MTD Lawn Tracto User manual

Model
OEM-190-842 (for 54-inch decks)
Triple Rear Bagger
Operator’s Manual
For FastAttach™Compatible Garden Tractors
MTD LLC, P.O. BOX 361131 CLEVELAND, OHIO 44136-0019
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
FORM NO.
770-10592.fm
(1/02)

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FINDING YOUR MODEL NUMBER
This Operator’s Manual is an important part of your new grass collector. It will help you assemble, prepare and
maintain it. Please read and understand what it says.
Before you start to assemble this attachment, please locate the model plate and copy the information from it in this
Operator’s Manual for future reference. The information on the model plate is very important if you need help from
our Customer Support Department or your authorized dealer.
• You can locate it by looking on the front, left portion of the plastic grass catcher cover.
• The model plate will look like this picture below.
CALLING CUSTOMER SUPPORT
If you have difficulty assembling this product or have any questions regarding the controls, operation or
maintenance of this unit, please call the Customer Support Department.
Call 1- (330) 220-4MTD (4683) or 1- (800)-800-7310 to reach a Customer Support representative.
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.
Model Plate
Copy the model number here:
Copy the serial number here:
For more details about this unit, visit our website at www.mtdproducts.com

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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.
California Proposition 65 Warning:
WARNING: Engine exhaust, some of its constituents, and certain vehicle components contain or
emit chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm.
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 close-
fitting 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.

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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. Over-
speeding 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

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corners, doorways, shrubs, trees or other
objects that may block your vision of a child
who may run into the machine.
f. Disengage the cutting blade(s) before
shifting in reverse. The “No-Cut-In
Reverse” feature is a reminder not to cut in
reverse and to help avoid back over
accidents. Do not defeat it.
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.
9. 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.
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 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.
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.
NOTE: Safety label found on your unit
DO NOT OPEN THIS
COVER UNLESS THE
ENGINE IS SHUT OFF
.