Lawn Mower - Husqvarna 917.374421 Owner's Manual

The operation of any lawn
SAFETVGLASSES mower can result in foreign
objectsthrownintothe eyes,
which can result in severe
eye damage. Always wear
safety glasses or eye shields while oper-
ating your lawn mower or performingany
adjustmentsor repairs. We recommenda
standardsafetyglassesorwidevisionsafety
maskworn over spectacles.
HOW TO USE YOUR LAWN MOWER
ENGINE SPEED
The engine speed was set at the factory
for optimum performance. Speed is not
adjustable.
ENGINE ZONE CONTROL
,_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.
• Your lawn mower is equipped with an
operator presence control bar which
requires the operator to be positioned
behind the lawn mower handle to start
and operate the lawn mower.
DRIVE CONTROL
• Self-propelling is controlled by hold-
ing the operator presence control bar
down to the handle and pulling the drive
control lever rearward to the handle.
The farther toward the handle the lever
is pulled, the faster the unit will travel.
• Forward motion will stop when either
the operator presence control bar or
drive control lever are released. To stop
forward motion without stopping engine,
release the drive control lever only. Hold
operator presence control bar down
against handle to continue mowing
without self-propelling
NOTE: If after releasing the drive control
the mower will not roll backwards, push
the mower forward slightly to disengage
drive wheels.
• To keep drive control engaged when
turning corners, push down on the
handle to lift the front wheels off the
ground while turning lawn mower.
DRIVE CONTROL ADJUSTMENT
Over time, the drive control system may
become "loose", resulting in decreased
speed. There is a turnbuckle on the
underside of the drive control housing to
increase tension on the drive cable. Pro-
ceed as follows:
1. Turn unit off and disconnect spark plug
wire from spark plug.
2. Turn nut on underside of drive control
to increase drive speed.
3. Operate mower to test drive speed.
Readjust as required.
4. If condition fails to improve after the
above steps (forward speed remains
the same), your drive belt is worn and
should be replaced.
O _=ratorpresence control bar
Drive
control
TO
lever
ENGAGE DRIVE
Adjustment DRIVE CONTROL
turnbuckle CONTROL DISENGAGED
TO ADJUST 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 ad-
juster 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.
LEVER BACKWARD
TO LOWER MOWER
Plate tab
LEVER FORWARD TO RAISE MOWER Lever
TO CONVERT MOWER
Your lawn mower was shipped ready to be
used as a mulcher. To convert to bagging
or discharging:
REAR BAGGING
• Open rear door, remove mulcher plug.
Store mulcher plug in a safe place.
• You can now install the grass catcher or
optional clipping deflector.
• To convert to mulching or discharging
operation, install mulcher plug into rear
discharge opening of mower.