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604889

Part Number 604889

C

M

D

F

L

B

G

H

E

J

I

A

K

REV A

2-8

607233

 

WARNING: Thrown objects!

Never operate the mower deck with side 
deflector damaged, altered, removed or in 

raised position, except when the entire 

grass catcher attachment or mulching 

system is being used.

Part Number 604221

DANGER:

Rotating blades, pulleys & belts

Keep shields and covers in place 
while machine is in operation.

Keep hands, feet and clothing 
away from rotating pulleys and 

belts.

604221

A.

Fast

B.

Slow

C.

Choke

D.

Mower blade engage/disengage switch

E.

Ignition switch - insert key

F.

OFF

G.

ON

H.

Engine start position

I.

Wear ear protection, eye protection and safety shoes 

when operating this equipment.

J.

Read Operator’s Manual before attempting to operate 

this machine. 

K.

Before starting the engine:

• Read Owner’s Manual

• Disengage mower blades

• Place control levers in park brake position

L.

For maximum electric clutch life engage at 1/2 - 3/4 

throttle position.

M.

For maximum electric clutch life disengage at low 

throttle position.

Summary of Contents for Alpha

Page 1: ...607233 REV A BIGDOG MOWER CO Alpha Operator s Manual 200 South Ridge Road Hesston Kansas 67062 ...

Page 2: ...nt may create sparks that can start fires around dry vegetation California Public Resources Code Section 4442 6 provides that it is unlawful to use or operate an internal combustion engine on any forest covered brush covered or grass covered land unless the engine is equipped with a spark arrester maintained in effective working order A spark arrester is a device constructed of nonflammable materi...

Page 3: ... 1 Controls 3 1 Lights 3 1 Safety Start Interlock System 3 2 Starting the Engine 3 3 Stopping the Engine 3 3 Moving the Mower With Stalled Engine 3 3 Mower Operation 3 4 Deck Cutting Height Adjustment 3 7 Anti scalp Wheels 3 8 Maintenance Adjustments 4 1 Safe Servicing Practices 4 1 Service Introduction 4 1 Torque Values 4 1 Tires 4 1 Flex Fork Break In 4 1 Lubrication 4 2 Electrical System 4 2 Hy...

Page 4: ...lades 4 4 Seat Adjustment 4 6 Steering Control Lever Adjustment 4 6 Troubleshooting 5 1 Storage 6 1 General Mower Preparation for Storage 6 1 Preparation of Engine for Storage 6 1 Preparation of Battery for Storage 6 1 New Season Preparation 6 1 Product Literature 6 3 ...

Page 5: ... to most conditions Directions used in this manual for example RIGHT or LEFT refer to directions when in the operator position and facing forward unless otherwise stated Though current at the time of printing photographs and illustrations shown may vary slightly from your mower due to subsequent production changes BigDog Mower Company reserves the right to redesign and change the machine as deemed...

Page 6: ...REV A 1 2 607233 ...

Page 7: ...ands and feet and throwing objects Always follow all safety instructions to avoid serious injury or death Never allow persons to operate this mower without proper instruction or allow children to operate the mower Allow only responsible adults who are familiar with these instructions to operate this mower Safe Operation Evaluate the terrain to determine what accessories and attachments are needed ...

Page 8: ...scharge area Never use your hand Follow daily and weekly checklists making sure hoses are tightly secured and bolts are tightened Never operate a poorly maintained mower Clean flammable material from mower Prevent fires by keeping the engine compartment top of the deck exhaust area battery fuel line fuel tank and operator s station clean of accumulated trash grass clippings and other debris Always...

Page 9: ...e sliding and loss of steering control Do not tow on slopes The weight of the towed equipment may cause loss of traction and loss of steering control Do not try to stabilize the mower by putting your foot on the ground If the mower s tires lose traction when operating on slopes disengage the blades place the control levers in the park brake position stop the engine remove ignition switch key and g...

Page 10: ...ake position Lower the deck Stop the engine Remove the ignition key Disconnect the negative battery cable Wait for all movement to stop before adjusting cleaning or repairing Repairs or maintenance requiring engine power should be performed by trained maintenance personnel only To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning operate the engine in a well ventilated area only Read and observe all safety warnin...

Page 11: ...le s Always connect the positive red battery cable s before connecting the negative black cable s Do not overfill the battery Electrolyte may overflow and damage paint wiring or structure When cleaning the battery use soap and water Be careful not to get soap and water into the battery Clean the battery terminals with a solution of four parts water and one part baking soda when they become corrode...

Page 12: ...tion Use these decals as an extension of this manual Do not remove or obliterate the decals Replace unreadable or missing decals It is the owner s responsibility to make certain that the operators and mechanics read and understand all decals before operating this machine The following illustrations show the safety decals that are located on the mower A brief explanation is shown to help the operat...

Page 13: ...able and may cause an explosion if exposed to flame Always remove the negative ground first and replace it last WARNING Fire Part Number 601967 Clean flammable material from machine Prevent fires by keeping engine compartment top of deck exhaust area battery fuel line fuel tank and operator s station clean of accumulated trash grass clippings and other debris Always clean up spilled fuel and oil W...

Page 14: ...ds feet and clothing away from rotating pulleys and belts 604221 A Fast B Slow C Choke D Mower blade engage disengage switch E Ignition switch insert key F OFF G ON H Engine start position I Wear ear protection eye protection and safety shoes when operating this equipment J Read Operator s Manual before attempting to operate this machine K Before starting the engine Read Owner s Manual Disengage m...

Page 15: ...or building 3 Fold the paper along the slope guide lines C D or E 4 Align the closest slope guide line with the ground slope This will give you a close estimation of the ground slope to be mowed Slope Guide Lines Line B D 10o C 5o E 15o Line A Slope Guide Use this diagram when determining the degree of slope to be mowed 607233 2 9 REV A ...

Page 16: ...REV A 2 10 607233 ...

Page 17: ...sition the choke is in the OFF run position When the knob is pulled up the choke is in the ON start position Do not operate the machine in the ON start position Controls A Steering control levers Figure 3 2 Figure 3 3 these levers control the mower s speed direction stopping and park brake B Deck lift pedal Figure 3 4 the deck lift pedal is used to raise or lower the deck Push on the pedal to rais...

Page 18: ...e 4 With the deck clutch switch down and the steering control levers in the park brake position slowly rise off of the seat The engine should continue to run 5 With the deck clutch switch up and or the steering control levers in the neutral position slowly rise off of the seat The engine should stop 6 If the engine fails to stop when the deck clutch switch is up or one or both of the steering cont...

Page 19: ...perly Refer to Safety Start Interlock System section 7 Allow the engine to idle a few minutes before advancing the throttle and or engaging the deck clutch Stopping the Engine Use the following procedure to shut the engine off 1 Place the steering control levers in the park brake position 2 Throttle the engine back to low idle then disengage the deck clutch Refer to the Mower Deck Operation sectio...

Page 20: ...ver farther rearward from neutral than the left steering control lever until the rear of the machine pivots around Figure 3 8 4 Then push the steering control levers forward until they both pass neutral and the machine starts to go forward Figure 3 8 5 Push the left steering control lever farther forward from neutral than the right steering control lever and finish the turn Figure 3 8 IMPORTANT Da...

Page 21: ...TRAVEL N NEUTRAL POSITION Direction of arrows indicate direction of mower movement N N N N N N N N N N Figure 3 8 Step 1 THREE POINT TURN Step 2 Step 3 R i g h t c o n t r o l l e v e r L e f t c o n t r o l l e v e r N e u t r a l R i g h t c o n t r o l l e v e r L e f t c o n t r o l l e v e r N e u t r a l Neutral Left control lever Right control lever ...

Page 22: ...ller than normal or if it contains a high degree of moisture Then mow it again with the cutting height set lower If the machine s forward motion must be stopped while mowing a clump of grass clippings may drop onto your lawn To avoid this move onto a previously cut area with the blades engaged An inexperienced operator should not mow on slopes or on uneven terrain Before attempting normal speed op...

Page 23: ... less than 1 2 throttle Never disengage the clutch with the engine running at high rpm Setting the throttle to less than 1 2 throttle when disengaging the clutch will help extend clutch life Warranty will not be allowed for deck clutches that fail due to improper engagement and disengagement practices Deck Cutting Height Adjustment The deck cutting height is adjustable in 1 2 12 7 mm increments Th...

Page 24: ...d in the bottom hole the wheel is located 1 60 40 6mm below the mower blades This setting is preferred when mowing at cutting heights of 2 1 2 63 5mm or higher When the wheel is mounted in the top hole it is located 70 17 8mm below the mower blades This is the acceptable setting for mowing at cutting heights of 1 1 2 38 1mm or higher A Deck cutting height pin B Cutting height holes Figure 3 10 A B...

Page 25: ...tform to prevent arm rest damage Some repairs require the assistance of a trained service mechanic and should not be attempted by unskilled personnel Consult your BigDog Mowers service center when assistance is needed Torque Values Torque values are given below ft lbs N m Wheel lug nuts 70 95 Blade spindle bolt top 60 81 Blade spindle bolt bottom 48 65 Lug nuts only It is recommended that these be...

Page 26: ...ontrol solenoids electronic controls vacuum control diaphragms purge valves liquid vapor separator other associated components Modifying or Tampering with the evaporative emissions control system or the fuel system is prohibited Federal law and California State law prohibit the following acts or the causing thereof 1 The removal or rendering inoperative by any person other than for purposes of mai...

Page 27: ...recommendation and capacities Change the engine oil and filter after the first 5 hours of operation and then per the engine manufacturer s recommendations after that If mower is being operated in extremely dirty conditions then it is recommended oil be changed more frequently IMPORTANT After the new oil filter has been installed clean up any oil which may have spilled onto the engine plate and exh...

Page 28: ...ns of severe cuts tears separation weather checking cracking burns caused by slipping Slight raveling of belt covering does not indicate failure trim ravelings with a sharp knife Inspect the belt pulley grooves and flanges for wear A new belt or one in good condition should never run against the bottom of the groove Replace the pulley when this is the case otherwise the belt will lose power and sl...

Page 29: ...umber 381442 is available from BigDog Mower It is designed to prevent the blades from rotating when they are being removed or installed on the spindle Contact your BigDog Mower Dealer for more information Always check for blade damage if mower strikes a rock branch or other foreign object during mowing or if an abnormal vibration occurs while operating Make all necessary repairs before resuming op...

Page 30: ...and are the most comfortable and then tighten the cap screws Figure 4 10 Steering Control Lever Adjustment The steering control levers can be adjusted for operator comfort A To pivot the upper control levers forward or rearward loosen the cap screws that attach the upper control lever to the lower lever Then pivot the upper control lever Tighten the cap screws Figure 4 11 B To lower and raise the ...

Page 31: ...607233 4 7 REV A A Cap screws Figure 4 10 A Upper control lever B Cap screws C Lower control lever Figure 4 11 A A A B C ...

Page 32: ...tion 3 Change engine oil filter per the engine manufacturer s recommendations Refer to Engine Owner s Manual for recommendations and other maintenance items 4 Service more often under dusty or dirty conditions Use caution when servicing to prevent dust contamination in the engine Do not clean filter element Replace with a new one 5 Pump drive belt only Inspect every month and replace if worn or cr...

Page 33: ...Fuel Tank 7 Engine Oil Filter 8 Park Brake Switch 2 9 Drive Tire 10 Pump Belt 11 Engine Air Intake Screen 12 Front Wheel Tires 13 Front Wheel Zerks 2 14 Deck Belt 15 Blades 16 Fuel Evaporation System Filter Figure 4 13 Figure 4 14 Figure 4 15 Figure 4 16 Figure 4 12 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 9 13 1 8 8 11 12 13 10 36 42 Deck 15 15 14 52 Deck 15 15 14 16 ...

Page 34: ...REV A 4 10 607233 ...

Page 35: ...one direction Steering linkage needs adjustment Adjust linkage Loose steering linkage Tighten linkage Tires improperly inflated Adjust air pressure to 8 12 psi 55 83 KPa Transaxle component faulty Contact your Dealer Mower creeps when parking brake engaged Steering linkage out of adjustment Adjust steering linkage Brakes need adjustment Adjust parking brakes There is abnormal vibration The engine ...

Page 36: ...REV A 5 2 607233 ...

Page 37: ...the oil filler cap and fuel tank cap s to make certain they are securely in place 9 Refer to the engine manual for more information Preparation of Battery for Storage When the machine is to be unused for long periods it is best to disconnect the battery and remove it from the unit At this time perform the following battery maintenance 1 Remove the battery from machine 2 Clean the battery terminals...

Page 38: ... would like to view or print a copy of the product manuals Operator s Manual Parts Manual or General Service Manual for these mowers go online to www bigdogmowerco com Contact your local BigDog Mower dealer if you require another engine manual ...

Page 39: ...de Maintenance 4 4 Mower Blade Maintenance Precautions 2 5 Mower Blade Replacement 4 5 Mower Blades 4 4 Mower Operation 3 4 New Season Preparation 6 1 Operating Suggestions 3 6 Operation 2 2 Operator Platform Adjustment 4 7 Parts and Service 1 1 Personal Safety 2 1 Possible Damage to ROPS 3 4 Preparation of Battery for Storage 6 1 Preparation of Engine for Storage 6 1 Raising the Deck to the Servi...

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