Full Product Manual

4
SAFE OPERATION PRACTICES
To check the slope, proceed as follows:
1. Open manual to page and fold along the dashed line.
2. Locate a vertical object on or behind the slope (e.g. a pole,
building, fence, tree, etc.).
3. Align either side of the slope gauge with the object.
4. Adjust gauge up or down until the left corner touches
the slope.
5. If there is a gap below the gauge, the slope is too steep for
safe operation.
FIRE & FUEL
1. To avoid personal injury or property damage use extreme care
in handling gasoline. Gasoline is extremely flammable and
the vapors are explosive. Serious personal injury can occur
when gasoline is spilled on yourself or your clothes which can
ignite. Wash your skin and change clothes immediately.
2. Extinguish all cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and other sources
of ignition.
3. Use only an approved gasoline container.
4. Never remove gas cap or add fuel while the engine is hot
or running. Allow engine to cool at least five minutes
before refueling.
5. Never fuel tractor indoors.
6. Never store the tractor or fuel container inside where there is
an open flame, spark, or pilot light as on a water heater, space
heater, furnace, clothes dryer, or other gas appliances.
7. If gasoline is spilled, wipe it off the engine and equipment.
Clean up oil or fuel spillage and remove any fuel soaked
debris. Move tractor to another area. Wait five minutes
before starting the tractor.
8. To reduce fire hazards, keep tractor free of grass, leaves, or
other debris build-up. Follow the Post-Operation Tractor Care
instructions in the Service and Maintenance section.
9. Your tractor is designed to cut normal residential grass of a
height no more than 10” (25 cm). 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 tractor deck presenting a potential
fire hazard.
10. Never over fill fuel tank. Fill tank to no more than 1/2”
(13 mm) below bottom of filler neck to allow space for
fuel expansion.
11. Replace gasoline cap and tighten securely. Do not operate
without fuel cap in place.
12. Allow tractor to cool at least five minutes before fueling
or storing.
13. Never fill containers inside a vehicle or on a truck or trailer
bed with a plastic liner. Always place containers on the
ground away from your vehicle before filling.
14. When practical, remove gas-powered equipment from
the truck or trailer and refuel it on the ground. If this is
not possible, then refuel such equipment on a trailer
with a portable container, rather than from a gasoline
dispenser nozzle.
15. Keep the nozzle in contact with the rim of the fuel tank or
container opening at all times until fueling is complete. Do
not use a nozzle lock-open device.
HAULING
1. Use properly secured full width ramps for loading and
unloading a tractor for transport.
2. Use extra care when loading or unloading the tractor into a
trailer or truck. This tractor should not be driven up or down
ramp(s), because the tractor could tip over, causing serious
personal injury. The tractor must be pushed manually on
ramp(s) to load or unload properly.
3. Raise the deck to the highest position for loading clearance.
TOWING
1. Do not tow a load that exceeds 250 lbs (113 kg) rolling weight
and never exceed 50 lbs (22 kg) tongue weight.
2. Do not attach towed equipment except at the hitch point of
the tractor.
3. Never allow children or others in or on towed equipment.
4. Do not tow on slopes greater than 5° (9%). On slopes, the
weight of the towed equipment may cause loss of traction
and loss of control and/or the ability to stop.
5. Always use extra caution when towing with a tractor capable
of making tight turns (e.g. “zero-turn” ride-on tractor). Make
wide turns to avoid jack-knifing.
6. Travel slowly and allow extra distance to stop.
SERVICE
1. Keep tractor in good working order. Do not use the tractor
until worn or damaged parts are replaced.
2. To avoid serious injury or death, do not modify engine in
any way. Tampering with the governor setting can lead to
a runaway engine and cause it to operate at unsafe speeds.
Never tamper with factory setting of engine governor. Do
not change the engine governor settings or over-speed the
engine. The governor controls the maximum safe operating
speed of the engine.
3. Tractor blades are sharp. Wrap the blade or wear gloves and
use extra caution when servicing them.
4. Tractors with hydraulic pumps, hoses, or motors; and/or
diesel injections systems have fluid systems under pressure.
Fluid escaping under pressure may have sufficient force to
penetrate skin and cause serious injury. If fluid is injected into
the skin, seek immediate medical attention. Keep body and
hands away from pin holes or nozzles that eject fluid under
high pressure. If a leak occurs, have the tractor immediately
serviced by an authorized dealer.
5. Before cleaning, repairing, or inspecting, make certain
the blade(s) and all moving parts have stopped. Turn
off the engine, remove the key, disconnect the spark
plug wire(s), and ground against the engine to prevent
unintended starting.
6. Check to make sure the blades come to a complete stop in
not more than five seconds after disengaging the blade
disengagement control per the schedule shown on the
Maintenance Schedule chart in the Service and Maintenance
section of this manual. Measure the stopping time with a stop
watch. If the blades do not stop completely in less than five
seconds, your tractor should be serviced professionally by an
authorized dealer.