cub cadet 18 hp kohler operators manual

Hydrostatic Zero-Turn

Riding Mower

MODEL

18HP Kohler

48" Stamped Deck

OPERATOR’S AND SERVICE MANUAL

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

General Safety Operations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

A.Danger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

B.Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

C.Caution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Safety Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

A.General. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

B.Related to Fuel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

C.When Mowing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Safety Decals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Operating Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

A.General. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

B.Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

C.Initial Adjustments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

D.Zero Turn Break-In and Operating Procedures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Maintenance and Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 4

A.Mower Deck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

B.Hydraulic Oil. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

C.Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

D.Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

E.Brakes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

F.

Hydraulic System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

G.Storage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Maintenance Schedule. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Performance Adjustments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

A.High Speed Tracking Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

B.Engine RPM Check and Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

C.Deck Corner Ball Wheel Roller Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

D.Deck Center Anti-Scalp Roller Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

E Lap Bar Adjustment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

F Deck Leveling Procedure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Wiring Diagram. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Warranty

This product may be covered by one or more of the following patents:

D409,208; 5,946,8 94; 6,070,690

2

FORWARD

The Hydrostatic Zero-Turn Riding Mower provides superb maneuverability. The machine incor­porates many safety features th at should be studied by all operat ors before use. The list of
safety precautions should receive particular attention.

This manual presents all of the operating and mai ntenance instruc tions necessar y to keep
your mower at peak efficiency. If operated and maintained properly, your mower will give
dependable service.

CAUTION:

Only thoroughly trai ned persons should operate and maintain this
mower. This machine can cause serious injur y to anyone who mis­uses it and does not understand its operation. For their personal
safety, all operators ar e required to read this entire manual before
operating the mower.

Hazard control and accident prevention are partially dependent
upon the design and configuration of the equipment. Not withstand­ing, these factors are also dependent upon the awareness, concern,
prudence and proper training of the personnel involved in the oper­ation, transport, maintenance and storage of the equipment.

3

GENERAL SAFETY
OPERATIONS

A. DANGER

1. Do not operate machine in con fined areas
where exhaust gases can acc umulate.

2. Do not operate machine without mower c hut e
deflector in place and operational.

3. Do not carry pas se ngers.

B. WARNING

1. Do not operate machines under the influence
of alcoh ol or drugs.

2. Do not operate machines wi th out all guards
and safety devices in place and functional.

3. Do not start machines if there are fuel or oil
leaks or spillage — clean it up.

4. Do not operate machines near spilled or leak­ing fuels .

5. Do not stop or park machine ov er dry leaves,
grass, debris, etc. that could be comb ust i ble.

6. Use extreme care wh en backing up.

7. Do not operate machine on slo pes greater
than 15 de grees (27%).

8. Do not operate machines on slopes when
tractio n i s reduced (wet gr ass, ice, sof t
ground , l o ose grou nd , l eaves , pi n e needle s ,
debris, etc.).

9. Avoid turning dow nhill if possible, go slowly
and use extra care when turning downhill.

10. Do not operate machines durin g reduce visi­bility (low light, fog, rain, etc.).

11. Do not operate machines wi th non-approv ed
attachments.

12. Do not operate machines that are dam-

aged... .. have mach i ne repaired.

13. Do not operate machines that have not been
properly maintained.

14. Use onl y repla cem ent p arts that a re th e sam e
or equiv alent to the original eq ui pment.

15. Do not mod ify m ach i nes or any of their c om­ponents, especially the engine gov ernor!

16. Do not oper ate ma chine f or mor e than 2 hours
without hearing protection.

C. CA UTION

1. Use proper protective equip m ent when oper­ating machine (gloves, boots, and hearing
protect ion are recommended).

2. Read entire machine Operator’s Manual.

3. Make sur e operators are full y trained in the
safe use of the machine.

4. Follow all safety instructions when using the
machine.

5. Keep al l safety signs legible and properly
installed.

6. Do not check for hydraulic l eak s with any pa rt
of the body.

7. Do not add f uel to a mac hine when the en gine
is running and/ or t he exhaust syst em i s hot.

8. Keep m achine c lean and f ree o f de bris , g r ass ,
leaves, oil, grease, etc.

9. Place lap bars in neutral/start position, set
park brake, disengage P.T.O., turn engine off,
and remove ignition k ey before you dismount
from machine.

10. Use machines laterally or diagonally across
slopes, avoid going downhill when possible.

11. Go slowly and use extra care when descend­ing slopes .

12. Disengage P.T.O. when crossing surfaces
such as asphal t, co ncrete, loose ground,
sand, gravel, etc .

13. Use extra care when loading and unloading
machines from trucks or trailers.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

A. General

1. Read this Operator’ s Manual before starting
the mower. Study the controls and learn the
proper sequence of operation.

2. Do not allow anyone to op erate or maintai n
this ma c h ine who has not re ad this ma nu al .
Never pe rmit children to operate this machine.

3. Never carry passengers.

4. Do not remo ve any shields, guard s or safety
devices. If a shield, guard or safety device is
damaged or doe s not function, repai r or
replace it be fore opera ting the mower.

5. Always wear saf ety glasses and safety shoes
when oper atin g or ma intai ning this mo wer. Do
not wear loose-fitting cloth i ng.

6. Disconnect the spark plug wi res and remove
the key from th e igniti on to prevent th e engi ne
from accident al l y st arting before perf orming
any maint enance on this mower.

7. Never run the engine indoors without ade­quat e ve ntilation. E xhaus t f um es are de a dl y.

8. To avoid serious burns, do not touch the
engine, exhaust pipe or muffler while the
engine is running or until it has cooled after it
has been shut off.

9. The liquid in the battery is dilute sulfuric acid.
Alway s wear saf ety glas ses and rub ber glo ves
when working on the battery. Do not overfill
the battery.

10. Lead-acid batteries generate hydrogen and
oxygen gases which form an explosive mix­ture. Keep sparks and flam es awa y at all
times.

4

11. When looking for oil leaks, never run your
hand over hydraulic hoses, lines or fittings.
Ne v er tighten or adju st hydraulic hoses, lines
or fittings while the system is under pressu re.
If high-pre ss ure oil penet rate s the s kin , the oil
must be rem oved withi n a few hours by a doc­tor familiar with this form of injury or serious
complications may result.

B. Related to Fuel

1. Fuel is hig hly f l am m able. Plea se respect it.

2. Do not smoke or permit others to sm ok e
while handli ng fuel.

3. Always use appro ved contai ners for fuel.

4. Always shut off the en gi ne and permit it to
cool before removing the fuel tank cap.

5. Always fill the fuel tank outdoors.

6. If the fuel container spout w ill n ot fit inside the
fuel tank op eni ng, use a funnel.

7. When filling the fuel tank, stop when the f uel
reaches on e inc h from t he top. This space i s
necessary for tank expansion.

8. Wipe up any spilled fuel.

Do not overfill

C. When Mowing

1. Keep adults, chil dren and pets aw ay from the
area to be mowed.

2. When oper ating this mower in the fo rward
direct ion, DO NOT allo w t he st eerin g levers to
return to the neut ral position on their own.
Always maintai n a firm gri p on t he l evers,
opera te them smooth l y and avoid any sudden
mov ements of the levers when st arting or
stopping.

3. If the mower i s equipp ed fo r side disc harg e ,
nev e r use th e mo wer wit hout t he disc harge
chute in stalled and pla ced i n the do w n posit ion.

4. Always remove debris and oth er objects from
the area to be mowed.(
grass will reduce traction.)

5. Mow only in daylight.

6. W atch for hole s , sprinkler heads an d other
hidden haz ards.

7. Avoid driving too c l os e to trees, creeks ,
ditches, sand traps and other obstacles.

8. Be for e backin g up, ch e ck be hind you an d
watch w here you’ re going.

9. Always reduce speed when making a turn,
and when grass is wet.

10. Always mow across slopes, ne ver up and
down the slope. Do not operate on steep
slopes and slow down before turning.

11. Be careful when crossing gravel paths or
roadways. Alw ays turn off the b l ade clutch
swi tch and wait until th e blades stop rota ting
and raise the cutting deck to the transport

Note

: debris and lo ose

position. Always allo w other vehic l es t o have
the right-of-way.

12. If you hit a solid object while mo wi ng, turn off
the bl ade c lutc h s witc h, pla ce the le ft and ri ght
steering levers in the neutral, opened-out
position, move the throttle to slow, set the
parking bra k e, shut off the engine and take
the key fr om t he i gnition swit ch. Inspect fo r
damage. Repair any damage. Make sure the
blades ar e in good condition and t hat the
blade bolt s are tight before restarting the
engine.

13. Never leave the mower unat tended without :
turning off th e blade clutch switch; placing the
left and right st eeri ng levers in the neutral
opened-ou t po sition; moving t he t hrottle to
slow; setting the parking brake; shutting off
the engi ne an d tak ing the k e y f rom th e ig niti on
switch.

14. Never walk or st and on the dis charge s ide of a
mower with the engine running. Turn off the

.

blade clut c h switch if anot her person
approaches while you are op erating the
mower .

15. Never attempt to operate the traction un it
without the mowing deck attached.

16. Keep the mower and especially the engine
and hydraulic components clean and free of
grease, grass and lea ves to reduce the
chance of fire and to permit proper cooling.

5

SAFETY DECALS AND LABELS

WARNING

SHIELD MISSING

DO NOT OPERATE

Part Number: 00030635

Part Number: 00030633

Part Number: 01003859

DANGER

Part Number: 01003858

ROTATING BLADE

Do not put hands or feet
under or into mower when
engine is running.

Part Number: 01003449

Part Number: 01003450

Part Number: 01003451

Part Number: 01003452

Part Number: 01003857

6

Part Number: 01002166

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF INJURY,
DO NOT OPERATE MOWER UNLESS
DISCHARGE CHUTE COVER OR GRASS

CATCHER IS IN ITS PROPER PLACE.

DANGER

KEEP HANDS and FEET AWAY

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 18 HP Kohler Engine
Type: Vertical air cooled
Air Cleaner: Dual Element
Lube System: Pressurized with oil filter
Starter: 12-volt electric
Traction Drive: Engine to two v ariab l e-sp eed hydraulic pump/motor BDR units to

gearbox on each drive wheel

Hydraulic Tank: 10 quart capacity, One quart filter
Cutter Deck;Drive: 48", Belt Driven
Clutch: Electric
Deck Lift: Hand lever w/pin lock for height adjustment
Cutting Height: 1-1/2" to 4"
No. of Blades 3, belt-driven, power take-off from engine
Controls: Engine ignition and start switch; throttle; choke; left and right

steering lev ers; electric blade clutch switch; parking br ake; mow er
deck lift

Parking Brake: Internal, mechanical linkage attached to the brake handle
Front Caster Wheels: 11 x 4 - 5
Tire Pressure: 8-10 psi Rear, 20-25 psi front caster
Drive Wheels: w/48" deck, 23x9.50 - 12
Frame: 2” Steel square tube and plate, all welded construction
Seat: Milsco Adjustable seat. 5" Adjustment
Fuel Tank: Two 5 gallon w/shutoff valve
Tool Box Pai nted Steel
Ground Speed: 0-8.0 + MPH forward. 0-4.3 MPH reverse
Instrumentation Hour meter, Tachometer, Maintenance-minder
Net Weight: 850 lbs. w48" deck

7

OPE RATIN G IN ST R U CT ION S

Figure. 1 Figure. 2

Electric Blade
Clutch Switch

Ignition Switch

Tach and
Hour Meter

A.General

1. When Mo wi n g:

a. Keep adults, children, and pets away from

the area to be mowed.

b. When operating this mower, in the forward

direction, do not allow the steering levers
to return to Neutral on their own. Always
maintain a firm grip on the levers , operate
them smoothly and avoid any sudden
movements of the lev ers when s tarting and
stopping.

c. If the mower is equipped for side dis-

charge, never use the mower without the
discharge chute installed and placed in the
down position.

d. Always remove debris and other objects

from the area to be mowed (Note: debris

and loose grass will reduce traction).
e. Mow only in daylight.
f. Wat ch f or holes, sprinkler heads, and other

hidden hazards.
g. Avoid driving to close to trees, creeks,

ditches, sand traps, and other obstacles.
h. Before backing up, check behind and

watch where you are going.
i. Always reduce speed when making a turn,

and when grass is wet.
j. Always mow across slopes, never up and

down the slope. Do not operate on steep

slopes and slow down before turning.

Avoid tur ning downhill if possible, start at

the bottom and work up to the top. Use

extra care and go slowly when turning

downhill.
k. Be careful when crossing gravel paths or

roadways. Always turn off the blade clutch

switch and wait until the blades stop rotat-

Engine throttle

Choke Lever

ing and raise the cutting deck to the trans­port position. Always allow other vehicles
to have the right of way.

l. If you hit a solid object while mowing, turn

off the blade clutch switch, place the steer­ing levers in the neutral, opened-out posi­tion, move the throttle to slow, set the
parking brake, shut off the engine, and
take the key from the ignition switch.
Inspect for damage. Repair the damage.
Make sure the blades are in good condition
and that the blade bolts are tight before
restarting the engine.

m. Nev er leave t he mower unattended without

observing the following: turn off the blade
clutch switch, placing the steering levers i n
the neutral open-out position, moving the
throttle to slow, setting the parking brake,
shutting off the engine and taking the key
from the ignition switch.

n. Never walk or stand on the discharge side

of the mower when the engine is running.
Tur n off the blade clutch switch if another
person approaches while you are operat­ing the mower.

o. Never attempt to operate the traction unit

without having the mowing deck attached.

p. Keep the mower and especially the engine

and hydraulic components clean and free
of grease, grass, and leaves to reduce the
chance of fire and permit proper cooling.

q. Always mow at full throttle.

2. Safety Awareness when Mowing

a. Do not operate on steep slopes, those

above 15 degrees (27% slope).

b. Avoid turning downhill if possible, if not use

extra care and go slowly.

8

c. Avoid turning when going downhill, traction

is at a minimum going downhill.

d. Do not operate with discharge side of the

mowe r toward st reets, buildings, p l ay-

grounds, parking lots, other machines, ani-

mals, and other people.

e. Avoid operation or use extreme care if the

traction surface is wet, unstable, or slip-

pery.

f. Use extra care when grass clippings,

leaves, pine needles, or debris are present

as traction can be reduced.

g. Slow-down before turn ing and come to a

complete stop before any zero t urn maneu-

ver.

h. Do not stop machine or park machine over

combustible materials such as dry grass,

leaves, debris, etc.

3. To Mow Grass and Produce a Striped P at­tern

a. Pick a point on the opposite side of the

area to be mowed (post, tree, shrub, etc.).

b. If on an hillside, star t at the bottom so that

the turns are uphill rather than downhill.

c. Align the mower so as to head directly

toward the object on the far side.

d. Slowly increase the speed of the machine

to match cutting conditions, terrain, and
operator familiarity with the controls and
keep the machine headed directly toward
the alignment object. Do not go fast as to
reduce cut quality or to be uncomfortable
in controlling the speed and direction of the
machine.

e. When approaching the other end of a strip,

slow down or stop before turning. A U-turn
is recommended unless a zero turn is
required. The speed of a U-turn that will
allow for machine controllability and mini­mal turf defacement will be dependent on
several factors including: the speed of the
turn, the radius of the turn, the tire tread
pattern, the traction coefficient of the tire to
the traction surface, the slope of the trac­tion surface.

f. Remem ber, a zero turn requires that the

forward or reverse travel of the machine be
stopped prior to the initiation of the turn or
severe turf defacement can occur.

g. To prevent rutting or grooving of the turf,

change the direction that the strips are
mowed by approximately 45 degrees the
next and each subsequent time that the
area is mowed.

B.Controls

Engine Ignition and Start Switch:

1.
ure 1.) Located on the instrument housing
below the rig ht side of the operator’s seat.
When the key is inserted and turned clock­wise, 45 deg ree s, the ign itio n ci rcuit is cl osed.
Turning the switch further against spring pres­sure starts the engine. The engine will only
start if the blade clut ch switch is in th e “off”
position, the parking brake is engaged and
the left and right steeri ng lever s are in the
neutral, opened-out position. The ke y sh ould
always be re m oved from the swit ch if the
operator l eaves the mower’s seat.

Engine Throttle Control:

2.
Located on th e left side of the mow er next to
the operat or’s seat. Moving the t hrot tle c ontro l
from the rear to the front will increase the
engine spee d fr om slow to fast.

Left and Right Steering Levers:

3.

3.) These hin ged lever s open out to the side
in the neutr al posit ion to pe rmit the opera tor to
be seated or to leave the mower’s seat. The
operator, when seated, can pull th e levers up
to the operating position, a comfortable fore­arm’s length away. These levers control all of
the movements of the mower. Pushing both
lev ers forward causes the mower to move for­ward. Pulling both lev ers bac k causes the
mower to move bac k ward. Pushing one lever
ahead of the ot her lever cau ses the traction
wheel on the side where the lever is ahe ad t o
rotate f aster than the other traction wheel,
making the mo we r tu rn tow ard t he side w here
the le ver is behind. When on e l ever is pushed
forward and the other l ever pulled back the
same amount, one traction wheel will turn in
reverse a nd the mower will turn within its own
length.

In order to start the engine, both steering
lev ers must be opened out to the side in the
neutral position; the parking brake must be
engaged; and the blad e clu tch s w itch m us t be
“off”. However, once the engine starts, the
parking bra k e must be release d before the
operator pl aces the steering levers into the
operating position or the engine will
automatically shut off.

Note:

neutral when released, but they should be
placed in neutral b y the driver. If the Drive
Handles are not placed in neutral, the tractor
may creep.

(See Fig-

(See Figure 2.)

(See Fi gure

The Steering Le ver will return tow ard

9