CUSTOMER RESPONSIBILITIES
LAWN MOWER
Always observe safety rules when performing any mainte- nance.
TIRES
•Keep tires free of gasoline, oil, or insect control chemi- cals which can harm rubber.
•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 bent or damaged blades.
TO REPLACE BLADE (See Fig. 12)
•Turn lawn mower on its side. Make sure air filter and carburetor are up.
•Use a wood block between blade and mower housing to prevent blade from turning when removing blade bolt.
•Protect your hands with gloves and/or wrap blade with heavy cloth.
•Remove blade bolt, lock washer and flat washer.
•Remove blade and blade adapter.
•Inspect the key inside blade adapter. Replace adapter if damaged.
IMPORTANT: BLADE BOLT IS GRADE 8 HEAT TREATED.
•Install new or sharpened blade with trailing edge up toward the engine.
•Position blade on blade adapter. Align the two (2) holes in blade with raised lugs of adapter.
•Reassemble blade bolt, lock washer and flat washer into blade adapter and crankshaft in exact order as shown.
•Position block of wood between blade and mower housing.
•Tighten blade bolt securely. Recommended tightening torque is
NOTE: We do not recommend sharpening blade - but if you do, be sure the blade is balanced.
CRANKSHAFT
BLADEKEYWAY
ADAPTER 
KEY
BLADE
BLADE |
|
| |
BOLT |
| CRANKSHAFT | |
HARDENED |
| ||
|
| ||
WASHER | TRAILING |
| |
LOCK WASHER |
| ||
EDGE | BLADE ADAPTER | ||
| |||
|
|
FIG. 12
TO SHARPEN BLADE
Care should be taken to keep the blade balanced. An unbal- ancedbladewillcauseexcessivevibrationandeventualdamage to lawn mower and engine.
•The blade can be sharpened with a file 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 exposed. 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.
GRASS CATCHER
•The grass catcher may be hosed with water, but must be dry when used.
•Check your grass catcher often for damage or deterioration. Through normal use it will wear. If catcher needs replacing, replace only with a manufacturer approved replacement catcher. Give the lawn mower model number when order- ing.
DRIVE WHEELS (See Fig. 13)
Checkreardrivewheelseachtimeyoumowtobesuretheymove freely. Thewheelsnotturningfreelymeanstrash,grasscuttings, etc., may be inside the drive wheel and dust cover area and must be cleaned out to free drive wheels.
If necessary to clean the drive wheels, check both rear wheels.
•Remove hubcaps and locknuts.
•Remove wheels from wheel adjuster axles.
•Remove any trash or grass cuttings from inside the dust cover, pinion and/or drive wheel gear teeth.
•Clean and lubricate with grease before reinstalling. Refer to Fig. 1 for correct assembly of drive pawl.
•The pinion gear must be installed with the left gear on the left side and with the right gear on the right side, from an operator's view.
•The pinion gear is stamped with an "L" (left) or "R" (right) on the inside. If installed incorrectly, the drive system will not work.
•Place wheels back on adjuster axles.
•Replace locknuts and hubcaps.
NOTE: Pinions and drive pawls should be cleaned and lubri- cated with grease approximately every 25 hours or once a year.
FLAT
WASHER
LOCKNUT |
|
| WHEEL |
| DRIVE PAWL |
HUBCAP | DUST COVER |
| |
| DRIVE |
| PINION |
| E RING |
FIG. 13
10