Toro 78448 User manual

Operator’s Manual
IMPORTANT: Read this manual, and your tractor manual, carefully. They
contain 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. 3319–347GB
Wheel Horse

48” Side Discharge
Mower
for 5xi Tractors
Model No. 78448 – 8900001 & Up

The TORO Co. – 1997
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 .
1m–3520
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.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Installation 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Loose Parts 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Mower Preparation 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Installing the Mower 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Adjusting the Mower 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Removing the Mower 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Operation 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Side Discharge 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Operating the Power Take Off (PTO) 13 . . . .
Attachment Lift Lever 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Page
Adjusting the Two Front Wheels 15 . . . . . . . .
Check for Debris 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tips for Mowing Grass 16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Maintenance 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Service Interval Chart 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cutting Blade 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Greasing and Lubrication 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blade Drive Belt 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Washing the Underside of the Mower 21 . . . .
Storage 22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Troubleshooting 23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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 MOWER RIGHT SIDE
(Part No. 98–3481)
ON GRASS DEFLECT OR
(Part No. 93–7316)
(2) ON LEVELER BAR
(Part No. 93–9367)
NEXT T O FRONT WHEELS
(Part No. 93–7282)
ON MOWER REAR T OP
(Part No. 98–3480)
(1) ON DECK RIGHT SIDE
(1) ON DECK LEFT SIDE
(Part No. 93–7317)

3
Installation
Loose Parts
Note: Use the chart below to identify parts used for assembly.
DESCRIPTION QTY. USE
Discharge chute
Nylon washer 3/8”
Spring
Rubber bushing
Flat washer 1/2”
Lock nut 3/8”
Cotter pin 3/4”
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
Install grass deflector
PT O drive belt 1 Install PT O drive belt
Pulley box 1 Install pulley box
Operator’ s Manual 1 Read before operating
Mower Preparation
Install the Discharge Chute
1. Locate the items shown (Fig. 1).
2. Place the short end of the spring into the small
hole in the discharge chute.
3. Position the spring and discharge chute over the
post on the rear of the deck and secure them with
a 1/2” (13 mm) washer and a 3/4” (19 mm)
cotter pin (Fig. 1).
4. Make sure the loop in the spring slides over the
stud on the mower housing.
5. Slide the rubber bushing and nylon washer over
the stud at the front of the mower.
6. Place the discharge chute over the stud and
secure it with a second nylon washer and 3/8”
lock nut (Fig. 1). The lock nut must be
tightened flush with the end of the stud.
IMPORTANT: The discharge chute must be
spring loaded in the down position. Lift the
chute up to test that it snaps to the full down
position.
1
3
2
5
4
6
78
10
9
Figure 1
1. Discharge chute
2. Spring
3.
Cotter pin 3/4” (19 mm)
4. W asher 1/2” (13 mm)
5. Rubber bushing
6. Plastic washer
7. Jam nut 3/8”
8. Loop in spring
9. Post on mower housing
10. Stud on mower housing

Installation
4
POTENTIAL HAZARD
•Without the grass deflector or 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 grass deflector from
the mower because the grass deflector
routes material down toward the turf. If
the grass deflector is ever damaged, replace
it immediately. Never put your hands or
feet under the mower.
•Never try to clear the discharge area or
mower blades unless you move the power
take off (PTO) to “OFF” and turn the
ignition key to “STOP.” Also remove the
key and pull the wire off the spark plug(s).
Mower Belt Routing
1. Route the mower belt as shown in Fig. 2. Be
sure to install the belt on the lower mower deck
pulley.
2
1
m–3525
Figure 2
T op V iew
1. Mower belt 2. Mower deck pulley
Installing the Mower
Initial Preparation
The mower is most easily installed when done on a
level concrete surface. Rougher dirt or lawn surfaces
make installation more difficult.
1. Position the tractor and mower side by side, with
the mower on the right–hand side of the tractor.
2. Set the parking brake, raise the attachment lift,
and turn the ignition key to “STOP” to stop the
engine. Remove the key.
3. If you have previously had a snowthrower, blade
or tiller attached to the attachment lift, remove
the two clevis pins on each side of the
attachment lift (Fig. 3).
2
1
m–3433
Figure 3
1. Clevis pin 2. Hairpin cotter
4. Attach the pulley box if it is not already on the
tractor. Make sure the latches on the tractor’s
front Attach–A–Maticare open (Fig. 4). Then
slide the pulley box into the Attach–A–Matic
latches and seat it. Close the latches.

Installation
5
m–3463
1
22
3
4
5
6
7
Figure 4
1. Attach–A–Matic latches
2. Pulley box
3. Idler pulley
4. Belt tension release arm
5. Belt tension adjustment
knob
6.
Belt tension indicators
(one on each side)
7. Attach–A–Matic button
Attach the Mower
1. Make sure the mower wheels are set for low
height of cut.
2. Make sure the attachment lift is in the full up
position, then turn the ignition key to “STOP” to
stop the engine, set the parking brake, and
remove the ignition key.
3. From the driver’s right–hand side of the tractor,
slide the mower under the tractor.
4. After sliding the mower under the tractor,
position it so that the slots in the side of each of
the mower’s mounting brackets (Fig. 5) are
aligned directly below the tractor’
s attachment
lift arm.
m–3519
1
2
3
Figure 5
1. Slots in the side mounting
brackets (2)
2. Belt guide
3. Front–to–rear adjustment
rod
5. Start the tractor.
6. Lower the attachment lift arm fully and adjust
the deck’s position until you can pull out on the
J–pin of the lift arm and slide it into the slot in
the mounting bracket of the mower (Fig. 6).
7. On the driver’s left–hand side, pull out the
attachment lift J–pin and slide it into the slot on
the other mower mounting bracket.
m–3456
1
2
Figure 6
Left Side of Tractor Shown
1. J–pin 2. Mower slot in side
mounting bracket.

Installation
6
8. After the two J–pins are seated through the
mower’s mounting brackets, using the
attachment lift and your hand on the right front
adjustable mower wheel bracket (Fig. 7),
position the mower so its attachment bar fits into
the mid Attach–A–Maticmount.
POTENTIAL HAZARD
•The “scissor” formed by the mower
mounting brackets and the attachment lift
arm is dangerous.
WHAT CAN HAPPEN
•Hands and fingers can get caught between
the mower parts and the tractor and be
injured.
HOW TO AV
OID THE HAZARD
•Keep hands away from moving parts while
operating the attachment lift.
•Always position the mower with your hand
on the right front mower wheel bracket.
•Never try to position the mower with your
hands on the mower mounting brackets or
below the mower housing.
m–3521
Figure 7
9. Turn the lever of the Attach–A–Matic
counterclockwise to lock the mower to the
tractor (Fig. 8).
10. Set the parking brake, lower the attachment lift,
and turn the ignition key to “STOP” to stop the
engine. Then remove the key.
m–3457
12
Figure 8
1. Attach–A–Matic button 2. Attach–A–Matic lever
Attach the PTO Drive Belt
1. Hang the belt over the mower, then thread it
forward through the belt guide (Fig. 9) on the
mower.
m–3457
1
2
Figure 9
1. Belt 2. Belt guide
2. Extend the belt through the center of the pulley
box, between the two pulleys.
3. Release the belt tension release arm on the
pulley box housing and swing it out toward you
(Fig. 12).

Installation
7
4. Remove the tractor’s front grill by raising the
hood and unscrewing the two screws and
washers securing it in place (Fig. 10). Close the
hood and remove the grill by pulling it out
toward you.
m–3558
1
Figure 10
1. Grill screw (1 of 2)
POTENTIAL HAZARD
•Components under the hood will be hot if
the tractor has been running.
WHAT CAN HAPPEN
•Touching hot components can cause burns.
HOW TO AV
OID THE HAZARD
•Allow the tractor to cool before performing
maintenance or touching components
under the hood.
5. Position the end of the belt into the grooves of
the PTO pulley (Fig. 11), making sure it is also
under the pulleys in the pulley box.
m–3470
1
2
4
3
Figure 1 1
1. Pulley box pulley
2. Belt tension release arm
3. PT O pulley
4. PT O drive belt
6. Loop the other end of the belt over the drive
pulley of the mower. Additional belt slack can
be obtained (if needed) by turning the belt
tension adjustment knob (Fig. 12).
7. Now adjust the belt tension.
A. Push the belt tension release arm back
toward the pulley box to tension the belt.
B. Check the tension indicators on each side of
the pulley box.
C. If the tension indicators are not in the same
position, release the belt tension, turn the
adjustment knob and repeat steps A and B
until the indicators move to the same
position (Fig. 12).
D. Once the indicators are in the same
position, swing the tension release arm into
the pulley box and seat it by moving it into
the position shown in Figure 12.

Installation
8
m–3458
1
3
24
Figure 12
1. Belt tension release arm
2. Belt tension indicator (2)
3. Belt tension adjustment
knob
4.
Seating position for
tension arm
8. Loosen the belt guide bolt (Fig. 13).
9. Adjust the belt guide so that it just touches the
belt on the inside arm of the guide (toward the
center of the deck) (Fig. 13).
m–3465
1
2
3
4
Figure 13
1. Belt guide
2. Belt 3.
Belt touches here
4. Belt guide bolt
10. Tighten the belt guide bolt.
11. Replace the front grill of the tractor, securing it
with the two previously removed screws and
washers (Fig. 10).
Adjusting the Mower
Adjusting the Height of Cut
The rear gauge wheels are adjusted in different hole
locations for 1–1/2—4–1/2” (4–11 cm) heights of cut.
1. Start the tractor, apply the parking brake, and
raise the deck. Get off the tractor. Pull the
height–of–cut lever out to disengage it from the
height–of–cut plate. Adjust the height of cut to
the desired level. Release the lever inward to
lock into the height–of–cut plate (Fig. 14).
m–3474
1
2
3
4
Figure 14
1. Height-of-cut lever
2. Height–of–cut plate
3. High
4. Low
Checking Mower Level
For optimum efficiency, the level of the mower
should be checked at the time of initial installation
and periodically as a check, to ensure that the blades
are 1/8” (3 mm) lower in the front than in the rear.
The mower must be checked and adjusted on a flat
level surface, preferably concrete. Before checking
the mower level, set the air pressure in the front and
rear tires to 12 psi (.85 kPa). Place the mower
height–of–cut lever to the middle cut position. Make
sure the two adjustable front wheels are off the
ground.