Cub Cadet S621 SS Operator's Manual
Operator’s Manual
21” SwiftStart™
Self-Propelled
Mower
Model S621 SS
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-covered 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 through your nearest engine authorized
service dealer or contact the service department, P.O. Box 368023 Cleveland, Ohio 44136-9722.
CUB CADET CORP. P.O. BOX 368023 CLEVELAND, OHIO 44136-9722
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
FORM NO.
770-10495.fm
(1/2001)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Content Page
Important Safe Operation Practices................................................................... 3
Slope Gauge...................................................................................................... 6
Unpacking.......................................................................................................... 7
Assembling Your Lawn Mower........................................................................... 7
Know Your Lawn Mower .................................................................................... 9
Operating Your Lawn Mower ............................................................................. 10
Making Adjustments .......................................................................................... 13
Maintaining Your Lawn Mower ........................................................................... 15
Off Season Storage ........................................................................................... 19
Troubleshooting ................................................................................................. 20
Parts List............................................................................................................ 22
FINDING MODEL NUMBER
This Operator’s Manual is an important part of your new Lawn 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 information from it in the space provided below. The information on
the model plate is very important if you need help from our Customer Support Department or
an authorized dealer.
• You can locate the model number by standing behind the unit in the operating position and looking at
the rear of the deck. A sample model plate is explained below. For future reference, please copy the
model number and the serial number of the equipment in the space below.
(Model Number)
(Serial Number)
Copy the model number here:
Copy the serial number here:
CUB CADET CORP.
P.O. BOX 368023
CLEVELAND, OHIO 44136
CALLING CUSTOMER SUPPORT
If you have difficulty assembling this product or have any questions regarding the controls, operation or
maintenance of this unit, please call the Customer Dealer Referral Line at 1-(800)-528-1009.
Please have your unit’s model number and serial number ready when you call. See previous
section to locate this information. By having the model and serial numbers ready, you help your
Cub Cadet dealer give you faster service.
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SECTION 1: IMPORTANT SAFE OPERATION PRACTICES
WARNING: This symbol points out important safety instructions which, if not followed, could endanger
the personal safety and/or property of yourself and others. Read and follow all instructions in this manual
before attempting to operate this machine. Failure to comply with these instructions may result in personal
injury. When you see this symbol—HEED ITS WARNING.
WARNING: The Engine Exhaust from this product contains chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.
DANGER: This machine was built to be operated according to the rules for safe operation in this manual. As with
any type of power equipment, carelessness or error on the part of the operator can result in serious injury. This
machine is capable of amputating hands and feet and throwing objects. Failure to observe the following safety instructions could result in serious injury or death.
General Operation
1. Read this operator’s manual carefully in its entirety
before attempting to assemble this machine. Read,
understand, and follow all instructions on the machine
and in the manual(s) before operation. Be completely
familiar with the controls and the proper use of this
machine before operating it. Keep this manual in a safe
place for future and regular reference and for ordering
replacement parts.
2. This machine is a precision piece of power equipment,
not a plaything. Therefore, exercise extreme caution at all
times. Your unit has been designed to perform one job: to
mow grass. Do not use it for any other purpose.
3. Never allow children under 14 years old to operate this
machine. Children 14 years old and over should read and
understand the operation instructions and safety rules in
this manual and should be trained and supervised by a
parent. Only responsible individuals who are familiar with
these rules of safe operation should be allowed to use
this machine.
4. Thoroughly inspect the area where the equipment is to
be used. Remove all stones, sticks, wire, bones, toys and
other foreign objects which could be tripped over or
picked up and thrown by the blade. Thrown objects can
cause serious personal injury. Plan your mowing pattern
to avoid discharge of material toward roads, sidewalks,
bystanders and the like. Also, avoid discharging material
against a wall or obstruction which may cause
discharged material to ricochet back toward the operator.
5. To help avoid blade contact or a thrown object injury, stay
in the operator zone behind the handles and keep
bystanders, helpers, children and pets at least 75 feet
from the machine while it is in operation. Stop machine if
anyone enters the area.
6. Always wear safety glasses or safety goggles during
operation and while performing an adjustment or repair to
protect your eyes. Thrown objects which ricochet can
cause serious injury to the eyes.
7. Wear sturdy, rough-soled work shoes and close-fitting
slacks and shirts. Shirts and pants that cover the arms
and legs and steel-toed shoes are recommended. Never
operate this machine in bare feet, sandals, slippery or
light weight (e.g. canvas) shoes.
8. Do not put hands or feet near rotating parts or under the
cutting deck. Contact with the blade can amputate hands
and feet.
9. A missing or damaged discharge cover can cause blade
contact or thrown object injuries.
10. Many injuries occur as a result of the mower being pulled
over the foot during a fall caused by slipping or tripping.
Do not hold on to the mower if you are falling; release the
handle immediately.
11. Never pull the mower back toward you while you are
walking. If you must back the mower away from a wall or
obstruction first look down and behind to avoid tripping
and then follow these steps:
a. Step back from the mower to fully extend your
arms.
b. Be sure you are well balanced with sure footing.
c. Pull the mower back slowly, no more than half way
toward you.
d. Repeat these steps as needed.
12. Do not operate the mower while under the influence of
alcohol or drugs.
13. Do not engage the self-propelled mechanism on units so
equipped while starting engine.
14. The blade control handle is a safety device. Never
attempt to bypass its operation. Doing so makes the
safety device inoperative and may result in personal
injury through contact with the rotating blade. The blade
control handle must operate easily in both directions and
automatically return to the disengaged position when
released.
15. Never operate the mower in wet grass. Always be sure of
your footing. A slip and fall can cause serious personal
injury. If you feel you are losing your footing, release the
blade control handle immediately and the blade will stop
rotating within three seconds.
16. Mow only in daylight or in good artificial light. Walk, never
run.
17. Stop the blade when crossing gravel drives, walks or
roads.
18. If the equipment should start to vibrate abnormally, stop
the engine and check immediately for the cause.
Vibration is generally a warning of trouble.
19. Shut the engine off and wait until the blade comes to a
complete stop before removing the grass catcher or
unclogging the chute. The cutting blade continues to
rotate for a few seconds after the engine is shut off.
Never place any part of the body in the blade area until
you are sure the blade has stopped rotating.
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20. Never operate mower without proper trail shield,
discharge cover, grass catcher, blade control handle or
other safety protective devices in place and working.
Never operate mower with damaged safety devices.
Failure to do so, can result in personal injury.
21. Muffler and engine become hot and can cause a burn. Do
not touch.
22. Only use parts and accessories made for this machine by
the manufacturer. Failure to do so, can result in personal
injury.
23. If situations occur which are not covered in this manual,
use care and good judgment. Contact your dealer for
assistance or call 1-800-528-1009 for the name of your
nearest dealer.
Slope Operation
Slopes are a major factor related to slip and fall accidents
which can result in severe injury. Operation on slopes
requires extra caution. If you feel uneasy on a slope, do not
mow it. For your safety, use the slope gauge included as part
of this manual to measure slopes before operating this unit on
a sloped or hilly area. If the slope is greater than 15 degrees,
do not mow it.
Do:
1. Mow across the face of slopes; never up and down.
Exercise extreme caution when changing direction on
slopes.
2. Watch for holes, ruts, rocks, hidden objects, or bumps
which can cause you to slip or trip. Tall grass can hide
obstacles.
3. Always be sure of your footing. A slip and fall can cause
serious personal injury. If you feel you are losing your
balance, release the blade control handle immediately,
and the blade will stop rotating within 3 seconds.
Do Not:
1. Do not mow near drop-offs, ditches or embankments,
you could lose your footing or balance.
2. Do not mow slopes greater than 15 degrees as shown on
the slope gauge.
3. Do not mow on wet grass. Unstable footing could cause
slipping.
Children
Tragic accidents can occur if the operator is not alert to the
presence of children. Children are often attracted to the
mower and the mowing activity. They do not understand the
dangers. Never assume that children will remain where you
last saw them.
1. Keep children out of the mowing area and under the
watchful care of a responsible adult other than the
operator.
2. Be alert and turn mower off if a child enters the area.
3. Before and while moving backwards, look behind and
down for small children.
4. Use extreme care when approaching blind corners,
doorways, shrubs, trees, or other objects that may
obscure your vision of a child who may run into the
mower.
5. Keep children away from hot or running engines. They
can suffer burns from a hot muffler.
6. Never allow children under 14 years old to operate a
power mower. Children 14 years old and over should
read and understand the operation instructions and
safety rules in this manual and should be trained and
supervised by a parent.
Service
Safe Handling Of Gasoline:
1. To avoid personal injury or property damage use extreme
care in handling gasoline. Gasoline is extremely
flammable and the vapors are explosive. Serious
personal injury can occur when gasoline is spilled on
yourself or your clothes which can ignite.
2. Wash your skin and change clothes immediately.
3. Use only an approved gasoline container.
4. Never fill containers inside a vehicle or on a truck or
trailer bed with a plastic liner. Always place containers on
the ground away from your vehicle before filling.
5. When practical, remove gas-powered equipment from
the truck or trailer and refuel it on the ground. If this is not
possible, then refuel such equipment on a trailer with a
portable container, rather than from a gasoline dispenser
nozzle.
6. Keep the nozzle in contact with the rim of the fuel tank or
container opening at all times until fueling is complete. Do
not use a nozzle lock-open device.
7. Extinguish all cigarettes, cigars, pipes and other sources
of ignition.
8. Never fuel machine indoors because flammable vapors
will accumulate in the area.
9. Never remove gas cap or add fuel while the engine is hot
or running. Allow engine to cool at least two minutes
before refueling.
10. Never over fill fuel tank. Fill tank to no more than ½ inch
below bottom of filler neck to provide space for fuel
expansion.
11. Replace gasoline cap and tighten securely.
12. If gasoline is spilled, wipe it off the engine and
equipment. Move unit to another area. Wait 5 minutes
before starting the engine.
13. Never store the machine or fuel container inside where
there is an open flame, spark or pilot light as on a water
heater, space heater, furnace, clothes dryer or other gas
appliances.
14. To reduce fire hazard, keep mower free of grass, leaves,
or other debris build-up. Clean up oil or fuel spillage and
remove any fuel soaked debris.
15. Allow a mower to cool at least 5 minutes before storing.
General Service:
1. Never run an engine indoors or in a poorly ventilated
area. Engine exhaust contains carbon monoxide, an
odorless and deadly gas.
2. Before cleaning, repairing, or inspecting, make certain
the blade and all moving parts have stopped. Disconnect
the spark plug wire and ground against the engine to
prevent unintended starting.
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3. Check the blade and engine mounting bolts at frequent
intervals for proper tightness. Also, visually inspect blade
for damage (e.g., bent, cracked, worn) Replace blade
with the original equipment manufacture’s (O.E.M.) blade
only, listed in this manual. “Use of parts which do not
meet the original equipment specifications may lead to
improper performance and compromise safety!”
4. Mower blades are sharp and can cut. Wrap the blade or
wear gloves, and use extra caution when servicing them.
5. Keep all nuts, bolts, and screws tight to be sure the
equipment is in safe working condition.
6. Never tamper with safety devices. Check their proper
operation regularly.
7. After striking a foreign object, stop the engine, disconnect
the spark plug wire and de-energize the starter. Refer to
“To De-Energize SwiftStart™” section on page 11.
Thoroughly inspect the mower for any damage. Repair
the damage before starting and operating the mower.
8. Never attempt to make a wheel or cutting height
adjustment while the engine is running.
9. Grass catcher components, discharge cover, and trail
shield are subject to wear and damage which could
expose moving parts or allow objects to be thrown.
For safety protection, frequently check components and
replace immediately with original equipment
manufacturer’s (O.E.M.) parts only, listed in this manual.
“Use of parts which do not meet the original equipment
specifications may lead to improper performance and
compromise safety!”
10. Do not change the engine governor setting or overspeed
the engine. The governor controls the maximum safe
operating speed of the engine.
11. Maintain or replace safety and instruction labels, as
necessary.
12. Observe proper disposal laws and regulations. Improper
disposal of fluids and materials can harm the
environment.
13. ALWAYS de-energize SwiftStart
any maintenance or service to the engine and/or mower.
Follow instructions in the owner’s manual and on the
engine and/or the machine to de-energize starter.
™ prior to performing
Your Responsibility
• Restrict the use of this power machine to persons who read, understand and follow the warnings and instructions in
this manual and on the machine.
1299 AC
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SECTION 2: SLOPE GAUGE
Use this page as a guide to determine slopes where you may not operate safely. Do not operate your lawn mower
on such slopes.
Operate RIDING mowers up and down slopes, never across the face of slopes.
Operate WALK-BEHIND mowers across the face of slopes, never up and down slopes.
Do not mow on inclines with a slope in excess of 15 degrees (a rise of approximately 2-1/2 feet every 10 feet). A riding mower could
overturn and cause serious injury. If operating a walk-behind mower on such a slope, it is extremely difficult to maintain your footing
and you could slip, resulting in serious injury.
F
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A CORNER OF A BUILDING
OR A FENCE POST
SIGHT AND HOLD THIS LEVEL WITH A VERTICAL TREE
A POWER POLE
WARNING
15°
A
1
5
°
S
L
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SECTION 3: ASSEMBLING YOUR LAWN MOWER
Removing Unit From Carton
• Remove staples, break glue on top flaps, or cute
tape at carton end and peel along top flap to open
carton.
• Remove loose parts if included with unit (i.e.
operator’s manual, oil, etc.)
• Cut along corners, lay carton down flat, and remove
packing material.
• Roll or slide unit out of carton and check carton
thoroughly for loose parts.
Hardware Pack
1. Carriage Bolt 1/4-20 x .75” (2)
2. Wing Nut with Bell Washer (2)
IMPORTANT:
in the engine. Be certain to service engine with gasoline
and oil as instructed in the separate engine manual
before operating your mower.
NOTE: Reference to right or left hand side of the mower
is observed from the operating position.
This unit is shipped without gasoline or oil
Before Assembly
WARNING: Disconnect the spark plug
wire and ground against the engine to
prevent unintended starting. Leave safety
key in locked position.
Assembling Mower
• Remove grass bag from unit and set it aside.
• Lift up and pull back on the upper handle to raise
the handle into the operating position. Make certain
the lower handle is seated securely into the handle
mounting brackets. Tighten the wing nuts on each
side of the handle (carriage bolts must be seated
properly into the handles) See Figure 1.
Handle Assembly
NOTE: Your mower is shipped with the handle in the
higher height position. If you wish to lower the height of
the handle, refer to the Adjustment Section at this time.
• Remove the hairpin clip from the outer hole in the
weld pin on the handle mounting bracket. Using a
pair of pliers, squeeze one leg of the lower handle
against the handle mounting bracket. Insert the
hairpin clip into the inner hole on the weld pin.
Repeat on the other side. See Figure 2.
Lower
Handle
Handle Mounting
Bracket
Figure 2
• Place each carriage bolt (found in the hardware
pack included with your unit) in the upper hole of
the handle mounting bracket from the inside out.
Secure with the plastic wing nut. See Figure 3.
Repeat on the other side.
Upper
Hole
Wing Nut
Hairpin Clip
Inner Hole
Hairpin
Clip
Carriage
Bolt
Wing Nut
Handle Mounting
Bracket
Figure 1
Figure 3
NOTE: Make certain the drive cable is routed around
the outside and above the lower handle so that it does
not interfere with attaching the grass bag.
• Fasten the cables to the lower handle with the two
cable ties found on the lower handle. Be sure to
insert the post on the cables ties into the holes
provided on the lower handle. These holes may be
found on either the inside or outside of the handle.
Pull the cable ties tight and trim off the excess. See
Figure 4.
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• Remove wing nuts holding the mulching baffle or
side discharge chute in place and remove from unit.
Cable Tie
• Replace with grass bag adapter, while making sure
the inner lip of attachment goes under the edge of
the deck. Secure with the wing nuts previously
removed. See Figure 6.
Lower
Handle
• Lift chute door on the grass bag adapter and slide
grass bag onto the adapter. See Figure 7.
NOTE: The chute door has been designed to move the
starter rope out of the way of the bag when the chute
door is opened.
Figure 4
• The rope guide, connected to the support rod, is
located on the right side of the lower handle. See
Figure 5.
Lower
Handle
Starter
Rope
Support
Rope
Guide
Rod
Figure 5
• With the spark plug wire disconnected and
grounded, and with the safety key in the locked
position, pull the starter rope out of the engine. Slip
the starter rope into the rope guide. Tighten the
wing nut to secure.
Attaching Grass Bag
Grass Bag
Adapter
Chute
Door
Grass
Bag
Figure 7
Attaching Side-Discharge Chute
• Remove mulching baffle or grass bag adapter from
the unit by disconnecting the wing nuts.
• Attach side discharge chute to the unit and secure
with wing nuts. See Figure 8.
Wing
Nuts
Figure 6
Side Discharge
Chute
Figure 8
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