Section 1: Safety
3
SAFETY DECALS
For your safety and the safety of others,
various safety and operational decals are
located on your unit (see below).
Keep the decals clean and legible at all
times. Contact your local service dealer or
the factory for replacements if any decals
are damaged or missing.
Refer to the Parts List in this manual for
decal locations, part numbers and
ordering instructions.
WARNING
THROWN OBJECT HAZARD
Objects will be thrown violently by the
cutting head, resulting in significant hazard!
Keep children, pets and bystanders 50 feet
away from machine while operating.
Be alert to hidden obstacles.
ROTATING CUTTING HEAD
Do not service or adjust cutting head or other
moving parts unless engine is stopped and
spark plug wire is disconnected.
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READ OWNERS MANUAL
If you need a replacement manual, write to the
address listed on the serial number decal on
this unit.
1918115 (12/99)
At front of deck
On engine, above muffler
On left
handlebar
On right
handlebar
STOP
1918304 (02/00)
2. Never run the engine inside a closed
area.
3. Never clean, or make adjustments or
repairs with the engine running. Discon-
nect the spark plug wire and keep the
wire away from the plug to prevent acci-
dental starting. Remove key on electric
start models.
4. Keep all nuts and bolts tight, espe-
cially the trimmer head attachment bolts,
and keep equipment in good condition.
Check mounting hardware on trimmer
head every time you change trimmer line
and prior to each use.
5. Never tamper with safety devices.
Check their proper operation regularly.
6. To reduce fire hazard, keep mower
free of grass, leaves or other debris
build-up. Clean up oil or fuel spills. Let
machine cool before storing.
7. After striking an object, stop the
engine and disconnect the spark plug
wire. Inspect the machine and repair, if
necessary, before restarting.
8. Never make adjustments or repairs
while engine is running.
9. Components subject to wear,
damage and deterioration could expose
moving parts or allow objects to be
thrown. Frequently check components
and replace with factory recommended
parts, when necessary. Regularly inspect
the trimmer head and debris shield.
Make sure they are not bent, damaged, or
loose.
10. Only use eighteen-inch long .130" or
.155" diameter trimmer line. Never use
other lengths, diameters or material as
trimmer line.
11. Trimmer line moves at high speed
and can cut. Always stop the engine and
let all moving parts stop before replacing
the trimmer lines. Let the engine cool.
12. Do not change the engine governor
setting or overspeed the engine. The
governor controls maximum safe oper-
ating speed and protects the engine and
all moving parts from damage caused by
overspeed. Authorized service shall be
sought if a problem exists.
13. Do not touch engine parts which may
be hot from operation. Allow parts to
cool completely before inspecting,
cleaning or repairing the unit.
14. Maintain or replace safety and
instructional decals. Refer to the Parts
List for replacement decal information.
15. Use only original-equipment replace-
ment parts. Parts manufactured by
others could present safety hazards and
affect performance even though they may
fit on this machine.
16. Remember – the end of the season is
a good time to inspect equipment prior to
storage.
17. To guard against engine overheating,
always keep the engine debris guard
mounted and clean.
18. For units equipped with electric start:
a) Batteries produce explosive gases.
Keep sparks, flame, cigarettes,
etc., away. Ventilate area when
charging battery. Do not charge
battery in an airtight space.
b) Do not use a battery charger other
than the one provided with the
unit.
c) The battery contains toxic mate-
rials. Do not damage the battery
case. If the case is broken or dam-
aged, avoid contact with the bat-
tery contents.
d) Properly dispose of a damaged or
worn out battery. Check with local
authorities for proper disposal
methods.
e) Do not short circuit the battery.
Severe burns and fire can result.
