Husqvarna 345 User Manual

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8 – 
English
GENERAL SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
The chain brake (A) can either be activated manually (by 
your left hand) or automatically by the inertia release 
mechanism.
The brake is applied when the front hand guard (B) is 
pushed forwards or when the right-hand brake trigger (E) 
is pushed up and forwards.
This movement activates a spring-loaded mechanism that 
tightens the brake band (C) around the engine drive 
system (D) (clutch drum).
The front hand guard is not designed solely to activate the 
chain brake. Another important feature is that it reduces 
the risk of your left hand hitting the chain if you lose grip of 
the front handle.
The chain brake must be engaged when the chain saw is 
started to prevent the saw chain from rotating.
Use the chain brake as a ”parking brake” when starting 
and when moving over short distances, to reduce the risk 
of moving chain accidentally hitting your leg or anyone or 
anything close by.
To release the chain brake pull the front hand guard 
backwards, towards the front handle.
Kickback can be very sudden and violent. Most kickbacks 
are minor and do not always activate the chain brake. If 
this happens you should hold the chain saw firmly and not 
let go.
The way the chain brake is activated, either manually or 
automatically by the inertia release mechanism, depends 
on the force of the kickback and the position of the chain 
saw in relation to the object that the kickback zone of the 
bar strikes.
If you get a violent kickback while the kickback zone of the 
bar is farthest away from you the chain brake is designed 
to be activated by the inertia in the kickback direction.
If the kickback is less violent or the kickback zone of the 
bar is closer to you the chain brake is designed to be 
activated manually by the movement of your left hand.
In the felling position the left hand is in a position that 
makes manual activation of the chain brake impossible. 
With this type of grip, that is when the left hand is placed 
so that it cannot affect the movement of the front hand 
guard, the chain brake can only be activated by the inertia 
action.  
A
B
E