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Safety • Assembly • Operation • Tips & Techniques • Maintenance • Troubleshooting • Parts Lists • Warranty
OPERATOR’S MANUAL
21-inch Self-Propelled Rotary Mower — Model 83M
IMPORTANT
READ SAFETY RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE OPERATION
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
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This Operator’s Manual is an important part of your new mower. It will help you assemble, prepare, and maintain the unit for best performance. Please read and understand what it says. Table of Contents Safety ................................................................... 4 Engine Appendix Setup and Adjustments ..................................... 6 Engine Safety ................................................ 16 Operation ............................................................. 8
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����������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������� ���������������������������� ��������������� ��� Use this page as a guide to determine slopes where you may not operate safely. Do not operate your lawn mower on such slopes. 1 Slope Gauge WARNING Do not mow on inclines with a slope in excess of 15 degrees (a rise of approximately 2-1/2 feet every 10 feet). A riding mower could overturn and cause serious injury. If operating a walk- behi
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WARNING: Engine Exhaust, some of its constituents, and certain vehicle compo- nents contain or emit chemicals known to State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. 2 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 error on the part of the operator can result in serious injury. This machine is capable of amputating hands and feet and throwing objects
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The cutting blade continues to rotate for a few seconds after 7. Extinguish all cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and other sources the engine is shut off. Never place any part of the body in of ignition. the blade area until you are sure the blade has stopped 8. Never fuel machine indoors because flammable vapors will rotating. accumulate in the area. 20. Never operate mower without proper trail shield, discharge 9. Never remove gas cap or add fuel while engine is hot or 2 cover, grass catcher,
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1. Remove grass catcher and any packing material which may be between upper and lower handles. a. Remove hand knobs from handle mounting A brackets and pull up and back on upper handle 3 as shown in Figure 3-1. Make certain the lower handle is seated securely into the handle mounting brackets. Setup and b. Tighten hand knobs to secure upper handle to lower handle. Make sure that each carriage bolt is Adjustment seated properly in the handle. 2. Replace and tighten hand knobs removed ea
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WARNING: Never operate mower unless the hooks on the grass catcher are firmly seated on the pivot rod and the rear discharge door rests firmly against top of the grass catcher. 7. Follow steps below to install the mulching baffle: 3 a. Lift the rear discharge door and lift the grass catcher up and off of the pivot rod, if installed. b. Insert the mulching baffle as shown in Figure 3-5 and release the rear discharge door. 8. To convert to side discharge, make sure grass catcher is off of the uni
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Know Your Lawn Mower Drive Control Blade Control 4 Drive Control Operating Lever Choke Knob Cutting Height Adjustment Lever Your Lawn Height Adjustment Lever Recoil Starter Mower Grass Bag WARNING Gasoline Fill The blade control is a safety device. Never attempt to bypass its operations. Use extreme care when Oil Fill handling gasoline. Figure 4-1: The major components on the lawn mower. Gasoline is extremely flammable and the Now that you have set up your lawn mower for Recoil Starte
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WARNING: The operation of any lawn mower can result in foreign objects being thrown into the eyes, which can damage your eyes severely. Always wear safety 2 glasses while operating the mower or while perform- 4 ing any adjustments or repairs on it. Operating Starting Engine 1 Your Lawn WARNING: Be sure no one other than the operator is standing near the lawn mower 4 Mower while starting engine or operating mower. Never run engine indoors or in enclosed, poorly ventilated areas. Engine e
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Lubrication 1. Lubricate pivot points on the blade control at least once a season with light oil. The blade control must operate freely in both directions, Figure 5-1. 5 2. Lubricate the wheels at least once a season with light oil (or motor oil). If wheels are removed for any reason, lubricate surface of the axle and inner surface of the wheel with light oil, Figure 5-1. Maintaining 3. Lubricate the torsion spring and pivot point on the rear Your Lawn discharge door periodically with lig
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Blade Care WARNING: When removing cutting blade for sharpening or replacement, protect your hands with a pair of heavy gloves or use a heavy rag to hold blade. 5 1. Disconnect spark plug wire from spark plug. Turn mower on its side making sure that the air filter and the carburetor are up. Maintaining 2. Remove bolt, blade bell support, blade, and blade Your Lawn adapter from the engine crankshaft, Figure 5-3. Mower NOTE: When removing the blade, blade adapter, etc., be careful not to r
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6. a. Working from the rear of the mower, carefully Off-Season Storage remove belt from transmission pulley. The following steps should be taken to prepare your lawn mower for storage. b. Once belt is off transmission pulley, push down on • Clean and lubricate mower thoroughly as described in deck baffle to access engine pulley and slide belt 5 the lubrication instructions. off this pulley and out from under the deck, Figure 5.5. • We do not recommend the use of a pressure washer 7. Repla
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NOTES 13
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Problem Cause Remedy Engine fails to start 1. Blade control disengaged. 1. Engage blade control. 6 2. Spark plug boot disconnected. 2. Connect boot to spark plug. 3. Fuel tank empty or stale fuel. 3. Fill tank with clean, fresh gasoline. 4. CHOKE not activated. 4. Choke engine as instructed in Trouble “Operating Your Lawn Mower”. 5. Faulty spark plug. 5. Clean, adjust gap, or replace. Shooting 6. Clean fuel line. 6. Blocked fuel line. 7. Engine flooded. 7. Wait a few minutes to restart. 1. Con
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Safety Labels Found On Your Lawn Mower � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 7 � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Safety Labels WARNING � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � DO NOT remove safety � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �
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WARNING: Gasoline and its vapors are extremely flammable and explosive. Fire or explosion can cause severe burns or death. If gasoline is spilled on yourself or your clothes, wash your skin and change clothes immediately. 8 • When operating equipment, do not tip engine or Gasoline and its vapors are equipment at angle which causes gasoline to spill. extremely flammable and Engine • Do not choke carburetor to stop engine. explosive. Fire or explosion can • When transporting equipment, tran
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• Tie up long hair and remove jewelry. Running engine produces heat. Engine parts, especially muffler, • Do not wear loose-fitting clothing, dangling draw- strings or items that could become caught. become extremely hot. Severe thermal burns can occur on 8 contact. Combustible debris, Rapid retraction of starter cord such as leaves, grass, brush, etc., (kickback) will pull hand and can catch fire. arm toward engine faster than Engine you can let go. Broken bones, • Allow muffler, engine
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Know Your Engine Fuel Cap 9 Air Cleaner Operating Starter Grip Your Engine Oil Fill Cap Oil Drain Spark Plug Muffler Figure 9-1: The major components of the engine. IMPORTANT: This engine is shipped without gaso- Read this section before starting your lawn mower engine. Compare the illustration in Figure 9-1 with your lawn mower line or oil in the engine. engine to familiarize yourself with the location of various controls and adjustments. Running the engine with insufficient oil can caus
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Check Oil Level IMPORTANT: Be sure to check the engine on a level surface with the engine stopped. 1. Remove the oil filler cap and wipe the dipstick clean, 9 Figure 9-2. 2. Insert the dipstick into the oil filler neck, but do not Oil Fill Cap/ screw it in. Operating Dipstick 3. If the level is low, slowly add oil to the upper limit on the dipstick, see Figure 9-2 inset. Your Upper Level 4. Tighten dipstick firmly before starting engine. Engine IMPORTANT: Do not overfill. Overfilling with
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WARNING: Shut off the engine before Periodic inspection and adjustment of the engine is performing any maintenance. To essential if high level performance is to be maintained. prevent accidental start-up, disconnect Regular maintenance will also ensure a long service life. the spark plug boot. The required service intervals and the kind of mainte- 10 nance to be performed are described in the table below. IMPORTANT: If engine must be tipped to transport Follow the hourly or calendar interva
