Poulan S31SNGBC User Manual

Instruction Manual

Manual de Instrucciones

Manuel d’Instructions

S31SNGBC

ENGLISH ESPAÑOL

For Occasional Use Only

DANGER:

Read and follow all Safety Rules and Operating Instructions before
using this product. Failure to do so can result in serious injury.

PELIGRO:

Lea el manual de instrucciones y siga todas las advertencias e
instrucciones de seguridad. El no hacerlo puede resultar en le­siones graves.

DANGER:

Lirelemanueld’instructions etbienrespecter tous lesavertisse­ments et toutes les instructions de sécurité. Tout défaut de le
faire pourrait entraîner des blessures graves.

Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
250 Bobby Jones Expressway
Augusta, GA 30907

CopyrightE2002 Electrolux Home Products, Inc.

530163728

FRANÇAIS

11/11/02

UL CLASSIFIED PRODUCT NOTICE

Only the following Gasoline Powered Combination Gardening Appliance powerhead models
and their respective attachments have been Classified by Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., in
accordance with the applicable safety requirements.

Powerhead including brushcutter/trimmer attachment
Optional blower attachment

Thefollowingattachment isListedby Underwriter’sLaboratories,Inc.,in accordancewithUL Stan­dard 1602, “Gasoline--Engine--Powered, Rigid--Cutting Member, Edgers and Edge--Trimmers.”

Optional edger attachment

S31SNGBC.............

SNB31......................................

SNE31.......................................

SAFETY RULES

WARNING:

appliances, basic safety precautions must al­ways befollowed to reduce the risk of fire and
serious injury.

DANGER:

This unit can cause serious injury in-

gerous!

cluding amputation or blindness to the operator
and others. The warnings and safety instruc­tions in this manual must be followed to provide
reasonable safety and efficiency in using the
unit.Theoperatorisresponsibleforfollowingthe
warningsandinstructionsinthismanualand on
the unit. Read the entire instruction manual be­fore assembling and using the unit! Restrict the
use of this unit to persons who read, under­stand, and follow the warnings and instructions
in this manual and on the unit. Never allow chil­dren to operate this unit.

INSTRUCTION
MANUAL

DANGER:

away from material it does not cut. Blade
thrust can cause amputation of arms or legs.
Keep people and animals 50 feet (15 meters)
away.

When using gardening

This powertoolcan be dan-

SAFETY INFORMATION
ON THE UNIT

Blade can thrust violently

WARNING:

objects. Blade/trimmer line can throw objects
violently. Others can be blinded or injured.
Keep people and animals 50 feet (15 meters)
away.

WARNING:

as a fastening device for the blade.

WARNING:

spin after the throttle is released or, engine is
turnedoff.The coasting blade canthrowobjects
or seriouslycutifaccidentallytouched. Stop the
blade by contacting the right hand side of the
coasting blade with material already cut.

Stop coasting
blade by contact
with cut material.

Hazard zone for thrown

50 Feet

(15 Meters)

Donotusetrimmerhead

The blade continues to

Hazard Zone

WARNING:

throw objects violently. Y ouand others canbe
blinded or injured. Wear safety glasses and
leg protection.

ALWAYS WEAR:

Eye

Protection

Leg Guards

Boots

Blade/trimmer line can

Thrown
Objects

OPERATOR SAFETY

Dress properly. Always wear safety

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glasses or similar eye protection when op­erating, or performing maintenance on your
unit (safety glasses are available). Eye
protection should be marked Z87.
Always wear face or dust mask if operation

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is dusty.

2

Alwayswearheavy,longpants,longsleeves,

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boots,andgloves. Wearing safetylegguards
is recommended.
Always wear foot protection. Do not go

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barefoot or wear sandals.
Secure hair above shoulder length. Secure

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orr e m ov eloose clothingandjewelryorcloth­ing with loosely hanging ties, straps, tassels,
etc. They can be caught in moving parts.
Being fully covered also helps protect you

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from debris and pieces of toxic plants
thrown by spinning line/blade.
Stay Alert. Do not operate unit when you are

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tired, ill, upset or under influence of alcohol,
drugs,ormedication. Watch whatyouare do­ing; use common sense.
Wear hearing protection.

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Never start or run the engine inside a

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closed room or building. Breathing exhaust
fumes can kill.
Keep handles free of oil and fuel.

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Always use the handlebar and a properly

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adjusted shoulder strap with a blade (see
ASSEMBLY).

UNIT/MAINTENANCE SAFETY

WARNING:

the spark plug before performing mainte­nance (except carburetor adjustments).

Look for and replace damaged or loose

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parts before each use. Look for and repair
fuel leaks before use. Keep unit in good
working condition.
Throw away blades that are bent, warped,

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cracked, broken, or damaged in any other
way. Replace trimmer head parts that are
cracked, chipped, broken, or damaged in
any other way before using the unit.
Maintain unit according to recommended

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procedures. Keep blade sharp. Keep cut­ting line at the proper length.
Use only0.080!(2mm)diameter Snappert/

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Weed Eater"brand replacement line.
Never use wire, rope, string, etc.
Install required shield properly before using

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the unit. Use the metal shield for all metal
blade use. Use the plastic shield for all line
trimmer use.
Use only specified blade or trimmer head;

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make sure it is properly installed and se­curely fastened.
Never start engine with clutch shroud re-

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moved. The clutch can fly off and cause se­rious injury.
Besureblade ortrimmerheadstopsturning

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when engine idles.
Make carburetor adjustments with the low-

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er end supported to prevent blade or trim­mer line from contacting any object. Hold
unit by hand; do not use the shoulder strap
for support.
Keep others away when making carburetor

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adjustments.
Use only recommended Snappert/Weed

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Eaterraccessories and replacement parts.
Have all maintenance and service not ex-

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plained in this manual performed by your au­thorized service dealer .

Stop unit anddisconnect

FUEL SAFETY

Mix and pour fuel outdoors.

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Keep away from sparks or flames.

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Use a container approved for fuel.

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Do not smoke orallow smoking near fuel or

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the unit or while using the unit.
Avoid spilling fuel or oil. Wipe up all fuel

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spills before starting engine.
Move at least 10 feet (3 meters) away from

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fueling site before starting engine.
Stop engine and allow it to cool before re-

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moving fuel cap.
Empty the fuel tank before storing or trans-

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porting the unit. Use up fuel left in the car­buretor by starting the engine and letting it
run until it stops.
Store unit and fuel in area where fuel vapors

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cannot reach sparks or open flames from
water heaters, electric motors or switches,
furnaces, etc.
Always store gasoline in a container ap-

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proved for flammable liquids.

CUTTING SAFETY

WARNING:

cut beforeeachuse. Remove objects (rocks,
broken glass, nails, wire, string, etc.) which
can be thrown or become entangled in the
blade or trimmer head.

Keep others including children, animals,

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bystanders, andhelpers at least 50 feet (15
meters) away. Stop engine immediately if
you are approached.
Always keep engine on the right--hand side

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of your body.
Hold the unit firmly with both hands.

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Keep firm footing and balance. Do not over-

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reach.
Keep blade or trimmer head below waist

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level. Do not raise engine above your waist.
Keep all parts of your body away from

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blade, trimmer head, and muffler when en­gine isrunning. A hotmufflercancausese­rious burns.
Cut from your left to your right. Cutting on

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right side of the shield will throw debris
away from the operator.
Use only in daylight or good artificial light.

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Use only for jobs explained in this manual.

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Inspect the area to be

TRANSPORTING AND STORAGE

Stop the unit before carrying.

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Keep muffler away from your body.

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Allow the engine to cool and secure the unit

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before storing or transporting it in avehicle.
Empty the fuel tank before storing or trans-

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porting the unit. Use upfuel leftinthecarbu­retor by starting the engine and letting it run
until it stops.
Store unit so the blade or line limiter blade

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cannot accidentally cause injury. The unit
can be hung by the tube.
Store unit out of reach of children.

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SAFETY NOTICE:

through prolonged use of gasoline powered
hand tools could cause blood vessel ornerve
damage in the fingers, hands, and joints of
people prone to circulation disorders or ab­normal swellings. Prolonged use in cold
weather hasbeenlinked tobloodvesseldam-

Exposure to vibrations

3

age inotherwise healthy people. If symptoms
occur such as numbness, pain, loss of
strength, change in skin color or texture, or
loss of feeling in the fingers, hands, or joints,
discontinue the useofthis tool and seekmed­ical attention. An anti --vibration system does
not guarantee the avoidance of these prob­lems. Users who operate power tools on a
continual and regular basis must monitor
closely their physical condition and the condi­tion of this tool.

SPECIAL NOTICE:

with a temperature limiting muffler and spark
arresting screen which meets the require­ments of California Codes 4442 and 4443. All

This unit is equipped

ASSEMBLY

U.S. forest land and the states of California,
Idaho, Maine, Minnesota, New Jersey, Ore­gon, and Washington require by law that
many internal combustion engines be
equipped with aspark arresting screen. If you
operate inalocale wheresuchregulations ex­ist, you arelegally responsible for maintaining
the operating condition of these parts. Failure
to do so is a violation of the law. For normal
homeowner use, the mufflerandsparkarrest­ing screen will not require any service. After
50 hours of use, we recommend that your
muffler beserviced orreplaced by yourautho­rized service dealer.

CARTON CONTENTS

Check carton contents against the following
list:

Powerhead

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Brushcutter attachment

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Blade shield screws (4)

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Cupped washer

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Large nut for installing blades

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Hex wrench

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Metal shield

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Plastic shield

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Shoulder strap with warning

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4--point weed blade

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Trimmer head (assembled on unit)

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Handlebar (assembled on unit)

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Wing nut (screwed onto shield)

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Container of oil

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WARNING:

connect spark plug before performing anyas­sembly procedures.

WARNING:

repeat all steps to ensure your unit is properly
assembled and all fasteners are secure.

Examine parts for damage. Do not use dam­aged parts.

NOTE:

missing or damaged, call 1-800-554-6723.
It is normal for the fuel filter to rattle in the

empty fuel tank.
Finding fuel or oil residue on muffler is normal
due to carburetor adjustments and testing
done by the manufacturer.

If you need assistance or find parts

Always stopunitanddis-

If received assembled,

TOOLS REQUIRED

Hex wrench (provided)

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Adjustable wrench

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INSTALLING BRUSHCUTTER
ATTACHMENT
CAUTION:

tachment, place the unit on a flat surface for
stability.

1. Loosen the coupler by turning the knob
counterclockwise.

When installing brushcutter at-

Coupler

Shipping
protector

TIGHTEN

2. Remove shipping protector from coupler.

3. Remove the tube cap from the brushcutter
attachment (if present).

4. Position locking/release button ofattach­ment into guide recess of coupler.

5. Pushtheattachment intothecoupleruntil
the locking/release button snaps into the
primary hole.

6. Before using the unit, tighten the knob se­curely by turning clockwise.

Coupler Primary Hole

Upper

Tube

WARNING:

release button is locked in the primary hole
and the knob is securely tightened before op­erating the unit. All attachments aredesigned
to be used in the primary hole.
For optional attachments, see the AS­SEMBLY section of the applicable attach­ment instruction manual.

Locking/
Release

Button

Make sure the locking/

LOOSEN

Knob

Guide Recess

Lower

Attachment

ADJUST AND SECURE THE HAN­DLEBAR

DANGER:

barrier portion of the handlebar must be ad­justed and remain installed as shown to pro­vide a barrier between operator and the spin­ning blade. The handlebar clamp must be
positioned between the arrowsonthe handle­bar decal.

Toavoid serious injury, the

4

1. Lift handlebar to upright position.
Handlebar

2. Rotate handlebar/clamp counterclock-

wise toward engine until clamp falls into
groove of base.

Handlebar

3. Position the lower shoulder strap clamp
under the tube and align the upper and
lower clamp screw holes.

Upper Shoulder
Strap Clamp

Lower Shoulder
Strap Clamp

Screws

Handlebar
Clamp

Clamp
Knob

Clamp
Base

3. Place the handlebar in a comfortable
position.

4. Retighten handlebar by turning clamp
knob clockwise until handlebar is secure
and stationary in clamp base (clamp
knob can not be overtightened).

ASSEMBLY OF SHOULDER STRAP

WARNING:

and handlebar adjustments must be made with
the engine completely stopped before using
unit.

1. Insert your right arm and head through
the shoulder strap and allow it to rest on
your left shoulder. Make sure the danger
sign isonyour back and the hookisto the
right side of your waist.

A one-half twist is built in the shoulder

NOTE:

strap to allow the strap to rest flat on the shoul­der.

2. Adjust the strap, allowing the hook to be
about 6 inches below the waist.

3. Fasten the strap hook to the clamp located
between the triggerhandleandthehandle­bar clamp base and lift the tool to the oper­ating position.

4. Try on shoulder strap and adjust for fit
and balance before starting the engine or
beginning a cutting operation.

NOTE:

shoulder strap clamp on the shaft for proper
balancing of unit.

TO RELOCATE SHOULDER STRAP
CLAMP:

1. Loosen and remove both clamp screws.

2. Place the upper shoulder strap clamp

It may be necessary to relocate the

over the tube.

Proper shoulder strap

4. Insert two screws into the screw holes.

5. Secure shoulder strap clamp by tighten­ing screws with a hex wrench.

HARNESS

ADJUSTMENT

FOR BALANCE

6 inches
below
waist

30 inches

30 inches

4--12
inches
above
ground

CONFIGURING YOUR UNIT

Youcan configureyourunit using acuttinghead
for grass and light weeds, or a weed blade for
cuttinggrass,weeds, andbrushup to1/2inch in
diameter. Toassemble your unit, go to the sec­tion for the desired configuration and follow the
instructions.

5

ASSEMBLY INFORMATION -­TRIMMER HEAD

TRIMMER
HEAD

Removetheblade andmetalshield be-

NOTE:

fore attaching the plastic shield and trimmer
head. To remove blade, align hole in the dust
cup with the hole in the side of the gearbox by
rotating the blade. Insert a small screwdriver
into aligned holes. This willkeepthe shaftfrom
turning while loosening the blade nut. Remove
blade nut by turning clockwise. Remove the
screwdriver. Remove both washers and blade.
To removemetalshield,loosenandremovethe
four mounting screws. See ATTACHING THE
METAL SHIELD and INSTALLATION OF THE
METALBLADEforillustr a tion s . Besure tostore
all parts and instructions for future use.

ATTACHING THE PLASTIC SHIELD
AND TRIMMER HEAD

NOTE:

installed as shown in the illustration before
installing the trimmer head.

5. Align hole in the dust cup with the hole in

6. Insert a small screwdriver into aligned

7. While holding the screwdriver in position,

NOTE:

tioned with the raised section facing toward the
gearbox.

Make sure all parts are properly

the side of the gearbox by rotating the
dust cup.

holes. This will keep the shaft from turn­ing while tightening trimmer head.

Screwdriver

thread trimmer head onto the shaft in the
direction shown on the decal (counter­clockwise). Tighten until secure.

The retaining washer must be posi-

ASSEMBLY INFORMATION -- WEED
BLADE

WEED
BLADE

WARNING:

erly installed. The shield provides partial
protection to the operator andothers from the
risk of thrown objects, and is equipped with a
line limiter blade which cuts excesslinetothe
proper length. The line limiter blade (on un­derside of shield) is sharp and can cut you.

1. Remove wing nut from shield.

2. Insert bracket into slot on shield.

3. Pivot shield until bolt passes through hole
in bracket.

4. Tighten the wing nut securely.

NOTE:

the threads on thethreaded shaft, remove the
covering to expose the threads. Before
installing the trimmer head, make sure the
dust cup and retaining washer are positioned
on the gearbox as shown below.

If your unit has a plastic cover over

Bracket

Slot

Shield

Retaining Washer

The shield mustbeprop-

Wing Nut

Gearbox

Dust Cup

NOTE:

shield before attaching the metal shield and
installing the weed blade. T o remove the trim­merhead, alignholein thedust cupwiththe hole
in the side of the gearbox by rotating the dust
cup. Insert a small screwdriver into aligned
holes. This will keeptheshaft fromturningwhile
loosening the trimmer head. Remove the trim­mer head by turning clockwise. Remove the
screwdriver. Toremovethe plastic shield, loos­enandremove wing nut. Pivot shield to release
brac ket from slot. See INSTALLATION OF
THECUTTINGHEADand ATTACHINGTHE
PLASTIC SHIELD forillustrations. Be sureto
store all parts and instructions for future use.
Never use the trimmer head with the metal
blade installed.

Remove the trimmerheadandplastic

ATTACHING THE METAL SHIELD

WARNING:

be properly installed on the tool anytime the
tool is usedwitha blade. The forward tipofthe
metal shield helps to reduce the occurrence
of blade thrust which can cause seriousinjury
such as amputation to the operator or by­standers. Failure to install the shield in the
position shown can result in serious injury to
the operator. The length of the shield must be
aligned with the length of the tube.

The metal shield must

6