Yard Machines 690 Series User manual

I
MTDPRODUCTSINC.P.O.BOXil6SO22CLEVELAND'OHIO44136'9722
I
PRINTED
IN
U.S.A FORM
NO.770-101178
(11/00)
.\ I
no /t ,-
rfunotrlltctt'
OPERATOR'S
MANUAL
Hydrostatic
Lawn
Tractor
Model
Series
690
-699
IMPORTANT:
READ
SAFETY
RULES
AND
INSTRUCTIONS
CAREFULLY
warning: This
unit
isequipped
with
an
internal
combustion
engine
and
should
not
be
used
on
or
near
any
unrmproved
forest-
covered,
brush-covered
or
grass-covered
land
unless
theenglne's
exhaust
system
iSequipped
with
aspark
arrester
meellng
appricabre
rocar
orstate
raw's
(if
any).
rfa spark
arresler
isusld, itshould
bemaintained
ineffective
working
order
bythe
operator'
lnthestateolcalilorniatheaboveisrequiredbylaw(section
4442otthecaliforniaPublicResourcescode)
otherstatesmaynave
simirar
raws.
Federar
raws
appry
on
federar
rands.
Aspark
arrester
for
the
muffler
is
available
through
your
nearesl
engine
authorized
servicbdea|erorcontacttn"'."*i""department'P'o'Boxg68022C|eve|and,ohio44136.9722.
\
> -
\--
- \t.

TABLE
OF
CONTENTS
Content
Important
Sa{e
Operation
Assembling
Your
Lawn
Tractor """"""" "
8
Know
Your
Lawn
Tractor.................. """""12
Operating
YourLawn
Tractor
Making
Adjustments
Maintaining
YourLawn
Tractor
Optional
Equipment
Troubleshooting
FINDING
MODEL
NUMBER
ThisOperator's
Manual
isan
tmportant
part
of
your
new
lawntractor.
lt
willhelp
you
assemble,
prepare
and
maintain
theunit
forbest
performance.
Please
readand
understand
what
itsays.
Before
you
startassembling
your
newequipment,
please
locate
the
model
plate
on
the
equipment
and
copy
theinformation
from
itin
thespace
provided
below.
The
information
on
the
model
plate
is
veryimportant
if
you
need
help
fromour
Customer
Support
Department
or
anauthorized
dealer.
you
can
locate
the
model
number
by
pivoting
theseat
forward
and
looking
under
it
at
theseat
plvot
bracket.
Asample
model
plate
isexplained
below.
For
future
reference,
please
copy
the
model
number
and
theserial
number
oftheequipment
inthespace
below.
14
't6
17
ZZ
ZJ
(Model
Number) (Serial
Number)
MTD MTDPRODUCTS
INC
CLEVELAND,
OHIO 44136
rf
Copy
the
model
number
here:
Copy
theserial
number
here:
\
lf
you
have
difficulty
assembling
this
product
or
haveany
questions
regarding
the
controls'
operation
or
maintenance
ofthis
unit,
please
callthe
Customer
Support
Department.
Call
1-
(330)
220-4MTD
(4683)or
1-
(800)-800-7310
toreach
aCustomer
Support
representative.
Please
have
your
unit's
model
number
and
serial
number
ready
when
you
call.
See
previous
section
to
locate
this
information.
You
willbe
asked
toenter
the
serial
number
inorder
to
process
your
call.
CALLING
./
L

SECTI0N1: IMP0RTANT
SAFE
0PERATI0NPRACTICES
GENERAL
OPERATION
1. Read,
understand,
and
follow
all
instructions
onthe
machine
and
in
themanual(s)
beforeattempting
to
assemble
andoperate.Keep
thismanualin
asafe
place
forfuture
andregularreference
andfor
orderingreplacement
parts.
2. Befamiliarwith
allcontrols
andtheir
proper
operation.
Knowhowto
stopthemachine
and
disengagethem
quickly.
3. Never allow
childrenunder14
years
oldto
operate
thismachine.
Children
14
years
oldandover
should
read
and
understandthe
ooeration
instructions
and
safety
rules
inthismanual
and
should
betrained
andsupervised
byaparent.
4. Never
allowadultstoooerate
thismachinewithout
proper
instruction.
5. Tohelp avoid
bladecontactor
athrown object
injury,keep
bystanders,helpers,
children
and
pets
at
least
75feetfrom
themachinewhile
itisin
operation.
Stop
machine
ifanyone
entersthe
area.
6. Thoroughly
inspectthe
areawherethe
equipment
isto
beused.Remove
allstones,
sticks,wire,
bones,toys,
andotherforeign
objects
which
could
be
picked
upandthrown
by
the
blade(s).Thrown
objects
can
causeserious
personal
injury.
7. Plan
your
mowing
pattern
to
avoiddischarge
of
material
towardroads,
sidewalks,
bystanders
and
thelike.
Also,
avoiddischargingmaterial
against
a
wallorobstruction
whichmay
causedischarged
material
toricochet
backtoward
theoperator.
8. Alwayswear
safety
glasses
orsafety
goggles
duringoperation
and
while
performing
an
adjustment
orrepairto
protect
your
eyes.Thrown
objectswhich
ricochet
cancause
serious
injury
to
the
eyes.
9. Wear
sturdy,rough-soledwork
shoesandclose-
fitting
slacksand
shirls.Loosefitting
clothes
and
jewelry
canbecaughtinmovable
parts.
Never
operatethis
machinein
barefeetor
sandals.
10.Be
aware
of
themower
and
attachmentdischarge
direction
anddonot
point
it
atanyone.Donot
WARNING:
Thissymbol
points
outimportant
safetyinstructionswhich,ifnotfollowed.
could
endangerthe
person4l
safety
and/or
property
ofyourself and
others.
Read
and
follow
allinstructionsin
thismanual
before
attemptingto
operatethismachine.Failure
to
comply
withtheseinstructions
mayresultin
personal
injury.
When
you
seethissymbol-heedits
warning.
DANGER: This
machinewas
builttobe
operatedaccordingtotherulesfor
safeoperation
in
thisman-
ual.Aswith
anytypeof
power
equipment,
carelessnessorerroronthe
part
ofthe
operatorcan
result
in
seriousinjury.This
machineis
capable
ofamputatinghandsandfeet
and
throwing
objects.Failure
to
observethefollowing
safetyinstructions
couldresultin
serious
injury
ordeath.
WARNING:Engine
exhaust,
someof its
constituents,andcerlainvehicle
components
containor
emit chemicalsknown to the State of Californiato cause cancer and birlh defects
or other
reproductive
harm.
operatethemowerwithout
the
dischargecoveror
entire
grass
catcher
inits
proper
place.
11. Donot
put
handsorfeet
nearrotating
parts
or
underthe
cuttingdeck.Contactwiththe
blade(s
r
canamoutatehands
and
feet.
12.Amissing
ordamageddischarge
covercan
cause
bladecontactor
thrown
objectinjuries.
13.Stoptheblade(s)when
crossing
graveldrives,
walks,
or
roads
and
while
not
cutting
grass.
14.Watchfortrafficwhen
operatingnear
orcrossing
roadways.
This
machine
isnotintended
for
useon
any
public
roadway.
15.Donot
operatethe
machine
while
underthe
influenceofalcoholordrugs.
16.Mow
only
in
daylightor
good
artificiallight.
17. Never
carry
passengers.
18.Disengage
blade(s)beforeshiftingintoreverse.
Back
upslowly.
Always
look
downandbehind
beforeandwhilebackingto
avoidaback-over
accident.
19.
Slowdownbeforeturning.
Operatethemachine
smoothly.Avoiderratic
operationandexcessive
speed.
20.Disengage
blade(s),
place
control
leverinneutral,
set
parking
brake,stopengineandwaituntilthe
blade(s)cometoacomplete
stopbefore
removrng
grass
catcher,emptying
grass,
uncloggingchute,
removing
any
grass
ordebris,
or
making
any
adjustments.
21.Neverleave
arunning machineunattended.
Alwaysturnoffblade(s),
set
parking
brake,stop
engine
andremovekey
beforedismounting.
22. Useextracare when
loadingorunloadingthe
machineinto
atrailerortruck.Thisunit
should
not
bedrivenupordown
ramp(s),
becausethe
unit
could
tip
over,causingserious
personal
injury.The
unitmustbe
pushed
manuallyonramp(s)
toload
or
unload
properly.
23. Muffler
andenginebecome
hot
andcancause
a
burn.
Donottouch.
24. Checkoverheadclearancescarefully
beforedriving
under
low
hangingtreebranches,wires,
door

openrngs
etc.,
where
theoperator
maybe
strucK
or
oulled
from
theunit,
which
could
result
in
serious
Inlury.
25.Depress
the
brake
pedal
completely
and
place
the
control
lever
in
neutral
before
attempttng
tostart
engine.
26.
Yourmachine
isdesigned
tocut
normal
residential
grass
ofaheight
nomore
than
10".Do
notattempt
tomow
through
unusually
tall,dry
grass
(e.9..
pasture)
or
piles
of
dry
leaves.
Dry
grass
or
leaves
maycontact
theengine
exhaust
and/or
buildup
on
the
mower
deck
presenting
a
potentialfirehazard.
27.Use
only
accessories
andattachments
approved
forthis
machine
by
the
machine
manufacturer.
Read.understand
and
follow
all
instructions
provided
withthe
approved
accessory
or
attachment.
28 Data
rndicates
thatoperators,
age60
years
and
above,
are
involved
inalarge
percentage
of
rtdtng
mower-related
iniuries.
These
operators
should
evaluate
theirabilrty
tooperate
the
riding
mower
safely
enough
to
protect
themselves
and
others
fromserious
inlury.
29.lfsituations
occur
whichare
notcovered
inthis
manual,use
care
and
good
judgment.
Contact
an
authorized
service
dealer
forasststance.
SLOPE
OPERATION
Slopes
are
amajor
factor
related
to
lossofcontrol
and
tip-over
accidents
whichcan
result
insevere
injuryor
death.
Allslopes
requireextra
cautlon.
lf
you
cannot
back
up
theslope
or
if
you
feeluneasy
on
it,
do
notmow
it.
For
your
safety,
u5;e
the
slope
gauge
included
as
part
of
thismanual
to
measure
slopes
before
operating
this
unit
ona
sloped
or
hillyarea.
lftheslope
is
greater
than
1
5degrees
asshown
on
theslope
gauge,
do
not
operate
thisuniton
thatarea
orserious
injury
could
result.
DO:
1. Mowup
anddown
slopes,
notacross.
Exercise
extreme
caution
whenchanging
direction
on
SIODES.
2. Watch
forholes,
ruts,bumps,
rocks,or
other
hiddenobjects.
Uneven
terraincould
overturn
the
machine.
Tallgrass
can
hideobstacles
3. Use
slow
speed.
Choose
alowenough
speed
setting
so
that
you
will
nothave
tostopor
shift
while
on
theslope.
Tiresmay
losetraction
on
slopes
even
though
the
brakes
are
functioning
properly.
Always
keep
machine
in
gear
when
going
down
slopes
totake
advantage
ofengine
braking
action.
4. Follow
the
manufacturer's
recommendations
for
wheel
weights
orcounterweights
to
improve
stability.
5. Use
extracare
with
grass
catchers
orother
attachments.
Thesecan
change
thestability
of
the
machine.
6. Keep
all
movement
ontlre
slopes
slow
and
gradual'
Donot
make
sudden
changes
in
speed
or
direction.
Rapid
engagement
orbraking
could
cause
the
front
of
the
machine
toliftand
rapidly
flipover
backwards
whichcould
cause
serious
injurY.
7. Avoid
starting
orstopping
onaslope'
lf
tireslose
traction,
disengage
theblade(s)
and
proceed
slowly
straight
down
thesloPe.
DO
NOT:
1. Do
not
turnon
slopes
unless
necessary;
then,
turn
slowly
and
graduallydownhill,
if
possible.
2. Do
not
mow
neardrop-offs,
ditches
or
embankments.
The
mower
could
suddenly
turn
over
if
a
wheel
isover
theedge
ofa
cliff
,
ditch,or
if
an
edge
caves
in.
3. Do
nottry
tostabilize
the
machine
by
putting
your
footon
the
ground.
4. Donot
usea
grass
catcher
onsteep
slopes.
5. Do
notmow
on
wet
grass.
Reduced
traction
could
cause
sliding.
6. Do
notshift
to
neutral
andcoast
downhtll.
Over-
speeding
maycause
theoperator
tolosecontrol
of
the
machine
resulting
inserious
injury
ordeath.
7. Do
nottow
heavy
pull
behind
attachments
(e.g'
loaded
dump
cart,
lawn
roller,etc.)
on
slopes
greater
than
5degrees.
When
going
down
hill,the
extra
weight
tends
to
push
the
tractor
and
may
cause
you
to
loose
control.
(e.g.tractor
mayspeed
up,braking
andsteering
ability
are
reduced,
attachment
may
jack-knife
and
cause
tractor
to
overturn).
CHILDREN
Tragic
accidents
can
occur
ifthe
operator
is
not
alert
to
the
presence
ofchildren.
Children
are
often
attracted
tothe
machine
and
themowing
activity.
They
do
notunderstand
thedangers.
Never
assume
that
children
will
remain
where
you
last
saw
them.
a. Keep
children
outof
the
mowing
areaand
in
watchfulcare
of
aresponsible
adult
other
than
the
operator.
b. Bealert
and
turn
machine
off
ifachild
enters
thearea.
c. Before
and
while
backing,
lookbehind
and
down
forsmall
children.
d. Never
carry
children,
even
withthe
blade(s)
shut
off.
They
may
falloff
and
beseriously
injured
or
interfere
withsafe
machine
ooeration.
e. Use
extreme
care
whenapproaching
blind
corners,
doorways,
shrubs,
trees
or
other
objects
that
mayblock
your
visionof
achild
who
may
run
intothe
machine.

f. Disengagethe
cuttingblade(s)before
shifting
inreverse.The
"No-Cut-ln
Reverse"
featureis
aremindernottocutinreverse
and
toheloavoid
backoveraccidents.
Donot
defeatit.
g. Keep
childrenawayfromhot
or
running
engines.They
cansufferburnsfromahot
muffler.
h. Removekeywhenmachineis
unattendedto
prevent
u
nauthorized
ooeration.
9. Never allowchildrenunder14
years
oldtooperate
themachine.
Children
14
years
old
andovershould
read
andunderstandthe
operation
instructions
and
safety
rulesin
thismanual
andshouldbe
trained
andsupervised
byaparent.
TOWING
1. Tow
onlywith
amachine that
has
ahitchdesigned
fortowing.
Donot
attach
towed
equipmentexcept
atthehitch
ooint.
2. Followthemanufacturersrecommendation
for
weightlimitsfortowed
equipmentandtowing
on
stooes.
3. Never allowchildrenor
others
in
orontowed
equipment.
4. Onslopes,theweight
of
thetowed
equipmentmay
cause
loss
oftraction
and
loss
ofcontrol.
5. Travelslowly
andallowextra
distance
to
stop.
6. Donot
shifttoneutral andcoast
downhil'.
SERVICE
SAFEHANDLING
OFGASOLINE:
1. Toavoid
personal
injury
or property
damage
useextremecareinhandling
gasoline.
Gasolineis
extremely
flarflmable
andthevapors
areexplosive.
Serious
personal
injurycanoccurwhen
gasoline
is
spilledon
yourself
or
your
clothes
which
canignite.
Wash
your
skinandchangeclothesimmediately.
a. Useonlyanapproved
gasoline
container.
b. Neverfill
containers
inside
avehicleor
ona
truck
ortrailerbedwithaplastic liner.Always
place
containersonthe
ground
awayfrom
your
vehicle
beforefilling.
c. When
practical,
remove
gas-powered
equipment
from
thetruckortrailer
and
refuel
it
onthe
ground.
lfthisisnot
possible,
then
refuel
suchequipmentonatrailerwith
a
portable
container,ratherthanfrom
a
gasoline
dispenser
nozzle.
d. Keep thenozzlein
contact
with
therimofthe
fuel
tankorcontaineropening
atalltimes
untilfuelingiscomplete.Donot
useanozzle
lock-open
device.
e. Extinguish
allcigarettes,cigars,
pipes
and
othersourcesofignition.
f. Neverfuel
machineindoors.
g Neverremove gas
caporaddfuelwhilethe
engine
rshot
or
running.
Allow
engineto
cool
at
leasttwo
minutes
before
refueling.
h. Never
over
fillfueltank.Fill
tanktonomore
lhan
1/z
inch
belowbottomoffillerneck
to
allowspace
f
or
f
uelexpanston.
i. Replace
gasoline
capand
trghten
securely.
j. lf
gasoline
issprlled.
rvrpe
toffthe
engine
andequipment.
Move
unrt
to
anotherarea.
Wait
5minutesbeforestartrngthe engine.
k. To
reduce
firehazards,keepmachine
free
of
grass,
leaves,orother
debrisbuild-upClean
upoilor
fuel
spillageandremoveanyfuel
soakeddebris.
l. Neverstorethemachineorfuelcontainer
insidewherethereis
anopen
flame.
sparkor
pilot
light
asona
waterheater,
space
heater.
furnace,clothesdryerorother
gas
annliannpc
m. Allow
amachineto coolat
least
5minutes
beforestoring.
GENERALSERVICE:
1. Neverrun
an
engineindoors
or
in
apoorly
ventilated
area.
Engine
exhaustcontainscarbon
monoxide,anodorless,anddeadly
gas.
2. Before
cleaning,
repairing,
or
inspecting,make
certaintheblade(s)andallmoving
parts
have
stopped.
Disconnectthe
spark
plug
wire
and
ground
againsttheengineto
prevent
unintended
starting.
3. Periodically check
tomake
surethebladescometo
complete
stop
withinapproximately
(5)five
secondsafteroperatingthebladedisengagemenl
control.lfthebladesdonotstoowithinthethistime
frame,
your
unitshouldbeserviced
professionally
byanauthorizedservicedealer.
4. Check brakeoperationfrequently
as
itissublected
towear
during
normaloperation.Adjust
and
servrce
as
reouired.
5. Checktheblade(s)andenginemountingbollsat
frequentintervalsfor
proper
tightness.
Also,
visuallyinspectblade(s)fordamage
(e.9..
excessive
wear,
bent,cracked).
Replacetheblade(s)withtheoriginalequipment
manufacturer's
(O.E.M.)
blade(s)only.
listedin
this
manual.
"Use
ofoartswhichdo
notmeetthe
originalequipmentspecifications
maylead
to
improper
performance
andcompromisesafetyl"
6. Mowerbladesaresharp.Wrap
the
bladeorwear
gloves,
anduseextracaution
when
servicingthem.
7. Keep
all
nuts,
bolts,and
screwstrghttobesurethe
equipmentis
in
safe
workingconditron.
8. Nevertamperwiththesafety
interlock
systemor
othersafetydevices.
Checktheir
proper
operation
regularly.
9. Afterstrikingaforeignobject,
stop
the
engine,
disconnectthespark
plug
wire(s)
and
ground
against
theengine.Thoroughly
inspect
the

wARNING: YOUR
RESPONSIBILITY
Restrict
theuse
ofthis
powermachine
to personswhoread'
understand
and
follow
the
warnings
and
instructions
in
this
manual
and
on
the
machine.
NOTE: Notatt
safetylabels
shownmayapplytoyourlawntractor'
machine
forany
damage.
Repair
the
damage
before
starting
and
oPerating.
10.
Never
attempt
tomake
adjustments
orrepairs
to
the
machine
while
the
engine
isrunning.
11.Grass
catchel
components
and
thedischarge
cover
are
subject
to
wearand
damage
which
could
expose
moving
parts
orallow
objects
tobe
thrown'
Forsafety
protection,frequently
check
components
and
replace
immediately
withoriginal
equipment
manufacturels
(O.E.M.)
parts
only,
listed
inthis
manual.
"Use
of
parts
which
do
not
meet
the
original
equipment
specifications
may
lead
to
improper
performance
and
compromise
safety!"
12.
Do
not
change
the
engine
governorsettings
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
protecttheenvironment.
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Label
shape
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hactormodel.
Labelcontents
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SECTI0N
3: ASSEMBLING
YOUR
LAWN
TRACTOR
NOTE: This manual covers various models of
hydrostatictractors within the 690 series. Please use
tnstructions
pertaining
only
to
yourtractor-
Unpacking
. Remove
all
screws
from
topof
thecrate
using
1/4
hex
head
socket
or
a
flatblade
screwdriver.
. Toremove
ends,
grasp
top
board
on
the
end,and
pulltowards
you
in
downward
motion.
(A
hammer
may
be
helpful).
Set
panel
aside
toavoid
ttre
damage.Repeat
procedure
on
other
sides'
. Remove
and
discard
plastic
bag
whichcovers
unlt.
. Loose
parts
(may
include
the
owner's
gulde'
steering
wheel,
optional
oil
drain
sleeve
or
hose,
battery
fluid,chute
deflector,
optional
mulching
plug.
etc.)
are
on
theseat
or
inabox
wrapped
in
plastic.
Carefully
cut
and
remove
the
plastic
wrap.
Remove
the
loose
Parts.
. Make
sure
that
parking
brake
and
hydrostatic
transmisston
relief
valveare
released
and
unit
is
in
neutral.
See
page12-12
forthe
location
of
the
parkrng
brake
release
and
the
hydrostatlc
relief
valve.
. Raise
thedeck
and
push
theunit
off
theskid.
NOTE: Reference
to right or left side of the unit is
observed
from the operating
positionon the driver's
seat,
facing
forward.
Tools
Required
Antidote
Use
the
following
antidotes
if
you
come
incontact
with
thebattery
acid.
External-
Flush
with
water.
Internal
-Drink
large
quantities
of
water
or
milk.
Follow
with
milkof
magnesia,
beaten
eggs
or
vegetable
oil.
Call
physicianimmediatelY.
Eyes
- Flush
withcool
water
forat
least
15
minutes'
then
get
prompt
medical
attention.
lfacid
spills
on
clothing,
firstdilute
it
withclean
water,
then
neutralize
with
asolution
ofammonia/
water
or
baking
soda/water.
IMPORTANT:Since
battery
acid
iscorrosive,
do
not
pour
itintoany
sink
ordrain.
Before
discarding
empty
electrolvte
containers,
rinse
with
aneutralizing
solution
WARNING: To avoid sParks, NEVER
connect or disconnectchargerclips to
battery
while
charger
isturned
on.
Keep all lighted materials (cigarettes'
matches,
lighters)away from the battery
as the hydrogen gas generated during
charging
can
becombustible.
As a further
precaution,only charge
the
battery in a well-ventilatedarea. Make
certain
venting pathof battery
drain tube
(if
equipped)
isalwaYs
oPen-
Socket
wrenc'Ir
114"or
flat
blade
screwdriver
Adjustable
orsocket
wrench
1/2' .
Adjustable
orsocket
wrench
9/16
Pairof
adlustable
orsocket
wrenches
7/16"
lf
your
tractor
steering
wheel
cap
issquare'
you
must
usea
socket
wrench
toinstall
the
steering
wheel.
ldentifying
BatterY
T1tPe
1.
z.
4.
a
Handling
Battery
WABNING:
The battery
contains
sulfuric
acid. This battery acid must be handled
with great
care
ascontact
with it canburn
and blisterskin.Wearprotective
clothing
(goggles,rubber
gloves
and
apron)
when
working with it. Keepbatteries
out of the
reach
ofchildren.
IMPORTANT:
Should
battery
acidaccidentally
splatter
into
theeyes
orontothe
face,
rinse
theaffected
area
immediately
withclean,
cold
water.
Refer
to
the
antidotes
mentioned
below.
lfthere
isany
further
discomfort,
seek
prompt
medical
attention.
@"e)@au)
Jaz
t :.r
"-:*
I
Type
"B"
Figure
1

. Comparethe
batteryin
your
lawn
tractor
(located
undertheseat)withtheillustration
above.Type
"A"
batteriesareactivated
andarereadyto
use.Type
"8"
batteriesmust
be
filled
with
battery
fluid
(acid)
andcharged
beforetheyare
put
into
service.
Followinstructions
which
applytothe
batteryin
your
lawntractor
only.
Activating
&
Charging
Battery
(Type
"8" Battery
Only)
WARNING:
Donotactivatebattery (i.e.
fill
with battery
acid) until batteryis actually
placedin service.
Readwarnings
about
battery
usagein the previouspage
before
activatingthebattery.
Pivotthe
seat
pivot
bracketforward.
Unhookthe
strapwhich
securesthebattery
(hook
isonrear
frame,
underthefender).
Disconnect
the
positive
cable
from
the
positive
terminal.
Savethehardware
forreassembly.
Remove
the
batteryfromthelawn
tractor,
paying
attentiontohow
thebatteryis
placed
inthe
unit,
and
how
thedraintube
(attached
tothe
battery)is
routed.
Activate
thebattery
as
instructed
inthe
"Quick
Start"brochureincluded
with
thebattervfluid.
Read
instructions
carefullv.
NOTE: You
cancontinueto assemblethelawntractor
while the batteryis standing for 30 minutes after acid
fill-up,
andlaterwhile
youarecharging
thebattery.
IMPORTANT:
Toobtainmaximum
lifefrom
thebatterv.
chargeit
prior
toinitial
use.
. Battery
P/N725-1705D:
Chargeat2-3ampsfor
onenour.
. Battery
P/N725-1707D,725-0453G,
and725-
1750:
Chargeat6ampsfor
one
hour.
. Chargebattery
afterthe30-minute
standing
period.
NOTE:lf you chargethebattery
at a lower AMP rate,
use a hydrometer to make sure the battery is
completely
charged.Thehydrometer
shouldread1.260
minimum
atanelectrolyte
temperature
of60-11eF.
WARNING:Do not charge the tractor
batteryatmorethan6amps.
. Placethe
steering
bellow
overthe
steering
shaft
extendingthroughthedash
See
Figure
2.
NOTE: lf the openingson each end of the steering
belloware of two sizes. the smallerend ooes down
againstthe
dashofthe
lawn
tractar
. Withthewheels
pointing
straight
p
ace
the
steering
wheel
overthesteeringshaft.
posrt
onrngthe
steeringwheel
asdesired.
. Placethe
washerwiththe
cuppeds,dedow,n
over
thesteering
shaft.Securewithhex
iocx
DoltSee
Figure2.
NOTE:lf
your
tractor
steeringwheel
cap
is
seudre
j/oLl
mustuseasocketwrench.
. Placethe
steeringwheel
capoverthecente.or:he
steering
wheel
and
press
itwith
your
hand
HexLock
Steering
Bellow
Figure2
AttachingSeat
NOTE: Your tractor rs equipped with one of lhe
followingtypesofseats.ldentify
theseattypefron the
illustrations
below.and followinstructions
perlarntne
io
your tractor.
ManualAdjustmentSeat
Removethefour
screwsfromthe
seatand
rernove
the
packrng
straps
from
twoofthe
bolts
Turnthe
seataroundand
place
itin
position
againstthe
seat
pivot
bracket.
lrning
uptheslottedholesinthe
prvot
bracket
wrththeholes
inthe
seat.Selectdes
red
position
f
or
the
seat.andsecurewiththe
four
Attaching
SteeringWheel
Thehardware
for
attachingthe
steeringwheelhas
been
packed
inside
the
steeringwheel.
Carefully
pry
offthe
steeringwheelcap
andremovethehardware.
Remove
the
steeringbellowfromthe
liftlever
on
theright
side
of
the
tractor. Figure
3

NOTE: The seat may have been shippedin a box'
Remove
the fourscrews
fromthe bottom
of seatand
place seat
in position
againstthe seatpivot bracket.
Followthedirections
abovetoattachtheseat.
0uick
AdjustmentSeat
. Remove
thetwo
bolts
from
thebottom
of
theseat
and
remove
the
packing
straps.
Replace
thebolts.
Lineup
plastic
seatspacers
with
theslots
inseat
pivot
bracket.
Slide
seat
inuntil
frontseat
spacer
engages
theseat
stop.
To
adjust
theseat
refer
to
the
Adjustment
Section.
See
Figure
4.
Slol
Figure
4
NOTE:lf theseatwasshipped
ina box,
lineupplasttc
seat spacerswith the slots
in seat pivot bracket
and
slide
seat
inuntiHront
seat
spacer
engages
seat
stop.
WARNING:
Before operatingyour unit,
stand behind
quick adjustment seatand
pull back on seat,making sure seat is
engaged
inseat
stop.
Removing
Shipping
Brace
WARNING:
The shipping
brace,
usedfor
packaging
purposes
only,
mustberemoved
anddiscarded
before
operating
your
riding
mower.
WARNING:
Make
sure
the riding
mower's
engine
isoff
,
remove
theignition
key,
and
set
the parkingbrake before removing
the
shipping
brace.
Locatethe
shipping
brace
andaccompanying
warning
tagon
the
rightsideof
the
mower,between
thedischarge
chuteand
thecutting
deck.
See
Figure
5.
While
holding
thedischarge
chute
with
your
left
hand,
removethe
shipping
brace
with
your
right
handby
graspingitbetween
your
thumb
and
index
finger
and
rotating
itclockwise.
Carefully
allow
thedischarge
chute
to
pivot
downward.
Discard
theshipping
brace
and
accompanylng
warning
tag.
Warning
Tag
Figure5
Installing
The
Mulching
Plug
(rrEquipped)
NOTE:Yourmulching
plugmayalready beinstalledon
thedeck.
Some
lawntractors
come
equipped
witha
mulch
kit
which
incorporates
special
blades,
already
standard
on
all
tractor,
inaprocess
of
recirculating
grass
clipptngs
repeatedly
beneath
thecutting
deck.
The
ultra-f
ine
clippings
are
then
forced
back
into
thelawn
where
they
act
asanatural
fertilizer.Observe
the
following
recommendations
for
thebest
results
when
mulchtng.
NOTE: Themulchkit is installed
on modelsequipped
witha 38"or42-inch
deck.
lt ispacked
separately
(with
an instruction
sheet)
in thecrateon models
equipped
witha46-inchdeck.
. Neverattempt
to
mulch
ifthe
lawn
isdamp.
Wet
grass
tends
tostick
totheunderside
of
thecutting
deck
preventing
proper
mulching
ofthe
clippings
. Do
NOTattempt
to
mulch
more
than
1/3the
total
height
of
the
grass
or
approximately
1-112
inches
Doing
so
willcause
the
clippings
toclump
up
beneath
thedeck
and
not
be
mulchedeffecttvely.
. Maintain
aslow
ground
speed
toallow
the
grass
clippings
more
time
toeffectively
be
mulched.
. Always
positron
the
throttlecontrol
lever
tnthe
FAST
(rabbit)
position
and
allow
itto
rematnthere
while
mowing.
Failing
to
keep
theengine
atfull
throttle
places
strain
on
the
tractor's
engine
and
does
notallow
theblades
to
properly
mulch
grass.
NOTE: tt is not necessary
to remove the discharge
chute
tooperate
the
mower
withthe
mulch
kit
installed.
10

To
operatethecutting
deckwithoutmulching,
simply
remove
themulch
plug
by
unthreadingthe
plastic
wing
nut
whichfastensit
tothe
cuttinqdeck.Thiswill
allow
the
clippingstodischarge
outthe
side.SeeFigure
6.
Pull
theadjustableliftlink
outofthe
deckhanger
channel.Turnthe
adjustableliftlink
upor
downas
necessarytolevel
thedeck.
Usuallyonly
oneortwo
turns
areneeded.
See
Figure
7.
Inseft
theend
of
the
adjustableliftlinkinto
the
hole
inthe
deck
hanger
channel.
Recheckthe
adjustment.Readjustif
necessary.
Whenthe
deck
islevelled,
secure
endofadjustable
liftlink
withflatwasher
andhairpin
clip.
Figure
6
TirePressure
. The
tireson
your
unitmay
beover-inflatedfor
shipping
purposes.
Reduce
thetire
pressure
before
operating
theunit.Recommended
operatingtire
pressure
is
approximately10
p.s.i.
Checksidewall
oftireformaximum
p.s.i.
WARNING:
Maximum
tire pressure
under
any circumstances
is 30 p.s.i.
Equal
tire
pressure
should
bemaintained
onalltires.
Leveling
the
Deck
. With
unit
on
hard,
level
surface,
place
theblades
in
astraightline,
andmeasure
the
distancefrom
the
outsideedge
ofthebladetips
tothe
ground.
lfthe
distancevaries,
adjustmentis
needed.
. Remove
thehairpin
clip
andflatwasherfrom
the
bottom
oftheadjustable
liftlink
ontheleft
sideof
the
deck.Locate
thehairpin
clipandtheflat
washer
ontheinside
oftheliftlink.
Figure
7
InstallingBattery
TypeABattery
NOTE: lf the battery is put into service after the
expiration of the date shown on top of the battery,
chargeitfor
aminimum onehour
at6-10amps.
. Liftthe
seatandremovethe
olastic
coverfromthe
negativeterminal.
. Remove
thehex
boltand
nut
fromthenegative
(black)
cable.Attachnegative
cable
tothenegative
terminalwith
thisbolt
and
nut.
TypeBBattery
. Liftthe
seat.Makesure
boththenegative
(black)
cableandthe
positive
(red)
cable
are
routed
up
throughthe
batterycompartment.
See
Figure
B.
. Replace
thebatteryin
thebattery
compartment
as
itwas
before.
Make
surethat
the
positive
terminalis
towardthefront
ofthe
unit.
Positive
Terminal
\B"tt"ry
Compartment
Figure
8
Attach
the
positive
(red)
cabletothe
positive
terminal
ofthebattery.
Secure
with
hex
boltandnut
previously
removed.
Slide
rubber
bootdownover
the
positive
terminal.
Remove
thehexboltandnutfrom
thenegative
(black)
cable.Attachnegative
cableto
thenegative
terminalwith
thisboltandnut.
Securebatterybyhooking
batterystrapinto
slotin
rearframe,
underthefender.
SeeFigure
9.
11

BatteryStrap Slot in
,\r.
Figure9
Inserlthe
drain
tubedown
through
thehole
inthe
battery
compartment
and
theholeinthe
transaxle
reinforcement
bracket
located
ontherightsideof
theunit.See
Figure
9.
Becertaindrain
tube
is
routedaway
from
the
wheelrim.
Trimexcess
end
ofdrain
tube
ifnecessary
(about
4' should extend
past
thebracket
orcable
tie).
SECTI0N
4: KN0WY0UR
LAWNTRACT0R
lgnition
Switch
Theignitionswitch
islocatedonthe
dashboard.Start
theengine
by
turningthe
keytotheSTART
position.
Whentheengine
isrunning,leave
thekey
in
theON
position.
Tostoptheengine,
turn
thekeyto
the
OFF
position.
See
Figure
10.
WARNING:Remove the key from the
tractor,when the tractor is not in use,to
prevent
accidental
starting.
ChokeControl
The
choke
control
islocatedon
thedashboard
andis
operated
manually.
Detailsforthechoke
operationare
covered
intheseparateengine
manual
packed
with
your
unit.See
Figure
10.
ThrottleControl
Thethrottlecontrol
is
located
on
thedashboard
andis
used
to
regulate
theengine
speed.
To
get
maximum
efficiency
incutting
grass,
thethrottleshould
be
inthe
FAST
position
whenoperating
thetractor.
Clutch-Brake
Pedal
Theclutch-brakeoedal
islocatedon
the
left
side
ofthe
tractor.Depressing
the
pedal
returns
thedriveunit
to
neutral
(N)and applies
the brake.
The clutch-brake
pedal
mustbedepressed
tostarttheengine.
Hydrostatic
Control
Lever
Thehydrostatic
control
lever
islocatedon
topofthe
fender
onthe
rightsideof
thetractor.
Thissingle
control
lever,connected
tothe
hydrostatictransmission,
controlsboth
thespeed
and
direction
ofthe
tractor.
Infinite
speedcontrol
is
achieved
bymoving
thecontrol
lever
forwardorbackward.
The
farther
forwardor
backward
you
move
thecontrol
lever,the
faster
you
will
travel.
Pulli'ng
thecontrol
lever
intoneutral
(N)
area
will
stop
thetractor.
See
Figure
11.
Figure
11
Parking
Brake
Tosetthe
parking
brake,
depress
theclutch-brake
pedal,pull
up
the
parking
brake
knoband
releasethe
Light Switqft lgnitionSwitch
Choke
Throttle
Cable
Lift
Lever
Clutch/ BrakePedal
Figure10
12

clutch-brake
pedal.
ltwill
stay
intheraised
position.
To
release
the
parking
brake,depressand
release
the
clutch-brake
pedalwhilepushing
downonthe
parking
brakeknob.The
parking
brakemustbesetifthe
operatorleavestheseatwiththe
engine
running.
See
Fioure12.
ReliefValve
Ahydrostaticreliefvalveis
provided
sotheunitcan
be
movedwithoutthe
engine
running.Theleverwhich
oDeratesthereliefvalveislocatedintheofthetractor
between
thewheels.
See
Figure13.
To
operate
thereliefvalve,
place
the
hydrostatic
control
leverinneutral
and
releasethe
parking
brake.
Move
the
leverfromthelock
Dosition
intothe
slot
torelievethe
hydraulrc
pump.
Makesuretoreleasethelevertothe
lock
position
beforeoperatingtheengine.
Figure13
LiftLever
Theliftleveris
used
toraise
and
lower
thecuttingdeck
andtoengageanddisengagethe
blades.
Pullingit
all
thewayback
and
lockingit
disengages
the
blades.
See
Figure
'14.
NOTE: Thelift lever must be in the BLADESSTOP
position when starting the engine, when shifting into
reverse
andiftheoperatorleavesthe
seat.
Figure
14
0ptional
Features
NOTE: Thecontrols
listed
below
are optionalfeatures
andmanytractor
modelsmaynotbeequippedwithone
or moreof these.
Pleaseuse information
pertinent
to
yourlawntractor.
lndicatorLights
lf
your
unit
isequipped
withindicatorlights,two
or
three
Indicatorlightsarelocated
in
thedash
panel.
lf
alight
illuminateswhenattempting
to
start
theunit,
proceed
as
follows.
Clutch:
Depresstheclutch
pedal.
PTO:
PlaceliftleverintheBladesStop
position.
Oil
(Vanguard
Twinand
IntekTwinEngines
Only).
Check
thecrankcaseoil
level
andadd
oilasrequired.
DeckLiftlndicator
The
deck
liftindicator
(if
soequipped)
marksthe
position
beingused
fortheliftlever.Selectthe
liftlever
position
desired,
press
the
indicatorleveroutward,
moveittothe
position
immediately
below
theliftlever
and
releasethe
indicatorlever.
LightSwitch
Theheadlampsareoperatedby
pushing
thelight
switch
located
on
thedashboard.
Theheadlampswill
onlyoperatewhentheengine
isrunning.
Ammeter
Theammeterregisters
therateofbatterychargeor
discharge.
Whiletheenginestarts,
theammeterwill
registeronthedischarging
side.ltshould
register
on
theoppositeside
(charging)
whentheengrneisrunning
fastand
the
battery
isnot
yet
completelycharged.
With
a
fullychargedbatteryor
withtheengineidling,the
ammeter
willnotshowacharqe.
o--- Parking,r")\
Knob
==:---- -
---:---
Figure12
13

SECTI0N5: 0PERATING
Y()UR
LAWN
TRACT0R
WARNING:Go up and down slopes,not
across. Avoid sudden turns. Do not
operat€the unit
whereit couldslipor tip
over. lf the tractor stops while going
uphill,stoptheblade(s)andreversedown
thehillslowly.
Do not mow when children or others are
around.
Never
carrychildren.
Lookdown
and behindthe tractorbeforeand while
backing.Keepthe pathway of the tractor
free
ofobstructions.
Keep
safetydeviceslikeguards, shields
andswitches
in
place
and
fullyfunctional.
Makesurethattheblade(s)andthe
engine
have stopped completely before you put
handsorfeetnear theblade(s).
GasAndOilFill-Up
. Checktheoil
level
andaddifnecessary.
Service
theenginewith
gasoline
as
instructedinthe
separateengine
manual
packed
with
your
tractor.
Readinstructions
carefully.
IMPORTANT:Your
tractorisshippedwithoil;however
you
must
checktheoillevelalways
before
operating.
Be
careful
notto
overfill.
Starting
Engine
IMPORTANT:This
unit
is
equipped
with
asafety
interlocksystem'for
yourprotection.
The
purpose
of
thesafetyinterlocksystemisto
prevent
the
engine
from
crankingorstarting
unless
the
clutch-brake
pedal
is
depressed
and
theliftleverisin
theBLADESSTOP
oosition.
In
addition.
theliftlever
mustbeinthe
BLADES
STOP
position
whenthe
unit
is
put
into
reverse
or
the
engine
will
shutoff.
lf
theoperatorleaves
theseatwiththeliftlever
engagedand/orwithout
settingthe
parking
brake,theenginewill
shutoff
.
WARNING:Do not operatethe tractor if
the interlock system is malfunctioning
because
it is a safetydevice,designedfor
protection.
a
a
Place
theliftleverintheBLADES
STOPoosition.
Depress
clutch-brake
pedal
and
set
parking
brake.
Placethehydrostatic
controlleverintheNEUTRAL
(N)position.
Setthethrottle
control
intheFAST
oosition.
Pull
outthe
chokecontrol
(a
warm
enginemaynot
require
choking).
. Turntheignitionkeytotherighttothe
START
position.
Afterthe
enginestarts,
releasethekey.lt
willreturntothe
ONDosition.
NOTE: Protectthe starter'slfe by using short starling
cycles of several seconds. Cranking more than 15
seconds
perminutecandamagethestartermotor.
. Push
choke
knob
gradually.
Movethethrottle
controltodesiredenginespeed.
Stopping
Engine
. Turntheignitionkeytothe
left
totheOFF
position.
Removethe
key
to
prevent
accidentalstarting.
IMPORTANT:lf
you
strikeaforeign object,stopthe
engine.
Removewirefrom
spark
plug,
thoroughly
inspecttheunitforanydamage,andrepairthe
damage
before
restarlingandoperatingthemower.
WARNING:Before leavingthe operator's
position, disengage blade(s), place shift
leverin neutral,
engagebrake
lock,
shut
offengineandremovekey.
0perating
LawnTractor
Movethrottlecontrolto
fullthrottle
tooreventstrain
on
the
engineand
tooperatethecutting
blades.
Depresstheclutch-brake
pedal
while
pushing
downon
the
parking
brake
knob
so
the
parking
brakeisreleased,andthen
release
theclutch-
brake
pedal.
Placethehydrostaticcontrolleverineitherthe
FORWARDorthe
REVERSE
oosition.
The
farther
forward
you
movethelever,thefaster
you
will
travel.
Looktotherear
before
reversing.
Tostopthe
lawntractor,
pull
thehydrostatic
control
leverintoNEUTRAL
(N)
ordepresstheclutch-
brake
pedal.
Be
sure
thatthelawnis
clearofstones,
sticks,wire,
orotherobjects
which
coulddamage
lawntractor
or
engine.Forbest
results
and
toinsuremore
even
grass
distribution,do
notmowwhenthelawnis
excessively
wet.
Beforeleavingtheoperator's
position
forany
reason,disengagetheblades,
place
the
hydrostatic
control
leverinneutral,
engage
the
parking
brake,shutengineoffandremovethekey.
Followthesame
procedure
when
stoppingtheunit
toemptya
grass
bag.
This
procedure
willalso
eliminate
"browning"
ofthe
grass,
whichiscaused
byexposure
tohotexhaust
gases
fromengine.
14

SettingCuttingHeight GrassCollector
. Select
the
position
fortheliftleverwhich
gives
the Grass CollectorModelOEM-190-063
is
available
as
desiredcutting
height.
Movethe
deck
liftindicator optionalequipment forlawntractorswith
38'and
42"
(if
so
equipped)sothatthe
liftlever
canbereturned decks.GrassCollector
Model
OEM-190-103is
tothe
same
oosition
afteritisraised. available forlawntractorswith46"
decks.
. Movethe
deck
wheels
(if
soequipped)to
tl-'on^to
location
so
thewheets
are1l4incnabov"e;; " " NOTE:
Under
normal
usagebag
materialissubiectto
ground.
Attwheetsmust
be
ptaced
inr'e same *::'^:'d shouldbe checked
periodically'
Be sureto
-- r'---- use
onlyfactoryauthorized
replacement
bag.
retalrveoosrlron. WARNING:The mower should not be
operatedwithout the entiregrass catcher
orchutedeflector
firmlyinstalled
in
place.
SECTION6: MAKING
ADJUSTMENTS
WARNING:Disconnect
spark plug wires . Removethetransmission
panel
byremovingthe
and ground against the engine before parking
brake
knobandtrussmachinescrews.
performing
any adjustments,repairsor . Loosenthehex
jam
nutonthespeedselector
maintenance. adjusting
rod.
See
Figure16.
. Loosen
the
hexnut
on
the
scissor
mountino
bracket.See
Fioure16.
. To
adjust
the
position
oftheseat,loosenthefour
screwsonthebottomofthe
seat.Slidetheseat
forward
orbackwardas
desired.
Retighten
thefour
screws.RefertoFioure
3.
0uick
Adjustment
Seat
. To
adjustthe
position
of
the
seat,movethe
seat
adjustmentlever
(located
underthe
seat)
to
theleft
andslidetheseatforward
orbackwards.Make
sure
seat
is
lockedinto
oneofthesix
oositions
before
operatingtheliwn
tractor.SeeFigure15.
HydrostaticNeutral
Control
Thehydrostatic
transmission
controlisincorrect
adjustmentwhenthetractor
doesnotmovewiththe
enginerunning,
theclutchengaged
andthe
hydrostatic
controlleverin
theneutral
position.
lf
adjustmentis
necessary,
followthese
steps:
. Raise
both
rear
wheelsoffthe
ground
by
placing
blocksundertherearframe.
ManualAdjustment
Seat SpeedSelector
AdjustingRod
9//
Figure16
. Start
the
engine
and
run
atfullthrottle.
. Movehydrostaticcontrolleveruntil
you
findneutral.
Atthisoosition.
rearwheelswillnotrotatein
either
direction.
. Depressthe
clutch-brake
pedal
untilthe
scissor
bracketscome
together.
. Shutofftheengine.
. Tightenhexnutonthescissor
mounting
bracket.
. Threadthe
soeed
selectorrodinor
out
ofthe
ferrule
until
thehydrostatic
control
leverlines
up
in
neutral
position
on
the
speedcontrol
index
bracket.
. Trghtenhex
jam
nut
against
theferrule.
Figure15
15

. ReD
ace
thetransmission
panel
and
parking
brake
k.^
oo
. Re-ov€
theblocks
f
romunder
theframeand
test
:-e operatron ofthe
tractor.
Deck
Leveling
' :i€ tractor
rs
cutting
grass
unevenly,
level
the
deck
'l owrng
instructionsintheAssemblySection.
Cutting
Deck
En
gagement
Y\€
cunrng
deck
engagement
may
be
adjustedto
e^sure
thatdeck
is
disengaged
when
liftlevertsin
3IADES
STOP
position.
Correctadjustment
as
ioriows.
. Withtheengineoff
,
place
the
liftleverinthehighesl
cutting
position(first
position).
. Remove
the
cotter
pin
and
flatwasherwhich
secure
thedisengagement
rodtothestabilizer
shaft
assembly.See
Figure17.
Figure17
Shortenthe
rod
by
threadingitin,until
theferruleis
againsttheback
oftheslotinthe
lift
shaft
assembly,andthe
rodlinesupwiththe
holeinthe
stabilizershaft.
For
morebelttension,thedisengagement
rodmust
be
lengthened.Todecreasebelttension
the
drsengagement
rodmustbeshortened.
Check
the
adjustment
by
placing
theliftleverinthe
BLADESSTOP
position.
Thedeckshould
move
up
and
forward,
allowingthebelt
to
become
loose.
Start
andtestfordisengagement.
Repeat
procedure
asnecessary.
BrakeAdjustment
n - WARNING:
Donothavetheengine
running
1| when
youadjustthebrake.
r
The
brake
islocatedbythe
rightrearwheel
insidethe
frame.Thebrake
hasbeensetat
thefactory
tothe
proper
clearance.
Duringnormaloperationof
this
machine,
thebrakes
aresubject
towearand
willrequire
periodic
examination
and
adjustment.
. Toadjust
thebrake,adjust
thenutsothebrake
starts
to
engage
whenthebrake
leveris1/4"to
5/16awayfrom
the
axle
housing.See
Figure18.
Figure
18
WheelAdjustment
(Units
with
AdjustableTie
Rod)
The
caster
(forward
slant
ofthe
king
pin)
andthe
camber
(tilt
ofthe
wheelsoutat
thetop)require
no
adjustment.
Automotivesteering
principles
have
been
used
todetermine
thecasterand
camberon
thetractor.
The
frontwheelsshould
toe-inbetween
1/16-5/16
inch.
Toadjust
thetoe-in,
followthesesteps.
. Removethe
hexnutandthe
lockwasher,anddrop
theendof
thetie
rodfromtheaxlebracket.See
Figure
19.
. Loosenthe
hex
jam
nut
on
tierod.
. Adjustthe
tierodassembly
forcorrect
toe-in.
Dimension
Bshouldbeapproximately
1/'16"-5116"
lessthan
Dimension
A. See Figure
19.
. Toincrease
Dimension
"B,"
screw
tierod
intotie
rodend.
To
decrease
Dimension
"B,"
unscrew
tie
rod
fromtierodend.
Reassembletie
rod.
Check
dimensions.
Readjust
ifnecessary.
FlatWasher&
HairpinClip 38" Decks
42" or 46"
Decks
Disengagement
Rod
FlatWasher&
Hairpin
Clip
16

TieBod Axle Bracket
Hex
Jam''-
-
Nut
TieRod
End
I
.-........--
.-l--Hex
Nut&
) Lock
washer
Carburetor
WARNING:
lfany
adiustments
are
made
to
lhe enginewhile the engine is running
iL.g. carOuretor),
disengage
all clutches
andblades.
Keep
clear
of allmoving
parts'
Be
carefulof heated
surfaces
andmuffler'
Minor
carburetor
adjustments
may
be
required
to
compensate
fordifferences
in
fuel,
temperature'
altitude
and
load.
Refer
to
separate
engine
manual
for
carburetor
adjustment
information'
NOTE:A dirtyair cleaner
witt
causean engine
to run
rough.
Be certain
air cleaner
is clean
and attached
to
the
carburetor
before
adiusting
carburetor'
Figure
19
SECTI0N
7: MAINTAINING
YoUR
LAWN
TRACToR
Battery
Care
Type
"A"
BatterY
Type
"A"
batteries
are
maintenance-free'
Type
"8"
BatterY
. Check
fluid
level
inside
each
cell
of
the
battery
everV
two
weeks
and
before
and
after
charging'
Always
keef
level
between
maximum
and
minimum
fill
level.
. Add
only
distilled
water.
Never
add
additional
acid
or
any
other
chemicals
to
thebattery
after
initial
activation.
NOTE: After
operating
the
lawn
tractor
for
along
period
of time.check the fluidtevet
in the battery
as it can
overheat
and
lose
fluid.
. The
engine
isequipped
with
an
alternator
which
charges
battery
when
tractor
isoperated'
Under
normal
conditions,
the
battery
only
needs
tobe
charged
before,
during
and
after
off-season
storage.
. Tocharge
thebatterY:
Battery
P/N
725-1705D-Charge
at
2-3
amps
for
one
hour.
Battery
P/N
725-1
707D,725-0453G,
and
725-1750_.Charge
at
6amps
for
one
hour'
WARNING:
When removing
or installing
the battery, follow these instructions to
prevent the screwdriver from shorting
against
theframe.
. Removing
the
Battery:
Disconnect
negative
cable
first,
then
Positive
cable.
. lnstalling
the
Battery:
Connect
positrvecable
first'
then
negative
cable.
Jump
Starting
. First,
connect
end
of
one
lumper
cable
to
the
oositive
terminal
of
the
good
battery,
then
the
other
end
to
the
positive
terminal
of
the
dead
battery'
. Connect
the
other
lumper
cable
tothe
negative
terminal
of
the
good
battery,
then
to
the
f
rame
o{
the
unit
with
the
dead
battery.
WARNING:
Failure
to use this procedure
could cause sParking,
and the gas In
either
batterY
could
exPlode.
Cleaning
BatterY
. Clean
the
battery
by
removing
rtfrom
the
unit
and
washing
with
a
baking
soda
and
water
solution
lf
necessary,
scrape
the
battery
terminals
withawire
brush
to
remove
deposits.
Coat
terminals
and
exposed
wiring
with
greaseor
petroleum
jelly
to
orevent
corroslon.
Battery
Failures
Some
common
causes
forbattery
failure
are:
incorrect
initial
activation,
lack
of
water'
adding
chemicals
other
than
water
after
initial
activation,
undercharging'
overcharging,
corroded
connections,
freezing'
These
failures
do
not
constitute
warranty'
17

Lubrication
WARNING: Always
disconnect spark
cleaning,lubricating
workonlawntractor.
PivotPoints
. Lubricate
all
pivotpoints
wrthlight
oilonceaseason.
BallJoints
. Theballjointsanddrag
link
ends
are
permanently
lubricated
anddo
notneed
periodic
lubrication.
HydrostaticTransmission
Thehydrostatictransmrssionisfilled
at
thefactory
and
does
notrequire
checking.lf
repairs
areneeded,
contact
your
local
servicedealer.
Thehydrostatic
transmissioncontarns
approximately
2.5
quarts
ofSAE
20W50oil.
SteeringGears
. Lubricateteeth
ofsteering
gears
with
automotive
multr-purpose
grease
afterevery25hoursof
operationor
oncea
season.
See
Figure20.
SteeringShaft
. Lubricatesteeringshaftatleastonceaseasonwith
light
orl.See
Figure
20.
Figure20
Linkage
. Once
aseason
lubricate
allthe
pivotpoints
onthe
clutch,brakeand
liftlinkage
with
SAE30engineoil.
Wheels
. Thefrontwheels
maybe
provided
withoptional
grease
fittings.
The
rear
wheelsmust
be
removed
fromtheaxle
forlubrication.Lubricate
at
least
once
aseason
withautomotive
multi-ourDose
qrease.
stop engine and
ptus wire before CUttinq
BladeS
or doinganykindof Removhg
Blade
WARNING:
Be sure to disconnect and
ground
thespark
plug
wire(s)
and
remove
ignitionkeybeforeworking
onthecutting
blade to prevent accidental engine
starting.Protecthands by using heavy
gloves
oraragtograsp
the
cuttingblades.
Removethehexflangenutwhichholdsthe
blade
to
thebladespindle.See
Figure
21
.
Removethe
blade
fromthesoindle.
Figure21
Sharpening
Blade
. Removethe
cutting
bladesbyfollowingthe
directions
inthe
preceding
section.
. When
sharpening
theblades,followtheoriginal
angleof
grind
asa
guide.
ltis
extremely
important
thateachcuttingedge
receives
anequalamountol
grinding
toprevent anunbalancedblade.
An
unbalancedblade
will
causeexcessive
vibration
whenrotatingat
high
speeds,
may
damage
the
tractor
and/or
couldbreak,causing
personal
injury.
BalancingBlade
. The
bladecanbe
testedforbalancebybalancingit
ona round shaftscrewdriver.
Removemetalfrom
the
heavy
sideuntil
itbalances
evenly.
Reassembly
. Whenreplacingblades,besure
toinstallthe
blade
withthe
side
oftheblademarked
"Bottom"
(or
with
part
number)facingthe
ground
when
the
tractoris
intheoperating
position.
Carefullyalign
"sta/'on
bladewith
"sta/'on
spindle.Secure
withflange
nut.
BladeMountingTorque
Hex
FlangeNut:840in.lb.min.,1080in.lb.max.
. Allnutsandbolts
must
bechecked
periodically
for
correct
tightness.
18

Belt
Replacement
WARNING:Disconnect the spark plug
wire(s)
and ground it againstthe engine.
Block
thewheels
oftheunit.
NOTE: Figure22 and Figure
26areshown withtheunit
tippedup forclarity.lt is not necessary
to tip theunitto
remove the belts. However, for convenience, if you
decidetotipit,removethebatteryfromtheunit first.
. To
prevent
gasoline
leakage,
drainthe
gasoline,
or
remove
thefueltank
cap.
Place
athin
piece
of
plastic
overtheneck
ofthefuel
tankand
screwon
thecap.Be
certaintoremovethe
plastic
when
finished
changingthe
belts.Blockunit
securely.
Deck
Belt
(38"
and42"Decks)
. Place
theliftleverin
theengaged
(all
theway
forward)
position.
. Disconnect
thespringwhichis
attachedto
a
bracket
onthetransaxle.inside
theriohtrearwheel.
Use
a
spling
puller
orother
suitablet-ool
belt keeper
from which
Figure 22
Placethelift
leverintheBLADES
STOPoosition.
Remove
thebeltkeeper
oins
fromthelower
frame.
Unhookthe
deckbeltfromthe
engine
pulley.
Place
theliftleverin
theengaged
(allthe
way
forward)
positron.
Disconnect
the
stabilizer
plate
fromthe
stabilizer
shaft
assembly
by
removing
thehairpin
clipsand
flatwashers
and
slidingouttherod.
Disconnect
thesix
deck
links
byremoving
the
hairpin
clipsandflatwashers.
Place
theliftleverin
theBLADES
STOP
position.
Slide
thedeckfrom
beneaththelawntractor.
Remove
thebelt
guards
ateachdeck
pulley
by
removing
the
self{appingscrews.
See
Figure
23.
. Removeandreplacethebelt,reassemblefollowing
theinstructionsinreverse
order.
StabilizerPlate
Self-Tapping BeltGuard
Figure
23
DeckBelts
(46"
Deck)
. Place
theliftleverallthewayforward.
. Disconnectthe
spring
whichis
attachedto
a
bracket
on
thetransaxleinside
therightrearwheel.
Useaspring
puller
or
othersuitabletool.
NOTE: When reassembling,make ceftain belt keeper
pinsare assembledin the same locationsfrom which
theywereremoved.
SeeFigure22.
. Place
thelift
leverin
theBLADES
STOPoosition.
. Remove
thebelt
keeper
pins
fromthelowerframe.
Referto Figure22.
. Unhook
the
deckbelt
fromthe
engine
pulley.
. Placetheliftleverinthe
engaged
(all
theway
forward)
position.
Self-Tapping
Screws
Belt Cover Self-Tapping
Screws,
Figure24
NOTE: When
reassembling,
makecertain
pins are assembledin the same locations
theywereremoved.
SeeFigure 22.
a
a
a
a
19

Disconnectthestabilizer
plate
fromthestabilizer
shattassembly
by
removingthe
hairpinclipsand
the
flatwashersandslidinq
outthe
rod.Referto
Frgure
17.
Drsconnect
thesixdeck
links
by
removing
the
hairpin
clipsand
flatwashers.
Placethelift
leverintheBLADESSTOP
positton.
Slide
thedeck
frombeneath
thelawntractor
Removethe
topdeckdrivebeltby
liftingupon
the
stabilizer
plate,
andslipping
beltoff
the
pulley.
Remove
the
belt
coveratthe
twooutsidedeck
pulleys,
byremoving
theself-tappingscrews.
See
Figure24.
. Releasethetensionon
thespring
loadedidler
by
pushing
the
idlertoward
therearofthedeck.
. Removethebelt
fromaroundthe
idler
pulleys,
and
removefromthe
threedeck
pulleys.
See
Figure24.
. Reassemble
newbelts.
followinqinstructions
in
reverseorder.
Drive
Beltr
. Depress
the
clutch
pedal
andset
the
parking
brake
. Removethedeck
fromthelawntractor.
Raise
and
blockthe
frontwheelsofthe
lawn
tractor
so
you
can
work
under
it.
Removethetransmission
panel
byremovingthe
parking
brake
knob
and
trussmachinescrews.
Raisetheseat.Disconnect
the
battery
cables.
Removethebattery
fromtheunit.
Disconnectthe
idler
pulley
spring
which
is
attached
toabracketon
theframe,
insidetheleft
rear
wheel.
Useaspring
puller
orothersuitable
tool.
See
Fioure25.
Removethe
threeself-tappingscrews
from
the
cooling
fan.Remove
the{an.
Remove
thecenterbolt,
lockwasherand
flat
washer,and
lettheengine
pulley
dropdownso
the
belt
is
past
the
belt
guards.
See
Figure25.
Rollthebelt
offof
topsheaveofengine
pulley,
onto
the
pulley
hub.
Removethebelt
fromthetransmission
pulley
and
engine
pulley,
and
remove
fromtheunit.
Reassemble
usinganewbelt,
following
instructions
inreverseorder.
Hydrostatic
Transmission
Cooling
The
hydrostatictransmission
ts
cooledby
theoil,
fan
and
fins.
lfthehydrostatic
transmission
runshot,check
tosee
ifthe
fanisin
operating
condition,
theoil
levelis
correct
and
thefinsareclean.
NOTE: DO NOT use high pressure water spray or
steamtocleanthehydrostatictransmission.
WARNING:
Disconnectspark plug wire
and ground against engine before
performing any adjustments, repairs or
maintenance
workonthetractor.
FuelFilter
. Yourunitisequipped
withareplaceablein-line
f
uel
filter.Replace
filterwhenevercontamination
or
discoloration
isnoticed.Order
replacement
filter
through
your
authorized
engine
servicedealer.
Cleaning
Engine&
Deck
Anyfueloroilspilled
onthe
machineshouldbe
wipedoff
promptly.
Grass,
leaves,andotherdirt
mustnotbe
lefttoaccumulate
around
the
cooling
finsof
theengine
oronany
part
ofthe
machine.
Clean
theunderside
ofthedeck
aftereach
mowing.
Engine
Refer
totheseparate
engine
manual
for
engine
maintenance
instructions.
Service
air
cleaner
every
10hoursunder
normal
conditions.Clean
every
few
hoursunderextremely
dusty
conditions.
Toservice
theaircleaner,
referto
theseparate
engine
manual
packed
with
your
unit.
Thespark
plug(s)
shouldbe
cleanedand
the
gap
reset
once
aseason.Spark
plug
replacement
is
recommendedat
thestartof
eachmowingseason;
check
engine
manualforcorrect
plug
typeand
gap
specifications.
Maintainengine
oilas
instructedintheseparate
engine
manualpacked
with
your
unit.
Readand
follow
instructions
carefully.
Engine
Pulley Center Bolt, Lock
Washer, & Flat Washer
Pulley
Spring
Figure25
20