Maintenance and Repair Instructions

WARNING: When servicing, use only identical Ryobi replacement parts. Use of any other parts may create a hazard or cause product damage.

WARNING: To avoid serious personal injury, be sure the unit is off and unplugged before cleaning or performing any maintenance on it.

GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS

The warranty on this unit does not cover items that have been subjected to operator abuse or negligence. To receive full value from the warranty, the operator must maintain the unit as instructed in this operator’s manual.

BEFORE EACH USE CHECK FOR

DAMAGED/WORN PARTS

•Check for damaged parts. Before further use of the unit, a guard or other part that is damaged should be carefully checked to determine that it will operate properly and perform its intended function. Check for alignment of moving parts, binding of moving parts, breakage of parts, mounting, and any other condition that may effect the units operation. A guard or other part that is damaged should be properly repaired or replaced by an authorized service dealer unless indicated elsewhere in this manual.

AFTER EACH USE CLEAN UNIT

AND LABELS

•Clean the unit using a damp cloth with a mild detergent.

NOTE: Do not use any strong detergents on the plastic housing or the handle. They can be damaged by certain household cleaners that contain aromatic oils such as pine and lemon, and by solvents such as kerosene.

WARNING: Do not at any time let brake fluids, gasoline, petroleum-based products, penetrating oils, etc. come in contact with plastic parts. They contain chemicals that can damage, weaken, or destroy plastic.

•Wipe off the unit with a clean, dry, soft cloth.

•Keep handles dry, clean and free from oil and grease at all times.

SHARPENING THE CUTTER BLADE

WARNING: During these procedures, you will need to connect the unit to power. To avoid serious personal injury, be sure to disconnect the power when stated.

1.Allow your hedge trimmer to come to a stop with the cutter blade and guard positioned as shown in Figure 8. This will allow clearance for the file between cutter teeth and guard teeth.

2.Disconnect Hedge Trimmer from power supply.

3.Clamp the blade assembly in a vise and file the exposed cutting surface of each blade tooth with an 8 inch fine round file, 1/4 in. or 7/32 in. diameter. Be sure to retain the original angle of tooth when filing.

4.Remove the hedge trimmer from the vise, restart it, and stop it so that the unsharpened edges of the blade teeth are exposed.

5.Disconnect the tool and repeat the sharpening procedure as described above.

Fig. 8

BLADE LUBRICATION

Disconnect hedge trimmer from power supply.

For easier operation and longer blade life, lubricate the hedge trimmer blade before and after each use. Before lubricating, be sure the switch is in the off position and the tool is disconnected from the power supply. Apply light machine oil along the edge of the top strap as shown in figure 9.

CAUTION: Some spray-on lubricants contain solvents and will cause some types of grease to break-down. To prevent damage to the unit, only use a quality machine oil.

Your trimmer should be stopped, disconnected, and oiled occasionally during use.

Fig. 9