Stopping Engine
•Move throttle control lever to STOP position. See Figure 1.
Figure 1
CAUTION: Never stop the engine by moving the choke lever into the CHOKE position. Backfire, fire or engine damage could result.
Operating the Tiller
WARNING: Before tilling new ground, contact your telephone and utilities company to inquire if underground lines are on the property.
The following pages provide guidelines to using your tiller effectively and safely in various gardening applications. Be sure to read Tilling Tips & Techniques in this Section before you actually put the tines into the soil.
1.Follow the
2.Start the engine and allow it to warm up for a few minutes. Move the throttle control into the FAST speed setting.
IMPORTANT: Always operate the tiller with the throttle in the FAST (rabbit) position.
3.For forward or reverse motion of the wheels and no power to the tines:
a.Place the tine engagement lever in the OFF position.
b.Place the wheel shift lever in either the FORWARD position or REVERSE position.
NOTE: If you encounter difficulty repositioning the wheel shift lever from FORWARD or REVERSE into NEUTRAL or
c.Close the wheel engagement handle against the handlebar to cause the wheels to drive. To stop the wheels, release the wheel engagement handle.
4.For forward motion of the wheels and power to the tines:
a.Place the tine direction selector in either the CRT position or FRT position.
NOTE: Operate the tiller in CRT mode when tilling virgin ground, sod or hard soil. Operate the tiller in FRT mode when cultivating or tilling soft ground or previously tilled soil.
b.Place the wheel shift lever in the FORWARD position.
c.Close the wheel engagement handle against the handlebar to cause the wheels to drive.
d.Place the tine engagement lever in the ON position to begin tilling.
IMPORTANT: To stop the wheels and tines, release the wheel engagement handle.
WARNING: Do not push down on the handlebar to try to make the tiller till more deeply. Doing so prevents the wheels from holding the tiller back and can allow the tines (in CRT mode) to rapidly propel the tiller backward toward the operator, which could result in loss of control, property damage, or personal injury.
•As the tiller moves forward, relax and let the wheels pull the unit along while the tines dig.
•Walk behind, and a little to one side of the tiller.
•Use a light but secure grip with one hand on the handlebars, but keep your arm loose.
•Let the tiller move ahead at its own pace. Do not push down on the handlebar in an attempt to force the tiller to dig deeper. If necessary, stop the tiller, turn off the engine and reposition the depth regulator lever to adjust tilling depth before restarting and operating the tiller.
5.To turn the tiller around:
a.Practice turning in a level, open area with the tines not engaged.
b.To start a turn, carefully raise the handlebar until the engine and tines are balanced over the wheels.
c.With the tiller balanced, push sideways on the handlebar to move the tiller in the direction of the turn. After completing the turn, slowly lower the tines into the soil.
Stopping the Tiller and Engine
1.To stop the wheels and tines, release /open the wheel engagement handle.
2.To stop the engine, move the engine throttle lever to STOP. Refer to Figure 1.
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