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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
1.
.
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.
.
3.
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.
4.
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
E
_ r D D
i
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.
W
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).
T
Z
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).
W
H A,B _G
Figure2-6:Left-handcontrolrodsdetail.
Section2: Assembly
BB
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.
6
V
F
G N
Figure2-7: Rearviewofcontrolrods.
0
M
C
f
2
Figure2-8: Detail- GearSelectLeverin Neutral(N) position.
K
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
o4
,
I I
I I
J.
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
J
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.
10
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.
11
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.
B
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
I
Figure4-2: MowerControls
D- Wheel Drive Control
12
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.
13
Section4: Operation
C.
O.
E,
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.
1
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
14
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.
A.
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.
15
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.
16
Section5: Maintenance
W!_LW:I-'t_II_[_I Beforeinspecting,cleaningorservicingthemachine,shutoffengine,waitformovingpartstostop,disconnectspark
i1"_ plugwireandmovewireawayfromsparkplug.Removeignitionkey(ele_icstartmodels).
MI
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
A
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.
17
Section5: Maintenance
• !'T_TI-_I-'{_JI_[€']I Beforeinspecting,cleaningorservicingthemachine,shutoffengine,waitformovingpartstostop,disconnectspark
t _ plugwireandmovewireawayfromsparkplug.Removeignitionkey(elecb'icstartmodels).
MI
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).
t
FRO_T
J
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.
18
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