Manual

TILLINGTIPS& TECHNIQUES(CON'T)
TillingOnSlopes
Readthe followingrecommendationsbeforetilling onslopes:
Ifyou must gardenon a moderateslope,pleasefollow two very importantguidelines:
1. Till only on moderateslopes,neveronsteepgroundwherefooting is difficult (reviewsafe-
ty rulesin Section1: Safetyof this manual).
2. We recommendtilling up and down slopes ratherthan terracing. Tilling vertically on a
slopeallows maximumplantingareaandalso leavesroomfor cultivating.
IMPORTANT:Whentilling onslopes, besurethe correct oil levelis maintainedin the engine
(checkeveryone-half hour of operation).Theinclineof the slopewill causethe oil to slant
awayfrom its normal levelandthis can starveenginepartsof requiredlubrication. Keepthe
motor oil levelat thefull point at all times!
WAHNING: Do not
operatetiller on aslopetoo
steepfor safe operation.Till
slowly and besure you have
good footing. Neverpermit
tiller to freewheeldown
slopes. Failureto follow this
warning could result in
personal injury.
Tilling Upand DownSlopes(Vertical Tilling)
• To keepsoil erosionto aminimum, besureto addenoughorganicmatterto the soil sothat it hasgoodmoisture-holdingtextureandtry
to avoid leavingfootprints or wheelmarks.
• Whentilling vertically,tryto makethe first passuphillasthetiller digs moredeeplygoing uphillthanitdoesdownhill.Insoft soil or weeds,
you mayhaveto lift the handlebarsslightlywhile going uphill.Whengoingdownhill, overlapthe first passbyabout one-halfthe width of
the tiller.
Clearingthe Tines
Thetines have a self-clearing action which eliminates most tangling of debris in the
tines. However,occasionally dry grass, stringy stalks or tough vines maybecome tan-
gled. Follow these proceduresto help avoid tangling and to cleanthe tines, if neces-
sary.
•To reducetangling, setthe depth regulator deep enoughto get maximum "chopping"
action as the tines chop the material against the ground. Also, try to till under crop
residues or cover crops while they are green, moist and tender.
• While tilling, try swaying the handlebars from side to side (about 6" to 12"). This
"fishtailing" action often clearsthe tines of debris.
• If tangling occurs, lift the tines out of the soil and run the tiller in reverse (if unit is
equippedwith powered reverse) for a few feet. This reversing action should unwind a
good deal of debris.
• It may be necessaryto remove the debris by hand (a
pocket knifewill helpyou to cut awaythe material). Be
sure to stop the engineand disconnect the spark plug
wire before clearing the tines by hand.
WARNING: Beforeclearing the
tines by hand,stop the engine,allow all
moving partsto stop and disconnect the
spark plug wire. Removethe ignition key
on electric start models.
Failureto follow this warning could result
in personal injury.
LoadingandUnloadingthe Tiller
_ ARNING: Loading and
unloading the tiller into avehicle is
potentially hazardousandwe don't
recommend doing so unless
absolutelynecessary,as this could
result in personal injury or
property damage.
However,if you must load or
unloadthe tiller, follow the
guidelines given next.
• Before loadingor unloading, stopthe engine,
wait for all parts to stop moving,
disconnect the spark plug wire and let the en-
gine and muffler cool.
• Thetiller is too heavy and bulky to lift safely
by one person. Twoor more people should
sharethe load.
• Use sturdy ramps and manually (engine shut
off) roll the tiller into and out of the
vehicle. Two or more people areneededto do
this.
• Theramps must be strong enoughto support
the combined weight of the tiller and any han-
dlers. The ramps should provide good traction
to prevent slipping; they should have side rails
to guide the tiller along the ramps; and they
should havea locking deviceto securethemto
the
vehicle.
• Thehandlersshould wearsturdy footwearthat
will helpto preventslipping.
• Position the loading vehicle so that the ramp
angle is as flat as possible (the less inclineto
the ramp, the better). Turn the
vehicle's engineoff and apply its parking brake.
• When going up ramps, stand in the
normal operating position and push the tiller
ahead of you. Havea person at eachside to
turn the wheels.
• When going down ramps, walk backward
with the tiller following you. Keepalert for any
obstaclesbehind you. Position a person at
eachwheel to control the speedof the tiller.
Nevergo down ramps tiller-first, as the tiller
could tip forward.
• Placewooden blocks on the downhill side of
the wheels if you needto stop the tiller from
rolling down the ramp. Also, use the blocks to
temporarily keep the tiller in place onthe
ramps (if necessary),and to chockthe wheels
in place after the tiller is in the vehicle.
• After loading the tiller, prevent it from rolling
by engaging the wheels in the WHEELDRIVE
position. Chock the wheelswith blocks and se-
curely tie the tiller down.
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