Safety • Assembly • Operation • Adjustment • Maintenance • Troubleshooting A O • Warranty AL ii ii _i_i_i_ii _ iiii ii_i_i!i_!i i!II_ Transmatic Lawn Tractor- Models 760=779 iMPORTANT READ SAFETY RULES AND iNSTRUCTiONS CAREFULLY BEFORE OPERATION Warning: This unit is equippedwith an internalcombustionengineand shouldnot be usedon or nearany unimprovedforest-covered,brushcoveredor grass-coveredland unlesstheengine'sexhaustsystemis equippedwith a sparkarrestermeetingapplicablelocalor statelaws(
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. Table of Contents Slope Gauge ....................................................... Safe Operation Practices ................................... Setting UpYour Lawn Tractor ............................ Operating Your Lawn Tractor ........................... Adjusting Your Lawn Tractor ............................
O Sight and hold this levelwith a vertical tree... o 1= o >:.
WARNING: Engine Exhaust, some of its constituents, and certain vehicle components contain or emit chemicals known to State of Californiato cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductiveharm. DANGER: This machine was built to be operated according to the rules for safe operation in this manual. As with any type of power equipment, carelessness or error on the part of the operator can result in serious injury. This machine is capable of amputating hands and feet and throwing objects.
.................................................... GeneralOperation: 14.Watchfor traffic whenoperatingnearor crossing roadways.This machineis not intendedfor useon anypublic roadway. 15.Do notoperatethe machinewhileunderthe influenceof alcoholor drugs. 16.Mowonly in daylightor good artificiallight. 17.Nevercarry passengers. 18.Disengageblade(s)beforeshiftinginto reverse. Back up slowly.Alwayslookdownand behindbefore and whilebackingto avoida back-overaccident. 19.Slowdownbeforeturning.
Thissymbolpoints outimportant safety instructions which,if notfollowed,could endanger thepersonal i safetyand/orproperty ofyourselfandothers. Readandfollowall instructions inthismanualbeforeattempting to I operatethismachine. I Failuretocomplywith theseinstructions may i resultin personal injury. Whenyouseethis symbol. Slope Operation: Do Not: Slopesare a majorfactor relatedto loss of controland tip-overaccidentswhich can resultin severeinjuryor death.All slopesrequireextracaution.
Service 10.Neverattemptto makeadjustmentsor repairsto the machinewhilethe engine isrunning. 1. Neverrun an engineindoorsor in a poorlyventilated 11.Grasscatchercomponents and the discharge area. Engineexhaustcontainscarbonmonoxide,an coverare subjectto wearand damagewhich could odorless,and deadlygas. exposemovingpartsor allowobjectsto be thrown. 2. Beforecleaning,repairing,or inspecting,makecertain Forsafety protection,frequentlycheckcomponents the blade(s)and all movingparts havestopped.
NOTE:This OperatorsManualcoversa rangeof product specificationsfor variousmodels.Characteristicsand featuresdiscussedand/orillustratedin this manualmay not be applicableto all models.MTDLLCreservesthe right to changeproductspecifications,designsand equipment withoutnotice and withoutincurringobligation. RubberBoot Attaching the Battery Cables NOTE:Somemodelsare shippedwith the batterycables alreadyconnected. Tractor NOTE:Thepositivebatteryterminalis markedPos. (+).
Shipping Brace Removal f WARNING: Make sure the riding mower's engine is off, remove the ignition key, and set the parking brake before removing the shipping brace. • TractOr Locatethe shippingbrace,ifpresent,and accompanyingwarningtag foundon the rightside of the mower, betweenthe dischargechuteand thecuttingdeck. See Figure2. • Whileholdingthe dischargechute with yourleft hand, removethe shippingbracewith your righthandby graspingitbetweenyour thumband indexfingerand rotatingitclockwise.
Attaching The Seat Seatstyles vary bytractormodeland thereare three differentstyles available: • StandardAdjustment • QuickAdjustment& • KnobAdjustment If the seatfor yourtractordid notcome attached,referto Figure4, Figure5, and Figure6 to identifyyourtractor's seat styleand followthe applicableinstructionsbelowto attachit. Figure 4 WARNING NOTE:Forshippingreasons,seatsare eitherfastened to the tractorseat'spivot bracketwith a plastictie, or mountedbackwardto the pivot bracket.
identifying the Mulch Plug (if so equipped) On tractormodelssoequipped,a mulchplug can either be foundwithinthe cuttingdeck'sdischargeopeningor packedseparatelywith your unit. /,f | NOTE: Referto Mulching on page 19for moredetailed information. Ifyou'dpreferto operatethe cuttingdeck withoutmulching, simplyremovethe mulch plugby unthreadingthe plasticwing nutwhich fastensit to the cuttingdeck.This will allowthe clippingsto dischargeout of the discharge openingduringoperation.See Figure7.
Know Your Lawn Tractor A NOTE: Any reference in this manual to the RIGHTor LEFT side of the tractor is observed from operator's position. NOTE:Steeringwheelnot shownfor clarity Figure 8 1-If soequipped A SpeedControlLever/ParkingBrake E ThrottleControlLever B Clutch-BrakePedal F IgnitionSwitchModule C Shift Lever G DeckLift Lever D ChokeControl1- H PTO(Blade Engage)Lever NOTE:Anyreferencein this manualto the RIGHTor LEFTside of the tractoris observedfrom operator'sposition.
Throttle Control Lever Thethrottlecontrol leveris locatedon the rightside of thetractor'sdash panel.This levercontrolsthe speed of the engineand,on somemodels,when pushedall theway forward,the chokecontrol also.Whenset ina givenposition,the throttlewill maintaina uniformengine speed.See Figure9. FAST--4p m |l IMPORTANT:Whenoperatingthetractorwith the cutting deck engaged,be certainthat the throttleleverisalways in the FAST(rabbit)position.
Speed FORWARD HUETRAL REVERSE_ Figure 11 NOTE:Theparking brakemustbesetifthe operatorleavestheseat withthe enginerunningortheenginewill automatically shutoff. Parking Brake Toset the parkingbrake,fully depressthe clutch-brake pedal.Movethe speedcontrol leverall the way down and intothe parkingbrakeposition.Releasethe clutchbrakepedalto allowthe parkingbraketo engage. Toreleasethe parkingbrake,depressthe clutch-brake pedaland movethe speedcontrol leverout of the notchesto the desiredposition.
Models without Reverse Caution Mode F • Theenginewill automaticallyshut off if the PTO (Blade Engage)leveris movedintothe engaged(ON) positionwith the shiftleverin Reverse. Models with Reverse Caution Mode • With the ignitionkey in the NORMALMOWING position,the enginewill automaticallyshut off ifthe PTO(Blade Engage)leveris movedintothe engaged (ON) positionwith the shiftleverin Reverse.
Setting the Cutting I G Height 1. Selectthe heightpositionof the cuttingdeck by placingthe deck liftleverinany of the six different cuttingheightnotcheson the rightsideof the fender. AVOID SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH 2. Adjustthe deck wheels,if equipped,so that they are betweenl_-inchand Y2-inchabovethe groundwhen thetractor is on a smooth,flat surfacesuchas a driveway. GO UPAND DOWNSLOPES,NOT ACROSS. AVOIDSUDDENTURNS.
NOTE:Whenoperatingthe unit initially,there willbe little differencebetweenthe highesttwo speedsuntilafter the beltshaveseatedthemselvesinto the pulleysduringthe break-inperiod. Driving The Tractor WARNING: Avoid sudden starts, e×-cessive speed and sudden stops. _ WARNING: Do not leave the seat of the tractor without first placingthe PTO (Blade Engage) lever in the disengaged (OFF) position, depressing the brake pedal and engaging the parking brake.
Driving On Slopes Using the Deck Lift Lever Referto the SLOPEGAUGEon page3 to help determineslopeswhereyou mayoperatethe tractorsafely. Toraisethe cuttingdeck,movethe deck lift leverto the left,thenplaceit inthe notch best suitedfor yourapplication. Referto SettingThe CuttingHeightearlierin this section. ,_ inclineswith a slope in excess WARNING: Do(anot mow on of 15 degrees rise of approximately 2-1/2 feet every 10feet).
• Do NOTattemptto mow heavybrushand weedsand extremelytall grass.Yourtractoris designedto mow _ _ " -/A awns, NOT dear brush I //I • Keepthe bladessharpand replacethe bladeswhen worn. Referto Cutting Blades on page 25 of this manualfor properblade sharpeninginstructions. "i.: / ....
1. With the tractorparkedon a firm,levelsurface,place the deck lift leverin the top notch(highestposition) and rotatethe blade nearestthe dischargechute so that itis parallelwith the tractor. 2. Measurethe distancefrom the front ofthe bladetip to the groundand the rearof the blade tip to the ground. Thefirst measurementtakenshouldbe between 1/4"and 3/8" less than thesecond measurement. Determinethe approximatedistancenecessaryfor properadjustmentand proceed,if necessary,to the next step. 3.
brakeis in need of adjustment.Thebrakedisc can be foundon the rightsideof thetransmissionin the rear of the tractor.Adjustif necessaryas follows: 1. Lookingat thetransmissionfrom the right sideof the tractor,locatethe compressionspringand brakedisc. See Figure16. Adjusting urLawn 2. Loosen,but do NOTremove,the hex nutfoundon the rightsideof the brakeassembly.See Figure16. 3. Usinga feelergauge,set the gap betweenthe brake disc and the brakepuck at .011". 4. Re-tightenthe hexnut loosenedearlier.
Performthe abovestepsin the oppositeorder afteroil has finisheddraining. 5. Refillthe enginewith newmotoroil as instructedin the EngineOperator/OwnerManualpackedwith your unit. IMPORTANT:Referto the EngineOperator/Owner Manualpackedwith yourunit for informationregardingthe quantityand properweight of motoroil. Air Cleaner Servicethe pre-cleaner,if soequipped,and cartridge/air cleanerelementas instructedin the EngineOperator/ OwnerManualpackedwith your unit.
Deck Wash System TM A hexplug can be foundon yourtractor'sdeck surface. See Figure21. This plug canbe replacedwith a waterport to be usedas part of a separately-available deck wash system. Use the DeckWashSystemTM to rinsegrassclippings fromthe deck'sundersideand preventthe buildupof corrosivechemicals. NOTE:Referto page 28 for informationregardingthis and otherseparately-available attachments& accessoriesfor yourtractor.
Tires ,_ Jump Starting maximum inflation pressure WARNING: Never exceed the shown on the sidewall of tire. ,_ The recommendedoperatingtire pressureis: • Approximately10 psifor the rear tires IMPORTANT:Neverjump yourtractor'sdead batterywith the batteryof a runningvehicle. • Approximately14psi for the fronttires IMPORTANT:Referto the tire sidewallforexacttire 1. Connectend of one jumpercableto the positive terminalof the good battery,thenthe otherend to the positiveterminalof the dead battery.
S Cutting Blades f WARNING: Be sure to shut the engine off, remove ignition key, disconnect the spark plug wire(s) and ground against the engine to prevent unintended starting before removing the cutring blade(s) for sharpening or replacement. Protect your hands by using heavy gloves or a rag to grasp the cutting blade. WARNING: Periodically inspect the blade spindles for cracks or damage, especially if you strike a foreign object. Replace immediately if damaged.
Tochangeor replacethe deck belt and PTObelton your tractor,proceedasfollows: 1. Lowerthe deck by movingthe decklift leverinto the bottomnotchon the rightfender. 2. Removethebelt guardsby removingthe self-tapping screwsthat fastenthem to the deck. i ioto°i°g 3. Removethebelt keeperrod fromaroundthe engine pulley. 4. Inserta 3/8"-driveratchetwrench (set to loosen)into the squarehole foundin the idler bracketon the left sideof the deck'ssurface.See Figure26. 5.
42-Inch Deck _ EnginePu_ IdlerBracket Maintaining Your Lawn Tractor © Deck Idler Pulleys ..
Cleanand lubricatethe tractoras instructed in Section Followthe instructions in the Service, Storage & Specifications sectionof the EngineOperator/Owner Manualfor properenginecare priorto storingyourtractor. 6: MAiNTAiNiNGYOUR LAWNTRACTORon page 19 of this manualbeforestoringfor an extendedperiod. WARNING: Never store the _ anARNING" approvedDrain containeroutdoors, fuel only into away from an open flame. Allow engine to cool.
NOTE:i. eOTH MODES, WHEN OP_e_TO_ LeavesSEAT, e_GINeWlL_ STOP _NLES_ _R_I_QeP_KE ISSETANDe_ossme _ISEN_ED. IF UNIT WILL STALLS W]TH NOT OPERATE POSITION, PROCEED SPEED CONTROL WITH SPEED _S FOLLOWS: IN HIGH CONTROL SPEED, LEVER OR IF IN _ LOW UNIT SPEED WARNING This symbol points out importantsafety instructionswhich, if not followed,could endangerthe personal safety and/or property of yourselfand others.
Pro bl e m Ca use Enginefails to start I Remedy 1 PTOengaged. 1 PlacePTOknob(or lever)in 2. Sparkplugw re(s)disconnected. 3 Fueltank empy t or stalefuel. 4 Chokenot actvated 2. Connectwire(s) to spark plug(s). 3• F tankwth c ean fresh gaso ne 4. Pullout the CHOKEcontrol (if so I disengaged(OFF)position. I I Trou e Shootin I " ' equipped)or placethe throttle I control inCHOKEposition. I 5. Faultysparkplug, 5. Clean,adjust gap,or replace I 6. Blockedfuel line. 6.
Problem Engineoverheats Cause !i Engine Oi!levellow. 21 Air flow restricted. 2 c eangrass clippingsand debiis fromaroundthe engines €00!ing fins and blowerhousing. ..... Enginehesitates at high RPM Idles poorly 1. Sparkplug(s)gap tooclose, Mower will not ohgrass (If Equipped) 1 ' Sparkpug(s)foued fautyorgap too wide_ 1' Repacesparkpug(s)Setpug(s) t gap: 1. Cuttingblade looseor unbalanced. Replaceair cleanercaitr dgdele: mentor cleanpre:cleaner if So equipped. 1. Tightenbladeand spindle.
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CALIFORNIA EMISSION CONTROL WARRANTY STATEMENT YOUR WARRANTY RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS The CaliforniaAir ResourcesBoardandMTDConsumerGroupInc are pleasedto explainthe evaporativeemissioncontrolsystemwarrantyon your 2006 lawn mower.In California,new lawnmowermust be designed,builtand equippedto meet the State'sstringentanti-smogstandards.MTDConsumerGroupInc must warrantthe EECSon yourlawn mowerfor the periodof time listedbelow providedthere has beenno abuse,neglector impropermaintenanceof your lawnmower.
MANUFACTURER'S LiMiTED WARRANTY The limitedwarrantyset forth belowisgivenby MTDLLCwith respect to newmerchandisepurchasedand usedin the UnitedStates,its possessionsand territories. "MTD"warrantsthis productagainstdefectsin materialand workmanshipfor a periodof two (2) years commencingon the date of original purchaseand will, at its option,repairor replace,freeof charge,any part foundto be defectiveinmaterialsor workmanship.
