This owner’s manual is considered a permanent part of the lawn mower and should remain with the lawn mower if resold. The information and specifications included in this publication were in effect at the time of approval for printing.
GXi International, LLC, exclusive marketer of DEK Heavy Duty Power Equipment, reserves the right to discontinue or change specifications or design at any time without notice and without incurring any obligation whatsoever. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission.
EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM INFORMATION
The U.S. and California Clean Air Acts
EPA and California regulations require all manufacturers to fur- nish written instructions describing the operation and mainte- nance of emission control systems. The following instructions and procedures must be followed in order to keep the emissions from your DEK engine within the emission standards.
SAFETY LABEL LOCATIONS
These labels warn you of potential hazards that can cause seri- ous injury. Read them carefully. If a label comes off or becomes hard to read, contact your DEK lawn mower dealer for a re- placement.
SAFETY INFORMATION
DEK lawn mowers are designed to give safe and dependable service if operated according to instructions. Read and under- stand this owner’s manual before operating your lawn mower.
OPERATOR RESPONSIBILITY
Know how to stop the lawn mower quickly in case of emer- gency. Understand the use of all lawn mower controls, output receptacles, and connections. Be sure that anyone who oper- ates the lawn mower receives proper instruction. Do not let children operate the lawn mower without parental supervision.
WARNING
Do not use your DEK lawn mower to carry passengers. When people, especially children, an pets are close by, avoid mowing since rotating blades can throw rocks and other items, which can cause serious injury.
Before Using Your DEK Lawn Mower
CAUTION
When operating your DEK lawn mower, wear protective clothing while mowing. Long pants and safety glasses will help reduce the risk of injury from thrown objects. It is recommended that adequate footwear, such as steel toe shoes with aggressive soles, be worn to help protect your feet and maintain traction on slopes or uneven grounds. Always wear hearing protection.
Inspecting Your Lawn Mowing Area
Inspect the area where your DEK lawn mower will be used. Check for stones, sticks, wire, and other foreign objects. These objects may become projectiles that can cause serious injury and/or death when struck by the mower.
Mower Inspection
For your safety, inspect the lawn mower before each use of op- eration. In order to inspect your lawn mower, the following condi- tions should be met: the lawn mower should be on a flat and level surface, with the ignition switch off, key removed, and blades dis- engaged. Also the spark plug wire should be off of the spark plug.
1.Walk around the mower and look for any fluid spills or leaks on or underneath the mower. Remove any and all exces- sive debris, dirt, and/or fluids.
2.Look for signs of damage or excessive wear. Check the tightness of all nuts, bolts, pins, and screws. Tighten any that may be loose and replace any that are missing.
3.Be sure the safety interlock controls are operating properly so that the engine cannot be started unless the ground speed control lever is in neutral and the blades are disen- gaged.
4.Check the mower blades for any damage or abnormal wear and replace in sets so that they are balanced.
5.Check the tire pressure on all four tires. See page 15 for instructions
6.Check the belts for proper wear and correct tension. See pages 17 and 18 for instructions.
7.Check engine oil and air filters as recommended by the en-
Operation of Equipment - Safety Cautions
WARNING
DANGER: GASOLINE IS HIGHLY FLAMMABLE AND EXPLO- SIVE. Do not add fuel while the engine is running or is hot. Keep open flames, sparks, and heat away from the fuel and store fuel in containers specifically designed for that purpose.
ADD FUEL OUTDOORS ONLY AND IF THE FUEL IS SPILLED, DO NOT START THE ENGINE. Manually push the mower away from the spill and wipe up immediately.
1)Do not operate the engine in a confined space where dangerous carbon monoxide fumes can collect. Carbon monoxide is odorless, tasteless, and can be fatal.
2)Mow only in daylight.
3)Make sure the mower is in neutral and the blades are disengaged be- fore attempting to start the engine.
4)Do not stop or start suddenly when going uphill. Never use riding at- tachments on slopes since there is an increase risk that they might roll over.
5)Avoid steeps slopes and use extreme caution when changing directions while operating on a slope.
6)Be extremely careful when operating on a slope or when the grass is damp or wet. Reduced traction could cause sliding. Never mow by pulling the mower back towards you because you might slip.
7)Watch for traffic when crossing surfaces other than grass (i.e. transport- ing) loading a trailer or vehicle, or when the mower is not in use.
8)Never operate the mower with defective guards, shields, or without the safety devices securely mounted in place.
9)Never direct discharge of material toward bystanders nor allow anyone near the mower during operation.
10)Do not change the governor settings or over speed the engine.
11)Always stop the engine whenever you leave the mower, even for a moment.
12)To help reduce the risk of a fire hazard, keep the engine and the area around the engine free of grass, leaves or any other type of foreign material.
13)Beware of cutting edges. Always wear gloves for safety when perform- ing blade maintenance activities. Beware on multiple blade units since the rotation of one blade may cause the rotation of the other blade.
14)Do not store or operate the mower with the grass chute deflector in the raised position. Serious injury could occur.
