Toro 78261 User manual

Operator’s Manual
IMPORTANT: Read this manual carefully. It contains information about your
safety and the safety of others. Also become familiar with the controls and
their proper use before you operate the product.
FORM NO. 3322–353
Wheel Horse

48” Mower
for
Lawn and Garden T ractors
Model No. 78261 – 9900001 & Up

Printed in USA
Introduction
We want you to be completely satisfied with your
new product, so feel free to contact your local
Authorized Service Dealer for help with service,
genuine replacement parts, or other information you
may require.
Whenever you contact your Authorized Service
Dealer or the factory, always know the model and
serial numbers of your product. These numbers will
help the Service Dealer or Service Representative
provide exact information about your specific
product. You will find the model and serial number
plate located in a unique place on the product as
shown below .
1
1275
1. Model and Serial Number Plate
For your convenience, write the product model and
serial numbers in the space below.
Model No:
Serial No.
The warning system in this manual identifies
potential hazards and has special safety messages that
help you and others avoid personal injury, even death.
DANGER, WARNING and CAUTION are signal
words used to identify the level of hazard. However,
regardless of the hazard, be extremely careful.
DANGER signals an extreme hazard that will cause
serious injury or death if the recommended
precautions are not followed.
WARNING signals a hazard that may cause serious
injury or death if the recommended precautions are
not followed.
CAUTION signals a hazard that may cause minor or
moderate injury if the recommended precautions are
not followed.
Two other words are also used to highlight
information. “Important” calls attention to special
mechanical information and “Note” emphasizes
general information worthy of special attention.
The left and right side of the machine is determined
by sitting on the seat in the normal operator’s
position.

1
Contents
Page
Safety and Instruction Decals 2.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Assembly 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Loose Parts 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Installing Dischar ge Chute 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Install Rear and Adjustable Links 5 . . . . . . .
Installing the Mower 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Transport Height Adjustment 7 . . . . . . . . . . .
Side-to-Side Mower Leveling 7 . . . . . . . . . .
Front-to-Rear Blade Slope 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Removing the Mower 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Operation 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Side Discharge 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Operating thePower Take Off (PTO) 11 . . . . .
Attachment Lift Lever 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Page
Attachment Power Lift 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Adjusting Dial-A-Height 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Adjusting Center Anti-Scalp Roller 13 . . . . . .
Adjusting Outer Anti–Scalp Wheels 14 . . . . .
Tips for Mowing Grass 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Maintenance 16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Service Interval Chart 16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cutting Blade 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Greasing and Lubrication 19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blade Drive Belt 19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Washing the Underside of the Mower 20 . . . .
Storage 21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Troubleshooting 22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Safety
2
Safety and Instruction Decals
Safety decals and instructions are easily visible to the operator and are located near
any area of potential danger. Replace any decal that is damaged or lost.
ON DISCHARGE CHUTE
(Part No. 93–1 122)
ON MOWER RIGHT SIDE
(Part No. 1 16286)
ON MOWER LEFT AND
RIGHT SIDES
(Part No. 92–7108)
NEXT T O GAGE WHEELS
(Part No. 68–3380)

3
Assembly
Loose Parts
Note: Use the chart below to identify parts used for assembly.
DESCRIPTION QTY. USE
Discharge chute
T orsion spring
Washer (1/2”)
Cotter pin (3/4”)
Plastic washer
Rubber bushing
Jam nut (3/8”–16)
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
Install discharge chute
Rear link
Washer (1/2”)
Cotter pin (1”)
Hairpin cotter (2–9/16”)
1
2
1
1
Install rear link
Adjustable link
Washer (1/2”)
Cotter pin (1”)
Hairpin cotter (2–9/16”)
2
4
2
2
Install front link to mower
V belt
Hairpin cotter (3–3/8”)
Washer (3/4”)
1
2
2
Install mower to tractor
Operator’ s Manual 1 Read before operating

Assembly
4
Installing Discharge Chute
1. Locate items shown in Fig. 1.
2. Place the short end of the spring into the small
hole in the discharge chute.
3. Position spring and discharge chute over post on
rear of deck and secure with 1/2” washer and
3/4” cotter pin (Fig. 1).
4. Slide rubber bushing and plastic washer over
stud at front of mower.
5.
Place dischar ge chute over stud and secure with
second plastic washer and 3/8” jam nut (Fig. 1).
1
3
2
5
4
6
7
Figure 1
1. Grass deflector
2. Spring
3.
Cotter pin 3/4”
4. W asher 1/2”
5. Rubber bushing
6. Plastic washer
7. Jam nut 3/8”
IMPORTANT: Discharge chute must be
spring loaded in the down position. Lift chute
up to test that it snaps to the full down
position.
POTENTIAL HAZARD
•Without the discharge chute or the
complete grass catcher assembly mounted
in place, you and others are exposed to
blade contact and thrown debris.
WHAT CAN HAPPEN
•Contact with rotating mower blade(s) and
thrown debris will cause injury or death.
HOW TO AV
OID THE HAZARD
• NEVER r emove the discharge chute from
the mower because the discharge chute
routes material down toward the turf. If the
discharge chute is ever damaged, replace it
immediately.
•Never put your hands or feet under the
mower.
•Never try to clear discharge area or mower
blades unless you move the power take off
(PTO) to “OFF” and rotate the ignition key
to “OFF.” Also remove the ignition key and
pull the wire off the spark plug(s).

Assembly
5
Install Rear and Adjustable
Links
1. Install rear link to center wheel shaft bracket
with 1/2” washer and 1” cotter pin (Fig. 2).
m–2809
1
2
3
4
5
Figure 2
1. Rear link
2. W asher 1/2”
3. Cotter pin 1”
4. Attachment lift
5. Hairpin cotter 2–9/16”
2. Install both front adjustable links to mower
bracket with (2) 1/2” washers and (2) 1” cotter
pins (Fig. 3).
m–4244
1
2
3
4
5
Figure 3
1. Adjustable link
2. W asher 1/2”
3. Cotter pin 1”
4. Attachment lift
5. Hairpin cotter 2–9/16”
Installing the Mower
1. Park the tractor on a flat surface, disengage the
power take off (PTO), set the parking brake, and
turn the ignition key to “OFF” to stop the
engine. Remove the ignition key.
2. Turn the front wheels fully to the left and raise
attachment lift lever all the way to the latched
position; refer to tractor Operator’
s Manual.
3. Slide the mower under the chassis from the right
side (Fig. 4) and align rear mounting bushings
with ends of lift arms.
4. Straighten the front wheels, turn Dial-A-Height
knob counterclockwise, all the way, and lower
the attachment lift lever to the mounting
position; refer to tractor Operator’
s Manual.
5. Place rear guide bushings, first left side then
right, onto lift arms then slide deck left into
position (Fig. 4).
6. Secure deck to rear lift arms with (2) 3/4”
washers and (2) 3–3/8” hairpin cotters (Fig. 4).
14
2
3
5
m–3619
Figure 4
1. Lift arm
2. W asher 3/4”
3. Hair pin cotter 3–3/8”
4. Rear link
5. Attachment lift

Assembly
6
7. Attach rear link to attachment lift with 1/2”
washer and 2–9/16” hairpin cotter (Fig. 2 & 4).
8. Install both front adjustable links to front lift
arms with (2) 1/2” washers and (2) 2–9/16”
hairpin cotters (Fig. 3 & 5).
m–4246
12
3
Figure 5
1. Adjustable link
2. Washer 3.
Hairpin cotter
9. Rotate tension lever counterclockwise to relax
spring and install mower drive belt in engine
drive pulley (Fig. 6).
10. Rotate lever clockwise to tension spring and belt
(Fig. 6).
Note: Make sure belt is properly located in
engine and deck pulleys and around
idler pulley.
1
m–3621
2
3
Figure 6
T op V iew
1. Mower belt
2. T ension lever
3. Idler pulley
11. Check mower level; refer to Side-to-Side Mower
Leveling page 7, and Front-to-Rear Blade
Slope page 8.
12. Raise attachment lift lever all the way to the
latched position and adjust mower height-of-cut;
refer to page 12 and transport height adjustment;
refer to page 7.

Assembly
7
Transport Height Adjustment
Transport height is set at the factory and should not
need adjustment; however, if the belt covers contact
the footrest in the raised position, adjustment is
required.
1. Adjust by turning transport height nut (Fig. 7) on
lift mechanism clockwise to raise or
counterclockwise to lower mower.
2. Adjust nut until there is 1/16–1/8 inch clearance
between belt cover and left footrest.
1223
1
Figure 7
1. Nut
Side-to-Side Mower Leveling
The mower blades must be level from side to side.
Check the side-to-side level any time you install the
mower or when you see an uneven cut on your lawn.
Before you level the mower, set the air pressure in the
front and rear tires as specified in the tractor
operator’s manual.
2-3/4” to 4” Height-of-Cut Range
When the mower height-of-cut is set to the 2-3/4” to
4” range, the mower is suspended from the tractor.
1. Park the tractor on a flat surface, disengage the
power take off (PTO), set the parking brake, and
turn the ignition key to “OFF” to stop the
engine. Remove the ignition key.
2. Raise attachment lift lever all the way to the
latched position.
3. Carefully rotate blade(s) side to side (Fig. 8).
Measure between the outside cutting edges and
the flat surface (Fig. 8). If both measurements
are not within 3/16”, an adjustment is required;
refer to steps 4 and 6.
Front
1
2
3
3
2
Figure 8
1. Blades side to side
2. Outside cutting edges
3. Measure here
4. Loosen adjustment bolt on one side and rotate
hanger bracket to raise or lower mower (Fig. 9).
5. After adjusting, tighten bolt and check
side-to-side level.

Assembly
8
IMPORTANT: If hanger is rotated to the end
of adjustment on one side and mower is not
level, adjust the opposite side.
1
2
1224
Figure 9
1. Bolt 2. Hanger bracket
6. Now check the front-to-rear blade slope; refer to
Front-to-Rear Blade Slope, page 8.
7. Check that both links have equal tension.
3/4” to 2-3/4” Height-of-Cut Range
When the mower height-of-cut is set to the 3/4” to
2-3/4” range the rear gage wheels contact the ground.
There is no side-to-side adjustment for this height
range, see Front-to-Rear Blade Slope.
Front-to-Rear Blade Slope
Check the front-to-rear blade slope any time you
install the mower. Before checking the slope, set air
pressure in the front and rear tires as specified in the
tractor operator’s manual. If the front blade tip is not
0–3/8” lower than the rear blade tip, adjust the blade
slope using the following instructions:
1. Park the tractor on a flat surface, disengage the
power take off (PTO), set the parking brake, and
turn the ignition key to “OFF” to stop the
engine. Remove the ignition key.
2. Check and adjust side-to-side blade level if you
have not checked the setting; refer to
Side-to-Side Mower Leveling, page 7.
3. Adjust the Dial-A-Height knob so the
height-of-cut is in the middle of the range and
lower attachment lift.
4. Carefully rotate blades so they are facing front
and rear (Fig. 10).
5. Measure from the tip of the front blade (Fig. 10).
and the tip of the rearward blades to a flat
surface. If the front blade tip is not 0–3/8” lower
than the rear blade tips adjust front adjustment
links.
Front 1078
1
2
3
4
4
Figure 10
1. Blade front to rear
2. Measure front blade tip
3. Measure rear blade tip
4. Measure here