Poulan 961240002 manual Blade Care, “Dual Bail” Drive Control, Tires, “Autowalk” Drive Control

“DUAL BAIL” DRIVE CONTROL

• To start forward motion, lift drive control bar up to handle.

• To stop forward motion, release drive control bar.

Drive control lever

TO ENGAGE DRIVE CONTROL

Operator presence control bar

LAWN MOWER

Always observe safety rules when per- forming any maintenance.

TIRES

•Keep tires free of gasoline, oil, or insect control chemicals which can harm rub- ber.

•Avoid stumps, stones, deep ruts, sharp objects and other hazards that may cause tire damage.

BLADE CARE

• The recommended tightening torque is 35-40 ft. lbs.

IMPORTANT: Blade bolt is heat treated. If bolt needs replacing, replace only with approved bolt shown in the Repair Parts section of this manual.

MODELS WITH BLADE ADAPTER

Blade adapter	Key	Crankshaft
		keyway
Lockwasher
Blade

DRIVE CONTROL ENGAGED

Adjustment turnbuckle

Operator presence

control bar

DRIVE CONTROL DISENGAGED

For best results, mower blade must be kept sharp. Replace a bent or damaged blade.

CAUTION: Use only a replacement blade approved by the manufacturer of your mower. Using a blade not approved by the manufacturer of your mower is hazardous, could damage your mower and

Blade
bolt Hardened
washer	Trailing edge	Crankshaft

MODELS WITH BLADE ADAPTER/PULLEY

DRIVE CONTROL DISENGAGED

“AUTOWALK” DRIVE CONTROL

•Self-propelling is controlled by holding the operator presence control bar down to the handle and pulling the drive con- trol 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 presence control bar or drive control lever are released. To stop forward motion without stopping engine, release the drive control lever only. Hold operator presence control bar down against handle to continue mowing with- out self-propelling.

NOTE: If after releasing the drive control the mower will not roll backwards, push the mower forward slightly to disengage drive wheels.

FRONT WHEEL DRIVE MODELS ONLY:

•To keep drive control engaged when turning corners, push down on the handle to lift the front wheels off the ground while turning lawn mower.

“AUTOWALK” ADJUSTMENT

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

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

•Turn nut on underside of drive control to increase drive speed.

•Operate mower to test drive speed. Readjust as required.

•If condition fails to improve after the above steps (forward speed remains the same), your drive belt is worn and should be replaced.

Adjustment turnbuckle

void your warranty.

TO REMOVE BLADE

1.Disconnect spark plug wire from spark plug and place wire where it cannot come in contact with plug.

2.Turn lawn mower on its side. Make sure air filter and carburetor are up.

3.Use a wood block between blade and mower housing to prevent blade from turning when removing blade bolt.

NOTE: Protect your hands with gloves and/or wrap blade with heavy cloth.

4.Remove blade bolt by turning counter- clockwise.

5.Remove blade and attaching hard- ware (bolt, lock washer and hardened washer).

NOTE: Remove the blade adapter and check the key inside hub of blade adapter. The key must be in good condition to work properly. Replace adapter if damaged.

TO REPLACE BLADE

1.	Position the blade adapter on the en-
	gine crankshaft. Be sure key in adapter
	and crankshaft keyway are aligned.
2.	Position blade on the blade adapter
	aligning the two (2) holes in the blade
	with the raised lugs on the adapter.
3.	Be sure the trailing edge of blade (op-
	posite sharp edge) is up toward the
	engine.
4.	Install the blade bolt with the lock
	washer and hardened washer into
	blade adapter and crankshaft.
5.	Use block of wood between blade and
	lawn mower housing and tighten the

Blade adapter		Key	Crankshaft
			keyway
Lockwasher
	Blade
Blade	Hardened
bolt	washer		Belt
	Trailing edge		Crankshaft retainer

TO SHARPEN BLADE

NOTE: We do not recommend sharpening blade - but if you do, be sure the blade

is balanced. An unbalanced blade will cause eventual damage to lawn mower or 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.

DRIVE COVER

Clean under the drive cover at least twice a season. Scrape underside of cover with a putty knife or similar tool to remove any buildup of trash or grass.

12

blade bolt, turning clockwise.

17