HOW to USE Your Lawn Mower

OPERATION

The operation of any lawn mower can result in foreign objects thrown into the eyes, which can result in severe eye damage. Always wear safety glasses or eye shields while operating your lawn mower or performing any adjustments or repairs. We recommend standard safety glasses or a wide vision safety mask over spectacles.

THROTTLE / ENGINE CONTROL (See Fig. 5)

The engine is controlled by a throttle control located on the side of the upper handle. Choke position is for starting a cold engine; fast position is for starting a warm engine, normal cutting, trimming and better grass bagging; SLOW position is for light cutting, trimming and fuel economy, and STOP position is for stopping the engine.

FAST SLOW

STOP

CHOKE

FIG. 5

BLADE CONTROL (See Fig. 6)

CAUTION: When the blade control is engaged, the blade turns. When the blade control is disengaged, the blade stops.

•Your lawn mower has a blade/brake clutch fastened to the engine crankshaft, which starts or stops the blade. To start the blade, hold the operator presence control bar down to the handle and push the blade/brake control lever forward until it latches. To stop the blade, release the operator presence control bar.

Do not start the blade in deep, uncut grass. Move lawn mower out of uncut grass before starting blade.

CAUTION: Federal regulations require this blade/brake control to minimize the risk of blade contact injury. Do not under any circumstances attempt to defeat the function of this control.

OPERATOR PRESENCE	BLADE / BRAKE
CONTROL BAR	CONTROL LEVER
TO
ENGAGE	BLADE
BLADE	DISENGAGED

FIG. 6

DRIVE CONTROL (See Fig. 7)

•Self-propelling is controlled by holding the operator presence control bar down to the handle and pulling the drive control lever rearward to the handle. The farther toward the handle the lever is pulled, the faster the unit will travel.

•Forward motion will stop when either the operator pres- ence control bar or drive control lever are released. To stop forward motion without stopping blade, release the drive control lever only. Hold operator presence control bar down against handle to continue 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.

OPERATOR PRESENCE CONTROL BAR
		DRIVE
		CONTROL
		LEVER
ADJUSTMENT	TO ENGAGE	DRIVE
BUTTON (ON	DRIVE	CONTROL
UNDERSIDE)	CONTROL	DISENGAGED

FIG. 7

DRIVE CONTROL ADJUSTMENT (See Fig. 7)

Over time, the drive control system may become “loose”, resulting in decreased speed. There is a button on the underside of the drive control housing to increase tension on the drive cable. Proceed as follows:

1.Turn unit off and disconnect spark plug wire from spark plug.

2.Pull out button on underside of drive control, then push it back in.

3.Operate mower to test drive speed. If there is no increase, your drive belt is worn and should be re- placed.