Toro 78444 Operator's Manual

FORM NO. 3322–624



Wheel

Horse

44” Side Discharge

for

Mower

5xi Lawn and Garden T

Model No. 78444 – 8900001 & Up

ractors

Operator’s Manual

IMPORTANT: Read this manual, and your tractor manual, carefully. They

contain information about your safety and the safety of others. Also
become familiar with the controls and their proper use before you operate
the product.

International English (GB)

Introduction

We want you to be completely satisfied with your
new product, so feel free to contact your local
Authorized Service Dealer for help with service,
genuine replacement parts, or other information you
may require.

Whenever you contact your Authorized Service
Dealer or the factory, always know the model and
serial numbers of your product. These numbers will
help the Service Dealer or Service Representative
provide exact information about your specific
product. You will find the model and serial number
plate located in a unique place on the product as
shown below

.

The warning system in this manual identifies
potential hazards and has special safety messages that
help you and others avoid personal injury, even death.
DANGER, WARNING and CAUTION are signal
words used to identify the level of hazard. However,
regardless of the hazard, be extremely careful.

DANGER signals an extreme hazard that will cause
serious injury or death if the recommended
precautions are not followed.

WARNING signals a hazard that may cause serious
injury or death if the recommended precautions are
not followed.

CAUTION signals a hazard that may cause minor or
moderate injury if the recommended precautions are
not followed.

Two other words are also used to highlight
information. “Important” calls attention to special
mechanical information and “Note” emphasizes

1

general information worthy of special attention.

m–3464

1. Model

For your convenience, write the product model and
serial numbers in the space below.

Model No:

Serial No.

and Serial Number Plate

The left and right side of the machine is determined
by sitting on the seat in the normal operator’s
position.

Printed in USA

 The TORO Co. – 1998

Contents

Page

Safety and Instruction Decals 2.
Installation 3

Loose Parts 3
Mower Preparation 3
Installing the Mower 4
Attach the PTO Drive Belt 6
Adjusting the Mower 8
Removing the Mower 11

Operation 14

Side Discharge 14
Operating the Power Take Off (PTO) 14
Attachment Lift Lever 15
Adjusting Anti-Scalp Rollers 16
Adjusting the Two Front Wheels 16
Check for Debris 17
Tips for Mowing Grass 17

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Page

Maintenance 19

Service Interval Chart 19

Cutting Blade20. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Greasing and Lubrication 21
Checking PTO Drive Belt Tension 22
Extending PTO Drive Belt Life 22
Blade Drive Belt 23
Washing the Underside of the Mower 23
Storage 24

Troubleshooting 25

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1

Safety

Safety

and Instruction Decals

Safety decals and instructions are easily visible to the operator and are located near
any area of potential danger. Replace any decal that is damaged or lost.

ON GRASS DEFLECT

(Part No. 93–7316)

NEXT T

O GAGE WHEELS

(Part No. 93–7282)

OR

(1) ON GRASS DEFLECT

(1) ON DECK LEFT SIDE

(Part No. 93–7317)

ON MOWER REAR T

(Part No. 98–3489)

OP

OR

(2) ON LEVELER BAR

(Part No. 93–9367)

ON MOWER RIGHT SIDE

(Part No. 98–3481)

UNDER GRASS DEFLECT

(Part No. 93–7009)

2

OR

Installation

Loose

Parts

Note: Use the chart below to identify parts used for assembly.

DESCRIPTION QTY. USE

Discharge chute
Spring
Bolt 3/8–24 x 3–1/2”
Lock nut 3/8”

PT

O drive belt
Pulley box
Operator’

Mower

s Manual

Preparation

1
2
2
2

1
1
1

Install discharge chute

Install PT
Install pulley box
Read before operating

O drive belt

Install the Discharge Chute

1. Place the springs into the brackets on the mower

with the hooked ends over the raised back of the
bracket (Fig. 1).

6

1

3

2. Align the discharge chute with the holes in the

brackets and the spring straight ends in the space
under the hinge and above the chute (Fig. 1).

3. Secure the chute to the bracket with bolts

through the discharge chute, springs and
brackets. Secure with lock nuts (Fig. 1).

4. Lift the discharge chute and check that it is

spring loaded and pivots freely to the full down
position.

IMPORTANT: Discharge chute must be
spring loaded in the down position. Lift the
chute up to test that it snaps to the full down
position.

5

1. Bracket

2. Spring

3.

Space for spring

hook end

4

Figure 1

4.

Discharge chute

5. Bolt

6.

Lock nut

2

m–3484

3

Installation

POTENTIAL

HAZARD

• Without the discharge chute or the

complete grass catcher assembly mounted
in place, you and others are exposed to
blade contact and thrown debris.

WHAT CAN HAPPEN

• Contact with rotating mower blade(s) and

thrown debris will cause injury or death.

HOW TO AV

•

NEVER r

OID THE HAZARD

emove the discharge chute from
the mower because the discharge chute
routes material down toward the turf. If
the discharge chute is ever damaged,
replace it immediately. Never put your
hands or feet under the mower.

• Never try to clear the discharge area or

mower blades unless you move the power
take off (PTO) to “OFF” and turn the
ignition key to “STOP.” Also remove the
ignition key and pull the wire(s) off the
spark plug(s).

Installing

the Mower

Initial Preparation

The mower is most easily installed when done on a
level concrete surface. Rougher dirt or lawn surfaces
make installation more difficult.

1. Position the tractor and mower side by side, with

the mower on the right–hand side of the tractor.

2. Set the parking brake, raise the attachment lift,

and turn the ignition key to “STOP” to stop the
engine. Remove the ignition key.

3. If you have previously had a snowthrower, blade

or tiller attached to the attachment lift, remove
the two clevis pins on each side of the
attachment lift (Fig. 3).

Mower Belt Routing

1. Route the mower belt as shown in Fig. 2. Be

sure to install the belt on the lower mower deck
pulley.

2

2.

Mower deck pulley

1. Mower

1

belt

Figure 2

T

op V

iew

m–3472

1

m–3433

Figure 3

1. Clevis

pin

2.

Hairpin cotter

4. Attach the pulley box if it is not already on the

tractor. Make sure the latches on the tractor’s
front Attach-A-Matic
slide the pulley box into the Attach-A-Matic

TM

are open (Fig. 4). Then

TM

latches and seat it. Close the latches.

2

4

Installation

3

3

1

7

6

22

Figure 4

TM

1. Attach-A-Matic

2. Pulley

3.

4.

box
Idler pulley
Belt tension release arm

latches

5.

Belt tension adjustment
knob

6.

Belt tension indicators
(one on each side)

7. Attach-A-Matic

TM

button

Attach the Mower

1. Make sure the mower wheels are set for low

height of cut.

2. Make sure the attachment lift is in the full up

position.

4

m–3463

5

2

1

m–3460

Figure 5

1. Slots

2.

in the side mounting

brackets (2)
Belt guide

3.

Front–to–rear adjustment
rod

5. Start the tractor.

6. Lower the attachment lift arm fully and adjust

the deck’s position until you can pull out on the
J–pin of the lift arm and slide it into the slot in
the mounting bracket of the mower (Fig. 6).

7. On the driver’s left–hand side, pull out the

attachment lift J–pin and slide it into the slot on
the other mower mounting bracket.

1

3. From the driver’s right–hand side of the tractor,

slide the mower under the tractor.

4. After sliding the mower under the tractor,

position it so that the slots in the side of each of
the mower’s mounting brackets (Fig. 5) are
aligned directly below the tractor’

s attachment

lift arm.

2

Figure 6

Left Side of Tractor Shown

1. J–pin 2. Mower
mounting bracket.

m–3456

slot in side

5

Installation

8. After the two J–pins are seated through the

mower’s mounting brackets, using the
attachment lift and your hand on the right front
adjustable mower wheel bracket (Fig. 7),
position the mower so its attachment bar fits into
the mid Attach-A-Matic

POTENTIAL

HAZARD

TM

mount.

• The “scissor” formed by the mower

mounting brackets and the attachment lift
arm is dangerous.

WHAT CAN HAPPEN

• Hands and fingers can get caught between

the mower parts and the tractor and be
injured.

HOW TO AV

OID THE HAZARD

• Keep hands away from moving parts while

operating the attachment lift.

• Always position the mower with your hand

on the right front mower wheel bracket.

• Never try to position the mower with your

hands on the mower mounting brackets or
below the mower housing.

10. Set the parking brake, lower the attachment lift,

and turn the ignition key to “STOP” to stop the
engine. Then remove the ignition key.

3

1. Attach-A-Matic

2. Attach-A-Matic

Attach

the PT

TM
TM

1

Figure 8

button
lever

3. Lock

O Drive Belt

2

m–3611

1. Hang the belt over the mower, then thread it

forward through the belt guide (Fig. 9) on the
mower.

1

Figure 7

1. Place

hand here

9. Turn the lever of the Attach-A-Matic

counterclockwise to lock the mower to the
tractor (Fig. 8).

6

TM

m–3500

2

m–3457

1

Figure 9

1. Belt 2. Belt

guide

2. Extend the belt through the center of the pulley

box, between the two pulleys.

Installation

3. Release the belt tension release arm on the

pulley box housing and swing it out toward you
(Fig. 13).

4. Remove the tractor’s front grill by raising the

hood and unscrewing the two screws and
washers securing it in place (Fig. 10). Close the
hood and remove the grill by pulling it out
toward you.

2

3

m–4231

1. Pulley

2. PT

O pulley

Figure 1

box pulley

1

3. PT

O drive belt

6. Loop the other end of the belt over the drive

pulley of the mower. Additional belt slack can
be obtained (if needed) by turning the belt
tension adjustment knob (Fig. 13).

1

1

Figure 10

1. Grill

screw (1 of 2)

POTENTIAL

HAZARD

• Components under the hood will be hot if

the tractor has been running.

WHAT CAN HAPPEN

• Touching hot components can cause burns.

HOW TO AV

OID THE HAZARD

• Allow the tractor to cool before performing

maintenance or touching components
under the hood.

5. Position the belt into the grooves of the PTO

pulley (Fig. 11), making sure it is also under the
pulleys in the pulley box.

m–3558

7. Make certain that the wide side of the PTO drive

belt is toward the outside diameter of all (four)

pulleys (Fig. 12).

1

2

m–4230

Figure 12

1. Pulley

outside diameter

2.

Wide side of belt

8. Now adjust the belt tension.

A. Push the belt tension release arm back

toward the pulley box to tension the belt.

7