See appropriate section in manual unless directed to an authorized
Service Center.
PROBLEM CAUSE CORRECTION
Grass catcher 1. Cutting height too low. 1. Raise cutting height.
not filling 2. Lift on blade worn off. 2. Replace blade.
(If so equipped) 3. Catcher not venting air. 3. Clean grass catcher.
Hard to push 1. Grass is too high or wheel 1. Raise cutting height.
height is too low.
2. Rear of lawn mower 2. Raise rear of lawn mower
housing or cutting blade housing one (1) setting
dragging in grass. higher.
3. Grass catcher too full. 3. Empty grass catcher.
4. Handle height position not 4. Adjust handle height to suit.
right for you.
Loss of drive 1. Belt wear. 1. Check/replace drive belt.
or slowing of 2. Belt off of pulley. 2. Check/reinstall drive belt.
drive speed 3. Drive cable worn or broken. 3. Replace drive cable.
4. “Loose” drive control system. 4. Adjust drive control.
SELF-PROPELLED ROTARY
LAWN MOWER
115 58 78-27 Rev. 4
04.23.15 BY Printed in U.S.A.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Safety Rules ..................2-4
Assembly .......................5-9
Operation ..................10-21
Maintenance ..............22-26
Service and
Adjustments ..............27-33
SAFETY RULES
IMPORTANT: This cutting machine is
capable of amputating hands and feet and
throwing 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 come in contact with plug.
CAUTION: Muffler 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.
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.
WARNING: This lawn mower is
equipped with an internal com bus tion
engine and should not be used on or near
any un im proved forest-covered, brushcovered or grass-cov ered 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
Sears Parts & Repair Center (See the REPAIR PARTS section of this manual).
Storage ......................33-35
Troubleshooting ........35-36
I. CHILDREN
WARNING: CHILDREN CAN
BE SERIOUSLY INJURED OR
KILLED BY THIS EQUIPMENT.
Carefully read and follow all of
the safety instructions below.
The American Academy of Pediatrics
recommends that children be a minimum
of 12 year of age before operating a
pedestrian controlled lawn mower and a
minimum of 16 years of age before operating a riding lawn mower.
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 and the
mowing activity. Never assume that children
will remain where you last saw them.
• Keep children out of the mowing area
and under the watchful care of a re spon si ble adult other than the operator.
• Be alert and turn machine off if chil dren
enter the area.
• Before and while walking back wards, look
behind and down for small chil dren.
• Never allow children to operate the
machine.
II. 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
blade. Stay behind the handle when the
engine (motor) is running.
• Be sure the area is clear of other people
before mowing. Stop ma chine if anyone
enters the area.
• Do not operate machine bare footed or
while wearing sandals. Al ways wear
substantial footwear with good ankle
support while mowing.
2
TROUBLESHOOTING
See appropriate section in manual unless directed to an authorized
Service Center.
PROBLEM CAUSE CORRECTION
Does not start 1. Dirty air filter. 1. Clean/replace air filter.
2. Out of fuel. 2. Fill fuel tank.
3. Stale fuel. 3. Drain fuel tank and refill tank
with fresh, clean gasoline.
4. Water in fuel. 4. Drain fuel tank and refill tank
with fresh, clean gasoline.
5. Spark plug wire is 5. Connect wire to plug.
disconnected.
6. Bad spark plug. 6. Replace spark plug.
7. Loose blade or broken 7. Tighten blade bolt or
blade adapter. replace blade adapter.
8. Control bar in released 8. Depress control bar to
position. handle.
9. Control bar defective. 9. Replace control bar.
10. Fuel valve lever (if so 10. Turn fuel valve lever
equipped) in OFF position. to the ON position.
4. Blade dragging in grass. 4. Move lawn mower to cut
grass or to hard surface.
35
STORAGE
SAFETY RULES
Operator
presence
control bar
FOLD
FORWARD
FOR
STORAGE
MOWING
POSITION
Upper
handle
Upper handle
“quick-adjust”
knob
Lower handle
Lower handle
“standard” knob
ENGINE
FUEL SYS TEM
IMPORTANT: It is important to prevent
gum deposits from forming in essential fuel
system parts such as carburetor, fuel filter,
fuel hose, or tank during storage. Alcohol
blended fuels (called gasohol or using ethanol or methanol) can attract moisture which
leads to separation and formation of acids
during storage. Acidic gas can damage the
fuel system of an engine while in storage.
• Drain the fuel tank.
• Start the engine and let it run until the
fuel lines and car bu re tor are empty.
• Never use engine or carburetor cleaner
prod ucts in the fuel tank or permanent
damage may occur.
• Use fresh fuel next season.
NOTE: Fuel stabilizer is an acceptable alternative in min i miz ing the formation of fuel
gum deposits during stor age. Add stabilizer
to gasoline in fuel tank or storage container.
Always follow the mix ratio found on stabilizer
container. Run engine at least 10 min utes
after adding stabilizer to allow the stabilizer
to reach the car bu re tor. Do not drain the gas
tank and car bu re tor if using fuel stabilizer.
ENGINE OIL
Drain oil (with engine warm) and replace
with clean oil. (See “ENGINE” in the Maintenance section of this manual).
CYLINDER
• Remove spark plug.
• Pour one ounce (29 ml) of oil through
spark plug hole into cylinder.
• Pull starter handle slowly to dis trib ute
oil.
• Replace with new spark plug.
BATTERY (IF EQUIPPED)
Disconnect the battery from the engine
connector and charge battery 48 hours.
OTHER
• Do not store gasoline from one sea son
to another.
• Replace your gasoline can if your can
starts to rust. Rust and/or dirt in your
gasoline will cause problems.
• If possible, store your unit indoors and
cover it to protect it from dust and dirt.
• Cover your unit with a suitable pro tec tive cover that does not retain mois ture.
Do not use plastic. Plas tic cannot
breathe, which allows con den sa tion to
form and will cause your unit to rust.
IMPORTANT: Never cover mower while
engine and exhaust areas are still warm.
CAUTION: Never store the lawn mow er
with gaso line in the tank in side a build ing
where fumes may reach an open flame
or spark. Allow the engine to cool before
storing in any en clo sure.
34
• Do not pull mower backwards unless
absolutely nec es sary. Always look down
and behind before and while moving
backwards.
• Never direct discharged material toward
anyone. Avoid discharging material
against a wall or obstruction. Material
may richochet back toward the operator. Stop blade when crossing gravel
surfaces.
• 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.
• Never leave a running machine unattended.
• Stop the engine (motor) and wait until
the blade comes to a complete stop
before clean ing the machine, removing
the grass catcher, or unclogging the
discharge chute.
• Mow only in daylight or good artificial
light.
• Do not operate the machine while under
the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Never operate machine in wet grass.
Always be sure of your footing: keep a
firm hold on the handle; walk, never run.
• Disengage the drive system, if 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 eye protection when op er at ing machine.
• Use extra care when approaching blind
corners, shrubs, trees, or other objects
that may obscure vision.
• When loading or unloading this machine, do not exceed the maximum
recommended operation angle of 15°.
• Wear proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) while operating this machine, including (at a minimum) sturdy
footwear, eye protection, and hearing
protection. Do not mow in shorts or
open toed footwear.
Always let someone know you are outside
mowing.
III. SLOPE OPERATION
Slopes are a major factor related to slip &
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, bumps or hidden objects. Uneven terrain could cause a slip and
fall accident. Tall grass can hide obstacles.
DO NOT:
• Do not mow near drop-offs, ditches or
embankments. You could lose your footing or balance.
• Do not mow on wet grass or excessively
steep slopes. Poor footing could cause
a slip and fall accident.
IV. SAFE HANDLING OF GASOLINE
To avoid personal injury or property damage, use extreme care in handling gasoline. Gasoline is extremely flammable and
the vapors are explosive.
• Extinguish all cigarettes, cigars, pipes
and other sources of ignition.
• Use only an approved container.
• Never remove gas cap or add fuel with
the engine running.
• Allow engine to cool before refueling.
• Never refuel the machine indoors.
• Never store the machine or fuel container where there is an open flame, spark
or pilot light such as a water heater or
on other appliances.
• Never fill containers inside a vehicle, on
a truck or trailer bed with a plastic liner.
Always place containers on the ground
away from your vehicle before filling.
• Remove gas-powered equipment from
the truck or trailer and refuel it on the
ground. If this is not possible, then
refuel such equipment with a portable
container, rather than from a gasoline
dispenser nozzle.
• Keep the nozzle in contact with the rim
of the fuel tank or container opening at
all times until fueling is complete. Do
not use a nozzle lock-open device.
• If fuel is spilled on clothing, change
clothing immediately.
• Never overfill fuel tank. Replace gas
cap and tighten securely.
3
SAFETY RULES
V. GENERAL SERVICE
• Never run a 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 starting.
• Keep all nuts and bolts tight to be sure
the equipment is in safe working condition.
• Never tamper with safety devices.
Check their proper operation reg u lar ly.
Never do anything to interfere with the
intended function of a safety device or
reduce the protection provided by a
safety device.
• Keep machine free of grass, leaves, or
other debris build-up. Clean oil or fuel
spillage. Allow machine to cool before
storing.
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.
• 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 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.
• Maintain or replace safety and instruction labels, as necessary.
TO REMOVE LAWN MOWER FROM CARTON
• 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.
4
STORAGE
3 POSITION “QUICK”
SQUEEZE
Handle
ad just ment
bracket
Operator
presence
control bar
FOLD
FORWARD
FOR
STORAGE
“QUICK-RELEASE” HANDLES
You can fold your lawn mower han dle for
storage.
ON 18" HI-VAC MODELS ONLY:
1. Loosen the two (2) handle levers on
sides of the upper handle and allow
handle to fold down to the rear.
2. Move height adjustment lever forward
to raise mower to highest position.
3. Loosen handle bolts (on both sides),
then pivot entire handle as sem bly
forward and allow it to rest on mower.
Handle pin
MOWING
POSITION
Upper
handle
Handle
knob
Lower handle
Operator
presence
control bar
FOLD
FORWARD
FOR
STORAGE
Height
adjuster lever
(18" Hi-Vac
models only)
LEVER
FORWARD
TO RAISE
MOWER
MOWING
POSITION
Handle
Handle
ON ALL OTHER MODELS:
1. Loosen the two “quick-adjust” handle
knobs on sides of the upper handle
and allow handle to fold down to the
rear.
2. Loosen the two “standard” handle
knobs on sides of the lower handle
and pivot entire handle as sem bly forward and allow it to rest on mower.
3. Reinstall “standard” knobs and carriage bolts to lower handle or handle
brackets for safe keeping.
• When setting up your handle from the
storage position, the lower han dle will
automatically lock into the mow ing
position.
IMPORTANT: When folding the handle for
storage or transportation, be sure to fold
the handle as shown or you may damage
the control cables.
33
Upper
handle
lever
Lower
handle
bolt
SERVICE AND ADJUSTMENTS
4. Remove blade bolt, lockwasher, hardened washer and blade.
5. Remove debris shield.
6. Remove gearcase belt keeper.
7. Remove drive belt.
TO REPLACE DRIVE BELT
1. Place new drive belt on gearcase pulley.
NOTE: Always use factory approved belt
to assure proper fit and long life.
2. Reinstall gearcase belt keeper. Be
sure the new drive belt is inside the
tabs of the gearcase belt keeper.
3. Position the blade adapter on the engine crank shaft. Be sure key in adapter
and crankshaft keyway are aligned;
and that the drive belt is inside the tabs
of the belt retainer.
4. Place rear baffle in mower housing.
5. Reinstall debris shield.
6. Reinstall blade.
7. Return mower to upright po si tion.
8. Reinstall rear baffle screws.
STORAGE
Immediately prepare your lawn mower for
storage at the end of the season or if the
unit will not be used for 30 days or more.
CAUTION: Never store the lawn mower
with gaso line in the tank inside a build ing
where fumes may reach an open flame
or spark. Allow the engine to cool before
storing in any enclosure.
LAWN MOWER
When lawn mower is to be stored for a period of time, clean it thor oughly, remove all
dirt, grease, leaves, etc. Store in a clean,
dry area.
• Clean entire lawn mower (See “CLEAN-
ING” in the Maintenance section of this
manual).
• Lubricate as shown in the Main te nance
section of this manual.
• Be sure that all nuts, bolts, screws, and
pins are securely fas tened. Inspect
moving parts for damage, breakage and
wear. Replace if necessary.
• Touch up all rusted or chipped paint
surfaces; sand lightly before painting.
ENGINE
CARBURETOR
The carburetor has been preset at the
factory.
• The air filter must be assembled to the
car bu re tor when running engine.
See the ADJUSTMENT section of your
engine manual for further instructions.
ENGINE SPEED
The engine speed has been factory set.
THROTTLE CONTROL
If it becomes necessary to adjust or replace the throttle control, see the ADJUSTMENT section of your engine man ual.
HANDLE
Your handle may be folded for storage as
shown.
• Squeeze the bottom ends of lower
handle towards each other until handle
clears the handle brackets and swing
handles forward over mower.
• Loosen upper handle mounting hard ware enough to allow upper handle to
be folded back.
IMPORTANT: When folding handles for
storage or transportation, be sure to fold
handles as shown or you may damage the
control cables.
3 POSITION HANDLES
When setting up your handle from the storage position, the lower han dle will require
manually locking into the mowing position.
3 POSITION “EZ”
Bolt
Knob
Handle
bracket
Do I have a mulching lawn mower?
Look for the grass discharge opening on
your mower. Raise the discharge deflector
(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.
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).
FRONT
LEFT
HAND
SIDE
BACK or REAR
(Op er at ing Position)
RIGHT
HAND
SIDE
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
OTHER ENGINES
ASSEMBLY
CAUTION: Do not operate this lawn
mower without the discharge deflector 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 plug.
HOW TO SET UP YOUR MOW ER
UNFOLD HANDLE
IMPORTANT: Unfold handle carefully so
as not to pinch or damage con trol cables.
“QUICK RELEASE” HANDLES
(ON 18" HI-VAC MODELS ONLY)
• Move height adjustment lever forward to
raise mower to highest position.
• Tighten handle bolts (on both sides).
Operator
presence
control bar
LIFT
UP
LIFT
UP
Height
adjuster
lever
Bolt
LEVER FORWARD TO RAISE MOWER
MOWING
POSITION
Upper
handle
Handle
lever
Lower
handle
32
5
ASSEMBLY
SERVICE AND ADJUSTMENTS
“QUICK RELEASE” HANDLES
(ALL OTHER MODELS)
• Raise lower handle section to mowing
position and align holes in lower handle
with holes in handle brackets.
• Insert handle bolts through lower
handles and handle brackets; secure
with lower (“standard”) knobs.
• Remove protective padding, raise upper handle section into place on lower
handle and tighten both upper (“quickadjust”) knobs.
Operator
presence
control bar
LIFT
UP
LIFT
UP
Lower handle knob
MOWING
POSITION
Upper
handle
Upper handle
knob (“quick-
adjust”)
Lower handle
(“standard”)
3 POSITION “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.
Bolt
Knob
Handle
bracket
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.
Handle pin
SQUEEZE
TO REPLACE DRIVE BELT
1. Place new drive belt in the belt retainer
of the debris shield. Be sure to route
belt between belt keepers and through
slot as shown.
18" (45cm) HI-VAC MODELS:
Drive
belt
Debris
shield
Belt
retainers
21" (53cm) HI-VAC MODELS:
Belt retainer
Belt
keepers
Drive
belt
Ta b
IMPORTANT: Blade bolt is grade 8 heat
treated.
8. Return mower to upright position.
9. Install new drive belt into idler arm assembly, then around the drive pulley.
Be sure belt is inside of belt keepers.
NOTE: Pulling on the drive belt (to install
it on the drive pulley) will cause the other
end of the belt to free itself from the debris
shield retainer and come into contact with
the pulley end of the blade adapter.
10. Reattach drive cable and return spring
to the idler arm assembly, then reattach drive cable to anchor.
11. Reattach drive cover with screws previously removed.
12. Connect spark plug wire to spark plug.
22PLUS REAR WHEEL DRIVE MODELS:
1. Remove screws securing rear baffle.
2. Turn lawn mower on its side with air
filter and car bu re tor down.
NOTE: Before tipping lawn mower to
remove drive belt, empty fuel tank by running engine until fuel tank is empty.
3. Remove rear baffle from mower.
2 POSITION / “ADJUSTABLE” HANDLES
• Raise handles until lower handle section
locks into place in mowing position.
Operator
presence
control bar
LIFT
UP
LIFT
UP
MOWING
POSITION
Upper
handle
Handle
knob
Lower handle
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.
6
Slot
Debris
shield
2. Route the other end of the new drive
belt through hole in housing.
3. Reattach debris shield to housing with
screw previously removed. Be sure
tab of debris shield is in gap of housing.
4. Position blade on the blade adapter
aligning the two (2) holes in the blade
with the raised lugs on the adapter.
5. Be sure the trailing edge of blade (opposite sharp edge) is up toward the
engine as shown.
6. Install the blade bolt with the lock
washer and hardened washer into
blade adapter and crankshaft.
7. Use block of wood between blade and
lawn mower housing and tighten the
blade bolt, turning clockwise.
• The recommended tightening torque is
35–40 ft. lbs.
Rear
baffle
Gearcase
pulley
Blade
adapter
31
Debris
shield
Hardened washer
Blade
Gearcase
belt keeper
Belt
retainer
Blade
bolt
Lockwasher
Loading...
+ 12 hidden pages
You need points to download manuals.
1 point = 1 manual.
You can buy points or you can get point for every manual you upload.