Section Operating Instructions, General Safety

SECTION III

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

3-1 GENERAL SAFETY

Figure 3-1

Only qualified people familiar with this operator’s

manual and tractor operator’s manual should oper-

ate this machine. Operator should wear hard hat,

safety glasses and safety shoes. The operator

Spacers

should read, understand and practice all safety mes-

sages shown on the caution, warning and danger

Caster

decals affixed to the cutter to avoid serious injury or

death. Use ROPS (Rollover Protective Structures)

Wheel

and seat belt equipped tractors for mowing opera-

tions. Before beginning operation, clear work area of

any objects that may be picked up and thrown.

Check for ditches, stumps, holes or other obstacles

that could upset tractor or damage cutter. Always

lower cutter to ground and allow blades to come to a

DANGER

complete stop, set parking brake and turn off tractor

engine before leaving tractor operator’s seat.

STAY CLEAR OF ROTATING DRIVELINE. DO

NOT OPERATE WITHOUT DRIVELINE SHIELDS

3-2 CUTTING HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT

IN PLACE AND IN GOOD CONDITION. FAILURE

The cutter should be operated at the highest position

TO HEED THESE WARNINGS MAY RESULT IN

that will give desired cutting results. This will help pre-

PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH.

vent blades from striking the ground, reducing blade

DANGER

wear and undue strain on the machine. Cutting too

much material will leave excess clippings on the lawn

STAND CL

EAR

OF ROTATING CUTTER

surface. The more frequently the lawn is mowed, the

BLADES UNTIL ALL MOTION HAS STOPPED.

better the effect will be. Adjust as follows:

TO AVOID ACCIDENTAL FALL AND POSSIBLE

INJURY FROM CUTTER, USE ROPS

A. Raise cutter off ground using tractor 3-point

(ROLLOVER PROTECTION STRUCTURES) AND

SEAT BELT EQUIPPED TRACTORS FOR ALL

lift. SECURELY BLOCK CUTTER IN POSITION.

MOWING OPERATIONS.

WARNING

C. With tractor at idle speed, engage PTO drive.

THE CUT

R CAN

FALL FROM

HYDRAULIC SYSTEM FAILURE. TO

Advance throttle to 540 PTO rpm.

AVOID SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH,

D. Place tractor in low gear and begin cutting.

SECURELY SUPPORT CUTTER BEFORE

Tractor forward speed should be controlled by gear

WORKING UNDERNEATH

selection, not engine speed. For maximum cutting

efficiency, forward speed should allow cutter to

B. Remove pin securing caster wheel to bracket.

maintain a constant maximum blade speed.

(Figure 3-1) Remove caster wheel from arm.

Cutting height should not put undue strain on tractor

C. Place amount of spacers on caster wheel to

and implement drivetrain. If tractor engine or cutter

give desired cutting height. With no spacers on the

stalls, do not slip tractor clutch to allow engine to

bottom, a 1-1/2” or slightly lower cutting height is

retain speed as this will exert undue strain on the

given.

implement drivetrain. When stalling occurs, disen-

D. Reinstall caster wheel into caster arm. Place

gage PTO drive, move to a cut area, set tractor

remaining spacers on caster wheel and install pin to

throttle to idle, then re-engage PTO drive.

retain.

E. Repeat operation for all caster wheels. Make

Always cut up and down the face of slopes, never

certain all wheels are adjusted to the same height.

across.

3-3 OPERATION

Check belt tension after first 8 hours. Adjust per-

A. Perform BEFORE EACH USE maintenance

paragraph 4-3 if needed.

3-4 TRANSPORTING

list in paragraph 4-1.

B. Start tractor. Lower cutter until it is supported

Turn off PTO drive and fully raise tractor 3-point lift

by caster wheels. Position tractor lower lift arms as

before transporting. When implement is transported

shown in Figure 2-6, page 9. This will allow cutter

on road or highway, day or night, use tractor flashing

to”float” during operation.

warning lights unless prohibited by law. A slow mov-

ing vehicle (SMV) sign on the tractor must be visible

from the rear by approaching vehicles.