Troy-Bilt Automatic Lawn Tractor User Manual

Operator’s Manual

Automatic Lawn

Trac to r

IMPORTANT: READ SAFETY RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY

P. O. BOX 1386, KITCHENER, ONTARIO, CANADA N2G 4J1

PRINTED IN U.S.A.

772C0738 (12/2004)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Content Page

Customer Support 2 Important Safe Operation Practices 3 Slope Gauge 7 Setting Up 8

Know Your Lawn Tractor 10 Operating Your Lawn Mower 14 Adjustments 18

Content Page

Maintenance 20 Service 21 Off-Season Storage 25 Attachments and Accessories 25 Troubleshooting 26 Warranty 27 Parts List 28

FINDING MODEL NUMBER

This Operator’s Manual is an important part of your new lawn tractor. It will help you assemble, prepare and maintain the unit for best performance. Please read and understand what it says.

Before you start assembling your new equipment, please locate the model plate on the equipment and copy the information from it in the space provided below. This information will be necessary to use the manufacturer’s web site and/or help from the Customer Support Department or an authorized service dealer.

• You can locate the model number by looking beneath the seat. A sample model plate is explained below.

Model Number Numéro de modèle

XXX-XXXXXX

Serial Number Numéro de série

Copy the model number here:

XXXXXXXXXXX

TROYBILT - CANADA KITCHENER, ON N2G 4J1

Copy the serial number here:

ENGINE INFORMATION

The engine manufacturer is responsible for all engine-related issues with regards to performance, power-rating, specifications, warranty and service. Please refer to the engine manufacturer’s Owner’s/Operator’s Manual packed separately with your unit for more information.

CALLING CUSTOMER SUPPORT

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

If you have difficulty assembling this product or have any questions regarding the controls, operation or maintenance of this unit, please call a Customer Support Representative 1-800-668-1238

Please have your unit’s model number and serial number ready when you call. See previous section to locate this information. You will be asked to enter the serial number in order to process your call.

HOW TO OBTAIN SERVICE

Warranty service is available, WITH PROOF OF PURCHASE, through your local authorized service dealer. To locate the dealer in your area;

Contact MTD Products Limited, Kitchener, ON N2G 4J1, or call 1-800-668-1238 or log on to our Web site at www.mtdcanada.com.

SECTION 1: IMPORTANT SAFE OPERATION PRACTICES

WARNING: This symbol points out important safety instructions which, if not followed, could endanger

the personal safety and/or property of yourself and others. Read and follow all instructions in this manual before attempting to operate this machine. Failure to comply with these instructions may result in personal injury. When you see this symbol—heed its warning.

DANGER: This machine was built to be operated according to the rules for safe operation in this man-

ual. As with any type of power equipment, carelessness or error on the part of the operator can result in serious injury. This machine is capable of amputating hands and feet and throwing objects. Failure to observe the following safety instructions could result in serious injury or death.

GENERAL OPERATION

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

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

3. Never allow children under 14 years old to operate this machine. Children 14 years old and over should read and understand the operation instructions and safety rules in this manual and should be trained and supervised by a parent.

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

5. To help avoid blade contact or a thrown object injury, keep bystanders, helpers, children and pets at least 75 feet from the machine while it is in operation. Stop machine if anyone enters the area.

6. Thoroughly inspect the area where the equipment is to be used. Remove all stones, sticks, wire, bones, toys, and other foreign objects which could be picked up and thrown by the blade(s). Thrown objects can cause serious personal injury.

7. Plan your mowing pattern to avoid discharge of material toward roads, sidewalks, bystanders and the like. Also, avoid discharging material against a wall or obstruction which may cause discharged material to ricochet back toward the operator.

8. Always wear safety glasses or safety goggles during operation and while performing an adjustment or repair to protect your eyes. Thrown objects which ricochet can cause serious injury to the eyes.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

16. Mow only in daylight or good artificial light.

17. Never carry passengers.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

29. If situations occur which are not covered in this manual, use care and good judgment. Contact an authorized MTD Service Dealer for assistance.

SLOPE OPERATION

Slopes are a major factor related to loss of control and tip-over accidents which can result in severe injury or death. All slopes require extra caution. If you cannot back up the slope or if you feel uneasy on it, do not mow it.

For your safety, use the slope gauge included as part of this manual to measure slopes before operating this unit on a sloped or hilly area. If the slope is greater than 15 degrees as shown on the slope gauge, do not operate this unit on that area or serious injury could result.

DO:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

DO NOT:

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

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

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

4. Do not use a grass catcher on steep slopes.

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

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

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

CHILDREN

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

a. Keep children out of the mowing area and in

watchful care of a responsible adult other than the operator.

b. Be alert and turn machine off if a child enters

the area.

c. Before and while backing, look behind and

down for small children.

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

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

e. Use extreme care when approaching blind

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

f. To avoid back-over accidents, always

disengage the cutting blade(s) before shifting into reverse. The “Reverse Caution Mode” should not be used when children or others are around.

g. Keep children away from hot or running

engines. They can suffer burns from a hot muffler.

h. Remove key when machine is unattended to

prevent unauthorized operation.

i. Never allow children under 14 years old to

operate the machine. Children 14 years old and over should read and understand the operation instructions and safety rules in this manual and should be trained and supervised by a parent.

TOWING

1. Tow only with a machine that has a hitch designed for towing. Do not attach towed equipment except at the hitch point.

2. Follow the manufacturers recommendation for weight limits for towed equipment and towing on slopes.

3. Never allow children or others in or on towed equipment.

4. On slopes, the weight of the towed equipment may cause loss of traction and loss of control.

5. Travel slowly and allow extra distance to stop.

6. Do not shift to neutral and coast downhill.

SERVICE

SAFE HANDLING OF GASOLINE:

1. To avoid personal injury or property damage use extreme care in handling gasoline. Gasoline is extremely flammable and the vapors are explosive. Serious personal injury can occur when gasoline is spilled on yourself or your clothes which can ignite. Wash your skin and change clothes immediately.

a. Use only an approved gasoline container. b. Never fill containers inside a vehicle or on a

truck or trailer bed with a plastic liner. Always place containers on the ground away from your vehicle before filling.

c. When practical, remove gas-powered

equipment from the truck or trailer and refuel it on the ground. If this is not possible, then refuel such equipment on a trailer with a portable container, rather than from a gasoline dispenser nozzle.

d. Keep the nozzle in contact with the rim of the

fuel tank or container opening at all times until fueling is complete. Do not use a nozzle lock-open device.

e. Extinguish all cigarettes, cigars, pipes and

other sources of ignition.

f. Never fuel machine indoors. g. Never remove gas cap or add fuel while the

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

h. Never over fill fuel tank. Fill tank to no more

than ½ inch below bottom of filler neck to

allow space for fuel expansion. i. Replace gasoline cap and tighten securely. j. If gasoline is spilled, wipe it off the engine

and equipment. Move unit to another area.

Wait 5 minutes before starting the engine. k. To reduce fire hazards, keep machine free of

grass, leaves, or other debris build-up. Clean

up oil or fuel spillage and remove any fuel

soaked debris. l. Never store the machine or fuel container

inside where there is an open flame, spark or

pilot light as on a water heater, space heater,

furnace, clothes dryer or other gas

appliances. m. Allow a machine to cool at least 5 minutes

before storing.

GENERAL SERVICE:

1. Never run an engine indoors or in a poorly ventilated area. Engine exhaust contains carbon monoxide, an odorless, and deadly gas.

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

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

4. Check brake operation frequently as it is subjected to wear during normal operation. Adjust and service as required.

5. Check the blade(s) and engine mounting bolts at frequent intervals for proper tightness. Also, visually inspect blade(s) for damage (e.g., excessive wear, bent, cracked). Replace the blade(s) with the original equipment manufacturer’s (O.E.M.) blade(s) only, listed in this manual. “Use of parts which do not meet the original equipment specifications may lead to improper performance and compromise safety!”

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

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

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

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

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

11. Grass catcher components and the discharge cover are subject to wear and damage which could expose moving parts or allow objects to be thrown. For safety protection, frequently check components and replace immediately with original equipment

WARNING: YOUR RESPONSIBILITY Restrict the use of this power machine to persons who read,

understand and follow the warnings and instructions in this manual and on the machine.

manufacturer’s (O.E.M.) parts only, listed in this manual. “Use of parts which do not meet the original equipment specifications may lead to improper performance and compromise safety!”

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

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

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

S30011

Safety labels found on your unit.

MAX 20

S30544

SECTION 2: SLOPE GAUGE

Use this page as a guide to determine slopes where you may not operate safely. Do not operate your lawn tractor on such slopes.

Operate WALK-BEHIND mowers across the face of slopes, never up and down slopes.

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

Do not mow on inclines with a slope in excess of 15 degrees (a rise of approximately 2-1/2 feet every 10 feet). A riding mower could

overturn and cause serious injury. If operating a walk-behind mower on such a slope, it is extremely difficult to maintain your footing

and you could slip, resulting in serious injury.

A CORNER OF A BUILDING

OR A FENCE POST

SIGHT AND HOLD THIS LEVEL WITH A VERTICAL TREE

A POWER POLE

DANGER

15°

SECTION 3: TRACTOR SET-UP

NOTE: This owner’s manual covers various models of

lawn tractors. The units illustrated may vary slightly from your unit. Follow only those instructions which pertain to your model lawn tractor.

Attaching the Battery Cables

NOTE: The positive battery terminal is marked Pos.

(+). The negative battery terminal is marked Neg. (–).

• The positive cable (heavy red wire) is secured to the positive battery terminal (+) with a hex bolt and hex nut at the factory. Make certain that the rubber boot covers the terminal to help protect it from corrosion.

• Remove the hex bolt and wing nut from the negative cable.

• Remove the black plastic cover, if present, from the negative battery terminal and attach the negative cable (heavy black wire) to the negative battery terminal (–) with the bolt and wing nut.

• Make certain the retainer rod is in position over the battery, securing it in place. See Figure 1.

Rubber Boot

WARNING: Use extreme care when

handling gasoline. Gasoline is extremely flammable and the vapors are explosive. Never fuel machine indoors or while the engine is hot or running. Extinguish cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and other sources of ignition.

Service the engine with gasoline and oil as instructed in the separate engine manual packed with your tractor. Read instructions carefully.

IMPORTANT: Your tractor is shipped with motor oil in the

engine. However, you MUST check the oil level before operating. Be careful not to overfill.

Shipping Brace Removal

WARNING: Make sure the riding mower’s

engine is off, remove the ignition key, and set the parking brake before removing the shipping brace

• Locate the shipping brace, if present, and accompanying warning tag found on the right side of the mower, between the discharge chute and the cutting deck. See Figure 2.

Retainer Rod

Wing Nut

Hex Bolt

Figure 1

NOTE: If the battery is put into service after the date

shown on top of battery, charge the battery as instructed in the SERVICE section of this manual prior

to operating the tractor.

Gas and Oil Fill-up

The gasoline tank is located under the hood and has a capacity of either two or three gallons. Do not overfill.

Shipping Brace

Warning Tag

Figure 2

• While holding the discharge chute with your left hand, remove the shipping brace with your right hand by grasping it between your thumb and index finger and rotating it clockwise.

WARNING: The shipping brace, used for

packaging purposes only, must be removed and discarded before operating your riding mower.

WARNING: The mowing deck is capable of

Steering

Hex Bolt

Steering

Shaft

& Washer

Wheel Cap

throwing objects. Failure to operate the riding mower without the discharge cover in the proper operating position could result in serious personal injury and/or property damage.

Attaching the Steering Wheel

WARNING: Do NOT operate the tractor

without first attaching both the steering wheel AND the seat. Doing so could result in serious injury to the operator.

NOTE: There are two different styles of steering

wheel cap. See Figure 3. Styles vary by model.

• Using your hands, place the tractor’s front tires in position for straight-ahead travel.

• Remove the steering wheel cap from the center of the steering wheel. Be careful not to lose the hex screw and cupped washer found beneath it.

• Place the steering wheel (in position for straightahead travel) directly onto the steering shaft found in the center of the tractor’s dash.

• Place the cupped washer (cupped side DOWN) over the steering shaft.

• Thread the hex screw into the steering shaft and tighten securely.

• Reinsert the steering wheel cap in the center of the

steering wheel. Refer to Figure 3

Attaching the Seat

Refer to Figures 4 and 5 to identify your tractor’s seat style and follow applicable instructions.

NOTE: For shipping reasons, seats are either

fastened to the tractor seat’s pivot bracket with a plastic tie, or mounted backward to the pivot bracket. In either case, free the seat from its shipping position and remove the two hex screws (or knobs, on models so equipped) from the bottom of seat before proceeding with applicable instructions below

Quick Adjustment Seat

NOTE: If your seat was shipped mounted backwards

on the seat pivot bracket, pull out the tab found on the seat stop and hold it open while sliding the seat off the seat pivot bracket. See Figure 4.

• Line up the plastic seat spacers with the slots in seat pivot bracket.

• Slide seat in until front seat spacer engages the seat stop. See Figure 4.

QUICK ADJUSTMENT

Seat Stop

Tab

Pivot Bracket

Figure 3

Figure 4

WARNING: Before operating this machine,

make sure the seat is engaged in the seat stop, stand behind the machine and pull back on seat until fully engaged into stop

Knob Adjustment Seat

• Position the shoulder screws (found on the base of the seat) inside the slot openings in the seat pivot bracket. See Figure 5.

• Slide the seat slightly rearward in the seat pivot bracket, lining up the rear slots in the pivot bracket with the remaining two holes in the seat’s base.

• Select desired position for the seat, and secure with the two knobs removed earlier. See Figure 5.

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