle bolts(onbothsides), thenpivotentire handle assembly forward andallowit to rest on mower° • When setting up your handle from the storage position, 1he lower handle will automatically lock into the mowlng position.
See appropriate section in manual unless directed to an authorized Service Center. PROBLEM CAUSE CORRECTION Does not start 1_ Dirty air filter 2o Out of fuel 3, Stale fuel, 4. Water in fuel 5. Spark plug wire is disconnected. 6o Bad spark plug, 7. Loose blade or broken blade adapter, 8 Control bar in released position. 9. Control bar defective., !0_ Fuel valve lever (if so equipped) in OFF position, 11, Weak battery (if equipped). 12.
See appropriate Service Center. section PROBLEM in manual unless directed CAUSE to an authorized CORRECTION Grass catcher not filling (if so equipped) 1, Cutting height too low, 2o Lifton brade worn oil 3 Catcher not venting air. 1,, Raise cutting height° 2,, Replace blade° 3., Crean grass catcher_ Hard to push t_ Grass is too high or wheel height is too low,, 2_ Rear of lawn mower housing or cutting blade dragging in grass.
