Troy-Bilt 634F--Bronco User manual

T_RO BILT_
Operator's Manual
Rear-tine Tiller Models
630C Tuffy
634F BroncoT.
Model 634A Shown
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-covered, 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-BiltLLC,P.O.BOX361131CLEVELAND,OHIO44136-0019
PRINTEDIN U.S.A. FORMNO. 770-10594D
11/19/03

TABLEOFCONTENTS
Content Page Content Page
Customer Support 2 Maintenance 17
Safety 3 Off-season Storage 21
Assembly 6 Troubleshooting 22
Features and Controls 10 Parts List 23
Operation 12 WarrantyBackCover
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 on the equipment and
copy the information from it in the space provided below. A sample model plate is also given below. You can
locate the model plate by looking at the rear of the tine shield. 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 Z
ZZZ ZZZZZ ZZZZZZ Z Z ZZ
'mJ_._JN_'_e" TROY-BILT LLC
H_._ar _=wm_m P.O. BOX 361131
www.troybilt.com CLEVELAND, OH 44136
330-558-7220
_, 1-800-520-5520
Copy the model number here:
Copy the serial number here:
CUSTOMERSUPPORT
PleasedoNOTreturntheunittotheretailer 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 troy-bilt.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
The answer you are
looking for could be just
IService Locater
Nee_i J_cal a_i_fa=_?' _li_tk he/e T,_fh_{
•_R_h_ize_B sewi_e celklei_ J_ V_Y_H ,_e_.
Manuals OnMine
Nee(J a malarial au_d'el U_altsmist?DewJ_lead
,miTeuat_lme _Jolm] _e_eJlr Rb_e_eJ yea_S.
The engine manufacturer is responsible for all engine-related issues with regard to
and service. Please refer to the
performance, power-rating, specifications, warranty engine
manufacturer's Owner's/Operator's Manual, packed separately with your unit, for more
information.

SECTION1: SAFETY
Thismachinemeetsvoluntarysafetystan,
dardB71.8-1996, whichissponsoredbythe
OutdoorPowerEquipmentInstitute,Inc.,
andispublishedbythe AmericanNational
StandardsInstitute.
WARNING
Theengineexhaustfromthisproductcontains
chemicalsknowntotheStateofCaliforniato
causecancer,birthdefectsor otherreproduc-
This is a safety alert symbol. It is used
_i&, in this manual and on the unit to alert
youto potential hazards. When you
see this symbol, read and obey the
message that follows it. Failure to obey
safety messages could result in
personal injury or property damage.
ForwardClutchB_ ClutchControl
(Models634FJ634A)
Depth Regulator
TineHoodFlap
dard-Rotating-Tines
(SRT)
DrivePin
Figure1-1: Tillerfeaturesandcontrols.SeeseparateEngineOwner'sManualto
identifyenginecontrols.
Training 3. Donot operatethetiller without wearing
"_ @ 1. Carefullyreadthis Own- adequateoutergarments. Avoid loosegar-
er's Manual,the separate ments or jewelry that could get caught in
EngineOwner'sManual, moving parts.
and anyother literatureyou may receive. 4. Do not operatethe tiller when barefoot
Bethoroughly familiar with the controls or wearingsandals,sneakers,or light foot-
e. Replaceall fuel tank and container
capssecurely.
f. If fuel is spilled, do notattempt to
start the engine,but movethe ma-
chineawayfrom the areaof spillage
and avoidcreating any source of ig-
andthe proper useof thetiller and its en- wear.Wearprotectivefootwear that will nition until fuel vapors havedissi-
gine.Know howto stop the unit anddisen- improve footing on slippery surfaces.
gagethe controls quickly.
2. Neverallow childrento operatethetiller.
Neverallow adults to operatethe tiller
without proper instruction.
3. Keepthe area of operation clearof all
persons,particularly children and pets. highly flammableand its vapors areexplo-
4. Keepin mindthat theoperatoror useris sive.Takethe following precautions:
a. Storefuel in containers specifically
responsiblefor accidents or hazardsoc-
curring to other people,their property,and designedfor this purpose.
themselves.
Preparation
1. Thoroughly inspect thearea wherethe
tiller isto be usedand removeall foreign
objects.
2. Be sure all tiller controls are released
and bothwheelsare in theWheelDrive po-
sition beforestarting the engine.
pated.
5. Donottill nearunderground electric ca- 7. Nevermakeadjustmentswhenengineis
bles, telephonelines, pipesor hoses.If n running (unless recommendedby manu-
doubt, contact your telephoneor utility facturer).
company.
6. Warning: Handlefuel with care: it is Operation
b. Thegascapshallneverberemovedor
fueladdedwhiletheengineisrunning.
Allow theenginetocoolfor several
minutesbeforeaddingfuel.
c. Keepmatches,cigarettes,cigars,
pipes, openflamesand sparksaway
from thefueltank and fuelcontainer.
d. Fillfuel tank outdoors with extreme
care.Neverfill fueltank indoors. Use
afunnel or spout to preventspillage.
1. Do not put handsor feet nearor under
rotating parts.
2. Exerciseextremecaution when on or
crossing gravel drives,walks, or roads.
Stayalert for hidden hazardsor traffic. Do
not carry passengers.
3.After striking a foreign object, stop the
engine,remove the wire from the spark
plug wire and prevent itfrom touching the
spark plug. Thoroughly inspectthe ma-
chinefor any damageand repair the dam-
age beforerestarting and operatingthe
machine.

4.Exercisecautiontoavoidslippingorfall-
ing.
5.Iftheunitshouldstarttovibrateabnor-
mally,stoptheengine,disconnectthe
sparkplugwireandpreventitfromtouch-
ingthesparkplug,andcheckimmediately
If indoubtaboutthetilling conditions,al- 24. Do nottouch engine parts which may
ways usethefollowingoperatingprecau- be hotfrom operation.Let partscool down
tionstoassistyouinmaintainingcontrol sufficiently.
ofthetiller: 25. Pleaseremember:Youcanalwaysstop
a. Walk behindandto oneside ofthe thetines and wheels by releasingthe For-
tiller, usingonehandonthehandle ward Clutch Bailor on Models 634Fand
for the cause. Vibration isgenerally a barsRelax yourarm, butusea
warning of trouble, securehandgrip.
b. Useshallowerdepthregulator
6. Stopthe engine, disconnectthe spark
plugwire and preventitfrom touchingthe settings,workinggraduallydeeper
with eachpass.
spark plug,whenever you leavethe oper-
atingposition,beforeuncloggingthetines, c. Useslowerenginespeeds.
or when makingany repairs, adjustments d. Clearthetilling area ofall large
or inspections, stones,rootsorotherdebris.
e. Avoidusingdownwardpressureon
7. Takeall possible precautionswhenleav-
'rig the machineunattended. Stopthe en- the handlebars.If needbe, use
634A the ReverseClutchcontrol, (which-
evercontrol isengaged),or by movingthe
ignition switch and/orthrottle control lever
on the engineto "OFF"or "STOP".
26. To load or unload the tiller, seethe in-
structions in Section4 of this Manua.
27. Useextremecaution when reversing
or pulling the machinetowards you.
28. Startthe enginecarefully accordingto
gine. Disconnectthe spark plug wire and slightupwardpressureto keepthe instructions and with feet well awayfrom
thetines.
tines from diggingtoo deeply.
move itawayfrom thespark plug. Besure f. Beforecontactinghardpackedsoil 29. Neverpickuporcarryamachinewhile
that both wheelsare intheWheelDrive po- at the endofa row,reduceengine theengine _srunning.
sition. speedand lift thehandlebarsto
8. Beforecleaning,repairing,or inspect- raise thetines outofthesoil. MaintenanceandStorage
'ng, stop the engine and make certain all g. In anemergency,stop the tines and 1. Keepthe tiller, attachmentsand acces-
mowng parts havestopped. Disconnect wheels byreleasing whichever sories in safe working condition.
the spark plug wire and prevent it from
touching the spark plug to preventacci- clutchcontrolis engaged. Do not 2. Checkall nuts, bolts, and screws at
dentalstarting.
9. Theflap onthetine hood must bedown
when operatingthe tiller.
10. Neverusethe tiller unless proper
guards, plates,or other safety protective
devicesare in place.
11. Donot run the engine in an enclosed
area. Engineexhaustcontains carbon
attemptto restrainthe tiller, ervalsfor proper tightness to be surethe
15. Donot overloadthe tiller's capacity by equipment is in safeworking condition.
attempting to till too deeplyattoo fast a 3. Neverstore thetiller with fuel in thefuel
rate. tank insidea building whereignition sourc-
18. Neveroperatethe tiller at high trans- esare presentsuchashot waterandspace
port speedson hard or slippery surfaces, heaters,furnaces, clothesdryers, stoves,
Look behind and usecarewhen backing electric motors, etc.). Allow the engineto
up cool beforestoring the unit in anyenclo-
17. Donotoperatethetiller ona slopethat sure.
monoxide gas, a deadlypoison that is
odorless, colorless, and tasteless, is too steepfor safety.Whenon slopes,
12. Keepchildren and pets away.
13. Never operatethe tiller underengine
powerif the wheels are in the Freewheel
position.Inthe Freewheelposition,the
wheelswill not holdthe tiller back andthe
slow down and makesure you havegood
footing. Never permit the tiller to free-
wheeldown slopes.
18. Neverallow bystanders nearthe unit.
19. Onlyuseattachmentsand accessories
revolving tinescould propelthetiller rapid- that are approvedby the manufacturer of
ly, possiblycausing loss ofcontrol. Always the tiller.
engagethe wheels with the wheeldrive
pins nthe Wheel Drive position before
starting the engineor engagingthe
tines/wheelswith the Forward Clutch Bail
(all models) or the ReverseClutchcontrol
(Models 634F/634Aonly).
14. Beaware that the tiller mayunex-
pectedlybounceupwardorjumpforward
if thetinesshouldstrikeextremely hard
packedsoil, frozenground, or buriedob-
stacleslike largestones,roots,or
stumps.
20. Usetiller attachmentsand accessories
when recommended.
21. Neveroperatethe tiller without good
visibility or light.
22. Neveroperatethe tiller ifyou aretired;
or underthe influence ofalcohol, drugsor
medication.
23. Operatorsshall nottamper with the en-
gine-governor settings on the machine
the governor controls the maximum safe
operatingspeedto protectthe engine and
all moving parts from damagecaused by
overspeed. Authorized serviceshall be
sought if a problem exists.
4. To reducethe chancesof a fire hazard,
keeptheenginefreeofgrass, leaves,orex-
cessivegrease.
5. Store gasolinein acool, well-ventilated
area,safely awayfrom anyspark- or
flame-producing equipment. Storegaso-
line n an approvedcontainer,safelyaway
from the reachof children.
8. Refedto the Maintenancesections of
this Manualand the separateEngineOwn-
er'sManualfor instructions ifthe unit isto
be stored for an extendedperiod.
7. Neverperform maintenancewhilethe
engine isrunning orthe spark plug wire is
connected,exceptwhen specifically n-
structed to do so.
8. Ifthefueltank hasto bedrained,dothis
outdoors

Decals
For your safety and the safety of others, vari-
ous safetyand operationaldecals are located
on your unit (see Figure 1,2).
Keep the decals clean and legible at all times.
Contact your local service dealer or the factory
for replacements if any decals are damaged or
missing.
Refer to the Parts List pages inthis Manual for
decal locations, descriptions and part num-
bers.
ForwardClutchBail
StartingStabilization
Message (on engine)
ReverseClutchControl
OperatingInstruction
(Models 634F/634A)
WarningMessages
HotSurfacesWarning
Figure 1-2: Locationof safetyand operatingdecals.
OperatingSymbols
Varioussymbols(shownhere,withworddescriplions)
rr_ beusedonlhe_llerandengine.
NOTE:Yourunitm_ notha_ allof_esymbols.
I-'-I I*1 R
CHOKE CHOKE REVERSE
ON OFF ROTATINGTINES
FAST SLOW STOP TILLERDIRECTION LEVERDIRECTION
BAIL
ENGAGED BAIL DISENGAGED
TO AVOID SERIOUS INJURY:
• READTHEOWNER'SMANUAL.
•KNOWLOCATIONSAND FUNCTIONSOFALL CONTROLS.
•KEEPALLSAFETYDEVICESANDSHIELDSIN PLACEAND WORKING.
•NEVERALLOWCHILDRENORUNINSTRUCTEDADULTSTO OPERATETILLER.
•SHUTOFFENGINEAND DISCONNECTSPARKPLUGWIREBEFOREMANUALLYUN-
CLOGGINGTINESORMAKINGREPAIRS.
•KEEPBYSTANDERSAWAYFROM MACHINE.
•KEEPAWAYFROMROTATINGPARTS.
•USEEXTREMECAUTIONWHEN REVERSINGORPULLINGTHEMACHINETOWARDS
YOU.

SECTION2: ASSEMBLY
WARNING: To prevent ASSEMBLYSTEPS
personalinjuryor property
damage,do notstarttheengine STEP 1: UNPACKING INSTRUCTIONS
until all assemblysteps are NOTE:While unpacking,do notseverely
completeandyou haveread bend anycontrol cables.
and understandthesafety and 1.Thetiller weighs approximately 133 Ibs.
operatinginstructions in this Do notattempt to remove it from the ship-
manual ping platform until instructed to do so in
these Assembly steps.
2. Removeanypackaging materialfrom
the carton. Removeanystaplesfrom the
bottom of the carton and removethe car-
INTRODUCTION
Carefullyfollow these assemblysteps to
correctly prepareyour tiller for use. It is
recommendedthat you readthis Section
in its entirety beforebeginning assembly.
NOTE: Various tiller models are
presented in this Manual Use only the
information appropriate for your tiller LooseParts List (contact your localdealer
model Engine styles vary by model Your or the factory itemsare missing or dam-
engine may appear differently than those aged).
illustrated in this manual, NOTE: Use the screw length template
INSPECTUNIT (Fig.2-1) toidentify screws.
Inspectthe unitand carton for damageim- LooseParts List
mediatelyafter delivery. Contactthecarri-
er (trucking company) if you find or
ton from the shipping platform.
3. Removeall unassembledparts andthe _
separatehardwarebagfrom the carton. -.........
Checkthat you havethe items listed in the Figure2-1:Toidentifylengthofscrews,place
screwontemplateasshownandmeasuredis-
tancebetweenbottomofscrewheadandtipof
screw.
2. Usingtwo 5/16"-18 x 1-1/2"screws (G),
5/16" split Iockwashers (H) and 5/16"-18
hex nuts (I), looselyattach the handlebar
support (A) usingthe upperholes. Tighten
thetwo screws securely.
0tv.
suspect damage. Inform them of the dam- 1
ageand request instructions for filing a 1
claim. Toprotect your rights, put your
claim in writing and mail a copyto the car-
rierwithin 15 daysafter the unit has been
delivered.ContactTroy-Bilt LLCif you
needassistancein this matter.
TOOLS/MATERIALSNEEDED
(2) 1/2" open-end wrench*
(2) 9/16" open-endwrench*
Description 3. Therearethree heightadjustment holes
....................... brackets(E
HandlebarSupport (seeA, Fig. 2-2) and F,Fig. 2-2). Usea setting that will po-
HandlebarAssembly(seeK,Fig.2-2)
Hardware bagcontents: sition the handlebarsat approximately
4 Hex hd.screw. 5/16-18 x 1-1/2....... levelwhenthetines are3"-4" intothe
2Hex hd.screw. 3/8-16 x 3/4'
2FlatWasher,3/8"
4Split Iockwasher,5/16"
4 Hex nut, 5/16"-18
2 Hex Iocknut,343"-16
*Model 634F& 634A only
IMPORTANT: Motor oil must beaddedto
the enginecrankcasebeforetheengine is
soil. Looselyattachthesupport brackets
tothe outsideofthe handlebarassembly
(K) usingtwo 5/16"-18 x 1-1/2" screws
(G),5/16" split Iockwashers(H)and 5/16"-
18 hexnuts (I). NOTE:If asupport bracket
will not move loosenattaching screw (J)
and nut.
3/8" open-endwrench* started. Followthe instructions in this IMPORTANT:The support brackets must
(1)
(1) Largeadjustable wrench
(Models634F/634A only)
(1) Scissors (to trim plasticties)
(1) Ruler (for belttension check)
(1) Block of wood (to support tiller when
removing wheels)
(1) Tire pressure gauge (for models with
pneumatictires)
(1) Cleanoil funnel
(1)
Sectionand in theseparateEngine
Owner's Manual.
NOTE: LEFTand RIGHTsides of thetiller
are as viewedfrom the operator's position
behind thehandlebars,
STEP 2: ATTACHHANDLEBAR
1. Looselyattachthe legsof thehandlebar
support (A, Fig.2-2) to the inner sides of
t "lx "
MotoroiI. Refertothe EngineOwner's thetillerframeusing wo3/8- 6 3/4 hex
Manualfor oil specificationsand hd. screws (B),3/8" flat washers (C),and
quantityrequired. 3/8"-16 hexIocknuts (D).
* Adjustable wrenches may be used.
beassembledtothe outsideofthe
handlebarassembly.
4. Tighten all handlebar mounting hard-
waresecurely.
STEP 3: MOVE TILLER OFF CRATE
Toroll the tiller off the shipping platform,
put the wheels in freewheel,asfollows:
1. Placeasturdy block underthetransmis-
sion to raiseonewheel about 1"off the
ground.
2. Removethe hairpin cotter (L, Fig.2-3)
and wheeldrive pin (M) from the wheel
hub (0) and wheel shaft (N).

G
K
B
Fig. 2-3: Wheelin FREEWHEELposition
STEP 4: INSTALL FORWARD
CLUTCH CABLE
1. Carefullyunwrapthe forward clutch ca-
ble (cablewithout an attachedknob)from
its shipping position and slide thethin ca-
ble wire (T, Fig.2-4) into the slot in theca-
ble bracket. Pushthe cableconnector (U,
Fig.2-4) upthrough the holein the bracket
until the groove in the connector snaps
into place.
2. Threadthe #10-24 hexnut (Z, Fig. 2-5)
halfwayonto the screw (V) which runs
through the spring (W, Fig.2-5).
3. Threadthe screw (V) into the cablead-
juster (X).
Fig. 2.2: Attachhandlebar.
3. Slidethe wheelfully inwardonthewheel
shaft (N, Fig.2-3). Reinstallthe wheel
drive pin (M) through thewheelshaft only
(not through the wheel hub). Securethe
wheeldrive pin with the hairpin cotter (L),
pushingthe hairpincotter in asfar asit will
go. Thewheelshould now spin freely
(freewheel) on the wheelshaft. Repeat
with the other wheel.
4. Usethe handlebarto roll the tiller to a
flat area.
IMPORTANT:Beforestarting theengine,
the wheels must be placedin theWHEEL
DRIVEposition (pinsthrough wheelhubs
andwheelshaft). This procedureis
describedin WheelDrivePinsin Section3.
Fig. 2-4: Installing forward clutchcable bracketand cable.

4. Checkfor correcttension ontheforward
drive belt bytaking two measurementsof
the cablespring, asfollows
a. With the ForwardClutch Bail (Y,Fig.2-
6) in an open(released) position,measure
the lengthofthecablespring (W)from the
outermost coil to the outermost coil.
b. SqueezetheForwardClutchBailagainst
the handlebar(seeFig. 2-7) and re-mea-
surethe spring length. The belttension is
correct ifthis second measurementis be-
tween 1/16"to 3/16" longer thanthe first
measurement. If so, turn the hexnut (Z,
Fig.2-7) tightly against the cableadjuster
(X) while preventingthe cableadjuster
from turning.
c. If thespring lengthis incorrect, you
must adjustthe cabletension asdescribed
"n Checkingand Adjusting Forward Drive
Belt Tensionin Section 5. Incorrect cable
tension can result in belt slippage (cable
tension too loose), or unintentional tine
movement whenthe clutch bail is in Neu-
tral (cabletension too tight).
Y
Fig. 2-7: Tocheckforward belttension,take twomeasurementsofthelengthofthecoils inthe
spring_first with thebail open, thenwith thebail heldagainst thehandlebar.
STEP 5: INSTALL REVERSE CLUTCH
CABLE(MODELS 634F & 634A ONLY)
1. Unwrapthe reverseclutch cable (CC,
Fig.2-8 and Fig.2-9) from its shipping po- BB
sition and route it up to the handlebar. Be
surethat the cableis routed beneaththe
Forward Clutch Bail.
2. Insertthecable(CC,Fig.2-8) throughthe DD
slot inthecablebracketand positiontheflat
sideof thethreadedassembly nextto the
flat sideofthe hole. Slidethe hexnut(DD)
up thecableandtighten itsecurely. Flat Side
3. Fastenthe reverseclutch cableto the
left side handlebarwith a cabletie (EE,Fig.
2-9). Fig.2-8:Installreversecablebracketand
4. Testthefunction ofthe reverseclutch by reverseclutchcable.
pulling out and releasingthecable knob.
The knob should return to its neutral posi-
tion (resting against bracket). If it doesn't,
contact your localdealer or Troy-Bilt LLC
for technical assistance.
Fig. 2-5: Cable Fig. 2-6: Attachforward
springand clutchcablespring to
adjuster, forwardclutchbail.
Fig. 2-9: Route reverseclutchcable(CC)as
shown. Attachwith cabletie (EE).

:sI=-P6: CHECKTRANSMISSION
OILLEVEL
Thetransmissionwasfilled withgearoil at
thefactory.However,you shouldcheckthe
gear oil levelatthis time to makecertain it
is correct.
IMPORTANT:Donot operatethe tiller ifthe
gearoil levelis low. Doingso will result in
severedamageto the transmission com-
ponents.
1. With the tiller on levelground, pull the
Depth RegulatorLever(FF,Fig.2-10) back
andthen all the way up until the lowest
notch in the lever isengaged.
2. Removethe oil fill plug (GG,Fig.2-11)
from the transmission housingcover and
locatethe main driveshaft situated inside
the housing.
3. Thegear oil levelis correct ifthe gear
oil is approximately halfwayup theside of
the main driveshaft.
4. If the oil levelis low,add gear oil by re-
ferring to A. ToCheckthe Transmission
GearOil Level in Section 5.
_SI I::P1: ADD IVlUI UH UIL
The tilleris shipped withoutoil inthe en-
gine.
IMPORTANT:Donotstart the enginewith-
out first adding motor oil. Severeengine
damagewill result ifthe engineis run with-
out oil.
1. Referto the separateEngineOwner's
Manualfor engine oil specifications and
capacities.
2. With thetiller on levelground, movethe
DepthRegulator Lever(FF,Fig.2-10) up or
down until the engine is level.
3. Add motor oil asdescribed in the En-
gine Owner'sManual.
4. Movethe Depth RegulatorLeverall the
way down until the highest notch is en-
gaged. This placesthetines in the "travel"
position, which allows the tiller to be
moved without thetines touching the
ground.
:si 8: CHECKHARDWARE
Checkall nuts and screws for tightness.
STEP 9: CHECKAIR PRESSURE IN
TIRES (units with pneumatic tires)
Checkthe air pressurewith a tire gauge.
Deflateor inflatethe tires equallyto be-
tween 15 PSI and 20 PSI (pounds per
squareinch). Besurethat bothtires are in-
flated equally or the unit will pull to one
side.
FF--
Fig. 2-10: AdjustDepthRegulatorLever. llVlt'UNIAP]l: Jn_scompletes meassembly steps.
Beforeoperatingyour tiller, makesureyou readthe
following sections in this Manual,aswell as the
separateEngineOwner'sManual:
•Section 1: Safety
• Section 3: Featuresand Controls
• Section 4: Operation
Fig. 2-11: Removegear oil fill plug.

SECTION3: FEATURESANDCONTROLS
WARNING: Before
operatingyour machine,
carefully readandunderstand
all safety,controls and
operatinginstructions in this
Manual,the separateEngine
Owner'sManual, andon the
decalson the machine.
Failureto follow these
instructions canresult in
serious personalinjury.
INTRODUCTION
This Section describesthe location and
function of thecontrols on your tiller. Re-
fer to the following Section,Operationfor
detailedoperating instructions.
Practiceusing thesecontrols, with the en-
gine shut off, until you understandthe op-
eration ofthe controls and feelconfident
with eachof them.
ForwardClutchBail ReverseClutchControl
(Models634F/634A)
DepthRegulator
Handlebar HeightAdjustment
Wheel Drive Pin
(oneachwheel)
ENGINE CONTROLS
Referto theengine manufacturer'sEngine
Owner'sManual(included in the tiller liter-
ature package)to identify the controls on
your engine.
IMPORTANT:Thecontrol for stopping the
engine is located on theengine.
WHEEL DRIVE PINS
Eachwheelis equippedwith a wheeldrive
pin (A, Figures3-2 and 3-3) that secures
the wheelto the wheelshaft (B). The
wheelscan be positioned in either a
WHEELDRIVEor a FREEWHEELmode.
WARNING: Neverallow
eitherof thewheelsto bein the
FREEWHEELposition whenthe
engineis running. Always put
both wheelsin the WHEEL
DRIVEposition beforestarting
the engine.
Failureto comply could cause
loss of tiller control, property
damage,or personalinjury.
Beforestartingtheengine,put bothwheels
in the WHEELDRIVEposition byinserting
the wheeldrive pins through the wheel
hubs andthewheel shaft. Doingso
"locks" the wheels to the wheelshaft,
causingthe wheelsto turn wheneitherthe
Figure 3-1: Tillerfeaturesand controls.See sepereteEngineOwner'sManual to identify
enginecontrols.
Forward ClutchBail (all models) or the Re-
verse ClutchControl (Models 634Fand
634A) isengaged.
Usethe FREEWHEELmode only whenthe
engineis notrunning. In FREEWHEEL,the
wheeldrive pins are placedonly through
the holesin thewheelshaft (not the wheel
hubs), thus allowing the wheels to turn
freely whenyou manually movethe tiller.
To placethewheels in WHEELDRIVEor
FREEWHEEL:
1. Stopengine,disconnectspark plugwire
from spark plugandallowengineto cool.
WARNING: Donot place
tiller on its sidewhenchanging
wheeldrive positions. Doingso
could result in gasoline leaking
from thefuel tank.
Failuretofollow this instruction
could result in personalinjury
or property damage.
2. Raiseonewheelabout one inch off the
ground and placeasturdy support under
the transmission.
3. Removehairpin cotter (C, Figures3-2
and 3-3) from wheel drive pin (A).
4. FORWHEELDRIVEMODE(Figure3-2):
Slide wheeloutward and align holes in
A
Figure3.2: WHEELDRIVE position.
wheelhub (D, Figure3-2) and wheel
shaft (B). Insert wheeldrive pin (A)
through wheel hub (D)and wheel
shaft (B). Securewheeldrive pin with hair-
pin cotter (C) by pushing hairpin cotter in
asfar as it will go. Repeatwith the other
wheeland then removethe support from
beneaththe transmission.
5. FORFREEWHEELMODE( Figure3-3):
Slidethewheelinwardand insertthewheel
drive pin (A, Figure3-3) onlythrough the
hole in the wheel shaft (B). Securewheel
drivepin with hairpincotter (C)by pushing
hairpin cotter in asfar asit will go. Repeat
for the other wheeland then removethe
support from beneaththetransmission.
10

B\C
oD
Figure3,3" FREEWHEELposition.
WARNING: Beforestarting
engine,besurethat both
wheelsare in WHEELDRIVE
position. SeeWheelsDrive
Pins for instructions.
Engagingthe ForwardClutch
Bail or ReverseClutchControl
(if equipped) whenthewheels
are notin WHEELDRIVEcould
allowthe tinesto rapidly propel
thetiller forward or backward.
Failureto comply could cause
loss of tiller control, property
damage,or personalinjury.
FORWARDCLUTCHBAIL
TheForward Clutch Bail(E, Figure3-4)
controls the engagementof forward drive
to the wheelsand tines.
Tooperatethe ForwardClutchBail:
1. Put wheels in WHEELDRIVEposition
(see"WARNING"statementabove).
2. Lift and hold the clutch bail (E,Figure3-
4) againstthe handlebarto startthewheels
andtines rotating in aforward direction.
3. Releasethe clutch bailto disengage
(stop) thewheels andtines (theenginewill
continue to run).
REVERSECLUTCHCONTROL
(Models634F/634A only)
TheReverseClutchControl (F,Figure3-4)
controls the engagementof reversedrive
to the wheelsand tines. The reversing
featureisusedfor maneuveringthetiller
only-- neverengagethe tines inthe
groundwhile operatingin reverse.
WARNING: Useextreme
caution whenreversing or
pulling the machinetowards
you. Look behindto avoid
obstacles.
Neverattemptto till in reverse.
Failureto follow this warning
could result in personalinjury
or property damage.
To operatethe ReverseClutchControl:
1. Putwheels in WHEELDRIVEposition
(see"WARNING"statementat the left).
2. Stopall tiller motion by releasingthe
Forward Clutch Bail.
3. Lift the handlebar untilthe tines clear
the ground, look behind you to avoid any
obstacles,and then pull the control knob
(F,Figure3-4) out. Thewheels andtines
will rotate in a reversedirection.
4. Releasethe control knob to disengage
(stop) the wheelsandtines (theenginewill
continue to run).
Figure3-4: All modelshave aForwardClutch
Bail (E). OnlyModels 634F/634Ahavea Re.
verseClutchControl(F).
DEPTH REGULATORLEVER
This lever (G,Figure3-5) controls the till-
ing depth ofthe tines. Pull the lever back
and slide it up or downto engagethe
notched heightsettings.
The"travel position" (highestnotch) raises
the tines approximately1-1/2"off the
ground,allowing the tiller to be moved
without the tines contacting the ground.
This setting should also be usedwhen
starting the engine.
Moving the leverupward will increasethe
tilling depth. Thelowestnotch allows atill-
ing depth ofapproximately 6", depending
onsoil conditions. Forbestresults,always
begintilling atavery shallow depthsetting
and gradually increasethe tilling depth.
WARNING: Donotattempt
totill too deeplytoo quickly.
Graduallywork downto deeper
tilling depths.
Placethe DepthRegulator
Leverin the "travel" position
beforestartingthe engine. This
position preventsthetines from
touching the ground untilyou
are readyto begintilling.
Failureto follow this warning
could result in personalinjury
or property damage.
TravelPosition !G
Settings
Figure3-5: DepthRegulatorLever (G).
HANDLEBAR HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT
Thehandlebarheight isadjustableto three
different settings (Figure3-6). In general,
adjust the handlebarssothey areat waist
levelwhenthe tines are3"-4" in the soil.
Toadjust the handlebars:
1. Stop engine,disconnect spark plug
wire from spark plug and allow engineto
cool.
2. Removehardware,reposition handle-
bars, and reinstall hardwaresecurely.
High
Figure3.6: Handlebarheightadjustment.
11

SECTION4: OPERATION
WARNING: Before
operatingyour machine,
carefully readandunderstand
all safety (Section 1),controls
(Section 3) and operating
instructions (Section 4) inthis
Manual,the separateEngine
Owner'sManual, andon the
decalson the machine.
Failureto follow these
instructions canresult in
serious personalinjury.
INTRODUCTION
Readthis OperationSection and the sepa-
rate EngineOwner'sManualbeforeyou
start theengine. Then,take thetime to fa-
miliarize yourself with the basic operation
of the tiller beforeusing it in the garden.
Findanopen,levelareaandpracticeusing
thetiller controls without thetines engag-
ing the soil (put tines in "travel" setting).
0nly after you've becomecompletely fa-
miliar with thetiller shouldyou beginusing
it in the garden.
BREAK-INOPERATION
Perform thefollowing maintenanceafter
thefirst two (2) hours of newoperation
(seeMaintenanceSection in this manual
and in the EngineOwner's Manual).
1. Changeengine oil.
2. Checkfor looseor missing hardwareon
unit. Tighten or replaceas needed.
3. Checktension on forward drive belt.
4. Checktransmission gear oil level.
STARTINGANDSTOPPING
Pre-StartChecklist
With thespark plug wire disconnected
from the spark plug,perform thefollowing
checksand services beforeeachuse:
1. Readthe Safetyand Controls Sections
in this manual. Readthe separateEngine
Owner'sManual providedwith the unit.
2. Putthe wheels in the WHEELDRIVE
position (wheel pins must bethrough
holes in wheel hubsand wheel shaft).
3. Checkunit for looseor missing hard-
ware. Service asrequired.
4. Checkengine oil level. See Engine
Owner'sManual.
ReverseClutchControl
(Models634F/634A)
)epthRegulator
Drive Pin
Fig. 4-1
5. Checkthat all safety guardsandcovers
are in place.
6. Checkair cleanerand enginecooling
system. SeeEngineOwner'sManual.
WARNING: GASOLINEIS
HIGHLYFLAMMABLEAND ITS
VAPORSAREEXPLOSIVE.
Follow gasolinesafety rules in
this Manual(seeSection1) and
in theseparateEngineOwner's
Manual.
Failuretofollow gasolinesafety
instructions can result in
serious personalinjury and
property damage.
7. Fillthefueltankwith gasolineaccording
to the directions in theseparate Engine
Owner's Manual. Followall instructions
and safety rules carefully.
8. Attach spark plug wire to spark plug.
Startingthe Engine
The following steps describe how to start
and stop the engine.
WARNING: Donotattempt
to engagethetines or wheels
until you havereadall ofthe
operating instructions in this
Section. Also, reviewthe safety
rules in Section 1:Safety,and
the tiller andenginecontrols
information in Section3:
Featuresand Controls.
1. Completethe Pre-Start Checklist on
this page.
2. Putthe wheels inthe WHEELDRIVEpo-
sition (seeWheelDrivePinsinSection3 of
this manual).
,_ WARNING: To help
preventserious personalinjury
or damageto equipment:
•Before starting engine, put both
wheels in the WHEELDRIVEposition.
Never havewheels in FREEWHEELpo-
sition when engine is running. When
thewheelsare in FREEWHEEL,theydo
not hold backthe tiller and the tines
couldpropelthe tiller rapidly
forwardor backward.
•Before starting engine, put Forward
Clutch Bail (all models) and Reverse
Clutch Control (Models 634F/634A
only)in neutral(disengaged)positions
byreleasinglevers.
•Never run engine indoors or in en-
closed,poorlyventilatedareas. Engine
exhaustcontainscarbonmonoxide,an
odorlessanddeadlygas.
•Avoidenginemufflerandnearbyareas.
Temperaturesin these areas may ex-
ceed150°F.
3. Movethe DepthRegulator Leverall the
way down to the "travel" position, sothat
thetines clearthe ground.
4. Releaseall controls on the tiller.
5. On engine'swith afuel shut-off valve,
turn valveto open position, asinstructed
in the separate EngineOwner's Manual.
6. Put ignition switch and/or throttle con-
trol leverlocated on engine in the "ON",
"RUN", "FAST"or "START"position, as in-
structed in the EngineOwner's Manual.
7. Chokeor prime engine,as instructed in
EngineOwner'sManual.
8. Put one hand on fuel tank to stabilize
unit when pulling starter rope handle.
Thenuse recoilstarter to start engine,as
instructed in the EngineOwner'sManual.
Whenenginestarts, graduallymove choke
lever (if so equipped) to "NOCHOKE",
"CHOKEOFF"or "RUN" position.
9. Usethe "FAST"throttle speedsetting
whentilling.
12

KEEPAWAYFROMROTATINGTINES.
ROTATINGTINESWiLL CAUSEiNJURY.
Stoppingthe EngineandTiller
1.Tostop thewheelsandtines, releasethe
Forward ClutchBail (all models) or the Re-
verse ClutchControl (Models 634Fand
634A) --whichever control is in use.
2. Tostop the engine, putthe ignition
switch and/or thethrottle control leverin
the "OFF"or "STOP"position.
OPERATINGTHETILLER
Thefollowing operatinginstructions pro-
videguidelines to usingyour tiller effec-
tively and safely. Besureto read Tilling
Tips & Techniques in this Section before
actually putting the tines into the soil.
NOTE:This is a traditional "Standard-Ro-
tating-Tine" (SRT)tiller with forward ro-
tating tines. It operatescompletely
differently from "Counter-Rotating-Tine"
(CRT)tillers or from front-tine tillers.
1. Followthe Pre-Start Checklist at the
beginning ofthis Section. Besurethat the
wheelsare in the WHEELDRIVEposition.
2. Movethe DepthRegulator Leverall the
way down, sothat thetines clearthe
ground. Usethis position whenpracticing
with thetiller and whentraveling between
tilling sites. Beforeactuallytilling, move
the leverto the desireddepth setting (see
Tilling Tips& Techniques).
3. Start engine and allow itto warm up.
Then put throttle in "FAST"setting.
4. Forforward motion of the wheelsand
tines:
(a) Pull ForwardClutch Bail (Fig. 4-1) up
againsthandlebar. Releasebailto stop for-
ward motion of wheels and tines.
(b) Whentilling, relaxand letthe wheels
pull the unit while the tines dig. Walk be-
hind anda little to onesideofthe unit. Use
one hand,yet keepa light--but secure--
grip on the handlebar (while keepingyour
arm loose). SeeFig.4-2. Letthe unit
move at its own paceand do not push
down on the handlebarsto try and force
the tines to dig deeper-- this takesweight
off the wheels, reducestraction, and caus-
esthe tines to try and propel the tiller.
WARNING: Donot push
down onthe handlebarsto try
to makethetiller till more
deeply. This preventsthe
wheelsfrom holdingthe tiller
backand canallowthetines to
rapidly propelthetiller forward,
which could result in loss of
control, property damage,or
personalinjury.
5. Forreversemotion of the wheels and
tines (Models 634F/634Aonly):
(a) Lookbehindandexercisecaution when
operating in reverse. Donottill while in
reverse.
(b) Stopall forward motion. Lift handle-
bar with one handuntil tines are off the
ground and then pull ReverseClutchCon-
trol knobout (seeFig.4-3). Tostop revers-
ing, let go of ReverseClutch Control knob.
(b) Swingthe handlebarto the left sothe
right wheeltakesa "step" backward.Next
swing the handlebarto the right sothe left
wheel"steps" backward.Repeatasneeded.
(c) If longer distancesneedto be covered
in reverse,shut off the engine,then place
thetwo wheels in FREEWHEEL.
7. ToTurntheTiller Around:
(a) Practiceturning thetiller in a level,
open area. Bevery careful to keepyour
feet and legsawayfrom the tines.
(b) Tobegina turn, lift the handlebarsuntil
thetinesareoutofthegroundandtheengine
andtines are balancedoverthewheels(Fig.
4-4).
(c) With tiller balanced,pushsidewayson
handlebarto steer in direction of turn (Fig.
4-5). After turning, slowly lowertines into
soil to resumetilling.
Fig. 4-2: Use onehand to guide tiller when
movingforward.
Fig. 4,3: Raise tines offgroundand look
behind whenmoving in reverse.
6. Tomove the Model630Cin reversefor
short distances:
(a) Releaseforward ClutchBail. Thenlift
handlebaruntiltines are off theground.
13
Fig.4,4: Tobeginturn,lift handlebarsuntil
tinesareoutofgroundandunitisbalanced.
Fig. 4.5: Withtinesout ofground,push han-
dlebarssidewaystoturntiller.
StoppingtheTillerandEngine
1. Tostop the wheels and tines, release
the ForwardClutchBail (all models) or the
ReverseClutchControl (Models 634Fand
634A) -- whichevercontrol is in use.
2. Tostop the engine, putthe ignition
switch and/orthethrottle control leverin
the "OFF"or "STOP" position.

TILLING TIPS& TECHNIQUES
Tilling Depths
WARNING: Before
tilling,contact your
telephoneor utilities
companyand inquire if
underground equipment or
lines areusedon your
property. Donottill near
buried electric cables,
telephone lines,pipes or
hoses.
• Avoidpushingdownonthe handlebarsin anattemptto forcethetiller to dig deeper.Doing
sotakestheweightoff the poweredwheels,causingthemto losetraction.Withoutthewheels
helpingto holdthetiller back,thetineswill attemptto propelthetil!er- oftencausingthetiller
to skip rapidlyacrosstheground. (Sometimes,slight downwardpressureonthehandlebars
will helpgetthrougha particularlytoughsectionofsodor unbrokenground,butin mostcases
this won,t benecessary.)
• Avoidtrying to dig too deeplytoo quickly,especiallywhenbustingsodor whentilling soi!
that hasn,tbeentilledfor sometime. Useshallowdepthregulatorsettings(on!yaninchortwo
deep)for thefirst passesthroughthesoil,With eachsucceedingpass,diganotherinchortwo
deeper.(Watering theareaafew dayspriorto tilling will maketilling easier,aswill lettingthe
newlyworkedsoil setfor aday or two beforemakinga final, deeptilling pass.)
• Whencultivating(breakingupsurfacesoilaroundplantsto destroyweeds,seeFig.4,9), adjustthetinestodig only1"to 2,deep. Using
shallowtilling depthshelpspreventinjuryto plantswhoserootsoftengrowclosetothesurface. If needed,lift uponthehandlebarsslightly
to preventthetines from diggingtoo deeply.(Cultivating ona regularbasisnotonlyeliminatesweeds,it alsoloosensandaeratesthe soil
for bettermoistureabsorptionandfaster plantgrowth.)
ChoosingCorrectWheel&Tine Speeds With experience,you will find the "just right',tilling depthandtillingspeedcombination
that is I_estfor your garden.
Settheenginethrottleleverataspeedto givetheengineadequatepowerandyet allowitto operateattheslowestpossib!espeed.,at least
untilyou haveachievedthe maximumtilling depthyou desire.Fasterenginespeedsmaybe desirablewhenmakingfinal passesthrough
theseedbedor whencultivating,Selectionofthecorrectenginespeed,in relationtothetilling depth,will ensureasufficientpowerlevelto
dothejob without causingtheengineto labor.
LettheTiller DotheWork
Whiletilling, relaxandletthewheelspullthe
tiller along while the tines do thedigging,
Walkon thesidethat is notyet finished(to
avoidmakingfootprints in thefreshlytilled
soil) and lightly,but securelygrip thehan-
dlebarwith just onehand.
AvoidMakingFootprints
Whenever possible,wa!k on the untilled
sideofthe unitto avoidmakingfootprints in
your freshlytil!ed or cultivatedsoil. Foot-
printscausesoil compactionthat canham-
per root penetrationand contribute to soil
erosion.They can also ',plant,,unwanted
weed seeds back into the freshly tilled
ground.
AvoidTillingSoggy,WetSoil
Tilling wet soil often resultsin large,hard
clumps ofsoil that caninterferewith plant-
ing.If time permits, wait a dayor two after
heavyrains to allow the soil to dry before
tilling. Testsoil bysqueezingit intoa ball.If
itcompressestooeasily,it istoo wetto till,
PreparingSeedbeds
• When preparing a seedbed,go overthe samepathtwice in thefirst row,then
overlapone,halfthetiller width on the rest ofthe passes(seeFig,6). Whenfin-
ishedin onedirection,make a secondpassat aright angle,asshown in Fig,4,7:
Overlapeachpassfor best results(in veryhard ground,it maytakethreeor four Fig.4-6
passesto thoroughlypulverizethesoil.)
• Ifthegardensizewill not permitlengthwiseandthencrosswisetilling, thenover-
lapthefirst passesbyone,halfatiller
width,followedbysuccessivepasses
at one-quarterwidth (seeFig,4-8)
Fig. 4,8
Cultivating
Fig. 4-7
With planning, you can ..,_,_vj_, _,_ v_,_
allowenoughroom i_i _i(_i
betweenrows tocultivate__)_
(seeFig.4,9). Leaveroom_J_-')_¢"_
for the hood width,J""_,-%._"_lt_
plus enough extra _ "4A-_-
roomfor future plant Fig. 4-9
growth.
14

TILLING TIPS& TECHNIQUES(CON'T)
PowerComposting
Powercompostingsimplymeanstilling underand buryingin thesoil all manneroforganic WARNING: Whenpower
mattersuchascropresidues,leaves,grassclippingsandcovercrops.This materialwillde- composting, do not keepthe
composeduring thenon,growingseasonandadd importantnaturalnutrientstothesoil. Depth Regulator Leverata
Thefirst placeto beginiswith cropresiduessuchasleftovervines,stalks,stemsandroots, deepsetting ifthe tiller jumps
Powercompostthesecropresiduesassoonastheyfinish bearing.Thesoonerthis isdone, or bucks,
thebetter,astendergreenmatteriseasiertotillunder. Usethedeepestdepthregulatorset- If jumping or bucking occurs,
ting possiblewithoutcausingtheengineto laboror thetillerto jump ahead, movethe DepthRegulator
Leverdown to a shallow
Standingcornstalksof reasonableheightcan bepowercomposted.Pushing over(but not ._e.ftnnand the.n._nwV
uprooting)cornstalkswill oftenmakeit easierto chopupthestalks.Keepthetines clearof incieasethetiilinc]deoth on
excessivetanglingby fishtailing orfrequentlyusingreverse.Makeseveralpasses,thenre, ........._.._....
dtg/ pdbb_b.
turna fewdays latertofinish off anyremainingstubble. Failureto followthis warning
Aftertilling undercropresidues,addmoreorganicmattersuchasleaves,grassclippingsand could result in personalinjury.
evenkitchenscraps. Whentilledintothe soil,this organicmatterwill decomposeandadd
evenmoreimportantnutrientstothesoil.
Afterpowercomposting,you maywantto planta !'greenmanure"covercropto protectthesoilduringthe off-season.You simplygrowa
cropof clover,alfalfa,buckwheat,peas,beans,ryegrass,grain,orkaleandthentill itintothe soilpriorto the plantingseason.
TillingOnSlopes
Readthe followingrecommendationsbeforetilling onslopes: _WARNING: Donot
Ifyou mustgardenon a moderateslope,pleasefollow two very importantguidelines: A operatetiller on aslopetoo
1. Till onlyon moderateslopes,neveronsteepgroundwherefootingisdifficult (reviewsafe- _ steepfor safeoperation. Till
ty rulesin Section1:Safetyofthis manual), slowly and besureyou have
2. Werecommendtilling up anddownslopes ratherthanterracing. Tillingvertically on a
slopeallows maximumplantingareaandalsoleavesroomfor cultivating.
IMPORTANT:Whentilling on slopes,besurethecorrectoil levelismaintainedintheengine
(checkeveryone-halfhour of operation). Theinclineoftheslopewill causethe oil to slant
awayfrom its normallevelandthis canstarveenginepartsof requiredlubrication. Keepthe
motor oil evelatthefull pointatall times!
TillingUp and DownSlopes(VerticalTilling)
goodfooting. Neverpermit
tiller to freewheeldown
slopes.Failureto follow this
warning could result in
personalinjury.
• Tokeepsoilerosionto a minimum, besuretoaddenoughorganicmattertothesoil sothat it hasgood moisture-holdingtextureandtry
toavoidleavingfootprints or wheelmarks.
• Whentillingvertically,try to makethefirst passuphillasthetiller digs moredeeplygoing uphillthanit doesdownhill. Insoftsoil or
weeds,you mayhaveto ift thehandlebarsslightly whilegoing uphill. Whengoingdownhill, overlapthefirst passbyaboutone-halfthe
width ofthetiller.
TillingAcrossSlopesWithoutUsingTerraces(HorizontalTilling)
• Ifverticalor terracinggardeningaren't practicalfor you,thenyou cantill laterallyacrossa slope. Wedon't recommendthis methodas
it cancreateunsurefooting and invitessoil erosion.
• As interracegardening,startatthetopoftheslopeandoverlapthefirst passby halfthewidth ofthetiller. Foraddedstabilityofthetiller,
alwayskeeptheuphillwheelinthesoft, newlytilledsoil.
TerraceGardening
• Whena slopeistoo steepor too short for verticaltilling, it may benecessaryto till acrosstheslopeandcreateterracedrows.Terraces
arerowsthat arecut intothe sideofa slope,creatinga narrow,butflat areaonwhich to plant.
• Ona longslope,you canmakeseveralterraces,onebelowtheother.
• Terracesshouldbeonly24o-3 feetwide. Diggingtoofar intothesideoftheslopewill exposepoorsubsoilthat isunproductivefor plants.
15

TILLING TIPS& TECHNIQUES(CON'T)
• Eachsucceedinglowerterraceisstartedbywalkingbelowtheterraceyou'repre- !1_
paring. Foraddedstabilityofthetiller,alwayskeeptheuphillwheelinthesoft, new- ___
ly tilled soil. Donot till the last 12"ormore of the downhilloutside edgeof each
terrace. This untilled strip helpspreventsthe terracesfrom breaking apartand
washingdownhill.It alsoprovidesawalking pathbetweenrows. 0_RePeAT
Fig. 4-10
Clearingthe Tines
Thetines haveaself,clearingaction whicheliminatesmosttanglingof debrisin
thetines. However,occasionallydry grass,stringystalksor toughvinesmaybe,
cometangled.Follow theseProceduresto helpavoidtanglingandto cleanthe
tines,if necessary.
• To reducetangling,set the depth regulatordeep enoughto get maximum
"chopping"actionasthetines chopthematerialagainsttheground. Also,try to
till undercrop residuesor covercropswhiletheyaregreen,moistandtender.
• Whilepowercomposting,try swayingthe handlebarsfrom sidetOside(about
6"to 12"). This ,,fishtailing',action oftenclearsthetines ofdebris.
• Iftanglingoccurs,liftthetines outofthesoil andrunthetiller in reverse(if unit
is equippedwith poweredreverse)for a few feet. This reversingactionshould
unwindagooddealof debris,
• It maybenecessaryto removethedebrisbyhand
(apocketknifewill helpyouto cut awaythemate-
rial).Besureto stopthe engineanddisconnectthe
spark plugwirebeforeclearingthetines byhand.
WARNING: Beforeclearingthe
A tines byhand,stopthe engine,allow
all moving parts to stop and
disconnect thespark plugwire.
Removethe ignition keyon electric
start models.
Failureto follow this warning could
result in personalinjury.
LOADINGANDUNLOADING •Usesturdy rampsand manually (eng ne tilleraheadof you. Havea personat each
THETILLER shut off) roll thetiller into and out of the sideto turn the wheels
vehicle. Twoor morepeopleareneededto •Whengoing down ramps,walk back-
_, WARNING: Loadingand do this. ward with thetiller following you. Keep
unloadingthe tiller into a •Theramps must be strong enough to alertfor any obstacles behindyou. Posi-
vehicle is potentially hazardous support thecombined weight ofthe tiller tion a personat eachwheelto control the
andwedon't recommenddoing and any handlers.Theramps should pro- speedof thetiller. Nevergo down ramps
sounlessabsolutely necessary, vide goodtraction to preventslipping; they tiller-first, asthetiller could tip forward.
asthis could result in personal should haveside railsto guide thetiller
injury or property damage, along the ramps; andthey should havea
However,if you must load or locking deviceto secure them to the
unloadthe tiller, follow the vehicle.
guidelinesgiven next. • Thehandlersshouldwearsturdyfootwear
that wdl helpto preventshppmg
•Beforeloading or unloading,stopthe en- ' ' ' •
gine,wait for all partsto stop moving, • Positionthe loading vehicle sothat the in the vehicle.
disconnect the spark plug wire and letthe ramp angle is asflat as possible (the less • After loading thetiller, preventit from
engineand muffler cool. incline to the ramp, thebetter). Turnthe rolling byengaging thewheels in the
• Thetiller is too heavyand bulky to lift vehicle's engine off and apply its parking WHEELDRIVEposition. Chockthewheels
safelyby one person.Two or more people brake, with blocksandsecurelytiethetiller down.
should sharethe load. • Whengoing up ramps, stand in the
normal operating position and push the
• Placewooden blockson the downhill
side ofthe wheels if you needto stop the
tiller from rolling downthe ramp. Also,
usethe blocksto ternporarilykeepthetiller
in placeonthe ramps(if necessary),andto
chockthe wheels in placeafter the tiller is
16

SECTION5: MAINTENANCE
WARNING: Before
inspecting, cleaningor servicing
the machine,shut off engine,
wait for all moving partsto come
to a completestop, disconnect
spark plug wire and movewire
awayfrom spark plug. Remove
ignition keyon electricstart
models.
Failureto follow these
instructions can result in serious
personalinjury or property
damage.
MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE
PROCEDURE NOTES
Check motor oil level 2, 3
Clean engine 2, 7
1,4
Check drive belt tension
Check nuts and bolts 1,4
Change motor oil 4, 6, 9
Lubricate tiller 4
Service engine air cleaner system
Check gear oil levelin transmission 1,5
Check tines for wear 5
Check air pressure in tires 5
(if unt has pneumat Ct res)
Service spark plug 7
1- Checkafter first 2 hours of break,in operation.
2_Beforeeach use.
3'Every 5 operating hours.
4-Every 10operating hours.
5-Every 30 operating hours.
6-Change more frequentlyin dustyconditions.
7, See EngineOwner's Manual for service
recommedations.
8-Whichevertime interval occurs first.
9-Changeafterfirst 2 hours of break-in
TILLERLUBRICATION
After every 10 operating hours, oil or
greasethe lubrication points shown in
Figure5-1 and described below,
Usecleanlubricating oil (#30weight motor
oil issuitable) and cleangeneral purpose
grease(greasecontaining a metallubricant
is preferred, if available).
• Removethewheels,cleanthewheelshaft
(A,Fig. 5-1) andapply a thin coating of
greaseto the wheelshaft.
• Greasethe back,front andsides of the
depth regulator lever (g, Fig.5-1).
• Removethe tines andcleanthetine shaft
(C, Fig.5.1). Usea file or sandpaperto
gently remove anyrust, burrs or rough
spots (especiallyaround holesin shaft).
Applygreaseto endsof shaft beforeinstall-
ing tines.
• Oilthethreads on the handlebarheight
adjustment screws and thehandlebar
attaching screws(D, Fig.5,1).
Figure5-1
CHECKFOROILLEAKS
Beforeeachuse,checkthetil!er for signs of
an oil leak--usually a dirty, oily accumu-
lationeither on the unit oron thefloor.
A little seepagearound a cover oran oil
sealis usually not a causefor alarm,How-
ever, ifthe o!l drips overnight, then imme-
diateattention is needed. Ignoring an oil
leakcanresult in severe transmission
damage! 17
If a cover is leaking, checkfor loose
screws.If the screws aretight, a new
gasket or oilseal may be required.
If the leakisfrom around a shaft andoil
seal, theoil sealprobably needsto be
replaced. Seeyour authorizeddealer or
contactthefactoryfor serviceor advice.
IMPORTANT:Neveroperatethe tiller if
the transmission is low on oil. Check
the oil levelafter every30 hours of
operationand wheneverthere is anyoil
leakage.
CHECKHARDWARE
Checkfor looseor missing hardwareaf.
ter every 10operatinghours andtighten
or replace(asneeded)beforereusing
tiller
Besureto checkthe screws underneath
the tillerhoodthat securethe transmis-
sioncoverandtheDepthRegulatorLever
to thetransmission.
CHECKTIREPRESSURE
(Modelswithpneumatictires)
Checktheair pressure in bothtires. The
air pressure should be between 15 PSI
and 20 PSI (pounds per squareinch).
Keepbothtires equally inflatedto help
prevent machinefrom pulling to one
side.
TRANSMISSION
GEAROILSERVICE
Checkthetransmission gear oil level
after every30 hours of operationor
wheneveryou notice anyoil leak, Oper-
ating the tiller when thetransmissionis
low on oil can result in severedamage.
A. ToCheckthe Transmission
GearOil Level:
1, Checkthe gear oil levelwhen the
transmission is cool. Gear oil will
expandin warm operatingtemperatures
and this expansionwill providean incor,
rect oil levelreading.
2. With thetilleron levelground, pull the
Depth RegulatorLeverall the way up.
3, Removethe oil fill plug (A, Fig.5,2)
from thetransmission housingand look
insidethe oil fill hole to locatethe main
driveshaft situated belowthe hole.

WARNING: Beforeinspecting, cleaningor servicing themachine,shut off engine,wait for all
moving partsto come to a completestop, disconnect spark plug wireand move wireawayfrom
spark plug. Failureto follow these instructions can result in serious personalinjury or property
damage.
4. Thegear oil levelis correct ifthe gear B. ToDrainthe Transmission Gear0il:
oil is approximately halfwayup theside of Thetransmission gear oil doesnot needto
the main driveshaft.
5. If the gear oil levelis low, add gear oil
asdescribed next. If the gear oil level is
okay,securely replacethe oil fill plug.
IMPORTANT:Donot operatethetiller ifthe
gear oil levelis low. Doingso will result in
severedamageto the transmission com-
ponents.
BOLOTINES
Thebolo tines will wearwith useand
bechangedunless it hasbeencontaminat- should be inspectedat the beginning of
ed with dirt. sand or metal particles, eachtilling seasonand afterevery 30 oper-
1. Draingasolinefrom the fuel tank or run ating hours. Thetines can be replacedel-
the engine until thefueltank is empty.See ther individually or asacomplete set. See
"DANGER"statement below, the Parts List pagesfor tine identification
,_ WARNING: Gasolineis and part numbers.
highlyflammableanditsvapors A. Tine Inspection:
areexplosive. Followthese With use,the tines will becomeshorter
safety practicesto prevent
personalinjury or property
damagefrom fire or explosion.
•Allow the engine and muffler to cool
narrower and pointed. Badlyworn tines
will result in a loss oftilling depth, and re-
ducedeffectivenesswhenchopping up
and turning under organic matter.
for at least two minutesbeforedrain- B. Removing/Installinga SingleTine:
ingthetiller's gasolinetank. 1. With the engineshut off and the spark
•Do not allow open flames, sparks, plug wire disconnected,removethetwo
matchesor smokingin the area. screws (A,Figure5-3), Iockwahers(E)and
•Wipeaway spills and pushtiller away nuts (B) that attacha single tineto a tine
from spilledfuel. holder. If needed,use penetratingoil on
•Use only an approved fuel container the nuts.
and store it safely out of the reach of 2. Wheninstalling a singletine, besureto
children, position it sothat its cutting edge(sharp)
•Do notstoregasolinein an area where will enter thesoil first as the tiller moves
gearoillevelandtoaddgearoil. Remove its vaporscouldreach an openflame forward.
fourcoverscrews(B)todraingearoil. orspark, orwhere ignitionsourcesare C. Removing/Installinga TineAssembly:
present(suchas hot water and space 1. A tineassemblyconsists ofeighttines
6. If adding onlya few ouncesof gear oil heaters, furnaces, clothes dryers, mounted on atine holder.
Figure5-2: Removeoil fill plug (A) to check
useAPI ratedGL-4or GL-5gearoil having stoves,electric motors,etc.)
aviscosity of SAE140, SAE85W-140 or
SAE80W-90. If refilling an empty trans-
mission, useonly GL-4gear oil havinga 2. Drainthe oil from the engine
viscosity of SAE85W-140 or SAE140. 3. Removefour screws(B, Figure5-2) and
IMPORTANT:Donot useautomatic trans- removetransmissioncoverandgasket.
missionfluid or motor oil inthe transmis- 4. Removethe left-side wheel.
sign.
7. While checkingfrequently to avoid
overfilling, slowly add gear oil into the oil
fill hole until itreachesthehalfwaypointon
the driveshaft.
2. If removing bothtineassemblies,mark
them "left" and "right" beforeremoval.
Removethe screw (C, Figure5-3), lock
washer (E)and Iocknut (D)that securethe
tine assemblyto the tine shaft. If neces-
sary,usea rubber mallet to tapthe tineas-
8. Securely replacethe oil fill plug
5. Tilt the left-sidewheelshaft into a drain sembly outward off the shaft.
panand allowthe gearoil to drainthrough
the top of thetransmission
6. Reinstallthe wheel.
7. Install a newgasket (do not reuseold
gasket)and reinstall thetransmission cov-
er.
3. Beforereinstalling thetine assembly,in-
spectthe tineshaftfor rust, roughspots or
burrs. Lightlyfile or sand as needed.Ap-
ply a thin coat of greaseto theshaft.
4. Install eachtine assemblyso that the
cutting (sharp)edgeof thetines will enter
8. Refillthetransmission usingGL-4 gear thesofl first whenthetillermovesforward.
oil (SAE85W-140 or SAE140). Securethe tine assembly to the tine shaft
9. Refillthe engine with motor oil and re- using the screwand Iocknut
plenishthe fuel tank with gasoline.
18

WARNING: Beforeinspecting, cleaningor servicing themachine,shut off engine,wait for all
moving partsto come to a completestop, disconnect spark plug wireand move wireawayfrom
spark plug. Failureto follow these instructions can result in serious personalinjury or property
damage.
___ FRONT/
FORWARD
n
Figure5-3: Install tinessothat cuttingedgeoftinesenter soil firstwhentiller movesforward.
CHECKINGANDADJUSTING
FORWARDDRIVEBELTTENSION
It is important to maintain correct tension
on the forward drive belt. A loosebeltwill
causethetinesandwheelsto slow down
or stop completely eventhough the en-
gine B running atfull speed. A too tight
b Unthreadthe hex nut (C, Figure5-4)
halfway upthe adjustment screw (D).
c. Unhookthe top of the spring from
the Forward ClutchBail.
d. Usepliersto preventtheadjuster (B)
from turning and turn the slottedscrew lo-
cated insidethe spring clockwise (viewed
from operator's position) to increaseten-
sion on the spring. Turnthe screw coun-
terclockwise to decreasetension. Once
adjusted,reattachthe spring to the For-
ward Clutch Bail.
e. RepeatSteps2 and3to re-measure
thelengthof thespring. Whenthe second
measurementis between1/16"-to-3/16"
longerthanthefirst measurement,retighten
thehexnut(C)againstthetop oftheadjuster
(B).
ReplacementBelt Information
Ifthe drive belt needsto be replaced,see
belt tensionB correct ifthis second mea- your localauthorized dealeror referto the
surement isbetween1/6"-to- 3/16" longer Parts List for ordering information. Use
than the first measurement, only afactory-authorized belt asan "over-
4. Ifthe spring istoo short (less than the-counter" belt may not perform satis-
factorily. The procedurerequires average
1/16"), the tension istoo loose. If the mechanicalability andcommonly available
1" t
spring istoo long (morethan 3/ 6 ), he tools.
tension istoo tight.
belt canresult in unintentional tine move- 5. Toadjust the length of the spring:
ment whenthe clutch bail is inthe Neutral a. Releasethe Forward Clutch Bail.
(released)position.
•Checkbelttension after thefirst two
hours ofbreak-inoperationandafter every
10 operatinghours.
• At the end of eachtilling season,check
the beltfor cracks,cuts or frayed edges
and replaceit assoon as possible
ToCheckForwardBeltTension:
1. Stop engine,wait for all parts to stop
mowng and disconnect spark plug wire.
2. With the ForwardClutchBailinan open
(released)position, measureand notethe
overalllengthofthecablespring (A,Figure
5-4) bymeasuringfrom the outermost coil
to the outermost coil.
3. Squeezethe Forward Clutch Bail
againstthe handlebar(seeFigure5-4) and
re-measurethe lengthof the coils. The
Figure5-4: Tocheckforwardbelt tension,taketwomeasurementsof the
overalllengthof thecoilsin thespring_firstwiththe clutchbail open,
thenwith theclutchbail closedagainstthe handlebar.
19

WARNING: Beforeinspecting, cleaningor servicing themachine,shut off engine,wait for all
moving partsto come to a completestop, disconnect spark plug wireand move wireawayfrom
spark plug. Failureto follow these instructions can result in serious personalinjury or property
damage.
FORWARDCLUTCH
BAILADJUSTMENT
If the ForwardClutch Bail doesnot func-
tion properly,first check that the forward
drive belt is adjusted properly (see Check-
ing andAdjusting ForwardDrive Belt Ten-
sion). If this fails to correct the problem,
contact Troy-Bilt LLCor your authorized
dealerfor serviceadvice.
CHECKINGANDADJUSTINGRE-
VERSEDRIVEBELTTENSION
(Models634F/634A only)
It is important to maintain correct tension
on the reversedrive belt. A loosebeltwill
causethetines andwheelsto slow down-
or stop completely - eventhough the en-
gine is running at full speed.
Whencheckingbelttension, alsocheckthe
beltfor cracks, cuts or frayed edgesand
replaceit as soonas possible.
•Checkbelttension after thefirst two
hours ofbreak-inoperationandafter every
10 operatinghours.
ToCheckReverseBeltTension:
1. Stopengine, wait for all parts to stop
moving and disconnect spark plug wire.
2. Removescrewin plasticbeltcover and
slide belt cover (which is attachedto for-
ward clutch cable) out of the way.
3. Havean assistant pull the Reverse
ClutchControl knob all the way out and
hold it in that position. Measurethe length
of the cablewire betweenthe end of the
threadedcableadjuster (A,Figure5-5) and
the end of the Z-fitting (B) to which theca-
ble wire is attached.
4. Thebelttension is idealifthecablewire
length measuresbetween1/8"to 1/4". If it
is lessthan 1/8"(andifthere is noreverse
actionwhenthetiller isrunning),then make
the following adjustments
NOTE:Ifthe lengthis morethan 1/4",noad-
justment isneeded--as longasthe reverse
actionfunctions properly.
5. Releasethe ReverseClutch Control
knob.andthen unthreadthe inner jam nut
(C, Figure5-6) one to two turns. Pull the
threaded cableadjuster (A, Figure5-6) to
the left until the innerjam nut (C)touches
the bracket.
6. Preventthe innerjam nut (C)from turn-
ing andtighten the outer jam nut (D)
againstthe bracket. Preventthe outerjam
nut (D)from turning and tighten the inner
jam nut (C) againstthe bracket.
7. Measurethe gap by repeatingStep3.
Readjustasneededby repeatingSteps 5
and 6.
8. Reinstallthebeltcover.
Figure5-6:Movethreadedadjuster(A)toleft
toincreasebelttension.
ReplacementBelt Information
If thedrive belt needsto be replaced,see
your localauthorized dealeror referto the
Parts List for ordering information. Use
only a factory-authorized beltasan "over-
the-counter" belt may not perform satis-
factorily. The procedurerequires average
mechanicalability andcommonly available
tools.
ENGINECLEANING
Keepingthe enginecleanwill help to en-
suresmooth operation and prevent dam-
agefrom overheating. Refertothe Engine
Owner'sManualfor enginecleaning ser-
vice intervals and instructions. Besure
thatthe muffler iscool beforeservicingthe
engine.
AIRCLEANERSERVICE
Theair cleanerfilters dirt and dust out of
theair before it enters thecarburetor. Op-
eratingthe enginewith a dirty, cloggedair
filter can causepoor performanceand
damageto the engine. Neveroperatethe
enginewithout theair cleanerinstalled. In-
spectand service theair cleanermore of-
ten if operating in very dusty or dirty
conditions. Referto the engine Owner's
Manualfor air cleanerserviceintervalsand
Figure5-5: Measurecablewirelengthto instructions.
checkforcorrectreversebelttension. ENGINEOILSERVICE
Checkthe engineoil levelbeforeeachuse
and after every five hours of continuous
operation. Runningtheengine when it is
low on oil will quickly ruin the engine.
It is recommendedthat you changethe
motor oil after every 10 hoursof operation
and evensooner when operating in ex-
tremelydirty or dustyconditions. Referto
the EngineOwner'sManualfor detailed
service instructions.
A. ToCheckthe EngineOil Level:
1. Parkthe tiller on a levelareaand shut
off the engine.
2. Levelthe engine (usethe Depth Regu-
lator Leverto adjust the engineangle).
20