Snapper R8000 Operator's manual

Operator’s Manual & Safety Instruction for
MODEL R8000
REAR TINE TILLERS
Thank you for buying a SNAPPER product! Your
Tiller was designed and built to provide long and
satisfactory service. Study this manual carefully
before operating the Tiller and pay particular atten¬
tion to the Important Safety Instructions below.
Keep in mind that a Tiller, like any other mechanical
device, can be potentially dangerous if used im¬
prudently. Following the instructions in this and the
engine manual will help you continue to enjoy the
trouble-free operation expected of a SNAPPER.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
Warning: This tilling machine is capable of causing personal injury! Failure to observe the following
instructions could result in serious injury to the operator or persons in the operational area. Careful¬
ly read these instructions and be sure to question your Snapper Dealer if in doubt about anything.
Should the Dealer not answer to your satisfaction, write or call the Snapper Customer Service
Department at McDonough, Ga., 30253 (Phone [phone]).
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Become thoroughly familiar with all controls and learn how to stop tine rotation quickly in
preparation for emergencies.
Never allow children or immature, uncoordinated or inexperienced persons to operate
your tiller.
Keep everyone safely away from the area being tilled.
Be especially watchful for children and pets darting into the area while operating.
Wear protective clothing and appropriate shoes to provide best footing on uneven terrain.
Persons under the influence of alcohol or drugs must not be allowed to operate your
tiller.
Stay alert, give complete and undivided attention to the job on hand.
Fill fuel tank only when engine is stopped and not hot. Fill outside where fumes can be
safely dissipated.
Make sure clutch is disengaged before attempting to start.
Keep feet, hands and clothing safely away from tines at all times.
Disengage the tines and stop the engine before making any adjustments, attempting to
clean or clear tines, or leaving the operator’s position even momentarily!
1-4493(8/82)
Remember to avoid operating the engine in any enclosed area where deadly exhaust
fumes could accumulate.
(over)

FIG. 2-PANEL CONTROLS
FIG. 3-CLUTCH CONTROL
FIG. 4-TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER
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This manual covers the recommended operating
procedures and routine service requirements for the
Snapper model R8000 Rear Tine Tiller. Specific
details involving the engine are found in the
separate engine owner’s manual. Study these
manuals before operating and keep both handy for
future reference.
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
Be thoroughly familiar with all controls and how to
use them before operating your tiller. Make the
following checks and perform the services as re¬
quired before each start up.
PRE-START CHECK LIST
CHECK ENGINE OIL and bring level up to full (refer
to engine manual for oil specifications).
CHECK AIR CLEANER and service according to in¬
structions in Engine Manual.
CHECK EXTERNAL SURFACES and remove dirt,
dust accumulation and clean tines as needed.
CHECK GUARDS to make sure all are in proper posi¬
tion and securely tightened.
FILL FUEL TANK where fumes will be safely
dissipated. Refer to engine manual for fuel
specifications.
STARTING-STOPPING
Know beforehand how to stop the tines, wheel drive
and engine in preparation for possible emergencies.
The engine is stopped by either moving the ENGINE
IGNITION keyswitch to OFF or by pulling the engine
THROTTLE CONTROL rearward to OFF. Tine rota¬
tion is stopped by either shifting the TINE CLUTCH
control to disengaged position or by releasing the
CLUTCH CONTROL which stops both the drive
wheels and tine rotation even with the TINE
CLUTCH in engaged position. Operate engine as
follows:
STEP 1: Shift the transmission into #1 speed posi¬
tion, move the TINE CLUTCH into disengaged posi¬
tion and make sure CLUTCH CONTROL is in releas¬
ed position.
STEP 2: Insert the key and turn the ENGINE IGNI¬
TION switch to RUN POSITION.
STEP 3: On cold starts, move the engine THROTTLE
CONTROL forward into CHOKE position.
STEP 4: Move around to right side of unit and pull
ROPE STARTER on engine in smooth steady motion
until engine starts. To prolong the life of the rope,
quide the starter handle back to the engine rather
than allowing it to snap back.
STEP 5: Allow brief engine warm-up period then
move the engine THROTTLE CONTROL rearward to
the desired FAST or SLOW speed setting. Refer to
TILLING PROCEDURE section on next page.
STEP 6: To stop the engine, move the ENGINE IGNI¬
TION switch to OFF or pull the engine THROTTLE
CONTROL rearward to OFF.

HANDLE BAR ADJUSTMENT
The handle bar can be moved horizontially from the
center position to two positions on each side by pull¬
ing the HANDLE RELEASE control rearward and sw¬
inging the handie bar to the desired position. Push
the HANDLE RELEASE toward the panel to lock in
position. The handle bar can be raised or lowered by
loosening the bolts with a 9/16" wrench as shown in
figure 6. Securely tighten the boits after adjusting
TRANSPORTING TO SITE
To avoid gouging the lawn or pavement, raise the
tines to ciear the surface before transporting the
unit to the tilling site. Release the CLUTCH CON¬
TROL and lift the rear of the tiller to take the weight
off the skid arm then push it downward into the
notch setting which wiil aliow the tines to clear the
surface. Pull the CLUTCH CONTROL back to the
handle bar to engage the wheel drive and transport
to the tilling site. Transport with TINE CLUTCH in
disengaged position.
TILLING PROCEDURE
The R8000 is set-up in production in the reverse tine
rotation mode. In this mode, the tines rotate in op¬
posite direction of the drive wheeis which is best for
breaking sod or unfilled ground and for tilling deep.
Tine rotation can be changed to forward for
cuitivating and seed bed preparation-refer to the
TINE ROTATION SELECTION section for detaiis.
Prepare for tiiiing as follows;
1. SET HANDLE BAR In desired position before
engaging CLUTCH CONTROL.
2. SET SKID ARM in highest position for deepest
tilling depth and intermediate notches for
lesser depth. NOTE; If you are familiar with
front tine tiilers, this is opposite of the skid arm
setting recommendations.
3. SET SPEEDS to begin tilling by shifting the
transmission into #1 speed and moving the
engine THROTTLE CONTROL to fast.
4. BEGIN TILLING by pushing TINE CLUTCH con¬
trol to engaged position and puliing CLUTCH
CONTROL back to handle. At the end of the
row, disengage the TINE CLUTCH but hold the
CLUTCH CONTROL to handle bar to continue
the wheels driving whiie turning.
5. TILLING HINTS: Let the tiller do the work! Do
not try to hold it back, A slight down pressure
on the handle bar is usually all that is required
to keep the tines firmly in the ground.
6. ROUGH TERRAIN HINT: If tilling over very
rough, uneven ground, till at light depth setting
on the first path to smooth the surface. On
especially rough terrain, the tiller could hang
up underneath with the wheels spinning free.
Under this condition the transmission will be
hard to shift. Rather than attempting to force
the shift lever into reverse, lift the handle bar
then turn the tiller diagonally across the rise to
gain traction.
FIG. 5-SKID ARM DEPTH LEVER
FIG. 6" HANDLE HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT
FIG. 7-BELT COVER SWUNG AWAY
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TINE ROTATION SELECTION
As received, the R8000 is set-up for reverse rotation
which is best for breaking sod or new ground and for
tiiiing deep, in this mode, the tines rotate in the
reverse direction of the driving wheels. The direction
of tine rotation is easily changed to forward mode
for cultivating and seed bed preparation.
When in forward mode for cultivating between rows,
the tines do not have to be switched from side to
side, however, the Tiller will thus break previously
tilled soil to a depth of on ly 1 or 2 inches. To dig un¬
filled soil or to till deeper for seed bed preparation,
switch the tines from right to left side.
CHANGE TINE ROTATION with engine off as
follows: Remove the wing-nut and washer on the
front stud of the belt cover, pull the cover outward
over this stud then swing the cover rearward and out
of the way over the belt pulley. With the clutch con¬
trol released, there is sufficient slack to slip the belt
off the pulley for changing the arrangement as
shown in figure 8. In the original reverse rotation
mode, the tight strand of the belt is between pulleys
indentified A and C in the illustration while in for¬
ward mode, the tight strand is between pulleys
C,B&A. After changing, swing the belt cover into
position and secure with the washer and wingnut.
NOTE; Extreme care must be taken to avoid double
twisting the belt.
SERVICE
SERVICE PARTS & ASSISTANCE
To retain the original quality of your Tiller, use only
genuine Snapper replacement parts. Specify the
model and serial number as found on the nameplate
of your Tiller when contacting your Snapper Dealer
for parts or service assistance. Only numbers of cer¬
tain routine service parts are listed in this manual.
Your Snapper Dealer has a complete listing of all
components. For engine parts, look for the engine
manufacturer's dealers under the heading
ENGINES-gasoline in the yellow pages of your
telephone directory. Snapper Dealers are listed
under LAWN MOWERS.
FIG. 9-TILLER ON END
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FIG. 10 - TINE DETAIL

STANDING TILLER ON END
Many of the services described in the foliowing
specify standing the tiller on end for easy access to
components on the underside of the frame. The
Tiller may also be stored during the off-season on
the front stand-up bar. If the fuel tank is less than
half full the fuel should not leak out of the filler cap.
Take necessary steps to prevent fuel leakage before
standing on end. If the tiller is stored on end for any
length of time, check for oil leakage. CAUTION;
Never stand the tiller on end with the engine runn¬
ing! Stop the engine and disconnect the spark plug
wire to prevent accidental starting before standing
on end.
FIG. 11- CHAIN CASE OIL CHECK PLUG
SERVICE NOTE: Since a tiller normally operates
under extremely dusty or dirty conditions, the air
cleaner, engine oil and cooling fins must be serviced
as specified in the engine manual at frequent inter¬
vals. The Tiller itself should be serviced as follows:
LUBRICATION-TILLER
CHAIN CASE: Check the level of the oil in the chain
case each time the engine oil is changed. Check by
removing the check plug and washer located just
above the tine shaft. The level should be up to the
edge of the opening. To add oil, remove the plastic
plug on upper side of case, add Snapper 00 grease
as needed to bring level up to bottom edge of the
check plug opening. The total capacity of the case is
about 1 U.S. standard quart - do not exceed this
amount. Reinstall plugs and washer after checking.
REDUCTION GEAR CASE: This unit is pre-lubricated
with Snapper 00 grease and will not normally require
additional lubrication. ■ + cr^-
MOVING POINTS: Grease shift lever, roller and cam
on traction clutch yoke and other moving surfaces
twice a year.
TILLER TINES
The tines are bolted securely to the tine shaft with
one special hardened bolt (Snapper #9-0166) and
locknut (9-0289) on each side. Keep spares on hand
in case a bolt shears off or becomes lost while till¬
ing.
The Snapper Tines are sharpened on front and rear
edge for forward or reverse rotation. The point of the
tines should be the leading edge under all condi¬
tions except when used in the forward mode for
cultivating (Refer to TINE SELECTION for details).
FIG. 12-CHAIN CASE OIL FILL
BELT ADJUSTMENT & REPLACEMENT
BELT TENSION ADJUSTMENT: Stand tiller on end
and swing belt cover up to provide access to belt
and idler. Pull clutch control to handle bar and
observe where idler arm is positioned under the tiller
frame. With the belt tight, the idler arm should be ap¬
proximately parallel to the cross member. If at an
angle, adjust idler at drive pulley by loosening
capscrew and shifting position of idler until arm is
pulled parallel to cross member when belt is tight.
Retighten capscrew on idler after adjustment.
belt REPLACEMENT: To replace belt, stand tiller
on end, swing belt cover up to provide access to belt
and idler, move shift lever between positon R and 1.
Remove nut and lockwasher from the V idler under
frame then slide idler down bolt to allow slipping
belt on and off the pulley. Remove belt by slipppng
off puHeys and pull out of the frame. To install
replacement belt, thread belt thru opening in back of
frame, route belt around engine pulley, idlers and
belt guide then slide V idler back on bolt and secure
with the lockwasher and nut removed earlier. Use
care to insure that belt is kept straight over tiller
pulley and idler and in desired tilling mode. Readjust
belt tension as required.
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FIG. I3--CLUTCH LOWER ADJUSTMENTS
FIG. 15-DISC FORWARD & REVERSE POSITIONS
CLUTCH ADJUSTMENT
DRIVEN DISC SERVICE
To check clutch adjustment, stand tiller on front
end. Measure the length of both springs at the end of
the control cables then move the CLUTCH CON¬
TROL up to the handle bar and measure the extend¬
ed length of both springs. When properly adjusted
the springs should extend 1/4 to 1/2 inches when
clutch is engaged. If adjustment is required, reposi¬
tion the jam-nuts on the threaded ends of the cable
conduits. One end of the conduit is iocated under
the handle bar center panel and the others on the
right side of the frame. The one in back is for tine
rotation and the center is for wheel traction.To in¬
crease spring extension, turn the jam-nuts toward
the end of cabie or to decrease closer to the cable
fittings. Additionai clutch adjustment can be made if
necessary at the idler under the belt cover-refer to
BELT TENSION adjustment for this procedure.
CLUTCH TEST: Return tiller to wheels, start engine
and puil CLUTCH CONTROL to handle bar then
release and observe tines and wheel drive which
should stop-if tines or wheels continue after ciutch
controi is released, the clutch spring extension is
too great. Readjust using the foregoing procedure.
If the wheels loose traction, stand the tiller on end
and check the rubber driven disc. Poor traction
could be caused by an excessively worn driven disc
or by improper positioning of the disc. If the rubber
disc appears in good condition, shift the transmis¬
sion into reverse then into #1 forward position, in
both settings, the rubber disc should be located out¬
side of the indentation in the center of the metal
drive disc, if the rubber disc rides on the edge of in¬
dentation in either setting, loosen the screws
holding the shift detent to the frame then tiit the de¬
tent until the rubber disc is outside the edge of the
indentation. Securely tighten the detent screws. The
disc shouid be about equal distance from the outer
edge of the indentation in both reverse and #1 posi¬
tions when properly adjusted.
Replace the driven disc if worn unevenly or if worn
down to the point where it no longer makes firm con¬
tact with the drive disc. To replace, remove the three
flange nuts, slip the old disc off the hub then install
the replacement and secure with the three flange
nuts.
PRIMARY (REDUCTION)
GEAR CASE j | j
DRIVEN DISC
FIG. 14-CLUTCH UPPER ADJUSTMENTS
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FIG. 16-DRIVEN DISC DETAIL

OFF-SEASON STORAGE
Thoroughly clean all external surfaces and tines
before storing the Tiller. The Tiller may be stored on
end, however, the following steps must be taken.
1. Drain gasoline from fuel system and drain the
engine crankcase oil (refer to engine manual for
details).
2. After standing the Tiller on end, check the plugs in
the chain case for leakage. After extended period,
some grease may seep thru upper bearing races.
Place small pan or towel on frame to catch the
grease.
3. At the start of the new season, replenish engine
crankcase oil and add gasoline to the fuel tank after
'•eturning the Tiller to its wheels.
4. Before starting, move the ENGINE CONTROL to
OFF and pull rope starter slowly several times. Lf ex¬
cessive resistance is felt, remove the spark plug and
pull rope starter rapidly to spin the engine and clear
oil from the cylinder. Clean and reinstall the spark
plug before attempting to start the engine.
SERVICE NOTES

TRACTOR CONVERSION & ACCESSORIES
The R8000 is easily converted to a walk behind trac¬
tor by disconnecting the tiller drive belt and pulling
the clevis pin securing the tiller unit to the frame.
With the tiller removed, the tractor will receive the
following garden tool accessories. The garden tool
accessories are available in kit form thru your Snap¬
per Dealer. Hitch adapter kit #6-0567 is required for
mounting the available kits.
• CULTIVATOR, 4-SPRING SHANK
• CULTIVATOR, 5-SWEEP
• CULTIVATOR, 5-SHOVEL
• MIDDLE BUSTER, 10"
• DISC HILLER
• HAULING TRAY
(KIT #6-0562)
(KIT #6-0561)
(KIT #6-0560)
(KIT #6-0564)
(KIT #6-0563)
(KIT #6-0559)
Contact your Snapper Dealer for specific details on
these kits.
MANUFACTURER'S 1 YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY
For 1 Year from purchase date for a non-commercial user, or for Thirty (30) days from purchase date for a commercial
user, SNAPPER POWER EQUIPMENT, through any factory authorized service dealer, will replace for the original pur¬
chaser, free of charge, any part or parts found upon examination by the factory at McDonough, Georgia, to be defec¬
tive in material or workmanship or both.
All transportation cost incurred by the purchaser in submitting material to an authorized service dealer for replace¬
ment under this warranty must be borne by the purchaser.
This warranty does not apply to engines and their components, as these items are warranted separately by their
manufacturers. Neither does it apply to parts that have been damaged by accident, alteration, abuse, improper
lubrication, normal wear, or other cause beyond our control.
There is no other express warranty.
Implied warranties, including those of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, are limited to one year
from purchase date for non-commercial users, and for thirty (30) days from purchase for commercial users and to the
extent permitted by law any and all implied warranties are excluded. This is the exclusive remedy. Liabilities for con¬
sequential damages under any and all warranties are excluded.
Some states do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts or do not allow the exclusion or limitation
of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you.
This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.
WARNING; Use of replacement parts other than genuine SNAPPER parts may impair the safety of your tiller.
IMPORTANT: Please fill out the attached Snapper Product Registration Card and mail to:
SNAPPER POWER EQUIPMENT, McDONOUGH, GEORGIA 30253
SNAPPER POWER EQUIPMENT
McDonough,GA» 30253
A
FUOUA
INDUSTRIES
Company
1-4493 (8/82IPC) (84061)
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