Operator's Manual

–Reviewandunderstandtheslopeinstructions
inthemanualandonthemachine.
–Useanangleindicatortodeterminethe
approximateslopeangleofthearea.
–Neveroperateonslopesgreaterthan15°.
–Evaluatethesiteconditionsofthedayto
determineiftheslopeissafeformachine
operation.Usecommonsenseandgood
judgmentwhenperformingthisevaluation.
Changesintheterrain,suchasmoisture,can
quicklyaffecttheoperationofthemachineon
aslope.
•Identifyhazardsatthebaseoftheslope.Do
notoperatethemachineneardrop-offs,ditches,
embankments,water,orotherhazards.The
machinecouldsuddenlyrolloverifawheelgoes
overtheedgeortheedgecollapses.Keepasafe
distance(twicethewidthofthemachine)between
themachineandanyhazard.Useawalk-behind
machineorahandtrimmertomowthegrassin
theseareas.
•Avoidstarting,stopping,orturningthemachineon
slopes.Avoidmakingsuddenchangesinspeedor
direction;turnslowlyandgradually.
•Donotoperateamachineunderanyconditions
wheretraction,steering,orstabilityisinquestion.
Beawarethatoperatingthemachineonwet
grass,acrossslopes,ordownhillmaycausethe
machinetolosetraction.Lossoftractiontothe
drivewheelsmayresultinslidingandalossof
brakingandsteering.Themachinecanslideeven
ifthedrivewheelsarestopped.
•Removeormarkobstaclessuchasditches,holes,
ruts,bumps,rocks,orotherhiddenhazards.Tall
grasscanhideobstacles.Uneventerraincould
overturnthemachine.
•Useextracarewhileoperatingwithaccessoriesor
attachments,suchasgrass-collectionsystems.
Thesecanchangethestabilityofthemachine
andcausealossofcontrol.Followdirectionsfor
counterweights.
•Ifpossible,keepthedeckloweredtotheground
whileoperatingonslopes.Raisingthedeckwhile
operatingonslopescancausethemachineto
becomeunstable.
g229111
Figure12
1.SafeZone—usethe
machinehereonslopes
lessthan15°oratareas.
4.W=Widthofthemachine
2.DangerZone—usea
walk-behindmowerand/or
ahandtrimmeronslopes
greaterthan15°andnear
drop-offsorwater.
5.Keepasafedistance
(twicethewidthofthe
machine)betweenthe
machineandanyhazard.
3.Water
TowingSafety
•Donotattachtowedequipmentexceptatthehitch
point.
•Donotusethemachineasatowingvehicleunless
ithasahitchinstalled.
•Donotexceedtheweightlimitsfortowed
equipmentandtowingonslopes.Thetowed
weightmustnotexceedtheweightofthemachine
andoperator.
•Neverallowchildrenorothersnearthetowed
equipment.
•Onslopes,theweightofthetowedequipmentmay
causelossoftraction,increasedriskofrollover,
andlossofcontrol.Reducethetowedweightand
slowdown.
•Thestoppingdistancemayincreasewiththe
weightofatowedload.Travelslowlyandallow
extradistancetostop.
•Makewideturnstokeeptheattachmentclearof
themachine.
16