Operating Guide

clothing, and substantial footwear while operating the machine.
Never operate while wearing sandals or when barefoot.
● Do not wear radio or music headphones. Both safe operation and
service require your full attention.
● Never tamper with safety devices.
● Operate the machine only in daylight or good articial light.
● Only operate the engine in well-ventilated areas. Exhaust gasses
contain carbon monoxide, a deadly poison.
● Never leave a running machine unattended.
● Look both ways when approaching roadways and use caution
when turning around on public roadways. You can be struck by a
vehicle and su󰀨er serious injury or death.
Before Using Your Machine
● Know how to operate the machine. The Operating Controls section
helps you understand the controls of your machine and what they
do.
● Prepare your machine and the mowing area by performing required
daily checks outlined in the General Instructions section.
● Follow instructions in the Preventing Injuries section, especially
related to:
- Keeping children safe by following instructions in the Protect
Children section.
- Avoiding injury on slopes and near terrain hazards by following
instructions in the Operating on Slopes and Near Terrain
Hazards section.
- Follow the instructions in the Avoid Thrown Objects section, and
keep all guards in place, including discharge chute.
- Cleaning machine during use and before storing as outlined in
the Prevent Fires section.
● Understand how to service and inspect your machine.
Inspection and Daily Checklist
● Inspect machine before you operate. Be sure that hardware is tight,
and all guards and shields are in good condition and fastened in
place. Make all necessary adjustments before you operate. Repair
or replace damaged, badly worn, or missing parts.
● Visually inspect that mower blades, blade bolts, and the mower
assembly are not worn or damaged. To prevent machine damage,
replace worn or damaged blades and bolts in sets.
● Make sure that the fuel cap and air cleaner are in place before
starting engine.
Fuel
● Use care when handling fuel. Fuel is ammable and fuel vapors can
be explosive. Do not smoke when handling fuel. Only use an
approved fuel container. Clean up spilled fuel immediately.
● Check fuel lines, tank, cap, and ttings frequently for cracks or
leaks. Replace if necessary.
Check the Mowing Area
● Keep bystanders and pets out of the mowing area.
● Clear the area of objects such as rocks, wire, or toys, which can be
thrown by the blades. Remove low-hanging branches or other
obstacles, which can interfere with your travel path.
● Study the mowing area. Set up a safe mowing path. Do not mow
where traction or stability is doubtful.
● Slopes and terrain hazards are major factors related to loss-of-
control and tipover accidents. Operation on slopes and near terrain
hazards requires extra caution. Follow instructions in the Operating
on Slopes and Near Terrain Hazards section.
Weights and Attachments
● Some attachments require ballast weights. Follow
recommendations for wheel weights or counterweights.
● Use only accessories and attachments approved by John Deere.
● If you do not understand the instructions or have questions, contact
your dealer.
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Preventing Injuries
Protect Children
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● Children can be killed or seriously injured by riding mowers when
operators do not follow safe operating practices.
● Do not mow in reverse. Operating with the mower engaged while
backing up is discouraged.
● Never give children a ride on a mower or in a cart behind the
mower, even when the blades are o󰀨. They can fall o󰀨 and be run
over or cut by the mower blades. Children can interfere with mower
operation. Children who have been given rides in the past can
suddenly appear in the mowing area for another ride. If you are not
aware, they can be run over or backed over by the mower.
● Children are often attracted to lawn mowers and mowing activities,
especially if they have been given rides before. They do not know if
the blades are rotating or understand that they can be killed or
seriously injured even if the blades are not rotating.
● Keep children indoors and out of the mowing area when the mower
is being operated. Keep children under the watchful eye of a
responsible adult, other than the operator. If there is not a
responsible adult to ensure that children stay indoors, DO NOT
mow.
● Be alert to the presence of children or others. Turn o󰀨 the mower
blades and stop the machine if someone enters the mowing area.
● Look in the direction the machine is traveling. Before and while
backing, turn o󰀨 the mower blades and look down and behind the
machine carefully, especially for children.
● Use extreme care when approaching objects that block your view,
such as blind corners, shrubs, or trees, especially while backing.
They can hide a child.
Avoid Thrown Objects
● Clear the mowing area of all bystanders when using this machine.
Thrown objects could cause serious injury or death.
● Clear the area of objects such as rocks, wire, or toys, which can be
thrown by the blades.
● Never direct discharged material toward anyone.
● Avoid discharging material against a wall or obstruction such as a
fence or retaining wall. Material can ricochet towards the operator.
● Avoid discharging material towards a street or roadway.
● Stop the blades when crossing gravel surfaces.
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Operating on Slopes and Near Terrain Hazards
● Slopes are a major factor related to loss-of-control and tip-over
accidents, which can result in serious injury or death. Use caution
and common sense when operating on slopes.
● If you feel uneasy on a slope, do not mow or operate the machine
on it.
● Mow up and down slopes, not across.
● Watch for holes, ruts, bumps, rocks, or other hidden objects. Tall
grass can hide obstacles.
Safety
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