Troy-Bilt 8 HP User Manual

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Owner/Operator

Manual PTO HORSE

Tiller

• Safety

7 HP

• Controls

• Operation

• Maintenance

8 HP

factory in Troy, N.Y, where tillers have been made since 1937. Please come and visit us.

fe call your machine the PTO HORSE Model

•BILT® Roto Tiller-Power Composter

hout this Owner/Operator Manual and in r literature, we refer to your machine as the RSE Model”. The name aptly describes its

3e ruggedness, and it distinguishes this

m the smaller ECONO-HORSE, PONY® and models, as well as from other models that

n available in the past or that might be

I in the future.

;tory dates back to the old Rototiller Corpo-

5 company that introduced rear-tine rotary

WARNING TO ALL CALIFORNIA AND OTHER POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS

California law, and under the laws of several other states, you are not permitted to operate an I combustion engine using hydrocarbon fuels on any forest covered, brush covered, or grass dl land, or on land covered with grain, hay, or other flammable agricultural crop, without an

spark arrester in continuous effective working order.

gine on your power equipment, like most outdoor power equipment, is an internal combustion

that burns gasoline, a hydrocarbon fuel. Therefore, your power equipment must be equipped

spark arrester muffler in continuous effective working order. The spark arrester must be id to the engine exhaust system in such a manner that flames or heat from the system will not lammable material. Failure of the owner / operator of the equipment to comply with this ion is a misdemeanor under California law, and may also be a violation of other state and / or

regulations, laws, ordinances, or codes. Contact your local fire marshal or forest service for

; information about what regulations apply in your area.

tillage to America in 1930. The first rear-tine tillers

Rototiller, Inc. built in Troy were manufactured in 1937, in the same building where Garden Way built its first HORSE Model in 1961. We’re still building our tillers

at the same location.

Over the years, the PTO HORSE Model has been continually refined and improved. Its performance and reliability have long been recognized by many

thousands of serious vegetable gardeners as being

unmatched by any othertiller of its size or design.

Off to a Safe Start!

The PTO HORSE Model TROY-BILT® Tiller meets voluntary safety standard B71.8-1986, which is sponsored by the Outdoor Power Equipment insti tute, Inc. and is published by the American National Standards Institute, Inc.

Your new tiller is basically a simple machine to operate. However, as with all new and unfamiliar powered equipment, you should thoroughly read and understand this Owner/Operator Manual and any other literature you received with your tiiler before you attempt to start the engine. Please care

ful iy follow recommended operating instructicns

and safety practices closely at ail times. Failure to

do so could result in injury or property damage.

ASSEMBLY INSTBUCTIONS ^

NOTICE!

Included in your literature package is an As

sembly Instructions Manual that provides stef:>

by-step instructions on how to assemble your new tilier. if you purchased your tiller un

assembled, then be sure to read and follow the assembly instructions carefully.

Cali our Technical Service Department imme

diately (see page 4) if the Assembly Instructions

Manual is missing from your literature package, or if you have any questions about assembly.

Please don’t attempt to assemble your tiller with

out proper instructions.

CONTENTS

Introduction

If You Need Service............................................

Section 1; Safety Instructions

Section 2: Controls and Functions

Section 3: Operation of Tiiler

Section 4: Tilling in the Garden ..........................

Section 5: The PTO Power Unit

Section 6: Maintenance and Service ....

Section 7: Troubleshooting

Section 8: Specifications

............................

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I »

A CAUTION

TO AVOID INJURY:

Read the Owner/Operator Manual. Know location and function of all controls. Keep all safety devices and shields in place. Never allow children or uninstructed adults to operate tiller. Shut off engine and disconnect spark plug wire before unclogging tines or making repairs. Keep bystanders away from machine. Keep away from rotating parts.

Section 9: Attachments and Accessories

Index .................................................................

“OPERATOR’S POSITION” All references to LEFT and

RIGHT sides of the tiller are given from the opera

tor’s position behind the handlebars (unless speci fied otherwise).

Introduction

Welcome to “Power gardening

the TROY-BILT® Tiller way.” Your

new PTO HORSE Model Tiller is a useful, productive gardening tool

that, with proper care, should last for many years.

Your tiller was designed to easily chop up, shred and bury all sorts of vegetation and organic matter in the garden in addition to preparing seedbeds and cultivating. With op tional tiller attachments it can also be used for furrowing and hilling, as well as light earthmoving and snow removal chores.

The PTO HORSE Model’s design, with powered wheels ahead of the

separately geared Bolo Tines in the rear, gives it an outstanding combination of tilling and com posting capabilities that allows you to enrich your soil far beyond your abilities to do so by hand. This soil enhancement is gained by tilling in

and burying organic materials such as leaves, mulches, crop residues, sod, green manure cover crops and even standing cornstalks! By using this method, you will soon experience better yields in your garden than ever before. This is said to be the greatest single benefit of power gardening “the different, better, and so much more enjoyable TROY-BILT® Tiller way.”

We have tried our best to build

your tiller as strong and trouble-

free as we know how. This, of course, is to our mutual benefit. We have fewer service problems and

you have a truly reliable machine.

VERY IMPORTANT!

Before trying to operate your tiller or PTO Power Unit

for the first time, please make sure that you:

Complete all of the tiller assembly steps that are de scribed in the separate As sembly Instructions Manual that came packaged with this Manual.

Completely familiarize your self with all of the operating controls as described in Sec tion 2 of this Manual.

REMEMBER ... PRACTICE SAFETY AT ALL TIMES!

Read and understand all of

the Safety Instructions in Section 1 of this Manual.

Read and understand all of the operating procedures for the tiller and the PTO Power

Unit, as described in Sections 3, 4 and 5 of this Manual.

You also have a versatile PTO Power Unit...

In addition to being an incredibiy efficient tiller, your machine can be quickly converted into a seifcontained PTO (Power Take-Off) Power Unit that is capable of tow ing or powering various TROY-BILT PTO attachments (see Figure 2).

This ability to convert the tiller into a PTO Power Unit is made possible by the unique design of

the Horse Modei’s transmission.

As shown in Figure 3, the trans mission is made up of two sepa rate cast-iron housings that are held together by a locking collar, a dowel pin and two swing-bolts.

Figure 2: The tine attachment can be removed and various powered or nonpowered attachments can be connected to the Power Unit.

Each housing has separate drive shafts that are joined by a tine ciutch. This clutch can be engaged or disengaged by moving the Tines/ PTO Ciutch Lever that is located on the left side of the PTO Power Unit transmission.

When the tine attachment is in place, the lever allows you to operate the tiller with the tines disengaged, even when the wheeis are in motion. This tine disconnect feature provides added conven ience when transporting, loading, or unioading the tiller. When the lever is in the engaged position.

the tine ciutch connects the two drive shafts together, transmitting

power to the tines.

If the tine attachment is removed (by ioosening the two swing-bolts and sliding the attachment off), the PTO Power Unit can be used to

tow moderate loads or drag-

behind implements, or to provide engine power to powered station ary attachments such as the TROYBILT® Generator, TROY-BILT® PTO Log Splitter and TROY-BILT® PTO Chipper/Shredder. This PTO capa bility truly makes your tiller an allaround, all-season work horse.

For detailed instructions on how

to convert your tilier into a PTO

Power Unit piease refer to Section 5 in this Manual.

A word about

maintenance...

You can help ensure long-lasting and proper performance from your PTO HORSE Model by always re

membering to perform the sched

uled maintenance services that are presented in Section 6 of this Manual, and in the accompanying engine manufacturer’s Owner’s Manual.

By treating your machine with good care in the manner described in those pages, your efforts will be returned many times over in the form of a more satisfying and easier operating machine, and with much more bountiful garden ing resuits.

Figure 3: The transmission consists of two housings, held together by swingbolts. Separate “dog” clutches on each drive shaft are engaged and disengaged with the Tines/PTO Clutch Lever.

We’re here to serve you!

The whole idea behind TROYBILT® Tiller Factory Service is to get parts, attachments and service advice out to you just as quickly as possible and to answer any questions you may have about tilling or gardening, by phone or by letter, depending upon what is needed.

If you have a question

or problem ...

If you have a question or prob lem that Is not answered In this Manual, then please get in touch

with our Technical Service Depart

ment by phone or by letter. One of

our friendly, helpful tiller experts will gladly help you out.

Nothing is more important to all

of us here at the factory than mak ing sure that every owner is com pletely satisfied 1JD0-percent of the time. You’re always entitled to firstrate service. Please be assured that we will do our very best to see that you get it at all times.

Thank you.

Dean Leith, Jr., Sales Manager

For the fastest service, DIAL FREE from:

In the U.S.A..........................................(Toll-Free) 1-800-833-6990

In Canada (Garden Way Canada).... (Toll-Free) 1-800-225-3585

Our business hours are (Eastern Time):

In the U.S.A.: M-F 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sat. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. In Canada: M-F 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

If you need a tiller part...

If you need to order a part for

your tiller, please refer to the sepa

rate Parts Catalog that came with

this Manual. There, you will find detailed instructions on how to

identify parts and how to place

your order.

Our mailing address Is:

In the U.S.A. In Canada

Troy-Bilt Mfg. Co.

102nd St. & 9th Ave.

Troy, New York 12180

Garden Way Canada

1515 Matheson Blvd. E.

Mississauga, Ontario L4W 2P5

NOTE: When calling or writing, please provide us with your Tiller

Serial Number (See page 5).

If you need engine service or

For engine service or parts, con

tact your nearest engine service

dealer who is authorized to service

the particular make of engine that

is on your tiller. Look in the Yellow Pages of your telephone directory under “Engines—Gasoline” for

the name of your nearest service

dealer. The service dealer can handle all parts, repairs and war ranty service concerning the en gine alone.

It is important to remember that

your engine is covered by the en-

parts...

gine manufacturer’s Limited War ranty and any unauthorized work done on the engine during the war ranty period may void your engine warranty. For full details on the engine’s Limited Warranty, please see the separate engine manufac turer’s Owner’s Manual that came with this Manual.

If you have any difficulty in find

ing an authorized service dealer or in obtaining warranty service, please contact our Technical Serv ice Department for assistance.

RECORD YOUR TILLER SERIAL NUMBER

To help you as quickly as possi

ble when you write or call for serv ice or parts, we will need to know

your Tiller Serial Number.

The arrow in the Figure at the right points to a iocation on the transmission where the serial number is located. For ready reference, please record this number, aiong with the delivery date of your tiiier, in the spaces provided beiow.

Serial Number:

Date of Delivery:

RECORD YOUR ENGINE MODEL NUMBER

Should you ever need engine service or parts, you may be asked for the engine model code number.

On the 7HP Briggs & Stratton engine, the number is stamped on the top of the blower housing cover, as shown in Photo 6.

On the 8HP Kohler engine, the number is located on the right side of the blower housing cover, be hind the air cleaner cover (remove wing nut to remove air cleaner cover). See Photo 7.

Engine Code:

________________

PHOTO 6: Code number location on 7HP Briggs & Stratton engine.

... .

PHOTO 7: Code number location on 8HP Kohler engine.

SECTION 1:

The PTO HORSE Model Tiller

has been designed with many safety features to help protect indi

viduals from harm and property

from being damaged. However, as

with any type of power equipment,

it is necessary for you and any

TRAINING

1. Read both this Owner/Operator Manual and the separate engine

Owner’s Manual carefully. Be thoroughly familiar with the con trols and the proper use of the tiller and its engine. Know how to stop the unit and disengage the controls quickly.

2. Read the Owner/Operator Man

operator to follow safe operating practices at all times. Failure to do

so can result in personal injury or damage to equipment or property.

Before operating or servicing the

tiller or the PTO Power Unit, care fully read and follow all of the

SAFETY ALERT SYMBOL

This symbol is used to alert you to important safety messages in this Manual and on your tiller. When you see this symbol, carefully read and follow its safety message.

uals provided with any optional accessories or attachments before operating. The manuals provide a detailed description of proper use

Safety Instructions found in this Owner/Operator Manual and in the separate Owner’s Manual provided by the engine manufacturer. If you have any questions, please call or

write us.

and operation, and point out other important Safety Instructions.

3. Never allow children to operate the tiller. Never allow adults to operate the tiller without proper instruction.

4. Keep the area of operation clear of all persons (particularly small children), and pets.

PREPARATION

1. Thoroughly inspect the area where the tiller is to be used and remove all foreign objects before

tilling.

2. Put the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever in “NEUTRAL” before starting

the engine.

3. Do not operate the tiller without wearing suitable outer garments. Avoid loose garments or jewelry that could get caught in moving

parts of the tiller or its engine.

4. Do not operate the tiller when barefoot or wearing sandals,

sneakers, or similar lightweight

footwear. Wear footwear which will

improve footing on slippery sur

faces.

5. Do not till near underground electric cables, telephone lines,

pipes, or hoses. If in doubt, contact

your telephone or utility company to locate underground services.

6. Handle fuel with care; it is highly

flammable and its vapors are

explosive. (a) Use an approved fuel con

tainer.

(b) Never remove gas cap or add

fuel to a running engine or to a

hot engine. Engine shall be al lowed to cool before refueling.

cigars, pipes, open flames, or sparks away from the fuel tank and fuel container.

(d) Fill fuel tank outdoors with

extreme care. Never fill fuel tank indoors. Use a funnel or spout to prevent spilling.

(e) Replace fuel cap securely and

clean up spilled fuel before

restarting.

7. Never attempt to make any ad justments while the engine is running or the spark plug wire is connected, except where specifi cally instructed to do so.

OPERATION

1. Do not put hands or feet near or under rotating parts.

2. Exercise extreme caution when operating on or crossing gravel drives, walks, or roads. Stay alert for hidden hazards or traffic.

3. After striking a foreign object, stop the engine, remove the key on electric start models, disconnect the spark plug wire, and thoroughiy i nspect the ti I ier for any damage.

Repair the damage before restart ing and operating the tiller.

4. Exercise caution to avoid slip ping or falling.

5. If the machine should start to vibrate abnormally, stop the engine, remove the wire from the spark plug, and check immediately for the cause. Vibration is generally a warning of trouble.

6. Stop the engine, remove the key

on electric start models, and dis connect the spark plug whenever you leave the operating position, before unclogging the tines, and when making any repairs, adjust ments, or inspections.

7. Take all possible precautions when leaving the tiller unattended. Shift into “NEUTRAL”, stop the en gine, remove the key on electric start models, and disconnect the spark plug wire to prevent acci dental starting.

8. Before cleaning, repairing, or in

specting, stop the engine, remove the key on electric start models, and make certain all moving parts have stopped. Disconnect the spark plug wire and keep the wire away from the plug to prevent ac cidental starting. For electrical saftey, always remove the cable from the negative (-) side of the battery (on electric start models) before attempting any repairs or maintenance.

9. Always keep the flap on the tine hood down when operating the

tiller, except when using the hiller/ furrower attachment.

10. Never operate the tiller without proper guards, shields, plates, or other safety protective devices in place.

11. Do not run the engine in an en closed area; exhaust fumes con tain carbon monoxide gas, a deadly poison that is odorless, colorless and tasteless. Always make sure there is adequate ventilation when the engine is running.

12. Keep children and pets away.

13. Never operate the tiller under engine power if the Wheel Speed Lever is in the “FREEWHEEL” position. In “FREEWHEEL”, the wheels will not hold the tiller back and the revolving tines could pro pel the tiller rapidly, possibly caus ing loss of control. Always engage the Wheel Speed Lever in either the “FAST” or “SLOW” wheel speed position before starting the engine or engaging the tines with the Wheeis/Tines/PTO Drive Lever.

14. Be aware that the tiller may unexpectedly bounce upward or jump forward and be propelled away from you if the tines should strike or catch extremely hardpacked soil, sod, frozen ground, or buried obstacles such as large stones, roots, or stumps. If you are in doubt about the tiling condi tions, always use the following operating precautions to assist you in maintaining control of the tiller.

(a) Walk behind and to one side of

the tiller, using just one hand on the handlebars. Relax your arm, but use a secure hand grip.

(b) Use shallower depth regulator

SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

settings, gradually working down deeper with each tilling pass.

gine throttle speeds.

(d) Clearthetillingareaof all

large stones, roots, and other debris.

(e) Avoid applying downward

pressure on the handlebars. If necessary, apply slight upward pressure to prevent the tines from digging too deeply.

(f) Always avoid contacting hard-

packed soil or sod at the end of a row by reducing the en gine speed and lifting the han dlebars to raise the tines out of the soii.

(g) In an emergency, stop the tines

and wheels by shifting the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever

into “NEUTRAL”. If you cannot reach the lever or have lost control of the tiller, LET GO of the handlebars and all controls and do not attempt to restrain the tiller.

15. Do not overload the machine

capacity by attempting to till too deeply at too fast a rate.

16. Never operate the tiller at high

transport speeds on slippery sur faces.

17. Do not operate til Ier on a slope that is too steep for safety. When on slopes, slow down and make sure you have good footing. Never

permit the tiller to free-wheel down slopes.

18. Clear the area of bystanders

before tilling.

19. Use only attachments and accessories that are approved by Garden Way Manufacturing Company.

20. Use tiller attachments and accessories when recommended.

21. Never operate the tilier without good visibility or light.

22. Never operate the tilier when fatigued, or whiie under the in fluence of alcohol, drugs, or medication.

23. Do not change the engine governor settings or overspeed the engine.

24. Do not touch engine parts that may be hot from operation. Allow parts to cool before inspecting, cleaning, or repairing.

25. POISON/DANGER-CAUSES SEVERE BURNS. The battery on electric start models contains sulfuric acid. Avoid contact with skin, eyes or clothing. Antidote: EXTERNAL—Flush immediately with lots of water. INTERNAL—Drink large quantities of water or milk. Follow with milk of magnesia, beaten eggs or vegetable oil. Call physician immediately.

EYES—Flush with water for 15 min utes and get prompt medical atten

tion. Keep out of reach of children.

26. DANGER-BATTERIES PRO DUCE EXPLOSIVE GASES. Keep sparks, flame, or smoking materi als away. Ventilate when charging or using in an enclosed space. Always shield eyes when working near batteries.

27. Please Remember: You can al ways stop the tines and wheels by putting the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever in “NEUTRAL”, or by moving

the Throttle Lever to the “STOP”

position. If you have lost control of

the tiller, and cannot reach the

levers, LET GO of the handlebars and all controls and do not attempt to restrain the tiller. The Forward

Interlock Safety System will stop the engine.

28. Look behind and use care when backing. For added safety,

put Wheel Speed Lever in “SLOW” before reversing.

29. When loading or unloading unit, always disengage the tines and use slower wheel and engine

throttle speeds. Use sturdy ramps

that are wide and strong enough

to support both the tiller and oper

ator (tiller weighs between 280 and 325 lbs.). Never go down ramps in “FORWARD” drive as the tiller could tip forward, exposing you to

the tines (which should be disen gaged). Always use “REVERSE” drive and back down ramps. To go

up ramps, use “FORWARD” drive

and follow tiller up ramps.

30. The Forward Interlock Safety System should first be tested for proper functioning every time the

tiller or PTO Power Unit is used. See Section 3 in this Manual for the testing procedure to follow.

31. When snowplowing with the

optional dozer blade, either remove the tines completely, or disengage the tines with the Tines/PTO Clutch Lever. Revolving tines could be dangerous on slippery sidewalks or driveways.

MAINTENANCE AND STORAGE

1. Never perform any maintenance while the engine is running or the spark plug wire is connected, ex cept where specifically instructed to do so.

2. Keep machine, attachments and accessories in safe working

condition.

3. Check all nuts, bolts, and screws at frequent intervals for proper tight

ness and to be sure the equipment is in safe working condition.

4. Never store the machine with fuel in the fuel tank inside a build

ing where fumes may reach an

open flame or spark, or where igni

tion sources are present (such as hot water and space heaters, fur naces, clothes dryers, stoves, elec tric motors, etc.).

5. Allow the engine to cool before storing in any enclosure.

6. To reduce fire hazard, keep the

engine free of grass, leaves or ex cessive grease.

7. Store gasoline in a cool, wellventilated area, safely away from any spark or flame-producing equipment. Store gasoline in an approved container, safely out of the reach of children.

8. Refer to the Maintenance and

Service Section of this Manual if the tiller is to be stored for an extended period.

DECALS

Safety decals and operating in

struction decals are located on the handlebars, the operator control panel, the tine hood, the engine,

and the transmission. Contact us

immediately for replacement decals if any are missing, illegible, or damaged. See your Parts Catalog

for the exact location and part

number of each decal. Do not at

tempt to operate machine if any decals are illegible or missing.

SECTION 2:

Before using your tiller or PTO

Power Unit for the first time, be

come thoroughly familiar with the operation of the controls by mov

ing them to their various positions

Tiller and PTO Power Unit Controls

1. Wheels/Tines/ PTO Drive Lever

This lever engages power from

the engine to the transmission

(see Photos 2-1, 2-2, and 2-3). There are three positions of this lever: "FORWARD”, “NEUTRAL” and “REVERSE”.

When you move the lever down

to the “FORWARD” position, it

raises the engine upward and tight ens the drive belt located between the engine pulley and the transmis sion pulley. The transmission then

while the engine is not running. Taking the time now to fully under stand the location, function, and operation of these controls will greatly add to the productive use,

drives the wheels and tines in a forward direction. (If the tines are removed and replaced with a PTO driven attachment, the lever will apply power to the attachment.) The lever will remain in “FOR WARD” until you tap or lift it

upward and let it go.

When you move the lever all the

way up to the “REVERSE” position,

it lowers the engine and causes

the drive belt to go slack. At the

same time, the rubber reverse disc on the engine pulley comes into contact with the transmission pul ley, causing the transmission to rotate the wheels and tines (or any PTO driven attachment) in a re verse direction. The reverse oper ation will continue as long as you hold the lever up. When you re lease the lever, it will automatically return to “NEUTRAL”. This is a safety feature for your protection.

When the lever is in “NEUTRAL”,

the engine will continue to run, but

power will not be transferred to the transmission.

safe operation, and full enjoyment of your new machine. The proper operation of each control is dis cussed in detail in this Section.

To operate the Wheels/Tines/

PTO Drive Lever:

A. Practice shifting the lever as

described next. As you do, note in

the accompanying photos the vari

ous positions that the clutch roller

takes on the belt adjustment block. Your roller should be similarly po

sitioned when you shift the lever. B. For forward motion of the wheels and tines (or to apply power to any PTO driven attachment), push the iever all the way down and release it. See Photo 2-1. To return to “NEUTRAL”, tap or lift the lever up and let it go (Photo 2-2).

2-1: Push lever down for “FORWARD”.

The clutch roller (lower photo) will be

engaged below the adjustment block.

IMPORTANT

Moving the lever to the “NEUTRAL” position will stop all wheel and tine motion, or power to any PTO driven attachment.

2-2: Tap or lift lever up to return to “NEUTRAL”. The clutch roller (lower photo) will rest anywhere on the face of the adjustment block, depending upon drive belt length and tension.

C. Before shifting into “REVERSE”, always look behind you to make sure there are no obstacles in the way. Then raise the tines out of the soil by lifting up on the handlebars,

and slowly lift the lever all the way up. See Photo 2-3. To return to “NEUTRAL”, simply let go of the lever.

Please remember that you should

never till when in “REVERSE” (al

ways disengage the tines with the separate Tines/PTO Clutch Lever

before reversing). You should also avoid using “REVERSE” with any

PTO driven attachments as they are

not designed for reverse operation.

Until you are completely com

fortable with handling the machine when it is moving backward, it is a good idea to use “REVERSE” only at slower wheel and engine throttle speeds. Many people never shift

into “REVERSE” when the separate Wheel Speed Lever is in the “FAST” wheel speed position. This is a good rule to follow.

2-3: Lift handlebars, then lift and hold

lever up to go in reverse. Let go of lever to stop reverse motion. (Note that the clutch roller doesn’t move very far from “NEUTRAL” to “REVERSE”.)

A CAUTION

TO AVOID PERSONAL INJURY OR

DAMAGE TO EQUIPMENT:

• Always place the Wheeis/Tines/ PTO Drive Lever in “NEUTRAL” be

fore starting the engine, and before

engaging the wheels, tines or other PTO driven attachments.

• Always make sure there are no

obstacles behind you before oper ating in “REVERSE”.

• The Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive

Lever should automatically return to “NEUTRAL” when you release it from the “REVERSE” position. If it fails to do so, push it down into “NEUTRAL”. Then, immediately re fer to Section 6 of this Manual for adjustment instructions.

• There should not be any reverse

motion if the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever is not held in the “RE VERSE” position. If there is, the

machine is badly out of adjustment and it should not be operated until the condition is corrected. See Sec

tion 6 for adjustment instructions.

• Always return to “NEUTRAL” and allow all motion to stop before shifting into “FORWARD” or “RE VERSE”. This pause between shift ing will protect the drive belt, reverse disc, and other transmis sion components from undue wear and damage.

2. Forward Interlock Levers

There are two Forward Interlock Levers, one located directly below each handlebar grip. See Photo 2-4. One or both of the interlock levers must be kept squeezed against the handlebar grip(s) when ever the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever is engaged in “FORWARD”.

If you release both interlock levers before first returning the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever to “NEUTRAL”, the engine will shut off. This is a safety feature for your

protection should you ever lose control of the machine and cannot stop forward motion by moving the

Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever into “NEUTRAL”.

NOTE: The interlock levers do not affect operation when the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever is in “REVERSE”.

To operate the

Forward interlock Levers: A. Squeeze one of the interlock

levers against the handlebar grip

before engaging the Wheeis/Tines/ PTO Drive Lever in “FORWARD”. Continue to squeeze one or both of the interlock levers during all forward operation. B. To stop forward operation in normal use, first shift the Wheels/ Tines/PTO Drive Lever into “NEU TRAL” and then release BOTH in terlock levers. All forward motion will stop, but the engine will con tinue to run. C. To stop forward motion in an emergency, release BOTH interlock levers. This will cause the engine to shut off, stopping all forward motion.

2-4: The Forward Interlock Levers.

A WARNING

To help avoid personal injury, the

Forward Interlock Safety System should first be tested for proper functioning every time the tiller or

PTO Power Unit is used. See Sec tion 3 in this Manual for the easy testing procedure to follow.

CONTROLS mo FUUCTIONS

3. Wheel Speed Lever

This lever allows you to choose between two different wheel ground speeds: “SLOW” or “FAST”. It also has a “FREE WHEEL” position, in which the wheels are free to turn without the engine running. See Photo 2-5.

When the lever is engaged in either “SLOW” or “FAST” and the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever is in either “FORWARD” or “REVERSE”, the wheels will turn under engine power.

When the lever is in the “FREE WHEEL” position and the Wheels/ Tines/PTO Drive Lever is in “NEU TRAL”, the machine can be moved (on level ground) by pushing or pulling on the handlebars. The “FREE WHEEL” position is also used when you are operating a PTO driven stationary attachment, in which case you would not want the wheels to move when the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever is engaged in “FORWARD”.

IMPORTANT

By moving the forward drive belt (see “Changing Belt Speeds” in Section 3) into one of two different belt ranges, you can obtain a total of fod-' different forward wheel ground speeds. There are, however, only two reverse wheel ground speeds (“SLOW” or "FAST”), be cause the rubber reverse disc, not the drive belt, drives the wheels in the reverse direction.

the selected wheel gear. When the clutch goes into gear, you will no

longer be able to roll the wheels.

When you shift the lever into “FREE WHEEL”, the sliding clutch is disengaged from both wheel

gears and the wheels will roll freely.

Note that there should not be any “clicking” noise when you’re in “FREE WHEEL”. If there is, shift the lever a little more (either up or

down) to eliminate the noise—and the rubbing of the clutch and gear that causes it.

To operate the Wheel Speed Lever: A. With the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever in “NEUTRAL”, roll the wheels a few inches in either di rection while you push the Wheel

A WARNING

Never put revolving tines in the soil

when the Wheel Speed Lever is in

“FREE WHEEL”. Doing so can cause the tiller to be propelled rap idly by the tines, possibly causing loss of control and serious per sonal injury. Always engage the Wheel Speed Lever in either

“SLOW” or “FAST” wheel speed before putting the tines in the soil.

FREE WHEEL

Speed Lever down to the “SLOW” position, or up to the “FAST” posi tion. See Photo 2-5. When the lever is in gear, you will no longer be able to roll the wheels. B. With the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever in “NEUTRAL”, move the Wheel Speed Lever in between the “SLOW” and “FAST” wheel speed positions to place the wheels in “FREE WHEEL”.

A CAUTION

TO AVOID PERSONAL INJURY OR

DAMAGE TO EQUIPMENT:

• Use the “SLOW” wheel speed position when first learning to op erate the machine and whenever

you operate in “REVERSE”.

• Do not shift the Wheel Speed Lever when heading up or down a slope. If the lever is accidentally placed in “FREE WHEEL”, the ma chine could roll out of control.

• Place the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever in “NEUTRAL” before shifting into “SLOW” or “FAST”.

This will prevent damage to the

clutch or wheel speed gears.

• Do not attempt to stop the wheels by shifting the Wheel Speed Lever. Always put the Wheels/ Tines/PTO Drive Lever in “NEU TRAL” to stop the wheels.

When you shift the lever into

“SLOW” or “FAST”, it moves a slid ing clutch inside the transmission to the left or right to engage the slow speed wheel gear or the fast speed wheel gear. When engag ing the clutch, you should roll the wheels forward or backward a few inches to help align the clutch with

SLOW /s

2-5: The Wheel Speed Lever.

4. Tines/PTO Clutch Lever

5. Depth Regulator Lever

This lever is located on the

left side of the transmission, just

forward of the tiller tine hood. There are two operating positions:

“ENGAGE” and “DISENGAGE”. See Photo 2-6.

When you move the lever to the

“ENGAGE” position, it moves the

“dog” clutch on the PTO Power ^

Unit drive shaft backward until it engages the “dog” clutch on the tine attachment drive shaft. (If the tines are removed and replaced with a PTO driven attachment, the “dog” clutch on the power unit will engage with the “dog” clutch on the PTO driven attachment). Engine

power will then be applied to the tines or PTO driven attachment when the separate Wheels/Tines/ PTO Drive Lever is engaged in

“FORWARD” or “REVERSE”.

In the “DISENGAGE” position, the

“dog” clutches are disengaged, and power will not be applied to the tines or PTO attachment.

When operating the tiller, the

“DISENGAGE” position allows you to stop the tines while the sep arately controlled wheels continue to rotate. You should use this fea

ture whenever you are transport

ing, loading or unloading, turning around, or backing the tiller up. You should also disengage the lever before towing or transporting any attachment.

When the tines are removed and

a PTO driven attachment that oper ates from a stationary position is installed, the “ENGAGE” position allows you to power the attachment

while the wheels on the PTO Power

Unit are not moving.

Always place the Wheels/Tines/

PTO Drive Lever in “NEUTRAL” be

fore shifting the Tines/PTO Clutch

Lever. Doing so will help prevent

damage to the transmission that could occur if you try to engage or disengage the separate drive shaft clutches while they are turning under power.

To operate the Tines/PTO Clutch Lever: A. Put the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever in “NEUTRAL”. B. Pull the Tines/PTO Clutch Lever out and then slide it into the “EN GAGE” or the “DISENGAGE” slot. C. After selecting the “ENGAGE” position, do not immediately shift the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever into “REVERSE”. Always use “FOR WARD” first, to help align the drive shaft clutches inside the transmis sion. NOTE: The lever should move easily. If it doesn’t, then the “dog” clutch inside the PTO Power Unit transmission may need to be lubri cated. See “Tiller Lubrication” in Section 6 of this Manual.

A CAUTION

TO AVOID PERSONAL INJURY OR

DAMAGE TO EQUIPMENT:

• Always disengage the Tines/ PTO Clutch Lever before reversing, transporting, turning around, or loading or unloading the tiller or PTO Power Unit.

• Do not attempt to stop the tines or any PTO driven attachment by disengaging the Tines/PTO Clutch Lever. Always put the Wheels/ Tines/PTO Drive Lever in "NEU TRAL” to stop all motion.

• Read the Owner/Operator Man ual provided with any attachment before attempting to operate the attachment.

2-6: The Tines/PTO Clutch Lever.

This lever is located at the rear of the tine hood—see Photo 2-7. It is used to regulate the tilling depth of the tines.

To operate the lever, pull it straight back and then slide it up or down

to any of eight different notched settings.

When the lever is moved all the way down until it engages the high est notch in the lever, it places the

tines in the “TRAVEL” position. In this position the tines will clear the ground by approximately 2-inches, allowing you to transport the tiller without the tines—which should be disengaged—scraping your lawn or driveway.

For shallow tilling and cultivat ing, you should place the lever in

the second or third notch from the top. These positions will allow the tines to dig just a few inches into the soil. The remaining notches are used for deeper tilling (up to

8-inches deep, depending on the

soil conditions), and for turning under organic matter.

Further details regarding the proper use of this lever will be

found in Section 4 of this Manual

(see “Tilling Depths”).

A WARNING

To help avoid personal injury, always place the tines in the “TRAVEL” position before starting the engine. This prevents the tines from touching the ground until you are ready to begin tilling.

2-7: The Depth Regulator Lever.

FüMCTiOMS

6. Handlebar Height

Adjustment Lever

This lever is located near the bottom of the handlebars, on the right side of the tiller. See Photo 2-8. It allows you to adjust the han dlebars up or down to any of four different settings.

As a general rule, the handlebars should be adjusted to approxi mately waist level when the tines

are 3 to 4-inches in the soil, but you should try different settings to find the one that is most comforta ble for you.

» s

2-8: Handlebar Height Adjustment Lever.

To operate the Height Adjustment

Lever:

A. Stop the engine before adjust

ing the handlebars. B. Support the handlebars with one hand while unwinding the lever

enough so that the teeth in the

ratchets are disengaged. C. Move the handlebars up or

down to either of two preset height

adjustment settings and then re

tighten the lever securely.

D. Two additional height settings can be obtained by switching the inside handlebar ratchets, as shown in Figure 2-9. This will change the handlebar height a few inches higher or lower than the lowest setting obtained in Step C.

2-9: Switch ratchets to obtain two more height settings.

A WARNING

For use with the PTO Chipper/ Shredder Attachment only, the handlebars can be swung 30° to the right side by loosening the mounting bolt at the bottom of the handlebar base. NEVER OPERATE THE TILLER OR OTHER ATTACH MENTS WITH THE HANDLEBARS SWUNG OUT TO THE RIGHT SIDE.

Doing so could result in unsafe handling and personal injury.

ENGINE CONTROLS

The following are descriptions of

the controls on your 7 HP Briggs &

Stratton Engine or 8 HP Kohler Engine. Additional information on

the safe, efficient operation of your

engine is given in the engine man ufacturer’s Owner’s Manual which was included in your literature package. Please read that literature carefully and save it for future reference.

A WARNING

To avoid personal injury or dam age to equipment, do not attempt to start your engine at this time.

Complete starting instructions for

the engine are given in Section 3,

“Operation of Tiller.”

1. Engine Throttle Lever

This lever is located on the right

side handlebar (see Photo 2-10). It is used to regulate engine speeds

as well as to start and stop the engine.

In general, faster engine speeds will be required when breaking new ground or tilling under heavy crop residues, but remember to use only as fast an engine speed as is needed to do the job. Try to judge when the engine is providing the proper amount of power—not too

little, but not too much. The sound of the engine running will be your best guide.

IMPORTANT

Factory settings of the throttle cable should be satisfactory for most con ditions. If adjustments are needed, refer to Section 6 of this Manual.

To operate the Engine Throttle Lever:

A. When starting the engine, first make certain that the Wheels/ Tines/PTO Drive Lever is in “NEU TRAL”. Then, place the lever ap proximately halfway between the “SLOW” and “FAST” throttle set tings. This position should provide the carburetor with sufficient gas oline flow to start the engine. How ever, you may need to experiment the first few times to find that “just right” starting position. B. For faster engine speeds move the lever forward toward the “FAST” setting; for slower speeds

......

2-10: The Engine Throttle Lever.

move it backward toward the “SLOW” setting. C. To stop the engine, move the lever all the way back to the “STOP” position (during normal operation you would first place the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever in “NEUTRAL” and then release both Forward Interlock Levers before stopping the engine).

2. Engine Choke Control

Your erigine is equipped with a

manually operated choke control as shown in Photo 2-11 or 2-12. The choke makes starting a cold engine easier by decreasing the amount of air in the carburetor’s air-fuel ratio, thus creating a richer fuel mixture. The use of the choke for starting will vary, depending on air temperature and altitude.

To operate the Choke Control:

A. Before starting a cold engine, set the choke in the “FULL CHOKE”

position. On the 7 HP Briggs &

Stratton Engine, move the lever all the way down. On the 8 HP Kohler Engine, move the lever all the way up. B. When the engine starts, slowly move the lever to the “CHOKE OFF” position (all the way up for the 7 HP Briggs & Stratton Engine; all the way down for the 8 HP

Kohler Engine). C. If the engine should falter with the choke at “CHOKE OFF”, return

the lever to a position halfway be tween “FULL CHOKE” and “CHOKE

OFF”. As soon as the engine runs smoothly, return the lever to “CHOKE OFF”. D. When restarting an already

warm engine, you may not have to

use the choke at all. However, if

the engine falters or hesitates, try

using a “HALF CHOKE” position until it runs smoothly, and then return the lever to “CHOKE OFF”.

A CAUTION

Never operate the engine under a load (tines, wheels, or PTO attach ments engaged) without first return ing the choke control to “CHOKE OFF”. Failure to do so can quickly build up carbon deposits that can harm the engine.

3. Engine Recoil Starter

The recoil starter is located at

the front of the engine, as shown

in Photo 2-13 or 2-14. It is used to start engines that are not equipped

with the optional key switch start

ing feature.

To operate the Engine Recoil

Starter:

A. When starting the engine, first

make certain that the Wheels/

Tines/PTO Drive Lever is in

“NEUTRAL”. B. Place your free hand in the lo cation shown in Photo 2-13 or 2-14

to help stabilize the machine. C. Grasp the starter rope handle with your other hand and pull the

CHOKE

OFF

FULL

CHOKL-

2-11 : Choke control on 7 HP Engine. 2-12: Choke control on 8 HP Engine.

* '-A ■

FULL CHOKE

L -'

.if-

2-13: Starting the 7 HP Briggs & Stratton Engine.

2-14: Starting the 8 HP Kohler Engine.

handle out slowly until it is harder

to pull because of engine compres

sion. Then pull the handle with a rapid, continuous, full-arm stroke. Let the starter rope rewind slowly

after each start attempt.

To help avoid personal injury, be

sure that the area behind you is clear before pulling the starter rope.

A WARNING

CONTROLS AND FUNCTIONS

4. Key Switch Starter

The key switch starter for the optional electric start engine is located on the right side of the battery hold-down clamp, as shown in Photo 2-15. There are three op erating positions identified on the switch: “OFF”, “RUN” and “START”.

When the key is turned to the “START” position, the battery sup plies an electrical current to the engine’s starter motor which then cranks the engine over at a fast enough speed for starting.

During engine operation, the bat

tery is recharged automatically via

a small recharging current that the engine sends back to the battery

through the electrical system’s re

charging line.

. If the electrical system should

ever fail to start or stop the engine,

IMPORTANT

If the battery will not be used for

oxlondcd periods of time, it should be fully charged before placing it in storage. Before reinstalling the battery after storage, give it a thor

ough recharge. See “Battery Care

and Maintenance” in Section 6 for charging instructions.

refer to the “Electric Start Trouble shooting” instructions found in Section 6 of this Manual.

To operate the Key Switch Starter: A. When starting the engine, first

make certain that the Wheels/

Tines/PTO Drive Lever is in “NEU TRAL”. Also remember to set the

Engine Throttle Lever in the start

ing position and the Choke Control in the “FULL CHOKE” position (for cold starts). B. Insert the key firmly into the key switch slot and turn it all the way to the right, to the “START” po sition. When the engine starts, release the key and it will auto matically return to the “RUN” posi tion. Do not hold the key in the

"START” position for longer than a

‘tti a::.l Lij: ftt,

2-15: The Key Switch Starter.

few seconds. Prolonged cranking

can damage the starter motor if it

is cranked more than 15 seconds per minute.

C. There are two ways to stop the engine:

(1) Put the Wheels/Tines/PTO

Drive Lever in “NEUTRAL”, re lease both Forward Interlock Levers, and then pull the throt tle lever all the way back to the “STOP” position. Turn the key to “OFF” and remove the key.

(2) Put the Wheels/Tines/PTO

Drive Lever in “NEUTRAL”, re lease both Forward Interlock Levers, and then turn the key to “OFF”. Put the throttle lever in the “STOP” position and re move the key.

NOTE: To stop forward motion in an emergency, release both Forward Interlock Levers. This will cause the engine to shut off.

A WARNING

To avoid injury due to accidental or unauthorized engine starting, always remove the key from the switch when leaving the machine

unattended.

5. Fuel Tank Shut-Off

Valve

Your engine is equipped with a

fuel tank shut-off valve. It is located

underneath the gasoline tank. See

Photo 2-16 or 2-17.

This valve stops the flow of gas

oline from the fuel tank to the car buretor. Before starting, make sure that the valve is in its OPEN posi tion (rotate counterclockwise sev eral turns) or the engine will quit from lack of fuel shortly after you start it. NOTE: Close fuel shut-off valve when engine is transported to pre vent fuel leakage from carburetor.

2-16: Fuel shut-off valve on 7 HP Briggs & Stratton Engine.

, 'pr;, m

2-17: Fuel Shut-off valve on 8 HP Kohler Engine.

SECTION 3:

Before you attempt to operate

your tiller make sure that you’ve

read and fully understand all of the Safety instructions in Section 1 and the Controls information in Section 2. You should also read

this Section carefully before start

ing your engine.

You should practice with your tiller in an open, level area before you use it in your garden. While

practicing, do so without the tines revolving (disengage the tines with

the Tines/PTO Clutch Lever).

When you’ve become completely

familiar with your tiller, you can begin using it in your garden.

A WARNING

To avoid personal injury or damage to equipment, read the Owner/Operator Manuals provided with any optional accessories or attach

ments before operating the tiller or PTC Power Unit. The Manuals pro

vide a detailed description of proper

use and operation, and point out

other important Safety Instructions.

Break-in operation

During the first few hours of new

machine operation, you must per form the following maintenance.

For subsequent required mainte

nance, and the procedures to fol low, please refer to Section 6 in this Manual.

1. CHANGE ENGINE OIL. The en

gine oil must be changed after the first 5 hours of new engine opera tion. Thereafter, change the oil after each 10 operating hours. Change the oil more frequently when oper ating in extremely dusty or dirty conditions.

2. CHECK TRANSMISSION GEAR OIL LEVEL. The gear oil levels must be checked after the first 2 hours of new tiller operation. Thereafter, check the oil levels after every 30 operating hours.

■a

3. CHECK DRIVE BELT TENSION.

The tension on the drive belt may

need to be adjusted after the first 2 or 3 hours of new operation due to initial belt wear and seating of the belt with its pulleys. Thereafter, check the tension after every 10 operating hours.

4. CHECK BOLTS AND NUTS. Check for loose bolts and nuts after the first 2 hours of new tiller operation. Thereafter, check after every 10 operating hours.

Preparation before starting

Make the following checks and

perform the services as required

before starting the engine.

1. CHECK ENGINE OIL LEVEL. Check the oil level in the engine crankcase. Do not run the engine

unless the proper oil level is maintained.

2. SERVICE AIR CLEANER. Make sure that the air cleaner elements are not dirty.

3. CHECK SAFETY GUARDS. Make

sure that all safety guards and cov

ers are securely in place.

4. ATTACH SPARK PLUG WIRE. Be

sure that the spark plug wire is securely attached to the spark plug.

5. CHECK ENGINE COOLING

SYSTEM. The cooling fins and air intake screen must be clean to

ensure adequate cooling.

■

1 I

mW bWÜ

■'.a.', ■

............

.................................

6. ADJUST HANDLEBARS. Set the

handlebars to a comfortable oper

ating height.

7. CHECK BATTERY (Eiectric Start Models). Make sure that the bat

tery is properly filled and that all

electrical connections are clean and tight.

8. FiLL FUEL TANK WITH GASO

LINE. Avoid using gasoline that is

not fresh, as stale fuel can cause

gum deposits to form in the carbu

retor and fuel lines. Fuel should not be stored for more than six months. The use of unleaded gas

oline is recommended as it resuits in fewer combustion deposits and

longer engine life. DO NOT MIX OIL

WITH THE GASOLINE.

(a) Clean the fuel cap and its sur rounding area before removing the

cap.

(b) Use a clean funnel to add fuel

to the fuel tank.

overflowing. Fill to within Ta-inch of

the top of the tank to prevent spiils

and to allow for fuel expansion. (d) For 7 HP Briggs & Stratton Engines: use clean, fresh, lead-free automotive gasoline (leaded gas oline may be used if unleaded is unavailable). Use gasoline that has a minimum octane rating of 77. Do not use gasoline containing Meth anol. The use of gasoline which contains alcohol (such as gasohol) is not recommended. If you are

....

using gasohol, refer to the Briggs & Stratton Operating and Mainte nance Instructions booklet for specific cautions and recommen dations for this type of fuel. (e) For 8 HP Kohler Engines: use

fresh, clean, unleaded regular auto

motive gasoline with a pump sticker

octane rating of 87 or higher.

(Leaded “Regular” grade gasoline

is an acceptable substitute). The fuel tank capacity is Vk gallons.

(f) Replace the fuel cap securely

before starting the engine.

A DANGER

GASOLINE IS HIGHLY FLAMMABLE AND ITS VAPORS ARE EXPLOSIVE. FOLLOW THESE SAFETY PRAC TICES TO PREVENT INJURY FROM FIRE OR EXPLOSION!

• Never fill tank when engine is running or still hot from operation. Allow engine and muffler to cool at least 2 minutes before refueling.

• Do not allow open flames, sparks, matches or smoking in the area.

• Fill fuel tank outdoors in a wellventilated area. Wipe up any spills and move tiller away from gasoline fumes before starting engine.

• Use only an approved gasoline container and store safely out of reach of children.

• Store gasoline and tiller in a well-ventilated area. Do not store where vapors may reach an open flame or spark, or where ignition sources are present (such as hot water and space heaters, furnaces, clothes dryers, stoves, electric motors, etc.)

• Allow engine to cool before stor ing in any enclosures.

• Never bring a gasoline can near

the battery posts on electric start

model tillers. A short circuit caused by touching the positive (+) post and any metal could cause an ex plosion of the gasoline or of bat

tery gases.

Test operation of Forward Interlock Safety System

The Forward Interlock Safety System consists of an electrical grounding system that connects

the two Forward Interlock Levers on the handlebars to the ignition system of the engine. One or both of the Forward Interlock Levers

must be kept squeezed against the handlebar grip(s) whenever the

Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever is engaged in “FORWARD”. If you

release BOTH interlock levers be

fore first moving the Wheels/Tines/

PTO Drive Lever to “NEUTRAL”, the interlock system will ground out the

engine’s ignition system and stop the engine. The interlock system also prevents the engine from start

ing if the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever is engaged in “FORWARD”.

Because the interlock system is

an electrical/mechanical device, it

is subject to wear or possible fail ure. Therefore, the interlock sys

tem should be checked for proper

operation each time the tiller or PTO Power Unit is used.

^ DANGER

The Forward Interlock Safety Sys tem is designed for your safety. Never attempt to disconnect or to otherwise defeat the purpose of this system. If the interlock system fails to operate properly, immedi ately contact the TROY-BILT Tiller Technical Service Department. Do not operate the tiller or PTO Power Unit until the system has been re paired and is functioning properly. Always test the system prior to each use.

How to check the interlock system:

1. Move the machine outdoors and park it on level ground. Make sure

the area around you is clear of any obstacles.

2. Check to make sure that the

Forward Interlock Wire Harness

OPERATION OF TILLER

plug at the bottom of the handle bars is firmly connected to the wire harness receptacle located on the top, right side of the transmission. See Photo 3-2.

3. Place the Wheel Speed Lever in “SLOW” and the Tines/PTO Clutch Lever in “DISENGAGE”.

4. Start the engine as described on Pages 18-19. Set the throttle lever in a “SLOW” running position and ailow the engine to warm up.

5. Squeeze one of the Forward Interlock Levers against the handle bar grip and then push the Wheels/ Tines/PTO Drive Lever all the way down to “FORWARD”. See Photo 3-3. As the tiller starts to move

3-2: Check for good connection be tween plug and receptacle of Forward

Interlock Safety System.

3-3: Squeeze one Forward Interlock Lever and then move Wheels/Tines/

PTO Drive Lever down to “FORWARD”.

Starting and stopping the engine

forward, release the Forward Inter lock Lever briefly. If the system is working properly, the engine should start to shut off when you release the lever. If It does, quickly squeeze the lever against the han

dlebar grip and then return the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever to the “NEUTRAL” position (tap or lift the lever up and release It). Repeat this test using the other Forward

Interlock Lever.

6. If the engine does not start to shut off when the Fonward Inter

lock Levers are released, the sys tem is not functioning correctly, and you should stop the engine.

Cold weather operation

Before operating the machine in cold weather (below 40 °F) you should take the following steps to

protect your engine and transmis

sion from possible damage.

1. Use a lighter weight oil in the engine crankcase. See “Engine Oil

Maintenance” in Section 6.

2. Allow the engine to warm up thoroughly before putting it under a load.

3. Use fresh, winter grade fuel (gasoline suppliers change the fuel blend seasonally).

4. Use the correct weight gear oil

in the PTO Power Unit transmis

sion. See “Transmission Gear Oil

Maintenance” in Section 6.

5. While the engine is warming, place the Wheel Speed Lever in “FREE WHEEL”, block the wheels to prevent them from moving, and

remove the key (on electric start models) and disconnect the spark plug wire from the spark plug. Do

not operate the tiller or PTO Power Unit again until the system is again functioning properly. See Section 6

in this Manual for some simple

troubleshooting checks you can do to correct a faulty Interlock system.

IMPORTANT

To avoid possible damage to the Forward Interlock Safety System, do not use high-pressure sprays around the wire harness recepta cle or neutral plunger assembly.

put the Tines/PTO Clutch Lever in “DISENGAGE”. Then squeeze one

of the Forward Interlock Levers

against the handlebar grip and shift

the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever

into “FORWARD”. This will rotate

the drive shaft inside the transmis

sion and help to warm the trans mission gear oil.

6. Do not try to move the machine if the wheels are frozen to the ground. First melt the ice with

warm water.

A DANGER

To avoid personal injury, do not run

engine in an enclosed or poorly

vented area. Engine exhaust con tains carbon monoxide, an odor

less and deadly gas.

To start the engine:

IMPORTANT

Use the following steps to practice starting and stopping the engine ONLY. Do not attempt to drive the tiller or PTO Power Unit until you

have read ALL of the operating

instructions in this Section and in

Section 5.

1. Place the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever in “NEUTRAL” (Photo

3-4). To find “NEUTRAL” (while the

engine is not running), push the

lever down until it engages in

“FORWARD”. Then tap or lift the

lever up and release it.

2. Lower the Depth Regulator Lever until the tines are off the

ground (Photo 3-4).

3. Put the Wheel Speed Lever in

either “SLOW” or “FAST” (Photo 3-4). Be sure to roll the wheels

while shifting the lever until the

wheels are engaged.

NOTE: If using a PTO driven sta

tionary attachment, put lever in “FREEWHEEL” and place blocks around all wheels to prevent equipment from moving.

4. Move the engine throttle lever

forward, away from the “STOP” position (Photo 3-4).

5. Put the Tines/PTO Clutch Lever in the “DISENGAGE” position—

Photo 3-4. (Use the “ENGAGE” po

sition if you want the tines to turn or if you want to apply power to a

PTO driven stationary attachment).

6. Move the choke control to the “FULL CHOKE” position (Photo 3-5 or 3-6). NOTE: A warm engine may

start without choking.

ENGINE THROTTLE

FORWARD INTERLOCK

LEVERS

OPERATION OF TILLER

2. Move the engine throttle lever to the “STOP” position (and turn the key to “OFF” on electric start

models). Remove the key for

safekeeping.

TINES/PTO

CLUTCH

3-4: Tiller and engine controls.

NOTE; Be sure that fuel tank shut off valve (see Page 15) is in “OPEN”

position.

7. For recoil start engines;

(a) Stabilize machine by placing

your free hand on the fuel tank of the Briggs & Stratton Engine or on the air cleaner cover of the Kohler Engine.

(b) Use your other hand to slowly

pull the starter rope until you feel resistance. Then rapidly pull the rope. (Look behind you before pulling rope out.) Let the rope rewind slowly after each start attempt.

8. For electric start engines; (a) Turn the key to the “START”

position. Do not hold the key at “START” for longer than a few seconds as prolonged crank ing can damage the starter

chok'éI

OFF

FULL ^

■ 'CHOKEpP^

3-5: Choke control on 7 HP Engine.

WHEELS/TINES/PTO

DRIVE LEVER

WHEEL SPEED LEVER

DEPTH REGULATOR

LEVER

motor if cranked more than 15

seconds per minute.

(b) When the engine starts, release

the key and it will return to the

“RUN” position.

9. If the engine fails to start in four or five tries, let the engine set for 10 minutes and repeat the start ing procedure.

10. When the engine starts, slowly move the choke control (if used) to

the “HALF CHOKE” and then to the “CHOKE OFF” positions.

11. Move the throttle lever to the “SLOW” position and let the engine warm up.

STOPPING THE ENGINE:

1. To stop the wheels and tines at

any time, move the Wheels/Tines/

PTO Drive Lever into the “NEU

TRAL” position and then release

both Forward Interlock Levers.

3-6: Choke control on 8 HP Engine.

IMPORTANT

If turning the key to “OFF” or mov ing the throttle lever to “STOP"

does not shut the engine off, you

can move the choke control to the “FULL CHOKE” position. This will

flood the engine and cause it to

stall. Use this procedure only in emergencies, as continued use can be harmful to your engine.

Starting the Electric Start Engine with the recoil starter rope

If necessary, the electric start

engine can be started with the re coil rope. However, before doing so be sure to follow the procedure below that applies to your particu lar situation.

1. If the battery is in good condi tion (not “dead” or damaged), you can leave it on the tiller which allows it to be recharged during engine operation. But, before start

ing the engine with the recoil rope,

make sure that the battery is filled to the correct level with electrolyte and that all of the cables and wires are properly connected.

2. If the battery is “dead” or dam aged, then it should be removed from the tiller and tested by a qual

ified battery mechanic. While the

battery is removed, keep the loose terminal on the positive (+) battery cable (if cable is still attached to solenoid) covered with a wrapping of electrical tape and secure the

cable to the frame of the battery

bracket. This will prevent any pos

sibility of sparking from the cable terminal.

3. Before starting the engine with the recoil starter rope, place the

key switch in the “RUN” position, the engine throttle lever in the

“START” position, and the choke

control in the “FULL CHOKE” posi tion (for cold starts).

To operate the tiller

Now that you are familiar with the operation of your engine, foilow these steps for operating your tiller. When first practicing with your tiller, please leave the Tines/ PTO Clutch Lever in the “DISEN GAGE” position and put the Wheel Speed Lever in the “SLOW” wheel speed position.

A WARNING

To avoid personal injury, keep

hands, feet, legs and clothing away

from the revolving tines.

To begin tilling:

1. Start the engine by following the previous engine starting in structions. Be certain that the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever is in “NEUTRAL” before starting the engine.

2. Test operation of Forward Inter lock Safety System. See page 17.

3. Set the Depth Regulator Lever to the desired digging depth and increase the engine throttle speed (when practicing with the tiller leave the tines in the “TRAVEL” position).

4. Move the Tines/PTO Clutch Lever to the “ENGAGE” position (when practicing with the tiller leave the tines in the “DISEN-

GAGE” position).

5. For FORWARD MOTION of the wheels and tines, squeeze and hold

one of the Forward Interlock Levers (see Photo 3-7) against the handle bar grip and then move the Wheels/

Tines/PTO Drive Lever down into

“FORWARD”.

6. As the tiller moves forward, re lax and let the wheels pull the tiller along while the tines do the dig ging. Walk behind and to one side of the tiller (walk on the side that is not yet tilled to avoid making foot prints in the freshly tilled soil), and lightly, but securely, grip the handlebars with one hand. See Photo 3-8.

Allow the machine to work at its own pace. Pushing it forward in an attempt to make it go faster will only make the tiller harder to con trol. Also, please do not push down on the handlebars in an attempt to force the tiller to dig deeper. Doing so takes the weight off the wheels,

reduces traction, and causes the

tines to attempt to propel the tiller

instead of just digging. This can

if / :/

' " V / ■ ■ '' ■ ’'■ '***■

1- 1

cause the tiller to hop and skip rapidly across the garden.

7. TO STOP FORWARD MOTION:

Tap or lift the Wheels/Tines/PTO

Drive Lever up to “NEUTRAL” and

then release BOTH Forward Inter

lock Levers.

8. TO STOP FORWARD MOTION IN AN EMERGENCY: Let go of ALL handlebar control levers (this will shut off the engine).

9. For REVERSE MOTION: (a) Do not till while in “REVERSE”. (b) Put the Wheels/Tines/PTO

Drive Lever in “NEUTRAL” and reduce the engine throttle

speed. Make sure the area be

hind you is clear. Put the Wheel Speed Lever in

(c)

the “SLOW” position.

Put the Tines/PTO Clutch Lever

(d)

in “DISENGAGE”. Lift the handlebars until the

(e)

tines clear the ground and then

lift and hold the Wheels/Tines/ PTO Drive Lever all the way up (you do not need to squeeze a Forward Interlock Lever while in “REVERSE”).

. £

■

3-7: Squeeze one Forward Interlock Lever before engaging Wheels/Tines/ PTO Drive Lever in “FORWARD”.

3-8: Guide tiller with one hand.

A CAUTION

TO HELP AVOID PERSONAL INJURY

OR DAMAGE TO EQUIPMENT:

• Always make sure there are no obstacles behind you before oper ating in “REVERSE”.

• Disengage the tines, reduce the engine throttle speed and move

the Wheel Speed Lever into the

“SLOW” position before operating in “REVERSE”. Avoid using “FAST” wheel speed until you are sure

you can control the machine at

this faster speed.

10. TO STOP REVERSE MOTION: Release the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever and it will automatically return to the “NEUTRAL” position. (The Forward Interlock Levers will not stop “REVERSE” motion.)

TO STOP THE ENGINE:

Move the engine throttle lever

to the “STOP” position (and turn

the key to “OFF” on electric start models). Remove the key for safe

keeping.

Turning around

It’s easy to turn your tiller

around. All you have to do is find the balance point between the en gine and the tines and then let the power driven wheels do the work as you push sideways on the handlebars in the direction of your turn.

Practice the following maneuver

in a large open area before taking your tiller into the garden.

A WARNING

To help avoid personal injury, al ways put the Tines/PTO Clutch

Lever in the “DISENGAGE” posi

tion before turning the tiller around.

1. At the end of a row, put the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever in “NEUTRAL” and reduce the engine throttle speed.

2. Put the Tines/PTO Clutch Lever in “DISENGAGE”.

3. Resume forward operation and lift the handlebars until the tines are out of the ground. Then, using the wheels as a pivot point to bal ance the engine and tines, PUSH the handlebars to swing the tiller around. Af all times, be careful to

keep your feet and legs away from the tines (which should be disen gaged). Let the powered wheels do

the work ... the inside wheel will pivot in place while the outside wheel drives the machine around. See Photos 3-9 and 3-10.

NOTE: Use “REVERSE” if neces sary, to turn in a limited space.

4. When the turn is completed, shift into “NEUTRAL” and lower

the handlebars. When you are

ready to begin a new row, put the

Tines/PTO Clutch Lever in the

“ENGAGE” position and resume “FORWARD” operation.

W-.'Îlî’

. ■ ‘V .

.•i U’.

3-9: Lift the handlebars and find balance point Then PUSH 3-10: Starting a new row. handlebars to swing tiller around.

.ft

'9i‘

Transporting your tiller

The power driven wheels allow you to easily move your tiller to and from your garden when the engine is running. Or, you can move the tiller (on level ground) without the engine running by us ing the “FREE WHEEL” position on

the Wheel Speed Lever.

A WARNING

To help avoid personal injury, al

ways put the Tines/PTO Clutch Lever in the “DISENGAGE” posi

tion before transporting, loading or

unloading the tiller.

To transport tiller:

1. Place the Tines/PTO Clutch Lever in the “DISENGAGE” position.

2. Move the Depth Regulator Lever

all the way down to the “TRAVEL” setting.

3. If using engine power, select the

“SLOW” or “FAST” wheel speed position on the Wheel Speed Lever

and use the Wheels/Tines/PTO

Drive Lever to drive the wheels.

4. If the engine is stopped, put

the Wheel Speed Lever in “FREE

WHEEL” and manually move the machine.

To load or unload tiller:

1. Use loading ramps that are wide

and strong enough to support both the machine and the operator (ma

chine weighs between 280 and 325 pounds).

2. Place the Tines/PTO Clutch Lever in the “DISENGAGE” position.

3. Put the Wheel Speed Lever in the

“SLOW” wheel speed position and reduce the engine throttle speed.

4. TO GO UP RAMPS, use “FOR

WARD” drive and follow the tiller up the ramps (Figure 3-11).

5. TO GO DOWN RAMPS, use “RE

VERSE” drive and back down the ramps. Never go down the ramps in “FORWARD” drive as the tiller could tip forward, exposing you to the tines (which should be disen gaged). See Figure 3-12.

Changing belt speeds

Your Tiller has both “LOW” and

“HIGH” speed belt ranges. By

moving the belt from one range to the other you can obtain a total of four different forward wheel speeds

and two different tine speeds. These extra wheel and tine speeds permit you to tailor your tiller’s action to your specific needs in the garden, with less strain on the engine.

Changing from one belt range to

the other is simply a matter of mov

ing the belt from one set of grooves

on the engine and transmission

pulleys to the other set of grooves. See Photo 3-13. This change can

be made very quickly in the field and without any tools.

3-13: Belt range positions.

By combining the use of the “LOW” and “HIGH” speed belt ranges with the “SLOW” and “FAST” speed positions on the

Wheel Speed Lever, you can ob tain four different forward wheel

speeds (Figure 3-14). The two dif

ferent tine speeds (Figure 3-14) are determined by the belt range

position alone.

At 3000 RPM (Revolutions Per Minute)

engine speed, the w/heel and tine speeds are:

WHEEL

SPEED

BELT

POSITION

Low Range Low Range High Range High Range Fast

3-14: Wheel and tine speeds.

LEVER WHEEL TINE

POSITION SPEED

Slow Fast 1.2 Slow

.5 MPH 146 RPM .7 MPH

1.72 MPH 200 RPM

SPEED

MPH 146 RPM

200 RPM

When the tiller is operating in “REVERSE”, the wheels and tines are powered by the rubber reverse disc and not the belt. Therefore,

you have only two reverse speeds

as determined by the “SLOW” and “FAST” positions of the Wheel Speed Lever.

To change from “LOW” range to “HIGH” range:

Proper belt tension is critical to good performance. Check the ten sion after the first 2 hours of new operation and every 10 hours thereafter. See "Drive Belt Mainte nance" in Section 6.

OPERATION OF TILLER

IMPORTANT

A WARNING

To help avoid personal injury, stop the engine, remove the electric start

key, disconnect the spark plug

wire, and let the engine and muffler cool before changing belt speeds.

Now go to the other side of the

tiller and finish seating the belt In the groove.

3. On the left side of the tiller, work the belt part way into the forward groove of the engine (upper) pul

ley. See Photo 3-16. Then go to the other side and finish seating the

(lower) pulley. See Photo 3-15.

1. Place the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever in “NEUTRAL”.

2. While kneeling on the left side of the tiller, create slack in the belt

by reaching over to the right side of the pulleys and pushing in on the center of the belt with your finger. Then use your left hand to work the belt part way into the forward groove of the transmission

To change from “HIGH” range to “LOW” range:

belt. NOTE: If additional clearance is needed to fit the belt over the engine pulley, simply raise the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever into the “REVERSE” position. This will lower the engine pulley.

4. Check both sides of the pulleys

to make sure that the belt is fully seated in the “HIGH” range grooves of each pulley.

3-15: Move belt on transmission puiiey into forward groove.

3-16: Move beit on engine puliey into forward groove.

3-17: With drive lever held in “RE VERSE”, move belt on engine pulley

into rear groove.

1. Place the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever in “NEUTRAL”.

2. Stand on the left side of the tiller and use your right hand to hold the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever up in the “REVERSE” posi tion. Then use your left hand to move the belt part way into the rear groove of the engine (upper) pulley. See Photo 3-17. Now go to the other side of the tiller and fin ish seating the belt in the groove.

3. While still holding the drive lever in “REVERSE”, move the belt into the rear groove of the transmission (lower) pulley. Do this on both sides of the tiller. See Photo 3-18.

4. Check both sides of the pulleys

to make sure that the belt is fully

seated in the “LOW” range groove of each pulley.

3-18: Move beit on transmission puiiey into rear groove.

Choosing wheel and tine speeds

Your tiller offers a wheel and tine speed combination for every tilling task and situation in the garden. With a little experimenting, you can soon find the proper tilling depth, engine throttle setting, and wheel and tine speeds that are just right for the piece of soil you are work ing on. What this means is;

1. You advance the throttle lever to keep the engine running at a suffi cient power level to do the job.

2. You have the depth regulator set in a notch which is not so deep

WHEEL SPEED AND BELT RANGE SELECTION GUIDE

IMPORTANT: For correct wheel speed and belt range choices when using attachments or

accessories other than the tines, read the Owner/Operator Manual provided with the attachment or accessory.

that it causes the engine to labor

or causes the tiller to jump.

3. You have the tines turning over fast enough to really break up the soil with a minimum number of

passes. When your tiller is working

properly, you can hear that the engine is not laboring very hard and see that the tines are breaking up the soil into small, thoroughly tilled bits. At the proper match of wheel and tine speeds, you will get the job done quickly, and achieve results which are better and more satisfying.

To help guide you in your selec

tions of wheel and tine speeds,

please refer to the following chart.

A WARNING

The “HIGH” belt range and “FAST” wheel speed combination will

propel the tiller at a fast pace.

To help avoid personal injury when first using this belt range/wheel speed combination, reduce the en gine throttle speed setting to a slower setting.

SLOW GEAR, SLOW GEAR, lAST GEAR,

LOW RANGE HIGH RANGE LOW RANGE HIGH RANGE

Till in sod Till hard clay Till in cornstalks Till in cover crops

Till in sod Prepare last time over Prepare seedbeds for Till hard clay seedbed for planting planting cover crops Till in cornstalks (in vegetables and cover

most cases, much crop Cover seeds with less

FAST GEAR,

Mixing in lime

Prepare very deep faster) Cover seed in wide row holding up on handle-

seedbed Till in cover crops or plot planting. (In bars (faster than low Till in stony soil (faster, better job in some soil, handlebars range) Till in residues and

most soils)

organic matter Prepare seedbeds (in

must be held up to Cultivate (excellent. keep from going too

saves engine because

Mix in fertilizers most soils better and deep) you don’t have to run

and manures faster) Hill and furrow very well it wide open, nor hold

Till in stony soils Raise beds easily up handlebars—with Make raised beds Cultivate (In some soil.

rare exception— Mix in fertilizer you may have to hold because it travels Pull hiller in hard clay

soil

up on handlebars to faster and stays on

avoid going too deep) top) Mix fertilizer and manure Handy in keeping large Keep large areas tilled Till in residues and

organic matter

areas tilled and pre- and ready through

pared for a season to

improve soil

Till in some organic

matter in good soil

Mix in lime Cultivating between

raised beds with

hiller/furrower

summer (saves a lot of time)

Till in some organic

matter.

Moving tiller from one

place to another

Cultivating between

raised beds with hiller/furrower.

SECTION 4: Tliiln i the

In this Section you will find tips

and suggestions to help you get

the greatest possible satisfaction from your new tiiler.

Tilling depths

When you start to till in the gar

den, remember to take it easy. Do

not try to take too deep a cut on the first pass through sod or hard ground that has not been tilled for several months or years. It is almost

impossible to dig down four or five

inches on the first pass through

untilled soil. So, you should start tilling at a very shallow depth regu

lator setting, perhaps only an inch or two deep the first time.

In each succeeding pass, you can go down a few more inches, gradually working down to the depth you want (watering your gar

den a few days prior to tilling will make the going much easier). At any time, if you have difficulty get

ting down really deep, let the newly worked soil set for a day or two. When you return to it, the tilling will

be easier.

it is best not to work the soil

when it is too wet. Doing so will produce large soil clumps that will later dry out and become hard.

Test the soil by squeezing it in your

hand. If it compresses easily into a ball, it is too wet to till. If time will permit, always wait for the ground

to dry before tilling.

A WARNING

To help avoid personal injury, be aware that the tiller may unex pectedly bounce upward or jump forward and be propelled away from you if the tines should strike extremely hardpacked soil, sod, frozen ground, or buried obstacles such as large stones, roots or stumps. If you are in doubt about the tilling conditions, always use the following operating precautions to assist you in maintaining control of the tiller:

• Walk behind and to one side of the tiller, using just one hand on the handlebars. Relax your arm, but use a secure hand grip.

• Use shallower depth regulator settings, working down gradually deeper with each tilling pass.

• Use slower wheel, tine and en gine speeds.

• Clear the tilling area of all large stones, roots and other debris.

• Avoid applying downward pres sure on the handlebars. If neces sary, apply slight upward pressure to prevent the tines from digging too deeply.

• Always avoid contacting hardpacked soil or sod at the end of a row by reducing the engine speed and lifting the handlebars to raise the tines out of the soil.

• IN AN EMERGENCY, stop the tines and wheels by placing the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever in “NEUTRAL”. If you cannot reach the lever or have lost control of the tiller, LET GO of the handlebars and all controls and do not attempt to restrain the machine. The For ward Interlock Safety System will stop the engine.

aerated soil, it will also help to prevent many weed seeds from germinating.

When preparing the soil, go over

the same path twice in the first

row, then overlap one-half the till

er’s width on each succeeding

pass. See Figure 4-2. After going up and down the rows in one direc

tion, make a second pass at a right angle across your earlier rows

(Figure 4-3). Again, overlap each pass to really pulverize the soil. (In very hard ground, it might take three or four passes before you

make much headway.)

If your garden is not wide enough

to till lengthwise and then cross wise, then you should first overlap each pass by one-half a tiller width, followed by successive passes of one-quarter width. This overlap

ping method will assure you of thoroughly breaking up the soil.

If you have plans to expand your

garden for next season, then the

best time to bust up sod is in the

4-2: Use overlapping technique on

first pass.

4-1: Use shallow depth regulator set

tings when first starting out.

Seedbed preparation

In a well-prepared seedbed, the soil should be as loose and finely textured as possible. Ideally, the soil should be tilled a few weeks prior to the planting date. Then, after a few days, it should be tilled again. Finally, till the area one more time on the day you are going to plant. This procedure will not only produce a finely textured, well-

4-3: Make a second pass at a right angle to first pass.

fall. Doing so will allow the sod or tough surface growth to be com pletely broken down by the time spring rolls around. (Sod busting can be done even in late fall—as long as the ground isn’t frozen.) If there is some growing season left, then you should plant a cover crop (see “Power Composting” in this Section), which will help protect

the soil over the winter.

Avoid making footprints

When making final tilling or cul

tivating passes through the garden, always try to walk on the side that is not yet finished. This will avoid leaving footprints in the freshly tilled soil. See Photo 4-4.

Eliminating footprints contributes

much more than just good appear ance to your garden. It aids in preventing soil erosion and avoids “planting” unwanted weed seeds right back in your newly tilled ground. It also leaves your soil nice and loose, so that vegetable and flower roots can penetrate it easily.

4-4: Try to avoid leaving footprints.

Cultivating

If you plan carefully before plant

ing, you can leave enough room

between the plant rows for later cultivating with the tiller... all but eliminating most hand-weeding and hoeing chores.

The tiller hood measures 22V2"

across, so leave that much dis tance between the rows, plus enough extra for plant growing

(QQOQ

~ODOQ)

COG^OO

4-5: Leave room between rows for cultivating.

room (especially for bushy crops such as beans, tomatoes and peas). See Figure 4-5.

Cultivating can begin as soon as your seedlings appear above the ground; then cultivate as often as once a week. The day following a rain shower is an excellent time to cultivate, as long as the plants are dry. You should avoid working in the garden when the plants are wet since diseases, blights and rusts can easily be spread among the wet plants with your hands, clothes, or even the tiller.

Shallow cultivation is very impor tant! Do not till deeper than one or two inches, to avoid injuring the roots of nearby plants. If you no tice that the tines are digging too deeply even though the Depth Reg ulator Lever is in one of the top notches, then you may have to lift up on the handlebars slightly (run ning your tiller in the “HIGH” belt range will help to prevent the tines from going too deep).

Power composting

It is essential that a garden be

fed something if it is to be bounti ful year after year in the same loca tion. You must replenish the plant

nutrients—primarily nitrogen, phos phorous and potassium—that you remove from the soil in the form of harvested vegetables and fruits.

A simple and very effective way to do this is to use your tiller to chop, blend, and turn under all

kinds of organic matter including

crop residues, leaves, grass clip pings and “green manure” cover

SOIL ENRICHMENT IDEA

MULCH—If you use an organic mulch during Iho growing .sfM.son. it can lie tilled under with your crop residues at the end of the

growing season PopulfK mulches

include hay. old straw, grass t'linpings, and other dense organic n’atcrials. ri:l this m.stter under to

a depth of 4 to 6 inches.

crops (clover, annual rye, grains, alfalfa, buckwheat, etc.). This or ganic matter will decompose dur ing the non-growing season and add important nutrients to the soil. See Photo 4-6.

When power composting, set the

depth regulator at the deepest set ting possible, without making the engine labor too hard or causing the tiller to jump. Crop residues should be tilled into the soil as soon as possible after harvesting,

since tender, moist green matter is tilled more easily. We recommend that you use the “HIGH” belt range

and “SLOW” wheel speed gear when power composting. If you find the tines aren’t working effec tively in the “HIGH” belt range

setting, then try tilling in the

“LOW” range.

After all power composting has

been completed, you should plant a cover crop to protect your soil during the non-growing season. Then in the spring, the cover crop

can be tilled under a few weeks

prior to planting, providing more organic matter to help feed the soil.

4-6: After harvest, till under crop resi dues to add nutrients to the soil.

TILLIIG iff. W

SPECIAL TROY-BiLT GAROENIRG TECHNIQUE

How to till under standing

cornstalks

As soon as your corn has been

harvested, the stalks should be

turned into the soil while they are

still green. Don’t wait until the stalks are dried out, they are tougher to handle and the roots pull out more easily. YOU DON’T WANT TO PULL THE ROOTS OUT BY HAND, OR CUT THE STALKS, BEFORE TILLING. It is the action of the stalk (held in place

by its root structure), being chopped against the soil that makes it so easy for your tiller to cut it down

and chop it up, partially burying

much of the cornstalk material in the first pass.

Knocking down cornstalks and

tilling them under is not difficult once you understand three basic princi

ples. First, the stalks should go in between the left wheel and the trans mission case, as shown in Photo 2. (The right wheel will not work be cause the stalks might interfere with

the carburetor, air cleaner, or throt tle linkage.)

Second, each pass should over

lap one-half a tiller width over the ground tilled on the previous pass. And third, till just as deeply as you did when preparing the ground for planting. This usually means that the depth regulator is pulled all the way UP to the deepest setting pos sible, depending upon the condition of the soil. Generally, the “LOW”

or “HIGH” belt range and “SLOW” wheel speed gear will be best for tilling under cornstalks. However,

some folks will even be able to use the “LOW” belt range and “FAST” wheel speed gear, depending upon the size of the stalks and the condi tion of the soil.

Allow the tilled-in cornstalks to

lay in the ground undisturbed for a week to give the active soil life a

chance to start decomposition and

digestion of the stalks. Then, till in the residue as deeply as possible. This will probably take only one

overlapping pasis through the gar

den. Four or five days after this final tilling, you can sow a cover crop,

such as annual rye grass.

(1) Make first pass alongside first row with RIGHT wheel up close to, but not touching any cornstalk. The purpose of this pass is to loosen up soil in prepa

ration for next pass.

(4) The fourth pass will be back down

between rows, overlapping one-half the

No. 3 pass.

(2) Make second pass with stalks in

between LEFT wheel and transmission

case (overlap first pass by one-half tiller width). This pass will knock down stalks and cut some into one or two-foot lenoihs. partially burying them

(6) Make fifth pass alongside next row of cornstalks, with right wheel up close to, but not touching stalks.

(3) On third pass, go back over stalks that are lying down, but this time from opposite direction. This will bury much of the residue 3 or 4 inches under the

soil.

'Av'» , ..

(S) ~he sixth pass will start to knock down the next row of stalks. Repeat previous steps until all rows are down and buried.

Clearing the tines of debris

Your Bolo Tines feature a self

cleaning action which eliminates most tangling in the tines. But oc casionally, dried out grass, stringy stalks, or tough vines may become tangled. It isn’t necessary to re move all the residue, but don’t let it build up to a point where it chokes off the action of the tines.

You can avoid most tangling

problems by setting the depth reg ulator deep enough to get maxi

Tilling up and down slopes

If you must garden on a moderate

slope, then the best way to do so is

by planting rows up and down the

slope. Tilling vertically on a slope

permits you to use the entire area for your seedbed, as well as to provide enough room between rows so that you can cultivate between them (you lose these valuable benefits when you terrace garden, which is dis cussed further on). See Photo 4-7.

Growing a garden vertically on a slope does not involve much of a soil erosion problem, as long as you put in enough organic matter to im prove the moisture holding ability of your soil and you do not leave foot prints or wheelmarks. Soil in this condition is loose enough to pre vent packing, and is held together well enough by those organic mate rials so that it readily absorbs water.

When tilling vertically on a slope, try to make the first pass in an uphill direction. The tines dig in much more deeply going uphill than when going downhill. In soft soil or weeds, you may have to lift the handlebars up slightly as you go uphill. When going back down the slope, overlap your first pass by about half the width of the tiller. For best results, use the “HIGH” belt range and “SLOW” wheel speed setting while tilling up and down slopes.

mum chopping action as the tines chop the material against the ground, and by tilling under crop

residues or cover crops while they are still green, moist and tender. Also, you might try swaying the handlebars laterally from side to side about 6 to 12 inches while continuing to power compost. This “fishtailing” action will often clear the debris out of the tines.

If the tines become tangled.

A CAUTION

TO AVOID PERSONAL INJURY

• Do not operate the tiller on a

slope that is too steep for safe oper

ation. Go slowly and make sure you

have good footing.

• Wear footwear that will increase

stability and reduce slippage.

• Do not use the “FAST” wheel

speed position while on sloping

ground.

• Do not shift the Wheel Speed

4-7: Tilling on a moderate slope.

STOP the engine and remove the tangled material by hand. A small pocket knife or linoleum knife will help you to cut away the material.

A WARNING

To help avoid personal injury, stop the engine, remove the electric start key and disconnect the spark

plug wire before attempting to

clean the tines by hand.

OR DAMAGE TO EQUIPMENT:

Lever when heading up or down a slope. If the lever is accidentally placed in “FREE WHEEL”, the ma chine could roll out of control.

• To prevent engine damage due to oil starvation, make sure that the proper oil level is maintained during all uphill tilling operations. Checkthe oil level after every one-half hour of operation.

Terrace gardening

If a slope is too steep or too short

for vertical tilling, it may be neces sary to till across the slope in a lateral direction. The best way to achieve good results tilling across a slope is to create terraces for your garden (first, make sure that the slope is not too steep for safe tilling).

Terraces should be about two or

three feet wide. This means you will

be able to plant one or two rows of plants and later till under the crop residues, but there may not be room enough for cultivating with your tiller. (If you make the terraces too wide, you would be digging as much as a foot into the uphill side of the ter race and you would end up trying to grow plants in poor subsoil).

Using the “LOW” belt range and

“SLOW” wheel speed gear, start to

terrace on the top of the slope and work down, always keeping the up

hill wheel in the soft, newly tilled soil. Each succeeding terrace is started by walking below the terrace you are preparing. In four or five passes, your tiller can carve out a flat and wide enough terrace for plant ing. See Figure 4-8 and Photo 4-9.

Make sure that you don’t till the

WBBSSxBBIwSMm:

last 12-inches or more of the down hill outside edge of each terrace. Keeping this strip untilled will help to prevent the terraces from break ing apart and washing downhill. It also gives you a walking path be tween the terraces.

TiLyuG m inm gardei

^ >• .'.AK ''

4-9: Terraces 2 or 3-feet wide are ideal.

UPHILL

LEAVE 12 Inches untilleo

¡;^ {REPE/ff PROCEDURE

DOWNHILL

4-8; How to make terraces in 4 or 5 passes.

Tilling across slopes without terraces

Tilling across a slope without

forming terraces is not recom

mended, but it can be done. How ever, please think it over carefully and see if it isn’t possible to till vertically up and down the slope.

or to create terraces.

First, make sure that the slope is

not too steep to till safely at all. Then, begin at the top of the slope and overlap half of each tilled path, always keeping the uphill wheel in

SOIL ENRICHMENT IDEA

TRENCH COMPOSTING-Trench

composting is easy with the op

tional Hiller/Furrower attachment

(see Section 9). Just dig a trench, put in all manner of organic matter

and biodegradable household gar

bage and cover it up with soil. The earthworms and microbial life in the soil will consume it faster than you might imagine.

the soft, newly tilled soil. Doing so will help you keep the tiller more

stable. For best results, use the “LOW” belt range and “SLOW” wheel speed gear.

SPECIAL TROY-BILT GARDENING TECHNIQUE

How to make raised beds for planting

It’s easy to make raised beds with the optional Hiller/ Furrower Attachment. Most crops can’t grow in wet soil or heavy clay condi

tions because they can’t get the

air or nutrients they need for growth. Raised beds can solve this problem.

In addition, raised beds provide a good irrigation system, discour age soil compaction (from walking near the plants), give your soil ear lier and greater exposure to the sun, increase the amount of top soil around the crops, and provide looser soil conditions for root crops to grow in.

You can even try wide row plant

ing on raised beds. Rows can be anywhere from 30 inches to 3 feet

apart, and 8 to 10 inches high.

Easy Steps to Raised Beds:

(1) Till under sod or crop residues

and work soil into a deep, smooth, loose seedbed.

(2) Place row-marker stakes at proper intervals; attach hiller/furrower and make your rows.

W-

■

(3) Hold the handlebars with both hands and use faster tiller and engine speeds.

SOIL ENRICHMENT IDEA

LEAVES—Leaves are an excellent

(and free) natural fertilizer that will do wonders for your soil’s fertility and texture. In the fall, spread 6 to

8 inches of leaves on the ground and till them under. If enough grow

ing season is left, you can till once again after a few days, and then sow a cover crop.

(4) After planting seeds in ridges, rake loose soil over top and firm soil according to seed directions.

’*1 I

(5) Use furrower to make irrigation

trench at ends of rows.

SOIL ENRICHMENT IDEA

SHEET COMPOSTING-AII manner of organic material including weedfree manure and mulches, leaves, straw, hay and grass clippings can be 'sheet composted” directly into

the soil. Just spread the material

around and till it under—it’s a lot quicker than the lengthy compostpile process.

SPECIAL TROY-BILT GARDENING TECHNIQUE

Try wide-row planting

Wide-row planting is a highly productive gardening technique that is worth trying. As the name implies, it involves broadcasting seed in bands anywhere from 10 inches to 2 or more feet wide, rather than in traditional singlefile rows.

The greatest advantage to this gardening method is that you have more plants per area in your gar den, which results in much higher yields from the same amount of space (see Photo 4-10). Typically, you can grow anywhere from 3 to 4 (or more) times produce in the same space normally set aside for a single row.

In addition, when you plant crops

in wide rows, you automatically

shade the ground. Shading pre vents most weeds from growing and also holds moisture in the ground. Wide rows also protect the soil from temperature fluctua tions and makes harvesting easy, since you can sit and pick so much produce from one spot.

It’s simple to plant and grow wide-row crops. First prepare a loose, smooth, fertile seedbed and mark off your row with stringsPhoto 4-11. Hand broadcast the seeds over the raked area as if you were seeding a lawn (remem ber to plant vegetable seeds a little thinner than grass seed). Cover them with soil from outside the row, tamping it down firmly with a hoe. If you’re planting larger seeds such

as peas or lima beans in wide rows, you can run your tiller over

them, planting about 2 or 3 inches

deep. If you use your tiller for plant ing, sow your seeds a little thicker as some of them won’t get deep enough to germinate. After tilling, firm the soil.

Plant the larger-seeded crops, such as beans or peas, with a little care so you won’t have to thin later on. For small-seeded crops, such as lettuce and carrots, you can easily thin as soon as they come up by lightly dragging a steel garden rake across the row about V4-inch deep. You will also disturb

and kill many tiny weed seeds that have begun to sprout near the

soil surface.

SIM ifee

•' 1/. ■ ' \ -

• It. ■ -

.. -T-

4-10: Wide-row planting on the right compared to sin gle row on the left.

4-11: After preparing seedbed, mark off row area as

wide as you want, even up to 4-feet across.

™ ~ III! Ill III III llPlllllllllllillllllllillll MlliHIIMniflP~llil

V .

4-12: Wide-row planting really works, as evidenced by this lush growth of peas.

HERE’S ANOTHER SPACE SAVING METHOD: Planting in double (or even triple) rows is ?

another space saving idea that many Troy-Bilt Tiller owners use. Beans, for example, can be planted in two rows spaced 6 to 8 inches apart. On either side of the double row, leave enough room for J sidegrowth and later cultivating with your tiller. It is still necessary to thin seedlings according to the seed company’s directions on the packet.

SECTION 5:

As explained on Page 2 of this

Manual, your tiller can be con

verted into a self-contained PTO

Power Unit that is capable of powering or towing other attach ments besides the tine attachment

that came with your tiller. The in structions given here will help you become familiar with your PTO

Power Unit. Please read this Sec

tion thoroughiy.

Before trying to operate your PTO Power Unit for the first time, make sure that you have:

• Read and understand all of the Safety Instructions in Section 1 of this Manual and in the Owner/ Operator Manual that is supplied with any attachment.

• Read and understand all of the controls information and operating procedures for the tiller and engine as described in Sections 2 and 3 of this Manual.

• Read and understand all of

the assembly instructions, controis

information, and operating proce

dures for the attachment as de scribed in the Owner/Operator

Manual that is supplied with the

attachment.

Removing and replacing the tine attachment

The foiiowing steps explain how

to remove and replace the tine at tachment. The only tool you’ll need

is a %-inch wrench (at ieast 12inches long for adequate leverage).

There are two optional acces

sories avaiiable that make the following steps easier. One is the

Kickstand Attachment which pre

vents the PTO Power Unit (engine

end) from falling forward when at

tachments are removed (Photo

5-2). The other is the Tine Attach ment Cradie which provides a handy support for the tine attach ment when it is removed from the

tiller (Photo 5-3). For more infor

mation about these two acces

A CAUTION

TO AVOID PERSONAL INJURY OR

sories, please refer to Section 9 of

this Manual.

DAMAGE TO EQUIPMENT;

• Stop the engine, remove the electric start key, disconnect the spark plug wire and let the engine and muffler cool before removing or installing any attachment.

• Do not piace hands, tools, or any object near or inside the PTO access hole when the engine is running.

• When removing and replacing the tine attachment, be careful not to cut yourself on the edges of the tiller hood. Wear thick gloves for maximum protection.

• When the tine attachment is re

5-2: Kickstand prevents engine from tipping forward.

moved, always place the optional

tine cradle or a wood block or

other sturdy support beneath its coupiing point to prevent the at

tachment from falling forward.

5-1: PTO Power Unit with tine attachment removed.

5-3: Tine Attachment Cradle. To remove the tine attachment:

1. Make sure that the engine is stopped, the electric start key is removed, and the spark plug wire is disconnected.

2. The equipment must be on level

ground.

3. Place the Wheels/Tines/PTO

Drive Lever in “NEUTRAL” (Photo 5-4).

ENGINE THROTTLE

%. rC FORWARD INTERLOCK

WHEELS/TINES/PTO

WHEEL SPEED LEVER

jj-/.

TINES/PTO ■

DLUTCH LEVER ^

5-4: PTO Power Unit controls.

4. Place the Tines/PTO Clutch Lever in “DISENGAGE” (Photo 5-4).

5. Place the Wheel Speed Lever in “FREE WHEEL” (Photo 5-4).

6. Place a sturdy support under

the engine, or use the Kickstand

on your bumper (if so equipped) to prevent the engine from tipping down when the tine attachment is removed. See Photo 5-5.

7. Using a %-inch wrench, loosen the two swing-bolts that connect the power unit transmission to the tine attachment and swing the boits outward. See Photo 5-6. NOTE: An extra-iong (13") PTO Wrench is avaiiable from our Parts Depart ment. This heavy-duty wrench (Part No. 2005) makes it quick and easy to remove and replace the tine attachment.

LEVERS

DRIVE LEVER

5-6: Move swing-bolts outward.

8. With one hand on the handle bars of the power unit, tip the unit forward about an inch whiie you puil the tine attachment back a short distance. This reieases the guide pin on the power unit from the guide pin mounting hole in the tine attachment. See Photos 5-7 and 5-8.

IMPORTANT

Aiways store your tine attachment in a levei position to avoid iosing oil from the breather vent, locaieri in the top of the dipstick.

9. Place the dust cap (supplied

with certain attachments), or some

plastic wrapping over the “dog” clutch coupling of the tine attach ment to prevent dirt and grime from accumulating on the coupling.

10. The power unit is now ready to accept other powered or non-

powered attachments. Refer to the Owner/Operator Manual supplied with each attachment for specific instructions on how to install and operate the attachment.

To replace the tine attachment:

1. Follow Steps 1-5 of the pre

vious tine attachment removal

instructions.

2. Place the two swing-bolts on

the power unit in the outward posi tion, making sure that the washers

on the bolts are next to the bolt

heads.

3. Roll the power unit back to the

tine attachment and either put

down the optional Kickstand or

place a sturdy support under the

engine.

4. Remove the dust cap or protec

tive wrapping from the clutch cou

pling on the tine attachment.

5. Carefully align the alignment pin

on the power unit with the align

ment hole on the tine attachment

and bring the two units together

(Photo 5-8).

5-5: Block up engine.

5-7: Lift handlebars while pulling at

tachment away from power unit.

MOUNTING HOLE

5-8: Aiign guide pin with mounting hole.

PTO Power Unit operating instructions

6. Place the two swing-bolts in the slots of the tine attachment. Alter nating between the two bolts, tighten each securely until the con cave washers on the bolts are flat. The bolts must be very tight. If using a torque wrench, tighten each to 70-80 ft. lbs. See Photo 5-9.

IMPORTANT

The swing-bolts must be kept very tight at all times to prevent undue wear on the “dog” clutch coup

lings, or on the alignment pin and hole. Check bolts for tightness

after every 2-V2 hours of operation.

7. Remove the engine support be fore attempting to drive the unit in a forward direction.

A WARNING

To help avoid personal injury or damage to equipment, read the Owner/Operator Manual provided with each attachment before at tempting to install or operate the attachment. The Manual provides a detailed description of proper use and operation, and points out other important Safety Instructions.

The following instructions de

scribe how to operate the PTO

Power Unit ONLY. Read the sepa

rate Owner/Operator Manual for each attachment carefully before attempting to assemble, attach, transport or operate the attach

ment. If you do not have a Manual,

call or write us for a replace

ment copy (be sure to supply us with the serial number of your attachment).

Some attachments have a drive

shaft or a hydraulic pump that is

Power Unit. These attachments are called “Stationary Attachments”,

because they must remain in a stationary position when being op erated (they can be towed to the work site by the power unit, as described in “To Operate Non-

Powered Attachments”).

Other attachments are simply

pulled or towed behind the PTO Power Unit. These attachments are called “Non-Powered At tachments”.

A WARNING

To help avoid personal injury, al ways disengage the Tines/PTO Clutch Lever before towing any attachment.

Before starting engine:

IMPORTANT

Before operating in temperatures below 40'^'F., refer to the "Cold Weather Operation” instructions in Section 3 of this Manual.

1. Put the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever in “NEUTRAL”. To find “NEU TRAL” (while engine is not run ning), push the lever down unti it engages in “FORWARD”. Then tap or lift the lever up and release it.

(Photo 5-4).

2. Put the Tines/PTO Clutch in “DISENGAGE”.

3. FOR STATIONARY ATTACH MENTS ONLY:

(a) Put the Wheel Speed Lever in

“FREE WHEEL” and block ALL wheels to prevent rolling of equipment. (See Photo 5-4 and Figure 5-10).

5-9: Tighten both swing-bolts.

Jl/l lC t

A.1^^ ut • i » M

5-10: Block wheels on power unit and stationary attachment.

- --LA-a C-AA' '_______.iu. L ¿/L«» ¿iV »

J.Lt

5-11: Disconnect the Forward Inter lock Wire Harness.

THE PTQ POWER UNIT

5-12: Connect wire from Stationary Attachment to receptacle on Power Unit

(b) On the Power Unit, unplug the

Forward Interlock Wire Har ness that leads from the bot

tom of the handlebars to the

receptacle located on the top, right side of the transmission cover. See Photo 5-11).

locate the interlock wire and make sure that the surface of

the plug is clean.

(d) Connect the plug from the Sta

tionary Attachment to the re

ceptacle on the Power Unit. See Photo 5-12. Make sure that the connection is tight. This connection allows you to operate the Wheels/Tines/PTO

Drive Lever in “FORWARD”

without having to simultan eously squeeze and hold one

of the Forward Interlock Levers.

4. FOR NON-POWERED ATTACH MENTS ONLY: (a) Put the Wheel Speed Lever in

either “SLOW” or “FAST” (roll power unit.while shifting until wheels are engaged). See Photo 5-4.

(b) Make certain that the Forward

Interlock Wire Harness plug at

the bottom of the power unit

handlebars is connected to the Forward Interlock Wire Har ness receptacle on the top, right side of the transmission

(Photo 5-13).

5. Move the Engine Throttle Lever away from the “STOP” position and

use the Choke Control if the engine is cold. Pull the Recoil Rope or use

the Key Switch (on Electric Start

models). When the engine starts, move the Choke Control (if used)

to “CHOKE OFF” and let the en

gine warm up. (See Section 3, “Operation of Tiller” for more de

tailed engine starting steps.)

6. For non-powered attachments only, test Forward Interlock Safety System. See page 17.

A WARNING

To avoid injury, do not run the en

gine in an enclosed or poorly vented area. Engine exhaust con tains carbon monoxide, an odor

less and deadly gas.

To operate Stationary Attachments:

1. Put the Tines/PTO Clutch in “ENGAGE”.

2. To apply power to PTO driven attachments, move the Wheels/ Tines/PTO Drive Lever down to “FORWARD” (do not use

“REVERSE” with Stationary

Attachments).

3. TO STOP PTO POWER: Tap or lift the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever up to “NEUTRAL”.

5-13: Forward Interlock Wire Harness.

To Operate Non-Powered Attachments (or to tow Stationary Attachments):

1. To go forward, squeeze and hold one Forward Interlock Lever

(Photo 5-4) and then move the

Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever down to “FORWARD”.

2. TO STOP FORWARD MOTION:

Tap or lift the Wheels/Tines/PTO

Drive Lever up to “NEUTRAL” and then release BOTH Forward Inter

lock Levers.

3. TO STOP FORWARD MOTION IN AN EMERGENCY: Let go of ALL power unit controls (this will stop

the engine).

4. For reverse motion, first reduce

the engine speed and put the Wheel Speed Lever in “SLOW”. Then hold the Wheels/Tines/PTO

Drive Lever up. (Make sure the area behind you is clear before reversing.)

5. TO STOP REVERSE MOTION: Release the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever.

To stop engine:

Move the Engine Throttle Lever

to “STOP” (and turn Key to “OFF”

on Electric Start models).

SECTION 6:

Your tiller and its engine require regular care and maintenance if they are to give you the many years of service that you should expect of them.

Most maintenance and repair procedures are easy to do yourself with the help of the step-by-step

RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE INTERVALS

PROCEDURE HOURS HOURS HOURS HOURS HOURS

Check engine oil level

Clean engine cooling system Test operation of Forward

Interlock Safety System

Check Forward Interlock Safety

System wires for loose connections, fraying, or bare spots

Check battery electrolyte level and electrical connections

Recharge battery

Check drive belt tension

Check nuts and bolts Clean tiller tine shaft

Lubricate tiller

Change engine oil*

Clean foam element air filter

Check paper element air filter Check for oil leaks Check gear oil level in Power

Unit and Tine Attachment

transmissions

Check Bolo Tines for wear Check reverse disc for wear Check air pressure in tires Check spark plug

Replace paper element air filter

instructions found in this Section. Of course, you can always call or write the factory for expert advice, or you can obtain factory author ized service at one of our regional stores, or from a nearby TROY-BILT

All references to “left” and “right” sides of the tiller are given from the operator’s position behind the handlebars.

IMPORTANT

Tiller authorized dealer.

EVERY EVERY EVERY EVERY EVERY EVERY

USE 10 25 30 50 100

•

NOTED

After every 5 operating hours

See Page 17 for test procedure

Before and after prolonged storage

After first 2 break-in hours

More frequently in extremely dusty or dirty conditions

After first 2 break-in hours

More frequently in extremely dusty or dirty conditions

'During new engine break-in period, change engine oil after first 5 hours of operation.

Tighten bolts and nuts

MAIMTEMAMCE AND SERVICE

A WARNING

To help avoid personal injury, stop

the engine, remove the eiectric start key, disconnect the spark plug wire, and iet the engine and muffler coo! before inspecting or servicing the tilier or engine.

It’s a good idea to check for loose or missing bolts, nuts and screws after every 10 operating hours. Failure to tighten or replace fasteners can result in poor per formance, equipment damage, or oil leaks. If you need to replace a fastener, be sure to refer to your Parts Catalog for the correct size and for any special grade specifi cation. Most fasteners are available locally, or you can order directly from our Parts Department.

Most bolts, nuts and screws on your tiller are easily visible. Please refer to Photos 6-1, 6-1A and 6-2 for the following fasteners that re quire special attention.

1. Check transmission pulley mounting bolt (Photo 6-1). If washer behind bolt head is loose.

then bolt must be tightened se curely. To tighten bolt, insert a

punch or thick screwdriver into the hole next to the bolt and wedge

the tool against the side of the

motor mount casting. This will pre

vent the pulley from turning as you tighten the bolt.

2. Check jam nut on left side of

neutral plunger assembly (Photo 6-1 A). If loose, place one wrench on head of bolt and tighten jam nut

with second wrench.

3. Check the three rear bearing cap screws that are located under neath the depth regulator mount ing bracket assembly (“A” in Photo 6-2). If these screws are loose it could cause an oil leak or exces sive end play in the drive shaft.

At. Check the five bolts that fasten

the tiller housing cover to the left side of the transmission (“B” in Photo 6-2). If the bolts or cover are loose, it could cause an oil leak. To gain access to the housing cover, you will have to remove the left side tine holder. See “Bolo Tine Maintenance” in this Section for tine holder removal instructions.

5. Check the two swing-bolts that connect the power unit transmis sion to the tine attachment (“C” in

Photo 6-2). These bolts should be checked after every 2-V2 hours of operation. Failure to do so could cause excessive wear to the locat ing pin on the power unit, and enlargement of the locating hole in

the tine attachment. The bolts must

be kept very tight. If you have a

torque wrench, tighten each to 70-

80 ft. lbs.

6. Check the locknut that fastens the shifting linkage to the eccen tric shifting lever (“D” in Photo 6-2). Do not tighten the locknut against the eccentric lever. It should be very close to, but not touching the lever.

IMPORTANT

Screws or bolts that thread into

the transmission housing should

be coated w-th a non-hardening gasket sealant (available at hard ware or automotive supply storosi.

The sealant helps to prevent oil from leaking past the threads.

6-1: Check bolt on transmission pulley.

6-1 A: Check jam nut on plunger assembly.

6-2: Gently tilt tiller forward to check these fasteners.

Tiller lubrication

A WARNING

To help avoid personal injury, stop the engine, remove the electric start

key, disconnect the spark plug wire, and let the engine and muf fler cool before inspecting or lubri cating the tiller.

Proper lubrication of the tiller’s mechanical parts is an essential part of your maintenance program. Lubrication should be done after every 10 hours of operation.

Use ordinary motor oil (#30 weight, or lighter) where oil is called for. Use a good quality grease that contains a metal lubri cant; however, regular grease is acceptable. Do not over lubricate! Excess lubricant merely collects dirt which can cause wear to mov ing parts. If you notice a build up of dirt, clean the area and reapply fresh oil or grease.

IMPORTANT

Do not permit oil or grease to come in contact with the pulleys, the drive belt, or the reverse disc. Do ing so will cause the belt or disc to slip on the pulleys.

The following numbers refer to

the numbered lubrication points

shown in Photos 6-3 and 6-4.

!' i

1. Oil the wheel shaft between the

wheel hubs and the transmission

housing (Photo 6-4).

2. Oil all of the pivoting and con

necting points on the Wheels/Tines/ PTO Drive Lever and the Wheel Speed Lever (Photo 6-4). If Wheel Speed Lever has a grease fitting on pivot assembly, apply 2-3 strokes of multi-purpose grease at beginning

and end of tilling season.

3. Grease the face of the belt ad justment block (Photo 6-4).

4. Oil the back and sides of the Depth Regulator Lever, including

the spring in the mounting bracket

(Photo 6-4).

5. Oil the entire length of the throttle

cable casing, starting up at the

Engine Throttle Lever and going all

the way down to the engine

(Photo 6-4).

6. Oil the threads on the Handlebar Height Adjustment Lever (Photo 6-4).

7. Grease the left and right side engine mounting bars at the top, in the middle, and at the bottom (Photo 6-4).

8. Maintain a good supply of grease inside the PTO (Power Take-Off) access hole (Photo 6-3). If the Tines/PTO Clutch Lever is hard to shift, squirt some oil into the access hole and move the lever back and forth, trying to work the oil in between the PTO coupling and the sides of the housing. Call our Technical Service Department if the problem persists.

6-3: Use plenty of grease in PTO access hole.

IV’ansmission gear oil

maintenance

A WARNING

To help avoid personal injury, stop the engine, remove the electric

start key, disconnect the spark plug wire, and let the engine and muf fler cool before inspecting or serv icing the tiller.

A. Checking for oil leaks

At every 25 hours of operation you should check your tiller for oil leaks. Look for accumulations of dirty oil on the tiller or on the floor where you’ve parked the tiller.

A little seepage or wetness around a shaft opening or cover is nothing to be alarmed about. How ever, if there is a heavy accumula tion of oil, or if oil drips while sitting overnight, then you should replace the worn seal or gasket right away

(first try tightening any loose

screws or bolts).

If you’re not sure how much oil has been lost, then be sure to cheok the oil level before operat ing the tiller again. Operating the tiller when the power unit or tine attachment transmission oil levels are low can result in serious dam age to the transmissions.

When tilling during very hot

weather, the gear oil may heat up and expand inside the transmis sions. To allow for this oil ex pansion, both the power unit

transmission and the fine attach

ment transmission have been equipped with oil relief vents (see Figure 6-5). These vents allow small

6-4: Tiller lubrication points (wheel removed for photo clarity only).

MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE

amounts of oil to seep out, thus relieving any excess pressure in side the transmission. You should not be concerned if you see oil

leaking from the twooil relief vents. If you discover an oil leak, please call or write our Technical Service Department for parts and service advice. (Be sure to ask about the inexpensive seal drivers that are available for the wheel shaft and

tine shaft oil seals.)

B. Checking gear oil levels

At every 30 hours of operation

you should check the levels of the

gear oil in the power unit and the

tine attachment transmissions.

Serious damage can result if the transmissions are allowed to run

for even a short time without the

proper amount of oil.

The transmissions should be cool when checking the oil levels as the oil can expand if hot and

thus give a false reading. Also, the

power unit and tine attachment must be connected when checking

(or adding) gear oil.

6-6: Remove oil level check plug.

3. If the oil level is correct, oil should begin to seep out of the

hole as you remove the plug (be patient in cold weather as the oil may flow very slowly). If it does, your check is finished and you should securely replace the plug.

If there is no sign of oil, see the

“Adding Gear Oil” instructions that follow these oil level check

ing procedures.

To check the Tine Attachment oil level:

1. Make sure the tiller is on level ground.

2. If the tiller has been operated for 30 minutes or more within the

last hour, move the Depth Regula

tor Lever all the way down until it is engaged in its highest notch. This places the transmission in the cor rect position to take a “Hot” oil > level reading. J)4n^

If the tiller has not beenopef^

ated within the last two hours, you should also place the Depth Regu lator Lever in its highest notch. Then, prop up the drag bar (located below the tines) approximately 3% inches off the ground (using a 2 " x 4 " board on edge works well). This places the transmission in the correct position to take a “Cold” oil level reading.

3. Allow the tiller to rest in this position for at least five minutes for a “Hot” reading or two hours for a “Cold” reading. (Allow more time if the air temperature is below 40 °F).

4. Clean the area around the tine

attachment dipstick so that no de bris will fall into the transmission.

6-8: Tine attachment dipstick markings.

5. Using a 9/16-inch wrench, re move the dipstick as shown in

Photo 6-7. Wipe the dipstick with a

clean rag and note the “Hot” and

“Cold” range markings on one side

(Figure 6-8).

6. With the markings facing to the rear of the tiller, gently lower the

dipstick straight down into the sump hole until the end just tou ches the drive shaft inside the hole (Photo 6-9). Do not force, or try to thread the dipstick into the hole.

Doing so will bend the dipstick and result in an incorrect reading.

7. After a few seconds, carefully remove the dipstick and look at

the markings. If taking a “Hot”

reading, the oil level should be

within, or slightly above, the “Hot” range marking (checkered pat tern). If taking a “Cold” reading, the oil level should be within, or slightly above, the “Cold” range marking.

8. If the oil level is okay, your

check is finished and you should securely replace the dipstick. If the oil level is low, see the instruc tions that follow.

' ’’ I'l

To check the Power Unit oil level:

1. Make sure the tiller is on level ground. Pull the Depth Regulator Lever up until the tines are resting on the ground.

2. Use a %-inch wrench to remove the oil level check plug that is located above the wheel shaft on

the left side of the transmission (Photo 6-6).

‘s^

6-7: Remove tine attachment dipstick. 6-9: Insert dipstick straight down.

C. Adding or changing gear

oil

For small top-offs (a few ounces or less), use SAE140, SAE 85W-140 orSAE 80W-90 weight gear oil with an API rating of either GL-3 or GL-5. For full gear-oil replacement,

use SAE 140 orSAE85W-140 gear

oil with an API rating of GL-3 only.

(Your tillertransmission was filled with SAE 140 weight gear oil at the

factory.)

IMPORTANT

Do not use automatic trans mission fluid or engine oil in the

transmission. These lubricants are too light for transmission use.

The gear oil does not require

regular changing. Do so only if you know, or suspect, that it has be come contaminated with dirt, sand, or metal particles.

Gear oil should be available at

well-stocked service stations, out door power equipment stores, or farm or heavy equipment service centers. The power unit transmis sion holds approximately 60 ounces; the tine attachment holds approximately 16 ounces.

To add oil to the Power Unit transmission:

1. Follow steps 1 and 2 of “To check the Power Unit oil level.”

2. Using a %-inch wrench or socket, remove the bolt that se cures the handlebar base to the top of the transmission (before removing the bolt, support the handlebars with one hand to pre vent them from falling on the tine hood). Unplug the Forward In terlock wire harness receptacle at the bottom of the handlebars and gently set the handlebars aside (avoid getting dirt on the wire harness, the mounting bolt, or the handlebar base). The hole in the top of the transmission is the gear oil fill hole. See Photo 6-10.

3. Using a clean funnel, slowly pour fresh gear oil into the trans mission. Stop pouring the gear oil when it begins to flow out of the oil level check hole on the left side of the transmission (see Photo 6-6).

4. Reinstall the oil level check plug and tighten it securely.

5. Reinstall the handlebars and tighten the mounting bolt securely. Make certain that the handlebars are pointing straight backwards, and are not angled to one side.

6. Reconnect the Forward Inter

lock wire harness, making sure

that the connection is tight and secure.

7. Test operation of Forward Inter lock Safety System. See page 17.

-It

ft-.- ^ ^

6-10: Remove handlebar base to add

gear oil.

To drain the Power Unit transmission:

1. Place a shallow pan beneath the

transmission gear oil drain plug (Photo 6-11).

2. Use a %-inch wrench to remove the oil level check plug (see Photo 6-6). This vents the transmission and speeds up draining.

3. Use the same wrench to remove the drain plug. The gear oil will drain slowly, so be patient. After about two quarts has drained, gently tilt the tiller forward so that the oil will drain from the rear of the transmission.

'.4

6-11: Remove oil drain plug.

4. After all the gear oil has drained, clean the threads of the oil drain plug, apply a non-hardening gas ket sealant to the threads and reinstall the plug.

5. Leave the oil level check plug off if you are going to immediately refill

the transmission. If not, replace the check plug for safekeeping.

6. Be certain to refill the transmis

sion with gear oil before operating the tiller again.

To add oil to the Tine Attachment transmission:

1. Select the correct depth regula

tor lever setting: (a) If filling an empty transmission,

raise the Depth Regulator Lever until the tines are on theground.

(b) If you are topping off the gear

oil level, move the Depth Regu lator Lever all the way down until it is engaged in its highest notch.

2. Remove the dipstick from the

tine attachment, after first clean

ing the area around the dipstick so

that no debris wi 11 fal I i nto the transmission (see Photo 6-7).

3. Using a clean funnel, slowly pour oil into the transmission. Add

just Vj-ounce at a time, to avoid overfilling the transmission.

4. Take dipstick readings fre

quently (see Steps 6 and 7 of “To Check the Tine Attachment Oil

Level”). When the oil reaches the

“Cold” range marking on the dip stick, stop pouring. Replace the dipstick securely.

MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE

To drain the Tine Attachment transmission:

1. The tine attachment trans mission is not equipped with an oil drain plug. To drain a small amount of oil, remove the dipstick and tilt the attachment forward (after first uncoupling it from the Power Unit).

2. For complete draining, remove the left side tine assembly (refer to “Bolo Tine Maintenance” for in structions) and then remove one of the lower screws from the tiller housing cover (Photo 6-12). To speed up the draining time, re move the dipstick to help vent the transmission.

6-12: Remove housing cover screw to drain oil.

NOTE: There may be a disposable plastic washer on the screw. If there is, discard it after removing the screw. There is no need to install a replacement washer on the screw.

3. After all the gear oil has drained, reinstall the housing cover screw after first coating its threads with non-hardening gasket sealant.

4. Be certain to refill the transmis sion with gear oil before operating the tiller again.

Drive belt maintenance

A WARNING

To help avoid personal injury, stop the engine, remove the electric

start key, disconnect the spark plug wire, and let the engine and muf fler cool before inspecting, ad

justing or replacing the drive belt.

A. Checking drive belt

tension

On a new tiller (or if a new belt is

installed), the tension on the drive belt will probably need to be ad

justed after the first 2 hours of

operation due to initial belt wear and seating of the belt with its pul leys. Following the initial adjust ment, the belt should be checked after every 10 operating hours or whenever it appears to be slipping

(reduced performance).

Maintaining the correct tension on the belt is important to good tilling performance and long belt life. If the belt is too loose, it will slip on the engine and transmis sion pulleys and cause the tines and wheels to slow down—or stop completely—even though the en gine is running with full power. At the same time, a loose belt will

result in uneven wear and overheat ing to its sidewalls. This will reduce its driving capability and shorten its life.

While checking the belt for

proper tension, also look for obvi ous signs of wear such as cracks, cuts, or fraying. If the belt is in poor condition, it should be re placed immediately (see “Replac ing the Drive Beit”).

To help prolong the life of the

belt, you should: (a) Always put the Wheels/Tines/

PTO Drive Lever in “NEUTRAL” when the tiller is not being used.

(b) Keep the belt tension properly

adjusted.

“FORWARD” and “REVERSE”.

How to measure belt tension:

1. Before taking any measure ments, make sure that the various

linkages and pivot points on the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever are clean and properly lubricated. If there is any binding, you won’t

receive true measurements. Also, you should have available the belt

adjustment tool that you received

with your new tiller (Figure 6-13).

BELT ADJUSTMENT TOOL

6-13: Use belt adjustment tool to

measure and adjust belt tension.

2. Move the Wheels/Tiries/PTO

Drive Lever all the way down to the

“FORWARD” position. The clutch

roller at the end of the lever should

be engaged beneath the belt ad justment block (Photo 6-14). Be

careful not to let the clutch roller

move during the following steps. If the roller moves, you will receive a

false reading of the belt’s tension.

6-14: Shift into “FORWARD” and

measure distance between roller and

upright bracket.

3. The belt tension is correct if the front of the clutch roller is 1/4 to 5/16-inches away from the face of the upright bracket that holds the adjustment block in place (Photo 6-14). To measure this distance: (a) Without moving the clutch

roller, try to insert the V4-inch thick, slotted end of the belt adjustment tool in between the roller and the bracket. The flat edge of the tool must be facing

the roller. See Photo 6-15.

(b) If only the slotted end of the

tool will fit, the belt is properly

adjusted. This V4-inch gap is ideal.

belt is too loose.

(d) If the full thickness (5/16-inch)

of the tool easily fits, the belt is

too tight.

4. If the belt tension is correct,

return the shift lever to the “NEU TRAL” position and check the ten sion again after the next 10 operat ing hours. If the belt is too loose or too tight, refer to the adjustment

instructions that follow.

6-15: Insert slotted end of belt adjust ment tool between roller and bracket,

with flat side of slot facing roller.

How to adjust belt tension:

1. The tension on the drive belt is

adjusted by moving the belt adjust

ment block either down to tighten

the belt, or up to loosen the belt. As a rule of thumb, the distance the block moves will approximately equal the distance the roller

moves. In most cases, the clutch

roller will not have been very far out of position, and therefore only a slight movement of the block will be required.

2. Place the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever in “NEUTRAL”. The clutch roller will come to rest any where on the face of the belt ad

justment block, depending upon

drive belt length and future adjust ments for belt tension.

3. Insert the belt adjustment tool

through the hole in the side of the

adjustment block, spacing the ends of the tool equally on both sides (Photo 6-16). Rotate the tool

so that the slotted end is fac

ing down.

6-16: With shift lever in “NEUTRAL”, insert tool through hole in adjustment block.

4. Place the Wheels/Tines/PTO

Drive Lever in “FORWARD”. The arms of the clutch control yoke will

be resting on the belt adjustment tool and the clutch roller should be engaged slightly beneath the ad

justment block (Photo 6-17).

6-17: With shift lever in “FORWARD”, clutch roller should be engaged

slightly beneath adjustment block.

5. Use one hand to hold the drive lever in “FORWARD” while using a 9/16-inch wrench to loosen (do not remove) the bolt in the back of

the belt adjustment block (Photo

6-18).

6-18: Hold lever while loosening bolt. Push lever down to tighten belt or pull up to loosen belt.

6. Push the drive lever down if the belt needs tightening, or pull the lever up if the belt needs loosen ing. The adjustment block should move freely in either direction. Hold

the drive lever in place and se

curely tighten the bolt in the adjust ment block.

7. Let go of the drive lever and remove the belt adjustment tool

from the hole in the adjustment

block.

8. Check the tension on the belt by following the previous “How to Measure Belt Tension” instructions. NOTE: If the adjustment block has moved all the way down in its bracket and you still measure less

than ’/4-inch between the clutch

roller and the bracket, then the belt has worn too much and a new

one is needed.

C. Replacing the drive belt

MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE

A WARNING

To help avoid personal injury, stop the engine, remove the electric start key, disconnect the spark

plug wire, and let the engine and muffler cool before removing or replacing the drive belt.

To remove the belt:

1. Place the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever in “NEUTRAL”.

2. While kneeling on the right side of the tiller, create slack in the belt by reaching over to the left side of

the pulleys and pushing in on the

center of the belt with your finger.

3. Use your right hand to work the belt down and away from the lower pulley, in the direction of the en

gine (Photo 6-19).

4. As shown in Photo 6-20, push the belt upward with your finger. This will provide additional slack in

the belt.

5. Lift the top half of the belt up

and over the upper pulley and the rubber reverse disc, moving it down in front of the disc (Photo 6-21).

6. Move the Wheels/Tines/PTO

Drive Lever down into the “FOR WARD” position. This increases the distance between the upper and lower pulleys. Next lift and pull the lower half of the belt out between the pulleys (Photo 6-22).

6-21: Move top half of belt over pul ley and disc.

To replace the drive belt:

1. Place the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever in the “FORWARD”

pcsition.

2. Squeeze the belt in its middle and insert one end in between the

pulleys (Photo 6-23).

6-23: Shift into “FORWARD” and insert belt.

3. Push the belt forward until it is almost ready to go down and over the front of the lower pulley (Photo 6-24). Then work the belt down and over the lower pulley, but do

not seat it in either of the pulley grooves. It may be necessary to use a blunt object (such as a wood ruler), to help push the belt down between the front of the pulley and

the sides of the cast iron engine

mount.

6-19: Move belt off lower pulley.

6-20: Push belt upward to create slack.

6-22: Shift into “FORWARD” and re

move belt.

6-24: Move belt down and over lower

pulley.

Reverse drive maintenance

6-25: Move belt over reverse disc.

4. Move the top half of the belt up

and over the rubber reverse disc, but do not seat it in either of the pulley grooves (Photo 6-25).

5. Place the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever in “NEUTRAL”.

6. Move the top half of the belt into the “HIGH RANGE” groove

(groove closest to the engine) of the upper pulley (Photo 6-26). Make sure the belt is fully seated on both sides of the upper pulley.

7. Move the bottom half of the belt into the “HIGH RANGE” groove

(groove closest to engine) of the lo\A/er pulley (Photo 6-26). If extra belt slack is needed, hold the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever up in “REVERSE” while moving the belt. Make sure the belt is fully seated on both sides of the lower pulley.

8. To move the belt to the “LOW RANGE” position, refer to “Chang ing Belt Speeds” in Section 3.

9. After installing the belt, check and adjust for correct tension as explained previously.

A WARNING

To help avoid personal injury, stop the engine, remove the electric start key, disconnect the spark

plug wire, and let the engine and muffler cool before inspecting, ad

justing or replacing the reverse drive components.

When you raise the Wheels/

Tines/PTO Drive Lever all the way

up for “REVERSE”, it lowers the

rotating rubber reverse disc on the end of the engine pulley until it contacts the transmission drive

pulley. The resulting friction be tween the reverse disc and the transmission pulley causes the transmission drive shaft to be driven in a counterclockwise direc tion (as viewed from the operator’s

position behind the handlebars). The drive shaft then turns the wheel and tine shafts in a re verse direction.

The following instructions ex

plain howto inspect, replace or adjust the various reverse drive components.

A. Reverse disc inspection

The reverse disc is made of a steel disc with a special longlasting rubber compound bonded

to the rim. Because it is a wearing

part, the reverse disc should be inspected after each 30 hours of operation.

1. Measure the width of the facing edge on the disc, as shown in Photo 6-27. The disc should be replaced before the edge is al lowed to reach Vs -inch thickness. If the edge wears further than that,

then only the metal plate will re

main and it could cause costly

damage if allowed to come in con tact with the transmission pulley.

2. Look for large cracks or miss

ing chunks of rubber (small nicks or gouges are okay, but keep a

close watch on them). A disc hav

ing large cracks or gouges should

be replaced immediately.

IMPORTANT

You can help extend the life of the

reverse disc by always pausing in “NEUTRAL” before shifting between “FORWARD” and “REVERSE”. Also remember that

the reverse disc is not designed for long periods of continuous re verse operation. Use reverse drive sparingly.

B. Replacing the reverse disc

Follow these simple steps to re

move and replace the reverse disc. If your tiller is equipped with a Bumper/Guard Attachment, you will have to remove the bumper to give yourself enough working room.

To remove the reverse disc:

1. Place the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever in “NEUTRAL”.

6-26: Seat belt in upper pulley, then lower pulley (“HIGH RANGE” position shown).

6-27: Measure disc edge for wear.

i i. ;■

6-28: Wedge pulley with board and

loosen bolt.

iAlCE mo SERVICE

6-29: Loosen, but do not remove bolt.

2. To prevent the reverse disc and its mounting bolt from turning as you try to remove the bolt, first place a 5/16-inch thick board be tween the top of the engine pulley (avoid the disc and drive belt) and the cast iron engine mount (Photo 6-28).

3. Working from the left side of the tiller, place the boxed end of a 9/16-inch wrench on the mounting bolt. Then pull up hard on the stick and push down sharply on the wrench. This sharp push with the wrench should break the bolt loose without also causing the pulley to turn.

4. Loosen the bolt until it just tou ches the reverse spring and plunger assembly (Photo 6-29). Don’t try to remove the bolt just yet.

5. Use a screwdriver to separate the disc from the engine pulley

(Photo 6-30).

6. Slide the disc out until it tou

ches the head of the mounting bolt. Then angle the disc a little to the

left and remove the bolt and its lockwasher (Photo 6-31). Now remove the disc.

■r

6-31: Angle disc to remove or install

mounting bolt.

To replace the reverse disc:

1. One side of the disc has a raised shoulder in its center. When

installing the disc, this shoulder must be facing away from the en gine pulley.

2. With the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever in “NEUTRAL”, insert

the disc in front of the engine pul ley and angle it as shown in Photo 6-31. Put the lockwasher on the bolt and insert the bolt through the disc.

3. Hold the disc against the engine pulley and hand-tighten the bolt as

far as you can.

4. To fully tighten the bolt, place

the 5/16-inch thick board in be tween the top of the engine pulley

(avoid the disc and belt) and the engine mount (Photo 6-32). Now pull up hard on the board while

you tighten the bolt with the wrench.

5. Check for correct reverse drive operation by referring to the fol lowing instructions.

C. Checking and adjusting

reverse drive

A WARNING

To help avoid personal injury, stop

the engine, remove the electric

start key, disconnect the spark plug wire, and let the engine and muffler cool before inspeoting or adjusting the reverse drive components.

When the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever is shifted into “REVERSE”, the engine and the engine mount move down to press on the reverse adjustment bolt (Photo 6-33). This action com presses the reverse spring and plunger assembly, requiring you to hold the lever up in “REVERSE”. When you let go of the lever, the spring automatically pushes the lever back into “NEUTRAL”.

The spring and plunger assem bly is designed to prevent the re verse disc from making contact with the transmission pulley until you decide to shift into “REVERSE”. When the lever is in “NEUTRAL”, the switch body on the bottom of the engine mount tab should be resting squarely on top of the re verse adjustment bolt (Photo 6-33). The reverse adjustment bolt can be adjusted up or down to correct a number of reverse drive operat ing problems, as explained next.

6-30: Use screwdriver to separate disc from engine pulley.

■ SWITCH BODY ADJUSTMENT

BOLT

6-32: Wedge pulley with board and tighten bolt. 6-33: Spring and plunger assembly.

Check action of reverse disc:

1. Make certain that the linkages for the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever are lubricated with oil and the engine mount bars and the belt adjustment block are lubricated with grease. See “Tiller Lubrication”

in this Section for instructions.

2. Place the Wheels/Tines/PTO

Drive Lever in “NEUTRAL”. Now

pull the engine starter rope, briefly, while watching the reverse disc. The reverse disc should turn, but the lower pulley should not (Photo

6-34). If the reverse disc turns the

iower puiley, or if it is located

closer than 3/16-inch to the lower

pulley, then the reverse adjustment bolt should be adjusted upward,

as explained in the adjustment in

structions that foiiow. Moving the reverse adjustment boit upward wili also correct the problem of a tiller

that goes into reverse by itself.

3. Use your left hand to hold the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever up in “REVERSE”, while you briefly pull the engine starter rope with your right hand. The reverse disc should turn the lower pulley (Photo 6-35). If it doesn’t, or if it takes a great deal of pressure to hold the

lever up in the reverse position, then the reverse adjustment bolt should be adjusted downward. When adjusted correctly, the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever should “pop” out of reverse when the lever is released, but it should

not require exceptional effort to

hold it in the reverse position.

4. Shift the Wheels/Tines/PTO

Drive Lever into “REVERSE” and then let it go. The lever should

return to “NEUTRAL”, if it doesn’t, the reverse adjustment bolt will

have to be raised upward.

6-34: With shift lever in “NEUTRAL”, only the reverse disc should turn.

6-35: With shift lever in “REVERSE”, the reverse disc should turn the transmission pulley.

MAiKTlilAMCE Am SiaWICE

Adjusting reverse drive

1. Place the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever in “FORWARD”.

2. On the left side of the tiller, place a V2-inch wrench on the plunger retaining bolt and another

V2-inch wrench on the jam nut next to it (Photo 6-36). While holding the bolt steady, loosen the jam nut

(counterclockwise) until it touches

the head of the bolt.

6-36: Hold bolt steady while loosen ing or tightening jam nut.

ADJUSTMENT

BOLT ^

6-37: Loosen jam nut before raising or lowering reverse adjustment bolt.

6. Check that the reverse disc is at least 3/16-inch away from the transmission drive pulley. Then

hold the reverse adjustment bolt steady with one wrench while se curely tightening the jam nut with a second wrench. See Photo 6-37.

7. Place a chalk or pencil mark on

the top edge of the plunger retain ing bolt. Now, while watching the mark, loosen the bolt a full % turn

(Photo 6-38). Do not exceed a % turn. Doing so could disengage the bolt from the locking groove in the side of the plunger.

8. Hold the plunger retaining bolt

steady with one wrench while se

curely tightening the jam nut

against the side of the plunger

housing with a second wrench.

See Photo 6-36.

9. Check the action of the reverse

disc as explained in the previous

testing procedure.

IMPORTANT

If the above adjustments have not corrected an improperly function ing reverse drive, please call or write our Technical Service Depart ment for further advice.

3. Turn the bolt inward until it tight ens against the plunger inside the spring. The bolt must be tight enough to prevent the plunger from turning, but be careful not to overtighten and break the bolt.

4. Place a %-inch wrench on the head of the reverse adjustment bolt and another 9/16-inch wrench on the jam nut below it (Photo 6-37). Hold the bolt steady while loosen ing the jam nut three or four turns.

5. Place the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever in “NEUTRAL”. The switch body on the bottom of the engine mount tab should be rest ing squarely on top of the reverse adjustment bolt (see Photo 6-33), and the reverse disc should be at least 3/16-inch away from the transmission drive puiley. If the re verse disc is closer than 3/16-inch,

laise the reverse adjustment bolt

by turning it in a counterclockwise direction.

6-38: Loosen plunger retaining bolt a % turn, then tighten jam nut securely against plunger housing.

Bolo Tine maintenance

A WARNING

To help avoid personal injury, stop the engine, remove the electric

start key, disconnect the spark plug wire, and let the engine and muffler cool before inspecting, re moving, or replacing the tines or

tine holders.

A. Checking tines for wear

To receive maximum tilling per

formance from your tiller, the Boio Tines must be in good condition. At every 30 operating hours you should check the tines for damage or excessive wear and replace them if needed.

The tines are the “business end”

of the machine and will wear with use. How quickly they wear de pends a great deal on soil condi

tions. Sandy or stony soil, for

instance, will cause faster wear than clay or loam soils.

As tines wear, they become

shorter, narrower and more pointed

(Photo 6-39). When badly worn, the depth at which they till and the amount of earth turned is greatly reduced. Worn tines may dig only 3 to 5-inches deep, even though you adjust the Depth Regulator Lever to the maximum depth. In comparison, new tines will dig a full 6 to 8-inches deep. This loss of tilling depth is a sure sign that your tines need replacing.

Also, as tines wear shorter, they will leave an increasingly wider gap in the middle of the tilled row. This wider gap makes for needless extra work when you overlap your rows. New tines will usually have just a 3-inch gap between the tips of the innermost tines. It’s time to replace your tines when this gap widens to 5-inches or more (Photo 6-40).

Tines can be replaced individu

ally or as a complete set (tine sets come with easy-to-follow assembly instructions). See your separate Parts Catalog for tine replacement ordering information.

6-39: Check for tine wear.

I’——

6-40: Replace tines when gap be

tween inner tines is 5-inches or more.

B. Single tine replacement

A WARNING

The tines or tine hood edges may be sharp. Wear thick gloves to protect your hands from cuts or scrapes.

1. Place the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever in “NEUTRAL”, the Wheel Speed Lever in either “FAST” or “SLOW”, and the Tines/PTO Clutch Lever in “ENGAGE”.

2. Gently tilt the tiller forward until

the engine is resting on the ground.

3. Raise the hood flap and secure it in place with a piece of string or a rubber band.

4. Before removing a tine, carefully note in which direction the bent tip is pointing. The new tine must be installed in the same direction.

5. Use two 9/16-inch wrenches to remove the two bolts and hex nuts that secure the tine to the tine holder mounting plate (Photo 6-41). If a nut is stubborn, squirt some penetrating oil on it and allow the oil to soak in.

6-41: Removing a single tine.

6. Install the new tine in the same direction as the old one, making sure that the sharp edge of the tine will enter the soil first when the tiller moves forward. Replace the bolts and nuts and tighten them securely.

C. Removing and replacing

tine holders

The 16 Bolo Tines are held in place by tine holders that are bolted to the left and right sides of

the tine shaft. The following steps

explain how to remove and replace

the tines and holders as complete assemblies.

Removal Steps:

1. Follow steps 1-3 of the pre

vious “Single Tine Replacement”

instructions.

6-42: Mark left and right holders.

■ AIKVSPIAICE AND SERliCE

A WARNING

The tines or tine hood edges may

be sharp. Wear thick gloves to protect your hands from cuts or scrapes.

2. Before removing the holders, use chalk to mark them “Left” and “Right”, as shown in Photo 6-42. This will help you later, when you

replace the holders.

3. Using a %-inch wrench, remove the bolt, lockwasher and flat washer that mounts the holder to the tine shaft (Photo 6-43). If the

bolt is difficult to loosen, hold the boxed end of the wrench on the bolt and give the wrench a sharp

tap with a soft mallet.

A WARNING

Do not strike the wrench with a metal tool. Doing so could cause

the wrench or tool to shatter,

resulting in flying metal frag

ments that could injure your eyes.

Wear safety goggles to protect your eyes.

4. Use a soft mallet to drive the

holder off the tine shaft. If neces sary, use a heavy hammer and a long steel rod or hardwood board placed against the back of the in side mounting plate to drive the holder off.

A WARNING

Wear safety goggles to protect

your eyes from flying metal or

wood fragments.

5. As you remove the holder, look for a small, rectangular shaped

metal key (1" x 3/16") either in the keyslot of the tine shaft or in the keyway of the tine holder (Photo 6-44). Do not lose this key. It should be securely installed in the

tine shaft by tapping it down gently

with a hammer (be careful not to damage the edges of the key).

6. Clean off any dirt or debris from the shaft and from inside the hold ers. Doing so will help to prevent wear to the tine shaft and oil seals. When cleaning, be careful not to scratch or gouge the tine shaft or the oil seals. Finally, apply a coat ing of grease to the tine shaft to

help prevent the holders from bind ing to the shaft.

Replacement steps:

1. When replacing the holders, al

ways make certain that the cutting edge of the tines are facing in the direction of forward tiller travel.

Carefully align the keyway in the hoider with the key in the tine shaft and tap the holder into place with a soft mallet.

2. Apply some grease to the

threads of the mounting bolt to

make removal easier the next time.

Tine shaft maintenance

After every 10 operating hours,

you should remove the left and

right side Bolo Tine holders and clean off any dirt, vines or straw

that may have accumulated on the

shaft or inside the holders. If left

6-43: Remove holder mounting bolt.

■ ^

|.V v

6-45: Replace mounting bolt.

3. Place the lockwasher on the bolt, followed by the flat washer (Photo 6-45). Tighten the bolt

securely.

unattended, this debris can cause premature wear to the shaft and its oil seals.

Refer to the previous tine holder

removal instructions for the proce dure to follow.

Tire and wheel maintenance

Engine oil maintenance

The air pressure in the tires

should be checked after every 30 operating hours. The recom  mended air pressure for tilling is 10 to 20 psi (pounds per square inch).

Use a pocket-type tire gauge to

ensure that both tires are equally

inflated. If the air pressures are not

equal, it can cause the tiller to pull to one side.

Keep the tires free of gasoline or

011 which can destroy the rubber.

NOTE: When installing bar tread tires, make sure that the “V” shaped treads are facing forward,

in the direction of the engine.

Removing the wheels

A WARNING

To help avoid personal injury, stop the engine, rem ove the electric start key, disconnect the spark

plug wire, and let the engine and muffler cool before removing or replacing the w heels.

Each wheel is held in place by a

roll (spirol) pin that secures the wheel hub to the wheel shaft. Sim ply drive out the roll pin to remove a wheel, as explained below.

1. Using a sturdy block, prop up

the transmission until the wheels

are an inch or two off the ground.

2. To prevent the wheels from turn ing, place the Wheel Speed Lever in either the “SLOW ” or “FAST” wheel speed gear.

3. Use either a 3/16-inch tapered drift pin, a 1/4-inch untapered drift pin, ora 16-penny(16d) nail with a blunted point, to drive the roll pin down through the wheel hub

(Photo 6-46).

A WARNING

Wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from the possibility of flying metal fragments when driv

ing the roll pin into or out of the

wheel hub.

4. If the wheel doesn’t slide easily

off the shaft, squirt some penetrat ing oil around the shaft and w heel hub and tap the tire to set up vibra tions which will help to distribute

the oil. Be patient and allow suffi cient time for the oil to soak in.

5. Before installing the w heel, ap

ply a thin coating of grease to the wheel shaft. Then, install the wheel and align the roll pin holes by inserting your drift pin or nail from underneath (Photo 6-47). Use a hammer to tap in the roll pin flush with the wheel hub. NOTE: If a roll pin is loose, you can hold it in place with an automotive engine hose clam p.

It is vitally important that you use motor oil of the proper service grade and viscosity, and that you regularly check and change the oil

according to the recommended

hours of operation. Incorrect, insuf

ficient, or dirty oil will cause pre

mature engine wear and damage.

Check the oil level each time

before starting the engine and

after each 5 hours of continuous operation.

Change the oil after the first 5

hours of new engine operation.

Thereafter, change the oil after

each 10 operating hours, or m ore often if operated in extremely

dusty or dirty conditions.

NOTE: The engine manufacturer recommends oil changes after each 25 operating hours. However,

please remember that your tiller will nearly always be operating in dusty or dirty conditions, which is why we recommend a 10-hour service schedule.

Use a clean, high-quality deter

gent motor oil. The oil should be

rated with an SF or SG service classification (look for those

letters on the container).

The oil sump capacity for the

Briggs & Stratton engine is approx imately 2% pints; however always add enough oil so that it is to the point of overflow in the oil filler tube. For the Kohler Engine the capacity is approximately 32 ounces; however always fill to the “FULL” mark on the dipstick.

Always use the correct viscosity

according to the air tem perature at

the time of operation (see chart that follows).

6-46: Drive roll pin out to remove wheel.

A WARNING

To help avoid personal injury, stop the engine, rem ove the electric

start key, disconnect the spark plug wire, and let the engine and muffler cool before checking, add ing, or changing engine oil.

6-47; Align holes and tap in roll pin.

RECOMMENDED SAE VISCOSITY GRADES

ENGINE MODEL

AIR

TEMPERATURE

шмшттшсЕ anb serwice

OIL

VISCOSITY

7 HP Briggs &

Stratton

40°Fto100°F SAE 30W 0°Fto40°F

-20°Fto40°F

8 HP Kohler Above 32 °F SAE 30

0°Fto32°F

-20°Fto32°F SAE 5W20, SAE 5W30

A. Checking engine oil level

7 HP BRIGGS & STRATTON:

1. Stop engine and allow to cool.

2. Level the base of the engine.

3. Rem ove oil fill plug from either side of engine (clean plug before removing.) See Photo 6-48.

4. Oil level should be at overflow point of oil fill tube. If not, slowly add oil until it reaches overflow point.

5. Replace oil fill plug securely.

8 HP KOHLER:

1. Stop engine and allow to cool.

2. W hile on level ground, move Depth Regulator Lever all the way down until it engages top notch in lever. This places base of engine at a slight angle.

3. Remove dipstick (clean area around dipstick before removing) and wipe clean.

4. Reinsert dipstick and push it ail the way down into tube. Remove dipstick and check level. Oil should

be up to, but not over, the “F” m ark

on dipstick. See Photo 6-49. If below

“F” mark, slowly add oil, checking level frequently with dipstick. Do

not operate engine with oil level below “L” mark or over “F” mark.

5. Replace the dipstick securely.

SAE 5W30 or SAE 10W30 Synthetic 5W20 or 5W30

SAE 10W30, SAE 10W40

2. There are two oil drain plugs, one on each side of the engine.

Either plug m ay be used.

NOTE: The 7 HP Briggs & Stratton engine is equipped w ith a balance weight located beneath the engine

base (Photo 6-50).

To prevent a messy spill when draining the oil, either temporarily

remove the weight, or fashion a drain trough from a piece of alumi

num foil or cardboard and hold it

beneath the drain hole while the oil

ail

6-48: Checking oil level on 7 HP

Briggs & Stratton engine.

6-\

i»

drains. Be sure to replace the bal ance w eight when finished.

3. Place a board beneath the

wheel opposite the drain plug you

are using.

4. Place a pan beneath the drain plug.

5. Rem ove oil fill plug (7 HP en gine) or dipstick (8 HP engine) to

vent crankcase.

6. Remove the drain plug and allow all of the oil to drain into the pan. See Photo 6-50 or 6-51.

7. Clean the drain plug threads and reinstall it in the drain hole. Make sure that you tighten it securely.

8. Refill the engine crankcase with fresh oil as explained in the previ ous “Checking Engine Oil Level”

instructions.

9. Reinstall plug or dipstick.

ШШШ

WEIGHT

6-50: Oil drain plug on 7 HP Briggs & Stratton engine.

B. Changing engine oil

1. Drain the oil while the engine is still warm from recent operation as warm oil drains more easily and also carries away more impurities. Be sure to stop the engine before changing the oil.

6-49: Checking oil level on 8 HP

Kohler engine.

6-51: Oil drain plug on 8 HP Kohler engine.

Air cleaner maintenance

Your engine is equipped with a dual element air cleaner that filters the air twice before it reaches the carburetor. The outer foam pre cleaner filters the air first. The inner dry paper element then filters the air a second time.

It is vitally important that both air filters be kept clean and properly installed at all tim es. A dirty, clogged filter can cause hardstarting, stalling, or overheating problems. An improperly installed or damaged filter can allow un filtered air into the engine, result ing in prem ature engine wear and damage. Never operate the engine

without both air filters installed.

Clean and re-oil the foam pre

cleaner element every 25 operat

ing hours, or sooner if operating

conditions are extremely dusty or dirty. Cleaning the elem ent as often as every 10 operating hours should

not be considered excessive.

IMPORTANT

When servicing the air cleaner, take extra precautions to prevent dirt or other detiris from entering the carburetor. Clean the cover and

sill rounding areas cr.refully before removing the covet.

A WARNING

To help avoid personal injury, stop the engine, rem ove the electric

start key, disconnect the spark plug wire, and let the engine and muffler cool before inspecting or servicing the air cleaner.

After every 25 operating hours,

check that the inner dry paper ele ment is tightly secured against the mounting base. If loose, unfiltered

air will bypass the element and be

drawn directly into the engine.

Replace the inner dry paper ele

ment every 100 operating hours,

or sooner if it is dirty or torn

(inspect the element whenever the

foam element is removed for clean

ing). We do not recommend trying

to clean a dirty paper element, as

it is almost impossible to remove

every trace of dirt and other harm ful particles.

A. Cleaning the foam

precleaner

1. Remove knob (7 HP engine) or

wing nut (8 HP engine) and remove air cleaner cover.

2. Gently remove the foam filter from paper element. See Photo 6-52 or 6-53.

3. Inspect foam filter and the paper element for excessive wear,

damage or improper fit. D o not reuse if condition is questionable.

4. W ash the foam filter in a warm

water/liquid detergent solution.

5. Rinse foam filter with clean

water and squeeze (do not twist or wring) out excess water. Let filter air dry.

6. Saturate foam filter with clean,

fresh engine oil and squeeze (do not twist or wring) out excess oil.

7. Reinstall foam filter over paper

element, making sure foam filter completely surrounds the paper

filter.

8. Clean the inside of the air filter

cover and replace cover securely.

Replacing the paper element

1. Remove the air cleaner cover

and foam precleaner as described in Steps 1 and 2 of “Cleaning the foam precleaner.”

2. On the 7 HP Briggs & Stratton

engine, remove the wing nut, cup, and paper elem ent. See Photo 6-54.

On the 8 HP Kohler engine, re

move the hex nut, element cover, and paper elem ent. See Photo 6-55.

3. Hold the filter up to a strong light and inspect it for cleanliness,

tears or punctures. If very dirty, torn, bent or damaged, replace it with a new element.

4. Clean the base plate and the inside of the air cleaner cover, being careful not to let any dirt enter the breather hole in the base plate. Make sure the base plate is secure, and is not bent or damaged.

5. Install paper element over stud

and reinstall parts removed in Step

2. Tighten the nut firmly to ensure

a tight seal at the top and bottom of the paper elem ent.

6-52: Foam filter on 7 HP engine.

■

6-53: Foam filter on 8 HP engine.

i-^ ^

6-54: Paper filter on 7 HP engine.

“ ■ ■>■■■ V ‘ \

6-55: Paper filter on 8 HP engine.

6. Reinstall the foam filter (washed and oiled) over the paper element,

making sure that the foam filter

completely surrounds the paper filter.

7. Reinstall the air cleaner cover and secure w ith nut.

NOTE: When reinstalling the air cleaner cover on the 7 HP Briggs & Stratton engine, make sure that the slot in the side of the cover points inward, toward the engine.

Throttle cable

adjustments

The throttle lever settings have

been factory adjusted and unnec essary adjustm ents should not be

made. However, if the engine does not start or stop, or if it does not respond immediately to vari ous throttie lever settings, then

the following adjustm ents may

be necessary.

A WARNING

To help avoid personal injury, stop the engine, rem ove the electric

start key, disconnect the spark plug wire, and let the engine and muffler cool before adjusting the throttle cable.

A. To adjust the 7 HP

Briggs & Stratton

throttle cable

1. Move the throttle lever on the handlebar to the “FAST” position.

2. W ith the lever In the “FAST” position, the Speed Control Lever

(see Photo 6-56) on the throttle control bracket should be located all the way forward in its mounting slot (see Fast Speed setting in Photo 6-56). If it is, go on to Step

4. If it isn’t, proceed to Step 3.

3. Loosen (do not remove) the Cable Clam p Screw (see Photo 6-56) until the throttle cable is free to move. Then move the cable for ward until the Speed Control Lever reaches the end of the slot. Tighten

the Cable Clamp Screw securely

and proceed to Step 4.

4. Move the throttle lever on the handlebar to the “STOP” position. While doing so, look at the Speed Control Lever and Shut-O ff Tab on your engine (see Photo 6-56). As the Speed Control Lever reaches the end of its m ounting slot, the

Shut-Off Tab should spring out

ward, away from the engine. If it

does, the throttle cable is properly adjusted to stop the engine and further adjustm ents are not neces sary. If it doesn’t, proceed to Step 5.

5. Move the throttle lever on the handlebar to the “STOP” position

and then loosen (do not remove) the Cable Clamp Screw until the throttle cable is free to move. Then

pull the cable back until the ShutOff Tab springs outward. Tighten

the Cable Clamp Screw securely.

6. Test the operation of the throttle lever by moving it back and forth between the “FAST” and “STOP” positions. As you do, check that the Speed Control Lever on the throttle control bracket functions as described in Steps 2 and 4. If you are unable to properly adjust the cable, call or write us for fur ther advice.

B. To adjust the 8 HP Kohler

throttle cable

1. Move the throttle lever on the handlebar to the “STOP” position.

mo service

2. Loosen the Cable Clamp Screw (Photo 6-57) until the throttle cable is free to m ove.

3. Move the Carburetor Control Arm (Photo 6-57) to the right until it

touches the Engine Shutoff Switch. Remove any slack in the throttle cable and retighten the Cable Clam p Screw .

4. Move the throttle lever on the

handlebar to the “FAST” position.

5. Check that the Carburetor Con

trol Arm (Photo 6-57) is now touch ing the High Speed Stop Screw. If it isn’t, loosen the Cable Clam p Screw and move the Carburetor Control Arm back until it does. Then securely tighten the Cable Clam p Screw .

6. Check the operation of the

throttle control lever as follows:

(a) Move the throttle control lever

on the handlebar to the “STOP” position. The Carburetor Con trol Arm should be touching the Shutoff Switch.

(b) Move the throttle control lever

to the “FAST” position. The

Carburetor Control Arm should be touching the High Speed Stop Screw.

does not touch both the Shut off Switch and the High Speed Stop Screw, readjust the cable settings as explained previ ously. If you are unable to

properly adjust the cable, call

or write us for further advice.

■ i-

CABLE

CLAMP ■

SCREW

A. ‘ -V FAST SPEED

T ' Vi.i SETTING

SPEED ^

s, F"

CONTROL LEVER'

6-56: Throttle control bracket on 7 HP Briggs & Stratton Engine.

HIGH SPEED g

STOP SCREW,

9- ^ \ ^

\ ^ - CONtROLl

^ ARM

CLAMP'

i .'SCREW.,.

6-57: Throttle control bracket on 8 HP Kohler Engine.

SHUTOFF-"-—

SWITCH

Air cooling system maintenance

To ensure adequate cooling and correct engine speed, air must be able to circulate through the air intake screen, past the engine cover and over the cooling fins.

Each day before you start the engine, inspect it for any debris

that could block the air fiow. Use

a small brush or a screwdriver wrapped in a rag to rem ove any

trapped debris.

Never operate the engine with any of the engine shrouds or covers removed. These parts are carefully

designed to direct cooling air over all points of the engine. R emoving any of them could cause danger ous hot spots to develop that could

lead to engine damage.

A WARNING

To help avoid personai injury, stop the engine, remove the electric start key, disconnect the spark

plug wire, and let the engine and muffler cool before inspecting or

servicing the engine.

Ignition system maintenance

Your engine is equipped with

electronic ignition. It does not have a condenser or points, and there fore you do not have to perform any regular “tune-up” maintenance on this system other than adjusting or replacing the spark plug.

See Page 71 in this Manual

for replacement spark plug spe cifications.

Plug removal and inspection

A WARNING

To help avoid personal injury, stop the engine, rem ove the electric

start key, disconnect the spark plug wire, and let the engine and muf fler cool before perform ing spark plug maintenance.

1. Clean the area around the

spark plug before removing it to

prevent dirt or debris from entering

the engine.

2. Use a plug wrench or spark plug socket to remove the spark plug.

3. Inspect the spark plug:

(a) U se a w ire feeler gauge (Photo

6-60) to check the electrode

,|r

SPARK PLUG

6-58: Spark plug on 7 HP Briggs &

Stratton Engine.

gap. On the 7 HP Briggs & Stratton Engine, the gap is .030": on the 8 HP Kohler Engine, the gap is .025".

(b) Check the porcelain. If cracked,

do not reuse the plug.

or burned, do not reuse the

plug. If the electrodes show only moderate wear, clean carefully by scraping (do not wire brush

or sand blast). Be sure en tire spark plug is clean be fore replacing.

(d) A spark plug showing a light

coating of gray or tan deposits and slight electrode wear indi cates norm al engine operation. If the plug is wet with oil, or has heavy black or blistered white deposits, take it to an authorized engine service dealer for analysis.

4. Replace the plug and tighten it

finger tight. Then use a torque

wrench to tighten it securely (see

chart below). If you don’t have a torque wrench, tighten the plug firmly by hand. Then use your plug wrench to gently give it an extra V4 turn. Do not overtighten.

Spark plug

maintenance

The spark plug (see Photo 6-58 or

6-59) provides the necessary spark

to ignite the fuel mixture in the

engine’s com bustion chamber. It is essential to proper engine op

eration to have a plug that is prop

erly adjusted and in good condition.

Remove and inspect the plug

after every 50 operating hours or at the beginning of each year, which ever com es sooner.

c-«— SPARK PLUG

6-59: Spark plug on 8 HP Kohler Engine.

6-60: Checking electrode gap.

Carburetor adjustments

The carburetor provides the en

gine’s combustion chamber with the correct air-fuel ratio for a wide

range of operating conditions.

The factory settings should be

correct for average operating condi

tions and you should avoid making

unnecessary adjustm ents. How ever, if you feel that an adjustment is needed to compensate for differ ences in fuel, tem perature, altitude or load, please refer to the follow ing recommended adjustments.

A, WARNING

Keep cigarettes, sparks, and open flames away from the carburetor and fuel system to prevent the pos sibility of a fire or explosion.

IMPORTANT

The carburetor adjusting screws are needle valves which taper to critical dimensions. These screws can be damaged if they are turned in forcefully.

A WARNING

Do not operate the engine in an enclosed or poorly ventilated area. Engine exhaust gases contain car bon monoxide, an odorless, taste less, and deadly poison.

7 HP Briggs & Stratton:

1. W ith the engine stopped, gently turn the High Speed Needle Valve and Throttle Idle Mixture Valve clockw ise until they just close. The valves m ay be dam aged by turning them too far. See Figure 6-61.

2. Now open High Speed Needle Valve IV2 turns counterclockwise and Throttle Idle Mixture Valve one turn counterclockw ise. This initial

adjustment will permit the engine

to be started.

3. Start engine and allow to warm for a few minutes prior to final adjustment. NOTE: The air cleaner

must be assembled to carburetor when running the engine.

4. Place the throttle lever on the

handlebar in the “FAST” position. Turn the High Speed Needle Valve clockw ise until engine slows (lean

mixture). Then turn it out past the sm ooth operation point (rich mix

ture). Now turn the needle valve to a midpoint setting between rich and lean.

5. Adjust the idle RPM as follows; (a) Rotate the throttle counter

clockw ise and hold it against the Throttle Stop while adjust

ing the Throttle Idle Speed Adjusting Screw to obtain 1750 RPM. Turn screw in for faster

idle; out for slower idle.

(b) While still holding throttle

against Throttle Stop, turn Throttle Idle Mixture Valve in

(lean) and out (rich). Set valve

at midpoint between rich and lean. Release throttle. If engine will not accelerate properly, the carburetor should be read justed, usually to a slightly

richer mixture.

8 HP Kohler:

1. With the engine stopped, turn

the Main Fuel and Idle Fuel adjust

ing screws clockwise, until they bottom lightly (Photo 6-62).

2. Preliminary Setting—Main Fuel Screw; Turn the Main Fuel Screw out 2 full turns from bottom.

3. Preliminary Setting—Idle Fuel Screw: Turn the Idle Fuel Screw out 1V4 turns from bottom .

4. Final Setting— Main Fuel Screw :

Place the Wheels/Tine/PTO Drive

Lever in “NEUTRAL” and start the engine. Let it run at half-throttle speed for 5-10 minutes. M ove the throttle lever to the “FAST” posi tion and then turn the Main Fuel

Screw clockwise until the engine

starts to lose speed (too lean a

mixture). Now, count the turns as

you turn the screw counterclock

wise until the engine begins to run

unevenly (too rich a mixture). Turn the screw clockwise to a point mid way between the too lean and too

rich mixtures. That position, or turning the screw counterclock

MAIMTIKAICE AND SERVICE

wise about V2 turn more, should be the proper setting for tilling.

5. Final Setting— Idle Fuel Screw: Place the Wheels/Tine/PTO Drive

Lever in “NEUTRAL” and start the engine. Let it run at half-throttle speed for 5-10 minutes. Allow the engine speed to fall to idle, or put the engine throttle in the idle posi tion. Adjust the Idle Fuel Screw by following the same procedure de

scribed in Step 4. The recom

mended idle speed should not

exceed 1500 RPM (Revolutions Per

Minute)f

6. Idle Speed Setting: Place

the Wheels/Tine/PTO Drive Lever

in “N EUTRAL” and start the engine. Let it run at half-throttle for 5-10 minutes. Allow the engine speed to fall to idle, or put the engine throt tle in the idle position. Adjust the engine idle speed to the desired

RPM* by turning the Idle Speed

Screw clockwise or counter

clockw ise. Allow several seconds

between each adjustment for the

engine to adapt to each new setting.

‘Typical idle speed is 1200 RPM.

6-61: 7 HP Briggs & Stratton Engine

carburetor.

( iti .

MAIN FUEL

IDLE SPEED H

IDLE FUEL.

6-62: 8 HP Kohler Engine carburetor

(air cleaner components removed for

photo clarity).

Battery care and maintenance

The following guidelines will help to protect your battery while it is in service during seasonal use and during extended periods of stor age. To ensure maximum battery life and performance, these guide lines should be followed carefully.

A DANGER

POISON-CAUSES SEVERE BURNS

• Electrolyte is a sulfuric acid

solution.

• Avoid contact with skin, eyes and

clothing.

• To prevent accidents, wear pro tective clothing, rubber gloves, and shield eyes with safety goggles.

• Neutralize acid spills with baking soda and water solution. Neutral ize empty container with baking soda and rinse with water.

ANTIDOTE; External—Flush with water. Eyes— Flush with water for 15 minutes and get prompt medi cal attention.

ANTIDOTE: Internal— Drink large

quantities of water or m ilk. Follow

with milk of magnesia, beaten

eggs, or vegetable oil. Call physi cian im m ediately.

KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN

DANGER-BATTERIES

PRODUCE EXPLOSIVE GASES

• Keep sparks, flame, cigarettes away.

• Ventilate area when charging or using battery in an enclosed space.

• Make sure venting path (vent

tube) of battery is always open.

A DANGER

Never touch the positive (-I-) bat

tery post and any other surround

ing metal with tools, jewelry, or other metal objects. Doing so can cause a short circuit that could result in electrical burns, an elec

trical shock, or an explosion of

battery gases.

A. Battery care in service

1. Once a month or every 10 oper ating hours, whichever occurs first, check the level of the electrolyte; (a) If the battery has “UPPER” and

“LOWER” level lines marked on one side of its case, the

electrolyte level should be at the “UPPER” level line. (Be sure battery is level when checking the electrolyte level.)

(b) If the battery does not have

“UPPER” and “LOWER” level lines m arked on one side of its case, the electrolyte level should just touch the lowest part of the filler well in each cell. See Figure 6-63. (Be sure battery is level when checking

the electrolyte level.) If necessary, use distilled or demin eralized water (DO NOT USE BAT

TERY ACID) to refill each cell to the

proper level. After filling, replace the battery caps and wash off any spilled electrolyte with a baking soda and water solution. Next, run the engine outdoors for about 20 minutes at ®/4 throttle speed to help recharge and recirculate the elec

trolyte solution. For safety, do not

leave the tiller unattended while

the engine is running.

2. Keep the battery clean. If the

terminals are corroded, rem ove the

battery and clean the terminals

with a wire brush, sandpaper, or

steel w ool. AVOID GETTING THE CORROSIVE MATERIAL (WHICH IS

ACID OXIDATION) ON YOUR SKIN

OR IN YOUR EYES. Then rinse the battery with a baking soda and

water solution (be sure the battery

caps are securely tightened before rinsing). Coat the terminals with petroleum jelly or silicone grease

to prevent further corrosion.

3. Periodically check the entire electrical system for loose or dirty connections.

4. Periodically check that the bat tery clam p is tight enough to keep the battery firm ly in place. Do not

overtighten the clamp as it could

damage the battery case or clamp.

5. Periodically check that the vent tube is not crimped or pinched anywhere along its length.

6-63: Keep battery filled to bottom of filler wells.

A WARNING

To help avoid personal injury, make

certain that the battery vent tube is not crimped, pinched, or folded

anywhere along its length. Im proper venting could result in a

battery explosion.

B. Battery care in storage

Your engine has a recharging

circuit that will properly maintain the battery’s state of charge during the normal tilling season. W hen the tiller will not be used for an

extended period of time, we rec

om m end that the battery be fully

charged before placing it in stor

age. Before reinstalling the battery

after storage, it should again be given a thorough recharge.

1. Remove the battery from the tiller (see “Battery Removal” in structions) and place it on a level surface.

A DANGER

• While the battery is being charged, do not leave it unat

tended. The charging time does

not have to be continuous.

• Carefully follow all charging in

structions and safety rules pro vided by the manufacturer of the charging equipment.

• Never attem pt to “jump start” the battery with an autom obile battery or its charging system. Doing so could result in serious personal injury or property damage from

such causes as a battery explo

sion, or acid or electrical burns.

■AilTElAlCE AND SERVICE

2. Clean the battery, if needed. If the battery is extremely cold, allow it to warm to between 60°F—80°F.

3. Remove all filler caps. Leave saps off while filling and charging.

Carefully check the electrolyte level. If, and only if, the electrolyte level is low, add distilled or dem insralized water (DO NOT USE BAT TERY ACID) to adjust the electroyte level to the correct height (see

‘A. Battery care in service” on

page 56 for filling instructions. ^void overfilling.

5. Charge the battery until all of the cells are gassing freely. (To sheck for gassing, WEAR SAFETY BOGGLES and use a flashlight to bok down into each cell while the battery is being charged. When gassing freely, the surface of the

¡quid electrolyte should be covered

[With tiny bubbles). Use one of the following procedures: [a) R ecommended Method:

Charge the battery at a rate of

1 to 2 amperes until all cells are gassing freely. The total charging time should not ex ceed 24 hours.

[b) First Alternative:

Charge the battery at a rate of 4 to 6 amperes until all cells are gassing freely. The total charging time should not ex ceed 8 hours.

[c) Second Alternative:

Charge the battery at a rate of 6 to 12 amperes until all cells are gassing freely. The total charging time should not ex ceed 4 hours.

level in each cell. If necessary, add

distilled or dem ineralized water

(DO NOT ADD BATTERY ACID) to adjust the electrolyte level to the correct height. Then reconnect the charger cables to the battery and charge the battery for an additional one hour.

7. Replace the filler caps and wash

off any spilled electrolyte with a

baking soda and water solution.

8. Store the battery in a cool, dry

place away from heat ducts, radia tors, and direct sunlight. Avoid freezing temperatures. A battery

loses voltage in storage, more so

in hot weather than in cold. An

ideal storage temperature is 50°F.

C. Battery removal and replacement

A WARNING

To help avoid personal injury, stop the engine, rem ove the electric start key, disconnect the spark plug wire, and let the engine and muffler cool before removing or replacing the battery.

1. Disconnect the negative (-)

cable from the grounding screw

located on the right side of the

battery bracket (“A” in Photo 6-64)

and bend the cable safely away from any m etal parts.

2. Disconnect the negative (-) cable from the negative battery post (“B” in Photo 6-64) and re move the cable.

3. Disconnect the positive (+) cable from the positive battery post (“C” in Photo 6-64) and bend it safely away from any m etal parts. Cover the cable terminal with the rubber boot.

4. Remove the battery hold-down clamp and remove the battery.

5. Reverse the previous steps when replacing the battery. Be very careful that you place the battery on the bracket so that its posts are facing to the rear (tine end) of the tiller. The positive (+) post must be on the left side as you face for ward from the handlebars.

6. Insert the vent tube (on positive (+) side of battery) into the vent

tube shield. Be sure that the tube is not crimped, pinched, or folded anywhere along its length.

A WARNING

When removing the battery, always disconnect the negative (-) cable first, follow ed by the positive (+) cable. Reverse this procedure when reinstalling the battery.

A CAUTION

Do not charge the battery at a rate higher than 12 amperes. A charge rate of more than 12 am peres generates excessive heat and gas sing and will permanently damage the battery.

B. When the battery is fully charged, turn off the charging equipment and then disconnect the cables. Check the electrolyte

6-64: Follow removal and replacement instructions carefully.

lVt>ubleshooting the electric start system

A WARNING

Before troubleshooting the electric start system, place the Wheels/

Tines/PTO Drive Lever in “NEU TRAL” and disconnect the spark plug wire from the spark plug.

Here are som e simple checks you can make to troubleshoot the electric start system. If these checks do not isolate the problem ,

please call our Technical Service

Department for further advice.

If the starter motor doesn’t

turn over

If the starter motor doesn’t turn

over when you turn the key switch

to the “START” position it could be

due to one or more of the foliowing causes:

1. Loose, broken or corroded

wires or cables.

2. A faulty solenoid, or dis charged battery.

3. A faulty starter motor.

4. A faulty wiring harness and/or

key switch.

1. Check all wires and cables

A. Make sure that all connections

are tight.

B. Check for rust or paint that

would prevent good electrical con

tact at all connections.

C. Make sure that the insuiation

on all wires and cables is in good condition and that a break in the insulation is not allowing a bare

wire to touch any m etal surfaces.

D. After completing Steps A

through C, try to start the engine. If

it starts, you have corrected the problem. If it doesn’t start, proceed

to the next step.

2. Check for faulty solenoid

A. You will need a jum per wire for

the following steps. Make one by

stripping about %-inches of insu

lation from both ends of a 12-inch length of heavy (#10 or heavier) insulated wire. Hold only the insu lated part of the wire when per forming the following steps.

B. Make sure that the Wheels/

Tines/PTO Drive Lever is in “NEUTRAL”. C. Replace the negative (-) bat

tery cable with the jumper wire as

follows: (a) Disconnect the negative (-)

cable from the grounding screw on the right side of the battery bracket and bend the cable terminal safely away from any m etal parts.

(b) Disconnect the upper end of

the cable from the negative (-)

battery post and remove the cable.

wire to the negative (-) battery

post, being careful not to allow

the other end of the wire to contact any metal parts.

(d) Connect the loose end of the

jumper wire to the grounding

screw on the battery bracket. See Photo 6-65.

IMPORTANT

When removing the jum per wire and replacing it with the negative

(--) battery cable, follow the proce

dure given in Step 2-C above.

D. Using the battery cable as a

jumper wire, touch one end of the

cable to the solenoid terminal that is marked “B” in Sketch 6-66 or 6-67.

E. BRIEFLY touch the other end of

the cable to the solenoid term inal that is marked “C” in Sketch 6-66

or 6-67. There may be a spark when you do this. If the starter motor turns over, the solenoid is in good condition. If the starter motor didn’t turn over, the solenoid may be bad. First check to make sure

that the screws which attach the

solenoid to the battery bracket are

tight. After tightening the screws.

^JUMPER

'■T * ^

"■ I «1 r'Tw.. ' - ^

6-65; Replace negative (-) battery cable with #10 insulated jumper wire.

6-66: Earlier style solenoid is shown

above.

repeat this Step. If the starter motor still doesn’t turn over, please call our Technical Service Department for further advice.

F. If there was no spark when you

jumped the solenoid, it indicates that the battery w ill not hold a charge. You should charge the

battery (see page 56) or take the battery to a qualified battery tech nician for testing and charging.

3. Check for faulty starter motor A. You will again use the negative

(-) battery cable as a jumper wire.

B. Make sure that the W heels/

Tines/PTO Drive Lever is in

“NEUTRAL”.

6-67: Later style solenoid is shown above.

MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE

C. Touch one end of the battery cable to the solenoid terminal that is marked “B” in Sketch 6-66 or

6-67.

D. BRiEFLY touch the other end of the cable to the solenoid terminai that is marked “A” in Sketch

6-66 or 6-67. This brief touch will

likely cause a spark and should also energize the starter motor.

E. If the starter motor turns over, it means that the starter motor is

working, if there was a spark, but the starter motor didn’t turn over, then the starter motor m ay be at

fault. Call our Technical Service

Department for further advice.

4. Check for faulty wire

harness and key switch

A. If you haven’t done so already,

reinstall the negative (-) battery

6-68: Unplug receptacle from key

switch.

6-69: Use jumper wire to “Jump” key

switch wires.

TAPE

LARGE*'^^<

EYELET ■■

TW O WIRES

TO SOLENOID

BULB

1.5 VOLT “D” CELL BATTERIES

TAPE

TEST WIRE

CONNECTOR

TO KEY SWITCH

6-70: First test red wire with small eyelet, then red wire with large eyelet. Proper continuity should light the bulb.

cable that you removed in Step 2-C of these instructions. Then use the insulated #10 wire as your jumper wire in the following steps.

B. Make sure that the W heeis/ Tines/PTO Drive Lever is in “NEUTRAL”.

C. Unplug the wire harness recep tacle from the back of the key switch (Photo 6-68). Clean any cor rosion out of the five sockets on the receptacle. Next clean any cor rosion off the tabs on the back of the key switch. Reconnect the re ceptacle to the key switch and try to start the engine with the key. If it starts, you have corrected the problem. If it doesn’t start, pro ceed to the following steps.

D. Insert the ends of the #10 jumper wire into the two sockets on the receptacle that have thè red wires going to them (Photo 6-69). If the starter motor turns over when you do this, then the problem is with the key switch. If it doesn’t turn over, then the pro blem could be a faulty wire harness or a faulty key switch.

E. To test the key switch and the wire harness, you will need a con tinuity tester. If you don’t have one, you can m ake one from two “D” cell flashlight batteries, a

flashlight bulb, some wire and

some tape. Refer to Figure 6-70 to see how to m ake one.

F. To test the wiring harness:

(a) Unplug the receptacle from the

back of the key switch.

(b) Disconnect the negative (-)

battery cable from the ground

ing screw on the right side of the battery bracket and bend the cable terminal safely away from any m etal parts.

for continuity by placing the ends of the continuity tester wires at both ends of a single wire (see Figure 6-70). If the

lamp lights, electricity is flow

ing through the wire and it is okay. Repeat this step for the other red wire. Let us know if a wire doesn’t light the bulb.

(d) After testing both red wires,

reconnect the negative (-)

battery cable to the grounding screw on the battery bracket.

G. If the red w ires in the wiring

harness are okay, you may have either a faulty keyswitch or a bad ground. Call our Technical Service Department for further advice.

If the key switch doesn’t shut off the engine

There are two ways to stop the

engine on your electric start tiller:

1. Move the throttle lever on the handlebar to the “STOP position.

2. Turn the key switch to the “OFF” position.

Both m ethods stop the engine

by grounding out the ignition sys tem. If the key sw itch doesn’t work, here’s what to do: A. Inspect the green wire that leads from the key switch recepta cle to the plastic term inals shown in Photo 6-72. Push these termi

nals together to ensure a good connection. Now test if the engine will stop when the key switch is moved to the “OFF” position. If the engine doesn’t stop, proceed to the next step. B. While the engine is running, unplug the receptacle from the back of the key switch.

C. Place one end of a jumper wire (#10 or heavier insulated wire) into

the receptacle socket that the

green wire goes into. Touch the other end to the mounting screw at

the front of the battery hold-down

clamp (Photo 6-73). If the engine stops, then the key switch is faulty. If it doesn’t stop, then you may have a break somewhere in the green wire (call us if you suspect this is the problem). D. To check the key switch, re move it from its mounting bracket with large pliers or a %-inch

wrench. To shut the engine off, the

washer underneath the nut must be contacting bare metal. If the key switch decal is blocking that metal-to-metal contact, scrape

some of the decal away so that good contact is made. Reinstall the switch and check it to make sure that it will now shut the engine

off. If the switch still doesn’t work,

6-72: Make sure plastic terminals are connected securely.

6-73: Run jumper wire from single hole (for green wire) in receptacle to screw that secures hold-down clamp to battery bracket.

Storing your tiller

When your tiller won’t be used for a long period of time, you should protect it from deterioration by following these simple steps.

1. Clean the tiller and the engine.

2. Perform routine tiller lubrication and check for loose bolts and nuts.

3. Run the engine until all of the gasoline is used up. Avoid leaving gasoline in the fuel tank for long periods of time as it can form gum deposits that w ill foul the carbure tor and fuel lines.

4. While the engine is still warm, drain the engine crankcase oil. Refill with fresh oil.

5. To protect the engine’s cylinder against rust, remove the spark plug

and pour one ounce of clean en gine oil into the spark plug hole. Pull the recoil rope slowly 2 or 3

tim es to distribute the oil (avoid oil

spray from the spark plug hole

when cranking the engine over

slowly) and then replace the plug. Do not reconnect the spark plug

wire to the plug. Now, slowly pull the rope until you feel resistance; then let it rewind. A t this point, the valves are seated, which will help to prevent rust from forming in the cylinder or the valve seats.

6. Charge the battery on electric start models and store it in a cool, dry place.

7. Place the Wheels/Tines/PTO

Drive Lever in “NEUTRAL” and store the tiller in a clean, dry place.

8. Never store machine with fuel in the fuel tank inside a building where fumes m ay reach an open flame or spark, or where ignition sources are present (such as hot water and space heaters, furnaces, clothes dryers, stoves, electric motors, etc.)

9. Remember—this is a good time

to order replacement parts for the

next tilling season.

Inspect Forward Interlock Wiring System

■ AiSTEKAMCE mQ SERWiCl

Every 10 operating hours you should check the Forward Interlock wiring system to make sure that all connections are tight, and that a break in the insulation is not allow ing a bare wire to touch any metal surfaces.

1. Check the insulated wire har ness that leads from the lower ends

of the handlebars over to the wire harness connector on the top, right side of the transmission cover (see Photo 6-76). Next check that

the connector is securely m ated.

2. Check the insulated tubing that leads from the connector over to

the cast iron motor m ount/belt shroud. Check the wire that leads

TW>ubleshooting the Forward Interlock Safety System

The wiring circuit for the Forward

Interlock Safety System is de signed to ground out the engine’s ignition system , much like a spark plug shutoff clip found on many sm all engines.

There are three switches in the

circuit which, when open, allow the engine to run. One switch is lo cated on the neutral plunger tab of the cast iron motor m ount (see Photo 6-74). This switch is opened whenever the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever is in the “NEUTRAL” or “REVERSE” positions.

The other two switches are

located inside the handlebars, di rectly above the two Forward Inter lock Levers (see Photo 6-75). The

switches are wired in series so

that when either one is opened (by

squeezing one of the Forward Inter lock Levers), the engine will run.

There is a fourth switch that is

located in the wiring harness con nector on the top, right side of the transm ission cover (see Photo 6-76). This switch warns you if the connection is not m ated by not allowing the engine to run while the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever is in “FORWARD”.

There are only a few things that

could go wrong with a simple cir cuit such as this:

1. A broken or disconnected wire could create an open circuit and allow the engine to run without

from the tubing over to the switch assembly mounted on top of the tab on the cast iron motor mount/ belt shroud (see Photo 6-74). Then check the second wire that leads to the throttle cable mounting bracket on the right side, for ward portion of the engine.

your having to squeeze one of the Forw ard Interlock Levers.

2. A bare wire that touches any part of the tiller or engine could

ground out the engine’s ignition,

regardless of the position of the

switches. This, of course, would

prevent the engine from running.

3. A switch that has failed inter nally or that is not being actuated mechanically m ay act as an open

switch and allow the engine to run. Or, it m ay act as a ground and

prevent the engine from running.

Please refer to the troubleshoot

ing chart on page 62 if your sys

tem is not operating correctly.

6-74: Neutral plunger switch.

6-75: Forward interlock Levers.

6-76: Wiring harness connector.

if ^ /^<y/

■p ff* >

CHECK OR TEST

(Check or test in sequence shown

until problem is resolved.)

Throttle lever in “START” position

Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever in “NEUTRAL” position X 9

Forw ard Interlock Wire Harness connector securely mated X

Forw ard Interlock Levers not being squeezed prior to shifting Wheels/

Tines/PTO Drive Lever to

“FORWARD” position X 10

Visually inspect for bare, broken

or disconnected wires

Check handlebar wire harness

Check transmission wire harness X X 63

Checking the Handlebar Wiring Harness

The purpose of this test is to see

that there is a continuous circuit

between the term inals on the han dlebar wiring harness interlock plug and the switches and wires inside the handlebars.

1. To perform this test you will need a continuity m eter (volt-ohm

X 14

X X 61

X X 62

multitester) or a simple batterypowered continuity tester, such as

the one shown on page 59 of this

Manual.

2. After unplugging the wiring har

ness connector, place the leads

from your tester into the two termi

nal holes in the interlock plug (see

Photo 6-77). The tester bulb should glow. Now momentarily squeeze

- ^

///“^

each of the Forward Interlock

Levers, one at a tim e. The bulb

should go out as either lever is squeezed.

If the bulb did not glow during this test, it indicates a possible broken wire, or a wire that has pulled loose from one of the switches in the handlebars.

3. Remove one switch at a time

(see “Switch Removal” instructions further on), and check the two wires on each switch for a tight connection. (The wires may be attached to either terminal on the switch. However, the longer (red) wire should be attached to the top of the switch.) After checking the connections, check for continuity between the two term inal holes In

the interlock plug as described in

Step 2 above. When making this test, the tiny switch plunger (shown in Photo 6-78) on both switches must be depressed either w ith your finger or by the interlock lever.

4. If the bulb still doesn’t glow, you

should rem ove the wires from the switch. Then touch the leads from

your tester to the two terminals on the switch and press the tiny switch plunger (see Photo 6-78).

«iv.. r->

6-77: Test continuity between terminals.

y-r

PLUNGER

6-78: Test switch terminals while depressing switch plunger.

The bulb should glow when the

plunger is depressed. If it doesn’t,

the switch is bad and it shouid be

replaced.

5. While the connector is still

apart, check from each terminal

hole to any bare metal on the han

dlebar (see Photo 6-79). The bulb

should not glow. If it does, there is

a short to ground either from a

bare wire or from a wire that has pulled free of the switch and is

touching m etal.

If this test indicates an open cir

cuit or a short to ground, replace the handlebar wire harness.

MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE

6-79: Test from each terminal hole to bare metal on handlebar.

Removing the Forward Interlock Lever Switch

1. Remove the E-ring from the lever m ounting shaft (see Photo 6-80). As you rem ove the E-ring, cup your hand around it so you don’t lose it (it may fly off due to spring tension).

6-80: Remove E-ring.

2. Remove the mounting shaft and the lever (see Photo 6-81).

6-81: Remove shaft and lever.

3. Remove the screw in the bot

tom of the switch and remove the

switch (see Photo 6-82).

.»i

6-82: Remove screw and switch.

Checking the Transmission Wiring Harness

1. To perform this test you will need a continuity m eter (volt-ohm multitester) or a simple batterypowered continuity tester such as

the one shown on page 59 of this

Manual.

2. Unplug the wiring harness con

nector located on the top, right

side of the transmission cover.

3. Remove the red transmission harness wire from the engine (see

Photos 6-83 or 6-84). This is the wire that leads back to the con

nector. Replace the other wire on the engine terminal, tightening the screw securely. Make certain that the transmission harness w ire doesn’t touch any metal for the

remainder of this test.

^ m

-If'".

HARNESS

WIRE

6-83: Remove red harness wire from

7HP Briggs & Stratton engine.

HARNESS

WIRE

6-84: Remove red harness wire from

8HP Kohler engine.

4. Place the W heels/Tines/PTO

Drive Lever in “NEUTRAL”.

5. Place one lead from your tester on the outboard connector pin and

place the other lead on the term i nal of the wire that you just dis

connected from the engine (see Photo 6-85). The tester bulb should glow. If it doesn’t, replace the trans mission wiring harness. NOTE: The harness includes the connector half and the prewired neutral switch.

6. Place the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever in the “FORW ARD” position.

7. Test from the inboard pin to any bare metal on the transmis sion (see NOTE below). The bulb should glow. If it doesn’t, remove the neutral switch (see “Removing Neutral Switch”) and check the surfaces between the switch and the motor mount. It should be clean and free of paint or corrosion. Re install the sw itch after completing

this inspection and test the inboard

pin again. NOTE; Do not ground the test wire to the rotating washer as shown in Photo 6-86 (oil on the inside edge of the washer m ay interfere with the electrical current). Instead, find another spot of bare metal on the top or side of the transmission to use as a ground.

iii--

" 'T

i: S:

■ * n V

'.in .1 , S'« 1« ^-.

mzi

6-85: Test outboard pin to engine wire terminai

-' i'- ’

6-86: Test inboard pin to bare metai on transmission (do not use washer shown in photo).

*'7

Removing the Neutral Switch

1. Place the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever in “FORWARD”.

2. Hold the top half of the switch with a %" wrench and loosen the

hex nut underneath with an 11/16"

wrench. (See Photo 6-87).

3. Remove the hex nut and external-tooth lockwasher and lift

the switch out from the top of the

motor mount.

4. The surfaces between the

switch and the motor m ount serve as an electrical ground. Make cer tain that the surfaces are clean and free of any paint or corrosion.

6-87: Hold top of switch and loosen hex nut below.

SECTION 7: Tr@àiblesii&0ting

The following pages list possible

Droblems that you might encoun ter with your tiller or engine. If you don’t find a particular problem here, or if you don't understand the possibie solutions, please let LIS know so that we can help you.

Please note that the possible

causes and solutions for each probiem are not necessariiy listed according to their frequency of occurrence, in other words, the cause or the solution to your prob

iem may be the first, or the last

item given for each probiem.

PROBLEM

WHAT TO DO AND REFERENCE WHAT TO DO AND REFERENCE

1. WHEELS/TINES/PTO DRIVE LEVER: A. Lever does not stay in “FORWARD”.

e Drive beit may be too tight. Raise belt adjust

ment block a little. See Section 6.

e Clutch pawl spring at end of iever m ay be

overstretched. Install new spring.

B. Lever hard to shift into “REVERSE”.

e Check reverse disc for wear. See Section 6. e Check adjustment of reverse disc and/or

reverse spring and plunger assembly. See Sec

tion 6.

e Clean and re-lubricate motor mount bars,

belt adjustment block and linkages on lever. See Section 6.

C. Tiiier stays in “REVERSE” when

lever is released.

e Lubricate motor mount bars, belt adjustment

block and linkages on lever. See Section 6.

• Check adjustment of reverse spring and plunger. See Section 6. If problem continues,

contact Technical Service Department.

A WARNING

To help avoid personal injury, stop the engine, rem ove the electric start

key, disconnect the spark piug

wire, and let the engine and muffler cool before performing any trouble shooting checks or m aintenance.

PROBLEM

2. WHEEL SPEED LEVER: A. Lever hard to shift, or sticks in “RkST” or “SLOW” wheei gear positions.

e Lubricate eccentric lever at rear of power

unit transm ission. See Photo 7-1. If rust is pres ent, use penetrating oil and work eccentric lever back and forth by hand.

e Lubricate linkage that connects W heel Speed

Lever to eccentric lever. See Photo 7-1.

Clutch inside transmission may be binding.

Disconnect linkage from eccentric lever and work eccentric lever by hand. If difficult or im possible to m ove, it may be due to a damaged keyway on the wheel shaft. Contact Technical Service Department.

S Lubricate washers and Castle N ut on pivot of lever. If necessary, remove roll pin and back nut off one flat (1/6-turn). Replace roll pin and test

movem ent.

D. Lever sticks in “FORWARD”.

e Lubricate motor mount bars, belt adjustment

block and linkages on lever. See Section 6. If problem continues, contact Technical Service Department.

E. Lever hard to shift into “FORWARD”.

e Follow advice for Problem 1-D. Also check

for possible bent m otor m ount bar that could be binding in engine mount holes.

. CONNECTING

' -t" ROD

7-1: Check connecting rod, shifting linkage and eccentric lever.

PROBLEM

WHAT TO DO AND REFERENCE

PROBLEM

WHAT TO DO AND REFERENCE

B. Lever shifts into “FAST” wheel gear, but not into “SLOW” wheel gear.

• Connecting rod at end of lever m ight be

backwards, or bent in toward transmission hous ing and hitting it. Other shifting linkage might be bent. Straighten or replace linkage. See Photo 7-1.

• Clutch inside transmission may be binding.

See Problem 2-A.

C. Lever moves freely, but won’t shift in or out of gear.

e Eccentric shifting pin inside transmission may be broken (rare) or worn. Disconnect linkage from eccentric lever and try moving eccentric lever by hand. See Photo 7-1. If lever moves easily, contact Technical Service Departm ent.

3. WHEELS AND TINES WON’T TURN

• Review operation of controls. See Sections 3

and 4.

• Check condition and adjustment of drive belt

and reverse disc. See Section 6.

• Mounting bolt for transmission drive pulley may be loose. (See Photo 6-1 on page 37). If so, drive belt or reverse disc will turn pulley, but pulley won’t turn main drive shaft.

• Worm gears that drive wheel and tiller shafts may be worn.

4. WHEELS TURN, BUT TINES WON’T

• Tines/PTO Clutch Lever must be in “ENGAGE” position. See Section 3.

• Tines/PTO Clutch Lever may need adjusting.

• Key for “dog” clutch on tine attachment m ain drive shaft may be missing or broken.

• W orm gears that drive tine shaft may be

worn.

• Keys that hold tine holders to tine shaft may be missing or broken. To check, remove hold ers. See Section 6.

• Key for bronze worm gear on tine attachment main drive shaft may be missing or broken.

5. TINES TURN, BUT WHEELS WON’T

• Check operation of W heel Speed Lever. See

Problem 2.

• Hi-Pro key inside wheel clutch may be miss

ing or broken. If so, clutch will not turn wheel shaft.

• “FAST” and “SLOW” speed wheel gears may

be worn. If only one gear is worn, there will only be one wheel speed.

• W orm gear that drives pinion shaft and pin

ion gears may be worn.

• “FAST” and “SLOW” speed pinion gears may be worn. If only one gear is worn, there will only be one wheel speed.

• Drive “dogs” on sides of wheel clutch may be worn or broken. If only one side of clutch is

affected, there will only be one wheel speed.

6. WHEELS AND TINES TURN ON TOP OF GROUND, BUT STOP OR HESITATE IN SOIL

• Drive belt may be loose. See Section 6.

• Mounting bolt for transmission drive pulley

may be loose. See Photo 6-1 on page 37.

7. TILLER JUMPS WHILE TILLING

• Depth Regulator Lever set too deep for soil

conditions. Lower lever for shallower setting.

• Engine throttle speed too fast.

• Tiller wheel speed too fast for soil conditions.

Change to “LOW” belt range or “SLOW” wheel speed.

8. DEPTH REGULATOR LEVER

DIFFICULT TO MOVE

• Lubricate spring assembly and depth adjust ment bar. See Section 6.

• Check for bent depth adjustm ent bar.

9. WHEEL AND SHAFT MOVE OUT TO ONE SIDE

• Snap ring on wheel shaft m ay be dislodged

from its groove. Raise wheels off ground and

check for back and forth play in shaft. If there is play, one or both snap rings are loose.

TPOyBLESHOOTiUCI

PROBLEM

WHAT TO DO AND REFERENCE WHAT TO DO AND REFERENCE

10. TINE HOLDER BOLT BREAKS OR LOOSENS

• Check that tine holder keys are in keyways of tine shaft. Without key in holder, left side tine boit will tighten and break; right side boit will loosen. See Section 6.

11. TILLER PULLS TO ONE SIDE

• Check air pressure in tires. See Section 6.

12. POOR TRACTION

• Bar tread tires, tire chains, or wheei weights

may be needed. See Section 9.

13. GEAR OIL LEAK FROM POWER

UNIT OR TINE ATTACHMENT TRANSMISSIONS

• See Section 6.

14. ENGINE LACKS POWER

• Air cleaner restricted with dirt and/or oil. See

Section 6.

• Spark plug wire loose or dam aged. Spark

plug worn or fouled. See Section 6.

• Engine under excessive work ioad. Use

“SLOW ” wheel speed and “LOW” belt range.

• Throttle cable could be loose or misadjusted.

See Section 6.

• Make sure engine isn’t running with choke

partially engaged. See Section 3.

• Carburetor m ight need adjustment. See Sec

tion 6.

• Engine overheating. Check oil level, clean

cooling fins. Oil may be dirty. Allow hot engine to cool before restarting.

• Dirt or water in fuel or fuel system.

• Engine crankcase low in oil, or over

full. Check oil level.

• Low engine com pression. See Problem 25.

PROBLEM

15. ENGINE HARD STARTING

• W heels/Tines/PTO D rive Lever not in

“NEUTRAL”.

• Fuel tank low or empty.

• Dirt or w ater in fuel or fuel system.

• Fuel line restricted.

• Choke not set properly. See Section 3.

• Spark plug worn or fouled (weak spark). See

Section 6.

• Air cleaner restricted with dirt and/or oil. See

Section 6.

• Throttle cable not properly adjusted. See

Section 6.

Engine throttle lever not free to move full

distance.

0 Throttle wire and linkage binding, or bent

and not free to move.

Low engine compression. See Problem 25.

16. ENGINE WON’T START

See “Troubleshooting the Forward Interlock

Safety System” in Section 6.

Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever not in “NEU

TRAL”

Fuel tank low or em pty.

Fuel line restricted or clogged.

Choke not set properly. See Section 3.

Water or dirt in fuel, and/or fuel system.

Spark plug fouled or worn. Spark plug wire

loose or damaged. See Section 6.

Carburetor m ight need adjustment See Sec

tion 6.

Air filter clogged with oil or dirt. See Section 6.

Carburetor float faulty (or float valve leaking)

—if so, tap side of bowl lightly with handle of screwdriver.

Stale fuel—won’t vaporize properly, gums up

carburetor float, channels and valves. Drain and add new fuel.

Fuel tank shut-off valve not in “Open” position.

See Section 2.

Electric Start Engines Only:

Electrical connections loose or shorted

against metal frames, brackets or covers. See

Section 6.

Battery discharged. See Section 6.

Electric starter motor faulty. See Problem 30.

PROBLEM

WHAT TO DO AND REFERENCE

PROBLEM

WHAT TO DO AND REFERENCE

17. ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHEN

WHEELS/TINESAPTO DRIVE LEVER IS IN “FORWARD”

• See “Troubleshooting the Forward Interlock

Safety System” in Section 6.

18. ENGINE DOES NOT SHUT OFF WHEN FORWARD INTERLOCK LEVERS ARE RELEASED WHILE WHEELS/TINES/PTO DRIVE LEVER IS IN “FORWARD”

• See “Troubleshooting the Forward Interlock

Safety System” in Section 6.

19. ENGINE IDLES TOO FAST

• Carburetor may need adjustment. See Sec

tion 6.

• Check throttle cable adjustment. See Section

• Check throttle linkage for freedom of motion.

20. ENGINE WON’T IDLE AT ALL

• Carburetor may need adjustment. See Sec

tion 6.

21. ENGINE HAS SLOW RECOVERY

AFTER ABRUPTLY MOVING THROTTLE

FROM IDLE TO HIGH SPEED

• Carburetor may need adjustment. See Sec

tion 6.

22. ENGINE STALLS (WITHOUT LOAD)

• Cold engine, allow few minutes warm -up time

before moving tiller.

• Fuel line restricted or blocked.

• Carburetor m ay need adjustm ent. See Sec

tion 6.

• Loose ignition system connections. *1.

23. ENGINE OVERHEATS

• Clean engine cooling fins, shroud and cov

ers. See Section 6.

• Check for broken flywheel fins (under engine

shroud). *1.

• Check oil level for too much or too little oil.

24. ENGINE BLOWS BLACK SMOKE

• Carburetor set for too rich a mixture. Lean

out. See Section 6.

• Air filter may be clogged.

• Choke may be in “FULL CHOKE” setting.

Return to “CHOKE OFF”.

25. LOW COMPRESSION

• Pull recoil starter rope a few inches

until you feel resistance. Judge if amount of resistance you feel is norm al. *1.

• Blown head gasket, or loose head

bolts— check two bolts nearest muffler first.

‘1.

• Valve stuck open, no real compression.

*1.

• Excessive piston ring wear. *1.

26. ENGINE BACKFIRES

• Check spark plug gap. See Section 6.

• Mixture too lean, adjust carburetor. See Sec

tion 6.

• Loose cylinder head, or head gasket leak. *1.

• Loose carburetor or intake adaptor plate.

*1 See authorized engine service dealer.

TROUBLESHOOTING

PROBLEM

WHAT TO DO AND REFERENCE

27. ENGINE RUNS ERRATICALLY

• W ater or dirt in gasoline or carburetor.

• Carburetor may need adjustment. See Sec

tion 6.

• Spark plug fouled or dirty. Spark plug wire

loose or damaged. See Section 6.

• Loose or cracked carburetor.

• Governor linkage not adjusted properly, or

binding. *1 Do not attempt to service by yourself.

• Governor not functioning properly. *1 Do not

attempt to service by yourself.

28. ENGINE CONSUMES EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL

• Piston rings worn, broken or not installed

properly. Dirt might be getting through carbure

tor to engine. *1.

• Check pan gasket, engine seals and drain

plugs for leaks. *1.

PROBLEM

WHAT TO DO AND REFERENCE

31. ENGINE WONT RECHARGE BATTERY

• Battery won’t take or hold a charge. Have it

tested by a qualified battery technician.

• Recharging line diode or engine stator might be defective. *1.

• Battery recharging wire may be loose or broken.

32. BATTERY GETS HOT AND/OR FOAMS

• Battery acid level low. See Section 6.

• Battery acid level too high (foams). See Sec

tion 6.

29. ENGINE RUNS WELL, BUT LABORS UNDER TILLER LOAD

• Check governor linkage for freedom of

movem ent.

• Check throttle setting and carburetor ad

justment.

• Tilling depth possibly too deep, lower adjust

ment bar.

• Possible worn bronze tiller worm gear or

loose drive shaft (on well-used tiller).

30. KEY SWITCH WILL NOT

START ENGINE

• Check battery terminals for corrosion. See

Section 6.

• Discharged battery. See Section 6.

• Defective solenoid. See Section 6.

• Short in key switch or key switch w ire har

ness. See Section 6.

• Check starter motor mounting bolts for

looseness.

• Have engine service dealer inspect starter

motor.

We’re here to serve you!

We want to hear from you if you have any

questions or problems concerning your tiller.

Simply call our Technical Service Department

for prompt, efficient service.

*1 See authorized engine service deaier.

SECTION 8:

TILLER SPECIFICATIONS

HEIGHT

(Approximate minimum heights) With handiebars in iowest setting:

37’/,"*

With handiebars in highest setting:

49У2"*

Without handiebars: 33’/, " * *

* Tines resting on ground.

* * Measured from knob on Wheeis/

Tines/PTO Drive Lever to ground.

LENGTH

(Approximate minimum iengths) With handiebars: 60 " Without handiebars: 56’/г "

WIDTH

Hood width: 22\ "

Tilling width: 20"

WEIGHT

(Approximate weights of assem bled and oiled tillers, less gasoline and shipping containers) 7 HP Recoil Start Model: 284 lbs.* 7 HP Electric Start Model: 310 lbs.* 8 HP Recoil Start M odel: 296 lbs. 8 HP Electric Start Model: 324 lbs. * Add 2-3 lbs. if equipped with bar

tread tires.

TRANSMISSION

Consists of two separate trans

missions, the Power Unit trans mission and the Tine Attachm ent transm ission. Both transmissions

WHEEL AND TINE SPEEDS

At 3000 RPM (Revolutions Per Minute) engine speed, the wheel

and tine speeds are:

WHEEL SPEED

BELT

POSITION

Low Range Low Range High Range High Range

LEVER

POSITION

Slow .5 MPH 146 RPM Fast Slow Fast 1.72 MPH 200 RPM

are encased in cast iron housings and operate in separate baths of gear oil. The housings are securely connected by a locking collar, a dowel pin, and two large sw ingbolts. By loosening the swing-bolts, the Power Unit can be discon nected from the Tine Attachm ent and used as a separate power source for optional powered and non-powered PTO attachments.

TRANSMISSION GEAR OIL

Small Top-Offs: SAE140, SAE

85W-140, orSAE80W-90 with API

rating of GL-3 or GL-5.

Full Replacement: SAE 140 or

SAE 85W -140 with API rating of

GL-3 only.

Power Unit G ear Oil Capacity;

Approximately 60 oz., but use oil

level check hole as final guide.

Tine Attachm ent Gear Oil Capa

city: Approximately 16 oz., but use transm ission dipstick as final guide.

WHEELS

Single piece steel; 8" diameter.

TIRES

7 HP Model comes equipped

with 4:80 x 8" diamond tread tires

(bar tread tires are optional.).

8 HP M odel comes equipped

with 4:80 x 8" bar tread tires.

Air pressure: 10 to 20 psi.

WHEEL TINE

SPEED SPEED

1.2 M PH .7 MPH 200 RPM

146 RPM

7 HP BRIGGS & STRATTON

ENGINE SPECIFICATIONS

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Four-cycle, single cylinder,

L-head, air cooled, horizontal

crankshaft engine. Industrial/ Commercial (l/C) rated, with cast iron bore. Recoil start with com

pression release is standard. Key electric start, w ith 12-volt battery and automatic recharging during engine operation, is optional. Tran sistorized electronic ignition sys tem eliminates the need for points and condenser.

HORSEPOWER

7 HP(16.8 Cubic Inch Displace

ment).

MODELS

Recoil Start: 171432—Type 0529 Electric Start: 171437—Type 0530

ENGINE WEIGHTS

(Approximate) Recoil Start: 47 lbs. Electric Start: 51 lbs.

FUEL SYSTEM

Side-mounted fuel tank with 1 gallon capacity. Equipped with fuel tank shut-off valve located below fuel tank.

FUEL

Clean, fresh, lead-free automo tive gasoline is recommended. Leaded gasoline may be used if unleaded is unavailable. Use gaso line that has a minimum octane rating of 77. Do not use gasoline containing Methanol. The use of gasoline which contains alcohol (such as gasohol) is not recom mended. If using gasohol, refer to the Briggs & Stratton Operating and Maintenance Instructions booklet for specific cautions and recommendations for this type of

fuel.

8 HP KOHLER MAGNUM ENGINE SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATiOMS

MOTOR OIL

See Section 6 for recomm ended

service classifications and viscosi ties. Oil sump capacity is approxi mately 2% pints, however always be sure to add enough oil so that it is to the point of overflow in the oil fill tube. Dual oil fill tubes and dual oil drain plugs.

SPARK PLUG

Spark plug gap: .030". Type:

Champion CJ8 or Autolite 235. In some areas, local law requires the use of a resistor spark plug.

If your engine was originally

equipped with this type of plug,

use one of the following plugs

for replacement: Resistor Short

Plug: Champion RCJ8 or Autolite 245; Resistor Long Plug: Cham pion RJ8 or Autolite 306.

BEARINGS

Ball bearings are used at both

ends of crankshaft.

AIR CLEANER

Advanced two-stage air cleaner with automotive type paper fiber element covered by oil-soaked foam precleaner. Cover is chrome

plated.

GOVERNOR

Mechanical type.

BREATHER

Installed through air cleaner.

CHOKE

Manually operated at engine.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Four-cycle, single cylinder, air

cooled, horizontal crankshaft en gine. Advanced design features

low profile, m odular configuration. Cast iron engine block, flywheel and camshaft. Cylinder can be re bored several tim es to extend en gine life, if ever necessary. Recoil start with Automatic Compression Release is standard. Key electric start, with 12-volt battery and auto matic recharging during engine operation, is optional. Solid state inductive electronic ignition sys tem eliminates the need for ignition tune-ups.

HORSEPOWER

8 HP (18.6 Cubic Inch Displace ment). Bore: 2.94 inches. Stroke:

2.75 inches.

MODELS

Recoil Start: M8T-PS301512 Electric Start: M8ST-PS301513

ENGINE WEIGHTS

(Approximate) Recoil Start: 69 lbs. Electric Start: 71 ibs.

FUEL SYSTEM

Side-mounted fuel tank with

Vk gallon capacity. Cam-driven

fuel pump for positive fuel deliv ery. Plastic tank prevents rust and corrosion.

FUEL

Fresh, clean, unleaded regular automotive gasoline with a pum p sticker octane rating of 87 or higher. (Leaded “regular” grade gasoline is an acceptable sub stitute.)

MOTOR OIL

See Section 6 for recomm ended

service classifications and vis cosities. Oil sump capacity is ap proximately 32 oz., but always use the dipstick as a final guide.

SPARK PLUG

Spark plug gap: .025".

Type: Champion RCJ-8 or equi valent. If engine is equipped with a Champion RJ-17LM resistor spark

plug, it should be replaced with an RJ-17LM plug only.

CRANKSHAFT

Heat-treated ductile iron with integral counterweights. Rotation is counterclockwise when viewed from PTO (Power Take Off) end.

BEARINGS

Ball bearings are used at both

ends of crankshaft.

VALVE TRAIN COMPONENTS

High carbon steel intake valve. Stellite® faced exhaust valve and exhaust valve seat insert, w ith valve rotator.

AIR CLEANER

Two-stage air cleaner with dry type paper element covered by oilsoaked foam precleaner.

GOVERNOR

Precision mechanical flyweight

type.

BREATHER

Closed crankcase ventilation

breather system keeps dirt and dust from entering crankcase.

CHOKE

Manually operated at engine.

SECTION 9:

The following pages show the

optional attachments and accesso ries that are available for use with

your tiller or power unit as of the

date this Manual was printed. Please take a few minutes to read

these pages. You m ay find just the

item you need to save you hours

TROY-BILT® Hiller/Furrower Attachment

The Hiller/Furrower is our m ost popular attachment because it has so many uses both in and out of

the garden. Featuring “instant on-

off’ versatility, the attachment can be switched from a furrower to a hiller, and back again, in just

seconds—and without tools. It mounts to the rear of the depth

regulator mounting bracket, as

shown in Photo 9-1.

The furrower blade can easily

be adjusted with the depth regula tor to only scratch the surface for making rows to plant peas, beans, and other seeds set close to the surface. Lower the furrower (as

deep as 8 inches) and quickly dig trenches for transplants like toma toes, celery, peppers, cabbages, asparagus, m elons and straw berries. You can also use the fur rower to dig ditches for drainage or irrigation projects, for laying underground pipes, and for trench composting.

With the hiller wings attached, it can be used to cover and kill weeds, side-dress plants, cover potatoes or seeds planted in a fur row, and make raised bed gardens. The hiller wings handle rows from 30 to 40 inches apart.

of work ... or to accomplish spe cific tasks in your garden or around

your home.

Custom Tilling Tines

Our standard Bolo Tines do a

great job and are m ore than ade quate for m ost TROY-BILT® Tiller owners. But if you do custom tilling for long hours—or if your soil is extra rocky, gritty, or sandy— you’ll

find the V4-inch thick, hard-faced

Custom Tilling Tines will be well

worth the extra dollars they cost.

See Photo 9-2.

Made from a special cast, high

chrome carbon alloy, these hard-

faced tines better resist the severe

abrasive action of rocky, gritty soil as com pared to the standard Bolo

Tines— and can last up to 2V2 times

longer.

The tines come with easy-to-

follow assem bly instructions and

mount to the Bolo Tine holders

that came factory installed on your

tiller.

l'.-

9-1: Hiller/Furrower attachment.

CUSTOM TINE STANDARD TINE

9-2: Use Custom Tilling Tines in

tougher soils.

TROY-BILT® Row Marker Attachment

If you like straight, neat, picture-

perfect rows in your garden, then you’ll enjoy owning a Row Marker Attachment— see Photo 9-3. It

hooks up quickly to the H iller/

Furrower Attachment and elimin

ates the need for string, stakes,

and measuring tape.

Neat, even rows not only make weeding and harvesting easier, they also make your garden more

attractive and allow you to make maximum use of your available space. And, you’ll appreciate the straight rows even more if you lay out furrows, dig compost trenches, or make raised beds.

9-3: Use Row Marker Attachment for straight, neat rows.

The Row Marker arm extends

from 28” to 49%", allowing you to vary the width between rows ac

cording to the crop you’re planting.

Width adjustment takes only a few

seconds and requires no tools.

-iff-

. J' ..

TROY-BILT® Wrap-Around Bumper/Guard

The heavy-duty Wrap-A round Bumper/Guard com es as an extra bonus when you buy the complete Dozer/Snow Blade Attachment, or it can be ordered separately. Either way, it’s a soiid investment in en gine protection.

As shown in Photo 9-4, the bumper wiil protect the engine against damage from all sorts of blows (we’ve tested it under the worst conditions to make sure it protects the carburetor and the blower housing— and it does). The wrap-around design encloses and

protects your carburetor against such m ishaps as bumping into trees, fences, posts, garage and

barn doorways, stone walls and

parked vehicles. The cost of re

placing a carburetor today can be well worth the protection provided

by the bum per. In addition, the

bumper also protects the engine’s

entire blower housing including the

recoil starter assembly.

Besides protecting your tiller

from bumps and scrapes, the

bumper is also useful as a handy

tie-down in a trailer or pickup truck. And, it’s a comfortable,

secure handhold for pulling or lift ing the tiller.

The bumper is made of one-

inch, high-strength, steel tubing,

welded for maximum strength. The width of the bumper is 22V2".

9-4: The Bumper/Guard prevents engine damage from accidental mishaps.

Installing the bumper is easy

with the simple step-by-step in structions provided— no special skills needed. And, if you decide to

purchase a D ozer/Snow Blade later, we have a special kit which includes easy-to-follow instruc

tions for attaching the blade.

TROY-BILT® Dozer/Snow Blade Attachment

The Dozer/Snow Blade is a ver

satile “hom estead helper”. In the winter, the blade will move a foot or more of light snow, or 6 to 8 inches of heavy, wet snow. At other tim es of the year, it can be used for moving or spreading sand, gravel, loose dirt, grain, sawdust, fodder, mulches and m anures. It’s also an ideal tool for medium-duty land scaping, and for backfilling trenches—especially in tight quarters where larger equipment won’t fit.

As shown in Photo 9-5, the blade attaches to the front of the WrapAround Bumper Guard. W hen the blade is removed, the bumper guard stays in place, offering pro tection to the engine from acciden tal bumps against doors, fences and trees.

Of course, the tiller and blade is not a bulldozer meant to cut into unbroken soil or push very heavy

9-5: The Dozer/Snow Blade Attachment includes the Wrap-Around

Bumper Guard.

loads ... but it’s a great investment

at a very reasonable price! You

can set the blade at any one of five positions: straight ahead or at

either of tw o angles on the right or

left so you can do special jobs

faster and better. W ith this flexibility.

you can move snow to either side of a walk, or backfill in one pass. Changing the blade angle in sec onds is simply a matter of remov ing a pin and changing positions.

The blade weighs 41 lbs. and

measures 15 "x 32".

Wheel Weights

Wheel weights increase traction

and reduce wheel slippage by con centrating extra weight directly on

the wheels. See Photo 9-6. As an

added benefit, they also help to stabilize the tiller in rough terrain or in hard tilling conditions.

The weights are shipped empty

and can be filled with a variety of materials including concrete, sand, gravel, scrap iron, etc.

To install the weights you will have to drill two holes in the wheels (using a common, % " drill

bit). Detailed instructions accom

pany each set of wheel weights.

TROY-BILT® Tire Chains

When extra traction is needed because of certain soil conditions or when snowplowing, the use of

tire chains can be very helpful

(Photo 9-7). The chains fit either

standard or bar tread tires and

can be installed in minutes. They’re

especially recommended for use when plowing snow, or if you do custom garden tilling, where you’ll likely meet a variety of soil conditions.

yy~ - '.-.S

9-6. Wheel weights increase traction.

9-7: Standard tread tire with chains.

Bar Tread Tires

Bar tread tires have deep, agri

cultural style traction grips and are particularly helpful in soft, muddy or sandy soils. These tubeless, pneumatic tires come mounted on single piece steel wheels, ready for installation on your tiller. See Photo 9-8.

шштшЕшт то accessories

9-8: Bar Tread tire fits all HORSE

Models.

TROY-BILT® Tow Hitch Attachment

You can convert your tiller into a tractor-type hauling unit in no time with the Tow Hitch Attachment. As shown in Photo 9-9, the Tow Hitch connects quickly to the rear of the Power Unit and comes with a

heavy-duty pin and dust caps.

This is a standard-type Tow Hitch

which can be used for pulling at tachments such as the Sweep Cul tivator. You m ay also wish to use it to attach other equipment you may

have, such as a lawn roller, a four-

wheel shredder, a drag mat har

row, or other implements that handle well and safely behind the Power Unit. The maximum load ca pacity of the Tow Hitch is 400 lbs.

The Tow Hitch should be used

only with attachments that have a double-tongue connection. Attach ments with only a single-tongue connection should not be used because they allow the Power Unit to tip excessively forward or back ward, and make it hard to control. All TROY-BILT non-powered at tachments have double-tongue connections.

TROY-BILT® pro Chipper/Shredder

The TROY-BILT® PTO Chipper/

Shredder provides a convenient, easy m eans of cleaning up un sightly brush piles and other or ganic matter on your property, with

the added bonus of providing an

unending supply of useful wood chips, mulch and compost for your landscaping and gardening needs.

See Photo 9-10.

The unit hooks up quickly to your tiller and goes easily wherever your tiller can go. The swivel wheel on the back of the unit rotates for extra maneuverability, and when

you’ve finished your chores, the

unit stands by itself on its own built-in stand.

The unit will handle limbs up to 3" in diameter and tough stalks and vines that are thicker than 1"

in diam eter, in addition to all man-

9-9: The Tow Hitch attaches to back of Power Unit.

ner of organic material including leaves, grass, weeds, brush, paper

and sod.

9-10: The PTO Chipper/Shredder.

TROY-BILT® Log Splitter

The TROY-BILT® Log Splitter

provides you w ith a convenient and

easy m eans of splitting large quan tities of wood. When hooked-up to the Power Unit’s PTO ciutch, the

tiller’s engine runs the splitter’s

hydraulic pump, providing you with

13 tons of steady, unhurried and predictable splitting force (see Photo 9-11). As an added benefit, the power-driven m obility provided by the Power Unit allow s you to move the splitter to and from your woodpile, over to a neighbor’s place, or along the woodpile to a fresh supply of logs.

The Log Splitter has many topof-the-line features including: 15second splitting cycle, all the way forward and back; two-stage hy draulic pump that automatically shifts into “low gear” to provide

9-11: The Log Splitter produces 13 tons of hydraulic pressure.

four times as m uch pressure on tough-to-split pieces; slim-cut wedge design that will split even the greenest, stringiest elm; and an auto-control valve that allows the ram to make the return stroke

by itself. It will handle log sizes up

to 26" long.

You can expect to split about half a cord per hour working aione, and up to a full cord if you have a helper and don’t stop to stack.

V ' r - 1

TROY-BILT® Generator

The TROY-BILT® Generator can be attached to your Power Unit to provide remote electrical pow er for many portable tools around your home and property. The Generator delivers 2600 w atts at 60 hz with

the 7 and 8 HP engines. See Photo

9-12.

The ability to m ove your Power Unit and Generator from one loca

tion to another is a unique and

particularly handy feature. Here are

just a few of its possible uses: operate power tools for repair jobs; bring power to a building site for

saws, drills, etc.; run a pump to drain a pond or tank; light an out

door area for night work; use

hedge trimmers, weed trimmers, sprayers, etc. around your grounds

and orchard.

It can also be used as an emer

gency standby generator to pro vide 120 and 240 volt pow er for a

lim ited number of household appli ances, provided proper electricai connections have been installed by a com petent electrical contrac

tor. NOTE: The unit m ust not be left

unattended unless protected from access by a padlocked fence.

Specifications include: 120/240-

volt capacity; built-in voitage regu

lator (to protect sensitive appli

ances); built-in frequency meter; three receptacles (one 240 V, 10.8 am ps., and two 120 V, 21.7 am ps.).

9-12: Take portable electric power where you need it with the TROY-BILT® Generator.

Sweep Cultivator Attachment

The Sweep Cultivator is a spesialized tool designed for betweenrow cultivation of crops. Instead of stirring the soil, it slices through iust below the surface to eliminate practically any weeds in its path.

As shown in Photo 9-13, the Sweep m ounts easily to the Tow Hitch Attachment at the rear of the ^ower Unit. The blade is made of

ligh carbon, heat treated steel and

•neasures 2" wide (overall wing span is 20").

The unique way the Sweep works, skimming along just underleath the soil’s surface without :urning the soil over, makes this :he ideal tool for use in dry, dusty conditions where it is important to

keep soil disturbance to a mini

mum . And, because of its 20" wide

cutting path, it does an effective cultivating job at a fast speed.

The Sweep naturally cultivates shallow, which helps to prevent weed seeds from being brought to the soil’s surface. This shallow cultivation feature also means there’s less chance of damaging the roots of your vegetables. For deeper or more shallow cultivating, the depth of the blade can be changed with just a sim ple adjustment.

ATTACHMENTS AMD ACCESSORIES

9-13: The Sweep Cultivator mounts to the Tow Hitch Attachment.

FROY-BILT Kickstand

The Kickstand provides a sturdy front support for the Power Unit, preventing the engine from tipping forward when you are connecting pr disconnecting attachm ents. It also keeps the Pow er Unit in a

evel position when there is no attachment, or when there is an attachment which isn’t heavy anough to weigh the tiller down in the back.

Tine Attachment Cradle

The Tine Attachment Cradle is a ponvenient accessory for safely 'emoving the tine attachment from :he Power Unit. It positions the tine attachment at just the right height tor sliding the Power Unit connec:ion in and out, eliminating the leed for lifting and pulling on the :ine attachment. See Photo 9-15.

The cradle also provides a sepure stand for storing your tine attachment while using the Power Jnit with other attachm ents. It sup ports the tine attachment in a level

position which prevents leakage of ransmission gear oil from the jipstick/oil fill hole.

As shown in Photo 9-14, the Kickstand attaches to the W rap-Around Bumper/Guard which has two mounting holes provided in its bot

tom brace.

The Kickstand is spring-loaded so that is easily swings up out of the way when its use is not re quired (if you forget to raise the Kickstand, it will automatically disengage itself as you move the

Power Unit forward).

9-14: Kickstand prevents engine from

tipping forward when attachments are

removed from Power Unit.

9-15: Cradle provides safe, secure support for the tine attachment.

MAINTENANCE RECORD

DATE

HOURS MAINTENANCE PERFORMED

DATE

HOURS MAINTENANCE PERFORMED

Air Cleaner,

Cleaning Foam Precleaner, 52

Replacing Paper Element, 52 Service Schedule, 52

Air Cooling System, Engine, 54 Air Pressure, Tires, 50, 70 Attachments and Accessories,

Bar Tread Tires, 75

Custom Tilling Tines, 72

Dozer/Snow Blade, 74 Generator, 76 Hiller/Furrower, 30, 72 Kickstand, 32, 77 Log Splitter, 76 pro Chipper/Shredder, 75 Row Marker, 73

Sweep Cultivator, 77 Tine Cradle, 32, 77 Tire Chains, 74 Tow Hitch, 75 Wheel Weights, 74 Wrap-Around Bumper/Guard, 73

Authorized Engine Service, 4

Bar Tread Tires, 75 Battery,

Care in Service, 56

Care in Storage, 56

Removal/Replacement, 57

Service Schedule, 56 Troubleshooting, 58, 69

Beds, Raised, 30 Belt,

Adjusting Tension, 41-42

Changing Speed Ranges, 22-24

Inspection, 41

Replacement, 43-44

Bolo Tines (see “Tines”) Bolts and Nuts, 37 Break-in Operation, 16 Bumper/Guard, 73

Cable, Throttle (see “Throttle

Lever”)

Carburetor, 55 Chains, Tire, 74 Chart, Maintenance, 36 Choke Control,

Function, 14

Operation, 14, 19

Chipper/Shredder, 75 Clutch Roller, 9-10 Cold Weather Operation, 18 Composting, 26, 30 Controls,

Engine, 13-15

Tiller/Power Unit, 9-13

Cornstalks, 27 Cover Crops, 26 Cradle, Tine, 32, 77 Crop Residues, 26 Cuitivating, 26 Custom Tilling Tines, 72

Decals, 8 Depth Regulator Lever,

Function, 12

Operation, 12 Tiller Depths, 12. 25-28 Troubleshooting, 66

Disc Reverse,

Inspection, 44

Replacement, 44

Dozer/Snow Blade, 74 Drive Belt (see “Belt”)

Eccentric Lever, 37, 65 Electric Start System,

Maintenance, 56-57

Operation, 15

Starting With Recoil Rope, 19 Troubleshooting, 58-60

(Also see “Battery”)

Engine,

Air Cleaner, 52

Air Cooling System , 54

Authorized Service, 4

Carburetor, 55

Choke Control, 14, 19

Cold W eather Operation, 18

Controls, 13-15

Fuel, 16, 70-71

Fuel Valve, 15

Ignition System, 54

Key Switch Starter, 15, 19, 60

Model Code Number, 5 Off-Season Storage, 8, 60 Oil, 50-51 Operation, 18-19

Recoil Starter, 1 4,1 9

Spark Plug, 54, 71

Specifications, 70 Starting/Stopping, 18-21 Throttle Cable, 13, 53 Throttle Lever, 13 Troubleshooting, 67-69

Factory Service, 4 Footprints, 26 Forward Interlock Levers,

Function, 10 Inspection, 61 Operation, 10 Test Procedure, 17

Troubleshooting, 61

Forward Operation, 9-13, 20-22 Free Wheel, 11 Fuel, 16, 70-71 Fuel Valve, 15 Furrower, 30, 72

Gardening,

Cornstalks, 27 Cover Crops, 26 Crop Residues, 26 Cultivating, 26 Green Manures, 26 Leaves, 30 Mulch, 26 Power Composting, 26 Raised Beds, 30 Seedbeds, 25 Sheet Composting, 30 Slopes/Terraces, 28-29 Trench Composting, 29 Wide Rows, 31

Gasoline, 16, 70-71 Gear Oil,

Adding, 40 Changing, 40

Checking for Leaks, 38 Checking Level, 39

Type and Capacity, 40, 70

Generator, 76

Grease, 38 Green Manures, 26

Handlebar Height Adjustment, 13 Height, Tilier, 70 Hiiler/Furrower, 30, 72 Hitch, Tow, 75 Housing Cover, Tiiier, 37

Identification Numbers, Engine, 5 Idle Speed, Carburetor, 55 Ignition System, 54 Introduction, 2

ICey Switch Starter,

Function, 15 Operation, 15, 19

Troubleshooting, 59-60

Kickstand, 32, 77 Kohler (see “Engine”)

Leaks, Oil, 38 Leaves, 30

Length, Tiller, 70

Levers,

Choke Control, 14, 19 Depth Regulator, 12, 25-28, 66 Engine Throttle, 13, 53 Forw ard Interlock, 10, 17, 61 Handlebar Height, 13 Tines/PTO Clutch, 12, 38 Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive, 9-10,

Loading/Unloading, 22 Log Splitter, 76

Lubrication Points, 38 Maintenance,

Air Cleaner, 52 Air Cooling System , 54

Battery, 56-57 Bolts and Nuts, 37 Carburetor, 55 Chart, 36, 78 Drive Belt, 41-44 Engine Oil, 50-51 Ignition System, 54 Lubrication Points, 38 Reverse Drive, 44-47 Spark Plug, 54, 71 Storage, 8, 56, 60

Throttle Cable, 53 Tine Shaft, 49 Tines, 28, 48 Transmission Gear Oil, 38-40

Manures, Green, 26 Motor Oil (see “Oil, Engine”) Mulch, 26

Neutral (see “Wheels/Tines/PTO

Drive Lever”)

Non-Powered Attachments, 34-35 Nuts and Bolts, 37

Off-Season Storage, 8, 56, 60

Oil, Engine,

Adding, 51 Changing, 51 Checking Level, 51

Service Schedule, 50

Type and Capacity, 51

Oil, Transmission Gear,

Adding, 40 Changing, 40 Checking for Leaks, 38 Checking Level, 39

Type and Capacity, 40, 70

Operating Instructions,

Power Unit, 32-35 Tiller, 16-24

Options/Attachments (see

“Attachments and Accessories)

Parts, Ordering, 4 Power Composting, 26 PTO Power Unit,

Description, 3

Operation, 32-35

Pulley, Transmission, 37

Raised Beds, 30 Recoil Starter, 15, 19 Reverse Drive Maintenance,

Adjustments, 45-47

Reverse Disc, 44

Reverse Operation (see “Wheels/

Tines/PTO Drive Lever”)

Row Marker, 73

3afety Instructions, 6-8 Seedbeds, 25 Serial Number, Tiller, 5 Service,

Engine, 4 Factory, 4

Sheet Composting, 30 Shredder/Chipper, 75 Slope Gardening, 28-29 Solenoid, 58-60 Spark Plug, 54, 71 Specifications, 70 Speeds, 22-24, 70 Stationary Attachments, 34-35 Starting/Stopping,

Engine, 18-19 PTO Power Unit, 34-35 Tiller, 18-21

Storage, 8, 56, 60 Sweep Cultivator, 77 Swing-Bolts, 33, 37

Terraces, 29 Throttle Cable, 13, 53 Throttle Lever, 13 Tiller,

Controls, 9-15 Maintenance, 36-64 Operation, 16-24 Safety, 6-8 Specifications, 70

Troubleshooting, 65-69

Tilling Depths, 25 Tine Attachment, 32-33, 39 Tine Cradle, 32, 77

Tine Holders, 48

Tine Shaft, 49 Tine Speeds, 22, 24, 70 Tines,

Cleaning, 28 Custom Tilling, 72 Inspection, 48 Single Tine Replacem ent, 48

Tines/PTO Clutch Lever, 12

Function, 12

Operation, 12

Maintenance, 38

Tires,

Air Pressure, 50, 70

Bar Tread, 75

Chains, 74

Removing Wheels, 50

Tow Hitch, 75 Transmission Gear Oil (see “O il,

Transmission Gear”)

Transporting Tiller, 22 Travel Setting, 13

Trench Composting, 29 Troubleshooting,

Engine, 67-69

Tilier, 65-67

Turning Around, 21

Unloading/Loading, 22 Untangling Tines, 28 Uphill Tilling, 28

\^rtical Tilling, 28 Viscosity

Engine Oil, 51 Gear O il, 40, 70

^Afeight,

Engine, 70-71 Tiller, 70

Wheel Speed Lever,

Function, 11 Operation, 11

Troubleshooting, 65

Wheel/Tine Speeds, 22-24, 70 Wheel Weights, 74 Wheels (see “Tires”) Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever,

Function, 9 Forw ard Operation, 9 Neutral, 9-10, 45 Reverse Operation, 10, 20

Troubleshooting, 65

Wide Rows, 31 Width, Tiller, 70 Wrench, PTO, 33

XYZ

FULL NO-TIME-LIMIT WARRANTY

Your TROY-BILT® Roto Tiller - Power Composter is warranted by Garden W ay Incorporated

) be free from defects in materials and workmanship. This warranty will rem ain in effect for the

■e of the m achine and will be transferred automatically to any and all subsequent owners.

We or your authorized dealer will repair or replace, at no cost to you, any part we find to be efective with the exception of the engine, which is warranted separately by the engine manuicturer. Garden W ay Incorporated does, however, extend the length of the ngine manufacturr’s warranty, providing you with coverage for a total of three(3) years. (Call or write to us for a

REE copy of the engine w arranty.)

This FULL NO-TIME-LIMIT WARRANTY also applies to all non-powered attachm ents,

owered attachments are warranted separately by their manufacturers.

If we determine them defective, even parts that wear in normal use, such as belts, bearings,

ades, tires, and tines are covered under this warranty and will be replaced or repaired without

large. Failures or malfunctions caused by normal wear and tear, use of unauthorized accesjries or attachments, misuse, or accident are not covered.

ULL ONE-YEAR CO MMERCIAL USE W ARRANTY: If used for com m ercial, institutional, injstrial, rental or demonstrator purposes, the warranty on this product is limited in duration to ie (1) year from date of purchase. The engine warranty for commercial use is a LIMITED WARRANTY also in effect for one (1) year from date of purchase. Proof of purchase is required I obtain commercial warranty service.

ow to Get Service: To obtain warranty service, contact Garden Way Incorporated at

102nd Street & 9th Avenue, Troy, NY 12180, or call us TOLL FREE at 1-800-833-6990, or consult your Yellow Pages for the name of the

authorized TROY-BILT product dealer nearest you.

>ur Rights Under

tate Law:

This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have

other rights which vary from state to state.

Plus...You can try a TROY-BILT® Tiller for 30 days

and then decide!

If for any reason you are not satisfied with your

TOY-BILF® Tiller within 30 days from the time

lu receive it, notify us and return it.

We will refund the original price you paid for

the product, plus we will pay shipping both

Half-Price Factory Rebuiiding AgreemeiU

At any time, no matter how new or old your 30Y-BILT® Roto Tiller-Power Composter ay be, we will rebuild and repaint it, replacg every worn part (such as bearings, gears, jals, tines, belts, and including a new igine) for one-half the current retail price at e time of repair of that model or its equiva-

lent (if that exact model has beer> clanged),; owner to pay shipping and container costs to and from the factory. If any other than wearing

parts need replacement, an estimate will be submitted to owner for approval. This offer, of course, is subject to fire, war, strikes, and other contingencies beyond our control.

w-mtLT

Troy-Bilt 8 HP User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

WARNING TO ALL CALIFORNIA AND OTHER POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS

Off to a Safe Start!

A CAUTION

Introduction

VERY IMPORTANT!

REMEMBER ... PRACTICE SAFETY AT ALL TIMES!

You also have a versatile PTO Power Unit...

If you need a tiller part...

If you need engine service or

parts...

RECORD YOUR TILLER SERIAL NUMBER

RECORD YOUR ENGINE MODEL NUMBER

SECTION 1:

TRAINING

PREPARATION

OPERATION

SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

MAINTENANCE AND STORAGE

DECALS

SECTION 2:

1. Wheels/Tines/ PTO Drive Lever

To operate the Wheels/Tines/

IMPORTANT

A CAUTION

2. Forward Interlock Levers

A WARNING

3. Wheel Speed Lever

IMPORTANT

A WARNING

A CAUTION

4. Tines/PTO Clutch Lever

5. Depth Regulator Lever

A CAUTION

A WARNING

A WARNING

ENGINE CONTROLS

A WARNING

1. Engine Throttle Lever

IMPORTANT

To operate the Engine Throttle Lever:

2. Engine Choke Control

A CAUTION

3. Engine Recoil Starter

A WARNING

CONTROLS AND FUNCTIONS

4. Key Switch Starter

IMPORTANT

A WARNING

SECTION 3:

A WARNING

Break-in operation

Preparation before starting

A DANGER

Test operation of Forward Interlock Safety System

^ DANGER

Starting and stopping the engine

Cold weather operation

IMPORTANT

A DANGER

To start the engine:

IMPORTANT

STOPPING THE ENGINE:

IMPORTANT

Starting the Electric Start Engine with the recoil starter rope

To operate the tiller

A WARNING

To begin tilling:

A CAUTION

TO STOP THE ENGINE:

Turning around

A WARNING

Transporting your tiller

A WARNING

To transport tiller:

To load or unload tiller:

Changing belt speeds