Husqvarna 55R21HV B User Manual

55R21HV

Owner’s Manual

532 18 90-58 Rev. 1 03.16.04 BY

Printed in U.S.A.

For Parts and Service, call 1-800-448-7543

2

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.

SAFETY RULES

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 (mo-

tor).

• 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. Exer-

cise 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.

Never

assume that

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.

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

the engine.

3

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

Gasoline Capacity 1.0 Quarts

and Type: (Unleaded Regular Only)

Oil Type (API-SF-SJ): SAE 10W-30

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.

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.

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................................................................. 4-5

OPERATION ............................................................. 6-10

MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE ...................................... 11

MAINTENANCE...................................................... 11-13

SERVICE AND AD JUST MENTS ............................ 13-15

STORAGE ............................................................... 15-16

TROU BLE SHOOT ING ................................................. 17

REPAIR PARTS....................................................... 18-23

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

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.

WARNING: Engine exhaust, some of

its con stit u ents, and certain vehicle

com po nents contain or emit chem i-

cals known to the State of Cal i for nia

to cause can cer and birth defects or

oth er re pro duc tive harm.

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.

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: 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.

4

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 ship-

ping 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 thor-

ougly 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 to operating position and align hole

in handle with one of the height positioning holes in

the handle bracket.

2. Insert handle bolt through handle and bracket and

secure with knob.

3. Repeat for opposite side of handle.

4. Remove protective padding, raise upper handle sec-

tion into place on lower handle and tighten both handle

knobs.

5. Remove 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.

FIG. 1

OPERATOR PRESENCE

CONTROL BAR

UPPER HANDLE

LIFT

UP

LIFT UP

LOWER HANDLE

MOWING

PO SI TION

FIG. 2

HANDLE

BRACKET

KNOB

BOLT

5

TO ASSEMBLE GRASS CATCHER

(See Figs. 3 and 4)

1. Slide grass catcher bag over the frame. Make sure

the rear handle is on top (the same side as the front

handle) and the strap is on the bottom.

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.

3. Close grass catcher door.

NOTE: When fully closed, door will “snap” shut over frame

and vinyl bindings.

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.

GRASS

CATCHER

FRAME

FIG. 4

VINYL

BINDINGS

DOOR

BAG

ASSEMBLY

FIG. 3

FRONT

HANDLE

REAR

HANDLE

STRAP

DOOR

6

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.

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 engine. Release to stop engine.

MULCHER DOOR - allows conversion to discharge or

bagging operation.

STARTER HANDLE - used for starting the engine.

HOUSING

GRASS

CATCHER

DRIVE CONTROL LEVER - used to engage power-pro-

pelled forward motion lawn mower.

DUAL POINT HEIGHT ADJUSTER – used to adjust cutting

height of lawn mower.

OPERATOR PRESENCE CON TROL BAR

STARTER

HANDLE

EN GINE OIL CAP

WITH DIPSTICK

HANDLE

KNOB

GAS O LINE FILL ER CAP

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

their meaning.

MULCHER DOOR

OPERATION

IMPORTANT: This lawn mower is shipped

WITHOUT OIL OR GASOLINE in the engine.

FUEL VALVE LEVER

DRIVE CONTROL LEVER

DRIVE COVER

MUFFLER

DUAL POINT HEIGHT

ADJUSTER LEVER

AIR FILTER

7

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 in-

crease, your drive belt is worn and should be re placed.

TO ADJUST CUTTING HEIGHT (See Fig. 6)

Both front wheels are adjusted by a single lever on the left

front wheel. Likewise, both rear wheels are adjusted by a

single lever on the left rear wheel.

• Pull adjuster lever toward wheel. To raise mower, move

lever forward to desired position. To lower mow er, move

the lever toward the rear.

Be sure to adjust both front and rear wheels to same height.

HOW TO USE YOUR LAWN MOWER

ENGINE SPEED

The engine speed was set at the factory for optimum per-

formance. 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 pres-

ence 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.

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.

OPERATION

FIG. 6

LEVER BACKWARD

TO LOWER MOWER

LEVER FORWARD

TO RAISE MOWER

HEIGHT

ADJUSTER

LEVER

FIG. 5

TO ENGAGE

DRIVE

CONTROL

DRIVE

CONTROL

LEVER

DRIVE

CONTROL

DISENGAGED

OPERATOR PRESENCE CONTROL BAR

ADJUSTMENT

BUTTON (ON

UNDERSIDE)

DRIVE CONTROL ADJUSTMENT (See Fig. 5)

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 plug.

TO CONVERT MOWER (See Figs. 7 thru 9)

Your lawn mower was shipped ready to be used as a mulcher.

To convert to rear bagging or side discharging:

REAR BAGGING

• Remove knob securing mulcher door to mower housing.

• Open mulcher door and insert tabs of discharge chute

into hinge bracket opening and position rear of chute

over threaded stud.

FIG. 7

DISCHARGE CHUTE TABS

HINGE BRACKET MULCHER DOOR

8

OPERATION

• Secure rear of discharge chute to lawn mower housing

with knob.

• Place rear handle of grass catcher on the crossbar of

the lawn mower's lower handle as shown.

• Lift the round door of the discharge chute and place

the grass catcher into place on the discharge chute.

NOTE: Be sure round door of discharge chute rests on

grass catcher as shown.

• Mower is now ready for rear bagging operation.

• To convert to mulching operation, remove grass catch er

and discharge chute. Secure mulcher door to mower

housing with knob.

• To convert to side dis charg ing operation, remove grass

catch er and discharge chute. Install side discharge

defl ector and secure it to mower housing with knob.

SIMPLE STEPS TO REMEMBER WHEN

CONVERTING YOUR LAWN MOWER

FOR MULCHING -

1. Grass catcher, discharge chute and side discharge

defl ector removed.

2. Mulcher door secured to mower housing with knob.

FOR REAR BAGGING -

1. Side discharge defl ector removed.

2. Grass catcher and discharge chute installed with

discharge chute secured to lawn mower housing with

knob.

3. Round door of discharge chute resting on top of grass

catcher.

FOR SIDE DISCHARGING -

1. Grass catcher and discharge chute removed.

2. Side discharge defl ector installed and secured to mower

housing with knob.

CAUTION: Do not run your lawn mower

with out mulcher door closed; side dis-

charge defl ector installed, or discharge

chute and ap proved grass catcher in

place. Never at tempt to op er ate the lawn

mow er with mulcher door or round door

re moved or propped open.

SIDE DISCHARGING

• Grass catcher and discharge chute must be re-

moved.

• Open mulcher door and install front of side dis charge

defl ector beneath it as shown.

• Secure rear of side discharge defl ector to lawn mower

housing with knob.

FIG. 8

DISCHARGE

CHUTE

ROUND

DOOR

GRASS

CATCHER

CROSSBAR

MULCHER

DOOR

KNOB

REAR HANDLE

THREADED

STUD

• Mower is now ready for side discharging operation.

• To convert to mulching operation, side dis charge de-

fl ector must be removed and mulcher door secured to

mower housing with knob.

• To convert to rear bagging operation, side discharge

defl ector must be removed; discharge chute and grass

catcher installed and discharge chute secured to mower

housing with knob.

FIG. 9

SIDE

DISCHARGE

DEFLECTOR

KNOBMULCHER

DOOR

THREADED

STUD