15
•
Be sure that the lawn is clear of stones, sticks, wire,
toys or other objects which could damage lawn
mower or engine.
•
For best results and to insure more even grass
distribution, do not mow when lawn is excessively
wet.
•
Do not mow at high ground speed, especially if a
mulch kit or grass collector is installed.
•
For best results it is recommended that the first two
laps be cut with the discharge thrown towards the
center. After the first two laps, reverse the direction
to throw the discharge to the outside for the
balance of cutting. This will give a better
appearance to the lawn.
•
Do not cut the grass too short. Short grass invites
weed growth and yellows quickly in dry weather.
•
Mowing should always be done with the engine at
full throttle.
•
Under heavier conditions it may be necessary to go
back over the cut area a second time to get a clean
cut.
•
Do NOT attempt to mow heavy brush and weeds
and extremely tall grass. Your tractor is designed to
mow lawns, NOT clear brush.
•
Keep the blades sharp and replace the blades
when worn. Refer to
Cutting Blades
on page 23 of this
manual for proper blade sharpening instructions.
Mulching
Some, NOT ALL, models come equipped with a mulch
kit which incorporates special blades, already standard
on your tractor, in a process of recirculating grass
clippings repeatedly beneath the cutting deck. The
ultra-fine clippings are then forced back into the lawn
where they act as a natural fertilizer. Observe the
following points for the best results when mulching.
•
Never attempt to mulch if the lawn is damp. Wet
grass tends to stick to the underside of the cutting
deck preventing proper mulching of the clippings.
•
Do NOT attempt to mulch more than 1/3 the total
height of the grass or approximately 1-1/2 inches.
Doing so will cause the clippings to clump up
beneath the deck and not be mulched effectively.
•
Maintain a slow ground speed to allow the grass
clippings more time to effectively be mulched.
•
Always position the throttle control lever in the
FAST (rabbit) position and allow it to remain there
while mowing. Failing to keep the engine at full
throttle places strain on the tractor’s engine and
does not allow the blades to properly mulch grass.
NOTE:
It is not necessary to remove the discharge
chute to operate the mower with the mulch kit installed.
38- and 42-inch Decks
To operate the cutting deck without mulching, on
models so equipped, simply remove the mulch plug by
unthreading the plastic wing nut which fastens it to the
cutting deck. This will allow the clippings to discharge
out the side. See Figure 9.
Figure 9
46-inch Decks
On models so equipped, the mulch kit is packed
separately within the tractor’s crate. Observe the
instructions included with the mulch kit for the best
results when mulching.
Carriage Screw
Plastic Wing Nut
Bell
Washer
Mulch Plug
