Dixon ZEETER Guide

Model Year 2005
Safety Instructions & Operator’s Manual
ZEETER

2
IMPORTANT - READ CAREFULLY
The Dixon® ZTR® mower is both easy and
fun to operate. However, any power mower
must be operated properly to be safe. It is
not a toy or a recreational vehicle. Before
you start to use the mower, read this
Operator’s Manual carefully. It contains
valuable information that is necessary for
the safe operation of the machine. Observe
all safety rules and become completely
familiar with the controls.
The information contained in this manual
applies to all Dixon® ZEETER™mowers.
See your authorized Dixon® dealer for
warranty service, parts and repairs or to
answer any questions you may have about
your new Dixon® ZTR®.

3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
SAFETY&WARNING....................................4-15
WARRANTY.........................................................16
SPECIFICATIONS..............................................17
CONTROLS...................................................18-22
OPERATIONINSTRUCTIONS....................23-33
CARE&MAINTENANCE............................34-45
TROUBLESHOOTING.................................. 46-47
STANDARDSERVICEPARTS LIST............... 48
ZEETER™
PartNumber14295-0804

SAFETY
4
Blade Contact
Tip Over
Run Over
Back Over
RIDING LAWN MOWERS,
IF IMPROPERLY OPERATED
CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH
Picturedbelow arethe mostcommoncauses ofinjury to
theoperator orbystander. Please readand understand
thismanualto preventinjuries.

SAFETY
5
Safety Alert Symbol
When you see this symbol, BE ALERT
to the potential for injury.
Follow the recommended safety precautions and
safe operating practices.
DANGER
(highlightedin red)
indicatesanimminently hazardous
situation which, if not avoided, will result
in death or serious injury.
WARNING
(highlightedin orange)
indicates a potentially
hazardoussituationwhich, ifnot
avoided,couldresult indeath or
seriousinjury.
CAUTION
(highlightedin yellow)
indicates a potentially
hazardoussituationwhich,
ifnotavoided, may resultin minor
or moderate injury. It may also
be used to alert against
unsafepractices.

WARNING
6
Failure to observe the following safety instructions
could result in serious injury or death.
GENERAL OPERATION:
Read,understand,andfollowall instructionsinthis
manualand onthe mowerbeforestarting.
Onlyallow responsibleadults,whoarefamiliar withthe
instructions,to operatethemower.
Clearthe area ofobjects suchasrocks, toys,wire, etc.,
whichcould bepicked upandthrown bythe blade.
Be sure the area is clear of other people before mowing.
Stopmower ifanyone entersthearea.
Be aware of the mower discharge direction and do not
pointit atanyone. Mowerblades canthrow rocksorother
debris.
Donot operatethe mowerwithouteither theentire grass
catcheror thedeflectorin place. Thiswill decreasethe
possibilityof injuryfrom objectsbeing thrownby the
mowerblades.
Never carrypassengers. Theymay falloffand become
seriouslyinjured orinterfere withsafe operationofthe
mower.
Mowing in reverse is not recommended because it is
difficultto maintaina clearvisionof themowing path.
However, shouldit becomenecessary tobackup,
rememberto look downand behind beforeand while
backing.

WARNING
7
GENERAL OPERATION (continued):
Neverleavearunningmowerunattended. Alwaysturn off
blades,set parking brake,stop engine andremove key
beforedismounting.
Turnoffbladeswhen notmowing. Injurycould occurfrom
contactwithmovingparts.
Underno circumstancesshould youplacehandsorfeet
underthe mowerdeck orinthe chutewhile bladesor
impellerarestillrunning.
Toavoid personalinjuryfromaccidentalclutch engage-
ment,stop enginebeforeremoving grasscatcher or
uncloggingchute.
Mowonly indaylight orgoodartificial light.
Donot operatethe mowerwhile underthe influenceof
alcoholor drugs.
Slowdown beforeturning toreducethe riskof tip-over.
Watchfor trafficwhen operatingnear orcrossingroad-
ways.
Useextra carewhen loadingor unloadingthemowerinto
atrailer ortruck. Push, donotride themower when
loadingand unloading.
Failure to observe the following safety instructions
could result in serious injury or death.

WARNING
8
Protectyour eyes.Always wearsafety gogglesorsafety
glasseswith sideshieldswhen operatingmower.
Data indicates that operators, age 60 years and above,
areinvolved in alarge percentage ofriding mower-
relatedinjuries. Theseoperators shouldevaluatetheir
abilityto operatetheriding mowersafely enoughto
protectthemselves andothersfromseriousinjury.
Toprotectagainst possibletip-over, followthe
manufacturer’s recommendationfor wheelweights and
counterweights.
Maintainor replace safety& instructionlabelsas
needed.
GENERAL OPERATION (continued):
The engine exhaust from this product contains chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer , birth defects or other reproductive harm.
Failure to observe the following safety instructions
could result in serious injury or death.

WARNING
9
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 feel uneasy
on a slope, do not mow it!
DO
Mowacross theslope withyour Dixon®ZTR®--
neverup or down.This willdecreasethe riskof
tip-over.
Removeobstacles such asrocks, tree limbs,wires
andother foreignobjects thatcan bethrownby
mowerblades.
Watchfor holes,ruts,rootsandbumps. Uneven
terraincouldoverturnthemower. Tallgrass can
hidesuch obstacles.
Useslow speed. Tires maylose traction onslopes
eventhoughthebrakesarefunctioningproperly.
Avoid starting or stopping on a slope. If tires lose
traction,disengage the bladesand proceedslowly
downthe slope.
Failure to observe the following safety instructions
could result in serious injury or death.

WARNING
10
Keepall movementon theslopesslow and
gradual. Donotmake sudden changesinspeed
ordirection.
Useextreme cautionwhen operatingthemower
withattachmentsto preventtip-overor roll-over.
Iffrontwheelsliftoff theground,pullleversback to
stabilizethe mower. Discontinuemowing the
slope!
SLOPE OPERATION (continued):
DO (continued):
Failure to observe the following safety instructions
could result in serious injury or death.

WARNING
11
SLOPE OPERATION (continued):
DO NOT
Donot turnonslopesunlessnecessary,and then,
turnslowly andgradually downhill,ifpossible. Rapid
uphillturnsmay causetip-over.
Donot mow neardrop-offs, ditches,orembank-
ments.Themowercouldsuddenly turnoverifa
wheel is over the edge of a cliff or ditch or if an
edge caves in.
Donot mowonwet grass.Reduced tractioncould
causesliding.
Donot tryto stabilizethe mowerby puttingyour foot
ontheground.
Donot usegrass catcherorother attachmentson
steepslopes. The added weightmay changethe
stabilityof themower thuscreating thepotential for
tip-over.
Failure to observe the following safety instructions
could result in serious injury or death.

WARNING
12
FIRE HAZARDS:
Useextra carewhen handlinggasoline andother
fuels.They areflammable andvaporsareexplosive.
Storeall fuelinapproved containersspecifically
designedfor thatpurpose.
Allowengine tocool beforerefueling. Neverremove
fuelcap oradd fuelwithenginerunning.
Donot smokewhilerefueling oroperating themower.
Toreducefire hazard,keepmower freeofgrass,
leavesand otherdebris build-up.
Ifgasoline is spilled,do not attemptto start the
engine. Movemower awayfromthe areaof thespill.
Donot create anysource ofignitionuntil gasvapors
have dissipated. Wipe up spilled fuel and dispose of
wasteproperly.
Iffuelisspilledonclothing,changeclothingimmediately.
Beforestoring, allowmowerto cool. Cleanfuel and
oil spillage.
Neverstore themoweror fuelcontainer insidea
buildingwhere thereis anopenflame.
Failure to observe the following safety instructions
could result in serious injury or death.

WARNING
13
FIRE HAZARDS (continued):
To prevent fire or explosion, keep sparks and open flames
away from battery.
Keep electrical connections clean and tight. Inspect them
often. Loose connections and corrosion increase fire risk.
Before disconnecting the negative ground cable, make sure
all switches are off. This decreases the chance of sparking
and fire.
Usecare when backingto avoidpushingthe grass
bagsinto theframeor“hot”exhaust mufflerof the
engine. Firecould result.
To prevent fire and explosion caused by static electricity:
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.
When practical, remove fuel powered equipment from
the truck or trailer and refuel it on the ground. If this is
not possible, refuel such equipment on a trailer with a
portable container, rather than from a fuel dispenser
nozzle.
If a fuel dispenser nozzle must be used, 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.
Failure to observe the following safety instructions
could result in serious injury or death.

WARNING
14
CHILDREN:
Tragic accidents can occur if the operator is not
alert to the presence of children.
Children are attracted to lawn mowers and the
mowingactivity.
NEVER assume children will stay where they
were last seen.
Be alert to avoid accidents.
Keepchildren outof themowingarea andunder the
watchfulcareofanotherresponsible adult.
Bealert andturnmower offif achildenters thearea.
Beforeand during backinglook BEHIND andDOWN
forsmallchildren.
Nevercarrychildren.Theymay falloffandbeseriously
injuredor interferewith safemower operation.
Neverallow childrento operatethemower.
Useextra carewhen approachingblindcorners,shrubs,
trees,or otherobjects thatmay obscurevision.
Failure to observe the following safety instructions
could result in serious injury or death.

WARNING
15
SERVICE:
Never run a mower inside a closed area or without proper
ventilation.
Keep nuts and bolts tight, especially blade attachment
bolts, and keep equipment in good condition.
Never tamper with safety devices. Check their proper
operationregularly.
Stop and inspect the equipment if you strike an object.
Repair, if necessary, before restarting.
Never make adjustments or repairs with the engine running
unless otherwise specified.
Grass catcher components are subject to wear, damage
and deterioration which could expose moving parts or allow
objects to be thrown. Frequently check components.
Replace with original equipment parts when necessary.
Mower blades are sharp and can cut. Wrap blades or wear
gloves, and use extra caution when servicing them.
Batteries contain sulfuric acid. To prevent burns, avoid
contact with skin, eyes and clothing.
Failure to observe the following safety instructions
could result in serious injury or death.

16
DIXON®ZTR®RESIDENTIALWARRANTYPOLICY
ZEETER™ - Residential Mower
DIXON® WARRANTS ITS ZTR® MOWERS AGAINST DEFECTS IN MATERIAL AND WORK-
MANSHIP FOR THE PERIODS SET FORTH BELOW. THE SOLE REMEDY UNDER THIS
WARRANTY IS REPLACEMENT OR REPAIR OF PARTS INCLUDING LABOR COSTS.
THIS WARRANTY IS SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS AND LIMITATIONS:
1. RESIDENTIALAPPLICATION-(usedonlyatowner’sprimaryplaceofresidence):
a. TwoYears-100%partsandlaborsubjecttotheconditionsandlimitationsdescribed
hereinforaperiodoftwoyearsfromdateofpurchasebytheoriginalowner.
b. AttachmentsmarketedthroughorapprovedbyDixonIndustries,Inc.,arewarranted
fortwoyearspartsandlaborinresidentialuseapplications.
2. NOTAPPROVEDFORCOMMERCIALUSE.
3. AllDixon®warrantymustbeaccomplishedbyauthorizedDixon®dealersandin
accordancewithDixon®warrantypolicyandallowances. Allwarrantyclaimsmustbe
submittedtoDixonIndustriesforapproval.
4. Warrantyappliestonewandunused mowersandistransferablewithinthestatedtime
frametoasecondowner.
5. WarrantylaborreimbursementtodealersbasedonpublishedDixon®flatrateschedule.
6. Warrantydoesnotapplytodamageintransitorincidentsofmisuse,negligence,
accidents,oralteration. Theuseofpartsorcomponentsotherthanthosesuppliedby
DixonIndustriesVOIDSALLWARRANTY.
7. Batterywarrantyislimitedto90daysfromdateofpurchase.
8. Thefollowingitemsarenotcoveredbythiswarrantypolicy:
(a) Routinemaintenanceoradjustmentstoincludeanyoils,filtersorotherfluidsused.
(b) Belts,bladesandtires.
(c) Pickupanddeliverychargesfortransportationofmowertoandfromanauthorized
Dixon®dealer’splaceofbusiness.
(d) Engines.Thesearecoveredunderaseparatewarrantybyeachindividualengine
manufacturer. Consultenginemanualforwarrantydetails.
(e) Anycostsorexpenseofprovidingsubstituteequipmentwhilerepairworkisbeing
performedonawarrantedmower.
9. THEREISNOOTHEREXPRESS WARRANTY.TOTHEEXTENTPERMITTED BY
LAW,ALLIMPLIEDWARRANTIES,INCLUDINGTHOSEOFMERCHANTABILITY
ANDFITNESSFORAPARTICULARPURPOSEAREEXCLUDED,OTHERWISE,
ALLSUCHIMPLIEDWARRANTIESARELIMITEDTOTHESAMEDURATION
ANDREMEDIESASTHEEXPRESSWARRANTY. ALLLIABILITIESFORCONSE-
QUENTIALDAMAGESUNDERANYEXPRESSORIMPLIEDWARRANTYARE
EXCLUDED.

SPECIFICATIONS
17
SPECIFICATIONS SUBJECTTOCHANGEWITHOUT NOTICE
Additional information may be provided elsewhere in this manual.
CHASSIS: 11 GA welded channel frame
BODY: All body parts made of rotational molded polyethylene.
Front body contains access panel for battery service.
Seat tilts forward to allow transmission service.
MOWER DECK: 11 GA stamped steel construction. Single 30 cut blade.
Cut height approximately 1-1/2- 4 via 7-position lift
handle.
BLADE DRIVE: Mechanical; hand lever engagement
TRANSMISSION: Each rear wheel is independently driven by chain and
sprockets through a friction mechanical drive.
ENGINE: 11HP Briggs & Stratton I/C, 4-cycle, single cylinder, air-
cooled, gasoline, vertical shaft, aluminum head and block.
STARTING SYSTEM: Electric by key switch operation with safety interlocks on
parking brake and blade drive.
TIRES: Front 9 x 3.50-4 Smooth Tread
Rear 16 x 6.50-8 Turf Saver
RECOMMENDED Front 16-21 PSI
TIRE PRESSURE: Rear 8-14 PSI
CAPACITIES: Fuel 3 quart
Engine 1.25 quarts oil
DIMENSIONS: Width 32 outside rear wheel measurement
Width 40 overall width of deck with deflector
Height 31 to top edge of seat
Length 65.5 hitch tab to front
Weight 390 lbs.

CONTROLS
18
CONTROL LEVERS
TO GOFORWARD
•Fromneutral position,gentlypushcontrollevers for-
ward.
•Toincrease speed,move leversfurther forward.
TO GO BACKWARDS
•Fromneutralposition,gentlypull controlleverstoward
you.
TURNING
•Turningiscontrolledbymovingonecontrollever slightly
forwardor rearwardof theother.
•Toturn left,moveleft leverrearward oftheright lever.
•Toturn right,moveright leverrearward oftheleft lever.
•Toturn onmower’sownaxis (zeroturning radius),stop
andmove onelever toreverseposition andthe otherto
forwardposition.
BRAKING
•Tobrakemower,moveboth leversindirection opposite
of travel.
Note:The pressurerequired tooperate themowerisverylight.
LEFT TURN OPPOSITE

CONTROLS
19
PARKING BRAKE:
The parking brake is designed to hold
the mowerfrom movingandis not
intendedfor useinstopping the
mowerwhileit isin motion. The
engine will stop if the parking brake is
engagedwhile thecontrol leversare in
thedrive position.
Engageparking brake
beforestarting engine.
TO SET PARKING BRAKE:
The hand operated parking brake is located on the
rightside of themower.
•Toengage brake,pull leverup(to therear).
•Torelease brake,movelever forward(down).
Note: Alwayssetparking brakebeforedismounting.
Releaseparking brakebeforemovingmower.
CAUTION

CONTROLS
20
BEFORE OPERATING MOWER:
1. Read engine manufacturer’s operating and
maintenance instructions.
2. Read and observe all safety instructions
on your mower and in the manual.
3. Check engine oil.
4. Check fuel cap to be sure it is in place.
5. Be sure parking brake is on.
6. Be sure mower blade drive is off.
7. Know how to stop engine. (Turn key to off
position).