Troy-Bilt Wide-Cut E753B User manual

0TRO- V:BILT --
Operator's Manual
Wide-CutTM 33"
Combination Mower
Models 753B
E753B
IMPORTANT:READ SAFETY RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY
Warning: This unit is equipped with an internal combustion engine and should not be used on or near any unimproved forest-covered, brush-cov-
ered 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 by contacting the service department at Troy-Bilt LLC, P.O. Box 361131 Cleveland, Ohio 44136-0019.
TROY-BILT LLC, P.O. BOX 361131, CLEVELAND, OH 44136-0019
PRINTED IN USA FORM NO. 770-10602A
(01/2002)

TABLEOFCONTENTS
Content Page
Safety ................................................................... 1
Assembly................................................................. 4
Features and Controls....................................................... 9
Operation ................................................................ 12
Maintenance .............................................................. 17
Lubrications............................................................... 25
Off-Season Storage ........................................................ 25
Troubleshooting ........................................................... 28
Parts List................................................................. 29
Warrany Information........................................................ BackCover
FINDINGMODELNUMBER
This Operator's Manual is an important part of your new Wide-Cut TM mower. 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 on the equipment and copy the infor-
mation from it in the space provided below. This information is very important if you need help from our Customer
Support Department or an authorized dealer.
You can locate the model number by looking at the rear surface of the tine shield. A sample model plate is ex-
plained below. For future reference, please copy the model number and the serial number of the equipment in
the space below
OTRItV BILT. TROY-BILT LLC
P. 0. BOX 361131
www.troybilt.com CLEVELAND, 0H44136
330-558-7220
_. 866-840-6483_
Copy Model Number Here
Copy Serial Number Here
ENGINEINFORMATION
The engine manufacturer is responsible for all engine-related issues with regards to performance, power-rating,
specifications, warranty and service. Please refer to the engine manufacturer's Owner's/Operator's Manual packed
separately with your unit for more information.
CALLINGCUSTOMERSUPPORT
If you have difficulty assembling this product or have any questions regarding the controls, operation or maintenance
of this unit, please call the Customer Support Department.
Call 1- [phone] or 1- [phone] to reach a Customer Support representative. Please have
your unit's model number and serial number ready when you call. See previous section to locate this in-
formation. You will be asked to enter the serial number in order to process your call.

Safety
WARNING:
The engine exhaust from this product contains
chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproduc-
tive harm.
SafetyAlertSymbol
_, his is a safety alert symbol. It is used in this
Owner's Manual to alert you to potential
hazards. Wheneveryou seethis symbol, readand obeythe
safety messagethat follows it. Failureto obey the safety
message could result in personal injury or property
damage.
IMPORTANT
Safe Operation Practicesfor Walk-Behind Mowers
This cutting machine is capable of amputating hands and feet and throwing objects. Failure to observethe
following safety instructionscould result in serious injury or death.
I. GENERALOPERATION
1.
.
Read,understand,andfollow all in-
structionson the machineandin the
manuals.Bethoroughlyfamiliar with
thecontrolsandthe proper useof
themower beforestarting.
Donot put handsor feetnearor
under rotatingparts.Keepclearof
themower bladeand discharge
openingatall times.
3. Onlyallow responsibleindividuals,
whoarefamiliar with the instruc-
tions,to operatethe mower.
4. Clearthe areaof objectssuch as
rocks,toys, wire, bones,sticks, etc.,
which couldbe pickedupand
thrown bythe blade.
.
5. Besurethe areais clearof other
peoplebeforemowing.Stopmower
if anyoneentersthearea. Keepby-
standersatleast25 feetawayfrom
the areaofoperation.
6. Donot operatethe mowerwhen
barefootor wearingopensandals.
Alwayswearsubstantialfoot wear.
Donot pull mower backwards
unlessabsolutelynecessary.Look
downand behindbeforeand while
moving backwards.
8. Donot operatethe mowerwithout
properguards,plates,grasscatcher
or othersafetyprotectivedevicesin
place.
9. Referto providedinstructionsfor
properoperationand installationof
accessories.Onlyuseaccessories
approvedbyGardenWay
Incorporated.
10. Stopthebladewhencrossinggravel
drives,walks, or roads.
11. Stoptheengineand disconnectthe
sparkplug wirefrom thesparkplug
wheneveryou leavethe unit, before
cleaningthe moweror unclogging
the chute.
12. Shutthe engineoff, wait untilthe
blade comesto a completestop,and
disconnectthespark plugwire be-
fore installing or removingthe
mulchercoveror the optionalgrass
catcher. Makecertainthat thegrass
catcherissecurelyattachedbefore
operatingthe mower.Emptythe
grass catcheraftereachuse-
decomposingdebriscouldgenerate
enoughheatto catchfire.
13. Mow in daylightor goodartificial
light.
14. Donot operatethemowerwhile
underthe influenceofalcoholor
drugs.

Section1:Safety
15.
16.
17.
Neveroperatemowerin wet grass.
Alwaysbesureofyour footing; keep
a firm hold onthe handleandwalk;
never run.
DisengagetheWheelDriveLeveron
self-propelledmodelsbeforestarting
theengine.
If the unitshouldstartto vibrateab-
normally,stop theengineanddis-
connectthe sparkplug wire. Then
checkimmediatelyfor thecause.
Vibrationis generallya warningof
trouble.
18. Alwayswearsafetygogglesor safety
glasseswith sideshieldswhenoper-
ating mower.
19. Watchfor traffic whenoperating
near,or whencrossingroadways.
20. Neverattemptto carrychildrenor
otherpassengerson themower.
Theycouldfall off and beseriously
injured,or theycouldinterferewith
thesafeoperationofthe mower.
21. Checkthe operationofthe Operator
PresenceControlBarbeforeeach
use.Seethe MaintenanceSectionof
this manualfor instructions. If the
enginerunslongerthanthreesec-
ondsafter theOperatorPresence
Control Baris released,the system
is not working properly. Immediately
contactyour localservicedealeror
thefactory TechnicalService
Departmentfor instructions. Donot
usethe moweruntilthe mechanism
is repaired.
22. Themoweris equippedwith a safety
dischargechute,comeswith special
mulchercovers,and offersan op-
tionalgrass catcher. Thesafetydis-
chargechute mustbeworking prop-
erly atalltimes. Neverattemptto
disconnector otherwisecausethis
dischargechuteto ceaseworking. If
used,mulchercover or grass
catcherattachmentmust beinstalled
properlyandfunction correctly. Do
not useyour equipmentotherwise.
23. Neverrun theenginein an enclosed
area.Engineexhaustcontainscarbon
monoxide,a deadlygasthat is odor-
less,colorless,andtasteless.Always
runtheengineoutdoorsand make
surethereisadequateventilation.
II. SLOPEOPERATION IV.SERVICE
Slopesare a majorfactorrelatedto
slipandfall accidentswhichcanresult
in severeinjury. All slopesrequire
extracaution.Ifyoufeel uneasyona
slope,donotmowit.
DO:
Mow acrossthefaceof slopes;never
upand down. Exerciseextremecau-
tion whenchangingdirection on
slopes.Avoidslopesgreaterthan
150.
Removeobjectssuch asrocks,tree
limbs,etc.
Watchfor holes,ruts, or bumps.Tall
grass canhideobstacles.
DONOT:
1. Useextracarein handlinggasoline
andotherfuels.Theyareflammable
andtheir vaporsare explosive.
a) Useonlyan approvedcontainer.
b) Neverremovegascapor add
fuelwhentheengineis running.
Allowengineto coolbeforerefu-
eling.Donot smoke.
c) Neverrefuelthe machine
indoors.
d) Neverstore themachineor fuel
containerinsidewherethereis
an openflame,such asawater
heater,etc.
e) Movemowerawayfrom any
gasolinefumesbeforestarting
theengine.
2. Neverrunan engineinsideaclosed
area.
III. CHILDREN
Tragicaccidentscanoccuriftheopera-
torisnotalerttothepresenceofchil-
dren.Childrenare oftenattractedtothe
mowerandtothemowingactivity.
Neverassumethatchildrenwill remain
whereyoulastsawthem.
1. Keepchildrenout ofthe mowing
areaand underthewatchful careof
a responsibleadult.
Bealertandturn moweroff if chil-
drenenterthearea.
.
3.
4. Neverallowchildrento operatethe
mower.
5. Useextracarewhenapproaching
blind corners,shrubs,trees,or other
objectsthat mayobscurevision.
Beforeandwhile movingbackwards,
look behindand downfor small
children.
3. Nevermakeadjustmentsor repairs
with theenginerunning.Disconnect
thesparkplug wireand keepthe
wireawayfrom the plugto prevent
accidentalstarting.
Keepall nuts andbolts,especially
thebladeattachmentbolts,tight and
keepequipmentin goodcondition.
Nevertamperwith safety devices.
Checktheir operationregularly.
6. Keepmowerfreeof grass,leavesor
otherdebrisbuild-up.Cleanup oil or
fuelspillage.Allow mowerto cool
beforestoring.
7. Afterstriking an object,stop theen-
gineand disconnectthesparkplug
wire. Inspectthe mowerand repair,
if necessary,beforerestarting.
8. Neverattemptto makemowercut-
ting heightadjustmentswhilethe
engineis running.
9. Grasscatchercomponentsaresub-
jectto wear, damageanddeteriora-
tion, which couldexposemoving
parts or allowobjectsto bethrown.
Frequentlycheckcomponentsand
replacewith factory recommended
parts,whennecessary.
Donot mowneardrop-offs, ditches,
or embankments.Theoperatorcould
loosefooting or balance. 4.
Donot mowexcessivelysteepslopes.
Donot mowon wet grass.Reduced
footing could causeslipping. 5.

Section1:Safety
13.
10. Mower bladesaresharpandcan
cut.Wrapthe bladeor weargloves,
and useextracautionwhenservic-
ing them.
11. Donotchangetheenginegovernor
settingor overspeedthe engine.
12. Donottouch enginepartswhich
may behotfrom operation.Allow
partsto cool completelybeforein-
specting,cleaningor repairingthe
mower.
14.
Toaccessthe undersideofthe
mower,tip the mower rearward.Do
nottip the mowerforward or on ei-
ther of its sides,unlessspecifically
advisedto do soin this manual.
Maintainor replacesafetyand in-
structionaldecals. Referto the sep-
aratePartsCatalogfor replacement
decalinformation.
15. Forunitsequippedwith electric
start:
a) Batteriesproduceexplosive
gases.Keepsparks,flame,
cigarettes,etc.,away. Ventilate
theareawhenchargingthe bat-
tery.Donotchargethebatteryin
anairtight space.
b) Donot usea batterycharger
otherthanthe oneprovidedwith
the mower.
c) Thebatterycontainstoxic mate-
rials. Donotdamagethe battery
case.If thecaseis brokenor
damaged,avoidcontactwith the
batterycontents.
d) Properlydisposeof adamaged
or worn outbattery.Checkwith
localauthoritiesfor proper dis-
posalmethods.
e) Donotshort circuit the battery.
Severeburnsandfire canresult.
SAFETYDECALS
Makecertainall safetydecalsonthis equipmentare keptcleanandin good condition. Thedecalsareshown (at reducedsizes)
below. If you needa replacementdecal,pleasereferto the PartsCatalogthat accompaniedthis Manual.
Ontop, rearofengineplatform
,CAUTION
Beneathbelt/pulley
cover
OnControlPanel (for electricstartmodel)
OnControlPanel(for recoilstartmodel)
Onleftsideof
mowerdeck

Assembly
To preventpersonalinjuryor property
damage, do not attempt to start the
engine until all assembly steps are
complete and you have read and
understand the safety, controls and
operatinginstructionsinthismanual.
INTRODUCTION
Pleasecarefullyfollow theseassembly
stepsto properlyprepareyour machine
for use. Werecommendthat you read
this Sectionin its entiretybeforebegin-
ningassembly.
NOTE:All referencesto left, right,front
and rearof the machineare determined
bystandingbehindthehandlebarsand
facingthe direction offorward travel.
INSPECTIONAFTERDELIVERY
Inspectthe shippingcrateand machine
immediatelyafterdelivery. Makesure
neitherthecarton northe contentshave
beendamaged.
If youfind or suspectanydamage,con-
tact thecarrier(truckingcompany)
immediately. Informthem of thespecific
damageandthatyou wish to filea claim.
To protectyour rights, besureto put
this in writing to thecarrierwithin 15
days. Thecarrierwill letyou knowhow
to proceedwith your claim. Pleaseletus
knowif you needanyassistance.
TOOLS/MATERIALSNEEDED:
•WireCutter
• 7/16" Wrench
• 3/8" Wrench
• Two 1/2" Wrenches
• Scissorsor PenKnife
• Needle-nosePliers
• Motor Oil(seeStep5)
• TireGauge
ASSEMBLYSTEPS
IMPORTANT:MOTOROILMUSTBE
ADDEDTOTHEENGINEBEFOREIT IS
STARTED.FOLLOWINSTRUCTIONSIN
THIS"ASSEMBLY"SECTION.
STEP1: Unpacking Mower
NOTE:LEFTand RIGHTsides ofthe unit
areasviewedfrom the operator'sposi-
tion behindthehandlebars.
1. Cut metalstraps, if present,securing
unitto pallet.Leaveuniton palletduring
assembly(tosafelyremoveunitfrom
pallet,wait untilyouhavecompletedas-
semblysteps1-4).
2. Removeanyprotectivepackaging
from aroundthe handlebars.Cutthe
plastictie strapsholdingthefour long
control rodsto the handlebars.Donot
removethe two long handlebarstruts
that areattachedto thetop of the
handlebars.
STEP2: Attach Handlebars
to Engine Deck
1. Removetheplasticties holdingthe
wheeldriverod (F,Figure2-7) to theleft
handlebarandthe bladedriverod (C,
Figure2-7) to the right handlebar.Put
the rodsaside.
NOTE:Fourscrews(D, Figure2-2) are
usedto connectthehandlebarsto the
enginedeck. At thefactory,these
screwsarethreadedinto lock nuts
weldedto the backsides ofthe deck.
2. Removeandsavethe four 5/16"-18
x 3/4"screws mentionedinthe NOTE
above.
3. Fromthe front ofthe unit,tilt the
right-sidehandlebarup overthe air
cleanercoverandlift the otherhandlebar
upward. Rotatethe handlebarsoverthe
engineandposition thehandlebarends
(E,Figure2-2) againstthesidesof the
enginedeck.
Figure2-1
E
_r D D
i
Figure2-2: Attachhandlebarsandstruts
toenginedeck.
4. Swingthe handlebarstruts (A,Figure
2-2) forward andalign thehandlebar
ends(E,Figure2-2) with theholesin the
enginedeck. Looselyinstall two 5/16"-
18x 3/4"hexflangescrewsremoved
earlier(D) intothe rearholes.
5. Align thelooseendsofthe handlebar
struts (A,Figure2-2) overthefront
holes in thehandlebarends. Attachthe
struts and handlebarswith two more
5/16"-18x3/4" hexflangescrews.
Securelytightenall four screws.
6. Securelytightenthe screws(B, Figure
2-1) atthe upperendsofthe struts.
STEP3: Electric Start Model
A. SecureWireHarness
1. Atthe unattachedendof theelectrical
wire harness,therearefour wiresat-
tachedto a largeplasticconnectorand
two wires attachedto a small plastic
connector.

Section2: Assembly
2. Plugthelargeconnectorintothe bot-
tom of theignition keyswitchthat islo-
catedonthe undersideofthe handlebar
console(not pictured).
3. Usetwo cableties to securethewire
harnessto theright handlebarandaway
from any movingparts. Placethe ties an
equaldistanceapart.
B. AttachWireLeadsto Battery
1. Thebatteryis locatedatthe rear,
right-side oftheenginedeck.
2. Atthelowerend ofthe electrical
wiring harness,locatea redwire lead
anda blackwirelead.
• Plugterminal on red(positive)wire into
redterminal (U, Figure2-3) on battery.
• Plugterminalon black(negative)wire
into blackterminal (V).
3. If applicable,attachwire harnessto
enginedeckusingJ-clips (W, Figure
2-4) asshown. BendJ-clips overto
secure.
Black(Ground Lead) V (-)
Red
(Positive
Lead)
(+) U
Figure2-3: Connectwireterminalsto
batteryterminals.
W
Figure2-4: AttachwireharnesswithJ-
clips.
Chargebatteryonlywith chargersup-
pliedwith machine.Donotshortcircuit
batterywires. Removeany jewelrybe-
fore workingon or near the batteryor
electricstartsystem.
Failure to follow these instructions
couldresultin personalinjuryor prop-
ertydamage.
C. Chargethe Battery
Chargea newbatteryfor 24-48 hoursto
ensureafull charge. If the mowermust
be usedimmediately,the batterymay
haveenoughof a chargeto starttheen-
gine.If not, theenginecanbestarted
with the ropepull starter. NOTE:Charge
the batteryafter theinitial useofthe
mowerto helpensureit isfully charged.
If battery is removed, do not operate
enginewithout insulatingpositive (+)
battery cable terminal with electrical
tape or sparkingfrom batterycells can
result.
1. To chargethe battery,locatethe plas-
tic connector(T, Figure2-5) that hangs
from thewire harnessbelowthehandle-
barconsole.
2. Plugtheconnectoron the battery
charger(Z, Figure2-5) intothe connec-
tor on thewireharness(T).
T
Z
To grounded
wall outlet
Figure2-5
Controlrodsare adjusted at the fac-
tory andshouldnot requireadditional
adjustmentduringassembly.Afteras-
sembling unit, control rod
adjustment should be checked (and
re-adjusted,ifnecessary)accordingto
informationin MaintenanceSection.
Failureto follow this instructioncould
result in severe personal injury or
propertydamage.
3. Plugthebatterychargerintoa 120V
groundedwall outlet. NOTE:Thebattery
chargeris designedfor useindoorsand
should not beexposedto rainor snow.
4. Chargebatteryfor 24-48 hours.
5. After charging,unplug battery
chargerfrom wall outlet,then unplug
chargerfrom wire harness.
STEP4: Attach Control Rods
A. AttachWheelDriveControlRod
1. Locatethe wheeldrivecontrol rod (F,
Figures2-6 & 2-7) that wasremoved
from theleft handlebarin Step2.This
rod hasa swivelblock (H, Figure2-6) on
oneend.
2. At left sideofenginedeck,insert
swivel block(H, Figures2-6 & 2-7) on
wheeldrivecontrol rod into wheeldrive
control arm (U, Figure2-6).
W
H A,B _G
Figure2-6:Left-handcontrolrodsdetail.

Section2: Assembly
BB
Figure2-6A:Attachwheeldrivecontrolrod
tolever.
3. Adda 5/16"washer(A,Figure2-6)
andattachwith a hairpinclip (B).
4. At upperend ofcontrol rod,insert
angledend intoWheelDriveControl
lever(V,Figure2-6A)andattachwith a
cotterpin (BB).Bendendsofcotter pin
overrod to secure.
B. AttachOperatorPresenceControl
Rod
1. Locatecontrol rod (E,Figures.2-6
and2-7) attachedat upperendto
OperatorPresenceControllever(W,
Figure2-7).
2. At bottomofcontrol rod,insert
swivelblock (G,Figures2-6 & 2-7) into
control arm (T, Figure2-6).
3. Addone5/16"washerandattachwith
cotterpin. Bendendsof cotter pinto se-
cure.
C. AttachBladeDriveControlRod
1. Locatethe bladedrivecontrol rod (C,
Figure2-7) that you removedin Step2.
Insertoneend of control rod into blade
drivebracket(D, Figure2-7). Add one
5/16"washerandattachwith hairpin clip
(cc).
2. Insertupperend of rod into bottom
endof BladeDriveControllever(J,
Figure2-7). Add one5/16"washerand
attachwith cotter pin (AA).Bendendsof
cotterpin to secure.
D. AttachandAdjustGearSelectLever
NOTE:Theretainingplate(N, Figure2-7)
mentionedinthe following stepsisse-
curedto the rearofthe mowerwith two
screws(0, Figure2-7) and 1/4"-20 lock-
nuts. Removethe retainingplateand
saveit, alongwith thetwo screws,be-
foreproceedingwith assembly.
6
V
F
G N
Figure2-7: Rearviewofcontrolrods.
0M
C
f2
Figure2-8: Detail-GearSelectLeverin Neutral(N) position.
K
Pin(K)mustbeinthisdetent
whentransmissionneutralis --_
adjusted.

Section2: Assembly
1. Holdlowerpartof gearselectlever
(I, Figure2-9) againstbracket(M).
Position retainingplate(N), removed
earlier,asshown in Figure2-9 (plate
belowbracket). Secureplatewith two
1/4"-20x 1/2"screws (0) and 1/4"-20
Iocknuts.
6. Slidegrip (B, Figure2-8) backonto
gearselectlever(I).
7. Rotategearselectlever(I, Figures2-
8 & 2-9) clockwiseuntilspur (K - short
rod) ongearselectrod stopsin theneu-
tral position detenton theshift pattern
quadrant(Figure2-8).
8. At bottomofcontrol rod,threadshift
link (P,Figure2-9) partially into ball-
joint (Y).
9. Moveshift arm (X,Figure2-9) from
sideto sideas necessaryintoeach
transmissiongeardetent untiltransmis-
sion isin neutral.
NOTE:Movingshift arm(X) alltheway
tothe left,andthen onenotch backto
theright, shouldputtransmissioninto
neutral.Whentransmissionis in neutral,
unitwill movefreelywhenpushedwhile
holdingtheOperatorPresenceControl
lever(W, Figure2-7) down. Iftransmis-
sionis NOTin neutral,therewill bea
slight dragon thewheelswhenpushing
unit.
10. Whenshift arm (X)is in neutralpo-
sition, rotateshift link (P)toward end of
gearselectleverrod (I). Adjustlength
of shift link (P) asnecessaryto fit into
hole in bottomof gearselectlever(I).
NOTE:Pin (K) on GearSelectLever(I)
must beheld inthe neutralposition
detentonthe shift quadrant(seeFigure
2-8) whileshift link(P, Figure2-9) is
adjusted.
11. Inserthookedendof shift link (P,
Figure2-9) into holein bottomend of
gearselectlever(I) andsecurewith cot-
ter pin (Q). Bendendsof cotterpin.
NOTE:It may benecessaryto lift gear
selectlever(I) to install shift link (P).
12. Removeunitfrom shippingcrate.
Toremove,hold downOperator
PresenceControllever(W, Figure2-7)
which releasesthewheelbrake.
13. With unit on levelground,hold
downOperatorPresenceControllever
(W, Figure2-7) andpush unitforward
and backward.Thewheelsshouldmove
freely. If not, adjustlengthof shift link
(P,Figure2-9) asnecessary.
14. Putthe GearSelectLeverin neutral
(N), releaseall ofthe control leversand
try to pushtheunit forwardand back-
ward. Thewheelsshouldnotturn. If
they do turn, an adjustmentis neces-
sary. DONOTOPERATETHEUNIT
UNTILTHEWHEELBRAKEMECHANISM
HASBEENADJUSTEDANDISWORK-
INGPROPERLY.See"WheelBrake
Adjustment" in Section5 "Maintenance."
Do not use the mower if the wheels
continue to turn after releasing the
Operator Presence Control and the
WheelDriveControl.
Severe personal injury or property
damagecouldresult if this instruction
isnotfollowed.
:;° I
I.,I II
I I
I/oII
o4 ,
I I
I I
J.
Figure2-9: Detail- TransmissionNeutralAdjustment.
Unit is shippedwithout oil in engine
crankcase.Do notstartengineuntil oil
has been added. Severeengine dam-
age will resultit this instructionis not
followed.
STEP5: Add Motor Oil to Engine
1. Movemowerto a levelarea.Press
and hold OperatorPresenceControl
lever(W,Figure2-7) to movemower.
2. Add motoroil accordingtothespeci-
ficationsandinstructionsprovidedin the
separateEngineOwner'sManualthat was
includedin theunit's literaturepackage.
• Keepoil levelatthe FULLmarkon the
dipstick to avoidenginedamage.
• Changeoil accordingtoscheduleand
instructionsin Section5 "Maintenance."
STEP6: Check Tire Pressure
1. Useatire gaugeto checkthe air
pressurein the reartires. Theair pres-
sureshould bebetween15-20 PSI(20
PSImaximum).
2. Keepbothtires equallyinflatedto
help preventmachinefrom pulling to
oneside.
STEP7: After Assembling and
Before Using Unit
1. Readthis entireOwner'sManualfor
propersafety,operationand mainte-
nanceinformation.
2. Makesurespark plug wireis con-
nectedto spark plug beforestarting unit.

FeaturesandControls
IMPORTANT: THE MOWER IS
Before operating mower, be sure to
read all safety, controlsand operating
instructions in this Manual and on
decalslocatedonmachine.
Severe personal injury or property
damage couldresultit this instruction
isnotfollowed.
EQUIPPED WITH A BLADE-BRAKE-
CLUTCHCONTROLSYSTEMWHICH IS
DESIGNED TO STOP THE MOWER
BLADESWITHIN THREE(3) SECONDS
AFTERRELEASEOF THE OPERATOR
PRESENCECONTROL. THIS SYSTEM
WILL STOPTHEBLADESBUTNOTTHE
ENGINE.THEREFORE,YOUCANDISEN-
GAGETHE BLADEDRIVEAT ANYTIME
WITHOUT HAVING TO STOP AND
RESTARTTHEENGINE.THIS FEATURE
IS PARTICULARLYUSEFULWHENYOU
NEEDTO CROSSGRAVELDRIVESOR
ROUGHTERRAIN AND YOU DO NOT
WANT THE SPINNING BLADES
TO STRIKE STONES OR HIDDEN
OBSTACLES.
MOWERFEATURESAND
CONTROLS
This sectiondescribesthevarious
featuresand controlson the unit. Refer
to the nextsection"Operation"for
detailedoperatinginstructions. Also,
readthe separateEngineOwner's
Manualfor a detailedexplanationofthe
proper useofthe enginecontrols.
Operator Presence Control
TheOperatorPresenceControllever
(A, Figure3-1) regulatesthe operationof
the rearwheelbrakeandtheseparate
BladeDriveControl. Alwaysengagethis
control beforeengagingtheseparate
bladedriveor wheeldrivecontrols.
Alwaysdisengagethis control before
startingtheengine.
Toengagethe OperatorPresence
Control,pressand holdthe leveragainst
the handlebargrip. Doingso releases
the brakeon therearwheels,allowing
the wheelsto turn. Theengagedposition
alsopermitstheseparateBladeDrive
Controlto lock in its engagedposition
(allowsthe mowerbladesto turn).
Releasingthe lever(disengaged
position) appliesthe rearwheelbrake
andquicklystopsthewheels.Releasing
the leverwill alsodisengagethe Blade
DriveControl,which will applya brake
that stopsthe bladeswithinthree (3)
seconds.
Blade Drive Control
Usethis lever(B,Figure3-1) to en-
gagedriveto themower blades.
Toengagethe blades,first engagethe
OperatorPresenceControl (A,Figure3-
1). Then,pushthespring-loadedBlade
DriveControllever(B)forward until it
stays in theengagedposition.
Tostop the blades,releasethe
OperatorPresenceControl (A). Doingso
will disengagethe BladeDriveControl
(B) andautomaticallyapplythe brake
that stopsthe blades.
AlwaysdisengagetheBladeDrive
Controlbeforestartingtheengine. This
helpsto ensurethatthe bladeswill not
start turning whentheenginestarts.
NOTE:Pushingthe BladeDriveControl
forward will engagethebladeseven
thoughtheOperatorPresenceControlis
notengaged.However,this procedureis
NOTRECOMMENDEDasyou must main-
tainconstantpressureon thelever(re-
leasingleverdisengagesblades).Always
engagethe OperatorPresenceControl
beforeengagingtheBladeDriveControl.
The blade-brake-clutchcontrolsystem
shouldstop the mower bladeswithin
three (3) secondsafter release of the
OperatorPresenceControl.
If the bladesdo not stopwithin three
(3) seconds, put the Engine Throttle
Control in the STOP position.
Disconnectthe sparkplugwire and do
not operatethe moweruntil the blade-
brake-clutchcontrolsystemhas been
repaired.
B- BLADE
DRIVECONTROL
Engage
C- GEAR
SELECTLEVER
A-OPERATOR
PRESENCECONTROL
Disengage
Engage
Figure3-1