Section 4: Operation
19
Turning:
4. To turn the unit, hold the wheel drive
control lever up against the handlebar grip
(Figure 4-8) on the side you are turning
toward. The unit will pivot on the sta-
tionary wheel.
Guide the unit completely through the turn
and slightly release the wheel drive control
lever as necessary to control the unit
through the turn.
BECOME FAMILIAR WITH MOVING AND
TURNING THE UNIT BEFORE ENGAGING
THE CUTTER BAR!
Cutting:
5. Move the cutter bar lever to the ON
position (Fig. 4-7). The unit should begin
vibrating, which is normal, and the cutter
blade will move rapidly from side to side.
6. When mowing, proceed slowly and
with caution.
DISENGAGE WHEEL DRIVE IF UNIT
STOPS MOVING FORWARD. DEBRIS
MAY WRAP AROUND MOVING PARTS IF
WHEEL DRIVE IS ENGAGED AND THE
UNIT IS NOT TRAVELING.
If the Unit Becomes Stuck
or Stops:
1. Disengage the cutter bar and wheel
drive control levers.
2. Look behind for and avoid obstacles,
back up a few steps, and check the oper-
ating area. The terrain may not be suitable
for safe or continued operation.
3. Poor traction may be caused by grass
wrapping around the tires or the axle.
Here are some tips to help avoid grass
wrapping:
• Allow grass to dry before cutting.
• Do not allow tires to spin on cut grass.
• As soon as any wrapping begins, you
should do the following:
a.) Disengage the cutter bar and wheel
drive control levers.
b.) Look behind for and avoid obsta-
cles and then pull the unit back-
wards. This should unwind the
grass.
c.) If unsuccessful, and you have an
assistant available, have the assis-
tant squeeze the wheel drive
levers, tilt the machine, and pull
the unit backward as you clear the
grass away.
d.) If necessary, the wheels can be
removed to untangle the grass.
See “Clearing Wheel Wrap” in
Section 5: Maintenance for
detailed instructions.
If the Cutter Blade Should Clog:
1. Disengage the cutter bar lever and the
wheel drive levers.
2. Check behind for and avoid obstacles.
3. Pull the unit rearward a few feet.
4. Push down on the handlebars and raise
the cutter blade slightly off the ground.
5. Re-engage the cutter bar lever to shake
excess material off the cutter bar.
6. Lower the unit, re-engage the wheel
drive levers and continue mowing.
OPERATING ON SLOPES
Do not operate on slopes with an incline
greater than 15°. Oil will slant away
from internal engine parts, reducing
lubrication. Do not mow straight down a
slope or hill. Mow from side to side.
Mow with the carburetor on the high side
to help prevent oil spillage. Failure to
follow these instructions may result in
personal injury or property damage.
Keep the oil level at FULL, especially when
mowing on slopes. DO NOT operate on
slopes with an incline greater than 15°.
Recheck the oil level every 30 minutes of
operation. Oil will shift in the crankcase
and excess tilting of the unit could leave
engine parts unlubricated, which will
result in engine damage.
Always mow slopes (hills) from side-to-
side, not up and down. Do not mow on
slopes with an incline greater than 15°.
Mow with the carburetor on the high side
of the slope.
STOPPING
If the wheels do not stop turning when
you disengage the wheel drive levers
(pull the wheel drive levers up against
the handlebar grips), lock the thumb
latches, stop the engine, wait for all
moving parts to come to a complete
stop, disconnect the spark plug wire and
prevent it from contacting the spark
plug. Do not use the unit until the wheel
drive has been repaired. Failure to do so
could result in personal injury or prop-
erty damage.
NORMAL STOPPING
1. Disengage the wheel drive levers (pull
the levers up against the handlebar grips).
2. Pull slightly backward and down on the
thumb latches and lock the wheel drive
rods into the thumb-latch slots.
3. Move the cutter bar lever to the OFF
position.
4. Move the throttle lever to the STOP
position. Wait for all moving parts to stop
completely.
5. Disconnect the spark plug wire from
the spark plug to help prevent accidental
starting. Remove the key from the
keyswitch on electric-start units.
EMERGENCY STOPPING
To stop forward motion: Squeeze both
wheel drive levers up against the handle-
bars.
To stop cutter blade movement: Move the
cutter bar lever to the OFF position.
If operating properly, the Operator Pres-
ence Control (OPC) system will stop the
unit within a few seconds when the han-
dlebars are released if the cutter bar or
wheel drive levers are engaged.
If the engine does not stop when either
operator presence control (OPC) lever is
released, stop the engine and wait for all
moving parts to come to a complete
stop. Move the cutter bar lever to the
OFF position. Replace the plastic blade
guard on the cutter bar. Disconnect the
spark plug wire and prevent it from con-
tacting the spark plug. On electric-start
units, remove the ignition key. Do not
use the unit until the OPC System is
repaired. Contact an authorized dealer
for repairs. Failure to follow these
instructions could result in personal
injury or property damage.
WARNING
WARNING
WARNING
DISENGAGED
➠
To Disengage
Wheel Drive
Fig. 4-8
