Section 5: Maintenance
WARNING Before inspecting, cleaning or servicing the unit, shut off engine, wait for all parts to come to a complete stop, disconnect spark plug wire and move wire away from spark plug. Failure to follow these instructions can result in serious personal injury or property damage.
TILLER LUBRICATION
Proper lubrication of the tiller is an essential part of your maintenance program. After every 10 operating hours, oil or grease the lubrication points shown in Figure
Use a good quality lubricating oil (#30 weight engine oil is suitable) and a good quality general purpose grease (grease that has a metal lubricant is preferred, if available).
•Remove wheels, clean wheel shaft (A, Fig.
•Grease back, front and sides of depth regulator lever (B, Fig.
•Remove tines, clean tine shafts (C, Fig.
•Oil the threads on the handlebar height adjustment screws and the handlebar attaching screws (D, Fig.
DB
AC
Figure
CHECK FOR OIL LEAKS
Before each use, check your tiller for signs of an oil leak – usually a dirty, oily accumulation either on the unit or on the floor where it has been parked.
A little seepage around a cover or oil seal is usually not a cause for alarm. However, if the oil drips overnight then immediate attention is needed as ignoring a leak can result in severe transmission damage.
If a cover is leaking, try tightening any loose screws. If the screws are tight, a new gasket or oil seal may be required. If the leak is from around a shaft and oil seal, the oil seal probably needs to be replaced. See your authorized dealer or contact the factory for service or advice.
IMPORTANT: Never operate the tiller if the transmission is low on oil. Check the oil level after every 30 hours of operation and whenever there is any oil leakage.
CHECK HARDWARE
Check for loose or missing hardware after every 10 operating hours. Tighten or replace hardware before using the tiller. Be sure to check the screws underneath the tiller hood (lift the hood flap) that secure the transmission cover and the depth regulator lever to the transmission.
CHECK TIRE PRESSURE
Check the air pressure in both tires. Deflate or inflate both tires evenly from
TRANSMISSION GEAR OIL SERVICE
Check the transmission gear oil level after every 30 hours of operation or whenever you notice any oil leak. Operating the tiller when the transmission is low on oil can result in severe damage.
A. To Check the Transmission
Gear Oil Level:
1.Check the gear oil level when the trans- mission is cool. Gear oil will expand in warm operating temperatures and this expansion will provide an incorrect oil level reading.
2.With the tiller on level ground, pull the Depth Regulator Lever all the way up.
3.Remove the oil fill plug (A, Fig.
4.The gear oil level is correct if the gear oil is approximately halfway up the side of the drive shaft.
5.If the gear oil level is low, add gear oil as described next. If the gear oil level is okay, securely replace the oil fill plug.
IMPORTANT: Do not operate the tiller if the gear oil level is low. Doing so will result in severe damage to the transmis- sion components.
6.If adding only a few ounces of gear oil, use API rated
140or SAE
7.While checking frequently to avoid
overfilling, slowly add gear oil into the oil fill hole until it reaches the halfway point on the drive shaft.
8.Securely replace the oil fill plug.
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