Troy-Bilt TB E25 Operator's Manual

Safe Operation Practices • Set-Up • Operation • Maintenance • Service • Troubleshooting • Warranty

Op e r a t O r ’s Ma n u a l

3-in-1 Battery Mower — TB E25

WARNING

READ AND FOLLOW ALL SAFETY RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS IN THIS MANUAL

BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO OPERATE THIS MACHINE.

FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THESE INSTRUCTIONS MAY RESULT IN PERSONAL INJURY.

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

Form No. 769-06399

(October 25, 2010)

To The Owner

Thank You

Thank you for purchasing a Troy-Bilt Electric Mower. It was
carefully engineered to provide excellent performance when
properly operated and maintained.

Please read this entire manual prior to operating the equipment.

It instructs you how to safely and easily set up, operate and

maintain your machine. Please be sure that you, and any other

persons who will operate the machine, carefully follow the
recommended safety practices at all times. Failure to do so could
result in personal injury or property damage.

All information in this manual is relative to the most recent
product information available at the time of printing. Review
this manual frequently to familiarize yourself with the machine,

its features and operation. Please be aware that this Operator’s

Manual may cover a range of product specifications for various
models. Characteristics and features discussed and/or illustrated
in this manual may not be applicable to all models. Troy-Bilt LLC
reserves the right to change product specifications, designs and
equipment without notice and without incurring obligation.

Table of Contents

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

Assembly & Set-Up .................................................. 8

Controls ...................................................................12

Operation ................................................................13

1

If you have any problems or questions concerning the machine,
phone a authorized Troy-Bilt service dealer or contact us directly.

Troy-Bilt’s Customer Support telephone numbers, website

address and mailing address can be found on this page. We want
to ensure your complete satisfaction at all times.

Throughout this manual, all references to right and left side of the
machine are observed from the operating position

Maintenance & Adjustment..................................15

Service .....................................................................17

Troubleshooting .....................................................19

Warranty ..................................................Back Cover

Record Product Information

Before setting up and operating your new equipment, please
locate the model plate on the equipment and record the
information in the provided area to the right. You can locate the

model plate by standing at the operator’s position and looking

down at the rear of the deck. This information will be necessary,
should you seek technical support via our web site, Customer
Support Department, or with a local authorized service dealer.

MO d e l nu M b e r

se r i a l nu M b e r

Customer Support

Please do NOT return the machine to the retailer or dealer without first contacting our Customer Support Department.

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

Visit us on the web at www.troybilt.com◊

Call a Customer Support Representative at [phone] or [phone]◊

Write us at Troy-Bilt LLC • P.O. Box 361131 • Cleveland, OH • 44136-0019◊

2

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

2

Children

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

Keep children out of the mowing area and under watchful 1.
care of a responsible adult other than the operator.

Be alert and turn mower off if a child enters the area.2.

Before and while moving backwards, look behind and 3.
down for small children.

Use extreme care when approaching blind corners, 4.
doorways, shrubs, trees, or other objects that may obscure
your vision of a child who may run into the mower.

Never allow children under 14 years old to operate a power 5.
mower. Children 14 years old and over should read and

understand operation instructions and safety rules in this
manual and should be trained and supervised by a parent.

Operation

General Operation:

Read this operator’s manual carefully in its entirety before 1.

attempting to assemble this machine. Read, understand,
and follow all instructions on the machine and in the
manual(s) before operation. Be completely familiar with
the controls and the proper use of this machine before
operating it. Keep this manual in a safe place for future and
regular reference and for ordering replacement parts.

This machine is a precision piece of power equipment, 2.
not a plaything. Therefore, exercise extreme caution at all
times. Your unit has been designed to perform one job: to
mow grass. Do not use it for any other purpose.

Don’t force lawn mower — it will do the job better and 3.
safer at the rate for which it was designed.

Never allow children under 14 years old to operate this 4.
machine. Children 14 years old and over should read and

understand the instructions in this manual and should

be trained and supervised by a parent. Only responsible

individuals who are familiar with these rules of safe
operation should be allowed to use this machine.

Thoroughly inspect the area where the equipment is to be 5.
used. Remove all stones, sticks, wire, bones, toys and other
foreign objects which could be tripped over or picked
up and thrown by the blade. Thrown objects can cause

serious personal injury. 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.

To help avoid blade contact or a thrown object injury, 6.
stay in operator zone behind handles and keep children,
bystanders and pets at least 75 feet from mower while it is
in operation. Stop machine if anyone enters area.

Always wear safety glasses or safety goggles during 7.
operation and while performing an adjustment or repair
to protect your eyes. Thrown objects which ricochet can
cause serious injury to the eyes.

Wear sturdy, rough-soled work shoes and close-fitting 8.
slacks and shirts. Shirts and pants that cover the arms
and legs and steel-toed shoes are recommended. Never
operate this machine in bare feet, sandals, slippery or light
weight (e.g. canvas) shoes.

Do not put hands or feet near rotating parts or under 9.
cutting deck. Contact with blade can amputate hands and
feet.

A missing or damaged discharge cover can cause blade 10.
contact or thrown object injuries.

Many injuries occur as a result of the mower being pulled 11.
over the foot during a fall caused by slipping or tripping.
Do not hold on to the mower if you are falling; release the
handle immediately.

3

Never pull the mower back toward you while you are 12.
walking. If you must back the mower away from a wall or
obstruction first look down and behind to avoid tripping
and then follow these steps:

Step back from mower to fully extend your arms.a.

Be sure you are well balanced with sure footing.b.

Pull the mower back slowly, no more than half way c.
toward you.

Repeat these steps as needed.d.

Do not operate the mower while under the influence of 13.
alcohol or drugs.

Stay alert — Watch what you are doing. Use common 14.

sense. Do not operate lawn mower when you are tired.

The motor/blade control handle is a safety device. Never 15.
attempt to bypass its operation. Doing so makes the
safety device inoperative and may result in personal injury
through contact with the rotating blade. The motor/blade
control handle must operate easily in both directions and
automatically return to the disengaged position when
released.

Do not charge the mower in rain, or in wet conditions.16.

Never operate the mower in rain or wet grass. Always 17.
be sure of your footing. A slip and fall can cause serious
personal injury. If you feel you are losing your footing,
release the motor/blade control handle immediately and
the blade will stop rotating within three seconds.

Mow only in daylight or good artificial light. Walk, never 18.
run.

Stop the blade when crossing gravel drives, walks or roads.19.

If the equipment should start to vibrate abnormally, stop 20.
the motor and check immediately for the cause. Vibration
is generally a warning of trouble.

Shut the motor off and wait until the blade comes to 21.
a complete stop before removing the grass catcher or
unclogging the chute. The cutting blade continues to
rotate for a few seconds after the motor is shut off. Never
place any part of the body in the blade area until you are
sure the blade has stopped rotating.

Never operate mower without proper trail shield, 22.
discharge cover, grass catcher, motor/blade control handle
or other safety protective devices in place and working.
Never operate mower with damaged safety devices. Failure
to do so, can result in personal injury.

Only use parts and accessories made for this machine by 23.
manufacturer. Failure to do so can result in personal injury.

If situations occur which are not covered in this manual, use 24.
care and good judgment. Telephone Customer Support for
the name of your nearest dealer.

Slope Operation:

Slopes are a major factor related to slip and fall accidents which

can result in severe injury. Operation on slopes requires extra

caution. If you feel uneasy on a slope, 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, do not mow it.

Do:

Mow across the face of slopes; never up and down. Exercise 1.
extreme caution when changing direction on slopes.

Watch for holes, ruts, rocks, hidden objects, or bumps 2.
which can cause you to slip or trip. Tall grass can hide
obstacles.

Always be sure of your footing. A slip and fall can 3.
cause serious personal injury. If you feel you are losing
your balance, release the motor/blade control handle
immediately, and the blade will stop rotating within three
(3) seconds.

Do Not:

Do not mow near drop-offs, ditches or embankments, you 1.
could lose your footing or balance.

Do not mow slopes greater than 15 degrees as shown on 2.
the slope gauge.

Do not mow on wet grass. Unstable footing could cause 3.
slipping.

Service

If the mower’s built-in overload protection switch 1.

frequently trips, contact your nearest authorized service
dealer for repair.

Remove key and store idle lawn mower indoors when not 2.
in use. Allow motor to cool before storing in any inclosure.
Lawn mower should be stored indoors in a dry, high, or
locked-up place, out of reach of children.

When servicing use only identical replacement parts 3.
listed in this manual. “Use of parts which do not meet the
original equipment specifications may lead to improper
performance and compromise safety!”

Before cleaning, repairing, or inspecting, make certain the 4.
blade and all moving parts have stopped. Remove the key
to prevent accidental starting.

Remove key before servicing, cleaning, or removing 5.
material from the lawn mower.

Follow instructions for lubricating and changing 6.
accessories.

Keep handles dry, clean and free from oil and grease.7.

To reduce a fire hazard, keep the motor cover free of grass, 8.
leaves and debris build-up.

Check the blade and motor mounting bolts at frequent 9.
intervals for proper tightness. Also, visually inspect blade
for damage (e.g., bent, cracked, and worn). Replace blade

with the original equipment manufacturer’s (OEM) blade

only, listed in this manual.

4 se c t i O n 2— iM p O r t a n t sa f e Op e r a t i O n pr a c t i c e s

Maintain your mower with care — Keep mower blade sharp 10.

and clean for best and safest performance. Mower blades
are sharp and can cut, wrap the blade or wear gloves and
use extra caution when servicing them.

Keep all nuts, bolts, and screws tight to be sure the 11.
equipment is in safe working condition.

Never tamper with safety devices. Check their proper 12.
operation regularly.

Never attempt to make wheel or cutting height 13.
adjustments while the motor is running.

After striking a foreign object, stop the motor, remove the 14.
key, and thoroughly inspect the mower for any damage.
Repair the damage before operating the mower.

Grass catcher components, discharge cover, and trail shield 15.
are subject to wear and damage which could expose
moving parts or allow objects to be thrown. For safety
protection, frequently check components and replace

immediately with original equipment manufacturer’s
(OEM) parts only, listed in this manual.

According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission 16.
(CPSC) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),

this product has an Average Useful Life of seven (7) years, or
140 hours of operation. At the end of the Average Useful Life
have the unit inspected annually by an authorized service
dealer to ensure that all mechanical and safety systems are
working properly and not worn excessively. Failure to do so
can result in accidents, injuries or death.

Do not dispose of the battery(ies) in a fire. The cell may 17.
explode. Check with local codes for possible special
disposal instructions.

Do not open or mutilate the battery(ies). Released 18.
electrolyte is corrosive and may cause damage to the eyes
or skin. It may be toxic if swallowed.

Exercise care in handling batteries in order not to short the 19.
battery with conducting materials such as rings, bracelets,
and keys. The battery or conductor may overheat and
cause burns.

5se c t i O n 2 — iM p O r t a n t sa f e Op e r a t i O n pr a c t i c e s

Safety Symbols

This page depicts and describes safety symbols that may appear on this product. Read, understand, and follow all instructions on the
machine before attempting to assemble and operate.

Symbol Description

READ THE OPERATOR’S MANUAL(S)
Read, understand, and follow all instructions in the manual(s) before attempting to
assemble and operate

DANGER — ROTATING BLADES
To reduce the risk of injury, keep hands and feet away. Do not operate unless discharge cover
or grass catcher is in its proper place. If damaged, replace immediately.

DANGER — BYSTANDERS
Do not mow when children or others are around.

DANGER — HAND/ FOOT CUT
Keep hands and feet away from rotating parts.

DANGER — THROWN DEBRIS
Remove objects that can be thrown by the blade in any direction. Wear safety glasses.

DANGER — SLOPES
Use extra caution on slopes. Do not mow slopes greater than 15°.

WARNING— ELECTRICAL SHOCK

Do not operate the mower in the rain.

6 se c t i O n 2— iM p O r t a n t sa f e Op e r a t i O n pr a c t i c e s

Sight and hold this level with a vertical tree...

or a corner of a building...

or a fence post

Fold along dotted line (represents a 15° slope)

15°

Use this page as a guide to determine slopes where you may not operate safely.

WARNING: Do not operate your lawn mower on such 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. Operate riding

mowers up and down slopes, never across the face of slopes. Operate walk-behind mowers across the face of slopes, never

up and down slopes.

7se c t i O n 2 — iM p O r t a n t sa f e Op e r a t i O n pr a c t i c e s

Top View

1

2

3

Assembly & Set-Up

Contents of Carton

One Battery Mower• One Side Discharge Chute• Two Cord Guides•

One Operator’s Manual• Two Toggle Clamps• One Battery•

One Charger• One Grass Bag•

3

NOTE: All references to the left and right side of the mower are

from the operator’s position behind the mower.

Unpacking the Unit

Cut the corners of the carton and lay the sides flat on the 1.
ground. Remove all packing inserts.

Move the mower out of the carton.2.

Make certain the carton has been completely emptied 3.
before discarding it.

Cutting Height Adjustment

The cutting height adjustment lever is located above the rear

right wheel. See Fig. 3-1.

Handle Assembly

Raise the cutting height adjustment to the highest setting. 1.
See Fig. 3-1.

To assemble the lower handle:2.

Pivot the lower handle backward. See Fig. 3-2A.a.

Place the bolts in the lower handle in the slots of the b.

handle bracket. See Fig. 3-2B.

Make sure the bolts in the lower handle are fully c.
positioned in the slots of the handle bracket. See
Fig. 3-2C.

NOTE: Make sure motor cord is clear of wing knobs before
tightening.

Tighten the lower handle wing knobs. See Fig. 3-2D.d.

Figure 3-1

Pull the lever out and away from the mower.1.

Move the lever forward or back for desired cutting height.2.

Release lever towards mower deck.3.

Figure 3-2

8