Mantis 7945 Operator's & Parts Manual
Tiller/Cultivator
MAN 430099
Rev. B 9-11-14
MODEL 7945
OPERATOR’S/PARTS MANUAL
Operator’s Manual and Safety Instructions for
Tiller/Cultivator
Welcome to the World of Mantis Gardening
Here’s your new MANTIS Tiller . . . the lightweight wonder that’s Changing the
Way Americans Garden.
Unlike big tillers, your MANTIS Tiller weighs only 22 lbs. (Model 7945). So it lifts
easily, handles smoothly, tills and weeds precisely. And, unlike other small tillers,
it features serpentine tines that churn soil to ten inches deep. It creates a soft,
®
ATTENTION MANTIS PRODUCT OWNERS!
Get maintenance tips for your Mantis
product on our web site
at www.mantis.com
smooth seed bed, even in problem soil.
Once you know how to use your tiller correctly, we guarantee you’ll love it. So rst, please read this manual. It shows, step by
step, how to use your tiller safely.
IMPORTANT MESSAGE
Thank you for purchasing this Schiller Grounds Care, Inc. product. You have purchased a world class product, one of the best designed and built anywhere.
This machine comes with Operation and Safety instructions, Parts and Service instructions and Engine instructions. The useful life and good service you receive
from this machine depends to a large extent on how well you read and understand these manuals. Treat your machine properly, lubricate and adjust it as instructed,
and it will give you many years of reliable service.
Your safe use of this Schiller Grounds Care, Inc. product is one of our prime design objectives. Many safety features are built in, but we also rely on your good
sense and care to achieve accident-free operation. For best protection, study the manuals thoroughly. Learn the proper operation of all controls. Observe all
safety precautions. Follow all instructions and warnings completely. Do not remove or defeat any safety features. Make sure those who operate this machine are
as well informed and careful in its use as you are.
See a Schiller Grounds Care, Inc. dealer for any service or parts needed. Schiller Grounds Care, Inc. service ensures that you continue to receive the best results
possible from Schiller Grounds Care, Inc. products. You can trust Schiller Grounds Care, Inc. replacement parts because they are manufactured with the same
high precision and quality as the original parts.
Schiller Grounds Care, Inc. designs and builds its equipment to serve many years in a safe and productive manner. For longest life, use this machine only as
directed in the manuals, keep it in good repair and follow safety warnings and instructions. You’ll always be glad you did.
Schiller Grounds Care, Inc.
1028 Street Road
Southampton, PA 18966-4217
PHONE (800) 366-6268 • FAX (215) 956-3855
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SAFETY RULES & WARNINGS
Special Safety Information ................................................. 3
Safety & Warnings ............................................................. 3
Safety Decal Information ................................................... 3
Warning Dos ...................................................................... 4
Warning Don’ts ..................................................................5
Engine/Fuel Warning Dos .................................................. 5
Engine/Fuel Warning Don’ts .............................................. 5
ASSEMBLY ............................................................................ 6
Lower Handle .................................................................... 7
Upper Handle Assembly .................................................... 8
Kickstand ........................................................................... 8
Tines .................................................................................. 9
This Operator’s / Parts Manual is part of the machine. Suppliers of both new and
second-hand machines must make sure that this manual is provided with the machine.
FUELING & STARTING
4-Cycle Fueling & Oil Only .............................................. 10
4-Cycle Starting Only ....................................................... 11
4-Cycle What to Do Just in Case ................................ 11-12
OPERATION ....................................................................13-14
TRANSPORTATION ............................................................. 15
STORAGE ............................................................................ 15
MAINTENANCE ..............................................................16-18
TROUBLESHOOTING ......................................................... 19
ENGINE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE ................................ 20
MANTIS TILLER ASSEMBLY & PARTS LIST .................21-22
EMISSION CONTROL WARRANTY .................................... 23
LIMITED WARRANTY INFORMATION ................BACK PAGE
2 Operator’s Manual
Safety Rules & Warnings
You will notice throughout this Operator’s Manual Safety Rules and Important Notes. Make sure you understand and obey these
warnings for your own protection.
I. SPECIAL SAFETY INFORMATION
Attention: This symbol points out our
important safety instructions.
When you see this symbol,
heed it’s warning!! Stay alert!!
To reduce the potential for accidents, comply
with the safety instructions in this manual.
Failure to comply may result in serious
personal injury, and/or equipment
and property damage.
II. SAFETY & WARNINGS
Improper use or care of this tiller or failure to wear
proper protection can result in serious injury.
Read and understand the rules for safe
operation and all instructions in this manual.
Wear hearing and eye protection.
The engine exhaust from this product contains
chemicals known to the State of California to cause
cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.
III. SAFETY DECAL INFORMATION
An important part of the safety system incorporated in this tiller are the warning and information decals found on various parts of
the tiller. These decals must be replaced in time due to abrasion, etc. It is your responsibility to replace these decals when they
become hard to read.
Cutting hazard; keep
feet and hands away
P/N 430057
P/N 400631
from rotating tines.
Do not carry the
tiller in this position.
Wear ear
and eye
Protection.
Fuel is extremely
ammable.
Read owner’s manual before
using tiller, or performing any
repair or maintenance. Keep
owners manual in a safe place.
Caution: when assembling
the handles, make sure
fuel tank faces away from
operator. This is the rear of
the tiller, refer to assembly
instruction on page 7-8.
Stop engine and be sure
it is cool before fueling
Keep away from ignition
source.
Don’t operate
indoors
Don’t fuel, refuel,
or check fuel while
smoking, or near an
open ame or other
ignition source.
Incorrect assembly.
3Contact us at www.mantis.com
If the tiller is used improperly or safety precautions
are not followed, the users risk serious injury
to themselves and others.
Read and understand this manual before
attempting to operate this tiller.
IV. WARNINGS - DOS
Read and understand the owner’s manual.
Pay particular attention to all sections
regarding safety.
1. Always keep a rm grip on both handles
while the tines are moving and/or the
engine is running. BE AWARE!! The
tines may coast after throttle trigger is
released. Make sure tines have come to
a complete stop and engine is off before
letting go of the tiller.
2. Always maintain a rm footing and
good balance. Do not overreach while
operating the tiller. Before you start to
use the tiller check the work area for
obstacles that might cause you to lose
your footing, balance or control of the
machine.
3. Thoroughly inspect the area where
equipment is to be used and remove
all objects, which can be thrown by the
machine.
4. Always keep area clear of children, pets,
and bystanders.
5. Always stay alert. Watch what you are
doing and use common sense. Do not
operate unit when fatigued.
6. Always dress properly. Do not wear
loose clothing or jewelry, they might
get caught in moving parts. Use sturdy
gloves. Gloves reduce the transmission
of vibration to your hands. Prolonged
exposure to vibration can cause
numbness and other ailments.
7. While working, always wear substantial
footwear and long trousers. Do not
operate the equipment when barefoot or
wearing open sandals.
8. Always wear ear and eye protection.
Eye protection must meet applicable CE
requirements. To avoid hearing damage,
we recommend hearing protection be
worn whenever using the equipment.
9. To reduce re hazard, keep the engine,
and petrol/gas storage area free of
vegetative material and excessive
grease.
10. Start the engine carefully, according to
the manufacturer’s instructions and with
feet well away from tool(s).
Keep all nuts, bolts and screws tight
11.
to be sure the equipment is in safe
working condition.
Use extreme caution when reversing
12.
or pulling the machine towards you.
13. Work only in daylight or good
articial light.
Operation of this equipment may create sparks
that can start res around dry vegetation. A spark
arrestor is installed. The operator should contact
local re agencies for laws or regulations relating
to re prevention requirements.
14. Always be sure of your footing on
slopes.
15. Exercise extreme caution when
changing direction on slopes.
16. Always keep a safe distance between
two or more people when working
together.
17. Always inspect your unit before each
use. Keep all knobs, nuts, bolts and
screws tight to be sure the equipment is
in safe working condition.
18. Always visually inspect to see that
the tools are not worn or damaged.
Before using your tiller, replace worn or
damaged elements and bolts in sets to
preserve balance.
19. Always maintain and examine your
Tiller with care. Follow maintenance
instructions given in manual.
20. Always store tiller in a sheltered area
(a dry place), not accessible to children.
The tiller as well as fuel should not be
stored in a house.
21. Always keep in mind that the operator
or user is responsible for accidents or
hazards occurring to other people or
their property.
4 Operator’s Manual
V. WARNINGS - DON’TS
Don’t use tiller with one hand. Keep
both hands on handles with ngers and
thumbs encircling the handles, while
tines are moving, and engine
is running.
Don’t run with the machine, walk.
Don’t work on excessively steep slopes.
Don’t attempt to clear tines while they
are moving. Never try to remove jammed
Handle fuel with care, it is highly ammable. Fueling a hot engine or near an ignition source can
cause a re and result in serious personal injury and/or property damage.
material before switching the engine off
and making sure the tines have stopped
completely.
Don’t allow children or people unfamiliar
with these instructions to use the
machine. Local regulations can restrict
the age of operator.
Don’t let others operate tiller without
proper training.
VI. ENGINE/FUEL WARNINGS - DOS
Always use fresh gasoline. Stale gasoline
can cause damage.
Always store fuel in containers
specically designed for this purpose.
Always add fuel before starting
the engine.
Always replace all fuel tank and
container caps securely.
Always pull starter cord slowly until
resistance is felt to avoid kickback and
prevent arm or hand injury.
Always operate engine with spark
arrestor installed and operating properly.
Safety Rules & Warnings
Don’t operate while under the inuence
of alcohol or drugs.
Don’t attempt to repair this tiller. Have
repairs made by a qualied dealer or
repairman. See that only original Mantis
parts are used.
Don’t overreach. Keep a good footing at
all times.
Don’t stand in front of tiller when tines
are rotating.
Stop the engine whenever you leave
the machine and before refueling. Allow
the engine to cool before storing in any
enclosure. Replace worn or damaged
parts for safety.
If the fuel tank needs to be drained, this
should be done outdoors.
VII. ENGINE/FUEL WARNINGS - DON’TS
Never pick up or carry a machine while
the engine is running.
Don’t fuel, refuel or check fuel while
smoking, or near an open ame or other
ignition source. Stop engine and be sure
it is cool before refueling.
Don’t leave the engine running while the
tiller is unattended. Stop the engine when
carrying out maintenance and cleaning
operations, when changing tools and
when being transported by means other
than under its own power.
Never remove the cap of the fuel tank or
add fuel while the engine is running or
when the engine is hot.
Don’t refuel, start or run this tiller indoors
or in an improperly ventilated area.
Don’t run engine when electrical system
causes spark outside the cylinder. During
periodical checks of the spark plug, keep
plug a safe distance from cylinder to
avoid burning of evaporated fuel from
cylinder.
Don’t check for spark with spark plug
or plug wire removed. Use an approved
tester.
Don’t crank engine with spark plug
removed unless spark plug wire is
disconnected. Sparks can ignite fumes.
Don’t run engine when the odor of gasoline
is present or other explosive conditions exist.
Do not attempt to start the engine if
fuel is spilled, but move the machine
away from the area of spillage and avoid
creating any source of ignition until fuel
vapors have dissipated.
Don’t operate your tiller if there is an
accumulation of debris around the
mufer, and cooling ns. To reduce the
re hazard, keep the engine and fuel
storage area free of vegetative material
and excessive grease.
Don’t touch hot mufers, cylinders
or cooling ns as contact may cause
serious burns.
Don’t change the engine governor
setting or over speed the engine.
Don’t attempt to remove spark plug while
engine is hot. Removing a spark plug
from a hot engine can cause irreparable
damage to the engine and will void your
warranty.
Don’t use starter uids as they will cause
permanent engine damage.
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Assembly
Picture of Model 7945
T20 T46T21
T40
T39
T41
T4
T1
T3
T42
T13
T11
T15
T7
T14
T9
T12
WHAT COMES IN THE BOX
Key Qty. Part No. Description
T1 1 Upper Handle Throttle Side Assembly
T2 1 Upper Handle Assembly, Left
T3 2 Lower Handles W/Plug
T4 1 Handle Brace Assembly
T10 1 Plastic Carrying Handle
T21, T20,
T46
T39/T40 1 Pair Tiller/Cultivator Tines
T7 2 Handle Clamps
T9 1 Throttle Clip
T11 2 Bolts (3” long)
T12 2 Knobs
T13 2 Acorn Nuts
T14 4 Lock Nuts
T15 2 Cap Screws
T41 2 Tine Retaining Pins
T42 2 Carriage Bolts
Not Shown
1 Engine Assembly (includes Fender Guard &
Worm Gear Transmission)
1 Bag of Hardware
1 400206 4-Cycle Oil
T10
T2
Improper assembly of this tiller can result in serious injury. Make
sure to follow all instructions carefully. If you have any questions,
contact our factory at 1-800-366-6268 or an authorized Mantis dealer.
Bag Contents
T12
T9
T7
T42
T15
T41
T13
T11
T14
If your tiller comes with a kickstand, your box
will also include:
T52
Key Qty. Part No. Description
T52 1 Kickstand Assembly
T53 1
Kickstand Bracket & Hardware Bag
T53
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
TO ASSEMBLE THE TILLER
Prior to removing the contents and assembling, it is important to:
• Have a clean work area.
• Make sure all necessary
tools are handy.
• You will need two 7/16”
wrenches
• A 3/8” wrench for kickstand
assembly (if included)
6 Operator’s Manual
LET’S BEGIN
• With the box upright, open the box and remove the
tine box and the loose parts that are at the top of the
tiller box. Do not remove any other parts in the box.
• Lay the box on one side and open the bottom aps.
• Return the box to an upright position (as shown) and
pull the box straight up.
• Leave the engine and throttle handle in the cradle to
assist in the assembly.
• Lay everything out so you can easily identify the
parts (see parts image and list on page 6).
LOWER HANDLE ASSEMBLY
To identify part numbers see page 6.
Assembly
NOTE: Some of the photos in this manual do not represent your
tiller engine. They are for assembly purposes only.
1
• For ease of assembly and
stability it is important that you
keep the engine assembly in its
cardboard cradle.
5
2
• Lay the handle parts within easy
reach. You’ll need one of the
handle clamps (T7) and one of
the lower handles (T3). Note that
the lower handles have a short
leg on one end.
• Fit the handle clamp along the
outside of the short leg. Line
up the holes on the clamp and
the leg.
• Take the lower handles that
you’ve just put together.
Slide them into the two
recessed channels.
• Make sure you insert them
from the rear of the tiller
(gasoline tank faces away
from the operator)... so
that the bolt ts along the
back of the housing.
6
3
• Choose one of the two 3-inch
bolts (T11). Slide it through the
rst set of holes — near the
elbow where the lower handle
curves. (Pictures 2 & 3)
• Now slide the other lower
handle onto the 3-inch bolt. Fit
the other
handle’s short leg. Add a lock
nut (T14) and tighten nger tight.
(Picture 3)
clamp onto the other
4
• Locate recessed channels
below the engine.
• Slide the second 3-inch
bolt (T11)through the
second set of holes in
the short legs. Add a
nut (T14)
nger tight until you’ve
completed assembly.
and tighten
lock
NOTE: THE LOCK NUTS ARE STAMPED. FINGER TIGHT IS APPROXIMATELY 1/2 TO 1-1/2 TURNS UNTIL YOU’VE COMPLETED ASSEMBLY.
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Assembly (Continued)
UPPER HANDLE ASSEMBLY
7a
• Lightly squeeze the lower
handles (T3) toward one another
so that they line up with the two
smaller holes on the carrying
handle (T10). Then slide the
carrying handle over and down
the lower handles. It will rest
about four to six inches above the
fender.
• Gently pull the lower handles out
to their original position.
7b
• Your Mantis Tiller will look like
this when the lower handle
assembly is complete.
8
• Lift the upper handle until it lines up
with the lower handle.
•
Insert carriage bold (T42) from outside in.
• Screw on knob (T12) and fully tighten
the knob at the pivot point.
10
• Follow the same steps to install the
other upper handle onto the other
lower handle.
• Use the clip (T9) to secure the throttle
cable and wire in place on the lower
handle.
9
• Cap the exposed bolt with an acorn
nut (T13) and tighten with your 7/16”
wrench until snug. Do not over tighten.
11
• Now install the handle brace. Line it up
with the holes on the upper handles.
Then insert a cap screw (T15) and a
lock nut (T14) on either side.
• Use a wrench to tighten cap screws
and lock nuts.
• Now use wrench to tighten all nuts and
bolts rmly and securely.
KICKSTAND ASSEMBLY (If your tiller comes with a kickstand)
1 2 3
• Position the kickstand brace just above the
bend of the lower handles.
• Position the kickstand under the lower
handles, line up the holes and thread the
kickstand brace bolts into the kickstand.
•Tighten with the 3/8” wrench.
8 Operator’s Manual
• Your Mantis tiller will look like
this when lower handle assembly
and kickstand is complete.
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