Troy-Bilt Horse Z809K User manual

TRilY RILT
Operator's Manual
Pedal Drive Garden Tractor
Horse TM
(Models T809H & Z809K)
IMPORTANT: Read safety rules and instructions carefully before operating equipment.
Warning: This unit is equipped with an internal combustion engine and should not be used on or near any unimproved forest-cov-
ered, brush-covered or grass-covered land unless the engine's exhaust system is equipped with a spark arrester meeting applicable
local or state laws (if any). If a spark arrester is used, it should be maintained in effective working order by the operator. In the State
of California the above is required by law (Section 4442 of the California Public Resources Code). Other states may have similar laws.
Federal laws apply on federal lands. A spark arrester for the muffler is available through your nearest engine authorized service dealer
or contact the service department, P.O. Box 361131 Cleveland, Ohio 44136-0019.
Troy-Bilt LLC,P.O.BOX361131CLEVELAND,OHIO44136-0019
PRINTED IN U.S.A. FORM NO. 770-10189F
(11/2003)

TABLEOFCONTENTS
Content Page Content Page
Important Safe Operation Practices 3 Service 19
Tractor Set-Up 7 Off-Season Storage 24
Know Your Garden Tractor 10 Attachments&Accessories 25
Operating Your Garden Tractor 13 Troubleshooting 26
Making Adjustments 16 Illustrated Parts List 27
Maintaining Your Garden Tractor 18 Warranty 44
FINDINGMODELNUMBER
This Operator's Manual is an important part of your new lawn tractor. It will help you assemble, prepare and
maintain the unit for best performance. Please read and understand what it says.
Before you start assembling your new equipment, please locate the model plate under the
seat of the tractor and copy the information in the space provided below. A sample model plate is
also given below. This information will be necessary to use the manufacturer's web site and/or
help from the Customer Support Department or an authorized service dealer.
z
• TROY-BILT LLC
O_e_ _O. BOX 361131
www.trovbilt.com CL_E_NO,OH4413_
330-558-7220
•866-840-6483
Copy the model number here:
Copy the serial number here:
CUSTOMERSUPPORT
PleasedoNOTretumtheunittotheretailer from whereit waspurchased,withoutfirstcontactingCustomerSupport.
If you have difficulty assembling this product or have any questions regarding the controls, operation or
maintenance of this unit, you can seek help from the experts. Choose from the options below:
Visit troybUt.com for many useful suggestions. Click on Customer Support button and you will
get the four options reproduced here. Click on the appropriate button and help is immediately
available.
_qhe answer you are
a mouse crick awa Sll_o_llty _ol_J hL_l_lhi_% _L _lj_l_t_ tJou_ N_L_OI_I
N_e_l Io_41 _ssP_tr_h_ ÷? Lli¢k he[e _e lh_J
To reach the Customer Support Line, please call 1-866-840-6483 or 1-330-558-7220.
The engine manufacturer is responsible for all engine-related issues with regards to
and service. Please refer to the
)erformance, power-rating, specifications, warranty engine
manufacturer's Owner's/Operator's Manual, at the end of this manual, for more information.

SECTION1: IMPORTANTSAFEOPERATIONPRACTICES
,_ WARNING: This symbol points out important safety instructions which, if not followed, could endanger
the personal safety and/or property of yourself and others. Read and follow all instructions in this manual
before attempting to operate this machine. Failure to comply with these instructions may result in personal
injury. When you see this symbol--heed its warning.
DANGER: This machine was built to be operated according to the rules for safe operation in this manual.
As with any type of power equipment, carelessness or error on the part of the operator can result in serious
injury. This machine is capable of amputating hands and feet and throwing objects. Failure to observe the
following safety instructions could result in serious injury or death.
WARNING: Engine exhaust, some of its constituents, and certain vehicle components contain or
emit chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm.
GeneralOperation
1. Read, understand, and follow all instructions on the
machine and in the manual(s) before attempting to
assemble and operate. Keep this manual in a safe place
for future and regular reference and for ordering
replacement parts.
2. Be familiar with all controls and their proper operation.
Know how to stop the machine and disengage them
quickly.
3. Never allow children under 14 years old to operate this
machine. Children 14 years old and over should read and
understand the operation instructions and safety rules in
this manual and should be trained and supervised by a
parent.
4. Never allow adults to operate this machine without proper
instruction.
5. To help avoid blade contact or a thrown object injury,
keep bystanders, helpers, children and pets at least 75
feet from the machine while it is in operation. Stop
machine if anyone enters the area.
6. Thoroughly inspect the area where the equipment is to be
used. Remove all stones, sticks, wire, bones, toys, and
other foreign objects which could be picked up and
thrown by the blade(s). Thrown objects can cause
serious personal injury.
7. Plan your mowing pattern to avoid discharge of material
toward roads, sidewalks, bystanders and the like. Also,
avoid discharging material against a wall or obstruction
which may cause discharged material to ricochet back
toward the operator.
8. Always wear safety glasses or safety goggles during
operation and while performing an adjustment or repair to
protect your eyes. Thrown objects which ricochet can
cause serious injury to the eyes.
9. Wear sturdy, rough-soled work shoes and close-fitting
slacks and shirts. Loose fitting clothes and jewelry can be
caught in movable parts. Never operate this machine in
bare feet or sandals.
10. Be aware of the mower and attachment discharge
direction and do not point it at anyone. Do not operate the
mower without the discharge cover or entire grass
catcher in its proper place.
11. Do not put hands or feet near rotating parts or under the
cutting deck. Contact with the blade(s) can amputate
hands and feet.
12. A missing or damaged discharge cover can cause blade
contact or thrown object injuries.
13. Stop the blade(s) when crossing gravel drives, walks, or
roads and while not cutting grass.
14. Watch for traffic when operating near or crossing
roadways. This machine is not intended for use on any
public roadway.
15. Do not operate the machine while under the influence of
alcohol or drugs.
16. Mow only in daylight or good artificial light.
17. Never carry passengers.
18. Disengageblade(s) before shifting into reverse. Backup
slowly. Always look down and behind before and while
backing to avoid a back-over accident.
19. Slow down before turning. Operate the machine
smoothly. Avoid erratic operation and excessive speed.
20. Disengage blade(s), set parking brake, stop engine and
wait until the blade(s) come to a complete stop before
removing grass catcher, emptying grass, unclogging
chute, removing any grass or debris, or making any
adjustments.
21. Never leave a running machine unattended. Always turn
off blade(s), place transmission in neutral, set parking
brake, stop engine and remove key before dismounting.
22. Use extra care when loading or unloading the machine
into a trailer or truck. This unit should not be driven up or
down ramp(s), because the unit could tip over, causing
serious personal injury. The unit must be pushed
manually on ramp(s) to load or unload properly.
23. Muffler and engine become hot and can cause a burn. Do
not touch.
24. Check overhead clearances carefully before driving
under low hanging tree branches, wires, door openings
etc., where the operator may be struck or pulled from the
unit, which could result in serious injury.
25. Disengage all attachment clutches, depress the brake
pedal completely and shift into neutral before attempting
to start engine.
26. Your machine is designed to cut normal residential grass
of a height no more than 10". Do not attempt to mow

throughunusuallytall,drygrass(e.g.,pasture)orpilesof
dryleaves.Drygrassorleavesmaycontacttheengine
exhaustand/orbuilduponthemowerdeckpresentinga
potentialfirehazard.
27.Useonlyaccessoriesandattachmentsapproved for this
machine by the machine manufacturer. Read,
understand and follow all instructions provided with the
approved accessory or attachment.
28. Data indicates that operators, age 60 years and above,
are involved in a large percentage of riding mower-
related injuries. These operators should evaluate their
ability to operate the riding mower safely enough to
protect themselves and others from serious injury.
29. If situations occur which are not covered in this manual,
use care and good judgment. Contact Troy-Bilt Customer
Support Line at 1-866-840-6483 for assistance.
SlopeOperation
Slopes are a major factor related to loss of control and tip-
over accidents which can result in severe injury or death. All
slopes require extra caution. If you cannot back up the slope
or if you feel uneasy on it, do not mow it.
For your safety, use the slope gauge included as part of this
manual to measure slopes before operating this unit on a
sloped or hilly area. If the slope is greater than 15 degrees as
shown on the slope gauge, do not operate this unit on that
area or serious injury could result.
Do:
1. Mow up and down slopes, not across. Exercise extreme
caution when changing direction on slopes.
2. Watch for holes, ruts, bumps, rocks, or other hidden
objects. Uneven terrain could overturn the machine. Tall
grass can hide obstacles.
3. Use slow speed. Choose a low enough speed setting so
that you will not have to stop or shift while on the slope.
Tires may lose traction on slopes even though the brakes
are functioning properly. Always keep machine in gear
when going down slopes to take advantage of engine
braking action.
4. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for wheel
weights or counterweights to improve stability.
5. Use extra care with grass catchers or other attachments.
These can change the stability of the machine.
6. Keep all movement on the slopes slow and gradual. Do
not make sudden changes in speed or direction. Rapid
engagement or braking could cause the front of the
machine to lift and rapidly flip over backwards which
could cause serious injury.
7. Avoid starting or stopping on a slope. Iftires lose traction,
disengage the blade(s) and proceed slowly straight down
the slope.
DoNot
1. Do not turn on slopes unless necessary; then, turn slowly
and gradually downhill, if possible.
2. Do not mow near drop-offs, ditches or embankments.
The mower could suddenly turn over if a wheel is over the
edge of a cliff, ditch, or if an edge caves in.
3. Do not try to stabilize the machine by putting your foot on
the ground.
4. Do not use a grass catcher on steep slopes.
5,
6.
7,
Do not mow on wet grass. It may cause sliding.
Do not shift to neutral and coast downhill. Over-speeding
may cause the operator to lose control of the machine
resulting in serious injury or death.
Do not tow heavy attachments (e.g. loaded dump cart,
lawn roller, etc.) on slopes greater than 5 degrees. When
going down hill, the extra weight tends to push the tractor
and may cause you to loose control. (e.g. tractor may
speed up, braking and steering ability may be reduced,
attachment may jack-knife and tractor may overturn).
Children
1. Tragic accidents can occur if the operator is not alert to
the presence of children. Children are often attracted to
the machine and the mowing activity. They do not
understand the dangers. Never assume that children will
remain where you last saw them.
a. Keep children out of the mowing area and in
watchful care of a responsible adult other than the
operator.Be alert and turn machine off if a child
enters area.
b. Before and while backing, look behind and down
for small children.
c. Never carry children, even with the blade(s) shut
off. They may fall off and be seriously injured or
interfere with safe machine operation.
d. Use extreme care when approaching blind
corners, doorways, shrubs, trees or other objects
that may block your vision of a child who may run
into the machine.
e. Disengage the cutting blade(s) before shifting in
reverse. The "No-Cut-in Reverse" feature is a
reminder not to cut in reverse and to help avoid
back over accidents. Do not defeat it.
f. Keep children away from hot or running engines.
They can suffer burns from ahot muffler.
g. Remove key when machine is unattended to
prevent unauthorized operation.
8. Never allow children under 14 years to operate the
machine. Children 14 years old and over should read and
understand the operation and safety rules in this manual
and should be trained and supervised by a parent.
Towing
1. Tow only with a machine that has a hitch designed for
towing. Do not attach towed equipment except at the
hitch point.
2. Follow the manufacturers recommendation for weight
limits for towed equipment and towing on slopes.
3. Never allow children or others in or on towed equipment.
4. On slopes, the weight of the towed equipment may cause
loss of traction and loss of control.
5. Travel slowly and allow extra distance to stop.
6. Do not shift to neutral and coast downhill.
Service
SafeHandlingOfGasoline:
1, To avoid personal injury or property damage use
extreme care in handling gasoline, Gasoline is

extremely flammable and the vapors are explosive.
Serious personal injury can occur when gasoline is
spilled on yourself or your clothes which can ignite. Wash
your skin and change clothes immediately.
a. Use only an approved gasoline container.
b. Never fill containers inside a vehicle or on a truck
or trailer bed with a plastic liner. Always place
containers on the ground away from your vehicle
before filling.
c. When practical, remove gas-powered equipment
from the truck or trailer and refuel it on the ground.
If this is not possible, then refuel such equipment
on a trailer with a portable container, rather than
from a gasoline dispenser nozzle.
d. Keep the nozzle in contact with the rim of the fuel
container opening at all times until fueling is
complete. Do not use a nozzle lock-open device.
e. Extinguish all cigarettes, cigars, pipes and other
sources of ignition.
f. Never fuel machine indoors.
g. Never remove gas cap or add fuel while the
engine is hot or running. Allow engine to cool at
least two minutes before refueling.
h. Never over fill fuel tank. Fill tank to no more than
½ inch below bottom of filler neck to allow space
for fuel expansion.
i. Replace gasoline cap and tighten securely.
j. If gasoline is spilled, wipe it off the engine and
equipment. Move unit to another area. Wait 5
minutes before starting the engine.
k. To reduce fire hazards, keep machine free of
grass, leaves, or other debris build-up. Clean up
oil or fuel spillage and remove any fuel soaked
debris.
L Never store the machine or fuel container inside
where there is an open flame, spark or pilot light
as on a water heater, space heater, furnace,
clothes dryer or other gas appliances.
m. Allow a machine to cool at least 5 minutes before
storing.
General Service:
1. Never run an engine indoors or in a poorly ventilated
area. Engine exhaust contains carbon monoxide, an
odorless, and deadly gas.
2. Before cleaning, repairing, or inspecting, make certain
the blade(s) and all moving parts have stopped.
Disconnect the spark plug wire and ground against the
engine to prevent unintended starting.
3. Periodically check to make sure the blades come to
complete stop within approximately (5) five seconds after
operating the blade disengagement control. If the blades
do not stop within the this time frame, your unit should be
serviced professionally by an authorized Service Dealer.
4. Check brake operation frequently as it is subjected to
wear during normal operation. Adjust and service as
required.
5. Check the blade(s) and engine mounting bolts at
frequent intervals for proper tightness. Also, visually
inspect blade(s) for damage (e.g., excessive wear, bent,
cracked).
Replace the blade(s) with the original equipment
manufacturer's (O.EM.) blade(s) only, listed in this
manual. "Use of parts which do not meet the original
equipment specifications may lead to improper
performance and compromise safetyF
6. Mower blades are sharp. Wrap the blade or wear gloves,
and use extra caution when servicing them.
7. Keep all nuts, bolts, and screws tight to be sure the
equipment is in safe working condition.
8. Never tamper with the safety interlock system or other
safety devices. Check their proper operation regularly.
9. After striking aforeign object, stop the engine, disconnect
the spark plug wire(s) and ground against the engine.
Thoroughly inspect the machine for any damage. Repair
the damage before starting and operating.
10. Never attempt to make adjustments or repairs to the
machine while the engine is running.
11. Grass catcher components and the discharge cover are
subject to wear and damage which could expose moving
parts or allow objects to be thrown.
For safety protection, frequently check components and
replace immediately with original equipment
manufacturer's (O.EM.) parts only, listed in this manual.
"Use of parts which do not meet the original equipment
specifications may lead to improper performance and
compromise safetyF
12. Do not change the engine governor settings or over-
speed the engine. The governor controls the maximum
safe operating speed of the engine.
13. Maintain or replace safety and instruction labels, as
necessary.
14. Observe proper disposal laws and regulations for gas,
oil, etc. to protect the environment.
YourResponsibility
Restrict the use of this power machine to persons who
read, understand and follow the warnings and
instructions in this manual and on the machine,