MTD 142-760 User manual

GARDEN TRACTOR
Model No.
142-760 & 142-960
I MPORTA N T
SAFE OPERATION PRACTICES
3
( 9 ^
/oM9
RIDING MOWERS
1. Know the controls and how to stop quickly—
READ THE OWNER'S MANUAL.
2. Do not allow children to operate vehicle. Do not
allow adults to operate it without proper instruc¬
tion.
3. Do not carry passengers. Keep children and pets a
safe distance away.
4. Clear work area of objects which might be picked
up and thrown.
5. Disengage all attachment clutches and shift into
neutral before attempting to start engine (motor).
6. Disengage power to attachments and stop engine
(motor) before leaving operator position.
7. Disengage power to attachment(s) and stop en¬
gine (motor) before making any repairs or adjust¬
ments.
8. Disengage power to attachments when transport¬
ing or not in use.
9. Take all possible precautions when leaving ve¬
hicle unattended; such as disengaging power-
take-off, lowering attachments, shifting into neu¬
tral, setting parking brake, stopping engine and
removing key.
10. Do not stop or start suddenly when going uphill or
downhill. Mow up and down the face of steep
slopes; never across the face.
11. Reduce speed on slopes and in sharp turns to pre¬
vent tipping or loss of control. Exercise extreme
caution when changing direction on slopes.
12. Stay alert for holes in terrain and other hidd^
hazards.
13. Use care when pulling loads or using heavy equip¬
ment.
A. Use only approved drawbar hitch points.
B. Limit loads to those you can safely control.
C. Do not turn sharply. Use care when backing.
D. Use counterweight(s) or wheel weights when
suggested in owner's manual.
14. Watch out for traffic when crossing or near road¬
ways.
15. When using any attachments never direct dis¬
charge of material toward bystanders nor allow
anyone near vehicle while in operation.
16. Handle gasoline with care—it is highly flammable
A. Use approved gasoline container.
B. Never remove cap or add gasoline to a run¬
ning or hot engine or fill fuel tank indoors.
Wipe up spilled gasoline.
C. Open doors if engine is run in garage — ex¬
haust fumes are dangerous. Do not run engine
(motor) indoors.
17. Keep vehicle and attachments in good operating
condition and keep safety devices in place. Use
guards as instructed in owner's manual.
18. Keep all nuts, bolts, and screws tight to be sure
equipment is in safe working condition.
19. Never store equipment with gasoline in the tank
inside a building where fumes may reach an open
flame or spark.
20. Allow engine to cool before storing in any en¬
closure.
21. To reduce fire hazard keep engine free of grass,
leaves or excessive grease.
22. Vehicle and attachments should be stopped and
inspected for damage after striking a foreign ob¬
ject and the damage should be repaired before
restarting and operating the equipment.
23. Do not change engine governor settings or over¬
speed engine.
24. When using vehicle with mower:
(1) Mow only in daylight or in good artificial light.
(2) Never make a cutting height adjustment while
engine (motor) is running if operator must dis¬
mount to do so.
(3) Shut engine (motor) ofF when removing grass
catcher and/or unclogglng chute.
(4) Check blade mounting bolts for proper tight¬
ness at frequent intervals.
25. Check grass catcher bags frequently for wear or
deterioration. Replace with new bags for safety
protection.
MTD PRODUCTS INC • 5389 WEST 130 th STREET • P. O. BOX 2741 CLEVELAND, OHIO 44111
FORM NO. 770-3548

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS
I WARNING
The tractor shall not be operated without the
entire grass catcher or chute deflector In place
when using the cutting deck.
|n^
Under normal usage bag material is subject to wear, and
should be checked periodically. Be sure any replacement
bag complies with the mower manufacturer's recommen¬
dations.
ACTIVATING THE BATTERY
I WARNING
ELECTROLYTE IS A MIXTURE OF SULPHURIC
ACID AND WATER. AVOID CONTACT WITH
SKIN, EYES, AND CLOTHING. IF ELECTROLYTE
IS SPILLED FLUSH AREA WITH CLEAR WATER
AND NEUTRALIZE WITH SOLUTION OF WATER
AND BAKING SODA OR WATER AND AM¬
MONIA.
jcMJTION
Always add electrolyte to battery before
battery is installed in vehicle.
1. Remove vent plugs.
2. When using 6 quart or 2 quart container—place
package upright; pull tab back to edge of carton, pull
out hose; snip off end of hose. Fill each cell until
electrolyte level rises to split ring at bottom of vent well.
DO NOT OVER FILL
3. After filling cells, wait five to ten minutes and add
additional electrolyte if necessary to bring electrolyte to
proper level.
4. Replace vent caps.
5. Charge battery for 10 to 15 minutes at 25-30 amps, or
for 30 minutes at 4-6 amps.
INSTALLING THE BATTERY.
Step 1. Place the battery in the tractor with the Negative
terminal towards the front of the tractor. Do not
push the battery all the way in.
Step 2. Attach the positive cable to the positive battery
terminal. The positive cable is marked (P +).
Step 3. Attach the negative cable to the negative battery
terminal. The negative cable is marked (N).
Step 4. Assemble the hold down rods and cross rods with
the flat washer and wing nut. See Figure 2.
Step 5. Place the battery hold down assembly over the
battery and slide the battery into place. See Figure
3.
Step 6. Hook the hold down rods into the battery case and
tighten finger tight.
ASSEMBLING THE THREE POINT HITCH.
FIGURE 4. THREE POINT HITCH
3 —

Step 6. Place a lockwasher on the hook bolt and place
the hook through the draft bar so it is on the
inside. Do this on both draft bars. See Figures 4
NOTE
Only screw the outside nut on a few threads so
it can be adjusted to take up the slack in the
FIGURE 5. PULL RODS
Step 1. Adjust the clevis end on both the right and left
sides of the tractor, so that one inch of threads
show. See Figure 5.
Step 2. Assemble the threaded clevis pins to the hole on
each side of the rear frame as shown. Fasten with
lockwashers and nuts. See Figure 6.
INSIDE NUT
OUTSIDE NUT
HOOK BOLT
LOCKWASHER
DRAFT BAR
FIGURE 8. HOOK BOLT ASSEMBLY
Step 7. Fasten the chains to the rear hook welded on the
draft bar and cross over to the hook bolt. Do both
chains this way. See Figure 4.
Pull the chains to make as tight as possible.
Step 8. Tighten the outside nuts on the hook bolt until
there is only about 1/2" slack in the center of the
chain. See Figures 4 and 8.
Step 9. Tighten the inside nut. See Figure 8.
Step 10. Assemble the two halves of the center adjustment
arm together until there is 1" of thread showing.
See Figure 9.
THREADED CLEVIS PIN
LOCKWASHER
FIGURE 6. THREADED CLEVIS PINS
Step 3. Assemble the two draft bars as shown. (Refer to
Figure 4 to determine which is the right hand and
left hand). Secure with cotter hairpins on the top
and bottom. See Figure 7.
Step 4. Assemble the draw bar to the draft bars and
secure with cotter hairpins. See Figure 4.
FIGURE 9. CENTER ADJUSTMENT ARM
COTTER HAIRPIN
Step 11. Assemble the flat end of the Center Adjustment
Arm to the bottom hole in the Upper Hitch Bracket
with two flat washers, a clevis pin and a cotter
hairpin. See Figure 4.
THREE POINT HITCH ADJUSTMENT
The upper hitch bracket can be attached in the lower
mounting position as shown in Figure 4 or the two bolts can
be removed and the upper hitch bracket can be mounted
in the higher position. It also can be mounted upside down
to obtain the maximum adjustment when using the rear
mounted attachments.
The draft bars can also be switched from side to side so
they bow In instead of out as shown in Figure 4.
DRAFT BAR
COTTER HAIRPIN
FIGURE 7. DRAFT BAR ASSEMBLY
bcrew one hex nut all
hook bolts. See Figure 8
t
..jiiiiiiiH (j j
_ \
PULL ROD
1
CLEVIS END
— 4 —

CHECKING OIL AND GASOLINE
FILL FUEL TANK
Use clean fresh "regular" grade gasoline. Fill tank
completely. Gasoline tank capacity is 1-1/2 gallons.
DO NOT FILL GASOLINE TANK WHILE ENGINE IS RUN¬
NING. Avoid spilling gasoline on a hot engine—this may
cause an explosion and serious injury.
DO NOT MIX OIL WITH GASOLINE
OIL RECOMMENDATIONS
WINTER SUMMER
(Below 40° F.) (Above 40° F.)
Use SAE 5W-20 Use SAE 30
Any high quality detergent oil having the American
Petroleum Institute classification "For Service MS'' can be
used in your Briggs & Stratton engjne. Detergent oils keep
the engine cleaner and retard the formation of gum and
varnish deposits.
The above oil recommendations are the result of extensive
testing. No special additives should be used.
FILL CRANKCASE WITH OIL
Remove the oil filler plug. Place the engine level. Fill the
crankcase to overflowing. POUR SLOWLY. CAPACITY 4
PINTS. Replace the filler plug.
FIGURE 10. OIL FILL AND DRAIN
GENERAL INFORMATION
ENGINE AND DRIVE TRAIN
ENGINE—10 or 15 HP Synchro-Balanced Briggs & Stratton
cast iron block with 12 volt electric starter.
TRANSAXLE—Peerless with four forward speeds and
reverse.
CREEPER GEAR—3/4 MPH at full throttle. Fourth gear 6-
1 /2 MPH at full throttle. All speeds variable with throttle.
CLUTCH—Five and one-half inch double faced disc clutch.
ORIENTATION
Your tractor is right hand (R.H.) or left hand (L.H.) as you
operate it.
CLUTCH PEDAL.
The clutch pedal is located on the left hand side of the
tractor. Depress it with your left foot to separate the clutch
and disconnect the power from the engine to the transaxle.
The clutch pedal must be depressed to start the engine.
Do not shift while in motion.
BRAKE PEDAL
The brake pedal is located on the right side of the tractor.
Depress it with your right foot to stop the tractor. The clutch
pedal should also be depressed when coming to a
complete stop.
PARKING BRAKE LOCK
The parking brake lock is located on the low left hand side
of the tractor. To operate, depress the brake pedal
completely and lock by turning the parking brake lock
clockwise until it tightens.
To release the parking brake, hold your foot against the
brake pedal and turn the parking brake lock counter¬
clockwise one turn. Release the brake pedal slowly.
GEAR SHIFT LEVER
The selection of the correct gear and throttle setting will be
determined by the attachment being used. Generally,
anything that uses the tractor engine as a power source
should be run at full throttle with the ground speed
determined by the gear selection.
1st Gear.Rotary Tiller
Snow Thrower
Snow Blade
Mold Board Plow
2nd Gear.Rotary Tiller
Snow Thrower
Snow Blade
Mold Board Plow
Heavy Grass Cutting
3rd Gear.Medium Grass Cutting
4th Gear..Light Grass Cutting
Road Gear
A lock is provided to prevent accidentally engaging the 1st
gear. Do not move the gear shift lever all the way against
the lock.
— 5 —

Second gear has a detent and you can feel it click when
you are in second gear. Over shifting will cause the teeth to
grind on first gear and can cause damage to the transaxle.
POWER TAKE OFF (PTO) FRONT AND REAR
There are two PTO's on your tractor. The front PTO (See
Figure 12) is located behind the grille and is used to
operate the snow thrower. This PTO is attached directly to
the engine and runs whenever the engine is running.
LIFT LEVER
AMMETER
THROTTLE
CHOKE
PTO LEVER
FRONT PTO
CLUT^
PEDAL
LOCK
PARKING BRAKE LOCK
FIGURE 11. CONTROLS
FIGURE 12. FRONT PTO SHOWN WITH
GRILLE REMOVED
LIFT LEVER
The lift lever is used to change the height of the
attachments such as the cutting deck, tiller and plow. To
operate, depress the thumb button, move the lift lever to
the desired height and release the button.
The three point hitch operates off the lift lever and does
not have to be disconnected when attaching the cutting
deck or snow blade.
The rear PTO (See Figure 13) is located under the tractor
and is used to operate the grass cutting deck and the
rotary tiller.
IGNITION SWITCH
Turn the key to the right to engage the starting motor on
the engine. To shut off the engine turn the key to the left to
the OFF position. See Figure 11. THE IGNITION SWITCH
MUST BE ON TO OPERATE THE HEADLIGHTS.
WARNING
REAR PTO
Remove the key from the switch when the
tractor is not in use.
THROTTLE CONTROL
The throttle Is used to regulate the engine speed. Move the
throttle up to the FAST position and down to the SLOW
position. See Figure 11.
When using the tractor engine for a source of power for
the cutting deck and the rotary tiller, the engine should be
operated at the FAST speed.
CHOKE
Before starting the engine, pull the choke knob all the way
out. After engine starts, move the choke knob in gradually
until it is completely in.
When the engine is hot the choke may not be needed to
start. See Figure 11.
FIGURE 13. REAR PTO SHOWN WITH DRIVE
SHAFT ATTACHED

The rear PTO can be shut off while the engine is running by
moving the PTO lever, located on the right hand side of the
tractor, into the OFF position. See Figures 11 and 14.
The PTO Lever must be in the disengaged position before
the engine will start. See Figure 14.
LIGHTS
Pull the light switch out to turn on the head lights. The
ignition switch must be on to operate the head lights.
WHEELS
Front (10 and 14 HP).... 16x6.50-12
Rear (10 HP). 23x8.50-12
Rear (14 HP). 23x9.50-12
Tire pressure is from 7 to 10 psi.
NOTE ]
Tires are overinflated for shipment. Reduce tire
pressure to 7 to 10 psi before using.
The rear valve stems are to the inside to accommodate
wheel weights.
One hundred pounds (two 50 pound weights) can be
attached to the rear wheels to increase rear traction for
attachments such as the plow, snow blade, snow blower
and rotary tiller.
AMMETER
The ammeter registers the rate of battery charge or
discharge. The ammeter should register on the plus (+) side
when the engine is running in the "Fast" position until the
battery is completely charged. With a fully charged battery
or with the engine idling the ammeter will not show a
charge. See Figure 11.
REAR WHEEL ADJUSTMENT
Each rear wheel is adjustable out 2-3/4 inches on the axle.
See Figure 15.
NOTE I
Do not over extend the hubs.
The rear hubs are extended to give greater stability when
operating on hilly terrain.
To adjust, loosen the hex bolt and slide the rear hubs out.
SEAT
The seat is adjustable forward or backward by removing
the seat bolt and reassembling it in a different hole.
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
IMPORTANT
After striking a foreign object, stop the engine (motor),
remove wire from spark plug, thoroughly inspect the
mower tor any damage, and repair the damage before
restarting and operating the mower.
I CAUTION I
1. Keep all shields and guards in place.
2r Before leaving operator's position:
Shift transmission to neutral
Set parking brake
Disengage attachment clutch
Shut off engine
Remove ignition key
3. Wait for all movement to stop before servicing machine.
4. Keep people and pets a safe distance away from
machine.

STARTING YOUR ENGINE
To get the feel of your tractor, operate it in a large open
space until you become familiar with the controls.
1. Be sure you have read the manual to acquaint yourself
with the controls.
2. Fill engine with oil and gasoline as outlined on page 5
of this manual.
3. O p e n fuel shut-off valve located under the gasoline
tank. See Figure 16.
FIGURE 16. FUEL SHUT OFF VALVE
4. Attach the spark plug wire.
5. Pull the choke knob all the way out.
6. Place the throttle control lever halfway between FAST
and SLOW.
7. Place the PTO Lever in the disengaged position. See
Figure 14. The engine will not start unless the PTO Lever
is disengaged.
8. Depress the Clutch Pedal. The engine will not start
unless the clutch pedal is depressed.
9. Turn the ignition key to the right to engage the starter.
When the engine starts, move the choke knob in half
way. After the engine warms up, push the choke knob in
gradually until completely in.
I NOTE I
When the engine is hot, the choke may not
be needed to start the engine.
CAUTION
Do NOT run starter for more than 30 seconds at
a time. If engine does not start after several
tries, place throttle control in FAST position,
wait several minutes and try again without
moving the throttle lever from the FAST
position.
STOPPING YOUR ENGINE
To stop the engine, turn the ignition key to the left.
I^JWARNINgJ
Never leave the ignition key in the tractor when
not in use to prevent accidental starting.
Remove the sprak plug wire from the spark plug when
tractor is not in use to prevent accidental starting.
POWER TAKE OFF (PTO)
The PTO should be in the "OFF" position (Handle Down)
when starting the engine and when attachments using the
PTO are not on the tractor. If, while using the cutting unit or
the rotary tiller, they become clogged and will not operate,
shut off the engine AND THE PTO and remove the spark
plug wire before clearing the attachment.
The PTO engagement lever should be engaged fast to
prevent wear on the PTO belts.
The cutting unit and the rotary tiller can be raised or
lowered while they are operating under full power. For
example, the rotary tiller can be lifted from the ground
with the lift lever in order to turn the tractor around without
shutting off the PTO.
MAINTENANCE
CLUTCH ADJUSTMENT
Step 1. Remove the spark plug from the engine.
Step 2. Rotate the clutch disc by hand and tighten the
elastic locknut (Figure 17) until the bearing stops
rotating (Figure 18).
r NOTE j
When the bearing stops turning, all the play
has been taken from the throw out assembly.
Step 3. Back off the elastic locknut just enough for the
bearing to rotate freely when you rotate the clutch
disc.
CLUTCH DISC
FIGURE 17. CLUTCH ADJUSTMENT

TROUBLESHOOTING CLUTCH PROBLEMS
FIGURE 18. THROW OUT BEARING
Step 4. To ensure that the clutch disc is separating, check
the pressure on the clutch disc.
I WARNING I
Do not have the engine running.
It the clutch does not disengage after following the proper
adjustment procedures or you cannot shift from neutral to
any gear without the gears grinding, the following
conditions could exist.
1. The milled slot In the rear pressure plate is not centered
and it is binding on the roll pin. Replace the rear
pressure plate.
2. If either of the pressure plates are warped, the clutch
will not separate and they should be replaced.
3. If any weld splash is on either pressure plate, it will
cause the disc to hang up and the clutch will not
disengage. Remove the splash or replace the pressure
plates.
4. When the holes are not drilled properly in the fiber
clutch disc it will hang up on the drive pins and will not
separate. Replace the fiber disc.
5. Rust on the center shaft of the clutch can cause the
spring guides under the small spring to bind. See Figure
19. Remove the rust from the shaft and lubricate with a
thin film of oil.
Depress the clutch pedal with your left hand
and try to rotate the small spring located
between the pressure plate and the throwout
yoke with your right hand. See Figure 19. You
should be able to rotate this spring by hand. If
it does not repeat steps 2 and 3.
FIGURE 19. CLUTCH SPRING
BRAKE ADJUSTMENT
To adjust the brake, tighten the locknut on the disc brake
located on*the left hand side of the transaxle. The brake
should be tightened enough to stop the tractor when the
pedal is depressed but still allow the disc to turn free
between the brake pads when the pedal is released. See
Figure 20.
9 —

FIGURE 20. BRAKE ADJUSTMENT
POWER TAKE OFF (PTO) BELT REMOVAL
1. D r ive out the roll pin with a drift and a hammer. See
Figure 21.
FIGURE 21. REMOVING ROLL PIN
2. R e m o ve the four cap screws on the inside of the pulley.
See Figure 22.
FIGURE 22. REMOVE CAP SCREWS
3. S l i d e the front half of the pulley forward and the back
half of the pulley backwards and drop the belts
between the two halves. See Figure 23.
FIGURE 23. SPLITTING THE PULLEY
4. Remove the belt guard on the PTO Spindle and remove
the old belts.
5. Reassemble in reverse order with two matched belts.
Adjust the lower belt guard so It is about 1/8" away
from the belts when the PTO Lever is engaged.
I NOTE I
A piece of cardboard can be used as a feeler
gauge to adjust the lower belt guard.
TRANSMISSION BELT
ADJUSTMENT—The tension of the belt is increased by
UNSCREWING the leveler screw until you obtain a 1 /2"
deflection on the belt when you apply 10 pounds of force
midway between the transmission pulley and the pulley.
Lock leveler in place by tightening the lock nut.
REMOVAL—Screw the leveler screw all the way in until the
Idler is loose and remove the belt. See Figure 24.
— 10 —