8

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

If you are not completely familiar with the Safety Instruction

Manual read it now before proceeding with the operation of

the mower. REMEMBER THERE ARE CERTAIN

PRECAUTIONS LISTED IN THIS MANUAL THAT YOU MUST

NOW TAKE BEFORE STARTING THE MOWER.

WARNING

Inspect Mower Before Each Use
Inspection of Mower: Do not use the
mower if any parts are not maintained in good
operating condition. Examine all moving parts
prior to each use. Look for excessive wear, bald
drive tires or worn out front tires (normally
smooth), cracks in parts, loose or missing bolts,
cotter, linchpin or “hair” pins or cable yoke pins
and replace before operating the mower. Make
sure all safety equipment provided with the
mower is in good operating order, including all
warning decals and the operator-presence
device which stops the engine and blades when
the foot-operated Operator Presence Control
(OPC) switch is released. To test the OPC,
follow the instructions given later in this manual.
Inspect the two anti-tip rollers and their
respective bolts at the rear of the mower for
tightness and proper operation. Ensure that all
parts of the Quad-Lever™ control system are
tight and secure. This is to reduce the possibility
that the mower could have a loss of control or
safety.
Basic Operation: The following procedures
are to guide you through the basic operation of
the mower. You should be a qualified mower
operator according to the safety section of this
manual. If this is your first time, operation
should only be done with the assistance of your
dealer on a level area. You should go through
each step, in the order indicated, every time you
start the mower.
How to start the mower

Before starting the engine

• Make sure the control levers are in the
exact neutral position
• Apply the parking brake if it is not already
set.
• Turn OFF the blade engaging switch if it is
on.
• Turn fuel valve to the “ON” position.

Starting the engine

Electric Start:
•Start the engine according to the engine
manufacturer’s recommendation, see engine
manual. Set the throttle control lever near
mid throttle, pull out on the choke control
knob and turn the key to the start position.
Do not engage the starter for more than ten
(10) seconds at a time. This may overheat
the starter and the wiring systems. Wait ten
(10) seconds between attempts. If the
engine does not start after several attempts
or stalls frequently, take the mower in for
service.
After starting the engine according to the engine
manufacturer’s recommendation, push in on the
choke control knob to open the choke valve, let
the engine run for several minutes to get the
hydraulic fluid circulating through the pumps,
etc. and to allow the engine to warm up. Do not
over-rev a cold engine.

Unusual noises or irregular operation:

As you drive the mower, listen for any unusual
noises and test for irregular operation and adjust
or service as necessary.
How to drive the mower
While standing, both feet should be firmly placed
on the foot platform. Set the engine speed
about a fourth of the way from idle. Release the
parking brake. Now try moving the hand control
levers, one at a time, very slightly, forward and
backward. Check to see if the wheels move
forward and backward according to the position
of the levers. If not, check to see that the pump
release valves are closed. With both feet still
firmly placed on the foot platform, increase the
engine speed to about half of the way from idle