Ryobi EXPAND-IT ABC04G User manual

OPERATOR’S MANUAL
BRUSHCUTTER ATTACHMENT
ABC04G
SAVE THIS MANUAL FOR FUTURE REFERENCE
Your brushcutter attachment has been engineered and manufactured to our high standard for dependability, ease of opera-
tion, and operator safety. When properly cared for, it will give you years of rugged, trouble-free performance.
WARNING: To reduce the risk of injury, the user must read and understand the operator’s manual before using
this product.
Thank you for your purchase.

1
WARNING:
Read and understand all instructions. Failure to
follow all instructions listed below, may result in electric
shock, fire, and/or serious personal injury.
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS
Readtheseinstructionsandtheinstructionsforthepower
head thoroughly before using the attachment.
Know the tool. Read and understand the operator’s
manual and observe the warnings and instruction labels
affixed to the tool.
Do not allow children or untrained individuals to use this
unit.
Wearsafetyglasses/gogglesandhearingprotectionthat
are marked to comply with standards when operating this
product.
Wear heavy long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, boots, and
gloves. Do not wear loose fitting clothing, short pants,
jewelry of any kind, or go barefoot.
Secure long hair so it is above shoulder level to prevent
entanglement in any moving parts.
Keepallbystanders,children,andpets at least15m away.
Bystandersshouldbeencouraged to wear eye protection.
Stay alert, watch what you are doing, and use common
sense when operating a power tool. Do not use tool
while tired or under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or
medication.A momentofinattentionwhile operatingpower
GENERAL SAFETY RULES
tools may result in serious personal injury.
Do not operate in poor lighting.
Do not overreach. Keep proper footing and balance at all
times. Proper footing and balance enables better control
of the tool in unexpected situations.
Keep all parts of your body away from any moving part.
Do not touch areas around the muffler or cylinder of the
powerhead.These parts get hot fromoperation.Failureto
heedthiswarning could result inpossibleseriouspersonal
injury.
Always stop the engine and remove the spark plug wire
and/or ensure the engine cut off switch remains in the off
positionbeforemakingany adjustments or repairs except
for carburettor adjustments.
Inspect unit before each use for loose fasteners and
damaged or missing parts. Correct before using the
attachment. Failure to do so can cause serious injury.
Use only original manufacturer’s replacement parts. Fail-
uretodosomay cause poor performance, possible injury,
and will void your warranty.
Do not, under any circumstance, use any attachment or
accessory on this product, which was not provided with
the product, or identified as appropriate for use with this
product in the operator’s manual.
Avoiddangerousenvironments.Donotusethe attachment
in damp or wet locations. Do not use in rain.
Use the right attachment. Do not use attachment for any
job except that for which it is intended.
INTRODUCTION
This product has many features for making its use more pleasant and enjoyable. Safety, performance, and dependability
have been given top priority in the design of this product making it easy to maintain and operate.
SPECIFIC SAFETY RULES
Ensurehandleis mounted in accordance with the assem-
bly instructions in this manual.
Do not attach blade without proper installation of all
required parts. Failure to use proper parts can cause the
blade to fly off and seriously injure the operator and/or
bystanders.
Always use a blade in good condition. A worn blade is
more likely to snag and thrust.
After engine stops, keep rotating blade in thicker weeds
or pulpy stalks until it stops.
Do not operate the brushcutter unless the brushcutter
guard is firmly secured in place and in good condition.
Use heavy gloves when operating the brushcutter and
when installing or removing blades.
Always stop the engine and remove the spark plug wire
and/orensurethattheenginecutoffswitchremainsinthe
off position before attempting to remove any obstruction
caught or jammed in the blade or before removing and
installing the blade.
Do not attempt to touch or stop blade when it is rotating.
Acoastingblade can causeinjurywhileitcontinues to spin
after the engine is stopped or throttle trigger released.
Maintain proper control until the blade has completely
stopped rotating.
Replace any blade that has been bent, warped, cracked,
chipped,ordamaged.Always make sure blade isinstalled
correctly and securely fastened before each use. Failure
to do so can cause serious injury.

2
Useonlythe manufacturer’s replacementTRI-ARC®blade
intendedforuse on this brushcutter. Do not use anyother
blade. To install any other brand blade or cutting head to
this brushcutter can result in serious personal injury.
The TRI-ARC®blade is suited for cutting thicker weeds
or pulpy stalks only. Do not use for any other purpose.
Never use the TRI-ARC®blade to cut woody brush.
Exercise extreme caution when using the blade with this
unit. Blade thrust is the reaction that may occur when
the spinning blade contacts anything it cannot cut. This
contact may cause the blade to stop for an instant, and
suddenly“thrust”the unitawayfromthe object thatwashit.
Thisreactioncanbe violent enough to cause the operator
to lose control of the unit. Blade thrust can occur without
warning if the blade snags, stalls, or binds. This is more
likely to occur in areas where it is difficult to see the mate-
rial being cut. For cutting ease and safety, approach the
weeds being cut from the right to the left. In the event an
unexpected object or woody stock is encountered, this
approach could minimize the blade thrust reaction.
SPECIFIC SAFETY RULES
Never cut any material over 12mm diameter.
Alwayswearthe shoulder harness when using the brush-
cutter and adjust to a comfortable operating position.
Maintain a firm grip on both handles while cutting with a
blade. Keep the blade away from body and below waist
level. Never use the brushcutter with the blade located
75cm or more above the ground level.
To prevent electrical shock or serious personal injury,
exercise extreme caution when using this product with
anyelectricalpowerhead.Refertopowerhead operators
manual for suitability of attachment.
Save these instructions. Refer to them frequently and
use them to instruct others who may use this product.
If you loan someone this product, loan them these
instructions also to prevent misuse of the product and
possible injury.
SYMBOLS
Some of the following symbols may be used on this product. Please study them and learn their meaning. Proper
interpretation of these symbols will allow you to operate the product better and safer.
SYMBOL NAME EXPLANATION
Safety Alert Symbol Precautions that involve your safety.
Read the Operator’s Manual To reduce the risk of injury, user must read and understand
operator’s manual before using this product.
Eye and Hearing Protection Wear eye and hearing protection which is marked to comply
with standards when operating this equipment.
Keep Bystanders Away Keep all bystanders at least 15 m away.
Ricochet Thrown objects can ricochet and result in personal injury
or property damage.
Blade Thrust Beware of blade thrust. Products authorised for blade use will
display this symbol to warn of blade thrust.

3
SYMBOLS
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS
SERVICE
Servicing requires extreme care and knowledge and should
be performed only by a qualified service technician. For
service we suggest you return the product to your nearest
AUTHORISED SERVICE CENTRE for repair. When
servicing, use only identical replacement parts.
WARNING:
To avoid serious personal injury, do not attempt to use
this product until you read thoroughly and understand
completely theoperator’s manual.If you donot understand
the warnings and instructions in the operator’s manual,
do not use this product. Call Ryobi customer service for
assistance.
The following signal words and meanings are intended to explain the levels of risk associated with this product.
SYMBOL SIGNAL MEANING
DANGER: Indicates an imminently hazardous situation, which, if not avoided, will result in
death or serious injury.
WARNING: Indicates a potentially hazardous situation, which, if not avoided, could result in
death or serious injury.
CAUTION: Indicates a potentially hazardous situation, which, if not avoided, may result in
minor or moderate injury.
CAUTION: (Without Safety Alert Symbol) Indicates a situation that may result in property
damage.
WARNING:
The operation of any power tool can result in foreign objects being thrown into your eyes, which can result
in severe eye damage. Before beginning power tool operation, always wear safety goggles or safety
glasses with side shields and, when needed, a full face shield. We recommend Wide Vision Safety Mask
for use over eyeglasses or standard safety glasses with side shields. Always use eye protection which
is marked to comply with standards.

4
FEATURES
PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS
Blade Cutting Width.............................................203.2 mm
KNOW YOUR BRUSHCUTTER ATTACHMENT
See Figure 1.
The safe use of this product requires an understanding of the information on the product and in this operator’s manual as well
as a knowledge of the project you are attempting. Before use of this product, familiarize yourself with all operating features
and safety rules.
Weight ..................................................................... 1.48 kg
ASSEMBLY
UNPACKING
This product requires assembly.
Carefully remove the items from the box. Make sure that
all items listed in the packing list are included.
Inspect the product carefully to make sure no breakage
or damage occurred during shipping.
Do not discard the packing material until you have care-
fully inspected and satisfactorily operated the product.
If any parts are damaged or missing, contact Ryobi cus-
tomer service.
WARNING:
If any parts are damaged or missing do not operate this
product until the parts are replaced. Failure to heed this
warning could result in serious personal injury.
WARNING:
Do not attempt to modify this product or create acces-
sories not recommended for use with this product. Any
such alteration or modification is misuse and could result
in a hazardous condition leading to possible serious
personal injury.
WARNING:
Donotconnecttopowerheaduntilassemblyiscomplete.
Failure to comply could result in accidental starting and
possible serious personal injury.
ATTACHING THE BRUSHCUTTER
ATTACHMENT TO THE POWER HEAD
See Figure 2.
WARNING:
Never attach or adjust any attachment while power head
is running. Failure to stop the engine may cause serious
personal injury.
The brushcutter attachment connects to the power head by
means of a coupler device.
Remove the hanger cap from the attachment.
Loosen the knob on the coupler of the power head shaft.
Pushinthe button located on the brushcutter attachment.
Align the button with the guide recess on the extension
shaft coupler and slide the two shafts together. Rotate
attachment until button locks into the positioning hole.
Tighten the knob securely.
NOTE: If the buttons do not release completely in the
positioning holes, the shafts are not locked into place.
Slightly rotate from side to side until the button is locked
into place.
NOTE: Use only the specified positioning hole for this
attachment.
WARNING:
Be certain the knob is fully tightened before operating
equipment. Check it periodically for tightness during use
to avoid serious injury.
REMOVING THE ATTACHMENT FROM THE
POWER HEAD
For removing or changing the attachment:
Stop the engine.
Loosen the knob.
Push in the button and twist the shafts to remove and
separate ends.

5
OPERATION
WARNING:
Do not allow familiarity with this product to make you
careless.Rememberthatacarelessfractionofasecondis
sufficient to inflict serious injury.
WARNING:
Always wear safety goggles or safety glasses with
side shields when operating power tools. Failure to do
so could result in objects being thrown into your eyes
resulting in possible serious injury.
WARNING:
Do not use any attachments or accessories not
recommended by the manufacturer of this product. The
useofattachmentsoraccessoriesnotrecommendedcan
result in serious personal injury.
APPLICATIONS
You may use this product for the purpose listed below:
Cutting thicker weeds and pulpy stalks only
WARNING:
To avoid burns from hot surfaces, never operate unit with
the bottom of the engine above waist level.
ASSEMBLY
ATTACHING THE “J” HANDLE
See Figure 3.
The “J” handle must be used to ensure the best control
and maximize operator safety when using the brushcutter.
Hold the top and bottom clamp snugly in position on the
shaft housing so that handle will be located to the opera-
tor’s left.
Insert the end of the handle between the clamps.
Align the bolt holes and push the long bolt (1/4-20 x
1-1/2 in.)throughthehandleside.Placeshort bolt (1/4-20
x 1 in.) through opposite side of clamp.
Install flat washers, lock washers, and hex nuts to hold
the assembly in place.
After assembly is complete, adjust the position of the
handle for best balance and comfort.
Tighten the long bolt, then the short bolt.
OPERATING THE BRUSHCUTTER
See Figures 5 - 6.
Hold the brushcutter with your right hand on the rear handle
and your left hand on the “J” handle. Keep a firm grip with
both hands while in operation. Brushcutter should be held
at a comfortable position with the trigger handle about hip
height. Maintain your grip and balance on both feet. Posi-
tion yourself so that you will not be drawn off balance by the
kickback reaction of the cutting blade.
Adjust the shoulder harness to position the brushcutter at
a comfortable operating position and to ensure that the
shoulder harness will reduce the risk of operator contact
with the blade.
Ensurethebladehascometoacompletestopbeforesetting
the brushcutter down.
BLADE THRUST
Exerciseextremecautionwhenusingthe blade with this unit.
Bladethrustisthereactionthatmayoccurwhenthespinning
bladecontactsanything it cannot cut.This contact maycause
the blade to stop for an instant and suddenly “thrust” the unit
away from the object that was hit. This reaction can be vio-
lent enough to cause the operator to lose control of the unit.
Blade thrust can occur without warning if the blade snags,
stalls, or binds. This is more likely to occur in areas where it
is difficult to see the material being cut. For cutting ease and
safety, approach the weeds being cut with the brushcutter
from the right to the left. In the event an unexpected object
or woody stock is encountered, this practice could minimize
the blade thrust reaction.
INSTALLING THE SHOULDER HARNESS AND
STRAP HANGER
See Figure 4.
Pull apart the ends of the shoulder harness hanger to
expand slightly.
Slide the hanger over the power head shaft immediately
behind the “J” handle.
Squeeze hanger ends together to retighten.
Install the bolt, lock washer, and lock nut to secure.
Connect the latch on the shoulder harness to the strap
hanger.

6
OPERATION
WARNING:
When servicing, use only identical replacement parts.
Use of any other parts may create a hazard or cause
product damage.
WARNING:
Always wear safety goggles or safety glasses with side
shields during power tool operation or when blowing dust.
If operation is dusty, also wear a dust mask.
WARNING:
Before inspecting, cleaning, or servicing the machine,
shut off engine, wait for all moving parts to stop, and
disconnect spark plug wire and/or ensure the engine cut
off switch remains in the off position. Failure to follow
these instructions can result in serious personal injury or
property damage.
TRI-ARC®BLADE
The TRI-ARC®blade is suited only for thicker weeds and
pulpy stalks. When the blade becomes dull, it can be turned
over to extend the life of the blade. Do not sharpen the TRI-
ARC®blade.
Use only TRI-ARC®blade, part number 06297, available at
your place of purchase.
CUTTING TECHNIQUE - BLADE
WARNING:
Extreme care must be taken when using blades to ensure
safe operation. For safe operation when using the blade,
refer to Specific Safety Rules earlier in this manual.
Alwaysholdbrushcutter on your right sidewithbothhands
when operating. Use a firm grip on both handles.
Maintain your grip and balance on both feet. Position
yourself so that you will not be drawn off balance by the
kickback reaction of the cutting blade.
Inspect and clear the area of any hidden objects such as
glass, rocks, concrete, fencing, wire, wood, metal, etc.,
which can be thrown or entangled in the blade.
Neveruse blades nearsidewalks,fencing,posts, buildings
or other immovable objects.
Never use a blade after hitting a hard object without first
inspecting it for damage. Do not use if any damage is
detected.
The unit is used for cutting from the right to the left in a
broad sweeping action from side to side.
Use only the TRI-ARC®blade. To install any other brand
blade or cutting head to this brushcutter could result in
serious personal injury.
MAINTENANCE
GENERAL MAINTENANCE
Avoid using solvents when cleaning plastic parts. Most
plastics are susceptible to damage from various types of
commercialsolventsandmay be damaged by their use. Use
clean cloths to remove dirt, dust, oil, grease, etc.
WARNING:
Do not at any time let brake fluids, petrol, petroleumbased
products, penetratingoils, etc., come incontact with plastic
parts. Chemicals can damage, weaken, or destroy plastic,
which may result in serious personal injury.
Only the parts shown on the parts list are intended to be
repaired or replaced by the customer.All other parts should
be replaced at an authorised service center.
REPLACING THE TRI-ARC®BLADE
See Figures 7 - 8.
To remove blade:
Align the slot in the flanged washer with the slot in the
gear head.
Place the gear head locking tool through the slot in the
flanged washer and gear head.
Removethebladenutby turning it clockwise (left-handed
threads).

7
MAINTENANCE
Remove the cupped washer and the blade.
To install blade:
Place flanged washer over the gear shaft with the hollow
side toward the brushcutter guard.
Center the blade on the flanged washer, making sure the
blade fits flat and the raised hub goes through the hole in
the blade.
Install the cupped washer with the raised center away
from the blade.
Place the blade nut onto the gear shaft.
Insert the head locking tool through the flanged washer
and gear head.
Install the blade nut by turning it counterclockwise (left-
handed threads).
Tighten the blade nut and torque to 120 in.lb. minimum
(finger tight plus 1/2 turn).
ATTACHING THE STORAGE HANGER
See Figure 9.
There are two ways to hang the attachment for storage.
To use the hanger cap, push in the button and place the
hanger cap over the end of the attachment shaft. Slightly
rotate the cap from side to side until the button locks into
place.
The secondary hole in the attachment shaft can be used
for hanging purposes as well.
STORING THE ATTACHMENT
Clean the attachment thoroughly and lubricate before
storing.
Store the attachment in a dry, well-ventilated place that
is inaccessible to children.
Keep away from corrosive agents such as garden chemi-
cals and de-icing salts.

TECHTRONIC INDUSTRIES (AUSTRALIA) PTY. LTD.
Level 1, 660 Doncaster Road,
Doncaster, Victoria 3108,
Australia
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]
www.ryobi.com.au
TECHTRONIC INDUSTRIES N.Z. LIMITED
Auckland: 27 Clemow Drive, Mt Wellington, N.Z.
Tel: [phone] Free Call: 0800 279 624 Fax: [phone]
Contact during normal business hours.
www.ryobi.co.nz
Subject to the guarantee condition below, this Ryobi
tool (hereinafter called “the product”) is guaranteed by
TECHTRONIC INDUSTRIES AUSTRALIA PTY
LIMITED (hereinafter called “the Company”) to be free
from defects in material or workmanship for a period
of 24 months from the date of original purchase
covering both parts and labour. Under the terms of
this guarantee, the repair or replacement of any part
shall be the opinion of the Company or its authorised
service centre. Should service become necessary
during the warranty period, the owner should contact
the customer service HELPLINE 1300 361 505 or
contact the retailer from whom the product was
purchased.
In order to obtain guarantee service, the owner must
present the sales docket and Guarantee Certificate to
confirm date of purchase. This product is sold by the
dealer or service centre as principal and the dealer
has no authority from the Company’s behalf except as
herein contained or herein referred to.
Guarantee Conditions
This guarantee only applies provided that the product
has been used in accordance with the manufacturer’s
recommendations under normal use and reasonable
care (in the opinion of the Company) and such
guarantee does not cover damage, malfunction or
failure resulting from misuse, neglect, abuse, or used
for a purpose for which it was not designed or is not
suited and no repairs, alterations or modifications
have been attempted by other than an authorised
service centre. This guarantee will not apply if the tool
is damaged by accident or if repairs arise from normal
wear and tear. The Company accepts no additional
liability pursuant to this guarantee for the costs of
travelling or transportation of the product or parts to
and from the service dealer or service centre - such
costs are not included in this guarantee.
Certain legislation, including the Trade Practices Act,
1974 (as amended) and other state and territorial laws
give rights to the buyer and impose liability on the
seller in certain circumstances. Nothing herein shall
have the effect of excluding, restricting or modifying
any condition, guarantee, right or liability imposed, to
the extent only that such exclusion, restriction or
modification would render any term herein void.