Craftsman 79244 User Manual

Operator's Manual

JCRAFTSMAN°I

BRUSHCU'I-rER A'I-rACHMENT

Model No.

358,792443

NOT DESIGNED FOR USE WITH ELECTRIC POWERHEADS

• Safety

• Assembly

• Operation

• Maintenance

• Parts List

• Espar_ol, p. 17

DANGER:

Read and follow all Safety Rules and Operating Instructions before first use of this product.

For answers to your questions about this product: Call 7

am-7 pm, Mon.-Sat., or 10 am-7 pm, Sun.

1-800-235-5878 (Hours listed are Central Time)

Sears, Roebuck and Co., Hoffman Estates, IL 60179 U.S.A.

530164972 9/12/06

Warranty Statement 2 Service & Adjustments 14 Identification of Symbols 2 Storage 15

Safety Rules 2 Assembly 5

Parts List 16

Operation 10 Spanish 17 Maintenance 14 Parts and Ordering Back Cover

ONE YEAR FULL WARRANTY ON CRAFTSMAN ® BRUSHCUTTER ATTACHMENT When used and maintained according to the operator's manual, ifthis product fails

due to a defect in material or workmanship within one year from the date of pur- chase, return it to any Sears store, Sears Service Center, or other Craftsman outlet in

the United States for free repair (or replacement if repair proves impossible). This warranty excludes expendable parts that can wear out from normal use in

less than one year. This warranty applies for only 30 days from purchase date if this product is used

for commercial or rental purposes. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights

which vary from state to state.

Sears, Roebuck and Co., Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

DANGER! This brushcutter

can be dangerous! Carelessor

improperuse can cause seriousor evenfatal injury.

Always wear appropriate ear protection, eye protection and head protection.

_WARNING: When using garden- ing appliances, basic safety precau-

tions should always be followed to re- duce the risk of fire and serious injury.

Read and follow all instructions. Fail-

ure to do so can result in serious injury.

DANGER: This power tool can be

dangerous! This unit can cause seri- ous injury including amputation or

blindness to the operator and others. The warnings and safety instructions in this manual must be followed to pro-

vide reasonable safety and efficiency in using the unit. The operator is re- sponsible for following the warnings

Read and understand the operator's manual before

using the brushcutter.

and instructions in this manual and on

the unit. Read the entire operator's

manual before assembling and using

the unit! Restrict the use of this unit to

persons who read, understand, and

follow the warnings and instructions in this manual and on the unit. Never al-

low children to operate this unit.

OPERATOR'S SAFETY iNFORMATION

MANUAL QN THE UNIT

DANGER: Never use flailing de-

vices.

_. DANGER: Blade can thrust vio- lently away from material it does not

cut. Blade thrust can cause amputa- tion of arms or legs. Keep people and animals 50 feet (15 meters) away.

,1_ WARNING: Blade/trimmer line can throw objects violently. You can be blinded or injured. Wear eye and leg

protection.

ALWAYS WEAR:

Eye

Protection

II Leg

I I Guards

_ Boots

_WARNING: Hazard zone for thrown objects. Blade/trimmer line can

throw objects violently. Others can be blinded or injured. Keep people and animals 50 feet (15 meters) away.

Hazard Zone

I,t

_.WARNING: Do not use trimmer head as a fastening device for the

blade.

_, WARNING: The blade continues to spin after throttle is released or engine

is turned off. The coasting blade can

throw objects or seriously cut you if acci-

dentally touched. Stop the blade by con-

tacting the left hand side of coasting

blade with material already cut.

bS,t°dPeC_yst'onngaot ._

with cut materi_

OPERATOR SAFETY

• Dress properly. Always wear safety glasses or similar eye protection

when operating, or performing main- tenance on your unit (safety glasses

are available). Eye protection should

be marked Z87.

• Always wear face or dust mask if op- eration is dusty.

• Always wear heavy, long pants, long sleeves, boots, and gloves. Wearing

safety leg guards is recommended.

• Always wear foot protection. Do not go barefoot or wear sandals. Stay

clear of spinning line/blade.

• Secure hair above shoulder length.

Secure or remove loose clothing and

jewelry or clothing with loosely hang-

ing ties, straps, tassels, etc. They

can be caught in moving parts.

• Being fully covered also helps pro- tect you from debris and pieces of toxic plants thrown by spinning line/

blade.

• Stay Alert. Do not operate unit when you are tired, ill, upset or under influ-

ence of alcohol, drugs, or medica- tion. Watch what you are doing; use common sense.

• Wear hearing protection.

• Never start or run the engine inside a closed room or building. Breathing

exhaust fumes can kill.

• Keep handles free of oil and fuel.

• Always use the handlebar and a

properly adjusted shoulder strap

when using brushcutter attachment

(see ASSEMBLY).

UNIT/MAINTENANCE SAFETY

A_WARNING: Disconnect power-

head spark plug (or disconnect power- head from power source) before per-

forming maintenance.

• Lookforandreplacedamagedor loosepartsbeforeeachuse.Look

forandrepairfuelleaksbeforeuse. Keepunitingoodworkingcondition.

• Throwawaybladesthatarebent, warped,cracked,broken,ordam- agedinanyotherway.Replacetrim-

merheadpartsthatarecracked, chipped,broken,ordamagedinany

otherwaybeforeusingtheunit.

• Maintaintheunitaccordingtorecom- mendedprocedures.Keeptheblade

sharp.Neveruseflailingdevices, wire,rope,string,etc.

• Useonlyspecifiedbladeortrimmer head;makesureitisproperlyin-

stalledandsecurelyfastened.

• Neverstartenginewithclutchshroud removed.Theclutchcanflyoffand

causeseriousinjury.

• Besurebladeortrimmerheadstops turningwhenengineidles.

• Makecarburetoradjustmentswiththe lowerendsupportedtopreventthe

bladeortrimmerlinefromcontacting anyobject.Holdtheunitbyhand;do

notusetheshoulderstrapforsupport.

• Keepothersawaywhenmakingcar- buretoradjustments.

• UseonlyrecommendedCraftsman accessoriesandreplacementparts.

• Haveallmaintenanceandservice notexplainedinthismanualper- formedbyaSearsServiceCenter.

FUEL SAFETY

• Mix and pour fuel outdoors.

• Keep away from sparks or flames.

• Use a container approved for fuel.

• Do not smoke or allow smoking near fuel or the unit or while using the unit.

• Avoid spilling fuel or oil. Wipe up all fuel spills before starting engine.

• Move at least 10 feet (3 meters) away from fueling site before starting engine.

• Stop engine and allow it to cool be- fore removing fuel cap.

• Remove fuel cap slowly.

CUTTING SAFETY

WARNING: Inspect tile area to be

cut before each use. Remove objects

(rocks, broken glass, nails, wire, string,

etc.) which can be thrown or become entangled in the blade or trimmer line.

• Keep others including children, ani- mals, bystanders, and helpers at

least 50 feet (15 meters) away. Stop the engine immediately if you are ap-

proached.

• Always keep engine on the right- hand side of your body.

• Hold the unit firmly with both hands.

• Keep firm footing and balance. Do not overreach.

• Keep blade/trimmer head below

waist level.

• Do not raise powerhead engine above

your waist.

• Keep all parts of your body away

from spinning blade/line and muffler.

• Cut from your left to your right. CUt-

ting on right side of shield will throw debris away from the operator.

• Use only in daylight or good artificial light.

• Use only for jobs explained in this manual.

TRANSPORTING AND STORAGE

• Stop the powerhead engine before

carrying unit.

• Keep muffler away from your body.

• Allow engine to cool and secure unit before storing or transporting it in a

vehicle.

• Empty the fuel tank before storing or

transporting the unit. Use up fuel left

in the carburetor by starting the en-

gine and letting it run until it stops.

• Store unit and fuel in an area where

fuel vapors cannot reach sparks or open flames from water heaters,

electric motors or switches, furnaces, etc.

• Store unit so the blade or line limiter blade on shield cannot accidentally

cause injury.

• Store unit indoors, out of reach of

children.

SPECIAL NOTICE: Exposure to vibra-

tions through prolonged use of gaso-

line powered hand tools could cause blood vessel or nerve damage in the

fingers, hands, and joints of people

prone to circulation disorders or abnor- mal swellings. Prolonged use in cold

weather has been linked to blood ves-

sel damage in otherwise healthy people. If symptoms occur such as

numbness, pain, loss of strength, change in skin color or texture, or loss of feeling in the fingers, hands, or

joints, discontinue the use of this tool

and seek medical attention. An anti- vibration system does not guarantee the avoidance of these problems.

Users who operate power tools on a

continual and regular basis must moni- tor closely their physical condition and

the condition of this tool.

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS

CARTONCONTENTS Checkcartoncontentsagainstthefol- Coupler

lowinglist. LOOSEN

Model358.792443

• Brushcutterattachment

• Handlebar

• Handlebarmountingbracketfor1" (2.5cm)shaft

• Handlebarmountingbracketfor7/8" TIGHTEi', Knob

(2.2cm)shaft

• Bracketcover(2)

• Shoulderstrap

• Uppershoulderstrapclamp

• Lowershoulderstrapclamp(with spacertabs)

• Handlebarbracketscrews(4)

• Shoulderstrapclampscrews(2)

• 4-pointweedblade(assembledon brushcutterattachment)

• Largenutforinstallingblade

• Retainingwasher

• Cuppedwasher

• Metalshield(assembledonbrush- cutterattachment)

• Trimmerhead

2. Removetheshaftcapfromthe brushcutterattachment(ifpresent).

3. Positionlocking/releasebuttonof attachmentintoguiderecessof coupler.

4. Pushtheattachmentintothecou-

pleruntilthelocking/releasebutton

snapsintotheprimaryhole.

5. Beforeusingtheunit,tightenthe knobsecurelybyturningclock-

wise.

Coupler Primary Hole

Guide Recess

• Plasticshield

• Wingnut(screwedontoplasticshield)

• AttachmentHanger Locking/

• HexWrench UpperReleaseAttachment

• Containerofline Shaft Examinepartsfordamage.Donotuse

Button

damagedparts.

NOTE:Ifyouneedassistanceorfind

thatpartsaremissingordamaged,call

1-800-235-5878.

ASSEMBLY _i WARNING:Ifreceivedassembled,

,_ WARNING: Make sure the lock-

ing/release button is locked in the pri- mary hole and the knob is securely

tightened before operating the unit. Us-

ing the wrong hole could lead to serious injury or damage to the unit.

repeatallstepstoensureyourunitis properlyassembledandallfasteners aresecure.

• A hex wrench (provided) is required'_

for assembly.

INSTALLING BRUSHCUTTER AT-

TACHMENT CAUTION: When removing or instal-

ling attachments, place the unit on a flat surface for stability. Locking/Release

1. Loosen the coupler by turning the Button in Primary Hole

knob counterclockwise.

HANDLEBAR ASSEMBLY

,_ DANGER: RISK OF CUT. To avoid serious injury, the barrier portion of the

handlebar must be installed as shown on the upper shaft of the powerhead to

provide a barrier between operator and the spinning blade. Attach handlebar mounting bracket above arrow on

safety warning decal on the upper shaft (powerhead end of unit). Ensure

handlebar is positioned on mounting bracket at the end of the arrow on the

handlebar decal. NOTE: Two mounting brackets are in-

cluded with this attachment. Both brack- ets are provided to adapt this attach-

ment for use with powerheads that have either a 1" (2.5 cm) diameter or a 7/8"

(2.2 cm) diameter upper shaft. The cor-

rect bracket must be used to ensure that the handlebar is mounted securely to

the upper shaft before use.

Handlebar ._ J_ _ Screw

SHOULDER STRAP ASSEMBLY

_bWARNING: Proper shoulder

strap and handlebar adjustments must be made with the engine completely

stopped before using unit. The shoul- der strap clamp must be installed as

shown above the handlebar on the up- per shaft (powerhead end of unit).

NOTE: The lower shoulder strap clamp has two spacer tabs attached. These

tabs are provided to adapt this attach-

ment for use with powerheads that have a 1" diameter upper shaft (the shoulder

strap clamp will not tighten down se- curely on the 1" diameter upper shaft

without using these spacer tabs). The tabs must be broken off completely be- fore use and placed over the screw

holes on the lower shoulder strap clamp.

These tabs are not needed for power-

heads with a 7/8" upper shaft.

LOWER SHOULDER STRAP

CLAMP

_et Cover

Bracket .'

1. Place the mounting bracket over

the upper shaft above the arrow on the safety label. Be sure to use the correct mounting bracket for either the 1" (2.5 cm) or 7/8" (2.2

cm) diameter upper shaft.

2. Position one of the bracket covers

under the upper shaft and align the mounting bracket and the bracket

cover screw holes. Insert two screws into the screw holes.

3. Secure the mounting bracket by

tightening the screws with the hex wrench.

4. Locate the decal on the handlebar.

This decal includes an arrow. Posi- tion the handlebar with the mount-

ing bracket at the end of the arrow.

5. Position the second bracket cover

over the handlebar. Align the mounting bracket and the bracket cover screw holes. Again make

sure the handlebar is at the end of the arrow.

6. Insert two screws and hand tighten

only. Be sure the handlebar is installed correctly; then, tighten each screw securely with the hex wrench.

.,_L_L_ / Spacer Tabs

Place the upper shoulder strap

clamp over the upper shaft above the handlebar.

Position the lower shoulder strap

clamp under the upper shaft and align the upper and lower clamp

screw holes (use spacer tabs be- tween upper and lower clamps if

necessary to secure clamp, i.e. for 1" diameter upper shaft).

POWERHEAD END

Lower Shoulder | ATTACHMENT Strap Clamp n _' END

3. Insert two screws into the screw holes.

positioned for use

Screws

on 1" diameter

upper shaft

Strap Clamp

4. Secureshoulderstrapclampby tighteningscrewswiththehex

wrench.

5. Insertyourrightarmandhead throughtheshoulderstrapandal-

lowittorestonyourleftshoulder. Makesurethedangersignison

yourbackandthehookistothe rightsideofyourwaist.

NOTE:Aone-halftwistisbuiltinthe

shoulderstraptoallowthestraptorest

flatontheshoulder.

6. Adjustthestrap,allowingthehook

tobeabout6inchesbelowthe waist.

7. Fastenthestraphooktotheclamp andliftthetooltotheoperating position.

8. Tryonshoulderstrapandadjust forfitandbalancebeforestarting theengineorbeginningacutting

operation.

NOTE:Itmaybenecessarytorelo-

catetheshoulderstrapclamponthe shaftforproperbalancingofunit.

HARNESS

ADJUSTMENT

FOR BALANCE

6 inches below 4 - 12 waist inches

30 i

above ground

diameter. To assemble your unit, go to

the section for the desired configuration

and follow the instructions.

ASSEMBLY INFORMATION - TRIMMER HEAD

._ TRIMMER

NOTE: Remove the blade and metal shield before attaching the plastic shield

and trimmer head. To remove blade, align hole in the dust cup with the hole

in the side of the gearbox by rotating

the blade. Insert a small screwdriver

into aligned holes. This will keep the shaft from turning while loosening the

blade nut. Remove blade nut by turning clockwise. Remove the screwdriver.

Remove both washers and blade.

To remove metal shield, loosen and re-

move the four mounting screws. See AT-

TACHING THE METAL SHIELDand

INSTALLATIONOF THE METAL BLADE for illustrations. Be sure to store all parts

and instructions for future use. INSTALLATION OF THE TRIMMER

HEAD NOTE: Before installing the trimmer

head, make sure the dust cup and re-

taining washer are positioned on the

shaft of the gearbox. The retaining

washer must be positioned with the

raised section toward the gearbox.

1. Align hole in the dust cup with the hole in the side of the gearbox by rotating the dust cup.

2. Insert a small screwdriver into

aligned holes. This will keep the shaft from turning while tightening trimmer head=

CONFIGURING YOUR UNIT You can configure your unit using a trim- mer head for grass and light weeds, or a

weed blade for cutting grass, weeds, and brush up to 1/2 inch (1 cm) in

Screw._er _

While holding the screwdriver in

position, thread trimmer head onto

the shaft by turning counterclock- wise. Only tighten hand tight!

.,___Gearbox

_ Dust Cup

Trimmer Head _ Retainh_g

Washer

4. Remove the screwdriver. ATTACHING THE PLASTIC SHIELD

_ WARNING: The shield must be properly installed. The shield provides

partial protection from the risk of thrown objects to the operator and oth- ers and is equipped with a line limiter

blade which cuts excess line to the proper length. The line limiter blade

(on underside of shield) is sharp and

can cut you.

1. Remove wing nut from shield.

2. Insert bracket into slot on shield.

3. Pivot shield until bolt passes through hole in bracket.

4. Tighten the wing nut securely.

Slot Bracket _:_

Shield Wing Nut

clockwise. Remove the screwdriver.

To remove the plastic shield, loosen and

remove wing nut. Pivot shield to release bracket from slot. See INSTALLATIONOF

THE TRIMMER HEAD and Alq-ACHING THE PLASTIC SHIELD for illustrations. Be

sure to store all parts and instructions for

future use. Never use the trimmer head with the metal blade installed.

ATTACHING THE METAL SHIELD ,4(_,WARNING: The metal shield

must be properly installed on the tool anytime the tool is used with a blade.

The forward tip of the metal shield

helps to reduce the occurrence of blade thrust which can cause serious

injury such as amputation to the opera- tor or bystanders. Failure to install the shield in the position shown can result

in serious injury to the operator. The

length of the shield must be aligned with the length of the shaft.

1. Place the metal shield under the gearbox, and align the screw holes.

_ Gearbox

Shiek

Gearbox

ASSEMBLY INFORMATION - WEED

BLADE

_' WEED

BLADE

NOTE: Remove the trimmer head and

plastic shield before attaching the metal shield and installing the weed blade. To remove the trimmer head, align hole in

the dust cup with the hole in the side of the gearbox by rotating the dust cup.

Insert a small screwdriver into aligned

holes. This will keep the shaft from turn- ing while loosening the trimmer head.

Remove the trimmer head by turning

2. Insert and thread the 4 mounting screws through the holes of the gearbox and the metal shield.

Tighten evenly and securely with the hex wrench provided.

INSTALLATION OF THE METAL BLADE

WARNING: Wear protective

gloves when handling or performing maintenance on the blade to avoid in-

jury. The blade is sharp and can cut you even when it is not moving.

_WARNING: Do not use any

blades, or fastening hardware other than

the washers and nuts shown in the fol-

lowing illustrations. These parts must be provided by Sears and installed as

shown below. Failure to use proper parts

can cause the blade to fly off and seri- ously hurt you or others.

NOTE:Thedustcupandretaining

washerarelocatedonthegearboxshaft andnotinthepartsbag.Allotherfas- tenersmentionedinthefollowingas-

semblystepsareinthepartsbag.

1. Removetheretainingwasherfrom thethreadedshaftofthegearbox.

Leavethedustcupontheshaft.

2. Installthebladeandtheretaining

washeroverthethreadedshaft.

3. Makesuretheraisedpartofthere- tainingwasherisfacingthegearbox

andtheraisedareafitsintothehole inthecenteroftheblade.

4. Slidethebladeandretainingwasher ontotheshaftofthegearbox.

5. Placethecuppedwasherontothe shaft.Makesurethecuppedside

ofthewasheristowardtheblade.

6. Installthebladenutbythreading

ontotheshaftcounterclockwise.

Gearbox

Shield

Dust Cup

Retaining pE_lt_,_.. Washer _

Cupped

Washer

_ Nut

NOTE: Make sure all parts are in place as illustrated, and the blade is sand-

wiched between the dust cup and the

retaining washer. There should be no space between the blade and the dust

cup or the retaining washer.

7. Align hole in dust cup with hole in side of gearbox by rotating the

blade.

8. Insert a small screwdriver into aligned holes. This will keep the

shaft from turning while tightening the blade nut.

Screwdriver _

9. Tighten blade nut firmly with a wrench while holding screwdriver

in position.

10. Remove the screwdriver.

11. Turn blade by hand. If the blade

binds against the shield, or appears

to be uneven, the blade is not cen- tered, and you must reinstall.

NOTE: To remove blade, insert screw- driver into aligned holes. Unthread the

nut and remove parts. Be sure to store parts and instructions for future use.

KNOWYOURBRUSHCUTTER ATTACHMENT

READ THiS OPERATOR'S MANUAL AND SAFETY RULES BEFORE OPERATING YOUR BRUSHCUTI-ERATTAOHMENT Compare the illustrations with your unit to familiarize

yourself with the location of various controls and adjustments. Save this manual for future reference.

Hanger j

immerShield _

B,adeBhied

Heo B'adeBh% B,ade

BLADE

The BLADE is designed for cutting grass, weeds, and brush up to 1/2 inch

(1 cm) in diameter.

TRIMMER HEAD

The TRIMMER HEAD holds cutting line and is designed for cutting grass and

light weeds.

OPERATING THE COUPLER Your powerhead is equipped with a

coupler which enables optional attach- ments to be installed. The optional at-

tachments are:

Edger ............... 71-79240

Cultivator ............ 71-79241

Blower .............. 71-79242

Pruner .............. 71-79245

_. WARNING: Always disconnect powerhead spark plug before remov-

ing or installing attachments.

REMOVING BRUSHCUTTER AT-

TACHMENT (OR OTHER OPTIONAL ATTACHMENTS) CAUTION: When removing or instal-

ling attachments, place the powerhead and attachment on a flat surface for

stability.

1= Loosen the coupler by turning the

knob counterclockwise.

BLADE SHIELD

The BLADE SHIELD provides protection from the spinning blade.

TRIMMER SHIELD The TRIMMER SHIELD provides protec-

tion from the spinning trimmer head.

Upper Shaft

Coupler

LOOSEN

Attachment

TIGHTEiX Knob

Press and hold the locking/release button.

Locking/Release Button ""-,.,_ _---._

Attachment

While securely holding the upper shaft, pull the attachment straight out of the coupler.

+ 21 hidden pages

Craftsman 79244 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual