MTD 13AX615H730 Owner's manual

Brand: MTD

Model: 13AX615H730

Category: Lawnmowers

Type: Owner's manual

This manual is also suitable for

Series 610

Safety • Assembly • Operation • Tips &Techniques • Maintenance • Troubleshooling • Parts Lists • Warranty

A O AL

Hydrostatic Lawn Tractor- Model Series 610

iMPORTANT

READ SAFETY RULES AND iNSTRUCTiONS CAREFULLY BEFORE OPERATION

Warning: Thisunitisequippedwithan internalcombustionengineandshouldnotbeusedon or nearanyuniiprovedforest-covered,brush-

coveredor grassicoveredlandunlesstheengine'sexhaustsystemisequippedwitha sparkarrestermeetingapplicablelocalorstatelaws(if any).

If a sparkarresterisused,it shouldbemaintainedineffectiveworkingorderbytheoperator.IntheStateofCaliforniatheaboveisrequiredbylaw

(Section4442oftheCaliforniaPublicResourcesCode).Otherstatesmayhavesimilarlaws.Federallawsapplyonfederallands.A sparkarrester

forthemufflerisavailablethroughyournearestengineauthorizedservicedealeror contacttheservicedepartment,RO.Box361131Cleveland,

Ohio44136-0019.

PRINTEDIN U.S.A

MTD LLC, P.O. BOX 361131 CLEVELAND, OHIO 44136-0019

FORMNO.769101628A

12/1/2005

This Operator's Manual is an important part of your new lawn tractor, it will help you assemble,

prepare, and maintain the unit for best performance. Please read and understand what it says.

Table of Contents

Slope Gauge ........................................................ 3

Safe Operation Practices ................................... 4

Setting UpYour Lawn Tractor ............................ 8

Operating Your Lawn Tractor ........................... 12

Adjusting Your Lawn Tractor ............................ 20

Maintaining Your Lawn Tractor ........................ 22

Off-Season Storage / Attachments ................. 28

Safety Labels .................................................... 29

Troubleshooting ................................................ 30

Replacement Parts ........................................... 32

Finding and Recording Model Number

BEFOREASSEMBLINGYOUR NEW EQUIPMENT,please

locatethe model plateon the equipmentandcopy the

informationtothe sample modelplate providedtothe right.

Youcan locatethe modelplate by looking under the seat. This

informationwill be necessaryto usethemanufacturer'sweb

site,to obtain assistancefrom the CustomerSupport Depart-

ment,or when contacting an authorizedservice dealer.

Model Number

www.mtdproducts,com

Serial Number

MTD LLC

P.O= BOX 361131

CLEVELAND, OH 44136

330-220-4683

800-800-7310

Customer Support

Please do NOTreturn the unit to the retailer from which it was

purchased, without first contacting Customer Support.

Ifyou have difficultyassemblingthis productor have anyquestionsregardingthe controls, operation,or maintenanceof this

unit,youcanseek help from the experts.Choosefrom the options below:

1. Visitwww.mtdproducts.com.

2. Phonea Customer Support Representative at 1 (800) 800-7310.

3. The enginemanufacturer isresponsiblefor all engine-relatedissueswith regardsto performance,power-rating,specifica-

tions,warranty and service. Pleasereferto the engine manufacturer'sOwner's/Operator's Manual,packedseparatelywith

your unit,for moreinformation.

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Operation

WARNING

Thissymbol points

out importantsafety

instructionswhich, if

notfollowed, could

i endangerthe personal

safetyand/or property

ofyourself and others.

I Readand follow all

i instructionsinthis man-

i ualbeforeattempting to

i operatethis machine.

Failureto complywith

these instructionsmay

resultin personalinjury.

i Whenyou see this

symbol.

i HEED ITS WARNING

Your

i Responsibility

Restrictthe use

ofthis powermachine

I to personswho read,

understand

and followthe warnings

and instructions

inthis manual

WARNING: EngineExhaust,some of itsconstituents,andcertain vehiclecompo-

nentscontain or emit chemicals knownto Stateof Californiato cause cancerand

birth defectsor other reproductiveharm.

DANGER: Thismachinewas builtto beoperatedaccordingto the rulesfor safeoperation in this

manual.As with anytype of powerequipment,carelessnessor erroronthe part ofthe operatorcan

result inseriousinjury.This machine iscapableof amputatinghands andfeet andthrowing objects.

Failureto observethe followingsafety instructionscould resultin serious injury or death.

Children

1. Tragicaccidentscanoccuriftheoperatoris not

alerttothepresenceofchildren.Childrenareoften

attractedto themachineandthemowingactivity.

Theydo notunderstandthedangers.Neverassume

thatchildrenwillremainwhereyoulastsawthem.

a. Keepchildrenoutofthemowingareaandin

watchfulcareofa responsibleadultotherthan

theoperator.

b. Bealertandturnmachineoff ifa childenters

thearea.

c. Beforeandwhilebacking,lookbehindand

downforsmallchildren.

d. Nevercarrychildren,evenwiththeblade(s)

shutoff.Theymayfalloffandbeseriously

injuredorinterferewithsafemachineoperation.

e. Useextremecarewhenapproachingblind

corners,doorways,shrubs,treesorother

objectsthatmayblockyourvisionofachild

whomayrunintothemachine.

f. Toavoid back-overaccidents, always

disengagethe cuttingblade(s) before

shiftingintoReverse.Ifequipped,the

"Reverse CautionMode"shouldnotbe

usedwhenchildrenor others are around.

g. Keepchildrenawayfromhotor running

engines.Theycansufferburnsfroma hot

muffler.

h. Removekeywhenmachineisunattendedto

preventunauthorizedoperation.

2. Neverallowchildrenunder14yearsoldto operate

themachine.Children14yearsoldandovershould

readand understandtheoperationinstructionsand

safetyrulesinthis manualandshouldbetrainedand

supervisedbya parent.

Operation

Safe Handlingof Gasoline:

1. Toavoid personalinjuryor propertydamageuse

extremecareinhandlinggasoline.Gasolineis

extremely flammableand the vapors areexplo-

sive. Seriouspersonalinjurycanoccurwhengasoline

isspilledonyourselfor yourclotheswhichcanignite.

Washyourskinandchangeclothesimmediately.

a. Useonlyanapprovedgasolinecontainer.

b. Neverfillcontainersinsideavehicleor ona

truckor trailerbedwitha plasticliner.Always

placecontainersonthegroundawayfrom

yourvehiclebeforefilling.

c. Whenpractical,removegas-powered

equipmentfromthetruckor trailerand refuelit

ontheground.Ifthis isnotpossible,then

refuelsuchequipmenton a trailerwitha

portablecontainer,ratherthanfroma gasoline

dispensernozzle.

d. Keepthenozzlein contactwiththerimof

thefueltankor containeropeningatall

timesuntilfuelingiscomplete.Donotusea

nozzlelock-opendevice.

e. Extinguishallcigarettes,cigars,pipesand

othersourcesofignition.

f. Neverfuelmachineindoors.

g. Neverremovegascaporaddfuelwhilethe

engineishotor running.Allowenginetocool

atleasttwominutesbeforerefueling.

h. Neveroverfillfueltank.Filltanktonomore

than1/2inchbelowbottomoffillerneckto

allowspaceforfuelexpansion.

i. Replacegasolinecapandtightensecurely.

j. If gasolineisspilled,wipeitoff theengine

andequipment.Moveunittoanotherarea.

Wait5 minutesbeforestartingtheengine.

k. Toreducefirehazards,keepmachinefreeof

grass,leaves,orotherdebrisbuild-up.Clean

upoil orfuelspillageand removeanyfuel

soakeddebris.

I. Neverstorethemachineorfuelcontainer

insidewherethereisanopenflame,spark

orpilotlightason a waterheater,space

heater,furnace,clothesdryerorothergas

appliances.

m. Allowa machinetocoolatleastfiveminutes

beforestoring.

GeneralOperation:

1. Read,understand,andfollowall instructionsonthe

machineandin themanual(s)beforeattemptingto

assembleandoperate.Keepthismanualinasafe

placeforfutureandregularreferenceandforordering

replacementparts.

2. Befamiliarwith allcontrolsandtheirproperoperation.

Knowhowtostopthe machineanddisengagethem

quickly.

3, Neverallowchildrenunder14yearsold tooperate

this machine.Children14yearsoldandovershould

readandunderstandtheoperationinstructionsand

safetyrulesinthis manualandshouldbetrainedand

supervisedbya parent.

4. Neverallowadultstooperatethis machinewithout

properinstruction.

5. Tohelpavoidbladecontactorathrownobjectinjury,

keepbystanders,helpers,childrenand petsat least

75feet fromthemachinewhileitis inoperation.Stop

machineifanyoneentersthearea.

6. Thoroughlyinspecttheareawheretheequipmentisto

be used.Removeall stones,sticks,wire,bones,toys,

andotherforeignobjectswhichcouldbe pickedup

andthrownbytheblade(s).Thrownobjectscancause

seriouspersonalinjury.

7. Planyourmowingpatterntoavoiddischargeof

materialtowardroads,sidewalks,bystandersandthe

like.Also,avoiddischargingmaterialagainstawallor

obstructionwhichmaycausedischargedmaterialto

ricochetbacktowardtheoperator.

8. Alwayswearsafetyglassesor safetygogglesduring

operationandwhileperformingan adjustmentor

repairtoprotectyoureyes.Thrownobjectswhich

ricochetcancauseseriousinjurytotheeyes.

9. Wearsturdy,rough-soledworkshoesandclose-fitting

slacksandshirts.Loosefittingclothesandjewelry

canbecaughtinmovableparts.Neveroperatethis

machinein barefeetor sandals.

10.Beawareofthemowerandattachmentdischarge

directionanddo notpointitatanyone.Donotoperate

themowerwithoutthedischargecoverorentiregrass

catcherin itsproperplace.

11.Donotputhandsor feetnearrotatingpartsor under

thecuttingdeck.Contactwiththeblade(s)can

amputatehandsandfeet.

12.A missingor damageddischargecovercancause

bladecontactorthrownobjectinjuries.

13.Stoptheblade(s)whencrossinggraveldrives,walks,

or roadsandwhilenotcuttinggrass.

14.Watchfortrafficwhenoperatingnearor crossing

roadways.Thismachineisnotintendedforuseon

anypublicroadway.

15.Donotoperatethe machinewhileundertheinflu-

enceofalcoholordrugs.

16.Mowonlyin daylightor goodartificiallight.

17.Nevercarrypassengers.

18.Disengageblade(s)beforeshiftingintoreverse.

Backupslowly.Alwayslookdownandbehindbefore

andwhilebackingtoavoida back-overaccident.

19.Slowdownbeforeturning.Operatethe machine

smoothly.Avoiderraticoperationandexcessive

speed.

20.Disengageblade(s),setparkingbrake,stopengine

andwaituntiltheblade(s)cometoa completestop

beforeremovinggrasscatcher,emptyinggrass,

uncloggingchute,removinganygrassor debris,or

makinganyadjustments.

21.Neverleavea runningmachineunattended.Always

turnoff blade(s),placetransmissionin neutral,set

parkingbrake,stopengineand removekeybefore

dismounting.

22.Useextracarewhenloadingorunloadingthe

machineintoa trailerortruck.Thisunitshouldnot

bedrivenupor downramp(s),becausethe unit

couldtipover,causingseriouspersonalinjury.The

unitmustbepushedmanuallyon ramp(s)toloador

unloadproperly.

23.Mufflerandenginebecomehotandcancausea

burn.Donottouch.

24.Checkoverheadclearancescarefullybeforedriving

underlowhangingtreebranches,wires,dooropen-

ingsetc.,wheretheoperatormaybe struckor pulled

fromthe unit,whichcouldresultinseriousinjury.

25.Disengageallattachmentclutches,depressthe

brakepedalcompletelyandshiftintoneutralbefore

attemptingtostartengine.

26.Yourmachineisdesignedto cutnormalresidential

grassofa heightno morethan10".Donotattemptto

mowthroughunusuallytall,drygrass(e.g.,pasture)

or pilesofdryleaves.Drygrassor leavesmay

contacttheengineexhaustand/orbuilduponthe

mowerdeckpresentinga potentialfirehazard.

27.Useonlyaccessoriesandattachmentsapprovedfor

thismachinebythemachinemanufacturer.Read,

understandandfollowall instructionsprovidedwith

theapprovedaccessoryor attachment.

28.Dataindicatesthatoperators,age60 yearsand

above,are involvedin a largepercentageofriding

mower-relatedinjuries.Theseoperatorsshould

evaluatetheirabilitytooperatethe ridingmower

safelyenoughto protectthemselvesandothersfrom

seriousinjury.

29.If situationsoccurwhicharenotcoveredinthis

manual,usecareandgoodjudgment.Contactyour

customerservicerepresentativeforassistance.

!i!i ¸¸¸:¸/: :!i¸ ¸¸¸ : :

WARNING

Thissymbol points

out importantsafety

instructionswhich, if

notfollowed,could

endangerthe personal

safety and/or property

ofyourself and others.

Readand followall

instructions inthis man-

ual beforeattemptingto

operatethis machine.

Failureto comply with

these instructionsmay

result inpersonalinjury.

Whenyou seethis

symbol.

HEED ITS WARNING

Your

Responsibility

Restrictthe use

ofthis powermachine

to personswho read,

understand

and follow the warnings

and instructions

inthis manual

Operation

This symbol points

out important safety

instructionswhich, if

notfollowed, could

endangerthe personal

i safety and/or property

of yourselfand others.

Readandfollow all

=nstructionsin this man-

ualbeforeattempting to

I operatethis machine.

I Failureto comply with

i these instructions may

i resultin personalinjury.

Whenyou seethis

symbol.

HEED ITS WARNING

Your

Responsibility

Restrictthe use

of this power machine

to personswho read,

understand

and followthe warn=ngs

and instructions

in this manual

Slopesare a majorfactorrelatedtolossofcontroland

tip-overaccidentswhichcanresultin severeinjuryor

death.All slopesrequireextracaution.If youcannot

backuptheslopeor ifyoufeeluneasyonit, do notmow

it.

Foryoursafety,usetheslopegaugeincludedaspartof

thismanualto measureslopesbeforeoperatingthisunit

ona slopedor hillyarea.Iftheslopeisgreaterthan15

degreesasshownon theslopegauge,do notoperate

thisunitonthatareaorseriousinjurycouldresult.

DO:

1. Mowupanddownslopes,notacross.Exercise

extremecautionwhenchangingdirectiononslopes.

2. Watchforholes,ruts,bumps,rocks,orotherhidden

objects.Uneventerraincouldoverturnthe machine.

Tallgrasscanhideobstacles.

3. Useslowspeed.Choosea lowenoughspeed

settingsothatyouwillnothaveto stopor shiftwhile

ontheslope.Tiresmaylosetractiononslopeseven

thoughthebrakesarefunctioningproperly.Always

keepmachineingearwhengoingdownslopesto

takeadvantageofenginebrakingaction.

4. Followthemanufacturer'srecommendationsfor

wheelweightsorcounterweightstoimprovestability.

5. Useextracarewithgrasscatchersorotherat-

tachments.Thesecanchangethestabilityofthe

machine.

6. Keepall movementon theslopesslowand gradual.

Donotmakesuddenchangesin speedor direction.

Rapidengagementor brakingcouldcausethefront

ofthemachineto liftand rapidlyflipoverbackwards

whichcouldcauseseriousinjury.

7. Avoidstartingor stoppingon aslope.If tireslose

traction,disengagetheblade(s)andproceedslowly

straightdowntheslope.

Do Not:

1. Donotturnon slopesunlessnecessary;then,turn

slowlyandgraduallydownhill,ifpossible.

2. Donotmowneardrop-offs,ditchesor embankments.

Themowercouldsuddenlyturnoverif awheelisover

theedgeofa cliff,ditch,or ifan edgecavesin.

3. Donottry tostabilizethemachinebyputtingyourfoot

ontheground.

4. Donotusea grasscatcheronsteepslopes.

5. Donotmowonwetgrass.Reducedtractioncould

causesliding.

6. Donotshifttoneutralandcoastdownhill.Over-speed-

ingmaycausetheoperatortolosecontrolofthe

machineresultingin seriousinjuryordeath.

7. Donottow heavypullbehindattachments(e.g.loaded

dumpcart,lawnroller,etc.)on slopesgreaterthan

5 degrees.Whengoingdownhill,theextraweight

tendsto pushthetractorandmaycauseyoutoloose

control.(e.g.tractormayspeedup,brakingandsteer-

ingabilityarereduced,attachmentmayjack-knifeand

causetractortooverturn).

Towing:

1. Towonlywitha machinethathasa hitchdesignedfor

towing.Donotattachtowedequipmentexceptatthe

hitchpoint.

2. Followthemanufacturersrecommendationforweight

limitsfortowedequipmentandtowingon slopes.

3. Neverallowchildrenor othersin oron towedequip-

ment.

4. Onslopes,theweightof thetowedequipmentmay

causelossoftractionandlossofcontrol.

5. Travelslowlyandallowextradistancetostop.

6. Donotshifttoneutralandcoastdownhill.

Service

1. Neverrunanengineindoorsorinapoorlyventilated

area.Engineexhaustcontainscarbonmonoxide,an

odorless,anddeadlygas.

2. Beforecleaning,repairing,or inspecting,makecertain

theblade(s)andall movingpartshavestopped.

Disconnectthesparkplugwireandgroundagainstthe

engineto preventunintendedstarting.

3. Periodicallychecktomakesurethebladescometo

completestopwithinapproximately(5) fiveseconds

afteroperatingthebladedisengagementcontrol.Ifthe

bladesdo notstopwithinthethis timeframe,yourunit

shouldbe servicedprofessionallybyanauthorized

MTDServiceDealer.

4. Checkbrakeoperationfrequentlyasitissubjectedto

wearduringnormaloperation.Adjustand serviceas

required.

5. Checktheblade(s)andenginemountingboltsat

frequentintervalsforpropertightness.Also,visually

inspectblade(s)fordamage(e.g.,excessivewear,

bent,cracked). Replacetheblade(s)withtheoriginal

equipmentmanufacturer's(O.E.M.)blade(s)only,

listedinthis manual."Useof partswhichdonotmeet

theoriginalequipmentspecificationsmayleadto

improperperformanceandcompromisesafety!"

6. Mowerbladesaresharp.Wrapthebladeor wear

gloves,anduseextracautionwhenservicingthem.

7. Keepallnuts,bolts,andscrewstighttobesurethe

equipmentis insafeworkingcondition.

8. Nevertamperwiththesafetyinterlocksystemor other

safetydevices.Checktheirproperoperationregularly.

9. Afterstrikingaforeignobject,stoptheengine,

disconnectthesparkplugwire(s)andgroundagainst

theengine.Thoroughlyinspectthemachineforany

damage.Repairthedamagebeforestartingand

operating.

10.Neverattempttomakeadjustmentsor repairstothe

machinewhiletheengineisrunning.

11.Grasscatchercomponentsandthedischarge

coveraresubjecttowearanddamagewhichcould

exposemovingpartsor allowobjectstobethrown.

Forsafetyprotection,frequentlycheckcomponents

andreplaceimmediatelywithoriginalequipment

manufacturer's(O.E.M.)partsonly,listedinthis

manual."Useofpartswhichdonotmeettheoriginal

equipmentspecificationsmayleadto improper

performanceandcompromisesafety!"

12.Donotchangetheenginegovernorsettingsor

over-speedtheengine.Thegovernorcontrolsthe

maximumsafeoperatingspeedoftheengine.

13.Maintainor replacesafetyandinstructionlabels,as

necessary.

14.Observeproperdisposallawsand regulationsfor

gas,oil,etc.toprotecttheenvironment.

Thissymbol points

out importantsafety

instructionswhich, if

notfollowed,could

endangerthe personal

safetyand/or property

ofyourself and others.

Readandfollow all

instructionsin this man-

ual beforeattemptingto

operatethis machine.

Failureto complywith

these instructionsmay

result inpersonalinjury.

When yousee this

symbol.

HEED iTS WARNING

Your

Responsibility

Restrictthe use

ofthis powermachine

to personswho read,

understand

and followthe warn=ngs

and instructions

in this manual

Use extreme care

henhandling

gaso nelGasoline

extremely flammable

and the vapors are

explosive: Never fuel

machine indoors

or while the engine

is hotor running:

Extinguish cigarettes,

cigars;pipes,and

other sOurceS of

ignition:

NOTE: This Operators

Manual Coversa range

ofprOduCtSpecifications

for variousmodels.

Characteristicsand

features disCussed

and/or illustrated

this manual may notbe

applicable to all modelsl

MTD LLC reservesthe

righttOchange product

specifiCationsldesigns

and equipmentwithout

notice andwithout incur-

ting oblieation ,,

NOTE:ThisOperatorsManualcoversa rangeofprod-

uctspecificationsforvariousmodels.Characteristics

andfeaturesdiscussedand/orillustratedin thismanual

maynotbeapplicableto allmodels.MTDLLCreserves

therighttochangeproductspecifications,designs

andequipmentwithoutnoticeandwithoutincurring

obligation.

Attaching the Battery Cables

NOTE: If thesecablesarealreadyattached,ignore

thesestepsand proceedto"Gas& Oil Fill-Up."

NOTE: ThepositivebatteryterminalismarkedPos.(+).

Thenegativebatteryterminalis markedNeg.(-).

Thepositivecable(heavyredwire)issecuredtothe

positivebatteryterminal(+)withahexboltandhex

nutatthefactory.Makecertainthatthe rubberboot

coverstheterminaltohelpprotectitfromcorrosion.

Removethehexboltandwingnut(orhexnut)from

thenegativecable.SeeFig.3-1.

Removetheblackplasticcover,ifpresent,fromthe

negativebatteryterminalandattachthenegative

cable(heavyblackwire)tothenegativebattery

terminal(-) withtheboltandwingnut(or hexnut).

4. Makecertainthehold-downstrapisin positionover

thebattery,securingitin place.

NOTE: Ifthebatteryis putintoserviceafterthe

dateshownon topof battery,chargethebatteryas

instructedin themaintenancesectionofthismanual

priortooperatingthetractor.

Gas and Oil Fill-up

Thegasolinetank islocatedunderthehoodandhasa

capacityof2 gallons.Donotoverfill.

_ WARNING:Useextremecare when

handling gasoline. Gasolineis extremely

flammableand thevapors are explosive.

Neverfuel machine indoors or while

the engine ishot or running. Extinguish

cigarettes, cigars,pipes, and other

sources of ignition.

IMPORTANT:Yourtractorisshippedwith motoroil

in theengine.However,youMUSTchecktheoillevel

beforeoperating.Becarefulnotto overfill.

Servicetheenginewithgasolineandoil asinstructed

in theseparateEngineOperator/OwnerManualpacked

withyourtractor.Readinstructionscarefully.

Rubber Boot

Figure 3=1

f _ Shipping Brace Removal

WARNING:Makesure theriding mower's

engine is off, removetheignition key,and

set theparking brakebefore removing the

shipping brace.

Locatetheshippingbrace,ifpresent,andaccom-

panyingwarningtagfoundontherightsideofthe

mower,betweenthedischargechuteandthecutting

deck.SeeFig.3-2.

Whileholdingthedischargechutewithyourleft

hand,removetheshippingbracewithyourright

handbygraspingitbetweenyourthumbandindex

fingerandrotatingitclockwise.

\ j

Figure 3=2

Figure 3-3

WARNING:Theshipping brace, used

for packaging purposes only, must be

removedand discarded before operating

your riding mower.

WARNING:Themowing deck is capable

of throwing objects. Failureto operate the

riding mower without thedischarge cover

in theproper operatingposition could

result in serious personal injury and/or

property damage.

Attaching The Steering Wheel

If thesteeringwheelforyourtractordidnotcome

attached,thehardwareforattachingithasbeenpacked

withinthesteeringwheel,beneaththesteeringwheel

cap.Carefullypryoff thesteeringwheelcapand

removethehardware.

NOTE:Thereare differentstylesof steeringwheelcaps

available.Stylesvary by model.

With the wheels of the tractor pointingstraight

forward, placethesteeringwheeloverthesteering

shaft.

2. Placethewasheroverthesteeringshaftandsecure

withthehexbolt.See Fig.3-3.

3. Placethesteeringwheelcapoverthecenterofthe

steeringwheeland pushdownwarduntilit"clicks"

intoplace.

Setting Up

WARNING

Make sure the riding

mower's engine is

off, remove the igni-

tion key, and set the

parkingbrake before

removing the shipping

brace.

The shipping brace,

used for packaging

purposes only, must

be removed and

discarded before

operating your riding

mower.

The mowing deck is

capableof throwing

objects. Failure to

operatethe riding

mower without the

discharge cover in

the proper operating

positioncould result

in serious personal

injuryand/or property

damage.

WARNING

Before operatingthis

machine,make sure

the seat isengaged in

the seat stop, stand

behindthe machine

and pull back on seat

untilfully engaged

intostop.

Attaching The Seat

Seatstylesvarybytractormodelandtherearethree

differentstylesavailable:

• StandardAdjustment

QuickAdjustment&

• KnobAdjustment

If theseatforyourtractordid notcomeattached,

refertoFig.3-4,Fig.3-5,andFig.3-6to identifyyour

tractor'sseatstyleandfollowtheapplicableinstructions

belowtoattachit.

NOTE:Forshippingreasons,seatsareeitherfastened

tothetractorseat'spivotbracketwitha plastictie,or

mountedbackwardtothepivotbracket.Ineithercase,

freetheseatfromitsshippingpositionand removethe

twohexscrews(or knobs,onmodelssoequipped)from

thebottomof seatbeforeproceedingwithapplicable

instructionsbelow.

Figure 3-4

x.............................................................................

Standard Adjustment Seat

1. Positiontheshoulderscrews(foundonthe baseof

theseat)insidetheslotopeningsintheseatpivot

bracket.SeeFig.3-4.

2. Slidetheseatslightlyrearwardintheseatpivot

bracket,liningupthe rearslotsinthepivotbracket

withtheremainingtwo holesintheseat'sbase.

3. Selectdesiredpositionfortheseat,andsecurewith

thetwohexscrewsremovedearlier.SeeFig.3-4.

Quick Adjustment Seat

NOTE:Ifyourseatwas shippedmountedbackwardson

theseatpivotbracket,pulloutthetabfoundonthe seat

stopandholditopenwhileslidingtheseatoff theseat

pivotbracket.SeeFig.3-5.

1. Lineuptheplasticseatspacerswiththeslotsinseat .................,

pivotbracket.

2. Slideseatinuntilfrontseatspacerengagestheseat

stop.SeeFig.3-5.

_ ARNING:Beforeoperating this ma-chine, makesure theseat is engaged in

theseat stop, stand behind themachine

and pull back on seat until fully engaged

into stop.

Knob Adjustment Seat

1. Positiontheshoulderscrews(foundonthe baseof

theseat)insidetheslotopeningsintheseatpivot

bracket.Fig.3-6.

2. Slidetheseatslightlyrearwardintheseatpivot

bracket,liningupthe rearslotsinthepivotbracket

withtheremainingtwo holesintheseat'sbase.

3. Selectdesiredpositionfortheseat,andsecurewith

thetwoknobsremovedearlier.SeeFig.3-6.

Figure 3=5

x............................_................................................

Figure 3=6

Figure 3-7

identifying the Mulch Plug

(if so equipped)

Ontractormodelssoequipped,a mulchplugcanbe

foundwithinthecuttingdeck'sdischargeopening.

NOTE:RefertoMulching inthe"OperatingYour

LawnTractor"sectionofthis manualformoredetailed

information.

Ifyou'dprefertooperatethecuttingdeckwithoutmulch-

ing,simplyremovethemulchplugbyunthreadingthe

plasticwingnutwhichfastensittothecuttingdeck.This

willallowtheclippingstodischargeoutofthedischarge

openingduringoperation.SeeFig.3-7.

Tire Pressure

,_ WARNING:Maximumtire pressure under

anycircumstances is 30psi. Equal tire

pressure should be maintained atall

times.

Thetireson yourunitmaybeover-inflatedforshipping

purposes.Reducethetirepressurebeforeoperating

thetractor.Recommendedoperatingtirepressureis

approximately10p.s.iforthe reartires& 14p.s.i,forthe

fronttires.Checksidewalloftireformaximump.s.i.

Your LaWn

Tractor

WARNING

Ma,, mumt repres'

sure under any

circumstancesis30

psi: Equal tire pressure

should be maintained

atalltimesl

NOTE:Any reference

in this manualto the

RIGHTor LEFTside of

thetractor isobserved

from operator'sposition.

Know the Controls

Readthisowner'smanualandsafetyrulesbeforeoperatingyourlawnmower.Comparefigurebelowwithyourlawn

tractortolearnaboutthe Ioctionandpurposeofvariouscontrolsandadjustments.Savethis manualforfuturerefer-

ence.Itis veryimportanttofollowtheinstructionsandoperatethecontrolsproperly.

@ @

NOTE:Steeringwheelnotshownforclarityj

Figure 4=1

A PTO(BladeEngage)Levert F Throttle/ChokeControlLever

PTO(BladeEngage)Knobt G CruiseControlButtont

B SystemsIndicatorMonitor H IgnitionSwitchModule

Ammeter1-(NotShown) I BrakePedal

C ChokeKnobt J DrivePedal

D ParkingBrakeButton K SeatAdjustmentLevert

E CupHolder L DeckLiftLever

1-Ifsoequipped

NOTE:Anyreferenceinthis manualtotheRIGHTor LEFTsideofthetractorisobservedfromoperator'sposition.

Throttle Control Lever

Thethrottlecontrolleverislocatedon therightsideof

thetractor'sdashpanel.Thislevercontrolsthespeed

oftheengineand,on somemodels,whenpushedall

thewayforward,thechokecontrolalso.Whenset ina

givenposition,thethrottlewill maintaina uniformengine

speed.SeeFig.4-2.

IMPORTANT:Whenoperatingthetractorwiththecutting

deckengaged,becertainthatthethrottleleverisalways

inthe FAST(rabbit)position.

Choke Control

Onsomemodels,moving

thethrottleleverall the

wayforwardactivatesthe

engine'schokecontrol.On

allothermodels,thechoke

controlcanbefoundonthe

leftsideofthedashpanel

andisactivatedbypullingtheknoboutward.Activating

thechokecontrolclosesthechokeplateonthecarbure-

torandaidsinstartingtheengine.RefertoStarting

TheEngine inthis section ofthemanualfordetailed

startinginstructions.

Brake Pedal

Thebrakepedalislocated

ontherightfrontsideofthe

tractorabovethedrivepedal

alongtherunningboard.The

brakepedalcanbeusedfor

suddenstopsor settingthe

parkingbrake.

NOTE:Thebrakepedalmustbefullydepressedto

activatethesafetyinterlockswitchwhenstartingthe

tractor.

ignition Switch Module

_ ARNING:Neverleavearunning machine

unattended.Always disengagePTO,set

parking brake,stop engine and remove

key toprevent unintended starting.

Tostarttheengine,insertthekeyintothe ignitionswitch

andturnclockwisetothe STARTposition.Releasethe

keyintotheNORMALMOWINGMODEpositiononce

theenginehasfired.

Tostoptheengine,turntheignitionkeycounterclockwise

totheOFFposition.SeeFig.4-3.

IMPORTANT:Priortooperatingthetractor,refertoboth

SafetyInterlock Switches and Starting The Engine

inthis sectionofthe manualfordetailedinstructions

regardingtheIgnitionSwitchModuleandoperatingthe

tractorinREVERSECAUTIONMODE.

Fast

Position

Slow

Position

Choke

Position

Fast

Position

Slow

Position

Figure 4=2

Normal

Mode

Start

Position

Figure 4=3

Drive Pedal

Thedrivepedalislocatedontheright

sideofthetractor,alongtherunning

board.Depresstheupperportionof

thedrivepedalforwardto causethe

tractortotravelforward.Depressthe

lowerportionofthedrivepedalwith the

ballof yourrightfoot(NOTyourheel)

tocausethetractortotravelin reverse.

Groundspeedisalsocontrolledwith

thedrivepedal.Thefurtherforwardor

rearwardthatthepedalispivoted,the

fasterthetractorwilltravel.Thepedal

,ib

willreturntoitsoriginalpositionwhenit'snotdepressed.

IMPORTANT:Alwayssetthe parkingbrakewhen

leavingthetractorunattended.

WAn.I.G

Never leave a running

machine unattended.

Alwaysdisengage

PTO,set parking

brake, stop engine and

remove keyto prevent

unintended starting;

iMPORTANT

Prioriooperatingthe

tractorl referto both

Safety Interlock

Switches and Starting

The Engine inthis

sectionofthemanual

for detailedinstructions

regarding the Ignition

Switch Moduleand

operatingthe tractor ir

NOTE:ThePTO(Blade

Engage)knobmustbe

inthedisengaged(OFF)

positionwhenstarting

theengine,when

travelinginreverseand

iftheoperatorleaves

theseat.

NOTE:ThePTO(Blade

Engage)levermustbe

inthedisengaged(OFF)

positionwhenstarting

theengine,when

travelinginreverseand

iftheoperatorleaves

theseat.

\-_ BATT, OIL zZ

I 42.0

/// HOURS 1/1 0 \\\

PTO/ BLADE PARKING

Figure 4-4

Systems Indicator Monitor (If so Equipped)

LCD

Locatedinthecenterofthetractor'sconsole,the

systemsindicatormonitorrecords,anddisplayson its

LCD,hoursoftractoroperationwhenevertheignition

keyisrotatedoutoftheSTOPposition.

TheIndicatorMonitorwillalsoremindtheoperatorof

maintenanceintervalsforchangingtheengineoil.The

LCDwillalternatelyflashtherecordedhours,"CHG"and

"OIL"forfiveminutes,afterevery50 hoursof recorded

operationelapse.Themaintenanceintervallastsfor

twohours(from50-52,100-102,150-152,etc.).The

LCDwillalsoflashasdescribedaboveforfiveminutes

everytimethetractor'senginehasbeenstartedduring

thismaintenanceinterval.Beforetheintervalexpires,

changethecrankcaseoil levelasinstructedin this

Operator'sManual.

Brake

If theBrakelightilluminateswhenattemptingtostartthe

tractor'sengine,depressthebrakepedal.

PTO (Blade Engage)

If thePTOlightilluminateswhenattemptingtostartthe

tractor'sengine,movePTOleverintothedisengaged

(OFF)position.

Oil

It isnormalfortheOil lighttoilluminatewhiletheengine

iscrankingduringstart-up,butifit illuminate'sduring

operation,while the engine isrunning,stopthe

tractorimmediatelyandcheckthecrankcaseoillevelas

instructedin thisOwner'sManual.

Battery

It isnormalforthe Batterylightto illuminatewhilethe

engineiscrankingduringstart-up,butifit illuminate's

duringoperation,while the engine isrunning, the

batteryisin needofa chargeortheengine'scharging

systemisnotgeneratingsufficientamperage.Referto

theMAINTENANCEsectionofthis manualfortheproper

batterychargingprocedureor havethechargingsystem

checkedbyyourservicedealer.

Ammeter (Ifso Equipped)

Onmodelswithouta SystemsIndicatorMonitor,an

ammeterwillexist.Theammetermeasurestheelectrical

outputoftheengine'schargingsystem.Undernormal

operatingconditions,withengineatfullthrottle,the

ammetershouldindicatepositivecharge.

Electric PTO (Blade Engage) Knob

(If So Equipped)

Toengagethepowerto

thecuttingdeckor other

(separatelyavailable) II

attachmentson models

equippedwithan electric I_

PTO,pulloutwardonthe

PTO(BladeEngage)knob.

PushthePTO(Blade

Engage)knobinwardto

disengagethepowertothe

cuttingdeck.

NOTE:ThePTO(BladeEngage)knobmust bein the

disengaged(OFF)positionwhenstartingtheengine,

whentravelingin reverseand iftheoperatorleavesthe

seat.

PTO (Blade Engage) Lever

Onmodelsequippedwitha manualPTO(BladeEngage),

thePTO(BladeEngage)leverislocatedontheleft sideof

thedashboardnexttothesteeringwheel.MovethePTO

(BladeEngage)leverforwardtoengagethepowertothe

cuttingdeckor other(separatelyavailable)attachments;

movethePTO(BladeEngage)leverrearwardtodisen-

ON1 z

OFF, PTO

PTO /BLADE ENGAGE

gagethepowertotheattachments.

NOTE:ThePTO(BladeEngage)levermust be inthe

disengaged(OFF)positionwhenstartingtheengine,

whentravelingin reverseand iftheoperatorleavesthe

seat.

Seat Adjustment Lever (If so Equipped)

Toadjusttheseatforwardor backwardon unitsequipped

witha quick-adjustseat,slidethe seatadjustmentlever

totheleftand repositionthe seattothedesiredposition.

Oncea comfortablepositionisfound,releasetheseat

adjustmentleverto locktheseatinplace.Referto the

AdjustingYourLawnTractorsectionof thismanualfor

moredetailedinstructionson all seatadjustments.

Deck Lift Lever

Foundon yourtractor'srightfender,thedecklift leveris

usedtochangetheheightofthecuttingdeck.Touse,

movethelevertotheleft,thenplacein thenotchbest

suitedforyourapplication.

Parking Brake Button

Tosettheparkingbrake,fully

depressthe brakepedaland

pushtheparkingbrakebutton

in.Holdthebuttoninwhile

takingyourfootoff thebrake

pedal.Boththeparkingbutton

andthebrakepedalwillthen

staydepressed.Torelease

theparkingbrake,depressthe

brakepedalslightly.Theparking

brakebuttonwillthenreturnto

itsoriginalposition.

NOTE:Theparkingbrakemustbesetif theoperator

leavestheseatwiththeenginerunningortheenginewill

automaticallyshutoff.

iMPORTANT:Alwayssettheparkingbrakewhenleaving

thetractorunattended.

Cruise Control Button

Thecruisecontrolbuttonis

locatedonthetractordashpanel

totheleftoftheignitionswitch.

Pushthecruisecontrolbutton

whiletravelingforwardata

desiredspeed.Whileholdingthe

buttonin,releasepressurefrom

thedrivepedal.Thiswillengage

thecruisecontrolandallowthe

tractorto remainatthatspeed

withoutapplyingpressuretothe

drivepedal.Depressthebrake

pedalor thedrivepedaltodeactivatecruisecontrol.

RefertoSetting the Cruise Control laterinthis section

themanualfordetailedinstructionsregardingthecruise

controlfeature.

Safety Interlock Switches

Thistractorisequippedwitha safetyinterlocksystem

fortheprotectionoftheoperator.Iftheinterlocksystem

shouldevermalfunction,do notoperatethetractor.

Contactan authorizedMTDservicedealer.

• Thesafetyinterlocksystempreventstheengine

fromcrankingorstartingunlesstheparkingbrake

isengaged,andthe PTO(BladeEngage)knob(or

lever)isinthedisengaged(OFF)position.

• Theenginewillautomaticallyshutoff iftheoperator

leavestheseatbeforeengagingtheparkingbrake.

Models with Manual PTO (Blade Engage)

• Theenginewillautomaticallyshutoff iftheoperator

leavesthetractor'sseatwiththe PTO(BladeEngage)

leverin theengaged(ON)position,regardlessof

whethertheparkingbrakeisengaged.

• WiththeignitionkeyintheNORMALMOWING

position,theenginewillautomaticallyshutoffifthe

PTO(BladeEngage)leveris movedintotheengaged

(ON)positionwiththedrivepedalin Reverse.

Models with Electric PTO (Blade Engage)

• TheelectricPTO(BladeEngage)clutchwillautomati-

callyshutoff iftheoperatorleavesthetractor'sseat

withthePTO(BladeEngage)knobintheengaged

(ON)position,regardlessofwhethertheparking

brakeisengaged.

• WiththeignitionkeyintheNORMALMOWING

position,theelectricPTO(BladeEngage)clutchwill

automaticallyshutoffif thePTO(BladeEngage)knob

ismovedintotheengaged(ON)positionwiththe

drivepedalleverin Reverse.

,_ WARNING:Donotoperate the tractor if the

interlock system is malfunctioning. This

system was designed for your safety and

protection.

NOTE:CruisecontrolcanNOTbeengagedatthe

tractor'sfastestgroundspeed.Iftheoperatorshould

attempttodoso,thetractorwillautomaticallydecelerate

tothefastestoptimalmowinggroundspeed.

Tractol

WARNING

Do not operatethe

tractor if the interlock

system ismalfunction-

ing. This system was

designed for your

safety and protection.

WARNING

Useextreme caution

while operating

the tractor inthe

REVERSECAUTION

MODE. Always look

down and behind

before and while

backing. Do not oper-

atethe tractor when

children or others

are around. Stop the

tractor immediatelyif

someone enters the

area.

Keep hands and feet

away from the dis-

charge opening of the

cutting deck.

Do not operate the

tractor if the interlock

system ismalfunction-

ing. This system was

designed for your

safety and protection.

indicator

Light

Stop

Position

Reverse

.Push Button

Reverse

Caution Mode

Position

Start

Position

Figure 4=5

Reverse Caution Mode

_ ARNING:Useextremecaution while

operating the tractor in the REVERSE

CAUTIONMODE.Always look down and

behind before and while backing. Do

not operate thetractor whenchildren

or others arearound. Stop the tractor

immediately if someone enters thearea.

TheREVERSECAUTIONMODEpositionofthekey

switchmoduleallowsthetractortobe operatedin

reversewiththeblades(PTO)engaged.

IMPORTANT:Mowingin reverseisnot recommended.

Tousethe REVERSECAUTIONMODE:

IMPORTANT:TheoperatorMUSTbe seatedinthe

tractorseat.

1. Starttheengineaspreviouslyinstructedinthis

Operator'sManual.

2. TurnthekeyfromtheNORMALMOWING(Green)

positiontotheREVERSECAUTIONMODE(Yellow)

positionofthekeyswitchmodule. SeeFig.4-5.

3. DepresstheREVERSEPUSHBUTTON(Orange,

TriangularButton)atthetop,rightcornerofthekey

switchmodule.Theredindicatorlightatthetop,left

cornerof thekeyswitchmodulewillbeONwhile

activated.See Fig.4-5.

4. Onceactivated(indicatorlightON), thetractorcan

bedrivenin reversewiththecuttingblades(PTO)

engaged.

5. Alwayslookdownand behindbeforeandwhile

backingtomakesureno childrenarearound.

6. Afterresumingforwardmotion,returnthekeytothe

NORMALMOWINGposition.

, WA

AVOID SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH

• GO UP ANDDOWNSLOPES,NOTACROSS.

• AVOIDSUDDENTURNS.

• DO NOTOPERATETHEUNITWHEREIT COULDSLIPOR TIR

• IF MACHINESTOPSGOINGUPHILL,STOPBLADE(S)AND

BACKDOWNHILLSLOWLY.

• DO NOTMOWWHEN CHILDRENOR OTHERSARE AROUND.

• NEVERCARRYCHILDREN,EVENWITHBLADESOFR

• LOOK DOWNAND BEHINDBEFOREANDWHILEBACKING.

• KEEPSAFETYDEVICES(GUARDS,SHIELDS,AND

SWITCHES)INPLACEANDWORKING.

• REMOVEOBJECTSTHATCOULD BETHROWNBYTHE

BLADE(S).

• KNOWLOCATIONANDFUNCTIONOFALLCONTROLS.

• BE SUREBLADE(S) ANDENGINEARE STOPPEDBEFORE

PLACINGHANDSORFEETNEARBLADE(S).

• BEFORELEAVINGOPERATOR'SPOSITION,DISENGAGE

BLADE(S), ENGAGEBRAKELOCK,SHUTENGINEOFFAND

REMOVEKEY.

READ OPERATOR'S MANUAL

IMPORTANT:TheREVERSECAUTIONMODEwill

remainactivateduntil:

a. Thekeyis placedin eithertheNORMALMOWING

positionor STOPposition.

b. Theoperatorleavestheseat(ModelswithElectric

PTOONLY).

c. Theoperatorengagestheparkingbrakebyfully

depressingthe brakepedalandholdingitdown

whilegentlypushingtheparkingbrakebutton

inward(Modelswith ManualPTOONLY).

Engaging the Parking Brake

Toengagetheparkingbrake:

1. Fullydepressthebrakepedalandholdit downwith

yourfootwhilegentlypushingtheparkingbrakebutton

inward.

2. Holdtheparkingbrakebuttoninwhileremovingyour

footfromthe brakepedal.

3. Onceengaged,theparkingbrakebuttonandthebrake

pedalwilllockin the"down"position.

Todisengagetheparkingbrake:

1. Slightlydepressthebrakepedal.

NOTE:Theparkingbrakemustbeengagediftheoperator

leavestheseatwiththeenginerunningortheenginewill

automaticallyshutoff.

Setting the Cutting Height 2. TurntheignitionkeycounterclockwisetotheSTOP

1 Seecttheheghtpostonofthecuttngdeckby _ position............. //I I

' . .... _ HemovetneKeyTromtnegn ton swtchtoprevent

placingthedeckhftleverinanyofthesixdifferent ' . . /Z_ h

.... unntendedstartng

cuttingheightnotchesonthenghtsideofthefender.

2. Adjustthedeckwheelssothattheyarebetween Driving The Tractor

_A-inchand_/2-inchabovethegroundwhenthetractor

isona smooth,flat surfacesuchasadriveway.

,_ WARNING:Keephandsand feetawayfrom

thedischarge opening of thecutting deck.

NOTE:Thedeckwheelsarean anti-scalpfeatureof the

deckandarenotdesignedto supporttheweightofthe

cuttingdeck.

RefertoLevelingtheDeckonpage20ofthismanualformore

detailedinstructionsregardingvariousdeckadjustments.

,_ WARNING:Avoid sudden starts, ex-ces-

sive speed and sudden stops.

WARNING:Donot leave theseat of the

tractor without first placing the PTO(Blade

Engage)knob (or lever)in the disengaged

(OFF)position, depressing thebrakepedal

and engaging theparking brake./f leaving

the tractor unattended,also turn the

ignition key off and remove the key.

Starting the Engine

_ ARNING:Donot operate thetractor if

theinterlock system is malfunctioning.

Thissystem was designed for your safety

andprotection.

NOTE:RefertoSettingUpYourLawnTractoronpage8of

thismanualforGasolineandOilfill-upinstructions.

IMPORTANT:Yourtractorisshippedwith motoroilin the

engine.However,youMUSTchecktheoil levelbefore

operating.Becarefulnottooverfill.Refertotheseparate

EngineOperator/OwnerManualpackedwithyourtractor.

Readinstructionscarefully.

Insertthetractorkeyintotheignitionswitch.

PlacethePTO(BladeEngage)knob(or lever)in the

disengaged(OFF)position.

Engagethetractor'sparkingbrake.

Activatethechokecontrol.

TurntheignitionkeyclockwisetotheSTARTposition.

Aftertheenginestarts,releasethekey.Itwill returnto

theONposition.

IMPORTANT:DoNOTholdthekeyintheSTARTposi-

tionfor longerthantensecondsata time.Doingsomay

causedamagetoyourengine'selectricstarter.

6. Aftertheenginestarts,deactivatethechokecontrol

andplacethethrottlecontrolinthe FASTposition.

NOTE:DoNOTleavethechokecontrolonwhileoperat-

ingthetractor.Doingsowill resultina "rich"fuelmixture

andcausetheengineto runpoorly.

Stopping the Engine

,_ WARNING:If you strike a foreign object,

stop theengine, disconnect the spark plug

wire(s) and ground against theengine.

Thoroughly inspect themachine for

anydamage.Repair thedamagebefore

restarting and operating.

1. Ifthebladesareengaged,placethePTO(Blade

Engage)knob(orlever)inthedisengaged(OFF)

position.

1. Depressthebrakepedalto releasetheparkingbrake

andletthepedalup.

2. Movethethrottleleverintothe FAST(rabbit)position.

IMPORTANT:DoNOTusethedrivepedaltochangethe

directionoftravelwhenthetractorisin motion.Always

bringthetractortoa completestopbeforepivotingthe

drivepedalfromforwardto reverseor viceversa.

3. TotravelFORWARD,slowlydepressthe upperpor-

tionofthedrivepedalforwarduntilthedesiredspeed

isachieved.

4. Totravelin REVERSE,checkthattheareabehind

isclearthenslowlydepressthe lowerportionofthe

drivepedalwiththeballofyourfoot(NOTyourheel)

untilthedesiredspeedisachieved.

Driving On Slopes

Refertothe SLOPEGAUGEonpage3to helpdetermine

slopeswhereyoumayoperatethetractorsafely.

_ WARNING:Donot mow on inclines with

a slope in excessof 15degrees(a rise of

approximately 2-1/2feet every 10feet). The

tractor could overturn and causeserious

injury.

• Mowupanddownslopes,NEVERacross.

• Exerciseextremecautionwhenchangingdirectionon

slopes.

• Watchforholes,ruts,bumps,rocks,or otherhidden

objects.Uneventerraincouldoverturnthemachine.

Tallgrasscanhideobstacles.

• Avoidturnswhendrivingon a slope.If a turnmustbe

made,turndowntheslope.Turningupa slopegreatly

increasesthechanceofa rollover.

Avoidstoppingwhendrivingup a slope.Ifitis

necessarytostopwhiledrivingupa slope,startup

smoothlyandcarefullytoreducethepossibilityof

flippingthetractoroverbackward.

WARNING

If you strike aforeign

object, stop the engine,

disconnect the spark

plugwire(s) and

groundagainst the

engine. Thoroughly

inspectthe machine for

anydamage. Repair the

damage before restart-

ing and operating.

Avoidsudden starts,

ex-cessive speed and

sudden stops.

Do not leave the seat

ofthe tractor without

first placingthe PTO

(Blade Engage) knob

(or lever) in the disen-

gaged (OFF) position,

depressing the brake

pedal and engaging

the parkingbrake. If

leaving the tractor

unattended, also turn

the ignitionkey off and

remove the key.

Do not mow on inclines

with a slope in excess

of 15degrees (a rise of

approximately 2-1/2feet

every 10feet). The trac-

tor could overturn and

:ause serious injury.

Your LaWn

WARNING

To help avoid blade

contact ora thrown

object injury, keep

-bystanders, helpers,

children and pets at

least 75 feet from the

machine while it is in

operation. Stop ma-

chine ifanyone enters

the area.

Plan your mowing pat-

tern to avoid discharge

of materials toward

roads, sidewalks, by=

standers and the like.

Also, avoid discharging

material against a wall

or obstruction which

may cause discharged

material to ricochet

back toward the

operator.

Moving the Tractor Manually

Yourtractor'stransmissionisequippedwitha reliefvalve

foroccasionswhenitisnecessarytomovethetractor

manually.Activatingthisvalveforcesthetransmission

fluidtobypassitsnormalroute,allowingthereartires

to"freewheel."Toengagethereliefvalve,proceedas

follows:

• Locatethehydrostaticbypassrodintherearof

thetractor.See Fig.4-5

Hydrostatic Bypass

Figure 4=5

Pullthehydrostaticbypassrodoutward,then

down,tolockit in place.

NOTE: ThetransmissionwillNOTengagewhenthe

hydrostaticbypassrodispulledout. Returnthe rodto its

normalpositionpriortooperatingthetractor.

IMPORTANT:Neverattempttomovethetractormanu-

allywithoutfirstengagingthereliefvalve.Doingsomay

damagethetractor'stransmission.

Setting The Cruise Control

NOTE:Thecruisecontrolfeatureshouldonlybeutilized

whiletravelingintheforwarddirection.

• Slowlypresstheupperportionofthedrivepedaluntil

thedesiredspeedisachieved.

• Lightlypressthecruisecontrollever.

• Whilecontinuingtoholdthecruiseleverdown,lift

yourfootfromthedrivepedal(youshouldfeelthe

cruiselatchengage).

• Onceengaged,thecruisecontrolleverandthedrive

pedalwilllock inthe"down"position,andthetractor

willmaintainthesameforwardspeed.

NOTE:Cruisecontrolcannotbe engagedatthe

tractor'sfastestgroundspeed.Iftheoperatorshould

attempttodoso,thetractorwillautomaticallydecelerate

tothefastestoptimalmowinggroundspeed.

Disengagethecruisecontrolusingoneofthefollowing

methods:

1. Depressthebrakepedaltodisengagethecruise

controlandstopthetractor.

2. Lightlydepressthedrivepedal.

Tochangethedirectionoftravelto reversewhen

operatingwithcruisecontrol,depressthebrakepedal

todisengagethecruisecontrolandbringthetractortoa

completestop.Thenslowlydepressthe rearportionofthe

drivepedalwiththe ballof yourfoottotravelin reverse.

Engaging the Blades

EngagingthePTO(BladeEngage)transferspowertothe

cuttingdeckor other(separatelyavailable)attachments.

Toengagetheblades,proceedasfollows:

1. MovethethrottlecontrollevertotheFAST(rabbit)

position.

Models with Manual PTO

2. a. Graspthe PTO(BladeEngage)leverandpivotit all

thewayforwardintotheengaged(ON)position.

Models with Electric PTO

b. PullthePTO(BladeEngage)knoboutwardintothe

engaged(ON)position.

3. Keepthethrottleleverinthe FAST(rabbit)position

forthemostefficientuseofthecuttingdeckor other

(separatelyavailable)attachments

IMPORTANT:Theengine(onmodelswitha manualPTO)

orelectricPTOclutch(on modelswith anelectricPTO)

willautomaticallyshutoff ifthePTOisengagedwiththe

drivepedalin positionforreversetravelwiththeignition

keyinthe NORMALMOWINGposition.Referto Safety

InterlockSwitchesearlierin thissection.

Using the Deck Lift Lever

Toraisethecuttingdeck,movethedecklift levertothe

left,thenplaceit inthenotchbestsuitedforyourapplica-

tion.RefertoSettingTheCuttingHeightearlierin this

section.

Mowing

,_ WARNING:Tohelp avoidblade contact or

a thrown object injury,keepbystanders,

helpers, children and pets at least 75feet

from the machine while it isin operation.

Stopmachine if anyoneenters the area.

Thefollowinginformationwillbehelpfulwhenusingthe

cuttingdeckwithyourtractor:

WARNING:Planyour mowing pattern to

avoiddischarge of materials toward roads,

sidewalks,bystanders and the like. Also,

avoiddischarging material against a wall

or obstruction which may cause dis-

chargedmaterial to ricochet back toward

theoperator.

• Donotmowathighgroundspeed,especiallyifa

mulchkit orgrasscollectoris installed.

• Forbest resultsit isrecommendedthatthefirsttwo

lapsbecutwiththedischargethrowntowardsthe

center.Afterthefirsttwolaps,reversethedirectionto

throwthedischargetotheoutsideforthebalanceof

cutting.Thiswillgivea betterappearancetothe lawn.

• Donotcut thegrasstooshort.Shortgrassinvites

weedgrowthandyellowsquicklyin dryweather.

• Mowingshouldalwaysbe donewiththeengineat full

throttle.

Underheavierconditionsitmaybenecessaryto go

backoverthecut areaa secondtimetogeta clean

cut.

DoNOTattempttomowheavybrushandweedsand

extremelytallgrass.Yourtractorisdesignedtomow

lawns,NOTclearbrush.

• Keepthebladessharpand replacethebladeswhen

worn.Referto Cutting Blades intheMaintaining

Your LawnTractor sectionofthismanualforproper

bladesharpeninginstructions.

Headlights

• ThelampsareONwhenevertheignitionkeyismoved

outof theSTOPposition.

• ThelampsturnOFFwhentheignitionkeyismovedto

theSTOPposition.

Figure 4-6

Mulching (Ifso Equipped)

Selectmodelscomeequippedwitha mulchkitwhich

incorporatesspecialblades,alreadystandardonthe

tractor,ina processof recirculatinggrassclippings

repeatedlybeneaththecuttingdeck.Theultra-fine

clippingsarethenforcedbackintothelawnwherethey

actasa naturalfertilizer.

Observethefollowingpointsforthebestresultswhen

mulching:

• Neverattemptto mulchifthelawnisdamp.Wetgrass

tendstosticktotheundersideofthecuttingdeck

preventingpropermulchingoftheclippings.

• DoNOTattempttomulchmorethan1/3thetotal

heightofthegrassorapproximately1-1/2inches.

Doingsowillcausetheclippingstoclumpupbeneath

thedeckandnotbe mulchedeffectively.

• Maintaina slowgroundspeedtoallowthegrass

clippingsmoretimetoeffectivelybemulched.

• Alwayspositionthethrottlecontrolleverin theFAST

(rabbit)positionandallowitto remaintherewhile

mowing.Failingtokeeptheengineatfullthrottle

placesstrainon thetractor'sengineanddoesnot

allowthebladestoproperlymulchgrass.

NOTE:Itisnotnecessarytoremovethedischargechute

tooperatethemowerwiththemulchkitinstalled.

Tooperatethecuttingdeckwithoutmulching,simply

removethemulchplugbyunthreadingtheplasticwing

nutwhichfastensittothecuttingdeck.Thiswillallowthe

clippingstodischargeouttheside.SeeFig.4-6.

Operati

NOTE: Itis not

necessaryto remove

the dischargechute

to operatethe

mowerwith the

mulch kit installed.

WARNING

Never attemptto make

anyadjustments

whilethe engine

is running, except

where specifiedinthe

operator'smanuaJ.

Never attempt to

adjustthe brakes

while the engine

isrunning. Always

disengage PTO,move

shift lever intoneutral

i position,stopengine

and removekey to

preventunintended

starting.

46-inchdeckshown Deck

Figure 5=1

Withthetractorparkedona firm,levelsurface,place

thedecklift leverin thetopnotch(highestposition)

androtatethebladenearestthedischargechuteso

thatitisparallelwiththetractor.

Measurethedistancefromthefrontofthebladetipto

thegroundandtherearofthebladetiptotheground.

Thefirstmeasurementtakenshouldbebetween1/4"

and3/8" lessthanthesecondmeasurement.Deter-

minetheapproximatedistancenecessaryforproper

adjustmentandproceed,ifnecessary,tothenextstep.

Fromthefrontofthetractor,loosenthehexlocknut

onthedeckhangerrod,andturnawayfromtheinner

hexnuts.SeeFig.5-1.

Tightentheinnerhexnutsfrontagainstthefront

hangerbracketto raisethefrontofthedeck;loosen

thehexnutstolowerthefrontofthedeck.

Retightenthetwo locknutsagainsttheinnerhexnuts

whenproperadjustmentisachieved.

Side to Side

If thecuttingdeckappearsto bemowingunevenly,aside

tosideadjustmentcanbeperformed.Adjustif necessary

asfollows:

Withthetractorparkedona firm,levelsurface,place

thedecklift leverinthetopnotch(highestposition)

androtatebothbladessothattheyareperpendicular

withthetractor.

Figure 5=2

,_ WARNING:Neverattempt tomakeany

adjustments while the engine is running,

exceptwherespecified in the operator's

manual.

Leveling the Deck

NOTE:Checkthetractor'stirepressurebeforeperform-

inganydeck levelingadjustments.RefertoTiresinthe

MaintainingYourLawnTractorsectionofthismanualfor

moreinformationregardingtirepressure.

Front To Rear

Thefrontofthecuttingdeckissupportedbyastabilizer

barthatcanadjustedtolevelthedeckfromfrontto

rear.Thefrontofthedeckshouldbe between1/4-inch

and 3/8-inchlowerthantherearofthedeck.Adjustif

necessaryasfollows:

2. MeasurethedistancefromtheoutsideoftheIdt blade

tiptothegroundandthedistancefromtheoutsideofthe

rightbladetiptotheground.Bothmeasurementstaken

shouldbeequal.Ifthey'renot,proceedtothenextstep.

3. Loosen,butdo NOTremove,thehexcapscrewon

theleftdeckhangerbracket.SeeFig.5-2.

Balancethedeckbyusingawrenchtoturnthe

adjustmentgear(foundimmediatelybehindthehex

capscrewjust loosened)clockwise/uporcounter-

clockwise/down.Thedeckis properlybalancedwhen

bothbladetipmeasurementstakenearlierareequal.

5. Retightenthehexcapscrewontheleft deckhanger

bracketwhenproperadjustmentisachieved.

Parking Brake Adjustment

_ ARNING:Neverattempt toadjust the

brakes while the engine is running. Always

disengagePTO,moveshift lever into

neutralposition, stop engineand remove

key toprevent unintended starting.

Ifthetractordoesnotcometoa completestopwhenthe

brakepedaliscompletelydepressed,or ifthetractor's

rearwheelscanrollwiththeparkingbrakeapplied,the

brakeisin needofadjustment.Seean authorizedMTD

ServiceDealertohaveyourbrakesproperlyadjusted.

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MTD 13AX615H730 Owner's manual

Brand: MTD

Model: 13AX615H730

Category: Lawnmowers

Type: Owner's manual

This manual is also suitable for

Series 610

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