Using Your Cultivator

WARNING: Dress properly to reduce the risk of injury when operating this unit. Do not wear loose clothing or jewelry. Wear eye and ear/hearing protection. Wear heavy, long pants, boots and gloves. Do not wear short pants, sandals or go barefoot.

1.Move the cultivator to the work area prior to starting the engine. The cultivator may be transported by pushing it on wheels or carrying it by the shaft tube grip.

WARNING: To prevent serious personal injury, never pick-up or carry the unit while the engine is running.

2.Start the unit per Starting Instructions.

3.With the engine running and the tines off the ground, depress the throttle control to increase the engine speed.

4.Holding both of the handlebar grips firmly, slowly lower the cultivator until the tines make contact with the ground. See Figure 20.

5.As cultivating action begins, pull back on the cultivator so that the tines can penetrate the ground.

6.Once the ground has been broken, continue at a moderate pace until you are familiar with the controls and the handling of the cultivator.

7.Pull the cultivator backwards to improve the depth of cultivation and reduce your effort.

8.If the tines are digging too deep or not deep enough, adjust the tines per Adjusting Tine Depth.

Figure 20

Adjusting Tine Depth

Tine adjustment will vary depending on the type of soil being cultivated and how it will be used. Generally, adjusting the tines to break the soil 4 to 6 inches is

recommended for most gardens. Adjust the tines as follows:

WARNING: To prevent serious injury, never do adjustments, maintenance or repairs with unit running. Disconnect spark plug wire to ensure the unit will not start.

1.Stop the engine and disconnect the spark plug wire.

2.Loosen (do not remove) the two wing nuts on the tine guard. See Figure 20.

3.Slide the wheel bracket assembly down for shallower and up for deeper tine penetration.

4.Once the tines are in the desired position, tighten the wing nuts, making sure that the carriage bolts are seated properly through the bracket.

5.If the tine depth is not correct, repeat steps 2 to 4.

6.Reconnect the spark plug wire.

Up

Down

Figure 20

Transporting the Unit

WARNING: To prevent serious personal injury, always stop the engine when operation is delayed or when transporting the unit from one location to another.

1.Stop the engine.

2.Slide the wheel bracket assembly all the way down.

3.Tilt the unit back until the tines clear the ground.

4.Push or pull the unit to the next location to be cultivated.

NOTE: The cultivator can also be carried by the shaft tube grip. See Figure 21.

Shaft Tube

Grip

Figure 21

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