MTD Edger 520, Edger 551, Edger 550 Operator's Manual
Operator’s Manual
Edger
Models 520
550
551
Model 550 and 551 Shown
IMPORTANT: READ SAFETY RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY
Warning: This unit is equipped with an internal combustion engine and should not be used on or near any unimproved forest-
covered, brush-covered or grass-covered land unless the engine’s exhaust system is equipped with a spark arrester meeting
applicable local or state laws (if any). If a spark arrester is used, it should be maintained in effective working order by the operator.
In the State of California the above is required by law (Section 4442 of the California Public Resources Code). Other states may have
similar laws. Federal laws apply on federal lands. A spark arrester for the muffler is available through your nearest engine authorized
service dealer or contact the service department, P.O. Box 361131 Cleveland, Ohio 44136-0019.
MTD LLC, P.O. BOX 361131 CLEVELAND, OHIO 44136-0019
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
FORM NO.
769-00527C.fm
(10/03)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Content Page
Important Safe Operation Practices 3
Assembling Your Edger 5
Know Your Edger 6
Operating Your Edger 7
Making Adjustments 8
Content Page
Maintaining And Servicing Your Edger 10
Off Season Storage 12
Trouble Shooting 12
Illustrated Parts List 13
Warranty 20
FINDING MODEL NUMBER
This Operator’s Manual is an important part of your new lawn mower. It will help you assemble, prepare and
maintain the unit for best performance. Please read and understand what it says.
Before you start assembling your new equipment, p lease locate the model plate on th e
equipment and copy the information from it in the space pr ovided below. A sample model plate is
also given below. You can locate the model plate by standing at the operating position an d
looking down at the rear of the deck. This information will be necessary to use the
manufacturer’s web site and/or help from the Customer Suppor t Department or an authorized
service dealer.
Copy the model number here:
www.mtdproducts.com
MTD LLC
P. O. BOX
CLEVELAND,OH
330-220-4683
800-800-7310
361131
44136
Copy the serial number here:
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
Please do NOT return the unit to the retailer from where it was purchased, without first contacting Customer Support.
If you have difficulty assembling this product or have any questions regarding the controls, opera tion or
maintenance of this unit, you can seek help from the experts. Choose from the options below:
Visit mtdproducts.com for many useful suggestions. Click on Customer Support button and
you will get the four options reproduced here. Click on the appr opriate button and help is
immediately available.
The answer you are
looking for could be just
a mouse click away!
If you prefer to reach a Customer Support Representat ive, please call 1-800-800-7310.
The answer you are
looking for could be just
a mouse click away!
Engine
Manual
The engine manufactur er is responsible for all engine-related issu es with regards to
performance, power-rating, specifica tions, warranty and service. Please re fer to the engine
manufacturer’s Owner’s/Operator’s Manual, packed separately with your unit, for more
information.
2
SECTION 1: IMPORTANT SAFE OPERATION PRACTICES
WARNING: THIS SYMBOL POINTS OUT IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS WHICH, IF NOT
FOLLOWED, COULD ENDANGER THE PERSONAL SAFETY AND/OR PROPERTY OF YOURSELF
AND OTHERS. READ AND FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS IN THIS MANUAL BEFORE ATTEMPTING
TO OPERATE THIS MACHINE. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THESE INSTRUCTIONS MAY RESULT
IN PERSONAL INJURY. WHEN YOU SEE THIS SYMBOL — HEED ITS WARNING.
WARNING: The Engine Exhaust from this product contains chemicals known to the
State of California to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.
DANGER: This machine was built to be operated according to the rules for safe operation in this manual. As with
any type of power equipment, carelessness or err or on the part of the o perator can result in serious in jury.
If you violate any of these rules, you may cause serious injury to yourself or others.
TRAINING
1. Read, understand, and follow all instructions on the
machine and in the manual(s) before attempting to
assemble and operate. Keep this manual in a safe
place for future and regu lar reference a nd for
ordering replacement parts.
2. Be familiar with all controls and their proper
operation. Know how to stop the machine and
disengage them quickly.
3. Never allow children under 14 years old to operate
this machine. Children 14 years old and over
should read and understand the operation
instructions and safety rules in this manual and
should be trained and supervised by a parent.
4. Never allow adults to operate this m achine without
proper instruction.
5. To help avoid blade contact or a thrown object
injury, keep bystanders, helpers, children and pets
at least 75 feet from the machine while it is in
operation. Stop machine if anyone enters the area.
PREPARATION
1. Thoroughly inspect the area where the equipment
is to be used. Remove all stones, sticks, wire,
bones, toys and other foreign objects which could
be tripped over or picked up and thrown by the
blade. Thrown objects can cause serious personal
injury.
2. 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.
3. Wear sturdy, rough-soled work shoes a nd closefitting slacks and shirts. Shirts and pants that cover
the arms and legs and steel-toed shoes are
recommended. Never operate this ma chine in bare
feet, sandals, slippery or light weight (e.g. canvas)
shoes.
4. Never attempt to make any adjustments while the
engine is running, except where specifically
recommended in the operator’s manual.
5. To avoid personal injury or property damage use
extreme care in handling gasoline. Gasoline is
extremely flammable and the vapors are explosive.
Serious personal injury can occur when gasoline is
spilled on yourself or your clothes which can ignite.
Washer your skin and change clothes immediately.
a. Use only an approved gasoline containe r.
b. Extinguish all cigarettes, cigars, pipes and
other sources of ignition.
c. Never fuel machine indoors.
d. Never remove gas cap or add fuel while the
engine is hot or running.
e. Allow engine to cool at least two minutes
before refueling.
f. Never over fill fuel tank. Fill tank to no more
than ½ inch below bottom of filler neck to
provide space for fuel expansion.
g. Replace gasoline cap and tighten securely.
h. If gasoline is spilled, wipe it off the engine
and equipment. Move unit to another area.
Wait five minutes before starting the engine.
i. Never store the machine or fuel container
inside where there is an open flame, spark or
pilot light as on a water heater, space heater,
furnace,clothes dryer or other gas
appliances.
j. Allow machine to cool at least 5 minutes
before storing.
OPERATION
1. Do not put hands or feet near rotating parts.
Contact with the rotating blade can amputate hands
and feet.
2. The blade control handle is a safety device. Never
bypass its operation. Doing so, makes the machine
unsafe and may cause personal injury.
3. Never operate without blade guard, debris shield
and blade control handle in place and working.
3
4. Never operate with damaged safety devices.
Failure to do so, can result in personal injury.
5. Never run an engine indoors or in a poorly
ventilated area. Engine exhaust contains carbon
monoxide, an odorless and deadly gas.
6. Do not operate machine while under the influence
of alcohol or drugs.
7. Muffler and engine become hot and can cause a
burn. Do not touch.
8. Never operate this machine without good visibility
or light. Always be sure of your footing and keep a
firm hold on the handles. Walk, never r un.
9. Do not operate this machine if it has been dropped
or damaged. Return machine to your nearest
authorized servicing dealer for examination and
repair.
10. Do not operate this machine with a damaged or
excessively worn cutting blade.
11. Never attempt to clear material from the blade
guard while the engine is running. Sh ut the engine
off, disconnect the spark plug wire and ground
against the engine to prevent unintended starting.
12. Do not overload machine capacity by attempting to
edge at too fast of a rate.
13. Stay alert for uneven sidewalks, terrain etc. Always
push slowly over rough surfaces. Do not use this
machine on gravel surfaces.
14. Do not operate machine in rain or wet soil
conditions.
15. Always operate machine from behind the handle s
and position yourself where the direct line of sight
to cutting blade is blocked by guards.
16. Always stop engine when edging or trimming is
delayed or when transporting machine from one
location to another.
17. Never leave a running machine unattende d. Stop
the engine, disconnect spark plug wire and gr ound
against the engine to prevent unintended starting.
18. Only use parts and accessories made for this
machine by the manufacturer. Failure to do so, can
result in personal injury.
19. If situations occur which are not covered in this
manual, use care and good judgment. Contact an
authorized MTD service dealer or telephone 1-800-
800-7310.
MAINTENANCE AND STORAGE
1. Never tamper with safety devices. Check their
proper operation regularly.
2. Before cleaning, repairing, or inspecting,
disconnect the spark plug wire and ground against
the engine to prevent unintended start ing.
3. Check bolts, and screws for proper t ightness at
frequent intervals to keep the mach ine in safe
working condition. Also, visually inspect machine
for any damage.
4. Do not change the engine governor setting or overspeed the engine. The governor controls the
maximum safe operating speed of the engine.
5. The blade, blade guard and de bris shield are
subject to wear and damage. For you r safety
protection, frequently check all components and
replace with original equipment manufacturer’s
(O.E.M.) parts only. “Use of parts which do not
meet the original equipment specifications may
lead to improper performance and compromise
safety!”
6. Maintain or replace safety and instruction labels, as
necessary.
7. Observe proper disposal laws and regulations for
gas, oil, etc. to protect the environment.
8. Never store the machine or fuel container inside
where there is an open flame, spark or pilot light
such as a water heater, furnace,clothes dryer etc.
9.
Always refer to the operator’s manual for proper
instructions on off-season storage.
WARNING: YOUR RESPONSIBILITY
Restrict the use of this power machine to persons who read, understand and follow the warnings
and instructions in this manual and on the machine.
KEEP AWAY — ROTATING BLADE
Figure 1
4
SECTION 2: ASSEMBLING YOUR EDGER
IMPORTANT:
GASOLINE or OIL. After setting up the unit, service
engine with gasoline and oil as instructed in the
separate engine manual packed with your unit.
NOTE: Reference to right or left hand side of the edger
is observed from the operating position.
This unit is shipped WITHOUT
Grounding the Engine’s Spark Plug
• Disconnect the spark plug wire from the spark plug.
Positioning the Edger Handles
• Remove and discard any packaging cardboard that
may be present between the upper handle and the
lower handle.
• Depress the blade control bail at the top of the
upper handle and pivot the upper handle upwar d
until it snaps into place.
• Tighten the wing knobs which are located on both
the left and right sides of the handle. See Figur e 2 .
Wing Knobs
Upper Handle
Upper Handle
Blade Control Bail
Rope Guide
Wing Knob
Figure 3
IMPORTANT:
wire is properly grounded as instructed earlier in this
section before proceeding on to the next step.
• Stand behind the unit and hold the blade control
bail against the upper handle and gently pull the
starter rope out of the engine.
Make certain that the engine’s spark plug
Lower Handle
Figure 2
Attaching the Starter Rope
• Locate the eyebolt found on the right side of the
upper handle.
• Loosen, but do NOT remove, the wing knob which
secures the rope guide to the upper handle. See
Figure 3.
WARNING: The edger blade WILL rotate
when the starter rope is pulled.
NOTE: The starter rope will not pull out of the engine
unless the blade control bail (refer to Figure 3) is
depressed against the upper handle.
• Slip the starter rope through the top of the rope
guide.
• Retighten the wing knob which secures the rope
guide to the upper handle.
5
SECTION 3: KNOW YOUR EDGER
Pull Rope / Recoil Starter
Curb Height
Adjustment Lever
(If Equipped)
Primer
NOTE:
Wheel and blade styles vary by model. Yours may differ slightly.
Model 550 and 551 Shown.
Blade Control Bail
Blade Depth
Control Lever
(Transport Position Shown)
Bevel Adjustment
Lever
(If Equipped)
Spindle Sheaves Belt Guard
Figure 4
WARNING: Be familiar with all controls
and their proper operation. Know how to
stop the machine and disengage them
quickly.
NOTE: Refer to the Engine Manual packed with your
edger for a detailed description of all engine-related
controls and components.
Pull Rope / Recoil Starter
The pull rope/recoil starter is used to start the engine.
Primer
The primer is used to pump gas into the carburetor and
aid in starting the engine. Use it to start a cold engine,
but do not use it to restart a warm engine after a short
shutdown.
NOTE: Refer to the Engine Manual packed with your
edger for a detailed description of all engine-related
controls and components.
Blade Control Bail
Located on the upper handle, the blade control bail
must be depressed against the upper handle in order to
operate the unit. Releasing the blade control stops the
engine and the edger blade. See Figure 4.
Blade Depth Control Lever
The blade depth control lever is located on the right
side of the upper handle. It is used to control the depth
of the cut. The further forward the blade depth control
lever is moved, the deeper into the soil the edger blade
will cut. See Figure 4.
Bevel Adjustment Lever (if so equipped)
The bevel adjustment lever, if so equipped, is locate d
on the front, left portion of the edger, behind the edger
blade. It is used to vary the angle of the edger blad e
between one of three positions for edging/trenching or
beveled edging. See Figure 4.
Curb Height Adjustment Lever
(if so equipped)
The curb height adjustment lever, if so equipped, is
found on the rear portion of the edger.When placed in
an applicable notch, it aids in stabilizing the edger while
edging grass along a curb. See Figure 4.
IMPORTANT:
before operating the edger.
Become familiar with all the controls
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