Poulan PR120N20S Owner Manual - Page 11

OPERATION CAUTION: Do not run your lawn mower without rear mulcher plate or plug in place or approved grass catcher in place. Never attempt to operate the lawn mower with the rear door removed or propped open. Open mulcher door Discharge deflector GRASS CATCHER (REAR BAGGING MODELS ONLY) TO EMPTY GRASS CATCHER • Simply open rear door and lift grass catcher up and away from mower. NOTE: Do not drag the bag when emptying. It will cause unnecessary wear. CAUTION: Under normal usage, the catcher material is subject to deterioration and wear and should, therefore, be checked frequently for replacement. Any replacement catcher should be checked to ensure compliance with original manufacturer's specifications. CAUTION: Do not run lawn mower without the rear door, approved grass catcher or clipping deflector in place. Never attempt to operate mower with the rear door removed or propped open. MOWER IS NOW READY FOR MULCHING OPERATION SIMPLE STEPS TO REMEMBER WHEN CONVERTING YOUR "COMBI-CUT" LAWN MOWER FOR MULCHING • Rear mulcher plate installed and rear door closed. • Mulcher door closed. FOR REAR BAGGING • Rear mulcher plate removed. • Grass catcher installed. • Mulcher door closed. OPERATOR PRESENCE CONTROL BAR Your lawn mower is equipped with an operator presence control bar which requires the operator to be positioned behind the lawn mower handle in order to start and operate the lawn mower. CAUTION: Federal regulations require an engine control to be installed on this lawn mower in order to minimize the risk of blade contact injury. Do not under any circumstances attempt to defeat the function of the operator control. The blade turns when the engine is running. FOR SIDE DISCHARGING - • Rear mulcher plate installed and rear door closed. • Discharge deflector installed. 14 OPERATION The operation of any lawn mower can result in foreign objects Use ear thrown into the eyes, which can result in severe eye damage. protec- Always wear safety glasses or eye shields while operating your tors to lawn mower or performing any adjustments or repairs. We recom- avoid mend standard safety glasses or a wide vision safety mask over spectacles. damage to hearing. HOW TO USE YOUR LAWN MOWER ENGINE SPEED CONTROL MODELS WITH REMOTE THROTTLE Engine speed is controlled by the throttle control located on the upper handle. • Move lever forward to FAST engine speed for starting 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. NOTE: Be sure engine START/STOP switch (if equipped) is in the ON position. • Reinstall wheel components in the same order as they were before removal. Tighten securely. • Make sure all wheels are at same height. Flat washer Wheel Bolt 3/8-16 Spacer Locknut CHOKE (START) FAST SLOW Remote throttle control MODELS WITH FIXED SPEED ENGINES Engine speed was set at the factory for optimum performance. Engine speed is not adjustable. MODELS WITH "QUICK ADJUST" WHEEL HEIGHT ADJUSTERS 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. • Raise wheels for low cut and lower wheels for high cut. • Adjust cutting height to suit your requirements. Medium position is best for most lawns. • To change cutting height, squeeze adjuster lever toward wheel. Move wheel up or down to suit your requirements. Be sure all wheels are in the same setting. NOTE: Adjuster is properly positioned when plate tab inserts into hole in lever. Also, 9-position adjusters (if so equipped) allow lever to be positioned between the plate tabs. TO ADJUST CUTTING HEIGHT Adjust cutting height to suit your requirements. Medium position is best for most lawns. Raise wheels for low cut and lower wheels for high cut. MODELS WITH MANUAL ADJUST BOLT-ON WHEELS • Remove wheel, bolt, and hardware and reassemble in desired adjustment hole. LEVER BACKWARD TO LOWER MOWER Plate tab LEVER FORWARD TO RAISE MOWER Lever 11