MTD 600 SERIES User manual

Brand: MTD

Model: 600 SERIES

Category: Lawnmowers

Type: User manual

Safety • Assembly • Operation • Adjustment • Maintenance • Troubleshooting • Parts Lists • Warranty

OF A O A AL

Automatic Lawn Tractor- Model Series 600

iMPORTANT

READ SAFETY RULES AND iNSTRUCTiONS CAREFULLY BEFORE OPERATION

Warning: Thisunitisequippedwithan internalcombustionengineandshouldnotbeusedon or nearanyunimprovedforest-covered,brush-

coveredor grass-coveredlandunlesstheengine'sexhaustsystemisequippedwitha sparkarrestermeetingapplicablelocalor statelaws(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.769-02073D

10/10/2006

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 lookingunder theseat. This

informationwill be necessaryto usethe manufacturer'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 productorhave anyquestions regardingthe controls, operation,or maintenanceof this

unit,you canseek help fromthe experts.Choosefrom theoptions 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 emitchemicals knownto Stateof Californiato cause cancerand

birth defectsor other reproductiveharm.

DANGER: Thismachinewas builtto beoperatedaccordingto the rulesfor safe operation 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 injuryor 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

objectsthat mayblockyourvisionofachild

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.Keepthismanualina safe

placeforfutureandregularreferenceandforordering

replacementparts.

2. Befamiliarwith allcontrolsandtheirproperoperation.

Knowhowtostopthe machineanddisengagethem

quickly.

3, Neverallowchildrenunder14yearsold tooperate

this machine.Children14yearsoldandovershould

readandunderstandtheoperationinstructionsand

safetyrulesinthis manualandshouldbetrainedand

supervisedbya parent.

4. Neverallowadultstooperatethis machinewithout

properinstruction.

5. Tohelpavoidbladecontactora thrownobjectinjury,

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/orbuildup onthe

mowerdeckpresentinga potentialfirehazard.

27.Useonlyaccessoriesandattachmentsapprovedfor

thismachinebythemachinemanufacturer.Read,

understandandfollowall instructionsprovidedwith

theapprovedaccessoryor attachment.

28.Dataindicatesthat operators,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 thewarnings

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

=nstructionsinthis man-

ualbeforeattempting to

I operate this 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

thisunitonthatareaor seriousinjurycouldresult.

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 a slope.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. Neverrunanengineindoorsorina poorlyventilated

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

henhaod,og

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 maynotbe

applicable to all modelsl

MTD LLC reservesthe

righttOchange product

specifiCations:designs

and equipmentwithout

notice andwithout incur-

ting oblieation ,,

Wing Nut {

RubberBoot

Figure 3=1

Hex Bolt

NOTE:ThisOperatorsManualcoversa rangeofproduct

specificationsforvariousmodels.Characteristicsandfea-

turesdiscussedand/orillustratedinthis manualmaynot

beapplicabletoall models.MTDLLCreservesthe right

tochangeproductspecifications,designsandequipment

withoutnoticeandwithoutincurringobligation.

Attaching the Battery Cables

NOTE: Thebatterymayhavealreadybeeninstalledat

thefactory,ifthisisthecase,skipthisstep.

NOTE:ThepositivebatteryterminalismarkedPos.(+).

Thenegativebatteryterminalis markedNeg.(-).

Thepositivecable(heavyredwire)issecuredtothe

positivebatteryterminal(+)witha hexboltandhex

nutatthefactory.Beforeattachingthenegativecable,

checkthedateonthetop/sideofthebattery.If the

batteryisputintoserviceafterthisdate,chargethe

batteryas instructedin theMaintainingYourLawn

Tractorsectionofthis manualpriortooperatingthe

tractor.

Removethehexboltandwingnut(orhexnut)from

thenegativecable.

Removetheblackplasticcover,ifpresent,fromthe

negativebatteryterminalandattachthenegative

cable(heavyblackwire)tothenegativebattery

terminal(-) withtheboltandwingnut(or hexnut).

Gas and Oil Fill-up

Thegasolinetankislocatedunderthehoodandhasa

capacityofeithertwoor threegallons.Donotoverfill.

WARNING:Useextremecare when

handling gasoline. Gasolineis extremely

flammableand thevapors are explosive.

Neverfuel machine indoors or while the

engine is hot or running. Extinguish ciga-

rettes, cigars, pipes, and other sources of

ignition.

Servicetheenginewithgasolineandoil asinstructedin

theseparateEngineOperator/OwnerManualpackedwith

yourtractor.Readinstructionscarefully.

IMPORTANT:Yourtractorisshippedwith motoroil inthe

engine.However,youMUSTchecktheoil levelbefore

operating.Becarefulnottooverfill.

Shipping Brace Removal

_ ARNING:Makesure theriding mower's

engine is off,remove the ignitionkey,and

set theparking brake before removing the

shipping brace.

Locatetheshippingbrace,ifpresent,andaccompany-

ing warningtagfoundon therightsideofthemower,

betweenthedischargechuteand thecuttingdeck.

See Fig.3-2.

Whileholdingthedischargechutewithyourleft hand,

removetheshippingbracewithyourrighthandby

graspingitbetweenyourthumbandindexfingerand

rotatingitclockwise.

WARNING:Theshipping brace, used

for packaging purposes only, mustbe

removed and discarded before operating

your riding mower.

WARNING:Themowing deck is capable

of throwing objects. Failure to operatethe

riding mower without the discharge cover

in theproper operating position could

result in serious personal injury and/or

property damage.

Attaching The Steering Wheel

ifthesteeringwheelforyourtractordid notcome

attached,thehardwareforattachingit hasbeenpacked

withinthesteeringwheel,beneaththe steeringwheel

cap.Carefullypryoffthesteeringwheelcapand remove

thehardware.

NOTE:Therearetwodifferentstylesofsteeringwheel

cap.SeeFig.3-3.Styles vary by model.

1. With thewheels of the tractor pointingstraight

forward, placethesteeringwheeloverthesteering

shaft.

2. Placethewasheroverthesteeringshaftand secure

withthehexbolt.SeeFig.3-3.

3. Placethesteeringwheelcapoverthecenterofthe

steeringwheelandpushdownwarduntilit"clicks"into

place.

Figure 3=2

_Two Different

...... StylesofSteerim

'_......WheelCaps

Figure 3-3

YourLawn

Tractor

WARNING

Make surethe riding

mower's engine is

off, removethe 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

operatingyour riding

mower.

The mowing deck is

capableofthrowing

objects. Failure to

operate the riding

mower without the

discharge cover in

the properoperating

position could result

in serious personal

injuryand/or property

damage.

INOTE: Forshipping

reasons,seatsare

_eitherfastenedto

thetractorseat's

pivotbracket witha

plastictie,ormounted

backwardto the pivot

shippingposition and

;removethetwo hex

iscrews(orknobs_on

i _°d __:_otqodmP:f _ al

i beforeproceeding with

applicableinstructions.

Figure 3-4

Figure 3-5

Figure 3-6

Attaching The Seat

Seatstylesvarybytractormodelandtherearethree

differentstylesavailable:

• StandardAdjustment

• QuickAdjustment&

• KnobAdjustment

If theseatforyourtractordid notcomeattached,referto

Fig.3-4,Fig.3-5,and Fig.3-6to identifyyourtractor's

seatstyleandfollowtheapplicableinstructionsbelowto

attachit.

NOTE:Forshippingreasons,seatsareeitherfastened

tothetractorseat'spivotbracketwitha plastictie,or

mountedbackwardtothepivotbracket.Ineithercase,

freetheseatfromitsshippingpositionand removethe

twohexscrews(or knobs,onmodelssoequipped)from

thebottomd seatbeforeproceedingwithapplicable

instructionsbelow.

Standard Adjustment Seat

1. Positiontheshoulderscrews(foundonthe based the

seat)insidetheslotopeningsintheseatpivotbracket.

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. Lineuptheplasticseatspacerswiththeslotsin seat

pivotbracket.

2. Slideseatinuntilfrontseatspacerengagestheseat

stop.SeeFig.3-5.

WARNING:Beforeoperating this machine,

make sure the seat is engaged in the seat

stop, stand behind themachine and pull

back on seat until fully engaged into stop.

Knob Adjustment Seat

1. Positiontheshoulderscrews(foundonthe based the

seat)insidetheslotopeningsintheseatpivotbracket.

Fig.3-6.

2. Slidetheseatslightlyrearwardintheseatpivot

bracket,liningupthe rearslotsinthepivotbracket

withtheremainingtwo holesintheseat'sbase.

3. Selectdesiredpositionfortheseat,andsecurewith

thetwoknobsremovedearlier.SeeFig.3-6.

identifying the iVlulch Plug

(if so equipped)

On tractormodelssoequipped,a mulchplugcanbe

foundwithinthecuttingdeck'sdischargeopening.

NOTE:Referto Mulching on page19formoredetailed

information.

Ifyou'dprefertooperatethecuttingdeckwithoutmulch-

ing,simplyremovethemulchplugbyunthreadingthe

plasticwingnutwhichfastensittothecuttingdeck.This

willallowtheclippingstodischargeoutofthedischarge

openingduringoperation.SeeFig.3-7.

....,\\\\\

Figure 3-7

Your Lawn

i i i i i i ii

ii i _iI_ ii

NOTE:Any reference

in this manualto the

RIGHTor LEFTside of

thetractor isobserved

from operator'sposition.

Know Your Lawn Tractor

@ @

/" "_ L

NOTE:Steeringwheelnotshownforclarity

Figure 4=1

A PTO(BladeEngage)Levert G ThrottleLever

PTO(BladeEngage)Knobt H CruiseControlButton

B SystemsIndicatorMonitort/Ammeter I IgnitionSwitchModule

C ChokeKnobt J BrakePedal

D ParkingBrakeButton K DrivePedal

E ShiftLever L DeckLiftLever

F CupHolder M SeatAdjustmentLevert

NOTE:Anyreferencein

If soequipped

thismanualto theRIGHTor LEFTsideofthetractoris observedfromoperator'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

WARNING:Neverleavearunning machine

unattended.Always disengagePTO,move

shift lever into neutral position, set park-

ing brake, stop engine and remove key to

prevent 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

Thedrivepedalislocatedbelowthe

brakepedalon therightfrontsideof

thetractoralongthe runningboard.

Depressthedrivepedalwithyour

rightfootwhenthetractorshiftlever

isineitherFORWARDorREVERSE

tocausethetractortomove.Ground

speedisalsocontrolledwiththedrive

pedal.Thefurtherdownthepedalis

depressed,thefasterthetractorwill

travel.Thepedalwillreturnto itsorigi-

nalpositionwhenit'snotdepressed.

,ib

IMPORTANT:Alwayssettheparkingbrakewhenleaving

thetractorunattended.

WARNING

Never leave a running

machine unattended,

Alwaysdisengage

PTO, move Shift lever

ntoneutra pos t on;

set parking brake, stop

engine andremove key

to prevent unintended

startingl

iMPORTANT

Priorto operatingthe

tractorl referto both

Safety Interlock

Switches and Starting

The Engine inthis

:section ofthe manual

:for detailedinstructions

regarding the Ignition

Switch Moduleand

operatingthetractor 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 levelasinstructedinthis

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

Theammetermeasurestheelectricaloutputofthe

engine'schargingsystem.Undernormaloperating

conditions,withengineatfullthrottle,theammetershould

indicatepositivecharge.

Electric PTO (Blade Engage) Knob

(If So Equipped)

Toengagethepowerto |

thecuttingdeckor other

(separatelyavailable)

attachmentson models -,,,,,,---

equippedwithan electric

PTO,pulloutwardonthe

PTO(BladeEngage)knob.

PushthePTO(Blade

Engage)knobinwardto

disengagethepowertothecuttingdeck.

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-

gagethepowertotheattachments.

ON 1z !

OFFIr ! 0

PTO

PTO /BLADE ENGAGE

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.

Shift Lever _' ._."

Theshiftleverislocated F_,,,P_

on theleftsideof the

fenderandhasthree

positions,FORWARD, N

NEUTRALandRE-

HUETBAL

VERSE.Thebrakepedal

mustbedepressedand

thetractormustnotbein D

motionwhenthemoving

shiftlever.

IMPORTANT:Neverforcetheshiftlever.Doingsomay

resultinseriousdamageto thetractor'stransmission.

Parking Brake Button

Tosettheparkingbrake,fully

depressthe brakepedaland

pushtheparkingbrakebuttonin.

Holdthebuttoninwhiletaking

yourfootoffthe brakepedal.Both

theparkingbuttonandthebrake

pedalwillthenstaydepressed.

Toreleasetheparkingbrake,

depressthe brakepedalslightly.

Theparkingbrakebuttonwillthen

returntoitsoriginalposition.

NOTE:Theparkingbrakemustbesetif theoperator

leavestheseatwiththeenginerunningor theenginewill

automaticallyshutoff.

IMPORTANT:Alwayssettheparkingbrakewhenleaving

thetractorunattended.

Cruise Control Button

Thecruisecontrolbuttonis

locatedonthetractordash

paneltotheleft oftheignition

switch.Pushthecruisecontrol

buttonwhiletravelingforwardat a

desiredspeed.Whileholdingthe

buttonin, releasepressurefrom

thedrivepedal.Thiswillengage

thecruisecontrolandallowthe

tractorto remainatthatspeed

withoutapplyingpressuretothe

drivepedal.Depressthebrake

pedalor thedrivepedaltodeactivatecruisecontrol.

RefertoSetting the Cruise Control laterinthis section

themanualfordetailedinstructionsregardingthecruise

controlfeature.

NOTE:CruisecontrolcanNOTbeengagedatthe

tractor'sfastestgroundspeed.Iftheoperatorshould

attempttodoso,thetractorwillautomaticallydecelerate

tothefastestoptimalmowinggroundspeed.

Safety Interlock Switches

Thistractorisequippedwitha safetyinterlocksystem

fortheprotectionoftheoperator.Iftheinterlocksystem

shouldevermalfunction,do notoperatethetractor.

Contactan authorizedMTDservicedealer.

• Thesafetyinterlocksystempreventstheengine

fromcrankingorstartingunlesstheparkingbrake

isengaged,andthe PTO(BladeEngage)knob(or

lever)isin thedisengaged(OFF)position.

• Theenginewillautomaticallyshutoffiftheoperator

leavestheseatbeforeengagingtheparkingbrake.

Models with Manual PTO (Blade Engage)

. Theenginewillautomaticallyshutoff iftheoperator

leavesthetractor'sseatwiththe PTO(BladeEngage)

leverin theengaged(ON)position,regardlessof

whethertheparkingbrakeisengaged.

• WiththeignitionkeyintheNORMALMOWING

position,theenginewillautomaticallyshutoff ifthe

PTO(BladeEngage)leveris movedintotheengaged

(ON)positionwiththeshiftleverinReverse.

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)positionwiththeshift

leverin Reverse.

,_L WARNING:Donotoperate the tractor if the

interlock systemis malfunctioning. This

system was designed for your safety and

protection.

Tractol

WAR

Do notoperatethe

tractor if the interlock

system,,,a funct on,

ing:This system was

designed for your

safety and protection.

IMPORTANT:Never

force theshift lever,

Doing so may result

in seriousdamage

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 operatethe

tractor ifthe 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 UPANDDOWNSLOPES,NOTACROSS.

• AVOIDSUDDENTURNS.

• DO NOTOPERATETHEUNITWHEREIT COULDSLIPOR TIR

• IF MACHINESTOPSGOINGUPHILL,STOPBLADE(S)AND

BACKDOWNHILLSLOWLY.

• DO NOTMOWWHEN CHILDRENOROTHERSARE AROUND.

• NEVERCARRYCHILDREN,EVENWITHBLADESOFR

• LOOK DOWNAND BEHINDBEFOREANDWHILEBACKING.

• KEEPSAFETYDEVICES(GUARDS,SHIELDS,AND

SWITCHES)INPLACEANDWORKING.

• REMOVEOBJECTSTHATCOULD BETHROWNBYTHE

BLADE(S).

• KNOWLOCATIONANDFUNCTIONOFALLCONTROLS.

• BE SUREBLADE(S) ANDENGINEARE STOPPEDBEFORE

PLACINGHANDSORFEETNEAR BLADE(S).

• BEFORELEAVINGOPERATOR'SPOSITION,DISENGAGE

BLADE(S), PLACETHE SHIFTLEVERINNEUTRAL,ENGAGE

BRAKELOCK,SHUTENGINEOFFANDREMOVEKEY.

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

leavestheseatwiththeenginerunningor theenginewill

automaticallyshutoff.

Setting the Cutting Height Driving The Tractor

1. Selecttheheightpositionofthecuttingdeck by ,A WARN{NG:Avoid sudden starts, ex-ces- //1

placingthedeckliftleverinanyofthesixdifferent _ sivespeed andsudden stops. (' LJ E1

cuttingheightnotchesontherightsideofthefender. ,................... _ rJ

vvAN{_{{_:uo no[leavemesea[ or me

2. Adjustthedeckwheelssothattheyarebetween tractor without firstplacing the PTO(Blade

1A-inchandY2-inchabovethegroundwhenthetractor Engage)knob (or lever)in the disengaged

isona smooth,flat surfacesuchasadriveway.

,_ WARN{NG:Keephandsand feetawayfrom

thedischarge opening of thecutting deck.

NOTE:Thedeckwheelsareananti-scalpfeatureofthedeck

andarenotdesignedtosupporttheweightd thecuttingdeck.

RefertoLevelingtheDeckonpage20ofthismanualformore

detailedinstructionsregardingvariousdeckadjustments.

Starting the Engine

WARNING:Donot operate thetractor if

theinterlock system is malfunctioning.

Thissystem was designed for your safety

andprotection.

IMPORTANT:Yourtractorisshippedwith motoroilinthe

engine.However,youMUSTchecktheoil levelbefore

operating.Becarefulnottooverfill.RefertotheEngine

Operator'sManualincludedwithyourlawntractorfor

completeGasolineandOilfill-upinstructions.

1. Insertthetractorkeyintotheignitionswitch.

2. PlacethePTO(BladeEngage)knob(or lever)inthe

disengaged(OFF)position.

3. Engagethetractor'sparkingbrake.

4. Activatethechokecontrol.

5. 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.

2. TurntheignitionkeycounterclockwisetotheSTOP

position.

3. Removethe keyfromtheignitionswitchtoprevent

unintendedstarting.

(OFF)position,depressing thebrakepedal

and engaging theparkingbrake. If leaving

the tractor unattended,also turn the

ignition key off and remove the key.

1. Depressthebrakepedalto releasetheparkingbrake

andletthepedalup.

2. Movethethrottleleverintothe FAST(rabbit)position.

IMPORTANT:DoNOTusetheshiftlevertochangethe

directionoftravelwhenthetractorisin motion.Always

usethebrakepedaltobringthetractortoa complete

stopbeforeshifting.

3. Tomoveforward,placetheshiftleverintheFOR-

WARDposition,thenslowlydepressthedrivepedal

untilthedesiredspeedisachieved.

4. Tomoveinreverse,placetheshiftleverinthe

REVERSEposition,checkthattheareabehindis

clearthenslowlydepressthedrivepedal.

Driving On Slopes

Refertothe SLOPEGAUGEonpage3to helpdetermine

slopeswhereyoumayoperatethetractorsafely.

,_ WARN{NG: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.If itis

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 leavethe seat

of the tractor without

first placingthe PTO

(B{ade Engage) knob

(or lever)inthe disen-

gaged (OFF) position,

depressing the brake

pedal and engaging

the parking brake, if

leavingthe tractor

unattended, also turn

the ignition key 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

.'auseserious injury.

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 obstructionwhich

may cause discharged

material to ricochet

back toward the

operator.

Setting The Cruise Control

1. Placetheshiftleverin theFORWARDposition,

thenslowlydepressthedrivepedaluntilthedesired

speedisachieved.

2. Lightlydepressthecruisecontrolbutton.

3. Whilecontinuingtoholdthecruisebuttonin,liftyour

footfromthedrivepedal(youshouldfeelthecruise

latchengage).

Onceengaged,thecruisecontrolbuttonandthedrive

pedalwilllock inthe"down"position,andthetractorwill

maintainthesameforwardspeed.

NOTE:Cruisecontrolcannotbe engagedatthe

tractor'sfastestgroundspeed.Iftheoperatorshould

attempttodoso,thetractorwillautomaticallydecelerate

tothefastestoptimalmowinggroundspeed.

Disengagethecruisecontrolusingoneofthefollowing

methods:

1. Depressthebrakepedaltodisengagethecruise

controlandstopthetractor.

2. Lightlydepressthedrivepedal.

Tochangetothe reversedirectionwhenoperatingwith

cruisecontrol,depressthebrakepedaltodisengagethe

cruisecontroland bringthetractorto a completestop.

ThenplacetheshiftleverintheREVERSEpositionand

depressthedrivepedal.

Engaging the Blades

EngagingthePTO(BladeEngage)transferspowerto

thecuttingdeckor other(separatelyavailable)attach-

ments.Toengagetheblades,proceedasfollows:

1. MovethethrottlecontrollevertotheFAST(rabbit)

position.

Models with Manual PTO

2. a. GraspthePTO(BladeEngage)leverand pivot

itall thewayforwardintotheengaged(ON)

position.

Models with Electric PTO

b. PullthePTO(BladeEngage)knoboutwardinto

theengaged(ON)position.

3. Keepthethrottleleverinthe FAST(rabbit)position

forthemostefficientuseofthecuttingdeckorother

(separatelyavailable)attachments

IMPORTANT:Theengine(onmodelswitha manual

PTO)orelectricPTOclutch(on modelswithanelectric

PTO)willautomaticallyshutoff ifthePTOisengaged

withtheshiftleverin positionforreversetravelwiththe

ignitionkeyin theNORMALMOWINGposition.Referto

SafetyInterlockSwitchesearlierinthis section.

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 themachine while it is in operation.

Stopmachine if anyoneenters the area.

Thefollowinginformationwillbehelpfulwhenusingthe

cuttingdeckwith yourtractor:

_ ARNING:Planyour mowing pattern to

avoid discharge of materials toward roads,

sidewalks, bystanders and the like. Also,

avoid discharging material against a wallor

obstruction which may cause discharged

material to ricochet back toward the

operator.

Donotmowathighgroundspeed,especiallyifa

mulchkit orgrasscollectoris installed.

• Forbestresultsitis recommendedthatthefirsttwo

lapsbe cutwiththedischargethrowntowardsthe

center.Afterthefirsttwolaps, reversethedirectionto

throwthedischargetotheoutsideforthebalanceof

cutting.Thiswillgivea betterappearancetothe lawn.

Donotcut thegrasstooshort.Shortgrassinvites

weedgrowthandyellowsquicklyindry weather.

• Mowingshouldalwaysbedonewiththeengineat full

throttle.

• Underheavierconditionsitmaybenecessarytogo

backoverthecut areaa secondtimetogeta clean

cut.

DoNOTattempttomowheavybrushandweedsand

extremelytallgrass.Yourtractorisdesignedtomow

lawns,NOTclearbrush.

• Keepthebladessharpandreplacethebladeswhen

worn.Referto Cutting Blades intheMaintaining

Your LawnTractorsectionofthismanualforproper

bladesharpeninginstructions.

Mulching (if So Equipped)

Selectmodelscomeequippedwitha mulchkitwhich

incorporatesspecialblades,alreadystandardonthe

tractor,ina processof recirculatinggrassclippings

repeatedlybeneaththecuttingdeck.Theultra-fine

clippingsarethenforcedbackintothe lawnwherethey

actasa naturalfertilizer.

Observethefollowingpointsforthebestresultswhen

mulching:

• Neverattempttomulchifthelawnisdamp.Wetgrass

tendsto stickto theundersideofthecuttingdeck

preventingpropermulchingoftheclippings.

DoNOTattempttomulchmorethan1/3thetotal

heightof thegrassor approximately1-1/2inches.

Doingsowillcausetheclippingstoclumpup beneath

thedeckand notbe mulchedeffectively.

Maintaina slowgroundspeedtoallowthegrass

clippingsmoretimeto effectivelybemulched.

AlwayspositionthethrottlecontrolleverintheFAST

(rabbit)positionandallowitto remaintherewhile

mowing.Failingtokeeptheengineatfullthrottle

placesstrainon thetractor'sengineand doesnot

allowthebladesto properlymulchgrass.

NOTE:It isnotnecessarytoremovethedischargechute

tooperatethemowerwiththemulchkit installed.

Tooperatethecuttingdeckwithoutmulching,simply

removethemulchplugbyunthreadingtheplasticwing

nutwhichfastensittothecuttingdeck.Thiswillallowthe

clippingstodischargeouttheside.See Fig.4-6.

Headlights

• ThelampsareONwhenevertheignitionkeyismoved

outof theSTOPposition.

• ThelampsturnOFFwhentheignitionkeyismovedto

theSTOPposition.

Figure 4-6

NOTE:It isnot

necessary to remove

the dischargechute

to operatethe

mowerwith the

mulch kit installed.

WARNING

Never attemptto make

anyadjustments

whle the engine

is running, except

where specifiedinthe

operator'smanual.

Never attempt to

adjustthe brakes

while the engine

isrunning. Always

disengage PTO,move

shift lever intoneutral

i position,stopengine

and removekey to

preventunintended

starting.

0 c_ 0

...... ..........

Loosen Tighten

'_to lower deck to raise deck/

Figure 5-1

AdjustmentGear

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 levelngadjustments.RefertoTires on

page26 forinformationregardingtirepressure.

Front To Rear

Thefrontofthecuttingdeckissupportedbya stabilizer

barthatcanadjustedtolevelthedeckfromfrontto

rear.Thefrontofthedeckshouldbe between1/4dnch

and 3/8-inchlowerthantherearofthedeck.Adjustif

necessaryasfollows:

Withthetractorparkedona firm,levelsurface,place

thedecklift leverin thetopnotch(highestposition)

androtatethebladenearestthedischargechuteso

thatitis parallelwiththetractor.

Measurethedistancefromthefrontofthebladetipto

thegroundandtherearofthebladetiptotheground.

Thefirstmeasurementtakenshouldbebetween1/4"

and3/8" lessthanthesecondmeasurement.Deter-

minetheapproximatedistancenecessaryforproper

adjustmentandproceed,ifnecessary,tothenextstep.

3. Fromthefrontofthetractor,loosenthehexlocknut

oneachendof thedeck hangerrod,andturnaway

fromtheinnerhexnuts.SeeFig.5-1.

4. Tightentheinnerhexnutsfrontagainstthefront

hangerbracketto raisethefrontofthedeck;loosen

thehexnutstolowerthefrontofthedeck.

NOTE:Modelswitha 42-inchdeckhaveonlyONEjam

nut,washer,and locknut.

5. Retightenthetwo locknutsagainsttheinnerhexnuts

whenproperadjustmentisachieved.

Side to Side

If thecuttingdeckappearsto bemowingunevenly,a side

tosideadjustmentcanbeperformed.Adjustif necessary

asfollows:

Withthetractorparkedona firm,levelsurface,place

thedecklift leverin thetopnotch(highestposition)

androtatebothbladessothattheyareperpendicular

withthetractor.

Measurethedistancefromtheoutsideoftheleftblade

tiptothegroundandthedistancefromtheoutsideofthe

rightbladetiptotheground.Bothmeasurementstaken

shouldbeequal.Ifthey'renot,proceedtothenextstep.

Loosen,butdo NOTremove,thehexcapscrewon

theleftdeckhangerbracket.SeeFig.5-2.

Balancethedeckbyusingawrenchtoturnthe

adjustmentgear(foundimmediatelybehindthehex

capscrewjust loosened)clockwise/uporcounter-

clockwise/down.Thedeckis properlybalancedwhen

bothbladetipmeasurementstakenearlierareequal.

Retightenthehexcapscrewontheleft deckhanger

bracketwhenproperadjustmentisachieved.

Parking Brake Adjustment

,_ WARNING:Neverattempt toadjust the

brakes while the engine is running. Always

disengagePTO,moveshift lever into

neutralposition, stop engineand remove

key toprevent unintended starting.

If thetractordoesnotcometoa completestopwhenthe

brakepedaliscompletelydepressed,or ifthetractor's

rearwheelscanrollwiththeparkingbrakeapplied,the

brakeisin needofadjustment.Seean authorizedMTD

ServiceDealertohaveyourbrakesproperlyadjusted.

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MTD 600 SERIES User manual

Brand: MTD

Model: 600 SERIES

Category: Lawnmowers

Type: User manual

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MTD 600 SERIES User manual

MTD 600 SERIES User manual

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