Use and Care Manual

Important Safe Operation Practices
2
2
General Operation
1. Read, understand, and follow all instructions
on the machine and in the manual(s) before
attempting to assemble and operate.
Keep this manual in a safe place for future
and regular reference and for ordering
replacement parts.
2. Be familiar with all controls and their proper
operation. Know how to stop the machine
and disengage them quickly.
3. Never allow children under 14 years of
age to operate this machine. Children 14
and over should read and understand the
instructions and safe operation practices in
this manual and on the machine and should
be trained and supervised by an adult.
4. Never allow adults to operate this machine
without proper instruction.
5. To help avoid blade contact or a thrown
object injury, keep bystanders, helpers,
children and pets at least 75 feet from
the machine while it is in operation. Stop
machine if anyone enters the area.
6. Thoroughly inspect the area where the
equipment is to be used. Remove all stones,
sticks, wire, bones, toys, and other foreign
objects which could be picked up and
thrown by the blade(s). Thrown objects can
cause serious personal injury.
7. Plan your mowing pattern to avoid
discharge of material toward roads,
sidewalks, bystanders and the like. Also,
avoid discharging material against a wall or
obstruction which may cause discharged
material to ricochet back toward the operator.
8. Always wear safety glasses or safety goggles
during operation and while performing an
adjustment or repair to protect your eyes.
Thrown objects which ricochet can cause
serious injury to the eyes.
9. Wear sturdy, rough-soled work shoes
and close-fitting slacks and shirts. Loose
fitting clothes and jewelry can be caught in
movable parts. Never operate this machine
in bare feet or sandals.
10. For extended use of this product, hearing
protection is recommended
11. Be aware of the mower and attachment
discharge direction and do not point it at
anyone. Do not operate the mower without
the discharge cover or entire grass catcher
in its proper place.
12. Do not put hands or feet near rotating parts
or under the cutting deck. Contact with the
blade(s) can amputate hands and feet.
13. A missing or damaged discharge cover
can cause blade contact or thrown object
injuries.
14. Stop the blade(s) when crossing gravel
drives, walks, or roads and while not cutting
grass.
15. Watch for traffic when operating near or
crossing roadways. This machine is not
intended for use on any public roadway.
16. Do not operate the machine while under
the influence of alcohol or drugs.
17. Mow only in daylight or good artificial light.
18. Never carry passengers.
19. Do not use the machine for towing.
20. Back up slowly. Always look down and
behind before and while backing to avoid
a back-over accident. Be aware and pay
attention to the safety system function that
stops power to the blades when driving in
reverse. If not functioning properly, contact
an authorized dealer for safety system
inspection and repair.
21. Slow down before turning. Operate the
machine smoothly. Avoid erratic operation
and excessive speed.
22. Disengage blade(s), set parking brake, stop
engine and wait until the blade(s) come to a
complete stop before removing grass catcher,
emptying grass, unclogging chute, removing
any grass or debris, or making any adjustments.
23. Never leave a running machine unattended.
Always turn off blade(s), place drive control
levers in neutral, set parking brake, stop
engine and remove key before dismounting.
24. Use extra care when loading or unloading
the machine into a trailer or truck. This
machine should not be driven up or down
ramp(s), because the machine could tip
over, causing serious personal injury. The
machine must be pushed manually on
ramp(s) to load or unload properly.
25. Muffler and engine become hot and can
cause a burn. Do not touch.
26. Check overhead clearances carefully before
driving under low hanging tree branches,
wires, door openings etc., where the operator
may be struck or pulled from the machine,
which could result in serious injury.
27. Disengage all attachment clutches, set the
parking brake to the ‘ON’ position and move
the RH and LH drive control levers to the
neutral position before attempting to start
the engine.
28. Your machine is designed to cut normal
residential grass of a height no more than 10”.
Do not attempt to mow through unusually
tall, dry grass (e.g., pasture) or piles of dry
leaves. Dry grass or leaves may contact the
engine exhaust and/or build up on the mower
deck presenting a potential fire hazard.
29. Use only accessories and attachments
approved for this machine by the machine
manufacturer. Read, understand and follow
all instructions provided with the approved
accessory or attachment.
30. Data indicates that operators, age 60
years and above, are involved in a large
percentage of riding mower-related injuries.
These operators should evaluate their
ability to operate the riding mower safely
enough to protect themselves and others
from serious injury.
31. If situations occur which are not covered
in this manual, use care and good
judgment. Contact your customer service
representative for assistance.
Slope Operation
Slopes are a major factor related to loss of control
and tip-over accidents which can result in severe
injury or death. All slopes require extra caution. If
you cannot back up the slope or if you feel uneasy
on it, do not mow it.
For your safety, use the slope gauge included
as part of this manual to measure slopes before
operating this machine on a sloped or hilly area. If
the slope is greater than 15 degrees as shown on
the slope gauge, do not operate this machine on
that area or serious injury could result.
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
California Proposition 65
Engine Exhaust, some of its constituents, and certain vehicle components contain or emit chemicals known to State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.
Battery posts, terminals, and related accessories contain lead and lead compounds, chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and reproductive harm. Wash hands after
handling.
DANGER
This machine was built to be operated according to the safe operation practices in this manual. As with any type of power equipment, carelessness or error on the part of the operator can
result in serious injury. This machine is capable of amputating hands and feet and throwing objects. Failure to observe the following safety instructions could result in serious injury or death.