Troybilt 12A-753B063 Owner's manual

Brand: Troybilt

Model: 12A-753B063

Category: Lawnmowers

Type: Owner's manual

0 TRO- V:BILT --

Operator's Manual

Wide-CutTM 33"

Combination Mower

Models 753B

E753B

IMPORTANT:READ SAFETY RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY

Warning: This unit is equipped with an internal combustion engine and should not be used on or near any unimproved forest-covered, brush-cov-

ered or grass-covered land unless the engine's exhaust system is equipped with a spark arrester meeting applicable local or state laws (if any). If a

spark arrester is used, it should be maintained in effective working order by the operator. In the State of California the above is required by law

(Section 4442 of the California Public Resources Code). Other states may have similar laws. Federal laws apply on federal lands. A spark arrester

for the muffler is available by contacting the service department at Troy-Bilt LLC, P.O. Box 361131 Cleveland, Ohio 44136-0019.

TROY-BILT LLC, P.O. BOX 361131, CLEVELAND, OH 44136-0019

PRINTED IN USA FORM NO. 770-10602A

(01/2002)

TABLEOFCONTENTS

Content Page

Safety ................................................................... 1

Assembly................................................................. 4

Features and Controls....................................................... 9

Operation ................................................................ 12

Maintenance .............................................................. 17

Lubrications............................................................... 25

Off-Season Storage ........................................................ 25

Troubleshooting ........................................................... 28

Parts List................................................................. 29

Warrany Information........................................................ BackCover

FINDINGMODELNUMBER

This Operator's Manual is an important part of your new Wide-Cut TM mower. It will help you assemble, prepare and

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

Before you start assembling your new equipment, please locate the model plate on the equipment and copy the infor-

mation from it in the space provided below. This information is very important if you need help from our Customer

Support Department or an authorized dealer.

You can locate the model number by looking at the rear surface of the tine shield. A sample model plate is ex-

plained below. For future reference, please copy the model number and the serial number of the equipment in

the space below

OTRItV BILT. TROY-BILT LLC

P. 0. BOX 361131

www.troybilt.com CLEVELAND, 0H44136

330-558-7220

_. 866-840-6483_

Copy Model Number Here

Copy Serial Number Here

ENGINEINFORMATION

The engine manufacturer is responsible for all engine-related issues with regards to performance, power-rating,

specifications, warranty and service. Please refer to the engine manufacturer's Owner's/Operator's Manual packed

separately with your unit for more information.

CALLINGCUSTOMERSUPPORT

If you have difficulty assembling this product or have any questions regarding the controls, operation or maintenance

of this unit, please call the Customer Support Department.

Call 1- (330) 558-7220 or 1- (866) 840-6483 to reach a Customer Support representative. Please have

your unit's model number and serial number ready when you call. See previous section to locate this in-

formation. You will be asked to enter the serial number in order to process your call.

Safety

WARNING:

The engine exhaust from this product contains

chemicals known to the State of California

to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproduc-

tive harm.

SafetyAlertSymbol

_, his is a safety alert symbol. It is used in this

Owner's Manual to alert you to potential

hazards. Wheneveryou seethis symbol, readandobeythe

safety messagethat follows it. Failureto obey the safety

message could result in personal injury or property

damage.

IMPORTANT

Safe Operation Practicesfor Walk-Behind Mowers

This cutting machine is capable of amputating hands and feet and throwing objects. Failure to observethe

following safety instructionscould result in serious injury or death.

I. GENERALOPERATION

Read,understand,andfollow all in-

structionson the machineandin the

manuals.Bethoroughlyfamiliarwith

thecontrolsandthe proper useof

themower beforestarting.

Donot put handsor feet nearor

under rotatingparts.Keepclearof

themower bladeand discharge

openingatall times.

3. Onlyallow responsibleindividuals,

whoarefamiliar with the instruc-

tions,to operatethe mower.

4. Clearthe areaof objectssuch as

rocks,toys,wire, bones,sticks, etc.,

which couldbe pickedupand

thrown bythe blade.

5. Besurethe areais clearof other

peoplebeforemowing.Stopmower

if anyoneentersthearea. Keepby-

standersatleast25 feetawayfrom

the areaofoperation.

6. Donot operatethe mowerwhen

barefootorwearingopensandals.

Alwayswearsubstantialfoot wear.

Donot pull mower backwards

unlessabsolutelynecessary.Look

downand behindbeforeand while

moving backwards.

8. Donot operatethe mowerwithout

properguards,plates,grasscatcher

or othersafetyprotectivedevicesin

place.

9. Referto providedinstructionsfor

properoperationandinstallationof

accessories.Onlyuseaccessories

approvedbyGardenWay

Incorporated.

10. Stopthebladewhencrossinggravel

drives,walks, or roads.

11. Stoptheengineand disconnectthe

sparkplugwirefrom thesparkplug

wheneveryou leavethe unit, before

cleaningthe moweror unclogging

the chute.

12. Shutthe engineoff, wait untilthe

blade comesto a completestop,and

disconnectthespark plugwire be-

fore installing or removingthe

mulchercoveror the optionalgrass

catcher. Makecertainthat thegrass

catcherissecurelyattachedbefore

operatingthe mower.Emptythe

grass catcheraftereachuse-

decomposingdebriscouldgenerate

enoughheatto catchfire.

13. Mow in daylightor goodartificial

light.

14. Donot operatethemowerwhile

underthe influenceofalcoholor

drugs.

Section1:Safety

15.

16.

17.

Neveroperatemowerin wet grass.

Alwaysbesureofyour footing; keep

a firm hold onthe handleandwalk;

never run.

DisengagetheWheelDriveLeveron

self-propelledmodelsbeforestarting

theengine.

If the unitshouldstartto vibrateab-

normally,stop theengineanddis-

connectthe sparkplugwire. Then

checkimmediatelyfor thecause.

Vibrationis generallya warningof

trouble.

18. Alwayswearsafetygogglesor safety

glasseswith sideshieldswhenoper-

ating mower.

19. Watchfor traffic whenoperating

near,or whencrossingroadways.

20. Neverattemptto carrychildrenor

otherpassengerson themower.

Theycouldfall off and beseriously

injured,or theycouldinterferewith

thesafeoperationofthe mower.

21. Checkthe operationofthe Operator

PresenceControlBarbeforeeach

use.Seethe MaintenanceSectionof

this manualfor instructions. If the

enginerunslongerthanthreesec-

ondsafter theOperatorPresence

Control Baris released,the system

is not working properly. Immediately

contactyour localservicedealeror

thefactory TechnicalService

Departmentfor instructions. Donot

usethe moweruntilthe mechanism

is repaired.

22. Themoweris equippedwith a safety

dischargechute,comeswith special

mulchercovers,andoffersan op-

tionalgrass catcher. Thesafetydis-

chargechute mustbeworking prop-

erly atalltimes. Neverattemptto

disconnectorotherwisecausethis

dischargechuteto ceaseworking. If

used,mulchercoveror grass

catcherattachmentmust beinstalled

properlyandfunction correctly. Do

not useyour equipmentotherwise.

23. Neverrun theenginein an enclosed

area.Engineexhaustcontainscarbon

monoxide,a deadlygasthat is odor-

less,colorless,andtasteless.Always

runtheengineoutdoorsandmake

surethereisadequateventilation.

II. SLOPEOPERATION IV.SERVICE

Slopesare a majorfactorrelatedto

slipandfall accidentswhichcanresult

in severeinjury. All slopesrequire

extracaution.Ifyoufeel uneasyona

slope,donotmowit.

DO:

Mow acrossthefaceof slopes;never

upanddown. Exerciseextremecau-

tion whenchangingdirection on

slopes.Avoidslopesgreaterthan

150.

Removeobjectssuch asrocks,tree

limbs,etc.

Watchfor holes,ruts, or bumps.Tall

grass canhideobstacles.

DONOT:

1. Useextracarein handlinggasoline

andotherfuels.Theyareflammable

andtheir vaporsareexplosive.

a) Useonlyan approvedcontainer.

b) Neverremovegascapor add

fuelwhentheengineis running.

Allowengineto coolbeforerefu-

eling.Donot smoke.

c) Neverrefuelthe machine

indoors.

d) Neverstore themachineor fuel

containerinsidewherethereis

an openflame,such asawater

heater,etc.

e) Movemowerawayfrom any

gasolinefumesbeforestarting

theengine.

2. Neverrunan engineinsideaclosed

area.

III. CHILDREN

Tragicaccidentscanoccuriftheopera-

torisnotalerttothepresenceofchil-

dren.Childrenare oftenattractedtothe

mowerandtothemowingactivity.

Neverassumethatchildrenwill remain

whereyoulastsawthem.

1. Keepchildrenout ofthe mowing

areaand underthewatchful careof

a responsibleadult.

Bealertandturn moweroff if chil-

drenenterthearea.

4. Neverallowchildrento operatethe

mower.

5. Useextracarewhenapproaching

blind corners,shrubs,trees,or other

objectsthat mayobscurevision.

Beforeandwhile movingbackwards,

look behindand downfor small

children.

3. Nevermakeadjustmentsor repairs

with theenginerunning.Disconnect

thesparkplug wireand keepthe

wireawayfrom the plugto prevent

accidentalstarting.

Keepall nuts andbolts,especially

thebladeattachmentbolts,tight and

keepequipmentin goodcondition.

Nevertamperwithsafety devices.

Checktheir operationregularly.

6. Keepmowerfreeof grass,leavesor

otherdebrisbuild-up.Cleanup oil or

fuelspillage.Allow mowerto cool

beforestoring.

7. Afterstriking an object,stop theen-

gineanddisconnectthesparkplug

wire. Inspectthe mowerand repair,

if necessary,beforerestarting.

8. Neverattemptto makemowercut-

ting heightadjustmentswhilethe

engineis running.

9. Grasscatchercomponentsaresub-

jectto wear,damageanddeteriora-

tion, which couldexposemoving

parts or allowobjectsto bethrown.

Frequentlycheckcomponentsand

replacewith factory recommended

parts,whennecessary.

Donot mowneardrop-offs,ditches,

or embankments.Theoperatorcould

loosefooting or balance.

Donot mowexcessivelysteepslopes.

Donot mowon wet grass.Reduced

footing could causeslipping. 5.

Section1:Safety

13.

10. Mower bladesaresharpandcan

cut.Wrapthe bladeor weargloves,

and useextracautionwhenservic-

ing them.

11. Donotchangetheenginegovernor

settingor overspeedthe engine.

12. Donottouch enginepartswhich

may behotfrom operation.Allow

partsto cool completelybeforein-

specting,cleaningorrepairingthe

mower.

14.

Toaccessthe undersideofthe

mower,tip the mower rearward.Do

nottip the mowerforward or on ei-

ther of its sides,unlessspecifically

advisedto do soin this manual.

Maintainorreplacesafetyand in-

structionaldecals. Referto the sep-

aratePartsCatalogfor replacement

decalinformation.

15. Forunitsequippedwith electric

start:

a) Batteriesproduceexplosive

gases.Keepsparks,flame,

cigarettes,etc.,away. Ventilate

theareawhenchargingthe bat-

tery.Donotchargethebatteryin

anairtightspace.

b) Donot usea batterycharger

otherthanthe oneprovidedwith

the mower.

c) Thebatterycontainstoxic mate-

rials. Donotdamagethe battery

case.If thecaseis brokenor

damaged,avoidcontactwith the

batterycontents.

d) Properlydisposeof adamaged

or worn outbattery.Checkwith

localauthoritiesfor proper dis-

posalmethods.

e) Donotshort circuit the battery.

Severeburnsandfire canresult.

SAFETYDECALS

Makecertainallsafetydecalsonthis equipmentare keptcleanandin good condition. Thedecalsareshown (at reducedsizes)

below. If you needareplacementdecal,pleasereferto the PartsCatalogthat accompaniedthis Manual.

Ontop, rearofengineplatform

,CAUTION

Beneathbelt/pulley

cover

OnControlPanel (for electricstartmodel)

OnControlPanel(for recoilstartmodel)

Onleftsideof

mowerdeck

Assembly

To preventpersonalinjuryor property

damage, do not attempt to start the

engine until all assembly steps are

complete and you have read and

understand the safety, controls and

operatinginstructionsinthismanual.

INTRODUCTION

Pleasecarefullyfollow theseassembly

stepsto properlyprepareyour machine

for use. Werecommendthat you read

this Sectionin its entiretybeforebegin-

ningassembly.

NOTE:All referencesto left, right,front

and rearof the machineare determined

bystandingbehindthehandlebarsand

facingthe directionofforward travel.

INSPECTIONAFTERDELIVERY

Inspectthe shippingcrateand machine

immediatelyafterdelivery. Makesure

neitherthecarton northe contentshave

beendamaged.

If youfind or suspectanydamage,con-

tact thecarrier(truckingcompany)

immediately. Informthem of thespecific

damageandthatyou wish to filea claim.

To protectyour rights, besureto put

this in writing to thecarrierwithin 15

days. Thecarrierwill letyou knowhow

to proceedwith your claim. Pleaseletus

knowif you needanyassistance.

TOOLS/MATERIALSNEEDED:

• WireCutter

• 7/16" Wrench

• 3/8" Wrench

• Two 1/2" Wrenches

• Scissorsor PenKnife

• Needle-nosePliers

• Motor Oil(seeStep5)

• TireGauge

ASSEMBLYSTEPS

IMPORTANT:MOTOROILMUSTBE

ADDEDTOTHEENGINEBEFOREIT IS

STARTED.FOLLOWINSTRUCTIONSIN

THIS"ASSEMBLY"SECTION.

STEP1: Unpacking Mower

NOTE:LEFTand RIGHTsides ofthe unit

areasviewedfromthe operator'sposi-

tion behindthehandlebars.

1. Cut metalstraps, if present,securing

unitto pallet.Leaveuniton palletduring

assembly(tosafelyremoveunitfrom

pallet,wait untilyouhavecompletedas-

semblysteps1-4).

2. Removeanyprotectivepackaging

from aroundthe handlebars.Cutthe

plastictie strapsholdingthefour long

control rodsto the handlebars.Donot

removethe two long handlebarstruts

that areattachedto thetop of the

handlebars.

STEP2: Attach Handlebars

to Engine Deck

1. Removetheplasticties holdingthe

wheeldriverod (F,Figure2-7) to theleft

handlebarandthe bladedriverod (C,

Figure2-7) to the right handlebar.Put

the rodsaside.

NOTE:Fourscrews(D, Figure2-2) are

usedto connectthehandlebarsto the

enginedeck. At thefactory,these

screwsarethreadedinto lock nuts

weldedto the backsides ofthe deck.

2. Removeandsavethe four 5/16"-18

x 3/4"screws mentionedinthe NOTE

above.

3. Fromthe front ofthe unit,tilt the

right-sidehandlebarupoverthe air

cleanercoverandlift the otherhandlebar

upward. Rotatethe handlebarsoverthe

engineandposition thehandlebarends

(E,Figure2-2) againstthesidesof the

enginedeck.

Figure2-1

_ r D D

Figure2-2: Attachhandlebarsandstruts

toenginedeck.

4. Swingthe handlebarstruts (A,Figure

2-2) forward andalign thehandlebar

ends(E,Figure2-2) with theholesin the

enginedeck. Looselyinstall two 5/16"-

18x 3/4"hexflangescrewsremoved

earlier(D) intothe rearholes.

5. Align thelooseendsofthe handlebar

struts (A,Figure2-2) overthefront

holes in thehandlebarends. Attachthe

struts and handlebarswith two more

5/16"-18x3/4" hexflangescrews.

Securelytightenallfour screws.

6. Securelytightenthe screws(B, Figure

2-1) atthe upperendsofthe struts.

STEP3: Electric Start Model

A. SecureWireHarness

1. Atthe unattachedendof theelectrical

wire harness,therearefour wiresat-

tachedto a largeplasticconnectorand

two wires attachedto a small plastic

connector.

Section2: Assembly

2. Plugthelargeconnectorintothe bot-

tom of theignition keyswitchthat islo-

catedonthe undersideofthe handlebar

console(not pictured).

3. Usetwo cableties to securethewire

harnessto theright handlebarandaway

from any movingparts. Placethe ties an

equaldistanceapart.

B. AttachWireLeadsto Battery

1. Thebatteryis locatedatthe rear,

right-side oftheenginedeck.

2. Atthelowerend ofthe electrical

wiring harness,locatea redwire lead

andablackwirelead.

• Plugterminal on red(positive)wire into

redterminal (U, Figure2-3) on battery.

• Plugterminalon black(negative)wire

into blackterminal (V).

3. If applicable,attachwire harnessto

enginedeckusingJ-clips (W, Figure

2-4) asshown. BendJ-clips overto

secure.

Black(Ground Lead) V (-)

Red

(Positive

Lead)

(+) U

Figure2-3: Connectwireterminalsto

batteryterminals.

Figure2-4: AttachwireharnesswithJ-

clips.

Chargebatteryonlywith chargersup-

pliedwith machine.Donotshortcircuit

batterywires. Removeany jewelrybe-

fore workingon or near the batteryor

electricstartsystem.

Failure to follow these instructions

couldresultin personalinjuryor prop-

ertydamage.

C. Chargethe Battery

Chargea newbatteryfor 24-48 hoursto

ensureafull charge. Ifthe mowermust

be usedimmediately,the batterymay

haveenoughof a chargeto starttheen-

gine.If not, theenginecanbestarted

with the ropepull starter. NOTE:Charge

the batteryafter theinitial useofthe

mowerto helpensureit isfully charged.

If battery is removed, do not operate

enginewithout insulatingpositive (+)

battery cable terminal with electrical

tape or sparkingfrom batterycells can

result.

1. To chargethe battery,locatethe plas-

tic connector(T, Figure2-5) that hangs

from thewire harnessbelowthehandle-

barconsole.

2. Plugtheconnectoron the battery

charger(Z, Figure2-5) intothe connec-

tor on thewireharness(T).

To grounded

wall outlet

Figure2-5

Controlrodsare adjusted at the fac-

tory andshouldnot requireadditional

adjustmentduringassembly.Afteras-

sembling unit, control rod

adjustment should be checked (and

re-adjusted,ifnecessary)accordingto

informationin MaintenanceSection.

Failureto follow this instructioncould

result in severe personal injury or

propertydamage.

3. Plugthebatterychargerintoa 120V

groundedwall outlet. NOTE:Thebattery

chargeris designedfor useindoorsand

should not beexposedto rainor snow.

4. Chargebatteryfor 24-48 hours.

5. After charging,unplug battery

chargerfrom wall outlet,then unplug

chargerfrom wire harness.

STEP4: Attach Control Rods

A. AttachWheelDriveControlRod

1. Locatethe wheeldrivecontrol rod(F,

Figures2-6 & 2-7) that wasremoved

from theleft handlebarin Step2.This

rod hasa swivelblock (H, Figure2-6) on

oneend.

2. At left sideofenginedeck,insert

swivel block(H,Figures2-6 & 2-7) on

wheeldrivecontrol rod into wheeldrive

control arm (U, Figure2-6).

H A,B _G

Figure2-6:Left-handcontrolrodsdetail.

Section2: Assembly

Figure2-6A:Attachwheeldrivecontrolrod

tolever.

3. Adda 5/16"washer(A,Figure2-6)

andattachwith a hairpinclip (B).

4. At upperend ofcontrol rod,insert

angledend intoWheelDriveControl

lever(V,Figure2-6A)andattachwith a

cotterpin (BB).Bendendsofcotter pin

overrod to secure.

B. AttachOperatorPresenceControl

Rod

1. Locatecontrol rod (E,Figures.2-6

and2-7) attachedat upperendto

OperatorPresenceControllever(W,

Figure2-7).

2. At bottomofcontrol rod,insert

swivelblock (G,Figures2-6 & 2-7) into

control arm (T, Figure2-6).

3. Addone5/16"washerandattachwith

cotterpin. Bendendsof cotter pinto se-

cure.

C. AttachBladeDriveControlRod

1. Locatethe bladedrivecontrol rod (C,

Figure2-7) that you removedin Step2.

Insertoneendof control rod into blade

drivebracket(D, Figure2-7). Add one

5/16"washerandattachwith hairpin clip

(cc).

2. Insertupperendof rod into bottom

endof BladeDriveControllever(J,

Figure2-7). Add one5/16"washerand

attachwith cotter pin (AA).Bendendsof

cotterpin to secure.

D. AttachandAdjustGearSelectLever

NOTE:Theretainingplate(N, Figure2-7)

mentionedinthe following stepsisse-

curedto the rearofthe mowerwith two

screws(0, Figure2-7) and 1/4"-20 lock-

nuts. Removethe retainingplateand

saveit, alongwith thetwo screws,be-

foreproceedingwith assembly.

G N

Figure2-7: Rearviewofcontrolrods.

Figure2-8: Detail- GearSelectLeverin Neutral(N) position.

Pin(K)mustbeinthisdetent

whentransmissionneutralis --_

adjusted.

Section2: Assembly

1. Holdlowerpartof gearselectlever

(I, Figure2-9) againstbracket(M).

Position retainingplate(N), removed

earlier,asshown in Figure2-9 (plate

belowbracket). Secureplatewith two

1/4"-20x 1/2"screws (0) and 1/4"-20

Iocknuts.

6. Slidegrip (B, Figure2-8) backonto

gearselectlever(I).

7. Rotategearselectlever(I, Figures2-

8 & 2-9) clockwiseuntilspur (K - short

rod) ongearselectrod stopsin theneu-

tral position detenton theshift pattern

quadrant(Figure2-8).

8. At bottomofcontrol rod,threadshift

link (P,Figure2-9) partially into ball-

joint (Y).

9. Moveshift arm (X,Figure2-9) from

sideto sideas necessaryintoeach

transmissiongeardetentuntiltransmis-

sion isin neutral.

NOTE:Movingshift arm(X) alltheway

tothe left,andthen onenotch backto

theright, shouldputtransmissioninto

neutral.Whentransmissionis in neutral,

unitwill movefreelywhenpushedwhile

holdingtheOperatorPresenceControl

lever(W, Figure2-7) down. Iftransmis-

sionis NOTin neutral,therewill bea

slight dragonthewheelswhenpushing

unit.

10. Whenshift arm (X)is in neutralpo-

sition, rotateshift link (P)toward end of

gearselectleverrod (I). Adjustlength

of shift link (P) asnecessaryto fit into

hole in bottomof gearselectlever(I).

NOTE:Pin (K) on GearSelectLever(I)

must beheldinthe neutralposition

detentonthe shift quadrant(seeFigure

2-8) whileshift link(P, Figure2-9) is

adjusted.

11. Inserthookedendof shift link (P,

Figure2-9) into holein bottomend of

gearselectlever(I) andsecurewith cot-

ter pin (Q). Bendendsof cotterpin.

NOTE:It may benecessaryto lift gear

selectlever(I) to install shift link (P).

12. Removeunitfrom shippingcrate.

Toremove,hold downOperator

PresenceControllever(W, Figure2-7)

which releasesthewheelbrake.

13. With unit on levelground,hold

downOperatorPresenceControllever

(W, Figure2-7) andpush unitforward

and backward.Thewheelsshouldmove

freely. If not, adjustlengthof shift link

(P,Figure2-9) asnecessary.

14. Putthe GearSelectLeverin neutral

(N), releaseall ofthe control leversand

try to pushtheunit forwardand back-

ward. Thewheelsshouldnotturn. If

they do turn, an adjustmentis neces-

sary. DONOTOPERATETHEUNIT

UNTILTHEWHEELBRAKEMECHANISM

HASBEENADJUSTEDANDISWORK-

INGPROPERLY.See"WheelBrake

Adjustment"in Section5 "Maintenance."

Do not use the mower if the wheels

continue to turn after releasing the

Operator Presence Control and the

WheelDriveControl.

Severe personal injury or property

damagecouldresult if this instruction

isnotfollowed.

: ;° I

I .,I I I

I I

I / o I I

I I

Figure2-9: Detail- TransmissionNeutralAdjustment.

Unit is shippedwithout oil in engine

crankcase.Do notstartengineuntil oil

has been added. Severeengine dam-

age will resultit this instructionis not

followed.

STEP5: Add Motor Oil to Engine

1. Movemowerto a levelarea.Press

and hold OperatorPresenceControl

lever(W,Figure2-7) to movemower.

2. Add motoroil accordingtothespeci-

ficationsandinstructionsprovidedin the

separateEngineOwner'sManualthatwas

includedin theunit's literaturepackage.

• Keepoil levelatthe FULLmarkon the

dipstick to avoidenginedamage.

• Changeoil accordingtoscheduleand

instructionsin Section5 "Maintenance."

STEP6: Check Tire Pressure

1. Useatire gaugeto checkthe air

pressureinthe reartires. Theair pres-

sureshould bebetween15-20 PSI(20

PSImaximum).

2. Keepbothtires equallyinflatedto

help preventmachinefrom pulling to

oneside.

STEP7: After Assembling and

Before Using Unit

1. Readthis entireOwner'sManualfor

propersafety,operationand mainte-

nanceinformation.

2. Makesurespark plug wireis con-

nectedto spark plug beforestarting unit.

FeaturesandControls

IMPORTANT: THE MOWER IS

Before operating mower, be sure to

read all safety, controlsand operating

instructions in this Manual and on

decalslocatedonmachine.

Severe personal injury or property

damage couldresultit this instruction

isnotfollowed.

EQUIPPED WITH A BLADE-BRAKE-

CLUTCHCONTROLSYSTEMWHICH IS

DESIGNED TO STOP THE MOWER

BLADESWITHIN THREE(3) SECONDS

AFTERRELEASEOF THE OPERATOR

PRESENCECONTROL. THIS SYSTEM

WILL STOPTHEBLADESBUTNOTTHE

ENGINE.THEREFORE,YOUCANDISEN-

GAGETHE BLADEDRIVEAT ANYTIME

WITHOUT HAVING TO STOP AND

RESTARTTHEENGINE.THIS FEATURE

IS PARTICULARLYUSEFULWHENYOU

NEEDTO CROSSGRAVELDRIVESOR

ROUGHTERRAIN AND YOU DO NOT

WANT THE SPINNING BLADES

TO STRIKE STONES OR HIDDEN

OBSTACLES.

MOWERFEATURESAND

CONTROLS

This sectiondescribesthevarious

featuresand controlson the unit. Refer

to the nextsection"Operation"for

detailedoperatinginstructions. Also,

readthe separateEngineOwner's

Manualfor a detailedexplanationofthe

proper useofthe enginecontrols.

Operator Presence Control

TheOperatorPresenceControllever

(A, Figure3-1) regulatesthe operationof

the rearwheelbrakeandtheseparate

BladeDriveControl. Alwaysengagethis

control beforeengagingtheseparate

bladedriveor wheeldrivecontrols.

Alwaysdisengagethis control before

startingtheengine.

Toengagethe OperatorPresence

Control,pressand holdthe leveragainst

the handlebargrip. Doingso releases

the brakeon therearwheels,allowing

the wheelsto turn. Theengagedposition

alsopermitstheseparateBladeDrive

Controlto lockin its engagedposition

(allowsthe mowerbladesto turn).

Releasingthe lever(disengaged

position) appliesthe rearwheelbrake

andquicklystopsthewheels.Releasing

the leverwill alsodisengagethe Blade

DriveControl,which will applya brake

that stopsthe bladeswithinthree (3)

seconds.

Blade Drive Control

Usethis lever(B,Figure3-1) to en-

gagedriveto themower blades.

Toengagethe blades,first engagethe

OperatorPresenceControl (A,Figure3-

1). Then,pushthespring-loadedBlade

DriveControllever(B)forwarduntil it

stays in theengagedposition.

Tostop the blades,releasethe

OperatorPresenceControl (A). Doingso

will disengagethe BladeDriveControl

(B) andautomaticallyapplythe brake

that stopsthe blades.

AlwaysdisengagetheBladeDrive

Controlbeforestartingtheengine. This

helpsto ensurethatthe bladeswill not

start turning whentheenginestarts.

NOTE:Pushingthe BladeDriveControl

forward will engagethebladeseven

thoughtheOperatorPresenceControlis

notengaged.However,this procedureis

NOTRECOMMENDEDasyou must main-

tainconstantpressureon thelever(re-

leasingleverdisengagesblades).Always

engagethe OperatorPresenceControl

beforeengagingtheBladeDriveControl.

The blade-brake-clutchcontrolsystem

shouldstop the mower bladeswithin

three (3) secondsafter release of the

OperatorPresenceControl.

If the bladesdo not stopwithin three

(3) seconds, put the Engine Throttle

Control in the STOP position.

Disconnectthe sparkplugwire and do

not operatethe moweruntil the blade-

brake-clutchcontrolsystemhas been

repaired.

B- BLADE

DRIVECONTROL

Engage

C- GEAR

SELECTLEVER

A-OPERATOR

PRESENCECONTROL

Disengage

Engage

Figure3-1

Section3: FeaturesandControls

Operating Symbols Varioussymbolsare usedon the mowerto indicatecontrol settings (your modelmay nothaveall of the

symbols).Thesesymbolsareshownbelowwith a descriptionof their meaning.

ENGINE ENGINE ENGINE

FAST SLOW CHOKE ENGAGE DISENGAGE STOP START RUN

Gear Select Lever

Usethislever(C,Figure3-1) to select

anyof four forward groundspeeds(1 -

Slow,2and3 - Medium,4 - Fast),N

(Neutral)and R(Reverse).Thegearshift

patternisshown in Figure3-2.

Toavoiddamagingthetransmis-

sion, donotshiftgearswhenthe

mowerismoving.

Forforward travel,useoneof thefour

numberedsettings.Toselectreverse,

shift to neutralandthenpull upon the

lever.Turnthe leverto theR (reverse)

positionandreleasethe lever.

Putthe leverin N(neutral)to manu-

ally pushthe mowerandwhenthe

moweris not inuse.

PresenceControlalongwith theWheel

DriveControl.

Whenstartingtheengine,theWheel

DriveControlshouldbedisengaged(re-

leased).Thishelpsto ensurethat the

wheelswill not startturning whenthe

enginestarts.

Do notengagetheWheel DriveControl

without first engaging the Operator

Presence Control. Doing so could

resultin wear or damageto the wheel

brakemechanism.

Figure3-2:

Shiftpattern

onconsole.

A- OPERATOR

PRESENCECONTROL

Disengage

Engage

Wheel Drive Control

Usethislever(D, Figure3-3) to en-

gageanddisengagedriveto thewheels.

Toengagethe wheels,first selecta

forward or reversegearwith theGear

SelectLeverandsqueezetheOperator

PresenceControl(A,Figure3-3). Then,

squeezetheWheelDriveControllever

(D)againstthe handlebargrip. The

ground speedcanbevariedbyincreas-

ing or decreasingpressureon thelever.

Toavoidsuddenacceleration,slowly

squeezetheleverwhenfirstengaging

thewheels.

Releasethe WheelDriveControlto

disengagethewheels.Thewheelswill

graduallyslow to a stop. NOTE:Tostop

the wheelsquickly, releasethe Operator

J Engage

Disengage

D- WHEEL

DRIVECONTROL

Figure3-3

Cutting Height Control Lever

Usethis lever(E,Figure3-4) to adjust

thecutting heightfrom 1to 4 inches.

Notethat actualcutting heightswill vary

accordingto soil conditions.

Turnthe leverclockwiseto raisethe

heightor counterclockwiseto lowerthe

height. A decalandpointer (notillus-

trated) onthe right sideofthe mower

deckshowthecutting heightsettings

rangingfrom A (highest)to G (lowest).

Figure3-4

Mulcher Cover

Themulchercover (F,Figure3-5) is

pre-installedatthe factory. It must be

kept in placewhenusingtheunit asa

mulchingmower. Themulchercoveris

designedto keepthe dischargechute

raisedupwhileyou mow. Whenthe

cover isremovedfor side-discharge

mowing,the dischargechutelowers.

Referto "4. SelectMulching or Side-

DischargeMowing"in the Operation

Sectionfor mulchercoverinstallation

instructions.

Figure3-5

Section3: FeaturesandControls

Engine Throttle Control

This lever(G,Figure3-6) is usedto

adjust enginespeedsandto stop the en-

gine. Alwaysrun engineat fastspeed

settingfor bestmower performance.

Thethrottlesettings areshown below.

H- IGNITION/STARTER

SWITCH

G- THROTTLECONTROL

I_1 CHOKE-Usewhen

startinga coldengine.

FAST- Use during mower

operation.

Figure3-6

_._ SLOW- Usewhenidling

engine.

STOP- Stopsengine.

Ignition/Starter Switch -

(Electric Start Model)

Thisthree-positionswitch (H, Figure

3-6) is usedto startand stop the

engineonelectricstartmodels. Theig-

nitionkeysettings areshown below.Do

notturn the keyuntilyou havereadthe

OperationSectioninthis Manual.

Alwaysremoveignition keywhen

leavingmower unattendedor when n-

specting,cleaningor servicingmower.

Engine Recoil Starter

Therecoilstarter (I, Figure3-7) is

usedto "pull-start" the engine. Detailed

instructionsfor usingtherecoilstarter

arefound intheOperationSectionof this

Manualand in the EngineOwner's

Manual.Donot pull therecoilstarter

untilyou havereadthe Operation

Section.

I - RECOIL

STARTER

STOP- Stopsengine.

RUN- Afterstarting,key

returnsto runposition.

Figure3-7

START - Starts engine.

Releasekey when engine

starts.

Operation

Before operating mower, be sure to

read all safety, controlsand operating

instructions in this Manual and on

decalslocatedonmachine.

Severe personal injury or property

damage couldresultif this instruction

isnotfollowed.

BEFOREOPERATINGMOWER

1. Pre-OperaUon Checklist

With the sparkplugwiredisconnected

from thespark plug,performthefollow-

ing checksandservicesbeforeeachuse:

1. ReviewSection1:"Safety"andSection

3, "FeaturesandControls"in this man-

ual. ReadtheseparateEngineOwner's

Manualprovidedwith theunit.

2.Checkunitfor looseor missinghard-

ware.Tightenor replaceasneeded.

3. With the uniton levelground,check

theengineoil levelaccordingto the

instructionsin the EngineOwner's

Manual. Theoil levelshouldbeat the

FULLmarkonthe dipstick or up tothe

top ofthe oil fill holeonengineswith-

out a dipstick.

4. Checkall leversfor freedomof move-

ment.Readjustor repairasneeded

beforestarting engine.

5. Checkthat all guardsandshieldsare

in placeand properlysecured.

6. Inspecttheareato mowedandre-

moveanydebriswhich couldbe

pickedupandthrown bythe mower

blades.

7. Checkthat the mulchercoveris prop-

erlyinstalledin the dischargeopening

(seeinstructionsin this Section).

Removethe mulchercoverto usethe

side-dischargemowingfeature.

8. Onelectricstart models,checkthat

all wiring connectionsare cleanand

tight.

9. Checktheair pressurein therear

tires (15-20 PSI). Keeptires inflated

equally.

GASOLINEISHIGHLYFLAMMABLEAND

ITS VAPORSAREEXPLOSIVE.To help

preventseverepersonalinjuryor prop-

ertydamage:

• Follow gasoline safety rules in

Section1: "Safety" of this Manualand

in the separate Engine Owner's

Manual.

• Neverremovethe gasolinefill capor

add fuel when indoorsor when engine

is runningor still hot.Allow engineto

coolat leastthree (3) minutesbefore

refueling.

• Keep smokingmaterials, sparks or

flamesfar awayfromfuel tankandfuel

container.

• Store gasoline in an approvedfuel

containerandin a well-ventilatedarea.

Storeit safely outof the reachof chil-

dren. Do notstore gasolinewhere va-

porscanreachan opensparkor flame

or where ignitionsourcesare present

(suchas hot water or space heaters,

furnaces,clothesdryers, stoves,elec-

tric motors,etc.).

• Fill tankto 1/2"belowbottomoffiller

neckto allowfor fuel expansion.Wipe

up spilled gasoline immediately and

movemowerawayfromgasolinefumes

before starting engine. Securely re-

place caps on fuel tank and fuel

container.

10.Removethefuelcapandcheckthe

levelof gasolineaccordingto the in-

structions in the EngineOwner's

Manual.Cleanaroundfuelfill area

beforeremovingfuelcap. Donot

checkfuellevelor addfuelwhile in-

doorsor if engineis running or hot.

Allow engineto coolfor three (3)

minutes. Fillthetankwith fresh,

cleanunleadedgasolinewith a mini-

mum octaneratingof 77. Leave1/2"

ofspacefor fuel expansion.Donot

mix oil with gasoline.Donot use

gasolinewhich containsMethanol.

SeetheEngineOwner'sManualfor

instructions and precautionsregard-

ingthe useofgasolinesthat are

blendedwith alcoholsor ethers

(calledoxygenatedor reformulated

gasolines). Securelyreplacecapson

fuel tankandfuel container.

11.Attachsparkplug wireto spark plug

after completingabovechecklist.

2. Set Mower Cutting Height

To avoidpersonalinjury, do notadjust

cuttingheightwhile wheels or blades

are turning. Release all handlebar

controlsandwait for all motionto stop

beforeadjustingcuttingheight.

1. Releaseall controls beforeadjusting

thecutting height.

2. Adjustthecutting heightfrom 1to 4

inchesby rotatingthe CuttingHeight

Controllever(Figure3-4) eitherclock-

wiseto raisethe heightor counterclock-

wiseto lowerthe height. Notethat ac-

tualcutting heightswill vary according

to grassandsoil conditions. A decaland

pointeron the rightsideof themower

deckindicatestheheightsetting.

3. In heavyor tall grass,it is usually

betterto makethe first cut at a higher

settingandthen makeasecondcut at

thedesiredheight. Inroughterrain, a

highersetting is recommendedasit will

minimizethe chancesof the bladestrik-

ing theground or hidden obstructions.

Section4: Operation

3. TestBlade-Brake-Clutch

Control System

Themower isequippedwith ablade-

brake-clutchwhich is designedto stop

the mowerbladeswithin three(3)

secondsafter releaseofthe Operator

PresenceControlor theBladeDrive

Control. Nevertamperwith, or attempt

to defeatthe purposeofthis safety

device.

Thecontrol systemisa mechanical

devicewhich issubjectto wear.

Therefore,testthe operationofthe

blade-brake-clutchcontrol systembefore

eachuseofthe mower.Referto "Blade

BrakeControlTest"attheend ofthis

Section.

4. Select Mulching or Side-

Discharge Mowing

Beforeinstallingor removingmulching

cover, stop engine, wait for parts to

stopmoving,anddisconnectsparkplug

wire. Remove ignitionkey on electric

startmodels.

Youcanusethe mowereitherasa

mulchingmoweror asaside-discharge

mower. To usethe mulchingfeature,in-

sert themulchercover asdescribed

below. Removethe mulchercoverto

side-dischargegrassclippings. The

mulchercover is designedto keepthe

dischargechute raisedup whilemowing.

Whenthecover is removed,the dis-

chargechutewill loweritselffor side-

dischargemowing.

Toinstall or removemulchercover:

1. Stoptheengineand waitfor all parts

to stop moving. Disconnectthespark

plug wirefrom thespark plug.Remove

theignition keyon electricstart models.

2. Toinstallthe cover,insertthe right-

sidetabof thecoverinto thefront sup-

port bracket(A, Figure4-1). Insertthe

cover intothedischargeopening,mak-

ing surethat theslot (B) in theleft side

of thecover iscompletelyengagedin the

rearedgeof thedeckopening.

Figure4-1:Mulchercover

STARTINGANDSTOPPING

THEENGINE

Do not operate the engine in an

enclosed area. Engine exhaust

containscarbon monoxide, a deadly

gas that is odorless, colorless and

tasteless. Alwaysrunengineoutdoors

and make sure there is adequate

ventilation.

3. Toremovethecover,slidethecover

to the right(front of mower)to disen-

gagethe slot (B) from the mowerdeck

andthenprythe left-sideofthe cover

out andoff.

MOVINGTHEMOWERWITHOUT

ENGINEPOWER

Themowercan bemanuallypushed

or pulledbyputting the GearSelect

Lever(C,Figure4-2) in N(neutral)and

pressingandholdingthe Operator

PresenceControl(A, Figure4-2) down

againstthe handlebargrip.

To stopthewheelsatanytime.

releasetheOperatorPresenceControl.

ToStart the Engine

1. Movemowerto a levelarea.

2. Releaseall controls on mowerto pre-

ventwheelsor mower bladesfrom rotat-

ing whenenginestarts.

3. MoveEngineThrottle Control(E,

Figure4-2) fully upwardto chokesetting

to starta coldengineor to fast (rabbit)

settingto starta warmengine.

Toavoidinjury:

• Keephandsand feet clear of mower

blades or other rotating parts.

• Lookbehindyouto be surethereare

no obstacles before pulling recoil

starterrope.

F-Ig

B- Blade Drive

Control

C - Gear Select Lever

E - Engine Throttle

Control

A-Operator

Presence Control

Figure4-2: MowerControls

D- Wheel Drive Control

Section4: Operation

4. Tostartengineusingrecoilstarter:

A. Standon left side(asviewedfrom

behindhandlebars)of machine.Be

sureyourfeet aresafelyawayfrom

the undersideof the mowerdeckand

all mowercontrolsare released.

Placeonefoot ontop of tire.

B. Graspstarterropehandle(Figure3-

7) andpull slowly until ropepulls

slightly harder.Letroperewind

slowly. Thenpull ropewith a rapid,

full arm stroke. Letropereturn

slowly. If enginefails to startafter

threepulls, repeatinstructionsstart-

ingwith Step2 (trysettingthrottle at

fast setting).

C. Whenenginestarts, operateinfast

throttle setting(movethrottle from

chokesettingto fastsetting).

5. Tostartengineusingelectricstarter:

A. Standbehindthehandlebarsand re-

leaseall mowercontrols.

B.Turnignition key(F,Figure4-2) fully

clockwiseto crank engine.To avoid

damageto startermotor,do not

crank enginefor longerthanfive sec-

ondsat atime.Also, allow 15sec-

ondsbetweeneachstart attempt.If

enginefails to start afterthreeat-

tempts, repeatinstructionsstarting

with Step2 (try settingthrottle atfast

setting).

C. Whenenginestarts,releasekeyandit

will returnto therun (middle)posi-

tion.

D. Operateengineatfast throttle setting

(movethrottle from chokesettingto

fast setting).

NOTE:Ifthe electricstart systemisnot

functioning,theenginecanbestarted

with the recoilstarter. Todo so,first put

theignition keyin the run (middle)posi-

tion. Thenfollow Steps1-4 above.

Leavethekey inthe run position during

engineoperation.

ToStop the Engine

1. Releaseall mowercontrolsto stop

wheelsormower blade.

2. Movethrottlecontrol downto slow

(turtle) position. (Wheneverpossible,

graduallyreduceenginespeedbefore

stoppingengine.)

3. MoveThrottleControlall theway

downto stop position orturn ignition

key(electricstart models)fully counter-

clockwiseto stop position.

4. Onelectricstart models,removethe

ignitionkey beforeleavingthe mower

unattended.

ENGAGINGTHE BLADES

- Fast). Whenfirst practicingwith

the mower,putleverin No.1 setting.

Selectforward speedsaccordingto

mowingconditionsandterrain. Use

slower speedson roughterrainor

whengrass isheavyor thick. The

forward speedcanbeincreasedon

smoothterrain or if thegrass cover

is light. Allowthewheelsto stop

completelybeforeshifting from one

forward speedinto another.

To avoid injuryfrom rotatingblades,

keep face, hands and feet clear of

mowerbladesat all times.

To Engagethe Blades

1. Startengineasdescribedin "To Start

the Engine"instructions. Putengine

throttle in fast speedsetting.

2. Pressandhold OperatorPresence

Control(A,Figure4-2) againsthandle-

bargrip.

3. Slowly pushBladeDriveControl(B,

BeforeengagingtheWheel DriveLever

for the very first time, checkthat the

neutral(N) positionon the GearSelect

Lever is properly adjusted. See

"Neutral Adjustment" in Section 5:

Maintenance for the procedure to

follow.

Failureto follow this instructioncould

result in personal injury or property

damage.

Figure4-2) fully forward until it staysin C.

the engagedposition. Thebladesare

nowrotating.

To Stop the Blades

Tostop the blades,releasetheOperator

PresenceControl.

TO ENGAGETHEWHEELS

• To avoiddamagingthetransmission,

donotshiftgearswhilein motion.

• To avoiddamagingthe wheel brake

mechanism,do notengagethe Wheel

DriveControlwithoutfirst engagingthe

OperatorPresenceControl.

1. Start engineasdescribedin "To

Startthe Engine"instructions.

2. FORFORWARDTRAVEL:

Tostartthe wheels,slowlysqueeze

theWheelDriveControl(D, Figure4-

2). Theharderyou squeeze,the

fasterthewheelswill turn. Toavoid

suddenacceleration,slowlysqueeze

the lever.

D.TOSTOPTHEWHEELS:

• Tostopdrivepowertothewheels,

releasetheWheelDriveControl. The

wheelswillgraduallyslowto astop.

• Toquicklystop thewheels,release

boththe WheelDriveControland

theOperatorPresenceControl.

3. FORREVERSETRAVEL:

Toavoidinjuryorpropertydamage:

• Look behind the mower before

andduringreverseoperation.

• Stopthemowerbladesbeforeeperat-

ingin reverse.

A. Pressand holdOperatorPresence

Control (A,Figure4-2) againsthan-

dlebargrip.

B. Putthe GearSelectLever(C,Figure

4-2) intoone ofthe numberedset-

tings (1 - Slow,2 and3 - Medium,4

A. Stopthe mowerbladesandwheelsby

releasingtheOperatorPresence

Control(A, Figure4-2).

B. Pressandhold OperatorPresence

Controlagainsthandlebargrip.

Section4: Operation

Putthe GearSelectLever(C, Figure

4-2) in R(reverse)settingbyfirst

movingleverto N(neutral). Then

pull leverup,turn itto Rposition,

and releaselever.

To startthewheels,slowlysqueeze

WheelDriveControl(D,Figure4-2).

Toavoidsuddenacceleration,slowly

squeezethe lever.

TOSTOPTHEWHEELS:

• Tostopdrivepowertothewheels,

releasetheWheelDriveControl.The

wheelswillgraduallyslow to astop.

• Toquicklystop thewheels,release

both theWheelDriveControland

theOperatorPresenceControl.

• ReturntheGearSelectLeverto the

N (neutral)position whenyou have

completedreverseoperation. Allow

thewheelsto stop completelybe-

foreshifting from R(reverse)intoa

forward speed.

MowWhen

LawnIsDry

Forbestresults,avoidcuttinggrass

whenit iswet. Wetgrasstendsto form

clumpswhich interferewith thecutting

action. Thebesttime to mow isin the

lateafternoonor earlyeveningwhenthe

grassis usuallydry.

CutTop1/3 of /-_

GrassBlades __'

Cuttingmorethan 1/3of grasslength

maycausethe grassto becomeexces-

sivelydry. Intall grass,it maybeneces-

saryto mowata highersetting andthen

mow againat thedesiredheight. NOTE:

Thecutting heightiscriticalto achieving

a well-groomedlawn. Youshouldexper-

iment with varioussettingsto find that

"just right" cutting height.

MAKINGTURNS..... _

VaryCuttingPattern

Themowerturns easily bypushing

thehandlebarsin the oppositedirection

that youwantto turn. Thedifferential

mechanisminsidethetransaxlewill

allowtheinsideturning wheelto stop or

slow downwhilethe outsideturning

wheelis poweredbythe drivesystem.

Reducethewheelspeedbeforeturn-

ing the mower.Fortight turns, disen-

gagethe WheelDriveControlandmanu-

Varythecutting patternfrom weekto

weekto help preventmattingofthe

grass. Oneweek,mowfrom northto

south,thenextweekmow from eastto

west. Overlapseveralincheswhen

mowingto obtainan evenappearance.

MowingonSlopes

allypushthe mowerthroughtheturn (if

needed,putthe GearSelectLeverin

neutralsothewheelsturn freely).

MOWINGTIPSANDHINTS

Toavoidinjuryorpropertydamage:

• Before mowing, thoroughly inspect

area where mower is to be usedand

remove all stones, sticks, wires,

bones,nailsandotherforeignobjects.

• Disengage mower blades before

crossinggraveldrives, roads, or side-

walksto preventbladesfrom throwing

stonesor otherhazardousobjects.

Toavoidinjury orpropertydamage:

• Maximum safe operating angle

is150.

• Exceedingmaximum safe operating

angle may cause tipping or loss of

footing.

• Donotmowwet slopes.

• Mowacrossslopes,notupanddown.

• Exercise extreme caution when

changingdirectiononslopes.

MulchingLeaves

• Themowercanbeusedto mowfallen

leaves.Theleafparticlesfilter downinto

thelawnandprovideaddedfertilizer.

• Theleavesmustbedry in order to be

mulched.

• Useaslowerground speedifthe

leavesarenot mulchedintofine parti-

cles.

• Ifyoumulch oakleaves(whichaddacid

tothe soil), addlimetothe lawninthe

springto reducetheacidityofthe soil.

KeepMowerBladesSharp

Forbestmowerperformance,keepthe

bladessharp. Dullbladeswill tear,

bruiseandsplit theendsof grass. See

bladesharpeninginstructionsin Section

5: Maintenance.

Donot mowexcessivelysteepslopes

(seeWARNINGstatementthat follows).

Slowdownandexerciseextremecaution

whenchangingdirectionon slopes.

Beforemowing on slopes,checktheen-

gine oil leveland makesurethatthe level

is attheFULLmark. Maintaininga FULL

oil levelis particularlyimportantwhen

operatingon slopesasoil canbe drained

awayfrom vital engineparts.

CleanMowerFrequently

Cleanthe undersideofthe mowerdeck

frequentlyto removegrass build-up.

Seemowercleaninginstructionsin

Section5: Maintenance.

PrecisionTrimming

Forprecisiontrimming, usethe slow-

estgearand inchthemower alongby

"feathering"the WheelDriveControl

lever. Or,disengagethe wheeldrive by

releasingtheWheelDriveControlso that

you canmanuallymaneuverthemower

(if needed,putthe GearSelectLeverin

neutralsothat thewheelsturn freely).

MowingDitches

If you haveto mow ditches,stop the

engineandadjustthe cuttingheightto

its highestsetting.Mow in thedirection

ofthe ditch. Mow bothsidesof theditch

Section4: Operation

first, and thenmow the bottom. When

mowing ditches,watchoutfor cans,

bottles, or otherdebris.

BLADEBRAKECONTROLTEST

Whenthe OperatorPresenceControl

is releasedduring operationofthe

mower,theenginedoesnot stop,but

thebladesshouldstop within three(3)

seconds. Thefollowingtest providesa

visualtest ofwhetherthe BladeBrake

ControlSystemisfunctioning. Perform

this test beforeeachuseofthe mower.

To avoid personal injury or property

damage,make sure thatthe moweris

ongrass,andthatthe testarea isclear

of foreignobjectsand bystandersbe-

fore you beginthe BladeBrakeControl

Test.

If the OperatorPresenceControlor the

Blade Drive Controlare not adjusted

correctly,the bladesmay continueto

rotate after release of the Operator

PresenceControl. If the bladesdo not

stopwithinthree(3) secondsofrelease

ofthe OperatorPresenceControl,move

the EngineThrottleControlto the STOP

position, disconnect the spark plug

wire, andmovethewire awayfromthe

sparkplug. Do not operatethe mower

until the Blade Brake ControlSystem

hasbeenrepaired.

Failureto do this couldresult in per-

sonalinjuryor propertydamage.

1. Parkmower onaportion of lawn

which hasnot beenrecentlymowed.

2. Setthecutting heightso the mower

cuts 1/3 ofthe grassheight.

3. Starttheengine.

4. PresstheOperatorPresenceControl

downagainstthe handlebargrip and

pushthe BladeDriveControlfully for-

ward until it staysintheengagedposi-

tion.

5. Putthe GearSelectLeverin the No.1

setting.

6. Engagethe wheelswith the Wheel

DriveControlanddrivethe mowerfor

severalfeet. Thenreleasethe Operator

PresenceControl.

Lookatthelawnjust mowed.The

lawnshouldbecut upto the point

wherethe OperatorPresenceControl

was released.

B. Pressthe OperatorPresenceControl

againstthe handlebargrip but DO

NOTre-engagethe BladeDrive

Control. Drivethe mowerforward

for severalmorefeet. Releasethe

OperatorPresenceControlandlook

atthe lawn.Thegrassshould NOT

havebeencut. This indicatesthat

theOperatorPresenceControlhas

disengagedthe bladedriveand

stoppedtheblades.

7. If the mowercutsthegrass in Step

6-B,the OperatorPresenceControlis

NOTdisengagingthe bladedrive.

Immediatelystoptheengine,discon-

nectthesparkplugwire,andmovethe

wireawayfromthesparkplug.

8. Donot usethe mower untiltheBlade

BrakeControlSystemhasbeenin-

spected,adjustedor repairedbyanau-

thorizeddealer.

Maintenance

Beforeinspecting,cleaningorservicingthemachine,shutoffengine,waitformovingpartstostop,disconnectspark

plugwireandmovewireawayfromsparkplug.Removeignitionkey(elecb'icstartmodels).

Failuretofollowtheseinstructionscanresultinseriouspersonalinjuryorpropertydamage.

Carefully read this Section on mower

and engine maintenance and service.

Performing the required maintenance

according to schedule will ensure the

proper performanceand long lifeof your

machine.

Beforeinspecting,cleaningor servicing

the machine, shut off engine, make

surethatall movingpartshavecometo

a completestop,disconnectsparkplug

wire and move wire away from spark

plug. Removeignition key on electric

startmodels.

Failureto followtheseinstructionscan

result in personal injury or property

damage.

NOTE: All referencesto left, right, front

and rearofthemachinearedeterminedby

standingbehindthe handlebarsandfacing

thedirectionofforwardtravel.

IMPORTANT:REFERTO

MAINTENANCECHARTINTHIS

SECTIONFORA LISTINGOFREGU-

LARLYSCHEDULEDMAINTENANCE

PROCEDURES.

ENGINESERVICE

Routineengineserviceis described

below. Formorecompleteengineser-

vice information, referto theengine

manualprovidedwith your machine.

Forcompleteengineservice,contactan

authorizedenginedealer.

ENGINEOIL

OIL LEVEL:With moweron level

ground,theengineoil levelmust bebe-

tweenthe"ADD"and "FULL"markson

the dipstickatall times. Checkbefore

eachuseandevery5 operatinghours.

OILCHANGE:Ona newengine,change

oil afterfirst 2 hoursof use,thenchange

oil regularlyasspecifiedon the

MaintenanceChart. Referto Engine

Owner'sManualfor oil capacity.

OILTYPE:Useclean,highqualitydeter-

gent oil havinganA.P.I.serviceclassifi-

cation of SE,SFor SG. Useno special

additiveswith oil. Referto the Engine

Owner'sManualfor recommendedSAE

viscosity gradesthat matchthe starting

temperatureanticipatedbeforethe next

oil change.

CheckingOilLevel:

1. Parkmachineon levelground.

2. Stopengine,waitforpartstostop

moving,anddisconnectsparkplug

wire.

3. Cleanareaaround dipstick(Z,Figure

5-1) to preventdirtfrom enteringoil fill

hole.

4. Removedipstick. Oillevelmustbe

between"ADD"and "FULL"marks. Do

notexceed"FULL"markon dipstick.

5. Toaddoil, pour slowlyinto dipstick

opening. Whileadding,checkoil level

frequently bysecurelyreplacingdipstick

and removingto readoil level.Wipedip-

stick cleaneachtime oil levelis

checked.

6. Afterfilling to "FULL"mark,securely

replacedipstick.

ChangingOil:

Changeoil whileengineis still warm

from recentoperation. Warm oil flows

morefreely andcarriesawaymoreim-

purities.

1.Stopengine,waitforpartstostop

moving,anddisconnectsparkplug

wire.

2. Removedipstick (Z, Figure5-1).

3. Removeprotectivecap(A, Figure5-

2) to exposeoil drainport (B).

4. Pushoil drain hose(D)(includedin

hardwarebagwith unit) ontooil drain

port. Routeotherend ofhoseto anap-

propriateoil collectionreceptacle.

5. Twist oil drainfixture (C)to the open

position. Pullout. Drainoil completely.

6. Pushin andtwist oil drain fixtureto

the closedposition. Removedrain

hose.Replaceprotectivecap(A).

7. Refillenginewith fresh oil andse-

curelyreplacedipstick.

NOTE:Pleasedisposeofall wastemate-

rialsin an ecologicallyresponsibleman-

ner. Useproperwastematerialstorage

containers.

Figure5-1:BriggsandStrattonengineoil

fill.

Figure5-2:Oildrain.

Section5: Maintenance

W!_LW:I-'t_II_[_I Beforeinspecting,cleaningorservicingthemachine,shutoffengine,waitformovingpartstostop,disconnectspark

i1"_ plugwireandmovewireawayfromsparkplug.Removeignitionkey(ele_icstartmodels).

Failuretofollowtheseinstructionscanresultinseriouspersonalinjuryorpropertydamage.

ENGINECLEANING

• Stopengine,waitforpartstostop

moving,disconnectsparkplugwire,

andallowenginetocoolbeforein-

spectingorcleaningengine.

• Dailyor moreoften,beforerunningen-

gine,removegrassand chafffrom recoil

fingerguardor rotatingscreento prevent

enginedamagecausedbyoverheating.

Alsokeepcoolingvanes,governorlink-

age,springsandcontrolsfreeofdebris.

• Dailyor moreoften, beforerunningen-

gine,cleanmufflerarea(besure muffler

is cool)to removeall grassandcom-

bustibledebris. Ifengineis equipped

with a sparkarrestorscreen,removeas-

semblyevery50 hoursfor cleaningand

inspection.Replaceif damaged.

• Grassor chaff mayclog engine'sair

coolingsystem,especiallyafter pro-

longedoperationcuttingtall, drygrass.

SeeEngineOwner'sManualfor instruc-

tions on cleaningunderneaththeengine

blowerhousing.

AIR CLEANERSERVICE

Improperair cleanermaintenancecan

causeenginedamage.Refertothe

EngineOwner'sManualfor morecom-

pleteair cleanerserviceinformation.

SERVICESCHEDULE:

Outerfoam pre-cleaner- washandre-oil

every25operatinghoursor everysea-

son, whicheveroccursfirst.

Innerpapercartridge- cleanor replace

every100operatinghoursor everysea-

son, whicheveroccursfirst.

ToServiceAirCleaner(Figure5-3):

1. Stopengine,waitfor partsto stop

moving,anddisconnectsparkplug

wire.

2. Unscrewmountingscrewsand/or re-

moveknobs(D). Removecovers(E).

Removepapercartridge(B) andfoam

pre-cleaner(A). Separatefoam pre-

cleanerfrom papercartridge.

3. Washfoampre-cleaner(A) in liquid

Chargebattery onlywith chargersup-

pliedwith machine.Donotshortcircuit

batterywires. Removeanyjewelry be-

fore workingon or near the battery or

electricstartsystem. Failuretofollow

these instructionscouldresult in per-

sonalinjuryorpropertydamage.

Figure5-3: BriggsandStrattonair cleaner

assembly.

detergentandwarmwater. Squeezedry

in acleancloth.

4. Saturatefoam pre-cleanerin clean

engineoil. Wrapin clean,absorbent

cloth andsqueezeto removeall excess

oil.

5. Replacepapercartridge(B), if

necessary.

6. Reassembleair cleanercomponents.

SPARKPLUG

Inspectthe sparkplug(Figure5-4) after

every 100hoursof operation.Besure

the gapis setat .030".Donot reuseplug

if it is severelyworn or damaged.

Bestresultsare obtainedwith a new

plug. SeeEngineOwner'sManualto de-

termine proper replacementplug. Use

of incorrectplug cancauseenginedam-

age.

NOTE:Donotcleanspark plug in ma-

chines which useabrasivegrit. Clean

spark plug byscrapingor wire brushing,

or washingwitha commercialsolvent.

BATTERY(if applicable)

Chargebatteryif unit isto bestoredfor

longerthanthreeweeks.Duringthe

mowingseason,the batteryis kept

chargedbythe chargingsystemonthe

engine.

ToChargeBattery:

1. Plugchargerconnectorintowire har-

nessconnectorlocatedbelowignition

switch in handlebarconsole.

2. Plugchargerinto120Vwalloutlet.

Tightenknobs/screws(D)securely. (Notethat batterychargeris designedfor

Secure coverassembly(E)on air useindoorsandshouldnotbeexposedto

cleanerbody. rainorsnow.)

3. Chargebatteryfor 24-48 hours if unit

is to bestoredfor longerthanthree

weeks.

.030' FeelerGauge

4. After charging,unplugchargerfrom

outlet,then unplugchargerfrom con-

nector on wireharnesslocatedbelow

handlebarconsole.

CARBURETOR

Thecarburetor isadjustedatthe factory.

It shouldnot needto be reset. If black

exhaustis noted,checktheair cleaner

first. An over-rich mixtureis usually

causedbya poorlyservicedor clogged

air cleanerelement,notan improperly

adjustedcarburetor. If readjustmentis

necessary,referto EngineOwner's

Manualor contactyourenginedealer.

Figure5-4: Sparkplug.

Section5: Maintenance

• !'T_TI-_I-'{_JI_[€']I Beforeinspecting,cleaningorservicingthemachine,shutoffengine,waitformovingpartstostop,disconnectspark

t _ plugwireandmovewireawayfromsparkplug.Removeignitionkey(elecb'icstartmodels).

Failuretofollowtheseinstructionscanresultinseriouspersonalinjuryorpropertydamage.

ENGINESTORAGE Thebeltcovermust be removedto per-

form severalmaintenanceprocedures.

If enginewill be unusedfor 30 daysor

more,prepareit for storagebyfollowing To RemoveBeltCover:

the recommendedproceduresfound in 1. Stopengine,wait forall partsto

the EngineOwner'sManual. stopmoving,anddisconnectspark

plug wire.

5. Loosenfour mounting bolts (L) se-

curingspindlehousing(beneathmower

deck)to mowerdeck.

6. Slidespindlehousing(with pulleyat-

tached)towardcenter.

7. Replacebelt(N)with newbelt.

MOWERSERVICE

Thefollowing maintenance/repairproce-

durescanbe performedbyeitherthe

owneror anauthorizedservicedealer.

Seeanauthorizedservicedealerfor

completemowerservice.

TIPPING MOWER FOR SERVICE

and removecover.

To ReinstallBeltCover:

1. Positionbeltcover in place.

2. Securewith the four screwsremoved

earlier.

2. Removefour screws(R, Figure5-5) IMPORTANT:SETBLADESPERPEN-

DICULAR(90°) TOEACHOTHER.

8. Rotatearm (K)to movespindle

housingandapplytensionto belt. Belt

cogsandpulleygroovesmustmeshto-

gether.Whenapplyingmoderatefinger

tension (8-12 Ibs.),beltshoulddeflect

approximately1/2" (12.7mm) at (P),

midpointof deck.

Before servicingundersideof mower,

stop engine,wait for all parts to stop

moving, and disconnect spark plug

wire. Remove ignition key from

keyswifch on electric start models.

Failureto follow this instructioncould

result in personal injury or property

damage.

Whenservicingthe undersideof the

mowerfor anyreason,the mower

should onlybetipped backwardon its

rearwheels(andsecurelyproppedupto

preventit from falling). Tippingthe

mowerforwardor to eithersidecould

resultin damageto engine.

TIP:Beforetipping mower,installa

small plasticsandwichstylebag under

the gascapandtighten securely. This

will virtuallyeliminateanyfuelweepage

from thecap. Besureto removethe

plastic bagbeforere-usingmower.

BELTCOVERREMOVAL

Do not operateunitwithout belt cover

installed. Failuretofollowthisinstruc-

tion couldresult in personalinjury or

propertydamage.

Figure5-5: Beltcoverremoval.

BLADESPINDLE BELT

REPLACEMENT

Followthis procedureto removeandre-

placethe bladespindledrivebelt (re-

movebladedrive beltfirst; see"Blade

DriveBeltReplacement"inthis Section).

1. Stopengine,waitforall partsto

stopmovinganddisconnectsparkplug

wire.

9. Tightenbolts (L) to 15ft.-Ibs. (20.3

Nm).Tightenscrew(J).

10. Bladesmustnotcontact deck.

Checkand readjustas needed.

11. Reinstallbladedrive beltand belt

cover (removedearlier).

FRO_T

MUST BE PERPENDICULAR

TO EACH OTHER

Figure5-6: BladeSpindleBell

2. Removebeltcover(see"BeltCover

Removal").

3. Align sight holes(0, Figure5-6) in

pulleywith spindlehousing-to-mower

deckmountingbolts (L).

4. Loosenscrew(J) and rotatearm (K)

to the rear.

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Troybilt 12A-753B063 Owner's manual

Brand: Troybilt

Model: 12A-753B063

Category: Lawnmowers

Type: Owner's manual

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Troybilt 12A-753B063 Owner's manual

Troybilt 12A-753B063 Owner's manual

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