IMPORTANT:Yourtractoris shippedwithmotoroil in theengine. However,you MUSTcheckthe oil levelbeforeoperating.Referto the Service& Maintenancesectionfor instructionson checkingtheoil level.
Attaching the Battery Cables
CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65
Batteryposts,terminals,andrelatedaccessoriescontainleadand leadcompounds,chemicalsknownto the Stateof Californiato causecancerandreproductiveharm.Washhandsafterhandling.
Whenattachingbatterycables,alwaysconnectthe POSITIVE(Red) wireto its terminalfirst,followedby the NEGATIVE(Black)wire.
Forshippingreasons,bothbatterycablesonyourequipmenthave beenleftdisconnectedfromthe terminalsat the factory.Toconnect the batterycables,proceedas follows:
NOTE:Thepositivebatteryterminalis markedPos. (+).The negative batteryterminalis markedNeg. (i).
1.Removethe plasticcover,if present,fromthe positivebattery terminaland attachthe redcableto the positivebatteryterminal (+)withthe bolt andhexnut. See Figure1.
2.Removethe plasticcover,if present,fromthe negativebattery terminaland attachthe blackcableto the negativebattery
f
Shipping Brace Removal
Makesurethe ridingmower'sengineis off, removetheignitionkey, andset the parkingbrakebeforeremovingthe shippingbrace. Refer Itothe Operationsectionfor instructionsonhowto setthe parking lbrake.
•Locatethe shippingbrace,if present,andaccompanyingwarning tag foundonthe rightsideof the mower,betweenthe discharge chutedeflectorandthe cuttingdeck. SeeFig. 2.
Figure2
Placethe decklift leverinthe highestcuttingposition.Referto SettingtheCuttingHeightin the Operationsectionof thismanual. Whilepushingthedischargechuteddlectortowardsthemachinewith yourlefthand,removetheshippingbracewithyourrighthandbygrasp- ingitbetweenyourthumbandindexfingerandrotatingitclockwise.
The shippingbrace,usedfor packagingpurposesonly,mustbe removedand discardedbeforeoperatingyour ridingmower.
J
Figure1
3.Positionthe redrubberbootoverthe positivebatteryterminalto helpprotectit fromcorrosion.
NOTE:If thebatteryis put into serviceafterthe dateshownon topof battery,chargethe batteryas instructedinthe Service& Maintenance sectionof this manualpriorto operatingthe tractor.
The mowingdeck iscapableof throwingobjects. Failureto operate the ridingmowerwithoutthe dischargecoverin the properoperating Ipositioncould resultin seriouspersonalinjuryand/orproperty ldamage.
Attaching The Steering Wheel
Ifthe steeringwheelfor yourtractordid notcomeattached,the hardwarefor attachingit has beenpackedwithinthe steeringwheel, beneaththe steeringwheelcap. Carefullypry off the steeringwheel cap andremovethe hardware.
1.Withthe wheelsof the tractorpointingstraightforward,placethe steeringwheeloverthe steeringshaft.
2.Placethe washer(withthe cuppedside down) overthe steering wheel andsecurewiththe hexbolt. SeeFig. 3.
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