12
“AUTOWALK” DRIVE CONTROL
• Self-propelling is controlled by hold ing
the operator presence control bar down
to the handle and pulling the drive con-
trol lever(s) rearward to the handle. The
farther toward the handle the lever(s)
are pulled, the faster the unit will travel.
• Forward motion will stop when either
the operator presence control bar or a
drive control lever are released. To stop
forward motion without stop ping engine,
re lease the drive control lever(s) only.
Hold op er a tor presence control bar
down against handle to con tin ue mowing
without self-propelling.
NOTE: If after releasing the drive control the
mower will not roll backwards, push the mower
forward slightly to disengage drive wheels.
FRONT WHEEL DRIVE MODELS ONLY:
• To keep drive control engaged when
turning corners, push down on the
handle to lift the front wheels off the
ground while turning lawn mower.
“AUTOWALK” ADJUSTMENT
Over time, the drive control system may
become “loose”, resulting in decreased
speed. There is a turnbuckle on the
un der side of the drive control housing to
increase tension on the drive cable. Pro-
ceed as follows:
• Turn unit off and disconnect spark plug
wire from spark plug.
• Turn nut on underside of drive control to
increase drive speed.
• Operate mower to test drive speed.
Readjust as required.
• If condition fails to improve after the
above steps (forward speed remains
the same), your drive belt is worn and
should be re placed.
“DUAL BAIL” DRIVE CONTROL
• To start forward motion, lift drive control
bar up to handle.
• To stop forward motion, release drive
control bar.
DRIVE CONTROL ENGAGED
Operator
pres ence
con trol bar
DRIVE CONTROL DIS EN GAGED
TO ENGAGE DRIVE CONTROL
Drive
control
lever(s)
DRIVE CONTROL DISENGAGED
Operator
presence
control bar
Adjustment
turnbuckle
Adjustment
turnbuckle
17
LAWN MOWER
Always observe safety rules when per-
forming any main te nance.
TIRES
• Keep tires free of gasoline, oil, or insect
control chemi cals which can harm rub-
ber.
• Avoid stumps, stones, deep ruts, sharp
objects and other hazards that may
cause tire damage.
BLADE CARE
For best results, mower blade must be
kept sharp. Re place a bent or dam aged
blade.
CAUTION:
Use only a replacement
blade approved by the manufacturer of
your mower. Using a blade not approved
by the manufacturer of your mower is
hazardous, could damage your mower and
void your warranty.
TO REMOVE BLADE
1. Disconnect spark plug wire from spark
plug and place wire where it cannot
come in contact with plug.
2. Turn lawn mower on its side. Make
sure air fi lter and carburetor are up.
3. Use a wood block between blade and
mower hous ing to prevent blade from
turning when re mov ing blade bolt.
NOTE: Protect your hands with gloves
and/or wrap blade with heavy cloth.
4. Remove blade bolt by turning counter-
clockwise.
5. Remove blade and attaching hard-
ware (bolt, lock wash er and hardened
wash er).
NOTE: Remove the blade adapter and
check the key inside hub of blade adapter.
The key must be in good condition to work
properly. Replace adapter if damaged.
TO REPLACE BLADE
1. Position the blade adapter on the en-
gine crank shaft. Be sure key in adapter
and crankshaft keyway are aligned.
2. Position blade on the blade adapter
aligning the two (2) holes in the blade
with the raised lugs on the adapter.
3. Be sure the trailing edge of blade (op-
posite sharp edge) is up toward the
engine.
4. Install the blade bolt with the lock
washer and hardened washer into
blade adapter and crankshaft.
5. Use block of wood between blade and
lawn mower housing and tighten the
blade bolt, turning clockwise.
• The recommended tightening torque is
35-40 ft. lbs.
IMPORTANT: Blade bolt is heat treated.
If bolt needs replacing, replace only with
approved bolt shown in the Repair Parts
section of this manual.
MODELS WITH BLADE ADAPTER
Blade
bolt
Crankshaft
keyway
Hardened
washer
Lockwasher
Blade adapter
Key
Blade
Trailing edge
Crankshaft
MODELS WITH BLADE ADAPTER/PULLEY
Blade
bolt
Crankshaft
keyway
Hardened
washer
Lockwasher
Blade adapter
Key
Blade
Trailing edge
Crankshaft
Belt
retainer
TO SHARPEN BLADE
NOTE: We do not recommend sharp en ing
blade - but if you do, be sure the blade
is balanced. An un bal anced blade will
cause eventual damage to lawn mower or
engine.
• The blade can be sharp ened with a fi le
or on a grinding wheel. Do not attempt
to sharpen while on the mower.
• To check blade balance, drive a nail into
a beam or wall. Leave about one inch of
the straight nail ex posed. Place center
hole of blade over the head of the nail.
If 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.
DRIVE COVER
Clean under the drive cover at least twice
a season. Scrape underside of cover with
a putty knife or similar tool to remove any
buildup of trash or grass.
