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OPERATOR’S MANUAL
21” Rear & Side
Discharge
Mulching Mower
Model Series 540
IMPORTANT: READ SAFETY RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY
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 local or state laws (if any). If a spark arrester is used, it should be maintained in effective wor
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Content Page Important Safe Operation Practices................................................................... 3 Slope Gauge...................................................................................................... 6 Assembling Your Lawn Mower........................................................................... 7 Know Your Lawn Mower .................................................................................... 9 Operating Your Lawn Mower ...........
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SECTION 1: IMPORTANT SAFE OPERATION PRACTICES WARNING: This symbol points out important safety instructions which, if not followed, could endanger the personal safety and/or property of yourself and others. Read and follow all instructions in this manual before attempting to operate this machine. Failure to comply with these instructions may result in personal injury. When you see this symbol - heed its warning. WARNING: Engine Exhaust, some of its constituents, and certain vehicle componen
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unclogging the chute. The cutting blade continues to obscure your vision of a child who may run into the rotate for a few seconds after the engine is shut off. mower. Never place any part of the body in the blade area until 5. Keep children away from hot or running engines. They you are sure the blade has stopped rotating. can suffer burns from a hot muffler. 20. Never operate mower without proper trail shield, 6. Never allow children under 14 years old to operate a discharge cover, grass c
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intervals for proper tightness. Also, visually inspect blade 9. Grass catcher components, discharge cover, and trail for damage (e.g., bent, cracked, worn) Replace blade shield are subject to wear and damage which could with the original equipment manufacture’s (O.E.M.) blade expose moving parts or allow objects to be thrown. For only, listed in this manual. “Use of parts which do not safety protection, frequently check components and meet the original equipment specifications may lead to
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FOLD ON DOTTED LINE, REPRESENTING A 15° SLOPE SIGHT AND HOLD THIS LEVEL WITH A VERTICAL TREE A POWER POLE A CORNER OF A BUILDING OR A FENCE POST 15° 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-behind mower on such a slope, it is extremely difficult to maintain your footing and you could slip, resulting in serious injury. Operate RIDING mowers u
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SECTION 3: ASSEMBLING YOUR LAWN MOWER IMPORTANT: This unit is shipped without gasoline or oil in the engine. Be certain to service engine with gasoline and oil as instructed in the separate engine manual before operating your mower. NOTE: Reference to right or left hand side of the mower is observed from the operating position. Removing Unit From Carton Remove staples, break glue on top flaps, or cut tape at carton end and peel along top flap to open carton. Remove loose parts if includ
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Attaching Starter Rope Discharge Door • The rope guide is attached to the right side of upper handle. Loosen the wing nut which secures the rope guide. See Figure 5. Upper Handle Starter Rope Wing Nut Rope Guide Lower Grass Bag Handle Figure 5 Figure 7 With the spark plug wire disconnected and To remove the grass catcher, lift the rear discharge grounded, hold the blade control handle against the door on the mower, lift the grass catcher up and off upper handle, and pull the starter ro
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SECTION 4: KNOW YOUR LAWN MOWER Read this operator’s manual and safety rules before Grass Catcher operating your lawn mower. Compare the illustration in The grass catcher, located at the rear of the mower, is Figure 9 with your lawn mower to familiarize yourself used to bag the grass clippings for disposal at another with the location of various controls and adjustments. site. Once the bag is full, it has to be removed from the Save this manual for future reference. mower and emptied b
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Stand behind the mower and squeeze the blade designed to be operated at full throttle to give you the control handle against the upper handle. best cut and do the most effective job of mowing or Grasp recoil starter handle and pull rope out slowly mulching. until engine reaches the start of compression cycle WARNING: If you strike a foreign object, (rope will pull slightly harder at this point). Let the stop the engine. Remove wire from the rope rewind slowly. Pull rope with a rapid, sp
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IMPORTANT: All wheels must be placed in the same Height Adjustment relative position. For rough or uneven lawns, move the Lever height adjustment lever to a higher position. This will help stop scalping of the grass. Engine Adjustments See the separate engine manual packed with your unit for adjustments to the engine. Figure 11 SECTION 7: MAINTAINING YOUR LAWN MOWER Some adjustments will have to be made General Recommendations periodically to maintain your unit properly. All Always ob
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Lubrication Always stop engine and disconnect spark Rear Discharge plug wire before cleaning, lubricating or Door doing any kind of service work on the lawn Handle mower. Bracket Blade Control: Lubricate the pivot points on the blade control handle and the brake cable at least once a season with light oil. The blade control must operate freely in both directions. See Figure 12. Handle Rear & Side Discharge Doors: The torsion springs Bracket and pivot points should be lubricated periodical
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Remove the blade and the adapter from the Slide the blade adapter onto the engine crankshaft. crankshaft. Place the blade on the adapter. Be certain the blade is aligned and seated on the blade adapter flanges. Blade Place blade bell support on blade. Make sure the Adapter notches on the blade bell support are aligned with small holes in the blade. Replace hex bolt and tighten hex bolt to torque: 450 Blade Bell Support in. lbs. min., 600 in. lbs. max. NOTE: To ensure safe operat
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SECTION 8: TROUBLESHOOTING Problem Cause Remedy Engine fails to start 1. Blade control handle disengaged. 1. Engage blade control handle. 2. Spark plug wire disconnected. 2. Connect wire to spark plug. 3. Fuel tank empty or stale fuel. 3. Fill tank with clean, fresh gasoline. 4. Blocked fuel line. 4. Clean fuel line. 5. Faulty spark plug. 5. Clean, adjust gap, or replace. 6. Engine flooded 6. Wait a few minutes to restart, but do not prime. Engine runs erratic 1. Spark plug wire loose. 1. Conn
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Notes 15
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Model Series 540 19 15 1 11 12 21 5 3 16 95 9 96 2 18 4 6 14 52 17 4 57 57 13 20 23 20 61 52 30 92 58 31 39 24 89 56 82 88 80 40 55 50 81 62 59 71 90 22 94 87 51 84 76 86 47 83 42 73 44 43 85 41 44 63 70 49 32 53 36 66 64 54 34 71 67 60 33 93 72 16
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Model Series 540 Ref. Ref. Part No. Part Description Part No. Part Description No. No. 1. 747-0824 Control Handle Assembly 50. 17488A Pivot Bar - RH 647-0004 Deluxe Control Handle 17489A Pivot Bar - LH 2. 710-1205 Rope Guide 51. 782-5002 Front Baffle 3. 720-0279 Handle Knob 52. 712-0397 Wing Knob 4. 710-1174 Curved Hd. Bolt 5/16-18 x 2” 53. 782-5003 Rear Baffle 5. 712-0324 Hex L-Nut 1/4-20 Thd. 54. 710-1017 Torx Mach. AB-Tap Scr. 6. 720-0314 Hand Knob 55. 710-0896 Hex Washer Screw 1/4-14 x .6
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MANUFACTURER’S LIMITED WARRANTY FOR: c. Routine maintenance items such as lubricants, filters, The limited warranty set forth below is given by MTD blade sharpening and tune-ups, or adjustments such PRODUCTS INC (“MTD”) with respect to new merchandise as brake adjustments, clutch adjustments or deck purchased and used in the United States, its possessions adjustments; and normal deterioration of the exterior and territories. finish due to use or exposure. d.MTD does not extend any warranty for p
