MTD 54M warranty Setup Adjustment, Handle Bracket

3

Setup and

Adjustment

1.	Remove any packing material. The first step in
	assembly is to attach the rear wheels.
	a.	Place rear of the mower deck on raised blocks.
	b. Remove lock nut and washer from pivot arm
		assembly, Figure 3-1. (On select models, these
		may be included separately in a plastic bag).
	c.	Slide washer followed by the wheel (both with
		hollow side in) onto pivot arm, Figure 3-1.
	d.	Secure with lock nut removed earlier.
	e. Assemble the other side in the same manner.
		Remove blocks and lower deck when complete.
2.	Follow the steps below to setup the handle.
	a. Pull up and back on upper handle as shown in
		Figure 3-2. Make certain the lower handle is
		seated securely into the handle mounting brackets.
		Do not crimp cable while lifting the handle up.

Stand behind the mower as if you were going to operate it. Your right hand cor- responds to the right side of the mower; your left hand corresponds to the left side of the mower.

Make sure to route cable outside the lower handle. Do not crimp cable while lifting the handle up.

IMPORTANT This unit is shipped without gasoline or oil in the engine. Fill up gasoline and oil as instructed in the accompanying engine manual BEFORE operating your mower.

Figure 3-1: Attach wheels.

A

B

Handle Bracket

Figure 3-2: Unfold handle and tighten hardware.

Hardware Pack

Wing Nuts (2) Carriage Bolts (2)

B

A

b. Tighten star knobs to secure upper handle to
	lower handle. Make sure that each carriage bolt is
	seated properly in the handle.
3. Locate the hairpin clip on the weld pin on each side of
lower handle.
a.	Remove hairpin clip from this hole. Using a pair
	of pliers, insert hairpin clip into the hole on pin
	closest to the bracket, Figure 3-3. Repeat on other
	side.
b. Insert a carriage bolt from the hardware pack into
	the upper hole on the handle mounting bracket.
	Secure with one plastic wing nut, also included in
	the hardware pack. Repeat on other side.
4. The rope guide is attached to the right side of the
upper handle, Figure 3-4. Loosen the wing nut which
secures the rope guide.
a.	Hold blade control handle against upper handle.
b. Pull starter rope out of the engine. Release blade
	control handle.
c.	Slip starter rope into rope guide.
d.	Tighten wing nut.

A

B

D

C

Figure 3-3: Secure lower handle to mounting brackets.

Figure 3-4: Pull recoil starter through rope guide and tighten.

6