Mtd 590-303-000 operators Manual

Operator’s Manual

Twin Rear Bagger Kit

Model 590-303-000

for use on Residential ZTR Tractor with 50-inch Deck

(Tractor sold separately)

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

Warning:

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 361131 Cleveland, Ohio 44136-0019.

PRINTED IN U.S.A.

This unit is equipped with an internal combustion engine and should not be used on or near any unimproved forest-covered,

MTD LLC, P.O. BOX 361131 CLEVELAND, OHIO 44136-0019

FORM NO.

769-01189D.fm

1/19/06

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Content Page

Customer Support 2
Loose Parts 5
Assembly & Operation 6
Illustrated Parts List 11

FINDING MODEL NUMBER

This Operator’s Manual is an important part of your new Double Bagger Accessory. 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. A sample model plate
and location is also given below. From the operator’s position, locate the model plate in the front,
left portion of the plastic grasscatcher cover. This information will be necessary to use the
manufacturer’s web site and/or seek help from Customer Support Department or service dealer.

Model Plate

Copy the model number here:

Copy the serial number here:

CUSTOMER SUPPORT

Please do NOT return the unit to the retailer from where it was purchased, without first contacting Customer Support.

If you have difficulty assembling this product or have any questions regarding the controls, operation or
maintenance of this unit, you can seek help from the experts. Choose from the options below:

Visit mtdproducts.com for many useful suggestions. Click on Customer Support button and
you will get the four options reproduced here. Click on the appropriate button and help is
immediately available.

The answer you are
looking for could be just
a mouse click away!

The answer you are
looking for could be just
a mouse click away!

If you prefer to reach a Customer Support Representative, please call 1-800-800-7310.

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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 Battery and Engine Exhaust contains chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm. The battery and posts contain lead;
wash hands after handling

WARNING:

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.

This machine was built to be operated according to the rules for safe operation in this

.

General Operation

1. Read, understand, and follow all instructions on the machine
and in the manual(s) before attempting to assemble and
operate. Keep this manual in a safe place for future and regular
reference and for ordering replacement parts.

2. Be familiar with all controls and their proper operation. Know
how to stop tractor and disengage controls quickly.

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.

4. Never allow adults to operate this machine without proper
instruction.

5. To help avoid blade contact or a thrown object injury, 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. 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 picked up and thrown by the blade(s).
Thrown objects can cause serious personal injury.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. Wear sturdy, rough-soled work shoes and close-fitting slacks
and shirts. Loose fitting clothes and jewelry can be caught in
movable parts. Never operate this machine in bare feet or
sandals.

10. Be aware of the mower and attachment discharge direction and
do not point it at anyone. Do not operate the mower without the
discharge cover or entire grasscatcher in its proper place.

11. Do not put hands or feet near rotating parts or under the cutting
deck. Contact with the blade(s) can amputate hands and feet.

12. A missing or damaged discharge cover can cause blade contact
or thrown object injuries.

13. Stop the blade(s) when crossing gravel drives, walks, or roads
and while not cutting grass.

14. Watch for traffic when operating near or crossing roadways. This
machine is not intended for use on any public roadway.

15. Do not operate the machine while under the influence of alcohol
or drugs.

16. Mow only in daylight or good artificial light.

17. Never carry passengers.

18. Disengage blade(s) before shifting into reverse. Back up slowly.
Always look down and behind before and while backing to avoid
a back-over accident.

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

20. Disengage blade(s), set parking brake, stop engine and wait
until the blade(s) come to a complete stop before removing
grasscatcher, emptying grass, unclogging chute, removing any
grass or debris, or making any adjustments.

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

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

23. Muffler and engine become hot and can cause a burn. Do not
touch.

24. Check overhead clearances carefully before driving under low
tree branches, wires, door openings etc., where the operator
may be struck or pulled from the unit, which could result in
serious injury.

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

26. Your machine 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. Dry
grass or leaves may contact the engine exhaust and/or build up
on the mower deck presenting a potential fire hazard.

27. Use only accessories and attachments approved for this
machine by the machine manufacturer. Read, understand and
follow all instructions provided with the accessory or attachment.

28. Data indicates that operators, age 60 years and above, are
involved in a large percentage of tractor-related injuries. These
operators should evaluate their ability to operate the tractor
safely enough to protect themselves and others from serious
injury.

29. If situations occur which are not covered in this manual, use care
and good judgment. Contact your Cub Cadet dealer for
assistance.

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, do
not mow it.

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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 as shown on the slope gauge,
do not operate this unit on that area.

Do:

1. Mow up and down slopes, not across. Exercise extreme caution
when changing direction on slopes.

2. Watch for holes, ruts, bumps, rocks, or other hidden objects.
Uneven terrain could overturn the machine. Tall grass can hide
obstacles.

3. Use slow speed. Choose a low enough speed setting so that you
will not have to stop or shift while on the slope. Tires may lose
traction on slopes even though the brakes are functioning
properly. Always keep machine in gear when going down slopes
to take advantage of engine braking action.

4. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for wheel weights
or counterweights to improve stability of the machine. Use extra
care with grasscatchers or other attachments. These can
change stability of the machine.

5. 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.

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

Do Not:

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

2. 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, ditch, or if an edge caves in.

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

4. Do not use a grasscatcher on steep slopes.

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

6. Do not shift to neutral and coast downhill. Over-speeding may
cause the operator to lose control of the machine resulting in
serious injury or death.

7. Do not tow heavy pull behind attachments (e.g. loaded dump
cart, lawn roller, etc.) on slopes greater than 5 degrees. When
going down hill, the extra weight tends to push the tractor and
may cause you to loose control. (e.g. tractor may speed up,
braking and steering ability are reduced, attachment may jack­knife and cause tractor to overturn).

Children

1. 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. They do not understand the dangers.
Never assume that children will remain where you last saw
them.

a. Keep children out of the mowing area and in watchful

care of a responsible adult other than the operator.
b. Be alert and turn machine off if a child enters the area.
c. Before and while backing, look behind and down for

small children.

d. Never carry children, even with the blade(s) shut off.

They may fall off and be seriously injured or interfere
with safe machine operation.

e. Use extreme care when approaching blind corners,

doorways, shrubs, trees or other objects that may block
your vision of a child who may run into the machine.

f. Disengage the cutting blade(s) before shifting in

reverse. The “No-Cut-In Reverse” feature emphasis not
to cut in reverse and to avoid back-over accidents; do
not defeat it.

g. Keep children away from hot or running engines. They

can suffer burns from a hot muffler.

h. Remove key when machine is unattended to prevent

unauthorized operation.

2. Never allow children under 14 years old to operate the 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.

General Service

1. Before cleaning, repairing, or inspecting, make certain the
blade(s) and all moving parts have stopped. Disconnect the
spark plug wire and ground against the engine to prevent
unintended starting.

2. Periodically check to make sure the blades come to complete
stop within approximately (5) five seconds after operating the
blade disengagement control. If the blades do not stop within the
this time frame, your unit should be serviced professionally by
an authorized dealer.

3. Mower blades are sharp. Wrap the blade or wear gloves, and
use extra caution when servicing them.

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

5. Never tamper with the safety interlock system or other safety
devices. Check their proper operation regularly.

6. After striking a foreign object, stop the engine, disconnect the
spark plug wire(s) and ground against the engine. Thoroughly
inspect the machine for any damage. Repair the damage before
starting and operating.

7. Never attempt to make adjustments or repairs to the machine
while the engine is running.

8. Grasscatcher components and the discharge cover 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!”

9. Do not change the engine governor settings or over-speed the
engine. The governor controls the maximum safe operating
speed of the engine.

10. Maintain or replace safety and instruction labels, as necessary.

11. Observe proper disposal laws and regulations for gas, oil, etc. to
protect the environment.

Your Responsibility

Restrict the use of this accessory and the tractor to persons who read, understand and follow the warnings and instructions in
this manual and on the machine.

IMPORTANT:

only. It will NOT mount, nor operate safely or properly, on any other brand of tractor regardless of the tractor’s compatibility with
similar accessories.

This Twin Rear Bagger Kit is designed for use on residential ZTR Tractor models with 50-inch cutting decks

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