MTD Series 760 User manual

Safety • AssembJy • Operation • Adjustment • Maintenance •TroubJeshooting •Warranty
A OR'S MANUAL
Transmatic Lawn Tractor- Models 760=779
iMPORTANT
READ SAFETY RULES AND iNSTRUCTiONS CAREFULLY BEFORE OPERATION
Warning: This unitisequippedwithan internalcombustionengineandshouldnotbeusedon or nearanyunimprovedforest-covered,brush-
coveredor grass-coveredlandunlesstheengine'sexhaustsystemisequippedwitha sparkarrestermeetingapplicablelocalorstatelaws(ifany).
If a sparkarresterisused,itshouldbemaintainedineffectiveworkingorderbytheoperator.Inthe StateofCaliforniatheaboveisrequiredbylaw
(Section4442oftheCaliforniaPublicResourcesCode).Otherstatesmayhavesimilarlaws.Federallawsapplyonfederallands.A sparkarrester
forthemufflerisavailablethroughyournearestengineauthorizedservicedealeror contacttheservicedepartment,RO.Box361131Cleveland,
Ohio44136-0019.
FORMNO.769-01598A
PRINTEDIN U.S.A. MTD LLC, P.O. BOX 361131 CLEVELAND, OHiO 44136=0019 10/11/2005

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.
Table of Contents
Slope Gauge ....................................................... 3
Safe Operation Practices ................................... 4
Setting Up Your Lawn Tractor ............................ 8
Operating Your Lawn Tractor ........................... 12
Adjusting Your Lawn Tractor ............................ 20
Maintaining Your Lawn Tractor ........................ 22
Off-Season Storage /Attachments ................. 28
Safety Labels .................................................... 29
Trouble Shooting .............................................. 30
Warranty .............................................. Back Page
Finding and Recording Model Number
BEFOREYOU STARTASSEMBLING
YOURNEW EQUIPMENT,
please locatethe modelplate onthe equipmentand copythe
informationtothe samplemodel plate providedto the right.
Youcan locatethe modelplate by looking beneathethe seat.
This informationwill be necessaryto use the manufacturer's
web siteand/or obtainassistancefromthe CustomerSupport
Departmentor an authorizedservice dealer.
F
Model Number
®
_www.mtdproducts,com
Serial Number
MTD LLC
P.O. BOX 361131
CLEVELAND, OH 44136
330=220=4683
800=800=731 0
Customer Support
Please do NOTreturn the unit to the retailer from which it was
purchased, without first contacting Customer Support.
Ifyou havedifficulty assemblingthis productor have anyquestions regardingthe controls,operation,or maintenanceof this
unit,youcan seekhelp fromthe experts.Choose from the options below:
1. Visit mtdproducts.com. Click onthe Service & Supportmenuoption.
2. Phonea Customer Support Representative at [phone].
3. The engine manufacturer is responsiblefor all engine-relatedissueswith regardsto performance, power-rating,specifica-
tions,warrantyand service. Pleasereferto the engine manufacturer'sOwner's/Operator's Manual,packedseparatelywith
your unit, for more information.
Product Registration
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WARNING: EngineExhaust,some of its constituents,and certain vehiclecompo-
) I Jill nentsconta n or emt chemca s knownto Stateof Ca forna to cause cancerand
birth defectsor other reproductiveharm.
DANGER: This machine was builtto be operatedaccordingto the rulesfor safeoperation in this
manual.As with any type of powerequipment,carelessnessor erroronthe partof the operatorcan
resultin seriousinjury.This machineis capable of amputatinghandsand feet and throwing objects.
Failureto observethe following safetyinstructionscould resultin seriousinjuryordeath.
'WARNING
' This symbol points
outimportantsafety
instructionswhich, if
i notfollowed, could
endangerthe personal
i safetyand/or property
i ofyourself and others.
i Read andfollow all
I instructionsin this man-
i ualbeforeattemptingto
i operatethis machine.
Failureto complywith
these instructions may
I resultin personal injury.
i Whenyouseethis
_sy bl
m o.
IHEED ITSWARNING
Your
Responsibility
i Restrictthe use
of this cower machine
i to personswho read,
understand
' and followthe warnings
and instructions
in this manual
Children
1. Tragicaccidentscanoccuriftheoperatorisnot
alerttothepresenceofchildren.Childrenareoften
attractedto themachineandthemowingactivity.
Theydo notunderstandthedangers.Neverassume
thatchildrenwillremainwhereyoulastsawthem.
a. Keepchildrenoutofthe mowingareaandin
watchfulcareofa responsibleadultotherthan
theoperator.
b. Bealertandturnmachineoff ifa childenters
thearea.
c. Beforeandwhilebacking,lookbehindand
downforsmallchildren.
d. Nevercarrychildren,evenwiththeblade(s)
shutoff.Theymayfalloffandbeseriously
injuredor interferewithsafemachineoperation.
e. Useextremecarewhenapproachingblind
corners,doorways,shrubs,treesor other
objectsthatmayblockyourvisionofa child
whomayrunintothemachine.
f. Toavoid back-overaccidents, always
disengagethe cutting blade(s) before
shifting intoReverse.If equipped,the
"ReverseCaution Mode"should not be
usedwhen children or othersare around.
g. Keepchildrenawayfromhotor running
engines.Theycansufferburnsfroma hot
muffler.
h. Removekeywhenmachineisunattendedto
preventunauthorizedoperation.
2. Neverallowchildrenunder14yearsoldto operate
themachine.Children14yearsoldandovershould
readandunderstandtheoperationinstructionsand
safetyrulesinthis manualandshouldbetrainedand
supervisedbya parent.
Operation
Safe Handlingof Gasoline:
1. Toavoid personalinjuryor propertydamageuse
extremecareinhandlinggasoline. Gasolineis
extremelyflammableand the vapors areexplo-
sive. Seriouspersonalinjurycanoccurwhengasoline
isspilledonyourselfor yourclotheswhichcanignite.
Washyourskinandchangeclothesimmediately.
a. Useonlyan approvedgasolinecontainer.
b. Neverfillcontainersinsidea vehicleor ona
truckor trailerbedwitha plasticliner.Always
placecontainerson thegroundawayfrom
yourvehiclebeforefilling.
c. Whenpractical,removegas-powered
equipmentfromthetruckortrailerand refuelit
ontheground.Ifthis isnotpossible,then
refuelsuchequipmentona trailerwitha
portablecontainer,ratherthanfromagasoline
dispensernozzle.
d. Keepthenozzlein contactwiththerimof
thefueltankor containeropeningatall
timesuntilfuelingiscomplete.Donotusea
nozzlelock-opendevice.
e. Extinguishallcigarettes,cigars,pipesand
othersourcesofignition.
f. Neverfuelmachineindoors.
g. Neverremovegascaporaddfuelwhilethe
engineishotor running.Allowenginetocool
atleasttwominutesbeforerefueling.
h. Neveroverfillfueltank.Filltanktonomore
thanY2inchbelowbottomoffillerneckto
allowspaceforfuelexpansion.
i. Replacegasolinecapandtightensecurely.
j. If gasolineisspilled,wipeitofftheengine
andequipment.Moveunittoanotherarea.
Wait5 minutesbeforestartingtheengine.
k. Toreducefirehazards,keepmachinefreeof
grass,leaves,orotherdebrisbuild-up.Clean
upoil orfuelspillageand removeanyfuel
soakeddebris.
I. Neverstorethemachineorfuelcontainer
insidewherethereisanopenflame,spark
or pilotlightason awaterheater,space
heater,furnace,clothesdryeror othergas
appliances.
m. Allowa machinetocoolatleastfiveminutes
beforestoring.
4

GeneralOperation: 14.Watchfortrafficwhenoperatingnearor crossing
1. Read,understand,andfollowall instructionsonthe
machineandinthe manual(s)beforeattemptingto
assembleandoperate.Keepthismanualina safe
placeforfutureandregularreferenceandforordering
replacementparts.
2. Befamiliarwithall controlsandtheirproperoperation.
Knowhowtostopthemachineanddisengagethem
quickly.
3. Neverallowchildrenunder14yearsold tooperate
this machine.Children14yearsold andovershould
readandunderstandtheoperationinstructionsand
safetyrulesin thismanualandshouldbetrainedand
supervisedbyaparent.
4. Neverallowadultstooperatethis machinewithout
properinstruction.
5. Tohelpavoidbladecontactora thrownobjectinjury,
keepbystanders,helpers,childrenand petsat least
75 feetfromthemachinewhileit isinoperation.Stop
machineifanyoneentersthearea.
6. Thoroughlyinspecttheareawheretheequipmentisto
beused.Removeallstones,sticks,wire,bones,toys,
andotherforeignobjectswhichcouldbepickedup
andthrownbytheblade(s).Thrownobjectscancause
seriouspersonalinjury.
7. Planyourmowingpatterntoavoiddischargeof
materialtowardroads,sidewalks,bystandersandthe
like.Also,avoiddischargingmaterialagainsta wallor
obstructionwhichmaycausedischargedmaterialto
ricochetbacktowardtheoperator.
8. Alwayswearsafetyglassesor safetygogglesduring
operationandwhileperformingan adjustmentor
repairtoprotectyoureyes.Thrownobjectswhich
ricochetcancauseseriousinjurytotheeyes.
9. Wearsturdy,rough-soledworkshoesandclose-fitting
slacksandshirts.Loosefittingclothesandjewelry
canbecaughtinmovableparts.Neveroperatethis
machinein barefeetor sandals.
10.Beawareofthemowerandattachmentdischarge
directionanddo notpointitatanyone.Donotoperate
themowerwithoutthedischargecoverorentiregrass
catcherin itsproperplace.
11.Donotputhandsor feetnearrotatingpartsor under
thecuttingdeck.Contactwiththeblade(s)can
amputatehandsandfeet.
12.Amissingor damageddischargecovercancause
bladecontactor thrownobjectinjuries.
13.Stoptheblade(s)whencrossinggraveldrives,walks,
or roadsandwhilenotcuttinggrass.
roadways.Thismachineisnotintendedforuseon
anypublicroadway.
15.Donotoperatethemachinewhileunderthe influ-
enceofalcoholordrugs.
16.Mowonlyin daylightor goodartificiallight.
17.Nevercarrypassengers.
18.Disengageblade(s)beforeshiftingintoreverse.
Backupslowly.Alwayslookdownandbehindbefore
andwhilebackingtoavoida back-overaccident. 'r'_'----"a_'---_,,,_pe r_ | o r_
19.Slowdownbeforeturning.Operatethe machine
smoothly.Avoiderraticoperationandexcessive
speed. Pactices
20.Disengageblade(s),setparkingbrake,stopengine r
andwaituntiltheblade(s)cometoacompletestop
beforeremovinggrasscatcher,emptyinggrass,
uncloggingchute,removinganygrassor debris,or
makinganyadjustments.
21.Neverleavea runningmachineunattended.Always
turnoff blade(s),placetransmissionin neutral,set
parkingbrake,stopengineand removekeybefore
dismounting.
22.Useextracarewhenloadingor unloadingthe
machineintoa trailerortruck.Thisunitshouldnot
bedrivenupor downramp(s),becausethe unit
couldtipover,causingseriouspersonalinjury.The
unitmustbepushedmanuallyonramp(s)toloador
unloadproperly.
23.Mufflerandenginebecomehotandcancausea
burn.Donottouch.
24.Checkoverheadclearancescarefullybeforedriving
underlowhangingtreebranches,wires,dooropen-
ingsetc.,wheretheoperatormaybe struckor pulled
fromtheunit,whichcouldresultinseriousinjury.
25.Disengageallattachmentclutches,depressthe
brakepedalcompletelyandshiftintoneutralbefore
attemptingtostartengine.
26.Yourmachineisdesignedtocutnormalresidential
grassof aheightno morethan10".Donotattemptto
mowthroughunusuallytall,drygrass(e.g.,pasture)
or pilesofdryleaves.Drygrassor leavesmay
contacttheengineexhaustand/orbuildup onthe
mowerdeckpresentinga potentialfirehazard.
27.Useonlyaccessoriesandattachmentsapprovedfor
thismachinebythemachinemanufacturer.Read,
understandandfollowall instructionsprovidedwith
theapprovedaccessoryor attachment.
28.Dataindicatesthatoperators,age60 yearsand
above,areinvolvedin a largepercentageofriding
mower-relatedinjuries.Theseoperatorsshould
evaluatetheirabilitytooperatetheridingmower
safelyenoughto protectthemselvesandothersfrom
seriousinjury.
29.If situationsoccurwhicharenotcoveredinthis
manual,usecareandgoodjudgment.Contactyour
customerservicerepresentativeforassistance, ofthis powermachine
to personswho read.
understand
and followthe warnings
and instructions
in this manual
WARNING
This symbol points
out importantsafety
instructionswhich, if
notfollowed,could
endangerthe personal
safety and/or property
of yourself and others.
Readand followall
instructionsin this man-
ual beforeattemptingto
operatethis machine.
Failureto comply with
these instructionsmay
'esult in personalinjury.
Whenyou seethis
symbol.
HEED ITS WARNING
Your
Responsibil ity
Restricttheuse
\
5

S ope Operaton DoNor
Slopesarea majorfactorrelatedtolossofcontroland 1. Donotturnonslopesunlessnecessary;then,turn
out mportant safety
instruct!onswhich, !f
not followed,could
endanger the personal
safety and!or property
Iof yourself and others,
Readand follow all
_nstruct!ons_nth_sman-
ual before attempting to
operatethis machine
l l
Fa ure to compy wth
these instructionsmay
resultin persona injury.
When youseethis
i l
tip-overaccidentswhichcanresultin severeinjuryor
death.All slopesrequireextracaution.Ifyoucannot
backuptheslopeor ifyoufeeluneasyonit, do notmow
it.
Foryoursafety,usetheslopegaugeincludedaspartof
thismanualto measureslopesbeforeoperatingthisunit
ona slopedor hillyarea.If theslopeisgreaterthan15
degreesasshownontheslopegauge,do notoperate
thisunitonthatareaorseriousinjurycouldresult.
Do:
1. Mowupanddownslopes,notacross.Exercise
extremecautionwhenchangingdirectiononslopes.
2. Watchforholes,ruts,bumps,rocks,or otherhidden
objects.Uneventerraincouldoverturnthemachine.
Tallgrasscanhideobstacles.
3. Useslowspeed.Choosea lowenoughspeed
settingsothatyouwillnothaveto stoporshiftwhile
ontheslope.Tiresmaylosetractiononslopeseven
thoughthe brakesarefunctioningproperly.Always
keepmachineingearwhengoingdownslopesto
takeadvantageofenginebrakingaction.
4. Followthemanufacturer'srecommendationsfor
wheelweightsorcounterweightsto improvestability.
5. Useextracarewithgrasscatchersor otherat-
tachments.Thesecanchangethestabilityofthe
machine.
6. Keepall movementon theslopesslowandgradual.
Donotmakesuddenchangesinspeedor direction.
Rapidengagementor brakingcouldcausethefront
ofthemachineto liftand rapidlyflipoverbackwards
whichcouldcauseseriousinjury.
7. Avoidstartingor stoppingon a slope.If tireslose
traction,disengagetheblade(s)andproceedslowly
straightdowntheslope.
slowlyandgraduallydownhill,if possible.
2. Donotmowneardrop-offs,ditchesor embankments.
Themowercouldsuddenlyturnoverif awheelisover
theedgeof acliff,ditch,or if anedgecavesin.
3. Donottry tostabilizethemachinebyputtingyourfoot
ontheground.
4. Donotusea grasscatcheronsteepslopes.
5. Donotmowonwetgrass.Reducedtractioncould
causesliding.
6. Donotshifttoneutralandcoastdownhill.Over-speed-
ingmaycausetheoperatortolosecontrolofthe
machineresultingin seriousinjuryordeath.
7. Donottow heavypullbehindattachments(e.g.loaded
dumpcart,lawnroller,etc.)on slopesgreaterthan
5 degrees.Whengoingdownhill,theextraweight
tendsto pushthetractorand maycauseyoutoloose
control.(e.g.tractormayspeedup,brakingandsteer-
ingabilityarereduced,attachmentmayjack-knifeand
causetractortooverturn).
Towing:
1. Towonlywitha machinethathasa hitchdesignedfor
towing.Donotattachtowedequipmentexceptatthe
hitchpoint.
2. Followthemanufacturersrecommendationforweight
limitsfortowedequipmentandtowingonslopes.
3. Neverallowchildrenor othersin oron towedequip-
ment.
4. Onslopes,theweightofthetowedequipmentmay
causelossoftractionandlossofcontrol.
5. Travelslowlyandallowextradistancetostop.
6. Donotshifttoneutralandcoastdownhill.
symbol
l !
HEED ITS WARNING
l
lYour
Responslbdaty
Restnctthe use
of this powermachine
to personswno reae,
andfollowthewarn,ngs
instructions
in this manual
6

Service
1. Neverrun anengineindoorsor ina poorlyventilated
area.Engineexhaustcontainscarbonmonoxide,an
odorless,anddeadlygas.
2. Beforecleaning,repairing,or inspecting,makecertain
theblade(s)andall movingpartshavestopped.
Disconnectthesparkplugwireandgroundagainstthe
engineto preventunintendedstarting.
3. Periodicallychecktomakesurethebladescometo
completestopwithinapproximately(5) fiveseconds
afteroperatingthebladedisengagementcontrol.Ifthe
bladesdo notstopwithinthethis timeframe,yourunit
shouldbeservicedprofessionallybyanauthorized
MTDServiceDealer.
4. Checkbrakeoperationfrequentlyas itissubjectedto
wearduringnormaloperation.Adjustandserviceas
required.
5. Checktheblade(s)andenginemountingboltsat
frequentintervalsforpropertightness.Also,visually
inspectblade(s)fordamage(e.g.,excessivewear,
bent,cracked). Replacetheblade(s)with theoriginal
equipmentmanufacturer's(O.E.M.)blade(s)only,
listedin thismanual."Useofpartswhichdonotmeet
theoriginalequipmentspecificationsmayleadto
improperperformanceandcompromisesafety!"
6. Mowerbladesaresharp.Wrapthebladeor wear
gloves,anduseextracautionwhenservicingthem.
7. Keepall nuts,bolts,andscrewstight tobe surethe
equipmentis insafeworkingcondition.
8. Nevertamperwiththesafetyinterlocksystemor other
safetydevices.Checktheirproperoperationregularly.
9. Afterstrikinga foreignobject,stoptheengine,
disconnectthesparkplugwire(s)and groundagainst
theengine.Thoroughlyinspectthemachineforany
damage.Repairthedamagebeforestartingand
operating.
10.Neverattempttomakeadjustmentsor repairstothe
machinewhiletheengineisrunning.
11.Grasscatchercomponentsandthedischarge
coveraresubjecttowearanddamagewhichcould
exposemovingpartsor allowobjectstobethrown.
Forsafetyprotection,frequentlycheckcomponents
andreplaceimmediatelywithoriginalequipment
manufacturer's(O.E.M.)partsonly,listedinthis
manual."Useof partswhichdo notmeettheoriginal
equipmentspecificationsmayleadtoimproper
performanceandcompromisesafety!"
12.Donotchangetheenginegovernorsettingsor
over-speedtheengine.Thegovernorcontrolsthe
maximumsafeoperatingspeedof theengine.
13.Maintainor replacesafetyandinstructionlabels,as
necessary.
14.Observeproperdisposallawsandregulationsfor
gas,oil,etc.toprotecttheenvironment.
This symbolpoints
out important safety
instructionswhich•if
notfollowed,could
endangerthe personal
safetyand/or property
ofyourself and others,
Readandfollow all
instructionsin this man-
ual beforeattemptingto
operatethis machine.
Failureto complywith
these instructionsmay
result in personalinjury.
Whenyousee this
symbol.
HEED ITS WARNING
Your
Responsibility
Restrictthe use
of this powermachine
to personswho read
unaerstand
and followthe warnings
and instructions
in this manual
\
7

f" "-, NOTE Ths OperatorsManuacoversa rangeofproduct
(......
f_"'_ "_ _uhh_r Rnnt j specifications for various models. Characteristics and fea-
i i |uu_/ LJUUk
--r J_ii I turesdlscussedand/orlllustratedlnths manualmaynot
r-q"-_ I ._ _ i beapplicabletoall models.MTDLLCreservestheright
k,. _ j_/ tochangeproductspecifications,designsandequipment
/.......
''" "" _ _ i w,thoutnot,ceandw,thout,ncurr,ng obl,gat,on.
Attaching the Battery Cables
Your Law NOTE:Somemodelsareshippedwiththebatterycables
a readyconnected
Tractor NOTE:Thepositivebatteryterminalis markedPos.(+).
WARNING
iUseextreme care
l
when handl!ng
gasoline.Gasolineis
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 sourcesOf
NOTE: This Qperators
Manual Coversa range
of productspecifications
forvarousmodes
"d
Characteristicsan
featuresdiscussed _
and/or ustrated n
ithis manual maTnotbe
applicabletoal! models,
MTDLLC reservesthe
right to change product
specifications designs
and equipment without
notice and w_thoutrecur-
The negativebatteryterminalis markedNeg.(-).
Figure 1
•Thepositivecable(heavyredwire)issecuredtothe
positivebatteryterminal(+)witha hexboltandhex
nutatthefactory.Makecertainthatthe rubberboot
coverstheterminaltohelpprotectitfromcorrosion.
•Removethehexboltandhexnutfromthenegative
cable.
•Removetheblackplasticcover,if present,fromthe
negativebatteryterminalandattachthenegative
cable(heavyblackwire)tothenegativebattery
terminal(-) withtheboltandnut.
•Makecertainthehold-downstrapisin positionover
thebattery,securingit inplace.SeeFigure1.
NOTE:If thebatteryis putintoserviceafterthedate
shownontopofbattery,chargethebatteryasinstructed
on page24ofthis manualpriorto operatingthetractor.
Gas and Oil Fill-up
Thegasolinetankislocatedunderthehoodandhasa
capacityof1-1/2gallons.Donotoverfill.
WARNING: Use extreme care
when handlinggasoline.Gaso-
line is extremely flammable and
the vapors are explosive. Never
fuel machine indoors or while the
engine is hot or running. Extin-
guish cigarettes, cigars, pipes,
and other sources of ignition.
Servicetheenginewithgasolineandoil asinstructedin
theseparateEngineOperator/OwnerManualpackedwith
yourtractor.Readinstructionscarefully.
IMPORTANT:Yourtractorisshippedwith motoroil inthe
engine.However,youMUSTchecktheoil levelbefore
operating.Becarefulnottooverfill.
8

Shipping Brace Removal
WARNING: Make sure the riding
mower's engineis off, removethe
ignitionkey, and set the parking
brake before removingthe ship-
pingbrace.
= Locatetheshippingbrace,ifpresent,andaccompany-
ingwarningtagfoundon therightsideofthemower,
betweenthedischargechuteandthecuttingdeck.
SeeFigure2.
,, Whileholdingthedischargechutewithyourleft hand,
removetheshippingbracewithyourrighthandby
graspingitbetweenyourthumbandindexfingerand
rotatingitclockwise.
li
Figure 2 WARNING
WARNING: The shipping brace,
used for packaging purposes
only, must be removed and dis-
carded before operating your
riding mower.
WARNING: The mowing deck is
capable of throwing objects. Fail-
ure to operate the riding mower
without the discharge cover in the
proper operating position could
resultin serious personal injury
and/or property damage.
Attaching The Steering Wheel
If thesteeringwheelforyourtractordid notcome
attached,thehardwareforattachingit hasbeenpacked
withinthesteeringwheel,beneaththesteeringwheel
cap.Carefullypryoff thesteeringwheelcapand remove
thehardware.
NOTE:Therearetwodifferentstylesofsteeringwheel
cap.SeeFigure3.Styles vary bymodel,
1. With the wheelsof the tractor pointing straight
forward, placethesteeringwheeloverthesteering
shaft.
2. Placethewasher(withthecuppedsidedown)over
thesteeringshaftandsecurewiththehexbolt.See
Figure3.
3. Placethesteeringwheelcapoverthecenterofthe
steeringwheelandpushdownwarduntilit "clicks"into
place.
Figure 3
Make sure the riding
mower's engine is
off, remove the igni-
tion key, and set the
parking brake before
removing the shipping
brace.
The shipping brace,
used for packaging
purposes only, must
be removed and
discarded before
operating your riding
mower,
The mowing deck is
capable of throwing
objects. Failure to
operate the riding
mower without the
discharge cover in
the properoperating
position could result
in serious personal
injuryandlor property
'damage.
9

Your Lawn
Tractor
f _, Attaching The Seat
Seatstylesvarybytractormodelandtherearethree
--_ _ differentstylesavailable.
,---_-h _ •StandardAdjustment
QuickAdjustment&
E
__d_'l'tlllntll ||1_ ,' KnobAdjustment
"" If theseatforyourtractordid notcomeattached,referto
Figure4, Figure5,and Figure6 toidentifyyourtractor's
seatstyleandfollowtheapplicableinstructionsbelowto
attachit.
WARNING
Before operatingthis
machine, make sure
theseat sengaged n
the seat stop stand
behind the machine
and pu back on seat
until fully engaged
intoStopl
J
Figure 4
/ i
NOTE Forsh ppng rea-
sons,seatsaree_ther
fastenedtothe tractor
seat s p vot bracket w th
a plastictMe,or mounted
backwardtothe pwot
bracket.In eithercase,
free the seat form ts
NOTE:Forshippingreasons,seatsareeitherfastened
tothetractorseat'spivotbracketwitha plastictie,or
mountedbackwardtothepivotbracket.Ineithercase,
freetheseatformitsshippingpositionand removethe
twohexscrews(or knobs,on modelssoequipped)from
thebottomofseatbeforeproceedingwithapplicable
instructionsbelow.
Standard Adjustment Seat
1. Positiontheshoulderscrews(foundonthe baseof the
seat)insidetheslot openingsintheseatpivotbracket.
Figure4.
2. Slidetheseatslightlyrearwardintheseatpivot
bracket,lininguptherearslotsinthepivotbracket
withtheremainingtwo holesintheseat'sbase.
3. Selectdesiredpositionfortheseat,andsecurewith
thetwohexscrewsremovedearlier.SeeFigure4.
Quick Adjustment Seat
NOTE:If yourseatwasshippedmountedbackwardson
theseatpivotbracket,pulloutthetabfoundontheseat
stopandholditopenwhileslidingtheseatofftheseat
pivotbracket.SeeFigure5.
Figure 5 1. Lineuptheplasticseatspacerswiththeslotsin seat
pivotbracket.
2. Slideseatinuntilfrontseatspacerengagestheseat
stop.SeeFigure5.
_IL ARNING: Before operating this
machine, makesure the seat is
engaged in the seat stop, stand
behind the machine and pull back
shippingposition and on seat until fully engaged into
removethe twohex stop.
screws(or knobs,on Knob Adjustment Seat
modelsso equipped) 1. Positiontheshoulderscrews(foundonthebaseof the
fromthe bottomof seat seat)insidetheslot openingsintheseatpivotbracket.
Figure6
beforeproceed!ngw!th ............... .
annlicableinstructions ........... 2. Slidetheseatslightlyrearwardintheseatpivot
FF ' ..... ....
........ bracketlininguptherearslotsinthepivotbracket
_.. _ .... ,
wththeremanngtwo hoes ntheseats base
Figure 6 3. Selectdesiredpositionfortheseat,andsecurewith
_ thetwoknobsremovedearlier.SeeFigure6.
10

Identifying the Mulch Plug (if so f , "X Z
•\\
equipped) _ \ /.....,.... . } L_J I
, , ' X \_
On tractormodelssoequ=ppeda mulchplugcane=ther | _ /......',, |
//_, /
be foundwithinthecuttingdeck'sdischargeopeningor _, !
packed separately withyour unit. ........ Setting Up
Ii
NOTE:RefertoMulchingon page19formoredetailed
information.
If you'dpreferto operatethecuttingdeckwithoutmulch-
ing,simplyremovethemulchplugbyunthreadingthe
plasticwingnutwhichfastensittothecuttingdeck.This
willallowtheclippingstodischargeoutofthedischarge
openingduringoperation.SeeFigure7.
Tire Pressure
Your Lawn
Tractor
_ARNING: Maximum tire pres-
sure under any circumstancesis
30 psi. Equal tire pressureshould
be maintained at all times.
Thetiresonyourunitmaybeover-inflatedforshipping
purposes.Reducethetirepressurebeforeoperating
thetractor.Recommendedoperatingtirepressureis
approximately10p.s.iforthereartires& 14p.s.i,forthe
fronttires.Checksidewalloftirefor maximump.s.i.
Figure 7 WARNING
Maximum tire pres-
sure under any
circumstances is 30
psi," Equal tire pressure
should be maintained
at all times.
li
\
11

NOTE:Anyreference
inthismanualtothe
RIGHTorLEFTsideof
thetractorisobserved
fromoperator'sposition.
\ \
\\\\ \
Figure 8 NOTE:Steeringwheelnotshownforclarity,/
1 Ifso equipped
A SpeedControlLever/ParkingBrake E ThrottleControlLever
B Clutch-BrakePedal F IgnitionSwitchModule
C ShiftLever G DeckLift Lever
D ChokeControl1" H PTO(BladeEngage)Lever
NOTE:Anyreferencein thismanualtotheRIGHTor LEFTsideofthetractorisobservedfromoperator'sposition.
12

Throttle Control Lever f "_
Thethrottlecontrolleveris locatedon therightsideof
thetractorsdashpanel.Thislevercontrolsthespeed
oftheengineand,on somemodels,whenpushedall
thewayforward,thechokecontrolalso.Whenset ina
givenposition,thethrottlewillmaintaina uniformengine
speed.SeeFigure9.
IMPORTANT:Whenoperatingthetractorwiththecutting
deckengaged,becertainthatthethrottleleverisalways
inthe FAST(rabbit)position.
Choke Control
Onsomemodels,movingthe
throttleleverallthewayforward
activatestheengine'schoke _.
control.Onall othermodels,the lk
chokecontrolcanbefoundon
theleftsideofthedashpanel
andisactivatedbypullingthe
knoboutward.Activatingthe
chokecontrolclosesthechoke
plateonthecarburetorandaidsinstartingtheengine.
RefertoStarting TheEngine on page16ofthis manual
fordetailedstartinginstructions.
ignition Switch
Theignitionswitchisactivatedtostarttheengine.Insert
keyintotheignitionswitchandturnclockwisetothe
STARTposition.ReleasethekeyintotheONposition
onceenginehasfired.SeeFigureIOA.
ignition Switch Module (if Equipped)
Tostarttheengine,insertthe keyintothe ignitionswitch
andturnclockwiseto theSTARTposition.Releasethe
keyintotheNORMALMOWINGMODEpositiononce
theenginehasfired.
Tostoptheengine,turnthe ignitionkeycounterclockwise
totheOFFposition.SeeFigure10B.
WARNING: Never leave a running
machine unattended. Always
disengage PTO,move shift lever
into neutral position,set parking
brake, stop engine and remove
key to prevent unintended
starting.
IMPORTANT:Priortooperatingthetractor,refertoboth
SafetyInterlock Switches on page14andStarting
TheEngine on page16ofthismanualfordetailed
instructionsregardingtheIgnitionSwitchModuleand
operatingthetractorin REVERSECAUTIONMODE.
FAST _
==_==
SLOW =_ SLOW
Figure 9 J
F
AOff On/Lights
Start
)sition
©
-,,,
Normal
Mode
Figure 10
Start
Position
WARNING
Never leave a running
machine unattended.
Awaysdsengage
PTO, move sh'ft ever
intoneutralposition;
}et parkingbrake, stop
;ngine and remove key
to preventunintended
iMPORTANT
Prior tooperatingthe
tractorlrefer toboth
Safety Interlock
,0ion
Starting The
Deck Lift Lever, Engine on page 16
Foundonyourtractorsrightfender,thedecklift leveris .
ofthis manualfor
usedtochangetheheightofthecuttingdeck.Touse,
movethe levertotheleft,thenplaceinthenotchbest detailed instructions
suitedforyourapplication, regarding the Ignition
13

erating
NOTE: The parking
brake must beSetif the
operatorleaVeStheseat
with the engine rum
ningorthe enginevvil!
automatically shutoff,
NOTE: The PTO(Blade
Engage) levermust
in the disengaged(PT(
OFF) positionwhen
IMPORTANT
Never force the shift
!ever,Doing SOmay
result in serious
damage to the tractor's
transmission.
_ ii i _iI i
FORWARD
RUETEAL
REVERSE
Figure 11
Speed Control Lever
Thespeedcontrollever,locatedon the
leftsideofthetractor'sdashconsole,
allowsyouto regulatethegroundspeed
ofthelawntractor.Touse,depressthe
clutch-brakepedalandmovetheleverou
oftheparkingbrakenotchand forward
toincreasethetractor'sgroundspeed.
Whenadesiredspeedhasbeenreached
releasetheleverintoan appropriate
notchto maintainthatspeed.
Toslowthetractor'sgroundspeed,
depresstheclutch-brakepedalandmow
thespeedcontrolleverrearwardand
releaseit intoa notch.
NOTE:Lawntractorsvarybymodeland
areavailablewith eithera6- or 7-speed
controllever.
Parking Brake
Tosettheparkingbrake,fullydepresstheclutch-brake
pedal.Movethespeedcontrolleverallthewaydown
andintotheparkingbrakeposition.Releasetheclutch-
brakepedaltoallowtheparkingbraketo engage.
Toreleasetheparkingbrake,depresstheclutch-brake
pedaland movethespeedcontrolleveroutofthe
notchestothedesiredposition.Releasethespeed
controlleverandtheclutch-brakepedal.
NOTE:The parkingbrakemustbeset iftheoperator
leavestheseatwiththeenginerunningor theengine
willautomaticallyshutoff.
Clutch=Brake Pedal
Theclutch-brakepedalislocatedon theleftsideof
thelawntractor,alongtherunningboard.Depressthe
clutch-brakepedalpartwaydownwhenslowingthe
tractorbychangingspeeds(RefertoSpeedControl
Lever).Depressthepedalall thewaydowntoengage
thedisc brakeand bringthetractortoa completestop.
NOTE:Thepedalmustbedepressedto startthe
engine.Referto SafetyInterlockSwitcheson page14.
Shift Lever
Theshiftleverislocatedonthe leftsideof thefender
andhasthreepositions,FORWARD,NEUTRALand
REVERSE.Thebrakepedalmustbe depressedand
thetractormustnotbe in motionwhenthe movingshift
lever.SeeFigure11.
IMPORTANT:Neverforcetheshift lever.Doingsomay
resultinseriousdamagetothetractor'stransmission.
PTO (Blade Engage) Lever
Foundon thetractor'srightfender,the
PTO(bladeengage)leverisusedto
engagepowertothecuttingdeckor
other(separatelyavailable)attachments.
Tooperate,movethe leverall theway
forward.Movingtheleveralltheway
rearwardintothePTOOFFposition
disengagespowertothecuttingdeck/
attachment.
NOTE:ThePTO(bladeengage)lever
mustbe inthedisengaged(PTOOFF)
positionwhenstartingtheengine.
'tl f
o
p
_3
r_
i'
_5
0
Safety Interlock Switches
Thistractorisequippedwitha safetyinterlocksystem
fortheprotectionoftheoperator.If theinterlocksystem
shouldevermalfunction,donotoperatethetractor.
ContactanauthorizedMTDservicedealer.
• Thesafetyinterlocksystempreventstheengine
fromcrankingor startingunlesstheparkingbrakeis
engaged,and thePTO(BladeEngage)leverisinthe
disengaged(OFF)position.
• Theenginewillautomaticallyshutoff iftheoperator
leavestheseatbeforeengagingtheparkingbrake.
• Theenginewillautomaticallyshutoff iftheoperator
leavesthetractor'sseatwiththePTO(BladeEngage)
leverintheengaged(ON)position,regardlessof
whethertheparkingbrakeisengaged.
• Theenginewillautomaticallyshutoff iftheoperator
engagesthePTOwiththeparkingbrakeON.
14

(BladeEngage)leverismovedintotheengaged(ON)
positionwiththeshiftleverinReverse.
Models with Reverse Caution Mode
,Withtheignitionkeyin theNORMALMOWING
position,theenginewillautomaticallyshutoff ifthe
PTO(BladeEngage)leverismovedintotheengaged
(ON)positionwiththeshiftleverin Reverse.
WARNING: Do not operate the
tractor if the interlocksystem
is malfunctioning. This system
was designed for your safety and
protection.
Reverse Caution Mode (if Equipped)
WARNING: Use extreme caution
while operating the tractor in
the REVERSE CAUTION MODE.
Always lookdown and behind
before and while backing. Do not
operate the tractor when children
or others are around. Stop the
tractor immediately ifsomeone
enters the area.
TheREVERSECAUTIONMODEpositionofthekey
switchmoduleallowsthetractortobe operatedin
reversewiththe blades(PTO)engaged.
IMPORTANT:Mowingin reverseis notrecommended.
TousetheREVERSECAUTIONMODE:
IMPORTANT:TheoperatorMUSTbeseatedinthe
tractorseat.
1. Starttheengineasinstructedon page16under
Starting TheEngine.
2. TurnthekeyfromtheNORMALMOWING(Green)
positiontotheREVERSECAUTIONMODE(Yellow)
positionofthekeyswitchmodule. SeeFigure12.
3. DepresstheREVERSEPUSHBUTTON(Orange,
TriangularButton)atthetop,rightcornerofthekey
switchmodule.Thered indicatorlightat thetop, left
cornerofthekeyswitchmodulewillbeONwhile
activated.SeeFigure12.
Reverse
Indicator Push Button
Light Reverse
Stop CautionMode
Position Position
©Start
Position Your Lawn
Figure 12
4. Onceactivated(indicatorlightON),thetractorcan
be driveninreversewiththecuttingblades(PTO)
engaged.
5. Alwayslookdownandbehindbeforeandwhile
backingtomakesurenochildrenarearound.
6. Afterresumingforwardmotion,returnthekeytothe
NORMALMOWINGposition.
IMPORTANT:TheREVERSECAUTIONMODEwill
remainactivateduntil:
a. ThekeyisplacedineithertheNORMALMOWING
positionor STOPposition.
b. Theoperatorengagestheparkingbrakebyfully
depressingtheclutch-brakepedalandholdingit
downwhilemovingthespeedcontrolleverintothe
PARKBRAKEposition.
Engaging the Parking Brake
Toengagetheparkingbrake:
1. Fullydepresstheclutch-brakepedaland holditdown
withyourfoot.
2. Movethespeedcontrolleverall thewaydownand
intotheparkingbrakeposition.
3. Releasetheclutch-brakepedaltoallowtheparking
braketoengage.
Toreleasetheparkingbrake:
1. Depresstheclutch-brakepedalandmovethespeed
controlleveroutoftheparkingbrakepositionand into
a desiredspeed.
WARNING
iDonot operate the
l
Itractor if the interlock
isystem is malfunction-
I rig. Th s system was
idesigned for your
safety and protection.
Useextreme caution
while operatingthe
tractor inthe REVERSE
CAUTIONMODE.
Always look down and
behind before and
while backing. Donot
operate the tractor
Whenchildren or oth-
ers are around. Stop
the tractor immediately
if someone enters the
area.
15

I:ing
otor
WARNING
Keephandsand feet
awayfrom the dis-
charge opening of the
cutting deck.
Donotoperate the
tractor ifthe interlock
system ismalfunction-
ing.This systemwas
designed for your
safety and protection.
Ifyou strike a foreign
object, stopthe
engine, disconnect
the spark plugwire(s)
and ground against
the engine.Thoroughly
inspectthe machine
for any damage. Repair
the damage before
restartingand operat-
ing.
Setting the Cutting Height
1. Selecttheheightpositionofthecuttingdeckby
placingthedecklift leverinanyofthesixdifferent
cuttingheightnotchesontherightsideofthefender.
2. Adjustthedeckwheels,ifequipped,sothattheyare
between1A-inchandY2-inchabovethegroundwhen
thetractorisona smooth,flatsurfacesuchasa
driveway.
_ARNING: Keep hands and feet
away from the dischargeopen-
ing of the cutting deck.
NOTE:Onmodelssoequipped,thedeckwheelsarean
anti-scalpfeatureofthedeckandare notdesignedto
supporttheweightofthecuttingdeck.
Referto Levelingthe Deckon page20ofthis manual
formoredetailedinstructionsregardingvariousdeck
adjustments.
Starting the Engine
WARNING: Do not operate the
tractor if the interlocksystemis
malfunctioning. This systemwas
designed for your safety and
protection.
AVOID SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH
GO UPANDDOWNSLOPES,NOTACROSS.
AVOIDSUDDENTURNS.
DO NOTOPERATETHEUNITWHEREIT COULDSLIPORTIE
IFMACHINESTOPSGOINGUPHILL,STOPBLADE(S)AND
BACKDOWNHILLSLOWLY.
DO NOTMOWWHEN CHILDRENOR OTHERSAREAROUND.
NEVERCARRYCHILDREN,EVENWITHBLADES OFE
LOOK DOWNAND BEHINDBEFOREAND WHILEBACKING.
KEEPSAFETYDEVICES(GUARDS,SHIELDS,ANDSWlTCHE_
INPLACEANDWORKING.
REMOVEOBJECTSTHATCOULDBE THROWNBYTHE
BLADE(S).
KNOWLOCATIONANDFUNCTIONOFALL CONTROLS.
BE SUREBLADE(S) ANDENGINEARESTOPPEDBEFORE
PLACINGHANDSORFEETNEAR BLADE(S).
BEFORELEAVINGOPERATOR'SPOSITION,DISENGAGE
BLADE(S), PLACETHESHIFT LEVERIN NEUTRAL,ENGAGE
BRAKELOCK,SHUTENGINEOFFANDREMOVEKEY.
READ OPERATOR'S MANUAL
Stopping the Engine
NOTE:RefertotheTRACTORSET-UPon page8 of
thismanualforGasolineandOil fill-upinstructions.
1. Insertthetractorkeyintotheignitionswitch.
2. PlacethePTO(BladeEngage)leverinthedisen-
gaged(OFF)position.
3. Engagethetractor'sparkingbrake.
4. Activatethechokecontrol.
5. TurntheignitionkeyclockwisetotheSTARTposi-
tion.Aftertheenginestarts,releasethekey.Itwill
returntotheONposition.
iMPORTANT:DoNOTholdthekeyin theSTART
positionforlongerthantensecondsata time.Doingso
maycausedamagetoyourengine'selectricstarter.
6. Aftertheenginestarts,deactivatethechokecontrol
andplacethethrottlecontrolin theFASTposition.
_ARNING: if you strike a foreign
object, stop the engine, discon-
nect the spark plug wire(s) and
ground against the engine. Thor-
oughly inspect the machine for
any damage. Repair the damage
before restarting and operating
1. If thebladesare engaged,placethePTO(Blade
Engage)leverinthedisengaged(OFF)position.
2. TurntheignitionkeycounterclockwisetotheSTOP
position.
3. Removethekeyfromtheignitionswitchtoprevent
unintendedstarting.
NOTE:DoNOTleavethechokecontrolonwhileoperat-
ingthetractor.Doingsowillresultina "rich"fuelmixture
andcausetheenginetorun poorly.
16

Driving The Tractor
_ARNING: Avoidsudden starts,
ex-cessivespeed and sudden
stops.
WARNING: Do not leavethe seat
of the tractor without first plac-
ing the PTO(Blade Engage) lever
in the disengaged (OFF) posi-
tion, depressing the brake pedal
and engaging the parkingbrake.
If leaving the tractor unattended,
also turn the ignitionkey off and
removethe key.
Always lookdown and behind
beforeand while backing up to
avoid a back-over accident.
1. Depressthebrakepedalto releasetheparkingbrake
andletthepedalup.
2. MovethethrottleleverintotheFAST(rabbit)position.
3. Placetheshiftleverin eithertheFORWARDor
REVERSEposition.
IMPORTANT:DoNOTusetheshiftlevertochangethe
directionof travelwhenthetractorisin motion.Always
usethebrakepedalto bringthetractortoa complete
stopbeforeshifting.
4. Releasethe parkingbrakebydepressingtheclutch-
brakepedaland positioningthespeedcontrolleverin
desiredposition.
IMPORTANT:First-timeoperatorsshouldusespeed
positions1or2. Becomecompletelyfamiliarwiththe
tractor'soperationandcontrolsbeforeoperatingthe
tractorin higherspeedpositions.
5. Releaseclutch-brakepedalslowlyto putunitinto
motion.
6. Thelawntractorisbroughttoa stopbydepressing
theclutch-brakepedal.
NOTE:Whenoperatingtheunitinitially,therewillbe little
differencebetweenthehighesttwospeedsuntilafterthe
beltshaveseatedthemselvesintothepulleysduringthe
break-inperiod.
_ARNING: Before leaving the
operator's position for any
reason, disengage the blades,
place the shift lever in neutral,
engage the parking brake, shut
engine off and remove the key.
IMPORTANT:Whenstoppingthetractorforanyreason
whileona grasssurface,always:
1. Placetheshiftleverin neutral,
2. Engagetheparkingbrake,
3. Shutengineoff andremovethekey.
Doingsowill minimizethepossibilityof havingyourlawn
"browned"byhotexhaustfromyourtractor'srunning
engine.
If unit stalls withspeedcontrolin highspeed,or ifunit
willnotoperatewithspeedcontrolleverin a lowspeed
position,proceedasfollows:
1. Placeshiftleverin NEUTRAL.
2. Restartengine.
3. Placespeedcontrolleverinhighestspeedposition.
4. Releaseclutch-brakepedalfully.
5. Depressclutch-brakepedal.
6. Placespeedcontrolleverindesiredposition.
7. Placeshiftleverin eitherFORWARDor REVERSE,
andfollownormaloperatingprocedures.
17
I _ I _ i i i _'
Operatinq
Your Lawn
l /
WARNING
iAvoJdsudden starts,
iex-cesslve speed and
Isudden stops.
Do not leave the seat
of the tractor without
first placingthe PTO
(Blade Engage) lever in
the disengaged (OFF)
position,depressing
the brake pedal and
engaging the parking
brake, if leaving the
tractor unattended,
also turn the ignition
key off and remove the
key.
Always look down
and behind before
and while backi ng up
to avoid a back-over
accident.

WARNING
Do not mow on inclines
with aslopein excess
of 15degrees (a rise
of approximately 2-1/2
feet every 10feet). The
tractor could overturn
and cause serious
injury.
1"ohelp avoid blade
:ontact or a thrown
object injury, keep
bystanders, helpers,
:hildren and pets at
east75 feet from the
_achine while it isin
)peration. Stop ma-
:hine if anyone enters
:hearea.
Driving On Slopes
RefertotheSLOPEGAUGEon page3 to helpdeter-
mineslopeswhereyoumayoperatethetractorsafely.
_. WARNING: Do not mow on
inclineswith a slope in excess
__ of 15degrees (a rise of approxi-
mately 2-1/2 feet every 10 feet).
The tractor could overturn and
cause serious injury.
Mowupanddownslopes,NEVERacross.
Exerciseextremecautionwhenchangingdirection
onslopes.
• Watchforholes,ruts,bumps,rocks,orotherhidden
objects.Uneventerraincouldoverturnthe machine.
Tallgrasscanhideobstacles.
• Avoidturnswhendrivingona slope.Ifa turnmust
be made,turndowntheslope.Turningupa slope
greatlyincreasesthechanceof a rollover.
,, Avoidstoppingwhendrivingupa slope.If itis
necessarytostopwhiledrivingupa slope,startup
smoothlyandcarefullyto reducethepossibilityof
flippingthetractoroverbackward.
Engaging the Blades
EngagingthePTO(BladeEngage)transferspowerto
thecuttingdeckor other(separatelyavailable)attach-
ments.Toengagetheblades,proceedasfollows:
1. MovethethrottlecontrollevertotheFAST(rabbit)
position.
2. GraspthePTO(BladeEngage)leverand pivotitall
thewayforwardintotheengaged(ON)position.
3. KeepthethrottleleverintheFAST(rabbit)position
forthemostefficientuseofthecuttingdeckor other
(separatelyavailable)attachments
IMPORTANT:ModelswithReverseCaution Mode:
Theenginewillautomaticallyshutoff ifthePTOis
engagedwiththeshiftleverinpositionfor reversetravel
withtheignitionkeyintheNORMALMOWINGposition.
Models without ReverseCaution Mode:
ThePTO(BladeEngage)levermustbein thedisen-
gaged(OFF)positionwhenstartingtheengine,when
travelingin reverse,andiftheoperatorleavestheseat.
Referto SafetyInterlockSwitcheson page14.
Using the Deck Lift Lever
Toraisethecuttingdeck,movethedecklift levertothe
left,thenplaceitinthenotchbestsuitedforyourapplica-
tion.RefertoSettingTheCuttingHeightearlierin this
section.
Mowing
_ARNING: To help avoid blade
contact or a thrown object injury,
__ keep bystanders, helpers, children
and petsat least 75 feet from the
machine while it is in operation.
Stop machine if anyone enters the
area.
Thefollowinginformationwillbehelpfulwhenusingthe
cuttingdeckwith yourtractor:
l_. ARNING: Planyour mowing
patternto avoid discharge of
-- materials 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.
,, Donotmowathighgroundspeed,especiallyifa
mulchkit or grasscollectoris installed.
,, Forbestresultsit isrecommendedthatthefirsttwo
lapsbe cutwiththedischargethrowntowardsthe
center.Afterthefirsttwolaps,reversethedirectionto
throwthedischargetotheoutsideforthebalanceof
cutting.Thiswillgivea betterappearancetothe lawn.
,, Donotcut thegrasstooshort.Shortgrassinvites
weedgrowthandyellowsquicklyin dryweather.
,, Mowingshouldalwaysbedonewiththeengineat full
throttle.
,, Underheavierconditionsitmaybenecessarytogo
backoverthecut areaa secondtimetogeta clean
cut.
18

,, DoNOTattempttomowheavybrushandweedsand
extremelytallgrass.Yourtractorisdesignedtomow
lawns,NOTclearbrush.
,, Keepthebladessharpandreplacethebladeswhen
worn.RefertoCutting Blades onpage25 ofthis
manualforproperbladesharpeninginstructions.
Mulching (If Equipped)
Selectmodelscomeequippedwitha mulchkitwhich
incorporatesspecialblades,alreadystandardonthe
tractor,ina processof recirculatinggrassclippings
repeatedlybeneaththecuttingdeck.Theultra-fine
clippingsarethenforcedbackintothelawnwherethey
actasa naturalfertilizer.
Observethefollowingpointsforthebestresultswhen
mulching:
,, Neverattempttomulchif thelawnisdamp.Wetgrass
tendstosticktothe undersideofthecuttingdeck
preventingpropermulchingoftheclippings.
,, DoNOTattempttomulchmorethan1/3thetotal
heightofthegrassor approximately1-1/2inches.
Doingsowillcausetheclippingstoclumpupbeneath
thedeckandnotbe mulchedeffectively.
,, Maintaina slowgroundspeedtoallowthegrass
clippingsmoretimeto effectivelybe mulched.
,, AlwayspositionthethrottlecontrolleverintheFAST
(rabbit)positionandallowittoremaintherewhile
mowing.Failingtokeeptheengineatfullthrottle
placesstrainonthetractor'sengineanddoesnot
allowthebladesto properlymulchgrass.
NOTE:It isnotnecessarytoremovethedischargechute
tooperatethemowerwiththemulchkit installed.
Tooperatethecuttingdeckwithoutmulching,simply
removethemulchplug byunthreadingtheplasticwing
nutwhichfastensitto thecuttingdeck.Thiswillallowthe
clippingstodischargeouttheside.SeeFigure13.
Headlights
,, Onsomemodels,thelampsareONwheneverthe
tractor'sengineisrunning.Onothermodels,the
lampsareONwhenevertheignitionkeyis movedout
oftheSTOPposition.
,, Onall models,thelampsturnOFFwhentheignition
keyismovedtotheSTOPposition.
Figure 13
19
iPlanyour mowing pat-
_ternto avoid discharge
iof materials toward
iroads, sidewalks,by-
Istandersand the like.
'Also, avoiddischarging
materialagainst a wall
or obstructionwhich
may causedischarged
materialto ricochet
backtoward the
operator.

l R E
Adjust=ha
Your Lawn
Tractor
i
,WARNING
I
iNever attempt to
i ....
i make any aajusi-
merits while the
engineis running,
i
i except where spec=-
f ed nthe operators
i manual.
iNever attemptto
!adjust the brakes
_while the engine
iisrunning. Always
idisengage PTO,move
ishift lever intoneutral
iposition,stop engine
land removekey to
ipreventunintended
starting.
Figure 14
Figure 15
_ARNING: Never attempt to
make any adjustments while
-- the engine is running, except
where specified in the operator's
manual.
Leveling the Deck
NOTE:Checkthetractor'stirepressurebeforeperform-
inganydecklevelingadjustments.RefertoTires on
page24 forinformationregardingtirepressure.
Front To Rear
Thefrontofthecuttingdeckissupportedbya stabilizer
barthatcanadjustedtolevelthedeckfromfronttorear.
Thefrontofthedeckshouldbebetween1/4-inchand
3/8-inchlowerthantherearofthedeck.Adjustif
necessaryasfollows:
1. Withthetractorparkedona firm,levelsurface,place
thedeckliftleverin thetopnotch(highestposition)
androtatethebladenearestthedischargechuteso
thatit isparallelwiththetractor.
2. Measurethedistancefromthefrontofthebladetipto
thegroundandtherearofthe bladetiptotheground.
Thefirstmeasurementtakenshouldbebetween
1/4"and3/8" lessthanthesecondmeasurement.
Determinetheapproximatedistancenecessaryfor
properadjustmentandproceed,ifnecessary,tothe
nextstep.
3. Locatethejam nutandlocknutonthefrontsideof the
stabilizerbracket.SeeFigure14.Afterlooseningthe
jamnut:
Tightenthelocknutto raisethefrontofthedeck;
Loosenthelocknuttolowerthefrontofthedeck.
4. Retightenthejamnutloosenedearlierwhenproper
adjustmentisachieved.
Side to Side
If thecuttingdeckappearstobemowingunevenly,aside
tosideadjustmentcanbeperformed.Adjustif necessary
asfollows:
1. Withthetractorparkedona firm,levelsurface,place
thedeckliftleverin thetopnotch(highestposition)
androtatebothbladessothattheyare perpendicular
withthetractor.
2. Measurethedistancefromtheoutsideoftheleftblade
tiptothegroundandthedistancefromtheoutsideof
therightbladetipto theground.Bothmeasurements
takenshouldbeequal.If they'renot,proceedtothe
nextstep.
3. Loosen,butdo NOTremove,thehexcapscrewon
theleftdeckhangerbracket.SeeFigure15.
4. Balancethedeckbyusinga wrenchto turnthe
adjustmentgear(foundimmediatelybehindthehex
capscrewjust loosened)clockwise/uporcounter-
clockwise/down.Thedeckis properlybalancedwhen
bothbladetipmeasurementstakenearlierareequal.
5. Retightenthehexcapscrewon theleftdeckhanger
bracketwhenproperadjustmentisachieved.
Parking Brake Adjustment
,_ WARNING: Never attempt to ad-
just the brakes while the engine is
running. Alwaysdisengage PTO,
move shift leverinto neutral posi-
tion, stop engineand remove key
to preventunintended starting.
If thetractordoesnotcometoa completestop whenthe
brakepedal iscompletelydepressed,orif thetractor's
rearwheelscanroll withtheparkingbrakeapplied,the
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