8
Refuel With Care
Gasoline is extremely flammable and gasoline vapor can explode.
Refuel only outdoors, in a well-ventilated area, with the engine OFF.
Never smoke near gasoline, and keep other flames and sparks away.
Always store gasoline in an approved container.
Wear Protective Clothing
Wearing protective clothing will reduce your risk of injury. Long pants
and eye protection reduce the risk of injuries from thrown objects.
Sturdy shoes with aggressive soles will help protect your feet and give
you better traction on slopes or uneven ground.
Stop the Blades When Not Mowing
If you need to leave the mower for any reason, even just to inspect the
lawn ahead, stop the blades by releasing the blade control lever.
Avoid Slopes
Avoid steep slopes of more than
20
°.
Mow across slopes, not up and
down. Be careful when changing
direction. Mowing on a slope
when the grass is damp or wet
could cause you to slip, fall, and
lose control of the mower.
NOTICE
Mowing on steep slopes can
starve the engine of oil, causing engine damage that is not covered by
the
DISTRIBUTORS LIMITED WARRANTY (
Keep all four wheels on the ground, and be careful to avoid losing
your footing and your control of the mower. Keep a firm grip on the
handlebar, and walk, never run, with the mower. Be very careful when
mowing uneven or rough ground.
If stuck, do not kick or shove the mower with your foot. Use the
handlebar to control the mower.
Avoid Obstacles
Gravel, loose stones, and landscaping material can be picked up by
the mower and thrown many feet with enough force to cause serious
personal injury and/or property damage. The best way to prevent
potential injury from thrown objects is to release the blade control
lever to stop the blades before reaching areas with gravel, loose
stones, or landscaping material.
Be careful when mowing over obstacles that stick up above the
surface of the lawn such as sprinkler heads, paving, edging, raised
tree roots, etc.
If the blade hits something, or if the mower starts to vibrate, stop the
engine immediately, disconnect the spark plug cap, and check for
damage (
). Striking objects may damage the blades, bend the
crankshaft, and/or break the mower deck or other components.
Vibration usually indicates serious trouble.
The
DISTRIBUTOR’S LIMITED WARRANTY
(
) does not
cover parts damaged by accidental impact collision.
Operating the Controls
Throttle Lever
For best cut quality, always
mow with the throttle lever in
the FAST position. When the
blades rotate at the preset
fast speed, they create a
strong fan action that lifts and
cuts grass more efficiently.
Do not try to increase the
preset engine speed; the
blades could fracture and
come apart.
Blade Control Lever
To start blade rotation, hold
down the yellow button
on
top of the blade control lever,
and then push the lever
forward quickly and hold it
against the handlebar. Move
your hand away from the
yellow button and continue to
hold the blade control lever
against the handlebar.
Operate the blade control
lever with a quick and
complete motion so that the
blade control is always either
fully engaged or released.
This will help to prevent stalling the engine, and it will also extend the
service life of the blade control mechanism.
To stop blade rotation, release the blade control lever. The engine will
continue to run. Always release the blade control lever before starting
the engine to prevent the blades from turning.
Drive Clutch Lever
Push the drive clutch
lever forward to propel the
mower.
Release the drive clutch
lever to stop the mower’s
forward movement.
You can control the
self-propelled speed with
the drive clutch lever. The
mower will move
gradually faster as you
push the drive clutch lever
forward. If you push the lever all the way forward to the handlebar, the
mower will move at the speed determined by the shift lever setting.
When moving and using the drive clutch lever to change the
self-propelled speed, continue to fully hold the blade control lever
against the handlebar. This will help prevent damage to the blade
control mechanism. Use the shift lever (see
) to change the
maximum speed so you can hold the drive clutch lever comfortably
against the handlebar.
For self-propelled mowing, press the button on top of the blade control
lever, push the blade control lever completely forward, and then push
the drive clutch lever forward. The drive clutch lever will hold the blade
control lever against the handlebar.
Always release the drive clutch lever before starting the engine. If the
drive clutch is engaged, the mower will move forward when you
operate the starter.
WARNING
A worn, cracked, or damaged blade can break, and
pieces of the damaged blade can become dangerous
projectiles.
Blades thrown from the mower could seriously hurt or
kill someone.
Inspect the blades regularly (see
), and do not
operate the mower with a worn or damaged blade.
FAST
THROTTLE
LEVER
BLADE
CONTROL
LEVER
BUTTON
DRIVE CLUTCH LEVER
BLADE CONTROL
LEVER
