Cub Cadet E977C, 977A Stopping Engine, Using Your Lawn Mower, Mulching, Bagging Grass Clippings

•Push primer once. Do not prime to restart a warm engine after a short shutdown.

•Standing behind the mower, depress the blade control handle and hold it against the upper handle.

•Electric Start: Turn the ignition key to the right to start the engine. Release the key after the engine starts.

•Recoil Start: Grasp starter handle and pull rope out slowly until engine reaches start of compression cycle (rope will pull slightly harder at this point). Let the rope rewind slowly. Pull rope with a rapid, continuous, full arm stroke. Keeping a firm grip on the starter handle, let the rope rewind slowly.

Stopping Engine

•Release blade control handle to stop the engine and the blade.

•Disconnect spark plug wire and move away from spark plug to prevent accidental starting.

Using Your Lawn Mower

WARNING: Never operate the mower unless the hooks on the grasscatcher are seated in the slots on the handle bracket assemblies, and the rear discharge door rests firmly against the top of the grasscatcher.

•Do not operate the mower without any one of the mulching baffle, discharge chute or grass catcher properly installed.

WARNING: Be sure that the lawn is clear of stones, sticks, wire, or other objects which could damage lawn mower or engine. Such objects could be accidently thrown by the mower in any direction and cause serious personal injury to the operator and others.

•For best results, do not cut wet grass. It may stick to the underside of the mower, preventing proper discharge of grass clippings, and could cause you to slip and fall. New grass or thick grass may require a narrower cut.

•For a healthy lawn, always cut off one-third or less of the total length of the grass. Lawn should be trimmed in fall as long as there is growth.

IMPORTANT: Move the shift lever only when the engine is running. Changing the shift lever setting with the engine off can cause damage to the mower.

WARNING: If the mower strikes a foreign object, stop the engine. Remove spark plug wire from the spark plug and thoroughly inspect for any damage. Repair the damage promptly before restarting and operating the mower.

Mulching

For effective mulching, do not cut wet grass. New or thick grass may require a narrower cut. If the grass has grown in excess of 4”, mulching is not recommended. Mow using the side discharge to reduce the grass height to 3.25” maximum before mulching.

Bagging Grass Clippings

You can use the grass catcher bag to collect clippings while you are operating the mower.

•Attach grass catcher following instructions on page 8 of this manual. Grass clippings will automatically collect in the bag as you run the mower.

•Operate the mower till the grass bag is full.

•Stop engine completely by releasing the blade control handle. Make sure that the unit has come to a complete stop.

•While holding the grass bag by both the rear handle and the lower handle, lift the grass bag straight up off the adapter. The chute door will move the rope out of the way of the bag.

•Continue to hold the lower handle and raise the rear of the grass bag up toward your chest. The grass bag will open and the grass clippings will disperse. When replacing the grass bag, be sure the top of the bag rests on the wire support between the handles.

SECTION 6: MAKING ADJUSTMENTS

WARNING: Do not at any time make any adjustments without first stopping engine and disconnecting spark plug wire.

Handle Height

Your mower is shipped with the handle in the higher height position. To lower the height, proceed as follows:

•Remove the starter rope from the rope guide.

•Remove the wing nuts and carriage bolts securing the upper handle. Remove and lay the upper handle out of the way, being careful not to bend or kink the cables.

•Remove the hairpin clips from the weld pins on the handle brackets and remove the wing nuts and carriage bolts from the upper hole on the handle mounting bracket.

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