Troy-Bilt 664D, E666M manual Powercomposting, Loadingandunloading Tiller

POWERCOMPOSTING

Power composting simply meanstilling under and burying in the soil all manner of organic matter such as crop residues, leaves,grass clippings and cover crops. This materialwill decomposeduring the non-growing season and add important natural nutrients to the soil.

When power composting, do not keep the Depth Regulator Lever at a deep setting if the tiller jumpsor bucks.

If jumping or buckingoccurs, move the Depth Regulator Lever down to one of the shallower settings and then slowly increase the tilling depth on later passes.

Failure to follow this warning could result in personal injury.

The first placeto begin is with crop residues such as leftover vines, stalks, stems and roots. Power compost these crop residues as soon as they finish bearing. Thesooner this is done, the better, as tender green matter is easier to till under. Usethe deepestdepth regula- tor setting possiblewithout causing the engine to labor or the tiller to jump ahead.

Standing cornstalks of reasonableheight can be power composted. Pushing over (but not uprooting) cornstalks will often makeit easier for your tiller to chop up the stalks. Keepthe tines clear of exces- sive tangling by "fishtailing" or frequently using reverse. Make severalpasses,then return afew days later to finish off any remaining stubble.

After tilling under crop residues, add more organic matter such as leaves, grass clippings and even kitchen scraps. When tilled into the soil, this organic matter will decomposeand add even more important nutrients to the soil.

After power composting, you may want to plant a "green manure" cover crop to protect the soil during the off-season. You simply grow a crop of clover, alfalfa, buckwheat, peas, beans,rye grass, grain, or kaleand then till it into the soil prior to the planting season.

LOADINGANDUNLOADING

THE TILLER

Loading and unloading the tiller into a vehicle is potentially hazardousand we don'trecommenddoing so unlessabso- lutely necessary,as this could result in personal injuryor propertydamage.

However, if you must load or unloadthe tiller, follow the guidelines given next.

•Before loading or unloading, stop the engine, wait for all parts to stop moving, disconnect the spark plug wire and let the engine and muffler cool. Remove the ignition keyon electric start models.

•The tiller is too heavy(over 170 Ibs., depending on model) and bulky to lift safely by one person. Two or more peopleshould share the load.

•Usesturdy ramps and manually (engine shut off) roll the tiller into and out of the vehicle. Two or more peopleare needed to do this.

•Ramps must bestrong enoughto support the combined weight of the tiller and any handlers. The ramps should provide good traction to preventslip- ping; they should haveside rails to guide the tiller along the ramps; and

they should havea locking deviceto securethem to the vehicle.

•The handlers should wear sturdy footwear that will helpto prevent slipping.

•Position the loading vehicle so that the ramp angle is as flat as possible (the less incline to the ramp, the better). Turn the vehicle'sengineoff 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 each side to turn the wheels.

•When going down ramps, walk back- ward with the tiller following you. Keep alert for any obstacles behindyou. Position a person at each wheel to control the speed of the tiller. Nevergo down ramps tiller-first, as the tiller could tip forward.

•Usewooden blocks to placeon the downhill side of the wheels if you need to stop the tiller from rolling down the ramp. Also, use the blocks to temporar- ily keepthe tiller in placeon the ramps (if necessary),and to chock the wheels in placeafter the tiller is in the vehicle.

•When the tiller is in the vehicle, prevent it from rolling by engaging the wheels in the wheel drive position (put Wheel Gear Lever in ENGAGE).Chock the wheels with blocks and securely tie the tiller down.