Mtd 1027 owners guide

Operator’s Manual

Riding Mower

Internal Bagging System

Model 1027

(13A-328-101)

IMPORTANT: Read safety rules and instructions carefully before operating equipment.

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. BO X 368023 CLEVELAND, OHIO 44136-9722

PRINTED IN U.S.A.

FORM NO.

770-10094B.fm (12/99)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Content Page

Important Safe Operation Practices...................................................................3

Slope Gauge......................................................................................................6

Assembling Your Riding Mower.........................................................................7

Know Your Riding Mower...................................................................................9

Operating Your Riding Mower............................................................................11

Making Adjustments ..........................................................................................13

Servicing Your Rider Mower ..............................................................................15

Maintaining Your Riding Mower .........................................................................17

Off-Season Storage...........................................................................................19

Troubleshooting.................................................................................................20

Parts List............................................................................................................22

FINDING MODEL NUMBER

This Operator’s Manual is an important part of your new riding 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 Dealer Referral line.

• You can locate the model plate by pivoting the cover upward and looking under the frame. A sample model plate is explained below. For future reference, please copy the model number and the serial number of the equipme nt in the spac e 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.

Call 1- (800)-528-1009 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 information. You will be asked to enter the serial number in order to process your call .

SECTION 1: IMPORTANT SAFE OPERATION PRACTICES

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 your rider mower. Failure to comply with these instructions may result in personal injury. When you see this symbol—heed its warning.

Your rider mower 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. If you violate any of these rules, you may cause serious injury to yourself or others.

WARNING: The engine exhaust from this product contains chemicals known to the State of California to casue cancer, birth defects or other repro ductive harm.

General Operation

• Read, understand, and follow all instructions in the manual and on the machine before starting. Keep this manual in a safe place for future and regular reference and for ordering replacement parts.

• Only allow responsible individuals familiar with the instructions to operate the machine. Know controls and how to stop the machine quickly.

• Do not put hands or feet under cutting deck or near rotating parts.

• Clear the area of objects such as rocks, toys, wire, etc., which could be picked up and thrown by the blade. A small object may have been overlooked and could be accidentally thrown by the mower in any direction and cause injury to you or a bystander. To help avoid a thrown objects injury, keep children, bystanders and helpers at least 75 feet from t he mow er whil e it is in op erati on. Alw ays wear safety glasses or safety goggles during operation or while performing an adjustment or repair, to protect eyes from foreign objects. Stop the blade(s) when crossing gravel drives, walks or roads.

• Be sure the area is clear of other people before mowing. Stop machine if anyone enters the area. Never carry passengers.

• Disengage blade(s) before shifting into reverse and backing up. Always look down and behind before and while backing.

• Be aware of the mower and attachment discharge direction and do not point it at anyone. Do not operate the mower without either the entire grass catcher or the chute guard in place.

• Slow down before turning. Operate the machine smoothly. Avoid erratic operation and excessive speed.

• Never leave a running machine unattended. Always turn off blade(s), place transmission in neutral, set park brake, stop engine and remove key before dismounting.

• Turn off blade(s) when not mowing.

• Stop engine and wait until blade(s) comes to a complete stop before (a) removi ng grass catcher or unclogging chute, or (b) making any repairs, adjusting or removing any grass or debris.

• Mow only in daylight or good artificial light.

• Do not operate the machine while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.Watch for traffic when operating near or crossing roadways.

• Use extra care when loading or unloading the machine into a trailer or truck. This unit should not be driven up or down a ramp onto a trailer or truck under power, because the unit could tip over, causing serious personal injury. The unit must be pushed manually on a ramp to load or unload properly.

• Never make cutting height adjustment while engine is running, if operator must dismount to do so.

• Wear sturdy, rough-soled work shoes and closefitting slacks and shirts. Do not wear loose fitting clothes or jewelry. They can be caught in moving parts. Never operate a unit in bare feet, sandals, or sneakers.

• Check overhead clearance carefully before driving under power lines, wires, bridges or low hanging tree branches, before entering or leaving buildings, or in any other situation where the operator may be struck or pulled from the unit, which could result in serious injury.

• Disengage all attachment clutches, thoroughly depress the brake pedal, and shift into neutral before attempting to start engine.

• Your mower is designed to cut normal residential grass of a height no more than 10". Do not attempt to mow through unusually tall, dry grass (e.g., pasture) or piles of dry leaves. Debris may build up on the mower deck or contact the engine exhaust presenting a potential fire hazard.

Slope Operation

• Slopes are a major factor related to loss of control and tip-over accidents which can result in severe

injury or death. All slopes require extra caution. If you cannot back up the slope or if you feel uneasy on it, 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° as shown on the slope gauge, do not operate this unit in that area or serious injury could result.

Do:

• Mow up and down slopes, not across.

• Remove obstacles such as rocks, limbs, etc.

• Watch for holes, ruts or bumps. Uneven terrain could overturn the machine. Tall grass can hide obstacles.

• Use slow speed. Choose a low enough gear so that you will not have to stop or shift while on the slope. Always keep machine in gear when going down slopes to take advantage of engine braking action.

• Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for wheel weights or counterweights to improve stability.

• Use extra care with grass catchers or other attachments. These can change the stability of the machine.

• Keep all movement on the slopes slow and gradual. Do not make sudden changes in speed or direction. Rapid engagement or braking could cause the front of the machine to lift and rapidly flip over backwards which could cause serious injury.

• Avoid starting or stopping on a slope. If tires lose traction, disengage the blade(s) and proceed slowly straight down the slope.

Do Not:

• Do not turn on slopes unless necessary; then, turn slowly and gradually downhill, if possible.

• Do not mow near drop-offs, ditches or embankments.The mower could suddenly turn over if a wheel is over the edge of a cliff or ditch, or if an edge caves in.

• Do not mow on wet grass. Reduced traction could cause sliding.

• Do not try to stabilize the machine by putting your foot on the ground.

• Do not use grass catcher on steep slopes.

Children

• Tragic accidents can occur if the operator is not alert to the presence of children. Children are often attracted to the machine and the mowing activity. Never assume that children will remain where you last saw them.

• Keep children out of the mowing area and in watchful care of an adult other than the operator.

• Be alert and turn machine off if children enter the area.

• Before and when backing, look behind and down for small children.

• Never carry children. They may fall off and be seriously injured or interfere with the safe machine operation.

• Never allow children under 14 years old to operate the machine. Children 14 years and over should only operate machine under close parental supervision and proper instruction.

• Use extra care when approaching blind corners, shrubs, trees or other objects that may obscure your vision of a child or other hazard.

• Remove key when machine is unattended to prevent unauthorized operation.

Service

• Use extreme care in handling gasoline and other fuels. They are extremely flammable and the vapors are ex plosiv e. a. Use only an approved container. b. Never remove fuel cap or add fuel with the

engine running. Allow engine to cool at least two minutes before refueling.

c. Replace fuel cap securely and wipe off any

spilled fuel before starting the engine as it may cause a fire or explosion.

d. Extinguish all cigarettes, cigars, pipes and

other sources of ignition.

e. Never refuel the machine indoors because fuel

vapors will accum ulate in the area.

f. Never store the fuel container or machine

inside where there is an open flame or spark, such as a gas hot water heater, space heater or furnace.

• Never run a machine inside a closed area.

• To reduce fire hazard, keep the machine free of grass, leaves or other debris build-up. Clean up oil or fuel spillage. Allow machine to cool at least 5 minutes before storing.

• Before cleaning, repairing or inspecting, make certain the blade and all moving parts have stopped. Disconnect the spark plug wire, and keep the wire away from the spark plug to prevent accidental starting.

• Check the blade and engine mounting bolts at frequent intervals for proper tightness. Also, visually inspect blade for damage (e.g., excessive wear, bent, cracked). Replace with blade which meets original equipment specifications.

• Keep all nuts, bolts and screws tight to be sure the equipment is in safe working condition.

• Never tamper with safety devices. Check their proper operation regularly. Use all guards as instructed in this manual.

• After striking a foreign object, stop the engine, remove the wire from the spark plug and thoroughly inspect the mower for any damage. Repair the damage before restarting and operating the mower.

• Grass catcher components are subject to wear, damage and deterioration, which could expose moving parts or allow objects to be thrown. For your safety protection, frequently check components and replace with manufacturer’s recommended parts when necessary.

• Mower blades are sharp and can cut. Wrap the blade(s) or wear gloves and use extra caution when servicing blade(s).

• Check brake operation frequently. Adjust and service as required.

• Muffler, engine and belt guards become hot during operation and can cause a burn. Allow to cool down before touching.

• Do not change the engine governor settings or overspeed the engine. Excessive engine speeds are dangerous.

• Observe proper disposal laws and regulations. Improper disposal of fluids and materials can harm the environment and the ecology. a. Prior to disposal, determine the proper method

to dispose of was te from y our local off ice of Environmental Protection Agency. Recycling centers are established to properly dispose of materials in an environmentally safe fashion.

b. Use proper containers when draining fluids. Do

not use food or beverage containers that may mislead someone into drinking from them. Properly dispose of the containers immediately following the draining of fluids.

c. DO NOT pour oil or other fluids into the ground,

down a drain or into a stream, pond, lake or other body of water. Observe Environmental Protection Agency regulations when disposing of oil, fuel, coolant, brake fluid, filters, batteries, tires and other harmful waste.

• Illustrated below are the location and part numbers of all labels found on your rider mower. Please follow the instruction on these labels. For replacement labels, please order by the part numbers.

777I20800

LIFT HERE

SECTION 2: SLOPE GUAGE

USE THIS PAGE AS A GUIDE TO DETERMINE SLOPES WHERE YOU MAY NOT OPERATE RIDER SAFELY:

Do not mow on inclines with a slope in e xcess of 15 degree s (a rise of app

A riding mower could overturn and cause se

is extremely di

Operate RIDING mowers up and down slopes, never across the face of sl

Operate WALK-BEHIND mowers across the

fficult to maintain your footing and you could slip, resulting in serious injury.

face of slopes, never up and down slopes.

rious injury. If operating a w al k- be hind mower on such a slope, it

15°

WARNING

opes.

roximatel y 2-1/2 f eet e v ery 10 fe et).

A CORNER OF A BUILDING

OR A FENCE POST

SIGHT AND HOLD THIS LEVEL WITH A VERTICAL TREE

A POWER POLE

SECTION 3: UNPACKING & ASSEMBLING YOUR RIDER MOWER

• Remove all screws and staples from crate.

• Holding the sides of the crate firmly, lift the top of

the crate up and keep it aside. Avoid tire punctures.

• Remove and discard plastic bag covering the unit.

• Lift the rear of the mower and clear the bottom of

the crate. Repeat for the front.

• Be sure parking brake is disengaged; roll unit out of

the crate’s way.

Loose Parts

• Remove loo se par ts fr om th e gras s catc her and/ or

the crate very carefully. Refer to Figure 1.

1. Operator’s manual (not shown in Figure 1)

2. Mulching plug & side-discharge chute

3. Oil drain sleeve

4. Ignition keys (not shown in Figure 1)

5. Bumper (optional)

Side-Discharge Chute

Oil Drain Sleeve

Mulching Plug

Figure 1

Bumper

Attaching Battery Cables

The battery is located under the hood assembly above the left rear wheel. Refer to Figure 3 .

• To access the battery, lift the hood assembly from

the left side of the hood only. Stand on the right side of the unit and pivot the hood assembly towards you until fully opened. See Figure 2 .

• Remove red and black insulation caps from battery terminals. See Figure 3

• Remove battery terminal screws with a Phillips screw driver or a 10 mm. socket wrench.

• Attach the red battery cable to the positive terminal (marked +), and the black battery cable to the negative terminal (marked -) on the battery. See Figure 3 .

• Align the cables with the slots in the battery cover and tighten the screws on the battery terminals.

WARNING: Press the battery cables against side of battery so that these do not make contact with flange of rider frame when it is opened or closed.

• Reassemble the battery cover to the hold-down rods on two ends with the two wing nuts removed earlier. Check to ensure that the cables pass easily through slots in cover.

• Place your right hand on the left side of the seat and slowly lower th e hood assem bly untill i t is fully closed.

CAUTION: Do not place your hand around the bo ttom edge of the hood assembly; it may get pinched between the hood assembly and grass catcher or the frame rail.

Wing

Battery Cover

Wing

Nut

Negative

Terminal

Nut

Positive Terminal

CAUTION: Do not lift the hood assembly by the two

vent openings located behind the seat.

Vent Opening

Hood Assembly

Figure 2

• Remove both wing nuts securing the battery and cover to the battery hold-down rods. See Figure 3 .

Battery Cable

Figure 3

Rider Frame

Attaching Side-Discharge Chut e

Your riding mower is shipped to you with the grass catcher fully assembled on the unit. A side-discharge chute and a mulching plug are included as loose parts. Follow the instructions below to attach the sidedischarge chute.

WARNING: Do not operate the mower if any one of the grass catcher, discharge chute or mulching plug is not firmly installed on the mower.

• Pivot the hood assembly up and lower the cutting height adjustment lever to the lowest position.

• Remove the two wing nuts (A and B in Figure 4 ) from two ends of the grasscatcher chute.

• Loosen the two wing nuts (C and D in Figure 4 ) in the middle of the chute. Do not remove. All four wing nuts hold the chute to the deck frame.

• Slide the grasscatcher chute to the right and out of the deck frame. Slide the side-discharge chute in and place it on the deck so that the four wing nut positions align with those on the deck.

• Reinsert wing nuts A and B. Tighten to secure. Tighten the two wing nuts C and D.

Grass Catch er

Chute

SideDischarge

Chute Wing Nut D

Wing Nut B

• To attach the mulching plug now to the unit, follow instructions on previous page to attach sidedischarge chute to the deck.

• Place wing nut on each of the hex bolts and thread a few turns. See Figure 5 . Check that the mulch plug is aligned correctly within the discharge chute.

• Tighten both wing nuts

Attaching Bumper

• Remove bumper from the grass catcher.

• Loosen and remove the two hex bolts and lock nuts

from the front rail on the rider mower. See Figure 6 .

• Align the two holes on the bumper tube with the corresponding holes on the rider frame (from where you removed the hardware). See Figure 6.

• Re-insert the two hex bolts through the bumper and the rider frame and secure with the two lock nuts. See Figure 6 .

Rider Frame

Rail

Bumper

Wing

Wing Nut A

Nut C

Figure 4

Attaching Mulch Plug

While operating your rider mower, you have three options: (i) to collect grass clippings in the grass catcher, (ii) to discharge grass clippings on the side, or (iii) to mulch grass and recirculate clippings back to the lawn. For the third option, attach the mulching plug to the side-discharge chute and then to the deck.

• Put two hex bolts through the mulching plug at the respective openings. See Figure 5 .

Wing Nut

Speed Nut

Hex Bolt

Figure 5

• Place speed nuts over the hex bolts.

• Insert the plug into the side-discharge chute

aligning the two slots on two sides of the sidedischarge chute with those on the mulching plug.

Side Discharge Chute

Mulching Plug

Hex Bolt

Figure 6

Attaching Hitch Plate

The hitch plate was loosely attached to the rear frame of the rider for shipping purposes.

• Loosen the nut attaching the hitch plate to the frame and swing the plate outward. Make sure that the wide r side of th e hit ch pl ate a lig ns wit h th e rear frame as sh own in Figu re 7 .

• Remove the hex bolt, lock washer and hex nut from the other end of the rear frame. Save the hardware.

• Align the hole on the hitch plate with the corresponding hole on the rear frame assembly (from where you removed the hardware).

• Re-insert the hex bolt through the hitch plate and the rear frame. Secure with the lock washer and hex nut removed earlier. See Figure 7 . Tighten both sets of hardware.

Hitch Plate

Hex Bolt

Rear Frame

Lock Washer

Hex Nut

Figure 7

SECTION 4: KNOW YOUR RIDER MOWER

Compare the illustrations in Figure 8 with your rider mower to familiarize yourself with the location of various controls and adjustments. The operation of any rider mower can result in foreign objects being thrown into the operator’s eyes, causing severe eye damage. Always wear safety glasses before operating the mower, or while performing any adjustments or repairs on it.

Steering Wheel

“Go”

Pedal

Shift Lever

Cutting Height

LeverAdjustment

Blade Engagement

Pedal

Brake

Pedal

Grass Fill Level Indicator

Ignition Switch

Side Discharge Chute

Seat

Throttle/Choke Control

Cutting Deck

Parking Brake

Blade Engagement Pedal

Blade Lock

Grass Catcher

Throttle/Choke Control

Use to regulate the engine speed and to start the engine.

“Go” Pedal

Use to regulate the ground speed of the rider mower.

Ignition Switch

Use to turn the engine ON or OFF.

Shift Lever

Use to change direction of the mower.

Hood Assembly

Engine

Battery

Figure 8

Grass Fill Level Indicator

Use to determine the level of grass clipping in the bag and when to stop and empty it.

Parking Brake

Use to stop the mower from moving while parked.

Blade Engagem ent Pe dal

Use to engage or disengage the blade.

Blade Lock

Use to lock blade at the engaged position.

Cutting Height Adjustment Lever

Use to raise and lower the cutting deck which determines the cutting height.

Brake Pedal

Use to stop the mower’s forward or r evers e mot ion.

Stopping Mower

• Release blade engagement pedal all the way.

• Release the " Go" p edal and d epres s th e brak e

pedal.

• When the mower comes to a complete stop, place the shift lever in neutral.

• Engage the pa rking br ake by pul ling up on the parking brake knob.

• Turn the ignition key to OFF position and remove the key.

• Before you move the shift lever to any of the positions, depress the brake pedal and stop the unit. Keep your foot on the brake pedal.

CHOKE

Safety Interlock

This unit is equipped with a safety interlock system for your protection. The interlock safety switches are connect ed to t he br ake pedal , th e bla de en gagem ent pedal, the shift lever, and the seat.

The purpose of the safety interlock system is threefold:

a. to prevent the engine from starting unless the

brake pedal is depressed and the blade engagement pedal is disengaged;

b. to shut off the engine if the blade pedal is not

disengaged when the shift lever is put into reverse; and

c. to shut the engine off when the operator leaves

the seat without engaging the parking brake.

WARNING: To avoid the risk of serious injury, do not operate the rider mower if the interlock system is malfunctioning.

• Remove objects that could be thrown by the blade(s).

• Know location and function of all controls.

• Be sure blade(s) and engine are stopped before

placing hands or feet near blade(s).

• Before leaving operator's position, disengage blade(s), place the shift lever in neutral, engage parking brake, shut engine off and remove key.

Using Shift Lever

The shift lever is used to regulate the direction of your rider mower. It can be set at forward, neutral, or reverse settings. These settings, marked as F, N,and R respectively, are located next to the shift lever on the unit. See Figure 9.

Cutting Height

Shift Lever

Figure 9

• Move the lever outwards (left) to remove the locking pin from the lever and slide the lever to the position desired. Look at the rear and make sure the path is free of obstacles before positioning the shift lever to the reverse.

• Do not force the shift lever. If it does not shift, release the brake pedal slightly to line up the shifting collar in the transmission, then try to move the shift lever.

• Slowly release the brake pedal and take your foot off the pedal. Always make sure that there is no one in the way when you run the mower.

Grass Fill Level Indicator

This indicator was designed to add convenience to your riding mower. While the mower is running, air will flow through the discharge chute and into the grass catcher. If the grass catcher is empty, air flows through easily pushing the ball up. If the grass catcher is full, air does not flow through it allowing the ball to fall. So if you see the ball in the grass catcher fill level indicator falling down, you should stop the mower and empty the bag.

SECTION 5: OPERATING YOUR RIDER MOWER

Using Throttle/Choke Control

The throttle/choke control is used to increase or decrease the speed of the engine.The FAST and the SLOW positions are marked with illustrations of a rabbit and a turtle respectively. See Figure 9.

• For normal operation and when using a grass catcher, move the throttle/choke control to the FAST position.

• For maximum charging of the battery and also for a cooler engine while running, move the throttle/ choke control to the FAST position.

• For transport and to tow pull-behind attachments, move the throttle/choke control to the SLOW position.

• Do not adjust the governor to increase or decrease the engine speed. The governor is set at the factory for maximum engine performance, and should not be altered.

Using Parking Brake

To engage parking brake

• Completely push the brake pedal down and stop the unit.

• With your right foot on the brake pedal, move the shift lever to the neutral position.

• Continuing to hold down the brake pedal with your right foot, pull up the parking brake knob. Make sure the parking brake holds the unit.

• Release the brake pedal. Stop the engine and remove the ignition key. Now your rider mower is parked.

To release the parking brake

• Depress the brake pedal. The parking brake will be automatically disengaged.

Before Starting

Service the engine with gasoline as described in the engine manual. Check oil level.

WARNING: Never fill fuel tank indoors, or when engine is running or hot. Do not smoke while filling up the gasoline tank.

• Turn the ignition key to the START position. As soon as the engine starts, let the key return to the ON position.

• Move throttle/choke control out of CHOKE position and into FAST throttle position.

Starting Mower

• Depress the brake pedal so that the parking brake is disengaged.

• Place the shift lever in either the FORWARD or the REVERSE position as you desire. Look to the rear

and check before backing up.

• Release the brake pedal.

• Depress the "Go" pedal.

• To stop, release the "Go" pedal and depress the

brake pedal.

• Press the blade engagement pedal downward until the blades are turning.The blades can be engaged either while the mower is in motion or while it is standing.

NOTE: Your rider m ower is e qui ppe d with a b lad e loc k to keep the blade engage d wi tho ut th e op er ator h av ing to depress the blade pedal continuously. See Figure 8 .

• To engage the blade lock: While pressing down on the blade pedal, push the blade lock down with your heel. It should click into the “blade engaged” position. To disengage the blade lock, simply push down on the blade pedal and release the lock.

WARNING: When the blades are engaged, keep feet and hands away from the discharge opening, the blades or any part of the deck.

Stopping Mower

• Release blade engagement pedal all the way.

• Release the "Go" pedal and depress the brake

pedal.

• When the mower comes to a complete stop, place the shift lever in neutral.

• Engage the pa rking br ake by pul ling up on the parking brake knob.

• Turn ignition key to OFF position and remove it.

Starting Engine

• Attach the wire to the spark plug.

• Depress the brake pedal with your right foot.

• Set throttle/choke control in the CHOKE position

(all the way forward).

• Place the s hift lever in the NEUTR AL posi tion.

NOTE: Do not leave the key in the ON position when you are not operating the mower. Such action will drain the battery dead.

To Empty Grass Catc her

• Stop the mower completely, pull up on the

parking brake knob and take the ignition key out. Get off the operator’s seat.

• Pivot the cover up. Pull up the grasscatcher bag by the handle and take it to the proper disposal site. See Figure 10 .

• Hold the bag away from your body. Push down on the bag lever and let the bottom section of the bag fall downwards. The grass clippings will be disposed of from the bottom. See Figure 10 .

• Tap the bag on the ground so that the three legs of the bag press against the ground. The bag lever should snap close while you push the bag downwards.

• Replace the bag on to the mower making sure the bag is placed on the flange on top of the discharge chute. Pivot the cover down.

Bag Handle

Seat

Grass Catcher Bag

Frame

Push here

Figure 10

Using The Mower

Observe safet y rules list ed on pages 3- 5 of this ma nual for safe operation of your mower.

• Before mowing, make sure that the cutting deck is

leveled. For deck adjustment, refer to page 14.

• You can engage the blade by pressing on the blade

engagement pedal with your left foot while sitting on the operator’s seat.

• When mowing an area for the first time, watch out for objects lying on the grass. If you strike a foreign object, stop the engine. Remove wire from spark plug and thoroughly inspect the mower for any damage. Repair the damage before operating it again.

• Avoid scalping the lawn by adjusting the cutting height upwards and/or sharpening the blades.

• Mow at full throttle. Learn the terrain on which you are mowing. For best mowing results, mow only when the grass is dry.

• The recommended mowing pattern is given below:

• Mow grass often and in regular intervals so that you

can cut only 1/3 of the grass blade in one mowing.

• To empty grass bag, stop the mower completely, engage the parking brake, and turn the ignition off. This will prevent the hot engine exhaust gas from browning the grass.

• Many communities no longer haul grass clippings to landfills. Composting the clippings from your grass catcher is a viable solution. For this you will have to empty the grass catcher at the designated composting site.

• Your rider mower is equipped with a mulching plug to mulch the grass and recycle into the lawn instead of collecting in the grasscatcher bag.

• Mulch only when the grass is dry. Mulching wet grass may damage the underside of the deck because wet grass tends to stick to it. Clean deck thoroughly if you mulch wet grass.

• For effective mulching, overlap mowing paths so that the clippings are distributed evenly.

+ 28 hidden pages