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Safe Operation PracticesGeneral Operation
1. Read this operator’s manual careful ly in its entirety before
attempting to assemble this m achine. Read, understand, a nd
follow all instructions on th e machine and in the manual (s)
before operation. Keep this manua l in a safe place for future
and regular reference and for order ing replacement parts.
2. Be completely familiar with th e controls and the proper use of
this machine before operating i t.
3. This machine is a precision pie ce of power equipment, not a
plaything. Therefore, exercise ex treme caution at all times.
Your unit has been designed to perform o ne job: to mow grass.
Do not use it for any other purpose.
4. Never allow children under 14 years old to ope rate this
machine. Children 14 years old and over shoul d read and
understand the instruct ions in this manual and should b e
trained and supervised by a adu lt.
5. Only responsible indivi duals who are familiar with the se rules
of safe operation should be allowe d to use this machine.
6. Thoroughly inspect the area w here the equipment is to be
used. Remove all stones, sticks, wi re, bones, toys and other
foreign objects which coul d be tripped over or picked up
and thrown by the blade. Thrown objec ts can cause serious
personal injury.
7. Plan your mowing pattern to avoid disch arge of material toward
roads, sidewalks, bystanders an d the like. Also, avoid discharg-
ing material against a wall or obstr uction which may cause
discharged material to rico chet back toward the operator.
8. To help avoid blade contact or a thrown objec t injury, stay
in the operator zone behind the han dles and keep children,
bystanders, helpers and pets at l east 75 feet from the mower
while it is in operation. Stop mac hine if anyone enters the area.
9. Always wear safety glasses or safety goggles during operation
and while performing an adjustment or repair to protect your eyes.
Thrown objects which ricochet can cause serious injury to the
eyes.
10. Wear sturdy, rough-soled w ork shoes and close-fit ting slacks
and shirts. Shirts and pant s that cover the arms and legs
and steel-toed shoes are recom mended. Never operate this
machine in bare feet, sandals, sl ippery or light weight (e.g.
canvas) shoes.
11. Do not put hands or feet near r otating parts or under the c utting
deck. Contact with the blad e can amputate hands and feet.
12. A missing or damaged d ischarge cover can cause blad e
contact or thrown object inju ries.
13. Many injuries occur a s a result of the mower being pulled
over the foot during a fall caused by slip ping or tripping. Do
not hold on to the mower if you are falling ; release the handle
immediately.
14. Never pull the mower back towar d you while you are walking. If
you must back the mower away from a wall or obstr uction first
look down and behind to avoid tripp ing and then follow these
steps:
a. Step back from the m ower to fully extend your arms.
b. Be sure you are well bala nced with sure footing.
c. Pull the mower back slowly, no more than half way toward you.
d. Repeat these ste ps as needed.
15. Do not operate the mower while un der the influence of alcoho l or
drugs.
16. Do not engage the self- propelled mechanism o n units so
equipped while starting e ngine.
17. The blade control ha ndle is a safety device. Never atte mpt
to bypass its operation. Doing so m akes the safety device
inoperative and may result in perso nal injury through conta ct with
the rotating blade. The blade co ntrol handle must operate easi ly
in both directions and automat ically return to the disenga ged
position when released.
18. Never operate the mower in wet gr ass. Always be sure of your
footing. A slip and fall can cause se rious personal injury. If you
feel you are losing your footing, relea se the blade control handle
immediately and the blade will s top rotating within three sec onds.
19. Mow only in daylight or in g ood artificial light . Walk, never run.
20. Stop the blade when cr ossing gravel drives, walks or road s.
21. If the equipment sho uld start to vibrate abnorm ally, stop the
engine and check immediatel y for the cause. Vibration is gene r-
ally a warning of trouble.
22. Shut the engine off a nd wait until the blade comes to a c omplete
stop before removing the grass cat cher or unclogging the chu te.
The cutting blade continu es to rotate for a few seconds after th e
engine is shut off. Never place any par t of the body in the blade
area until you are sure the blade has sto pped rotating.
23. Never operate mower witho ut proper trail shield, disc harge cover,
grass catcher, blade control hand le or other safety protective
devices in place and working. N ever operate mower with
damaged safety devices. Failure t o do so, can result in personal
injury.
24. Muffler and engin e become hot and can cause a burn . Do not
touch.
25. Never attempt to make a wheel or c utting height adjustmen t while
the engine is running.
26. Only use parts and a ccessories made for this mac hine by the
manufacturer. Failure to do so can result in p ersonal injury.
27. When starting engine, pull cord slowl y until resistance is felt, th en
pull rapidly. Rapid retraction of s tarter cord (kickbac k) will pull
hand and arm toward engine faster tha n you can let go. Broken
bones, fractures, bruises or sp rains could result.
28. If situations occ ur which are not covered in this manu al, use care
and good judgment. Call custo mer assistance for the name of
your nearest servicing deale r.
Slope Operation
Slopes are a major factor related to sl ip and fall accidents whic h can
result in severe injury. Operation on s lopes requires extra cauti on.
If you feel uneasy on a slope, do not mow it. For yo ur safety, use
the slope gauge included as p art of this manual to measure sl opes
before operating this unit on a slo ped or hilly area. If the slope i s
greater than 15 degrees, do not mow it.
Do:
1. Mow ac ross the face of slopes; never u p and down. Exercise
extreme caution when changi ng direction on slopes.
2. Watch for holes, ruts, rocks, hidd en objects, or bumps whic h can
cause you to slip or trip. Tall grass can hide obstac les.
WARNING: Engine Exhaust, some of its constituent s, and certain vehicle components contain
or emit chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and bir th defects or other
reproductive harm.
WARNING