Wright Manufacturing Sentar Commercial Mower User Manual

Commercial Mower Owner’s Manual

For Sentar Serial #19729 and higher until superseded

WARNING: READ THIS MANUAL BEFORE USING

For your safety and for proper operation and maintenance read

carefully and keep readily available for future reference.

Additional replacement owner’s manuals (Part #79490103), as well as illustrated
parts lists (Part #79490104), are available from your authorized Wright Dealer for
a nominal charge or if a dealer is not available by contacting Wright
Manufacturing, Inc. Please indicate the complete model number and serial
number of your Wright product.

For reference please note the following information at the time of purchase:

SERIAL # _________________________

MODEL # _________________________

DATE OF PURCHASE ______________________

WRIGHT MANUFACTURING, INC. - 4600X WEDGEWOOD BLVD - FREDERICK, MD 21703

Foreword

Welcome to the progressive group of mowing professionals who use Wright mowers. We are focused
on giving you advanced engineering and quality construction in each mower we build.

This manual explains the features and promotes safer use of the mower. Please read it and follow the
instructions carefully so that you can have many years of productive mowing.

For service, remember that your Wright dealer knows your mower best and is interested in your
satisfaction. He can provide you with quality maintenance and other assistance that you may need.

Please give this manual to anyone who may use the mower for them to study before they operate it.
Give the manual to anyone to whom you may sell the mower in the future. It is important that the next
owner receive this information also.

As Wright Manufacturing, Inc. is constantly seeking ways to improve its products, the mower you have
may differ slightly from the information and specifications in this manual. Because of our continuous
product improvement, Wright reserves the option to make changes at any time without notice.

Wright Manufacturing, Inc.

SAFETY ALERT

This is the safety alert symbol. It is used throughout this manual and on the mower’s

safety labels to alert you to potential personal injury hazards. Obey all safety messages

that follow this symbol to avoid possible injury or death. Read these instructions

carefully. It is essential that you read the instructions and safety precautions before

you attempt to work on or use this unit.

WARNING

This symbol with the “WARNING” indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if

not avoided, could result in death or serious injury.

CAUTION

This symbol with the word “CAUTION” indicates a potentially hazardous situation

which, if not avoided, may result in minor or moderate injury.

1998-2001 Wright Manufacturing, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced or copied, in whole or part,
without written permission from Wright Manufacturing, Inc. Grass Gobbler, Gobbler, Leaf Gobbler, Velke, Pro 1, X2, Stander,
and Sentar are trademarks of Wright Manufacturing, Inc.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Subject

Safety Instruction Manual
Introduction
General Safety Instructions
Owner/User Notice
User Experience and Qualifications
User Clothing
Inspection of Mower Before Each Use
Scheduled Mower Maintenance Safety
Work Area Conditions and Inspection
Initial Operating Safety Guidelines
Replacement Parts
Operation on Slopes
Operation During Zero-Radius Turns
Operation in Reverse
Operation in Forward Direction
Fuel Safety
Hydraulic Safety

Pre-Delivery Service of Mower by Dealer

Operating Instructions

Inspect Mower Before Each Use
How to Start the Mower
Unusual Noises or Irregular Operation
How to Drive the Mower
How to Stop and Park the Mower
How to Drive the Mower Over a Curb
How to Use the Mower on Varying Terrain
How to Adjust Neutral
How to Change the Speed/Sensitivity Adjustment
How to Perform the Tracking Adjustment
How to Test/Use the Blade Clutch/Brake Switch
How to Test the Operator Presence Control (OPC) Switch

Service and Adjustments
Tire Maintenance and Pressure
Height-of-Cut
Deck Adjustments
Belt Tension Adjustment
How to Move the Mower if the Engine Won’t Start
Bleeding Air from the Hydraulic System
Battery Service

Maintenance Service Intervals

Limited Warranty

This symbol with the word “WARNING”
indicates a potentially hazardous situation
which, if not avoided, could result in death or
serious injury.

WARNING

CAUTION

This symbol with the word “CAUTION”
indicates a potentially hazardous situation
which, if not avoided, could result in minor
or moderate injury.

SAFETY INSTRUCTION MANUAL

TO WRIGHT MOWER USERS & OWNERS: READ THIS MANUAL BEFORE USING.

PLEASE BE CAREFUL!

INTRODUCTION

This mower is built to the highest standards in
the industry. However, carelessness or operator
error may result in serious bodily injury or death.
Accident and hazard prevention are dependent
upon the awareness, concern, wisdom, and
proper training of the personnel involved in the
operation, transport, maintenance, and storage of
the equipment. Make sure every operator is
properly trained and thoroughly familiar with all of
the information in this manual before operating
the equipment.

GENERAL SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

The Wright Sentar is designed with your safety in
mind. It has the following safety systems with
which you should be familiar:

• The warning decals on the mower including
the instrument panel warning

• The blade switch must be “off” before starting
the engine

• Your feet must be on the foot platform in
order to engage the blades

• If you remove your feet from the foot platform
while the blades are running the engine will
stop and the blades will brake in seconds

• Letting go of the hand controls will stop the
wheels instantly

• Spring loaded chute deflector helps reduce
trajectory of thrown objects

• Belt/pulley covers on cutter deck

• Anti-tip rollers are provided at the rear of the

mower to minimize the possibility of tipping
back and over on the operator

WARNING

Owner/User Notice:
The owner’s/user’s obligation is to instruct
themselves and all potential users in the safe
operation of this equipment and be sure they
read and follow the instructions in this safety
manual and other material provided by Wright
Manufacturing, Inc. before using or allowing
others to operate the equipment. Do not operate
this unit unless you carefully read, understand
and follow the assembly, installation, and safety
instructions contained in this manual and the
warning decals provided on the unit. Do not
allow other persons to use this unit unless you
make sure they carefully read, understand and
follow these instructions. Never allow children to
operate or play on the unit.

WARNING

User Experience and Qualifications:
This product is designed for use by physically fit,
experienced, professional commercial mower
operators who have a minimum of 160 hours of
experience operating twelve horsepower and
greater industrial mowers. Operators must be 18
years or older and weigh at least 120 pounds and
no more than 350 pounds They must have read
and understood this manual. DO NOT allow
children to operate the mower. Do not allow
adults to operate the mower without proper
instruction mentioned above. Never allow
passengers on the mower.

User Clothing:
DO NOT operate the mower while wearing
sandals, tennis shoes, sneakers, or shorts.
Always wear long non-baggy pants. Wear high­top leather work boots with thick, textured tread,
soft-rubber soled at all times. Hard or smooth
soled shoes are too slippery for a good footing on
mower platform. NEVER wear loose-fitting
clothing or jacket pockets that can get caught to
the handlebars or control levers of any mower
you drive. Wearing safety glasses, ear protection
and safety shoes is advisable and required by
some local ordinances and insurance
regulations.

Inspection of Mower Before Each Use:

DO NOT use the mower if any parts are not
maintained in good operating condition. Examine
the moving parts prior to each use. Look for
excessive wear, bald or worn tires, cracks in
parts, loose or missing bolts, cotter, linchpin or
“hair” pins or cable yoke pins and replace before
operating the mower. Make sure all safety
equipment provided with the mower is in good
operating order, including all the warning decals
and the required operator-presence device which
stops the engine and blades when the foot­operated Operator Presence Control (OPC)
switch is released. (To test the OPC, follow
instructions in the Operating Instructions
of this manual.) Inspect the two anti-tip rollers
and their respective bolts at the rear of the
mower for tightness and proper operation. Be
sure that all parts of the hand-operated
transmission control system are tight and secure.
This is to reduce the possibility that the mower
could have a loss of control or safety.

Scheduled Mower Maintenance Safety:
Replace worn tire(s) with less than 3/32” of any
tread groove left. Use tires with the tread pattern

WARNING

WARNING

section

WARNING

specified by Wright Mfg., Inc. only. DO NOT
change the engine governor settings or over-rev
the engine contrary to engine manufacturer
specifications. Keep the Wright mower in good
operating condition, and keep safety devices and
shields in place and in working condition. Keep
all nuts, bolts, and screws tight to be sure the
equipment is in safe working condition. Check
the blade mounting bolts for proper tightness
every eight (8) hours of operation. Check the
blades for excessive wear and sharpness every
four to eight (4-8) hours of operation. Replace
excessively worn blades. Sharpen dull blades.
The mower should not be used after the blades
or other part of the mower strikes a foreign
object, until conducting a thorough inspection
and any damage is repaired. See the
instructions in the Recommended Maintenance
section of this manual for other items of required
maintenance.

Work Area Conditions and Inspection:
Prior to operating the unit, carefully inspect all
lawn/ground areas where you plan to use the
mower for hidden, hard-to-see objects or uneven
ground that may be hidden in the grass. Clear
the work area of moveable objects such as wires,
rocks, glass, etc. that might be picked up by the
mower and dangerously thrown. Remove, if
possible, or mark the location of all immovable
objects or irregular areas and be sure not to hit
them with any part of the mower, its deck or the
blades. Obstacles such as holes, abrupt
changes in ground contour, tree trunks, stumps
or roots, pipes protruding from the ground,
paving edges, etc. in the path of operation can
abruptly turn or stop the mower. This could
throw you off the mower or into and possibly over
the handle bars causing serious injury or death.
The faster you are moving the more potential
there is for injury. Mow only in daylight or in
good artificial light. Keep away from drop-offs,
the edges of ponds, streams, pools, etc.
especially at the bottom of slopes. Do not mow
when children or others are around. When the
Wright mower is in use, never direct the grass
discharge toward bystanders, traffic, cars or
buildings nor allow anyone near the machine
while in operation. Thrown objects can pass

WARNING

through glass windows and some walls of
buildings. There is extreme risk of danger from
thrown objects or being cut by the blades of the
mower or being run over if you lose control.
Never operate the mower in an enclosed area
without good, approved ventilation. Exhaust
fumes are dangerous.

Initial Operating Safety Guidelines:

• Read and understand the warnings on the

• Keep a firm hold on the stationary handle at all

• Keep both feet on the foot platform at all times.

• Know the controls and how to stop quickly.

• Before attempting to start the engine, follow all

• Look behind before backing up.

• Before leaving the operator’s position, even

• When leaving the Wright mower unattended,

• When transporting, driving onto transport

• Before performing any maintenance or repair

• All operators of this mower should exercise

WARNING

instrument panel of the mower.

times.

starting instructions below and in the engine
operator’s manual.

momentarily, turn off the blade clutch
engagement switch and apply the parking
brake. Keep others from coming near the
mower. Get back on the mower as soon as
possible.

turn off the blade clutch engagement
switch, apply the parking brake, stop the
engine and remove the key. Never leave
the machine unattended on a slope in case
someone disengages the parking brake
which would be hazardous if the mower
were to roll.

vehicles, into buildings, across parking lots
or otherwise not mowing grass, turn off the
blade clutch engagement switch to reduce
risk of thrown objects and rotating blade
hazard. After coming to a stop apply the
parking brake, stop the engine and remove
the key.

service, disengage power to blades, apply
the parking brake, stop the engine, remove
ignition key and spark plug wire from spark
plug(s).

caution when driving this mower at high

speeds. Sudden stops from excessive
speeds may cause serious injury.

• DO NOT allow inexperienced people to operate
the mower until they have read and
understood these safety instructions.
Operate the mower at slower speeds while
becoming familiar with it.

• The grass discharge chute deflector must be
installed at all times and in the down
position except that it may be raised when
the grass catcher is completely installed or
a mulch kit is completely installed.

• If the mower discharge clogs, turn off the blade
clutch switch, apply the parking brake, stop
the engine and remove the key before
removing obstruction.

• Keep all shields and covers in place, especially
grass discharge chute deflector and the
blade belt covers.

• Keep hands, feet and clothing away from
rotating parts, especially the rear wheels,
blades, engine flywheel, belts and pulleys.

• Do not touch engine or muffler while engine is
running or soon after it is stopped. These
areas can be so hot as to cause severe
burns.

• Clean grass, leaves and lubricant spills from
surfaces after use to prevent fire hazard.

• Be alert for traffic when crossing roads or
operating near roadways.

• Before climbing curbs, crossing gravel drives,
sidewalks or roads, turn off the blades, lift
them into transport position, and wait for
them to stop.

Replacement Parts:
Use of parts other than specified parts supplied
by Wright Manufacturing, Inc. may compromise
the safe use of the mower, are not recommended
and their use could void the warranty.

Operation on Slopes:
DO NOT operate on steep slopes. Do not
operate the mower on slopes steeper than you
can feel secure about the traction of the tires and

WARNING

WARNING