Husqvarna 5521 RS E User Manual

5521RS

Owner’s Manual

532 19 21-87 Rev. 1 07.28.04 BY

Printed in U.S.A.

SAFETY RULES

Safe Operation Practices for Walk-Behind Mowers

IMPORTANT: THIS CUTTING MACHINE IS CAPABLE OF AMPUTATING HANDS AND FEET AND THROW ING OBJECTS. FAILURE

TO OBSERVE THE FOLLOWING SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.

I. GENERAL OPERATION

• Read, understand, and follow all instructions on the
machine and in the manual(s) before starting. Be thor­ ough ly familiar with the controls and the proper use of
the machine before starting.

• Do not put hands or feet near or under rotating parts.
Keep clear of the discharge opening at all times.

• Only allow responsible individuals, who are familiar
with the instructions, to operate the machine.

• Clear the area of objects such as rocks, toys, wire,
bones, sticks, etc., which could be picked up and thrown
by the blade.

• Be sure the area is clear of other people before mow­ ing. Stop machine if anyone enters the area.

• Do not operate the mower when barefoot or wearing
open sandals. Always wear substantial foot wear.

• Do not pull mower backwards unless absolutely nec­ es sary. Always look down and behind before and while
moving backwards.

• Do not operate the mower without proper guards,
plates, grass catcher or other safety protective devices
in place.

• See manufacturer’s instructions for proper operation
and installation of accessories. Only use accessories
approved by the manufacturer.

• Stop the blade(s) when crossing gravel drives, walks,
or roads.

• Stop the engine (motor) whenever you leave the equip­ ment, before cleaning the mower or unclogging the
chute.

• Shut the engine (motor) off and wait until the blade comes
to complete stop before removing grass catch er.

• Mow only in daylight or good artifi cial light.

• Do not operate the machine while under the infl uence
of alcohol or drugs.

• Never operate machine in wet grass. Always be sure of
your footing: keep a fi rm hold on the handle and walk;
never run.

• Disengage the self-propelled mechanism or drive clutch
on mowers so equipped before starting the engine (mo­tor).

• If the equipment should start to vibrate abnormally,
stop the engine (motor) and check immediately for the
cause. Vibration is generally a warning of trouble.

• Always wear safety goggles or safety glasses with side
shields when operating mower.

II. SLOPE OPERATION

Slopes are a major factor related to slip and fall accidents
which can result in severe injury. All slopes require extra
caution. If you feel uneasy on a slope, do not mow it.

DO:

• Mow across the face of slopes: never up and down. Exer­cise extreme caution when changing direction on slopes.

• Remove obstacles such as rocks, tree limbs, etc.

• Watch for holes, ruts, or bumps. Tall grass can hide
obstacles.

DO NOT:

• Do not trim near drop-offs, ditches or embankments.
The operator could lose footing or balance.

• Do not trim excessively steep slopes.

• Do not mow on wet grass. Reduced footing could cause
slipping.

III. CHILDREN

Tragic accidents can occur if the operator is not alert to
the presence of children. Children are often attracted to
the machine and the mowing activity.
children will remain where you last saw them.

• Keep children out of the trimming area and under the
watchful care of another re spon si ble adult.

• Be alert and turn machine off if children enter the
area.

• Before and while walking backwards, look behind and

down

for small children.

• Never allow children to operate the machine.

• Use extra care when approaching blind corners, shrubs,
trees, or other objects that may obscure vision.

Never

assume that

IV. SERVICE

• Use extra care in handling gasoline and other fuels.
They are fl ammable and vapors are explosive.

- Use only an approved container.

- Never remove gas cap or add fuel with the

engine running. Allow engine to cool before
refueling. Do not smoke.

- Never refuel the machine indoors.

- Never store the machine or fuel container inside

where there is an open fl ame, such as a water
heater.

• Never run a machine inside a closed area.

• Never make adjustments or repairs with the engine
(motor) running. Disconnect the spark plug wire, and
keep the wire away from the plug to prevent accidental
starting.

• Keep nuts and bolts, especially blade attachement
bolts, tight and keep equipment in good condition.

• Never tamper with safety devices. Check their proper
operation regularly.

• Keep machine free of grass, leaves, or other debris
build-up. Clean oil or fuel spillage. Allow machine to
cool before storing.

• Stop and inspect the equipment if you strike an object.
Repair, if necessary, before restarting.

• Never attempt to make wheel height adjustments while
the engine (motor) is running.

• Grass catcher components are subject to wear, dam­ age, and deterioration, which could expose moving
parts or allow objects to be thrown. Frequently check
com po nents and replace with manufacturer’s rec om ­mend ed parts, when necessary.

• Mower blades are sharp and can cut. Wrap the blade(s)
or wear gloves, and use extra caution when servicing
them.

• Do not change the engine governor setting or overspeed

2

the engine.

Look for this symbol to point out im­ por tant safety precautions. It means
CAUTION!!! BE COME ALERT!!! YOUR
SAFE TY IS IN VOLVED.

CAUTION: Always disconnect spark plug
wire and place wire where it cannot contact
spark plug in order to prevent ac ci den tal
starting when setting up, trans port ing,
adjusting or making re pairs.

WARNING: Engine exhaust, some of
its con stit u ents, and certain vehicle
com po nents contain or emit chem i­cals known to the State of Cal i for nia
to cause can cer and birth defects or
oth er re pro duc tive harm.

WARNING: Battery posts, terminals and
related ac ces so ries contain lead and
lead compounds, chemicals known to
the State of Cal i for nia to cause can cer
and birth defects or oth er re pro duc tive
harm. Wash hands after handling.

CAUTION: Muffl er and other engine
parts become extremely hot during
operation and remain hot after engine
has stopped. To avoid severe burns on
contact, stay away from these areas.

CONGRATULATIONS on your purchase of a new lawn

mower. It has been designed, engineered and man u fac tured
to give you the best possible dependability and performance.

Should you experience any problem you cannot easily
remedy, please contact your nearest authorized service
center/department. We have competent, well-trained
tech ni cians and the proper tools to service or repair this
lawn mower.

Please read and retain this manual. The instructions will
enable you to assemble and maintain your lawn mower
properly. Always observe the “SAFETY RULES”.

SERIAL
NUMBER: _________________________________

DATE OF PURCHASE: _______________________

THE MODEL AND SERIAL NUMBERS WILL BE FOUND
ON A DECAL ATTACHED TO THE REAR OF THE LAWN
MOWER HOUSING.

YOU SHOULD RECORD BOTH SERIAL NUMBER AND
DATE OF PURCHASE AND KEEP IN A SAFE PLACE
FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

Gasoline Capacity 1.0 Quarts
and Type: (Unleaded Regular Only)

Oil Type (API SG–SL): SAE 30 (above 0°C / 32°F)
SAE 10W-30 (below 0°C / 32°F)

Oil Capacity: 18.5 Ounces

Spark Plug: NGK BPR6ES (Gap: .030")

Valve Clearance: Intake: 0.015 mm
(± 0.04 mm) Exhaust: 0.020 mm

Blade Bolt Torque: 35-40 ft. lbs.

CUSTOMER RESPONSIBILITIES

• Read and observe the safety rules.

• Follow a regular schedule in maintaining, caring for and
using your lawn mower.

• Follow the instructions under “Maintenance” and “Stor­ age” sec tions of this own er’s manual.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SAFETY RULES ......................................................... 2-3

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS....................................... 3

CUSTOMER RESPONSIBILITIES................................. 3

ASSEMBLY.................................................................... 4

OPERATION ............................................................... 5-9

MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE ...................................... 10

MAINTENANCE...................................................... 10-12

SERVICE AND AD JUST MENTS ............................13-14

STORAGE ............................................................... 14-15

TROU BLE SHOOT ING ................................................. 16

REPAIR PARTS....................................................... 17-21

WARRANTY................................................................. 24

3

ASSEMBLY

Read these instructions and this man u al in its entirety before
you attempt to assemble or operate your new lawn mow er.

IMPORTANT: THIS LAWN MOWER IS SHIPPED WITH­ OUT OIL OR GASOLINE IN THE ENGINE.

Your new lawn mower has been as sem bled at the factory
with the ex cep tion of those parts left unassembled for ship­ping purposes. All parts such as nuts, washers, bolts, etc.,
necessary to com plete the as sem bly have been placed in
the parts bag. To ensure safe and proper operation of your
lawn mow er, all parts and hard ware you assemble must
be tightened se cure ly. Use the correct tools as nec es sary
to ensure proper tightness.

TO RE MOVE LAWN MOW ER FROM CAR TON

1. Remove loose parts included with mower.

2. Cut down two end corners of car ton and lay end panel
down fl at.

3. Remove all packing materials ex cept padding be tween
upper and lower handle and padding holding operator
presence control bar to up per handle.

4. Roll lawn mower out of carton and check carton thor­ougly for ad di tion al loose parts.

HOW TO SET UP YOUR LAWN MOW ER

TO UNFOLD HANDLE (See Figs. 1 and 2)

IMPORTANT: UNFOLD HANDLE CAREFULLY SO AS

NOT TO PINCH OR DAMAGE CON TROL CABLES.

1. Raise lower handle section to operating position and
squeeze the bottom ends of lower handle towards
each other until the pin in handle can be inserted into
one of the three height adjustment holes.

2. Remove protective padding, raise upper handle sec­ tion into place on lower handle and tighten both handle
knobs.

3. Remove any packing material from around control bar.

Your handles may be adjusted for your mowing comfort.
Refer to “ADJUST HANDLE” in the Service and Ad just ments
sec tion of this man u al.

HAN DLE PIN

SQUEEZE

HANDLE

BRACKET

FIG. 2

TO ASSEMBLE GRASS CATCHER
(See Fig. 3)

1. Put grass catcher frame into grass bag with rigid part
of bag on the bottom. Make sure the frame handle is
outside of the bag top.

2. Slip vinyl bindings over frame.

NOTE: If vinyl bindings are too stiff, hold them in warm water
for a few minutes. If bag gets wet, let it dry before using.

CATCHER
FRAME
HANDLE

VINYL
BINDINGS

OPERATOR PRESENCE
CONTROL BAR

UPPER HANDLE

LOWER HANDLE

LIFT
UP

FRAME

OPENING

FIG. 3

LIFT UP

TO INSTALL ATTACHMENTS

Your lawn mower was shipped ready to be used as a
mulcher. To convert mower to bagging or discharging,
see “TO CON VERT MOWER” in the Operation section of
this man u al.

MOWING

PO SI TION

FIG. 1

4

OPERATION

KNOW YOUR LAWN MOWER

READ THIS OWNER'S MANUAL AND SAFETY RULES BEFORE OPERATING YOUR LAWN MOWER.
Compare the illustrations with your lawn mower to familiarize yourself with the location of various controls and adjustments.

Save this manual for future reference.

These symbols may appear on your lawn mower or in literature supplied with the product. Learn and understand
their meaning.

OPERATOR PRESENCE CON TROL BAR

STARTER HANDLE

GRASS CATCHER

SINGLE POINT HEIGHT
ADJUSTER HANDLE

MULCHER
PLUG

EN GINE OIL CAP WITH DIPSTICK

DRIVE CONTROL LEVER

HANDLE KNOB

GAS O LINE FILL ER CAP

DRIVE COVER

FUEL VALVE LEVER

AIR FILTER

MULCHER DOOR

MUFFLER

IMPORTANT: This lawn mower is shipped

WITHOUT OIL OR GASOLINE in the engine.

HOUSING

MEETS CPSC SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

Our rotary walk-behind power lawn mowers conform to the safety standards of the American National Standards Institute
and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The blade turns when the engine is running.

OPERATOR PRESENCE CONTROL BAR – must be held
down to the handle to start the engine. Release to stop
the engine.

STARTER HANDLE – used for starting the engine.

DRIVE CONTROL LEVER – used to engage power-pro-

pelled forward motion lawn mower.

SINGLE POINT HEIGHT ADJUSTER – used to adjust
cutting height of lawn mower.

MULCHER DOOR – allows conversion to discharge or
bagging operation.

MULCHER PLUG – located at the discharge opening, must
be removed when converting to bagging operation.

5

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.

HOW TO USE YOUR LAWN MOWER

ENGINE SPEED

The engine speed was set at the factory for optimum per­formance. Speed is not adjustable.

ENGINE ZONE CONTROL

CAUTION: Federal regulations require
an engine control to be installed on this
lawn mower in order to minimize the risk
of blade contact injury. Do not un der
any cir cum stanc es attempt to defeat
the function of the operator control.
The blade turns when the engine is
running.

• Your lawn mower is equipped with an operator presence
control bar which requires the operator to be positioned
behind the lawn mower handle to start and operate the
lawn mower.

DRIVE CONTROL (See Fig. 5)

• Self-propelling is controlled by hold ing 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 pres­ence control bar or drive control lever are released. To
stop forward motion without stop ping engine, re lease
the drive control lever only. Hold op er a tor presence
control bar down against handle to con tin ue 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.

DRIVE CONTROL ADJUSTMENT

Over time, the drive control system may become “loose”,
resulting in decreased speed. There is a button on the
un der side of the drive control housing to increase tension
on the drive cable. Pro ceed 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
button back in.

3. Operate mower to test drive speed. If con di tion be­ comes worse after the above steps (forward speed
has become slower), your system was not “loose”.
Re peat ing the above steps will return your unit to the
proper adjustment and speed.

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

TO ADJUST CUTTING HEIGHT (See Fig. 6)

All four wheels are adjusted by a single lever.

• Pull adjuster lever toward wheel. To raise mower, move
lever forward to desired position, To lower mower, move
the lever toward the rear.

LEVER BACKWARD
TO LOWER MOWER

WHEEL
AD JUST ER
LEVER

OPERATOR PRESENCE CONTROL BAR

ADJUSTMENT
BUTTON (ON
UNDERSIDE)

TO ENGAGE

DRIVE CONTROL

FIG. 5

DRIVE
CONTROL
LEVER

DRIVE CONTROL
DISENGAGED

LEVER FORWARD

TO RAISE MOWER

FIG. 6

6

OPERATION

TO ATTACH GRASS CATCHER (See Fig. 7)

1. Lift the rear door of the lawn mower and place the grass
catcher frame side hooks onto the door pivot pins.

2. The grass catcher is secured to the lawn mower hous ing
when the rear door is lowered onto the grass catcher
frame.

CAUTION: Do not run your lawn mower
without mulcher plug or ap proved grass
catch er in place. Nev er at tempt to op­ er ate the lawn mower with the rear door
re moved or propped open.

PIVOT PINS

REAR DOOR

GRASS

CATCHER

HANDLE

TO CONVERT MOWER

Your lawn mower was shipped ready to be used as a
mulcher. To convert to bagging or discharging:

REAR BAGGING (See Fig. 9)

• Open rear door and remove mulcher plug. Store
mulcher plug in a safe place.

• You can now install the grass catcher.

• To convert to mulching or discharging operation, install
mulcher plug into rear discharge opening of mower.

MULCHER PLUG

FIG. 9

CATCHER FRAME HOOK

FIG. 7

TO EMPTY GRASS CATCHER (See Fig. 8)

1. Lift up on grass catcher using the frame han dle.

2. Remove grass catcher with clippings from under lawn
mower han dle.

3. Empty clippings from bag using both frame handle and
bag handle.

NOTE: Do not drag the bag when emptying; it will cause
unnecessary wear.

GRASS

CATCHER

FRAME

HANDLE

BAG
HANDLE

SIDE DIS CHARG ING (See Fig. 10)

• Mulcher plug must be installed into rear discharge
open ing of mower.

• Open mulcher door and install discharge defl ector
un der door as shown.

• Mower is now ready for discharging operation.

• To convert to mulching or bagging operation, dis charge
defl ector must be removed and mulcher door closed.

SIMPLE STEPS TO REMEMBER

WHEN CONVERTING YOUR LAWN MOWER

FOR MULCHING -

1. Rear mulcher plug installed.

2. Mulcher door closed.

FOR REAR BAGGING -

1. Rear mulcher plug removed.

2. Grass catcher installed.

3. Mulcher door closed.

FOR SIDE DISCHARGING -

1. Rear mulcher plug installed.

2. Discharge defl ector installed.

CAUTION: Do not run your lawn mower
without mulcher plug or ap proved grass
catch er in place. Nev er at tempt to op­ er ate the lawn mow er with the rear door
re moved or propped open.

FIG. 8

7

OPERATION

BEFORE STARTING ENGINE

ADD OIL (See Figs. 11 and 12)

Your lawnmower is shipped without oil in the engine. For type
and grade of oil to use, see “EN GINE” in the Maintenance
section of this manual.

CAUTION: DO NOT overfi ll engine with
oil, or it will smoke heavily from the muf­fl er on startup.

DISCHARGE
DEFLECTOR

OPEN

MULCHER

DOOR

1. Be sure lawnmower is level.

2. Remove oil dipstick from oil fi ll spout.

3. Engine holds 18.5 ounces of oil. Pour oil slowly. Do
not overfi ll. Wait one minute to allow oil to settle. Use
gauge on oil fi ll cap/dipstick for checking level. Insert
dipstick into the tube and rest the oil fi ll cap on the
tube. DO NOT thread the cap into the tube when tak­ing reading. Fill to FULL line on dipstick.

4. Insert and tighten dipstick.

IMPORTANT:

• Check oil level before each use. Add oil if needed. Fill
to full line on dipstick.

• Change the oil after every 25 hours of operation or each
season. You may need to change the oil more often
under dusty, dirty conditions. See “TO CHANGE EN­GINE OIL” in the Maintenance section of this manual.

OIL FILLER CAP/DIPSTICK

UPPER LIMIT

FIG. 10

LOWER LIMIT

FIG. 11

GASOLINE

FILLER CAP

OIL
FILLER
CAP

FIG. 12

8