MTD 18HP service manual To Mow Grass and Produce a Striped Pat- tern

c.Avoid turning when going downhill, traction is at a minimum going downhill.

d.Do not operate with discharge side of the mower toward streets, buildings, play- grounds, parking lots, other machines, ani- mals, and other people.

e.Avoid operation or use extreme care if the traction surface is wet, unstable, or slip- pery.

f.Use extra care when grass clippings, leaves, pine needles, or debris are present as traction can be reduced.

g.Slow-down before turning and come to a complete stop before any zero turn maneu- ver.

h.Do not stop machine or park machine over combustible materials such as dry grass, leaves, debris, etc.

3.To Mow Grass and Produce a Striped Pat- tern

a.Pick a point on the opposite side of the area to be mowed (post, tree, shrub, etc.).

b.If on an hillside, start at the bottom so that the turns are uphill rather than downhill.

c.Align the mower so as to head directly toward the object on the far side.

d.Slowly increase the speed of the machine to match cutting conditions, terrain, and operator familiarity with the controls and keep the machine headed directly toward the alignment object. Do not go fast as to reduce cut quality or to be uncomfortable in controlling the speed and direction of the machine.

e.When approaching the other end of a strip, slow down or stop before turning. A U-turn is recommended unless a zero turn is required. The speed of a U-turn that will allow for machine controllability and mini- mal turf defacement will be dependent on several factors including: the speed of the turn, the radius of the turn, the tire tread pattern, the traction coefficient of the tire to the traction surface, the slope of the trac- tion surface.

f.Remember, a zero turn requires that the forward or reverse travel of the machine be stopped prior to the initiation of the turn or severe turf defacement can occur.

g.To prevent rutting or grooving of the turf, change the direction that the strips are mowed by approximately 45 degrees the next and each subsequent time that the area is mowed.

B.Controls

1.Engine Ignition and Start Switch: (See Fig- ure 1.) Located on the instrument housing below the right side of the operator’s seat. When the key is inserted and turned clock- wise, 45 degrees, the ignition circuit is closed. Turning the switch further against spring pres- sure starts the engine. The engine will only start if the blade clutch switch is in the “off” position, the parking brake is engaged and the left and right steering levers are in the neutral, opened-out position. The key should always be removed from the switch if the operator leaves the mower’s seat.

2.Engine Throttle Control: (See Figure 2.) Located on the left side of the mower next to the operator’s seat. Moving the throttle control from the rear to the front will increase the engine speed from slow to fast.

3.Left and Right Steering Levers: (See Figure 3.) These hinged levers open out to the side in the neutral position to permit the operator to be seated or to leave the mower’s seat. The operator, when seated, can pull the levers up to the operating position, a comfortable fore- arm’s length away. These levers control all of the movements of the mower. Pushing both levers forward causes the mower to move for- ward. Pulling both levers back causes the mower to move backward. Pushing one lever ahead of the other lever causes the traction wheel on the side where the lever is ahead to rotate faster than the other traction wheel, making the mower turn toward the side where the lever is behind. When one lever is pushed forward and the other lever pulled back the same amount, one traction wheel will turn in reverse and the mower will turn within its own length.

In order to start the engine, both steering levers must be opened out to the side in the neutral position; the parking brake must be engaged; and the blade clutch switch must be “off”. However, once the engine starts, the parking brake must be released before the operator places the steering levers into the operating position or the engine will automatically shut off.

Note: The Steering Lever will return toward neutral when released, but they should be placed in neutral by the driver. If the Drive Handles are not placed in neutral, the tractor may creep.

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