17
Operation
Zero Turn Driving Practice
The lever controls of the Zero Turn rider are responsive, and
learning to gain a smooth and efficient control of the rider’s
forward, reverse, and turning movements will take some
practice.
Spending some time going through the maneuvers shown
and becoming familiar with how the unit accelerates, travels,
and steers — before you begin mowing —is absolutely
essential to getting the most out of the Zero Turn rider.
Locate a smooth, flat area of your lawn
— one with
plenty of room to maneuver. (Clear the area of objects,
people and animals before you begin.) Operate the unit at
mid-throttle during this practice session (ALWAYS operate
at full throttle when mowing), and turn slowly to prevent tire
slippage and damage to your lawn.
We suggest you begin with the Smooth Travel procedure to
the right, and then advance through the forward, reverse,
and turning maneuvers.
You must release the parking brake prior to moving the
ground speed control levers inward.
Forward Travel Practice
Gradually move both ground speed control levers — evenly
FORWARD from neutral. Slow down and repeat.
NOTE: Straight forward travel takes practice. If
necessary, top speed can be balance-adjusted — see
the Speed Balancing Adjustment in the Adjustments
section near the back of this manual.
Reverse Travel Practice
LOOK DOWN & BEHIND, then gradually move both ground
speed control levers evenly BACK from neutral. Slow down
and repeat.
NOTE: Practice backing up for several minutes before
attempting to do so near objects. The rider turns
sharply in reverse as well as forward, and backing up
straight takes practice.
Figure 10. Forward Travel
Forward
Travel
Figure 11. Reverse Travel
Reverse
Travel
Smooth Travel
The lever controls of
the Zero Turn rider are
responsive.
The BEST method of
handling the ground
speed control levers is in
three steps — as shown
in Figure 9.
FIRST place your hands
onto the levers as shown.
SECOND, to go forward
gradually push the levers
forward with your palms.
THIRD, to speed up
move the levers farther
forward. To slow down
smoothly, slowly move
the levers toward neutral.
Figure 9. Move Control
Levers Gradually
Not
for
Reproduction
