Full Product Manual

14 Section 3 — controlS & operation
CVT
1. Depress the clutch-brake pedal to release
the parking brake and let the pedal up.
2. Move the throttle lever into the FAST
(rabbit) position.
3. Place the shift lever in either the FORWARD (F)
or REVERSE (R) position.
CAUTION
Do NOT use the shift lever to change the direction of travel
when the lawn tractor is in motion. Always use the clutch-
brake pedal to bring the lawn tractor to a complete stop
before shifting.
4. Release the parking brake by depressing the
clutch-brake pedal and positioning the speed
control lever in desired position.
IMPORTANT: First-time operators should
use speed positions 1 or 2. Become
completely familiar with the lawn tractor’s
operation and controls before operating the
lawn tractor in higher speed positions.
5. Release clutch-brake pedal slowly to put
unit into motion.
6. The lawn tractor is brought to a stop by
depressing the clutch-brake pedal.
NOTE: When operating the unit initially,
there will be little difference between the
highest two speeds until after the belts have
seated themselves into the pulleys during
the break-in period.
WARNING
Before leaving the operator’s position for any reason,
disengage the blades, place the shift lever in neutral, engage
the parking brake, shut engine OFF and remove the key.
If unit stalls with speed control in high speed, or if
unit will not operate with speed control lever in a
low speed position, proceed as follows:
1. Place shift lever in NEUTRAL (N).
2. Restart engine.
3. Place speed control lever in highest speed
position.
4. Release clutch-brake pedal fully.
5. Depress clutch-brake pedal.
6. Place speed control lever in desired position.
7. Place shift lever in either FORWARD (F) or
REVERSE (R), and follow normal operating
procedures.
Parking the Lawn Tractor
IMPORTANT: When stopping the lawn tractor for
any reason while on a grass surface:
1. Place the shift lever in NEUTRAL (N).
2. Engage the parking brake.
3. Shut engine OFF and remove the key. Doing
so will minimize the possibility of having
your lawn ‘‘browned’’ by hot exhaust from
your lawn tractor’s running engine.
Foot Control CVT
1. Depress the brake pedal to release the
parking brake and let the pedal up.
2. Move the throttle lever into the FAST
(rabbit) position.
3. Place the shift lever in either the FORWARD (F)
or REVERSE (R) position.
CAUTION
Do NOT use the shift lever to change the direction of travel
when the lawn tractor is in motion. Always use the brake pedal
to bring the lawn tractor to a complete stop before shifting.
IMPORTANT: First-time operators should
become completely familiar with the lawn
tractor’s operation and controls before
operating the lawn tractor in higher speed
positions.
4. Gradually begin to apply pressure to the
drive pedal. The further down the pedal
is pushed, the faster the lawn tractor will
travel in the desired direction based on the
position of the shift lever.
5. The lawn tractor is brought to a stop
by releasing the drive pedal and then
depressing the brake pedal.
WARNING
Before leaving the operator’s position for any reason,
disengage the blades, place the shift lever in NEUTRAL (N),
engage the parking brake, shut engine OFF and remove the key.
Parking the Lawn Tractor
IMPORTANT: When stopping the lawn tractor for
any reason while on a grass surface:
1. Place the shift lever in NEUTRAL (N).
2. Engage the parking brake.
3. Shut engine OFF and remove the key. Doing
so will minimize the possibility of having
your lawn ‘‘browned’’ by hot exhaust from
your lawn tractor’s running engine.
Driving On Slopes
Refer to the SLOPE GAUGE on page 6 to help
determine slopes where you may operate the lawn
tractor safely.
WARNING
Do not mow on inclines with a slope in excess of 15 degrees
(a rise of approximately 2-1⁄2 feet every 10 feet). The lawn
tractor could overturn and cause serious injury.
• Mow up and down slopes, NEVER across.
• Exercise extreme caution when changing
direction on slopes.
• Watch for holes, ruts, bumps, rocks, or other
hidden objects. Uneven terrain could overturn
the machine. Tall grass can hide obstacles.
• Avoid turns when driving on a slope. If a
turn must be made, turn down the slope.
Turning up a slope greatly increases the
chance of a roll over.
• Avoid stopping when driving up a slope. If it
is necessary to stop while driving up a slope,
start up smoothly and carefully to reduce
the possibility of flipping the lawn tractor
over backward.
Engaging the Blades
Engaging the PTO (blade engage) transfers power
to the cutting deck. To engage the blades, proceed
as follows:
1. Move the throttle control lever to the FAST
(rabbit) position.
2. Grasp the PTO lever and pivot it all the way
forward into the engaged (PTO ON) position.
3. Keep the throttle lever in the FAST (rabbit)
position for the most efficient use of the
cutting deck or other optional attachments.
IMPORTANT: Models with REVERSE
CAUTION MODE: The engine will
automatically shut OFF if the PTO is
engaged with the speed control lever in
position for reverse travel with the key in the
NORMAL DRIVING MODE position.
IMPORTANT: Models without REVERSE
CAUTION MODE: The PTO lever must be
in the disengaged (PTO OFF) position
when starting the engine, when
traveling in reverse, and if the operator
leaves the seat. Refer to Safety Interlock
Switches on page 12.
Using the Deck Lift Lever
To raise the cutting deck, move the deck lift lever
to the left, then place it in the notch best suited
for your application. Refer to Setting The Cutting
Height on page 13.
Mowing
WARNING
To help avoid blade contact or a thrown object injury, keep
bystanders, helpers, children and pets at least 75 feet from
the machine while it is in operation. Stop machine if anyone
enters the area.
The following information will be helpful when
using the cutting deck with your lawn tractor:
WARNING
Plan your mowing pattern to avoid discharge of materials
toward roads, sidewalks, bystanders and the like. Also,
avoid discharging material against a wall or obstruction
which may cause discharged material to ricochet back
toward the operator.
• Do not mow at high ground speed, especially
if a mulch kit or grass collector is installed.
• For best results it is recommended that
the first two laps be cut with the discharge
thrown towards the center. After the first
two laps, reverse the direction to throw the
discharge to the outside for the balance of
cutting. This will give a better appearance
to the lawn.
• Do not cut the grass too short. Short grass
invites weed growth and yellows quickly in
dry weather.
• Mowing should always be done with the
engine at full throttle.
• Under heavier conditions it may be
necessary to go back over the cut area a
second time to get a clean cut.
• Do NOT attempt to mow heavy brush and
weeds and extremely tall grass. Your lawn
tractor is designed to mow lawns, NOT clear
brush.
• Keep the blades sharp and replace the
blades when worn. Refer to Cutting Blades
on page 19 for proper blade sharpening
instructions.