Troy-Bilt 13A-344-563 manual Attaching Mulch Plug, Attaching Hitch Plate Optional

WARNING: Do not operate the mower if any one of the grass catcher, discharge chute or mulching plug is not firmly installed on the mower.

•Pivot the hood assembly up and lower the cutting height adjustment lever to the lowest position.

•Remove the two wing nuts (A and B in Figure 4 ) from two ends of the grasscatcher chute.

Grass Catcher

Chute

Side-	Wing
Discharge
Chute	Nut B

Wing

Nut D

Wing	Figure 4
Nut A

•Loosen the wing nut (D in Figure 4 ) in front at the middle of the chute. Do not remove. All three wing nuts hold the chute to the deck frame.

•Slide the grasscatcher chute to the right and out of the deck frame. Slide the side-discharge chute in and place it on the deck so that the three wing nut positions align with those on the deck.

•Reinsert wing nuts A and B. Tighten to secure. Tighten the wing nut D.

Attaching Mulch Plug

While operating your rider mower, you have three options: (i) to collect grass clippings in the grass catcher, (ii) to discharge grass clippings on the side, or

(iii) to mulch grass and recirculate clippings back to the

lawn. For the third option, attach the mulching plug to

Side Discharge Chute

Wing Nut

		B
	A
Speed
Nut
		Mulching
Longer Hex Bolt		Plug

Figure 5

•Align the two holes on the bumper tube with the corresponding holes on the rider frame (from where you removed the hardware). See Figure 6.

•Re-insert the two hex bolts through the bumper and the rider frame and secure with the two lock nuts. See Figure 6 .

Lock

Nut

Bumper

Rider Frame

Rail

Hex Bolt

Figure 6

Attaching Hitch Plate (Optional)

The hitch plate, if equipped, can be located with the loose parts. See Figure 1 .

•Remove the hex nuts, lock washers and the hex bolt “B” from the rear frameDo. not remove the hex bolt “A” and speed nut.

Hex Nut

Hitch Plate

Lock

Washer

the side-discharge chute and then to the deck.

•	Put two hex bolts through the mulching plug at the
	respective openings. See Figure 5 .
•	Place speed nuts over the hex bolts.

Emboss Rib

Rear Frame

Speed Nut

• Insert the plug into the side-discharge chute

aligning the two slots on two sides of the side-

discharge chute with those on the mulching plug.

• To attach the mulching plug now to the unit, follow

instructions on previous page to attach side-

discharge chute to the deck.

• Place wing nut on each of the hex bolts and thread

a few turns. See Figure 5 . Check that the mulch

plug is aligned correctly within the discharge

chute.Tighten both wing nuts

Attaching Bumper (Optional)

•Remove bumper from the grass catcher.

•Loosen and remove the two hex bolts and lock nuts from the front rail on the rider mower. See Figure 6 .

Hex Bolt “A”

Hex Bolt “B”

Figure 7

•Position the hitch plate so that the two smaller holes will fit over the hex bolts with the emboss rib on top of plate.

•Place the hitch plate over the hex bolt “A”.

•Pivot hitch plate, align the hole on the hitch plate with the right hand hole on rear frame and insert hex bolt “B”. See Figure 7 .

•Secure the hitch plate with the lock washers and hex nuts previously removed. Tighten both hex nuts securely.

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