Ryobi 704r - Manual (Page 11)

11
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
Some line breakage will occur from:
• Entanglement with foreign matter
• Normal line fatigue
• Attempting to cut thick, stalky weeds
• Forcing the line into objects such as walls or fence posts
TIPS FOR BEST TRIMMING RESULTS
• Keep the cutting attachment parallel to the ground.
• Do not force the cutting attachment. Allow the tip of the
line to do the cutting, especially along walls. Cutting with
more than the tip will reduce cutting efficiency and may
overload the engine.
• Cut grass over 8 inches (200 mm) by working from top
to bottom in small increments to avoid premature line
wear or engine drag.
• Cut from right to left whenever possible. Cutting to the left
improves the unit's cutting efficiency. Clippings are
thrown away from the operator.
• Slowly move the trimmer into and out of the cutting
area at the desired height. Move either in a forward-
backward or side-to-side motion. Cutting shorter
lengths produces the best results.
• Trim only when grass and weeds are dry.
• The life of your cutting line is dependent upon;
• Adherence of the listed trimming techniques
• What vegetation is cut
• Where vegetation is cut
For example, the line will wear faster when trimming against
a foundation wall as opposed to trimming around a tree.
HOLDING THE TRIMMER
Before operating the unit, stand in the operating position
(Fig. 9). Check for the following:
• The operator is wearing eye protection and proper
clothing
• With a slightly-bent right arm, the operator’s right hand
is holding the shaft grip
• The operator’s left arm is straight, the left hand holding
the D-handle
• The unit is at waist level
• The cutting attachment is parallel to the ground and
easily contacts the grass without the need to bend over
Fig. 9
ADJUSTING TRIMMING LINE LENGTH
The AFS™ cutting attachment (Automatic Feed System)
automatically feeds out cutting line as needed. A blade
on the cutting attachment shield will cut the line to the
proper length if excess line is released.
NOTE: If the line stops feeding, this is usually a sign
that the cutting attachment requires new line.
Refer to Line Installation.
NOTE: Do not rest the AFS cutting attachment on the
ground while the unit is running.
CAUTION: Do not remove or alter the line
cutting blade assembly. Excessive line length
will make the clutch overheat. This may lead to
serious personal injury or damage to the unit.
WARNING: Always wear eye, hearing, foot
and body protection to reduce the risk of
injury when operating this unit.
DECORATIVE TRIMMING
Decorative trimming is accomplished by removing all
vegetation around trees, posts, fences, etc.
Rotate the whole unit so that the cutting attachment is at
a 30° angle to the ground (Fig. 10).
Fig. 10