Toro 4018 User manual

Form No. 3356-378 Rev A
Greensmaster® Flex 18 or Flex21 Walk-Behind MowerModel No. 04018 (Traction Unit) —Serial No. 270000001and Up
Model No. 04206 (Cutting Unit) —Serial No. 270000001 andUp
Model No. 04022 (Traction Unit) —Serial No. 260000001and Up
Model No. 04202 (Cutting Unit) —Serial No. 260000001 andUp
Register your product at www.Toro.com Original Instructions (EN)

Warning
CALIFORNIA
Pr oposition 65 W ar ning
T he engine exhaust fr om this pr oduct
contains chemicals kno wn to the State of
Calif or nia to cause cancer , bir th defects, or
other r epr oducti v e har m.
T his spark ignition system complies with Canadian
ICES-002
Introduction
R ead this infor mation carefully to lear n ho w to
operate and maintain y our product properly and
to a v oid injur y and product damag e . Y ou are
responsible for operating the product properly
and safely .
Y ou ma y contact T oro directly at www .T oro .com
for product and accessor y infor mation, help
finding a dealer , or to register y our product.
W henev er y ou need ser vice , g en uine T oro par ts ,
or additional infor mation, contact an A uthorized
Ser vice Dealer or T oro Customer Ser vice and ha v e
the model and serial n umbers of y our product
ready . Figure 1 and Figure 2 identify the location
of the model and serial n umbers on the product.
W rite the n umbers in the space pro vided.
Figure 1
1. Location of the model and serial numbers-Traction unit
T raction unit:
Model No.
Serial No.
Figure 2
1. Location of the model and serial numbers-Cutting Unit
Cutting unit:
Model No.
Serial No.
T his man ual identifies potential hazards and has
safety messag es identified b y the safety aler t
symbol ( Figure 3 ), whic h signals a hazard that ma y
cause serious injur y or death if y ou do not follo w
the recommended precautions .
Figure 3
1. Safety alert symbol.
T his man ual uses tw o other w ords to highlight
infor mation. Impor tant calls attention to special
mec hanical infor mation and Note emphasizes
g eneral infor mation w or th y of special attention.
Contents
Introduction .......................................................2
Safety ..................................................................4
Safe Operating Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
T oro Mo w er Safety ..............................6
© 2006—The Toro® Company8111 Lyndale Avenue SouthBloomington, MN 55420
2
Contact us at www.Toro.com.
Printed in the USA.All Rights Reserved

Sound Pressure for a Flex 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Sound P o w er for a Flex 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Vibration for a Flex 18 .........................7
Sound Pressure for a Flex 21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Sound P o w er for a Flex 21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Vibration for a Flex 21 .........................7
Safety and Instr uctional Decals . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Setup ................................................................ 10
1 Installing the Handle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2 Installing the Kic kstand for Flex
18 Mo w ers Only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3 Adjusting the Handle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
4 Installing the T ranspor t
W heels .............................. 12
5 Chec king Fluid Lev els . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
6 Installing the Grass Bask et . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
7 R eading the Man uals and Viewing
the Video ........................... 13
Product Ov er view ............................................. 15
Controls ........................................... 15
Specifications ................................... 17
Operation .......................................................... 18
T hink Safety First .............................. 18
Chec king the Engine Oil Lev el . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Filling the Fuel T ank .......................... 18
Chec king the Interloc k Switc h
Operation .......................... 19
Star ting and Stopping the
Engine .............................. 20
T ranspor t Operation ......................... 20
Pre paring to Mo w .............................. 20
Mo wing Operation ............................ 20
Maintenance ...................................................... 22
R ecommended Maintenance
Sc hedule(s) ............................... 22
Daily Maintenance Chec klist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Engine Maintenance .................................. 24
Engine Oil ......................................... 24
Ser vicing the Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
R e placing the Spark Plug . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Fuel System Maintenance .......................... 26
Cleaning the Fuel Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Electrical System Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Ser vicing the Interloc k Switc h . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Dri v e System Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Chec king the T ransmission Fluid
Lev el ................................. 27
Changing the T ransmission
Fluid ................................. 27
Brak e Maintenance .................................... 28
Adjusting the Ser vice/P arking
Brak e ................................. 28
Belt Maintenance ....................................... 28
Adjusting the Belts ............................ 28
Controls System Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Adjusting the T raction
Control ............................. 31
Adjusting the R eel Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Cutting Unit Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Se parating the Cutting Unit from
the T raction Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Adjusting the R ear R oller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Adjusting the Bedknife to the
R eel ................................... 33
Adjusting the Height of Cut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Adjusting the Cut-Off Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Setting the Mac hine to Matc h T urf
Conditions ........................ 36
Ser vicing the Bedbar .......................... 37
Bac klapping the R eel .......................... 38
Storag e .............................................................. 39
3

Safety
T his mac hine meets or ex ceeds CEN standard
EN 836:1997, ISO standard 5395:1990, and ANSI
B71.4-1999 specifications in effect at the time of
production when the Operator Presence Kit, P ar t
No . 105-5333 is installed.
Improper use or maintenance b y the operator or
o wner can result in injur y . T o reduce the potential
for injur y , comply with these safety instr uctions
and alw a ys pa y attention to the safety aler t
symbol, whic h means CA UTION , W ARNING , or
D ANGER-“personal safety instr uction." F ailure
to comply with the instr uction ma y result in
personal injur y or death.
Safe Operating Practices
T he follo wing instr uctions are from the CEN
standard EN 836:1997, ISO standard 5395:1990,
and ANSI B71.4-1999.
Training
•R ead the Operator’ s Man ual and other training
material carefully . Be familiar with the
controls , safety signs , and the proper use of the
equipment.
•Nev er allo w c hildren or people unfamiliar with
these instr uctions to use or ser vice the mo w er .
Local regulations ma y restrict the ag e of the
operator .
•Nev er mo w while people , especially c hildren,
or pets are nearb y .
•K ee p in mind that the operator or user is
responsible for accidents or hazards occur ring
to other people or their proper ty .
•T he o wner/user can prev ent and is responsible
for accidents or injuries occur ring to himself
or herself , other people , or proper ty .
Preparation
•W hile mo wing, alw a ys w ear substantial
footw ear , long trousers , hard hat, safety glasses ,
and ear protection. Long hair , loose clothing,
or jew elr y ma y g et tangled in mo ving par ts . Do
not operate the equipment when barefoot or
w earing open sandals .
•T horoughly inspect the area where the
equipment is to be used and remo v e all objects
whic h ma y be thro wn b y the mac hine .
•W ar ning-Fuel is highly flammable . T ak e the
follo wing precautions:
– Store fuel in containers specifically designed
for this pur pose .
– R efuel outdoors only and do not smok e
while refuelling .
– Add fuel before star ting the engine . Nev er
remo v e the cap of the fuel tank or add fuel
while the engine is r unning or when the
engine is hot.
– If fuel is spilled, do not attempt to star t the
engine but mo v e the mac hine a w a y from
the area of spillag e and a v oid creating any
source of ignition until fuel v apors ha v e
dissipated.
– R e place all fuel tanks and container caps
securely .
•R e place faulty silencers .
•Ev aluate the ter rain to deter mine what
accessories and attac hments are needed to
properly and safely perfor m the job . Only use
accessories and attac hments appro v ed b y the
man ufacturer .
•Chec k that operator’ s presence controls ,
safety switc hes and shields are attac hed and
functioning properly . Do not operate unless
they are functioning properly .
Operation
•Do not operate the engine in a confined space
where dang erous carbon mono xide fumes can
collect.
•Mo w only in da ylight or in g ood ar tificial light.
•Before attempting to star t the engine ,
diseng ag e all blade attac hment clutc hes , shift
into neutral, and eng ag e the parking brak e .
•Do not use on slopes of more than 15°.
•R emember there is no suc h thing as a safe
slope . T ra v el on g rass slopes requires par ticular
care . T o guard ag ainst o v er tur ning:
– do not stop or star t suddenly when g oing
up or do wnhill;
– eng ag e clutc h slo wly , alw a ys k ee p mac hine
in g ear , especially when tra v elling do wnhill;
4

– mac hine speeds should be k e pt lo w on
slopes and during tight tur ns;
– sta y aler t for humps and hollo ws and other
hidden hazards;
– nev er mo w across the face of the slope ,
unless the mo w er is designed for this
pur pose .
•Sta y aler t for holes in the ter rain and other
hidden hazards .
•W atc h out for traffic when crossing or near
roadw a ys .
•Stop the blades rotating before crossing
surfaces other than g rass .
•W hen using any attac hments , nev er direct
disc harg e of material to w ard b ystanders
nor allo w any one near the mac hine while in
operation.
•Nev er operate the mac hine with damag ed
guards , shields , or without safety protecti v e
devices in place . Be sure all interloc ks are
attac hed, adjusted properly , and functioning
properly .
•Do not c hang e the engine g o v er nor settings or
o v erspeed the engine . Operating the engine
at ex cessi v e speed ma y increase the hazard of
personal injur y .
•Before lea ving the operator’ s position:
– stop on lev el g round;
– diseng ag e the po w er tak e-off and lo w er the
attac hments;
– c hang e into neutral and set the parking
brak e;
– stop the engine .
•Diseng ag e dri v e to attac hments when
transpor ting or not in use .
•Stop the engine and diseng ag e dri v e to
attac hment
– before refuelling;
– before remo ving the g rass catc her/catc hers;
– before making height adjustment unless
adjustment can be made from the operator’ s
position.
– before clearing bloc kag es;
– before c hec king, cleaning or w orking on
the mo w er;
– after striking a foreign object or if an
abnor mal vibration occurs . Inspect the
mo w er for damag e and mak e re pairs before
restar ting and operating the equipment.
•R educe the throttle setting before stopping
engine and, if the engine is pro vided with a
fuel shut-off v alv e , tur n the v alv e off at the
conclusion of mo wing .
•K ee p hands and feet a w a y from the cutting
unit.
•Slo w do wn and use caution when making tur ns
and crossing roads and sidew alks . Stop reels if
not mo wing .
•Do not operate the mo w er under the influence
of alcohol or dr ugs
•Use care when loading or unloading the
mac hine into a trailer or tr uc k
•Use care when approac hing blind cor ners ,
shr ubs , trees , or other objects that ma y obscure
vision.
Maintenance and Storage
•K ee p all n uts , bolts and screws tight to be sure
the equipment is in safe w orking condition.
•Nev er store the equipment with fuel in the
tank inside a building where fumes ma y reac h
an open flame or spark.
•Allo w the engine to cool before storing in any
enclosure .
•T o reduce the fire hazard, k ee p the engine ,
silencer , batter y compar tment and fuel storag e
area free of g rass , lea v es , or ex cessi v e g rease .
•Chec k the g rass catc her frequently for w ear or
deterioration.
•K ee p all par ts in g ood w orking condition and
all hardw are and h y draulic fittings tightened.
R e place all w or n or damag ed par ts and decals .
•If the fuel tank has to be drained, do this
outdoors .
•Be careful during adjustment of the mac hine
to prev ent entrapment of the fing ers betw een
mo ving blades and fix ed par ts of the mac hine .
•Diseng ag e dri v es , diseng ag e the cutting unit,
set parking brak e , stop engine and disconnect
spark plug wire . W ait for all mo v ement to stop
before adjusting, cleaning or re pairing .
•Clean g rass and debris from cutting unit,
dri v es , m ufflers , and engine to help prev ent
fires . Clean up oil or fuel spillag e .
5

•Carefully release pressure from components
with stored energ y .
•Disconnect batter y and remo v e spark plug
wire before making any re pairs . Disconnect
the neg ati v e ter minal first and the positi v e last.
R econnect positi v e first and neg ati v e last.
•Use care when c hec king the reel. W ear glo v es
and use caution when ser vicing them.
•K ee p hands and feet a w a y from mo ving par ts .
If possible , do not mak e adjustments with the
engine r unning .
Toro Mower Safety
T he follo wing list contains safety infor mation
specific to T oro products or other safety
infor mation that y ou m ust kno w that is not
included in the CEN , ISO , or ANSI standard.
T his product is capable of amputating hands and
feet and thro wing objects . Alw a ys follo w all safety
instr uctions to a v oid serious injur y or death.
Use of this product for pur poses other than its
intended use could pro v e dang erous to user and
b ystanders .
•Kno w ho w to stop the engine quic kly .
•Do not operate the mac hine while w earing
tennis shoes or sneak ers .
•W earing safety shoes and long pants is advisable
and required b y some local ordinances and
insurance regulations .
•Handle g asoline carefully . Wipe up any spills .
•Chec k the safety interloc k switc hes daily
for proper operation. If a switc h should
fail, re place the switc h before operating the
mac hine . After ev er y tw o years , re place
all interloc k switc hes in the safety system,
reg ardless if they are w orking properly or not.
•Alw a ys stand behind the handle when star ting
and operating the mac hine .
•T o star t and stop the engine:
– Open fuel shut-off v alv e .
– V erify that the traction and reel dri v e
control lev ers on handle are in Neutral
position.
– Mo v e on/off switc h to ON position, set
c hok e to full c hok e position (cold star t)
and throttle to half throttle .
– Pull star ter cord to star t engine .
– Mo v e throttle to Slo w and on/off switc h to
Off position to stop engine .
•T o transpor t mo w er from one area to another :
– Install transpor t wheels .
– Diseng ag e reel dri v e .
– Star t engine .
– Press do wn on handle to raise front of
mo w er and eng ag e traction dri v e .
•Before beginning mo wing operation:
– Diseng ag e traction dri v e .
– Stop engine .
– R emo v e transpor t wheels .
– Star t engine
– Eng ag e reel dri v e .
•Using the mac hine demands attention. T o
prev ent loss of control:
– Do not dri v e close to sand traps , ditc hes ,
creeks , or other hazards .
– R educe speed when making shar p tur ns .
A v oid sudden stops and star ts .
– W hen near or crossing roads , alw a ys yield
the right-of-w a y .
– Apply the ser vice brak es when g oing
do wnhill to k ee p forw ard speed slo w and
to maintain control of the mac hine .
•T he g rass bask et m ust be in place during
operation of the reels or thatc hers for
maxim um safety . Shut the engine off before
emptying the bask ets .
•Do not touc h the engine , m uffler , or exhaust
pipe while the engine is r unning or soon after
it has stopped because these areas could be hot
enough to cause bur ns .
•Sta y clear of the rotating screen at the side of
the engine to prev ent direct contact with y our
body or clothing .
•W hen a person or pet appears unexpectedly
in or near the mo wing area, stop mo wing .
Careless operation, combined with ter rain
angles , ricoc hets , or improperly positioned
guards can lead to thro wn object injuries . Do
not resume mo wing until the area is cleared.
Maintenance and Storage
•Chec k all fuel lines for tightness and w ear on a
regular basis . Tighten or re pair them as needed.
6

•If the engine m ust be r unning to perfor m a
maintenance adjustment, k ee p hands , feet,
clothing, and any par ts of the body a w a y from
the cutting unit, attac hments , and any mo ving
par ts , especially the screen at the side of the
engine . K ee p ev er y one a w a y .
•T o ensure safety and accuracy , ha v e an
A uthorized T oro Distributor c hec k the
maxim um engine speed with a tac hometer .
Maxim um g o v er ned engine speed should be
3600 RPM.
•If major re pairs are ev er needed or if assistance
is desired, contact an A uthorized T oro
Distributor .
•Use only T oro-appro v ed attac hments and
re placement par ts . T he w ar ranty ma y be
v oided if used with unappro v ed attac hments .
Sound Pressure for a Flex 18
T his unit has a maxim um sound pressure lev el
at the operator’ s ear of 85 dB A, based on
measurements of identical mac hines per EN 11094
and EN 836.
Sound Power for a Flex 18
T his unit has a guaranteed sound po w er lev el
of 96 dB A, based on measurements of identical
mac hines per EN 11094.
Vibration for a Flex 18
T his unit does not ex ceed a hand/ar m vibration
lev el of 2.50 m/s
2
, based on measurements of
identical mac hines per EN 1033.
Sound Pressure for a Flex 21
T his unit has a maxim um sound pressure lev el
at the operator’ s ear of 85 dB A, based on
measurements of identical mac hines per EN 11094
and EN 836.
Sound Power for a Flex 21
T his unit has a guaranteed sound po w er lev el
of 98 dB A, based on measurements of identical
mac hines per EN 11094.
Vibration for a Flex 21
T his unit does not ex ceed a hand/ar m vibration
lev el of 2.50 m/s
2
, based on measurements of
identical mac hines per EN 1033.
7

Safety and Instructional
Decals
Safety decals and instr uctions are easily visible to the operator and are located near any
area of potential dang er . R e place any decal that is damag ed or lost.
93-7348
1. Warning—read the Operator’s Manual .2. Fire hazard—no re, open ames, or smoking; when addingfuel to the tank, leave space between the fuel and the top ofthe tank.3. Thrown object hazard—keep bystanders a safe distance fromthe machine.
4. Cutting hazard of hand or foot—stay away from movingparts
93-9356
1. Entanglement hazard—stay away from moving parts.
105-5309
1. Hot surface/burn hazard—keep a safe distance from the hotsurface.
93-6085
1. Fast
3. Slow2. Continuous variable setting
93-9886
1. Use unleaded gasoline.
8

104-2618
1. Parking brake
3. Engage2. Disengage
93-8064
1. Warning—read the instructions before servicing orperforming maintenance.2. Cutting hazard of hand or foot—stop the engine and waitfor moving parts to stop.
104-2617
1. Traction drive 4. Forward2. Reel drive 5. Lever engaged3. Neutral 6. Lever disengaged
105-2411
1. Transmission oil
104-2621
1. Read the Operator’s Manual .
9

Setup
Loose Parts
Use the chart below to verify that all parts have been shipped.
Step
Description
Qty.
Use
1
Handle
1
Install the handle.
Kickstand assembly
1
Spring
1
Small spacer
1
Large spacer 1
Large bolt (M8–1.25 x 100)
1
Small bolt (M8–1.25 x 030)
1
Locknut (M8 x 1.25)
2
2
Washer (M8)
2
Install the kickstand for Flex 18Mowers Only.
3
No parts required
–
Adjust the handle.
4
Transport wheels (OptionalTransport Wheel Kit, Model 04123)
2
Install the transport wheels.
5
No parts required
–
Check the engine oil andtransmission uid levels
6
Grass basket
1
Install the grass basket.
Operator’s Manual
1
Engine Operator’s Manual
1
Parts Catalog
1
Operator Video
17
Certicate of compliance
1
Read the manuals and watchthe video before operating themachine.
Note: Deter mine the left and right sides of the
mac hine from the nor mal operating position.
Step
1
Installing the Handle
Parts needed for this step:
1
Handle
Procedure
1. R emo v e the flang e loc k n ut from the bolt and
pi v ot pin on eac h side of the mo w er ( Figure 4 ).
Figure 4
1. Flange lock nut
2. Pivot pin
2. Inser t the handle ends through the slots in the
handle suppor t ar ms ( Figure 5 ).
10

Figure 5
1. Left handle end
3. Pivot pin2. Support arm
4. Locknut
3. Squeeze the handle ends inw ard and install
them on the ste p of the pi v ot pin ( Figure 5 ).
4. Secure the handle to the bolt and pi v ot pin
with the flang e loc k n ut ( Figure 5 ).
5. Locate cable tie loosely securing throttle
cable to wire har ness . P osition cable tie
appro ximately one inc h behind transmission
and tighten cable tie .
Step
2
Installing the Kickstand forFlex 18 Mowers Only
Parts needed for this step:
1
Kickstand assembly
1
Spring
1
Small spacer
1 Large spacer
1
Large bolt (M8–1.25 x 100)
1
Small bolt (M8–1.25 x 030)
2
Locknut (M8 x 1.25)
2
Washer (M8)
Procedure
1. P osition the kic kstand betw een the tabs on the
rear of the frame .
2. Install a w asher (M8) onto the small bolt
(M8–1.25 x 030). Install the right side of
the kic kstand to the frame with the bolt
and w asher , the small spacer , and loc kn ut
(M8–1.25) ( Figure 6 ). Ensure the bolt is
installed from the inside of the frame as sho wn
in Figure 6 .
3. Install a w asher (M8) onto the larg e bolt
(M8–1.25 x 100).
4. Install the spacer into the spring and install the
larg e bolt (M8–1.25 x 100) into the spacer .
Important: W hen installing the spring ,
place one end of the spring under the r ear
frame ( Figur e 6 ).
5. Install the left side of the kic kstand to the
frame with the bolt and w asher , the larg e
spacer and spring, and loc kn ut (M8–1.25)
( Figure 6 ). Ensure the bolt is installed from the
inside of the frame as sho wn in Figure 6 .
Figure 6
1. Left handle end
5. Large bolt (M8–1.25 x 100)2. Locknut (M8–1.25)
6. Spring3. Small spacer
7. Large spacer4. Washer (M8) 8. Ssmall bolt (M8–1.25 x030)
6. Place a n ut r unner o v er the end of the spring
pointing to w ards the rear and mo v e the end of
the spring o v er and under the kic kstand spacer
( Figure 7 ).
11

Figure 7
1. Spring
3. Nut runner2. Spring end under the frame 4. Move the spring end underthe kickstand spacer.
Step
3
Adjusting the Handle
No Parts Required
Procedure
1. R emo v e hair pin cotters from ring pins on eac h
side of mo w er ( Figure 8 ).
Figure 8
1. Ring pins
2. W hile suppor ting handle , remo v e ring pins
from eac h side and raise or lo w er handle to
desired operating position ( Figure 8 ).
3. R einstall ring pins and hair pin cotters .
Step
4
Installing the TransportWheels
Parts needed for this step:
2
Transport wheels (Optional Transport WheelKit, Model 04123)
Procedure
1. Push kic k stand do wn with foot and pull up
on handle suppor t until kic k stand has rotated
forw ard, o v er center ( Figure 9 ).
Figure 9
1. Kick stand
2. Press wheel loc king clip to w ard the center
of wheel and slide wheel onto hex shaft
( Figure 10 ).
12

Figure 10
1. Locking clip
3. R otate wheel bac k and for th until it slides
completely onto axle and loc king clip is secured
in g roo v e on axle shaft.
4. R e peat procedure on opposite side of mac hine .
5. Inflate the tires to 12-15 psi.
6. Carefully lift up on handle suppor t to release
kic k stand.
Step
5
Checking Fluid Levels
No Parts Required
Procedure
1. Chec k the engine oil lev el, refer to Chec king
the Engine Oil Lev el in Engine Maintenance ,
pag e 24 .
2. Chec k the transmission fluid lev el, refer to
Chec king the T ransmission Fluid Lev el in
Dri v e System Maintenance , pag e 27 .
Step
6
Installing the Grass Basket
Parts needed for this step:
1
Grass basket
Procedure
Grasp bask et b y top lip and slide bask et frame into
the recei v ers ( Figure 11 ).
Figure 11
1. Grass basket 2. Basket receivers
13

Step
7
Reading the Manuals andViewing the Video
Parts needed for this step:
1
Operator’s Manual
1
Engine Operator’s Manual
1
Parts Catalog
1
Operator Video
1
Certicate of compliance
Procedure
1. R ead the man uals .
2. View the Operator video .
3. Store the documentation in a safe place .
14

Product Overview
Figure 12
1. Handle
5. Cutting unit2. Control panel 6. Grass basket3. Engine
7. Fuel tank4. Transport wheels
Controls
Figure 13
1. Throttle control 3. Service/parking brake2. Traction & reel driveengagement lever
Throttle Control
T he throttle control ( Figure 13 ) is located on rear
right side of control panel. Lev er connects to and
operates throttle linkag e to carburetor . Engine
speed can be v aried from 2400 RPM to 3600 RPM.
Traction and Reel Drive EngagementLever
T he traction and reel dri v e eng ag ement lev er
( Figure 13 ) is located on front right side of control
panel. T raction lev er has tw o positions: Neutral
and F orw ard. Pushing lev er forw ard eng ag es
traction dri v e .
T he reel dri v e lev er has tw o positions: Eng ag e and
Diseng ag e . Mo v e top of lev er to the left to eng ag e
reel or bac k to neutral to diseng ag e reel.
Service/Parking Brake
T he ser vice/parking brak e ( Figure 13 ) is located
on left front side of control panel. Pulling the lev er
bac k o v er center will set the parking brak e . Brak e
m ust be released before traction dri v e is eng ag ed.
Operator Presence Control
T he optional operator presence control m ust be
eng ag ed before eng aging the traction lev er or the
engine will stop .
Choke Lever
T he c hok e lev er ( Figure 14 ) is located on left
front of engine . Lev er has tw o positions: R un and
Chok e . Mo v e the c hok e lev er to the half-open
position when star ting a cold engine . After engine
star ts mo v e lev er to R un position.
Figure 14
1. Choke lever 2. Fuel shut-off valve
15

Fuel Shut-Off Valve
T he fuel shut-off v alv e ( Figure 14 ) is located on
left front of engine . V alv e has tw o positions:
Closed and Open. Mo v e lev er to closed position
when storing or transpor ting mac hine . Open v alv e
before star ting engine .
Recoil Starter
Pull recoil star ter handle ( Figure 15 ) to star t engine .
Figure 15
1. Recoil starter
3. Hour meter2. On/off switch
On/Off Switch
T he on/off switc h ( Figure 15 ) is located on rear
of engine . Mo v e switc h to On position to star t
engine and Off to stop engine .
Hour Meter
T he hour meter ( Figure 15 ) located on rear of
engine , indicates the total hours of mac hine
operation.
Kickstand
T he kic kstand ( Figure 16 ) is mounted to rear of
mac hine and is used to raise rear of mac hine for
installation or remo v al of transpor t wheels .
Figure 16
1. Kick stand
16

Specications
Flex 21 Flex 18
Width 35-1/2 inches(90.1 cm)
32 inches (81.3cm)
Height 41–1/4 inches(104.8 cm) 41–1/2 inches(105.4 cm)
Length withbasket 61–1/2 inches(156.2 cm)
61 inches (155cm)
Weight with fulluids and basket
267lb (121 kg) 261lb (118 kg)
Dry weight withbasket
256lb (116 kg) 250lb (113 kg)
Engine
Kawasaki,
4-cycle, 3.7 (2.7kw) air cooledOHV engine,
3600 RPM, 7.57cu inch (124 cc)displacement,
cast ironcylinder sleeve;electronic
ignition
with integral
lighting coil;maximum noisesuppression
mufer; 85 dB(A)at operator’s ear
Kawasaki,
4-cycle, 3.7 (2.7kw) air cooledOHV engine,
3600 RPM, 7.57cu inch (124 cc)displacement,
cast ironcylinder sleeve;electronic
ignition
with integral
lighting coil;maximum noisesuppression
mufer; 85 dB(A)at operator’s ear
Fuel capacity
2.64 qt. (2.5l); regular
grade unleaded
gasoline
2.64 qt. (2.5l); regular
grade unleaded
gasoline
Ground speed Mowing speed:1.3 to 3.3 MPH(2.1 to 5.3km/h)Transport
speed: 4.9MPH (7.9 km/h)maximum
Mowing speed:1.3 to 3.3 MPH(2.1 to 5.3km/h)Transport
speed: 4.9MPH (7.9 km/h)maximum
Width of cut
21 inches (53.3cm) 18 inches (45.7cm)
Height of cut 1/16 to 19/64inches (1.5to 7.5 mm)with Micro-Cut
bedknife
1/16 to 19/64inches (1.5to 7.5 mm)with Micro-Cut
bedknife
Clip frequency 11 blade
(standard): .14in.
11 blade
(standard): .14inch
Attachments/Accessories
A selection of T oro appro v ed attac hments and
accessories are a v ailable for use with the mac hine
to enhance and expand its capabilities . Contact
y our A uthorized Ser vice Dealer or Distributor or
g o to www .T oro .com for a list of all appro v ed
attac hments and accessories .
17

Operation
Note: Deter mine the left and right sides of the
mac hine from the nor mal operating position.
Think Safety First
Please carefully read all of the safety instr uctions
and decals in the safety section. Kno wing this
infor mation could help y ou or b ystanders a v oid
injur y .
Checking the Engine OilLevel
Chec k the engine oil lev el before eac h use or ev er y
8 operating hours , refer to Chec king the Engine
Oil Lev el in Engine Maintenance , pag e 24 .
Filling the Fuel Tank
Important: Nev er use methanol, gasoline
containing methanol, gasohol containing
mor e than 10% ethanol, gasoline additi v es,
pr emium gasoline, or white gas because the
fuel system could be dama ged. Do not mix
oil with gasoline.
Figure 17
1. Fuel tank cap 2. Fuel gauge
Gasoline is har mful or f atal if s w allo w ed.
Long-ter m exposur e to v apor s can cause
serious injur y and illness.
• A v oid pr olonged br eathing of v apor s.
• K eep f ace a w ay fr om nozzle and gas tank
or conditioner opening .
• K eep gas a w ay fr om ey es and skin.
18

In cer tain conditions, gasoline is extr emel y
flamma ble and highl y explosi v e. A fir e or
explosion fr om gasoline can bur n y ou and
other s and can dama ge pr oper ty .
• Fill the fuel tank outdoor s, in an open
ar ea, when the engine is cold. W ipe up
an y gasoline that spills.
• Do not fill the fuel tank completel y full.
Add gasoline to the fuel tank until the
lev el is 1/4 to 1/2 inch (6 to 13 mm)
belo w the bottom of the filler neck. T his
empty space in the tank allo ws gasoline
to expand.
• Nev er smok e when handling gasoline,
and stay a w ay fr om an open flame or
wher e gasoline fumes may be ignited by
a spar k.
• Stor e gasoline in an appr o v ed container
and k eep it out of the r each of childr en.
Nev er buy mor e than a 30-day suppl y of
gasoline.
• Al w ays place gasoline container s on the
g r ound a w ay fr om y our v ehicle bef or e
filling .
• Do not fill gasoline container s inside
a v ehicle or on a tr uck or trailer bed
because interior car pets or plastic tr uck
bed liner s may insulate the container and
slo w the loss of an y static charge.
• W hen practical, r emo v e gas-po w er ed
equipment fr om the tr uck or trailer and
r efuel the equipment with its wheels on
the g r ound.
• If this is not possible, then r efuel such
equipment on a tr uck or trailer fr om a
por ta ble container , rather than fr om a
gasoline dispenser nozzle.
• If a gasoline dispenser nozzle must be
used, k eep the nozzle in contact with the
rim of the fuel tank or container opening
at all times until fueling is complete.
1. Clean around fuel tank cap and remo v e
cap from tank ( Figure 17 ). Using unleaded
g asoline , fill fuel tank no higher than to bottom
of filter screen. Do not o v erfill.
2. Install fuel tank cap and wipe up any spilled
g asoline .
Checking the InterlockSwitch Operation
If safety inter lock s witches ar e disconnected
or dama ged the machine could operate
unexpectedl y causing per sonal injur y .
• Do not tamper with the inter lock
s witches.
• Check the operation of the inter lock
s witches dail y and r eplace an y dama ged
s witches bef or e operating the machine.
• R eplace s witches ev er y tw o y ear s
r egardless of whether they ar e operating
pr oper l y or not.
1. Push kic k stand do wn with foot and pull up
on handle suppor t until kic k stand has rotated
forw ard, o v er center ( Figure 18 ).
Figure 18
1. Kick stand
2. Place traction lev er into Eng ag e position and
engine controls in star ting position.
3. Attempt to star t engine . Engine should not
star t. If engine star ts , the interloc k switc h
needs ser vice . Cor rect problem before
operating . R efer to Ser vicing Interloc k Switc h.
4. Carefully lift up on handle to release kic k stand.
19

Starting and Stopping theEngine
Note: F or illustrations and descriptions of
the controls referenced in this section, refer to
Controls , pag e 15 .
Starting the Engine
Note: Mak e sure spark plug wire is installed on
spark plug .
1. Mak e sure traction and reel dri v e lev ers are in
Diseng ag ed position.
Note: Engine will not star t if traction lev er is
in the eng ag ed position.
2. Open the fuel shut-off v alv e on the engine .
3. Mo v e the on/off switc h to the On position.
4. Mo v e the throttle control to the F ast position.
5. Mo v e the c hok e lev er to the half-open position
when star ting a cold engine . T he c hok e ma y
not be required when star ting a w ar m engine .
6. Pull the recoil star ter handle out until positi v e
eng ag ement results , then pull it vig orously to
star t the engine . Open the c hok e as engine
w ar ms up .
Important: Do not pull r ecoil r ope to its
limit or let go of star ter handle when r ope
is pulled out because r ope may br eak or
r ecoil assembl y may be dama ged.
Stopping the Engine
1. Mo v e the traction and reel dri v e controls to
the Diseng ag ed position, the throttle control
to Slo w , and the on/off switc h to Off .
2. Pull the molded spark plug wire off of the spark
plug to prev ent the possibility of accidental
star ting before storing mac hine .
3. Close the fuel shut-off v alv e before storing or
transpor ting mo w er in a v ehicle .
Transport Operation
Note: Do not r un the mo w er engine while
transpor ting it in a transpor t trailer because
damag e can occur to the mo w er .
1. Push kic k stand do wn with foot and pull up
on handle suppor t until kic k stand has rotated
forw ard, o v er center .
2. T o release kic kstand, pull up on handle and
lo w er rear of mo w er onto transpor t wheels .
3. Ensure traction and reel dri v e controls are in
Diseng ag e position and star t engine .
4. Set throttle control to Slo w , tip front of
mac hine up g radually eng ag e traction dri v e and
slo wly increase engine speed.
5. Adjust throttle to operate mo w er at desired
g round speed and transpor t mo w er to desired
destination.
Preparing to Mow1. R etur n traction control lev er to Diseng ag e ,
throttle to Slo w and stop engine .
2. Push kic k stand do wn with foot and pull up
on handle suppor t until kic k stand has rotated
forw ard, o v er center .
3. R emo v e transpor t wheels .
4. R elease kic kstand.
Mowing Operation
Proper use of the mac hine pro vides the smoothest
turf cutting a v ailable .
Important: Grass clippings act as a
lubricant when mo wing . Ex cessi v e operation
of the cutting unit with the a bsence of g rass
clippings can dama ge the cutting unit.
Prior to Mowing
Be sure the mo w er is carefully adjusted and is set
ev enly on both sides of the reel. Improper mo w er
adjustment is magnified in the appearance of the
clipped turf . R emo v e all foreign objects from turf
prior to mo wing . Mak e sure ev er y one , especially
c hildren and pets , are clear of the w ork area.
Method of Mowing
T he g reens should be mo w ed in a straight bac k
and for th direction across the g reen. A v oid
circular mo wing or tur ning the mo w er on g reens
areas since scuffing ma y occur . T ur ning the mo w er
should be done off the g reen b y raising the cutting
reel (pushing the handle do wn) and tur ning on
the traction dr um. Mo wing should be done at a
nor mal w alking pace . F ast speeds sa v es v er y little
time and will result in an inferior mo wing job .
20