Poulan PR185H42STC owner manual Mulching Mowing Tips

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OPERATION

Sitting in the tractor seat, start engine. After the engine is running, move throttle control to slow position. With motion control lever in neutral (N) position, slowly disengage clutch/brake pedal.

Move motion control lever to full forward position and hold for five (5) seconds. Move lever to full reverse position and hold for five (5) seconds. Repeat this procedure three (3) times.

NOTE: During this procedure there will be no movement of drive wheels. The air is being removed from hydraulic drive system.

Move motion control lever to neutral (N) position. Shut- off engine and set parking brake.

Engage transmission by placing freewheel control in driving position (See “TO TRANSPORT” in this section of manual).

Sitting in the tractor seat, start engine. After the engine is running, move throttle control to half (1/2) speed. With motion control lever in neutral (N) position, slowly disengage clutch/brake pedal.

Slowly move motion control lever forward, after the tractor moves approximately five (5) feet, slowly move motion control lever to reverse position. After the tractor moves approximately five (5) feet return the motion control lever to the neutral (N) position. Repeat this procedure with the motion control lever three (3) times.

Your tractor is now purged and now ready for normal operation.

MOWING TIPS

Mower should be properly leveled for best mowing performance. See “TO LEVEL MOWER HOUSING” in the Service and Adjustments section of this manual.

The left hand side of mower should be used for trimming.

Drive so that clippings are discharged onto the area that has been cut. Have the cut area to the right of the machine. This will result in a more even distribution of clippings and more uniform cutting.

When mowing large areas, start by turning to the right so that clippings will discharge away from shrubs, fences, driveways, etc. After one or two rounds, mow in the opposite direction making left hand turns until finished (See Fig. 10).

If grass is extremely tall, it should be mowed twice to reduce load and possible fire hazard from dried clip- pings. Make first cut relatively high; the second to the desired height.

Do not mow grass when it is wet. Wet grass will plug mower and leave undesirable clumps. Allow grass to dry before mowing.

Always operate engine at full throttle when mowing to assure better mowing performance and proper dis- charge of material. Regulate ground speed by selecting a low enough gear to give the mower cutting perfor- mance as well as the quality of cut desired.

When operating attachments, select a ground speed that will suit the terrain and give best performance of the attachment being used.

FIG. 10

MULCHING MOWING TIPS

IMPORTANT: FOR BEST PERFORMANCE, KEEP MOWER HOUSING FREE OF BUILT-UP GRASS AND TRASH. CLEAN AFTER EACH USE.

The special mulching blade will recut the grass clippings many times and reduce them in size so that as they fall onto the lawn they will disperse into the grass and not be noticed. Also, the mulched grass will biodegrade quickly to provide nutrients for the lawn. Always mulch with your highest engine (blade) speed as this will provide the best recutting action of the blades.

Avoid cutting your lawn when it is wet. Wet grass tends to form clumps and interferes with the mulching action. The best time to mow your lawn is the early afternoon. At this time the grass has dried and the newly cut area will not be exposed to the direct sun.

For best results, adjust the mower cutting height so that the mower cuts off only the top one-third of the grass blades (See Fig. 11). For extremely heavy mulching, reduce your width of cut on each pass and mow slowly.

Certain types of grass and grass conditions may require that an area be mulched a second time to completely hide the clippings. When doing a second cut, mow across or perpendicular to the first cut path.

Change your cutting pattern from week to week. Mow north to south one week then change to east to west the next week. This will help prevent matting and graining of the lawn.

MAX 1/3

FIG. 11

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Contents PR185H42STC Safety Rules Safe Operation Practices for Ride-On MowersBecome ALERT!!! Your Safety is IN- Volved Table of Contents Slope Sheet Unassembled PartsSteering Wheel Seat HOW to SET UP Your Tractor AssemblyTools Required for Assembly To Remove Tractor from CartonInstall Seat See Fig Check Deck Levelness To SET UP Your Mower for MulchingCheck Tire Pressure To Convert to Bagging or DischargingOperation Know Your Tractor Motion Control Lever Selects the speedHOW to USE Your Tractor To Operate on Hills To Adjust Gauge Wheels See FigTo Operate Mower See Fig To Transport See FigsADD Gasoline Before Starting the EngineCheck Engine OIL Level To Start Engine See FigMowing Tips Mulching Mowing TipsGeneral Recommendations Lubrication ChartCustomer Responsibilities Before Each USETractor Engine Engine OIL Filter Clean AIR INTAKE/COOLING AreasCleaning MufflerTo Level Mower Housing Service and AdjustmentsTo Install Mower See Fig To Remove Mower See FigRecheck side-to-side adjustment To Replace Mower Blade Drive Belt See Fig To Adjust Brake See FigBelt Installation To Replace Motion Drive Belt See FigTo Adjust Steering Wheel Alignment Transmission REMOVAL/REPLACEMENTTransaxle Motion Control Lever Neutral Adjustment See Fig Front Wheel TOE-IN/CAMBERTo Replace Headlight Bulb To Start Engine with a Weak Battery See FigReplacing Battery See Figs To Attach Jumper CablesTo Replace Fuse To Adjust CarburetorInterlocks and Relays Fuel System StorageOther Engine OILTroubleshooting Points OFF Service Notes Schematic Tractor - Model Number PR185H42STCElectrical 2122175141 175158175566 121433XChassis 176554 174930Drive 159 169473X428 Cupholder 7214060873900600 145212Steering Assembly KEY Part NO. NO.DESCRIPTION Seat Assembly Decals Wheels and TiresEngine Optional Equipment Spark ArresterEngine Mower Deck 173443 174493174284 Mower Lift 159460 Wire Asm Inner/Sprg W/plunger LT Limited Warranty Suggested Guide for Sighting Slopes for Safe Operation Sighting GuideParts and Service