S
ection
5 — o
peration
17
It is strongly recommended that you locate a reasonably large,
level and open “practice area” where there are no obstructions,
pedestrians, or animals. You should practice operating the
tractor for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Carefully move (or have moved) the tractor to the practice area.
When performing the practice session, the PTO should not be
engaged. While practicing, operate the tractor at approximately
1⁄2-3⁄4 throttle and at less than full speed in both forward and
reverse.
Carefully practice maneuvering the tractor using the instructions
in the following section “Driving the Tractor.” Practice until you
are confident that you can safely operate the tractor.
Driving the Tractor
WARNING!
Avoid sudden starts, excessive speed
and sudden stops.
1.
Adjust the operator’s seat to the most comfortable
position that allows you to operate the controls. See seat
adjustment in the Assembly & Set-Up section.
2.
Release the parking brake.
3.
Move the RH and LH drive control levers inward in the
neutral position. Refer to Figure 5-2.
NOTE:
If the control levers are not even in the neutral position,
refer to Maintenance & Adjustments for instructions to adjust the
levers so that they are even.
4.
Move the throttle control lever forward to the full throttle
position.
NOTE:
Although the tractor’s engine is designed to run at
full throttle, when performing a practice session the tractor
must be operated at less than full throttle (approximately
2500-3000 RPM). This only applies to practice.
WARNING!
Always maintain a firm grip on the
control levers. DO NOT release the control levers to
slow or stop the tractor; move levers to neutral
position using your hands.
5.
To drive the tractor, firmly grasp the respective drive
control levers with your right and left hands and continue
with Driving the Tractor Forward on the following page.
Driving the Tractor Forward
WARNING!
Keep all movement of the drive control
levers slow and smooth. Abrupt movement of the
control levers can affect the stability of the tractor
and could cause the tractor to flip over, which may
result in serious injury or death to the operator.
1.
Slowly and evenly move both drive control levers forward.
The tractor will start to move forward. See Fig. 5-3.
2.
As the control levers are pushed farther forward the speed
of the tractor will increase.
3.
To slow the tractor move the controls lever rearward to
attain the desired speed, or move the levers to the neutral
position to stop the tractor.
WARNING!
Always maintain your grasp on the
drive control levers. Do not release the levers to slow
the tractor or to return to neutral.
Turning the Tractor While Driving Forward
WARNING!
When reversing the direction of travel,
we recommend performing gradual ‘U’ turns where
possible. Sharper turns increase the possibility of turf
defacement, and could affect control of the tractor.
ALWAYS slow the tractor before making sharp turns.
To turn the tractor while driving forward, move the control
levers as necessary so that one lever is rearward of the other. The
tractor will turn in the direction of the rearward control lever.
Control Lever Moved
Inward and in Neutral
Figure 5-2
Driving Forward
Neutral
Position
Faster
Slower
Figure 5-3
