Poulan 172787 User Manual
SELF-PROPELLED
ROTARY LAWN MOWER
172787 Rev. 7 05.15.03 BY Printed in U.S.A.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Safety Rules ..........................................2-3
Assembly...............................................4-8
Operation.............................................9-17
Maintenance......................................18-21
Service and Adjustments...................21-25
Storage..............................................25-26
Troubleshooting .................................27-28
SAFETY RULES
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.
Look for this symbol to point out
im por tant safety precautions. It means
CAU TION!!! BECOME ALERT!!!
YOUR SAFE TY IS INVOLVED.
WARNING: In order to prevent ac ci den tal starting when setting up,
trans port ing, ad just ing or making repairs,
always dis con nect spark plug wire and
place wire where it can not contact plug.
WARNING: Engine exhaust, some of its
constituents, 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.
WARNING: Battery posts, terminals and
related accessories 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.
I. GENERAL OPERATION
• Read, understand, and follow all
in struc tions 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 dis charge opening at all times.
• Only allow responsible individuals, who
are familiar with the in struc tions, 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 mowing. Stop ma chine if anyone
enters the area.
• Do not operate the mower when bare foot or wearing open sandals. Al ways
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
oth er 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 grav el
drives, walks, or roads.
• Stop the engine (motor) whenever you
leave the equip ment, before clean ing the
mower or unclogging the chute.
• Shut the engine (motor) off and wait until
the blade comes to complete stop before
removing grass catcher.
• 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 mech a nism
or drive clutch on mowers so equipped
before starting the engine (motor).
• If the equipment should start to vi brate
abnormally, stop the engine (motor) and
check immediately for the cause. Vibration is generally a warning of trouble.
• Always wear safety goggles or safe ty
glasses with side shields when op er at ing
mower.
2
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: nev er
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 op er a tor
is not alert to the presence of children.
Children are often attracted to the ma chine
Never
and the mowing activity.
that children will remain where you last
saw them.
• Keep children out of the trimming area
and under the watchful care of an oth er
re spon si ble adult.
• Be alert and turn machine off if chil dren
enter the area.
• Before and while walking back wards,
down
look behind and
• Never allow children to operate the machine.
• Use extra care when approaching blind
corners, shrubs, trees, or other objects
that may obscure vision.
for small chil dren.
assume
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 machine inside a closed area.
• Never make adjustments or repairs with
the engine (motor) running. Dis con nect the
spark plug wire, and keep the wire away
from the plug to prevent ac ci den tal star ting.
• Keep nuts and bolts, especially blade
attachment bolts, tight and keep equipment in good condition.
• Never tamper with safety devices. Check
their proper operation reg u lar ly.
• 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 nec es sary,
before restarting.
• Never attempt to make wheel height adjustments while the engine (mo tor) is running.
• Grass catcher components are sub ject
to wear, dam age, and de te ri o ra tion,
which could expose moving parts or
allow objects to be thrown. Frequently
check com po nents and replace with
man u fac tur er’s recommended parts,
when necessary.
• Mower blades are sharp and can cut.
Wrap the blade(s) or wear gloves, and
use extra caution when ser vic ing them.
• Do not change the engine governor setting or overspeed the engine.
CONGRATULATIONS on your purchase of a new Lawn Mower. It has been designed,
en gi neered and manu fac tured to give you the best pos sible de penda bil ity and per form ance.
Should you experience any prob lems you can not easily remedy, please contact your
nearest authorized service center. They have com pe tent, well trained tech ni cians and
the proper tools to service or repair this unit.
• Read the SAFETY RULES and this Operator's Manual in its entirety before you attempt to assemble or operate your new lawn mower to insure proper operation and to
prevent injury to yourself and others. Save this manual for future reference.
• Your new lawn mower has been assembled at the factory with the exception of those
parts left unassembled for shipping purposes. To ensure safe and proper operation
of your lawn mower, all parts and hardware you assemble must be tightened securely.
Use the correct tools as necessary to ensure proper tightness.
• All parts such as nuts, washers, bolts, etc., necessary to complete the assembly have
been placed in the parts bag.
3
02584-bs_quantum
02583-bs_classic
01737-honda
TO REMOVE MOWER FROM CARTON
02579-briggs
• Remove all loose parts from carton.
• Remove lawn mower hous ing with care. Avoid touch ing blade under hous ing. Always
wear gloves or other protection when working under or lifting mower.
THINGS TO KNOW BE FORE YOU ASSEMBLE OR OPERATE YOUR LAWN
MOW ER
Do I have a side or rear discharge lawn
mower?
Look for the grass discharge opening on
your mower. If the opening is on the right
side of the mower housing, it is a side
discharge mower. If the opening is at the
back of the mower housing, it is a rear discharge mower. Only rear discharge lawn
mowers have a grass catcher in clud ed with
the mower. Approved grass catchers for
side discharge mow ers may be purchased
from your nearest au tho rized dealer.
Do I have a mulching lawn mower?
Look for the grass discharge opening on
your mower. Raise the discharge guard
(rear door on rear discharge mowers). If
the opening is closed off by a plate, then
your lawn mower is mulcher ready. To
convert to a discharging mower, see the
Operation section of this manual.
FRONT
What is the right and left side of the
lawn mower?
When right hand (RH) or left hand (LH) is
mentioned in this man ual, it means when
you are in the operating po si tion (stand ing
be hind the handle).
What kind of engine is on my lawn
mower?
When learning how to operate your new
lawn mower, you will need to know what
kind of engine powers the mower. A decal
on the engine will indicate the man u fac tur er and type or brand name of the
engine.
BRIGGS & STRATTON ENGINES
02579-briggs
02585-bs_sprint
02579-briggs
LEFT
HAND
SIDE
BACK or REAR
(Op er at ing Position)
RIGHT
HAND
SIDE
ASSEMBLY
CAUTION: Do not operate this lawn
mower without the discharge guard or an
entire approved grass catcher in place.
These guards are for your protection and
are required by the American National
Standards Institute and Consumer Products Safety Com mis sion.
CAUTION: Disconnect spark plug wire
from spark plug and place wire where it
cannot come in contact with spark plug.
TECUMSEH
EN GINES
®
HONDA
ENGINES
HOW TO SET UP YOUR LAWN
MOW ER
UNFOLD HANDLE
IMPORTANT: Unfold handle carefully so
as not to pinch or damage con trol cables.
2 POSITION / “ADJUSTABLE” HANDLES
• Raise handles until lower handle section
locks into place in operating position.
4
Operator presence
control bar
Upper handle
LIFT
UP
LIFT UP
Mowing
position
Lower handle
3 POSITION “EURO” / “EZ” HANDLES
• Raise lower handle section to operating
position and align hole in handle with
one of three height positioning holes.
• Insert handle bolt through handle and
bracket and secure with knob.
• Repeat for opposite side of handle.
3 POSITION “EURO”
Handle
adjustment
bracket
Knob
Bolt
3 POSITION “QUICK” HANDLES
• 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.
3 POSITION “QUICK”
Handle pin
SQUEEZE
Handle
ad just ment
bracket
ALL HANDLES
• Raise upper handle section into place on
lower han dle, remove protective padding
and tighten both handle knobs.
• Remove handle padding holding operator pres ence control bar to upper handle.
• Your lawn mower handle can be adjusted for your mowing comfort. Refer to
“ADJUST HANDLE” in the Service and
Adjustments section of this manual.
NOTE: For shipping purposes, the rear
wheels on your lawn mower may not be
adjusted to the same position as the front
wheels. Before operating mower adjust all
wheels to the same cutting height.
Knob
3 POSITION “EZ”
Bolt
Handle
ad just ment
brack et
INSTALL REAR WHEELS
(HIGH WHEEL MOWERS ONLY)
Some high wheel models require wash ers
which will be pro vid ed in a parts bag. If provided, install washers on the axle fi rst as shown.
• Install one (1) rear wheel on the axle of
rear wheel adjuster.
• Install 3/8-16 locknut and tighten securely.
• Repeat procedure for other rear wheel.
Flanged
locknut
5
Wheel
assembly
Axle
Wave
Washers
AS SEM BLE GRASS CATCHER
(REAR DISCHARGE MOWERS ONLY)
IMPORTANT: If your model lawn mower
is mulcher ready, the mulcher plate or plug
must be removed before using mower as
a bagger. To convert mower to bagging or
discharging, see the Operation section in
this manual.
Look at the different grass catcher illustrations that follow. Determine which type
of grass catcher you have and follow the
appropriate instructions.
“FABRIC TOP” GRASS CATCHERS
TO ASSEMBLE AND ATTACH GRASS
CATCH ER
• Put grass catcher frame into grass bag
with rigid part of bag on the bottom.
• 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.
• Lift the rear door on the mower housing.
• For HINGE BRACKET mounted catcher,
place the grass catch er frame onto the
formed tabs on the rear door hinge
bracket.
• For HANDLE BRACKET mounted
catcher, place frame side hooks into
slots in handle brackets.
• For DOOR PIVOT PIN mounted catcher,
place the grass catcher frame hooks
onto the door pivot pins.
• For DOOR SLOT mounted catcher,
place the grass catcher frame hooks into
the slots of the rear door.
NOTE: The grass catcher is secured to the
lawn mower housing when the rear door is
lowered onto the grass catcher frame.
HINGE BRACKET MOUNTED
Hinge bracket
Formed tabs
HANDLE BRACKET MOUNTED
Handle bracket hooks Rear
door
Catcher frame side hook
DOOR PIVOT PIN MOUNTED
Pivot pins Grass
Rear
door
Rear door
Grass
catcher
frame
Grass
catcher
handle
catcher
handle
Catcher frame
Vinyl
bindings
Catcher frame hook
DOOR SLOT MOUNTED
Rear door slots
Grass
catcher
han dle
Rigid
bottom
Catcher frame hook
6
“HARD TOP” GRASS CATCH ER
ASSEMBLE FRAME AND BAG
• Thread upper tubular frame into hem of
bag as shown. Be sure angled ends of
frame point downwards.
• Slip lower frame into tubular upper frame
as shown.
• Slip vinyl bindings over frame.
• Install two (2) blunt pointed screws in
front holes and tighten securely.
Sharp pointed screws
(Rear and side holes)
PULL CATCH ER
BAG FOR WAR D T
REMO
VE SLACK
Catcher bag and frame
O
Blunt pointed screws
Catcher top
(Front holes)
Hem
Start here
Upper tubular frame
Upper tubular
frame
Vinyl bindings
Lower frame
ASSEMBLE TOP TO FRAME AND BAG
NOTE: For ease of assembly, place
catcher top upside down on work sur face.
• Nest bag and frame assembly into
catcher top.
• Install two (2) sharp pointed screws into
rear holes fi rst
and tighten se cure ly.
• Pull catcher bag forward on frame to
remove slack.
• Install two (2) remaining sharp point ed
screws in side holes and tighten securely.
• Align lower frame and catcher top front
holes.
TO ATTACH HARD TOP CATCHER
• Open the rear door on mower hous ing.
• Place frame side hooks into slots in
handle brackets.
• Release rear door, allowing it to nest into
top of catcher.
Rear door
Grass catcher
frame hook
CAUTION: Under normal usage, the
Handle bracket
slots
catcher material is subject to de te ri o ra tion
and wear and should, therefore, be
checked frequently for replacement. Any
replacement catcher should be checked to
ensure compliance with original man u fac tur er's spec i fi ca tions.
CAUTION: Do not run lawn mower
with out the discharge guard (rear door),
approved grass catcher, clipping de fl ec tor
or mulcher plate in place. Never attempt
to operate mower with the dis charge guard
(rear door) removed or propped open.
7
SPARK PLUG BOOT
On some models a spark plug boot is
packed loose in the parts bag. If your
model has the boot, install on spark plug
wire and reconnect spark plug wire to
spark plug.
Spark plug
IMPORTANT: The engine alternator will
not charge a discharged battery.
ALL UNITS:
At the end of the mowing season the
battery should be charged for 48 hours to
protect the battery during winter storage.
CAUTION: Always dis con nect the
en gine connector (male) from the battery
connector (female) to prevent ac ci den tal
start ing when trans port ing or stor ing your
lawn mower after the season.
HANDLE-MOUNTED KEY SWITCH
Boot
TO PRE PARE BATTERY
(ELECTRIC START MODELS ONLY)
NOTE: Your battery must be charged
before you can start your lawn mower.
UNITS WITH HANDLE-MOUNTED KEY
SWITCH ONLY:
• Con nect battery charger con nec tor
(male) to harness con nec tor (fe male).
UNITS WITH DECK-MOUNTED BATTERY
or TRIMPLATE-MOUNTED KEY SWITCH:
• Disconnect engine connector (male)
from battery con nec tor (female).
• Connect battery charger connector
(male) to bat tery connector (fe male).
ALL UNITS:
• Plug battery charger into 110 volt A.C.
outlet.
• Leave battery charger connected for 24
hours before starting your engine for the
fi rst time.
UNITS WITH HANDLE-MOUNTED KEY
SWITCH ONLY:
• After charging, disconnect harness
connector (female) from bat tery charger
connector (male).
Connect your battery charger to charge
battery after each use.
IMPORTANT: The engine will not recharge
your battery.
Engine
connector
(male)
Battery
charger
connector (male)
Harness
connector
(female)
Charger
DECK-MOUNTED BATTERY
Engine
connector
(Male)
connector
Battery connector (Female)
TRIMPLATE-MOUNTED KEY SWITCH
Charger connector
(male)
Battery connector
(female)
Battery
charger
Battery
charger
(Male)
UNITS WITH DECK-MOUNTED BATTERY
or TRIMPLATE-MOUNTED KEY SWITCH:
• After charging, connect engine con nec tor
(male) to bat tery connector (female).
Your engine has an integral alternator for
partial charging. Connect your battery
charger to charge battery as re quired.
Engine
connector (male)
8
Battery charger
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 ad just ments or repairs. We recommend standard safety glasses or a wide
vision safety mask worn over spectacles.
HOW TO USE YOUR LAWN MOWER
ENGINE SPEED CONTROL
MODELS WITH REMOTE THROTTLE
Engine speed is con trolled by the throttle
control located on the upper handle.
• Move lever forward to FAST engine
speed for start ing and better bagging.
• Move lever backward for SLOW engine
speed.
• Some models have engines equipped
with a choke feature. Move the lever all
the way forward to the CHOKE position
when starting a cold engine.
BRIGGS & STRATTON CLASSIC or SPRINT
ENGINE MOUNTED SPEED CONTROL
Spark
plug
Engine
speed
Primer (if equipped)
BRIGGS & STRATTON QUANTUM
ENGINE MOUNTED SPEED CONTROL
Engine speed control lever
control lever
Primer (if
equipped)
FAST
SLOW
CHOKE
(START)
Remote
throttle
control
MODELS WITH ENGINE MOUNTED
SPEED CONTROL
The engine speed is controlled by a lever
located at the carburetor on the engine.
HIGH or FAST position is for starting
en gine, normal cutting and better grass
bag ging. LOW or SLOW position is for
light cutting, trimming and fuel economy.
TECUMSEH
ENGINE MOUNTED SPEED CONTROL
Engine speed
control lever
Primer (if equipped)
MODELS WITH FIXED SPEED ENGINES
Engine speed was set at the factory for
optimum per form ance. Engine speed is
not adjustable.
9
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