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SECTION 1:  IMPORTANT SAFE OPERATION PRACTICES

WARNING: 

This symbol points out important safety instructions which, if not followed, could endanger

the personal safety and/or property of yourself and others. Read and follow all instructions in this manual
before attempting to operate this machine. Failure to comply with these instructions may result in personal
injury. When you see this symbol—heed its warning.

DANGER:

 

This machine

 

was built to be operated according to the rules for safe operation in this man-

ual. As with any type of power equipment, carelessness or error on the part of the operator can result in 
serious injury. This machine is capable of amputating hands and feet and throwing objects. Failure to 
observe the following safety instructions could result in serious injury or death.

California Proposition 65 Warning:

WARNING: 

Engine exhaust, some of its constituents, and certain vehicle components contain

or emit chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm.

GENERAL OPERATION

1.

Read, understand, and follow all instructions on the 
machine and in the manual(s) before attempting to 
assemble and operate. Keep this manual in a safe 
place for future and regular reference and for 
ordering replacement parts. 

2.

Be familiar with all controls and their proper 
operation. Know how to stop the machine and 
disengage them quickly.

3.

Never allow children under 14 years old to operate 
this machine. Children 14 years old and over 
should read and understand the operation 
instructions and safety rules in this manual and 
should be trained and supervised by a parent. 

4.

Never allow adults to operate this machine without 
proper instruction. 

5.

To help avoid blade contact or a thrown object 
injury, keep bystanders, helpers, children and pets 
at least 75 feet from the machine while it is in 
operation. Stop machine if anyone enters the area.

6.

Thoroughly inspect the area where the equipment 
is to be used. Remove all stones, sticks, wire, 
bones, toys, and other foreign objects which could 
be picked up and thrown by the blade(s). Thrown 
objects can cause serious personal injury. 

7.

Plan your mowing pattern to avoid discharge of 
material toward roads, sidewalks, bystanders and 
the like. Also, avoid discharging material against a 
wall or obstruction which may cause discharged 
material to ricochet back toward the operator. 

8.

Always wear safety glasses or safety goggles 
during operation and while performing an 
adjustment or repair to protect your eyes. Thrown 
objects which ricochet can cause serious injury to 
the eyes. 

9.

Wear sturdy, rough-soled work shoes and close-
fitting slacks and shirts. Loose fitting clothes and 
jewelry can be caught in movable parts. Never 
operate this machine in bare feet or sandals.

 

10. Be aware of the mower and attachment discharge 

direction and do not point it at anyone. Do not 
operate the mower without the discharge cover or 
entire grass catcher in its proper place

.

11. Do not put hands or feet near rotating parts or 

under the cutting deck. Contact with the blade(s) 
can amputate hands and feet.

12. A missing or damaged discharge cover can cause 

blade contact or thrown object injuries. 

13. Stop the blade(s) when crossing gravel drives, 

walks, or roads and while not cutting grass. 

14. Watch for traffic when operating near or crossing 

roadways. This machine is not intended for use on 
any public roadway. 

15. Do not operate the machine while under the 

influence of alcohol or drugs. 

16. Mow only in daylight or good artificial light.
17. Never carry passengers.
18. Disengage blade(s) before shifting into reverse. 

Back up slowly. Always look down and behind 
before and while backing to avoid a back-over 
accident.

19. Slow down before turning. Operate the machine 

smoothly. Avoid erratic operation and excessive 
speed.

20. Disengage blade(s), set parking brake, stop engine 

and wait until the blade(s) come to a complete stop 
before removing grass catcher, emptying grass, 
unclogging chute, removing any grass or debris, or 
making any adjustments. 

21. Never leave a running machine unattended. Always 

turn off blade(s), place transmission in neutral, set 
parking brake, stop engine and remove key before 
dismounting.

22. Use extra care when loading or unloading the 

machine into a trailer or truck. This unit should not 
be driven up or down ramp(s), because the unit 
could tip over, causing serious personal injury

The 

unit must be pushed manually on ramp(s) to load or 
unload properly.

Summary of Contents for N779-Pony

Page 1: ...ate laws if any If a spark arrester is used it should be maintained in effective working order by the operator In the State of California the above is required by law Section 4442 of the California Public Resources Code Other states may have similar laws Federal laws apply on federal lands A spark arrester for the muffler is available through your nearest engine authorized service dealer or contac...

Page 2: ...e from the options below Visit troybilt com for many useful suggestions Click on Customer Support button and you will get the four options reproduced here Click on the appropriate button and help is immediately available To reach the Customer Support Line please call 1 866 840 6483 or 1 330 558 7220 The engine manufacturer is responsible for all engine related issues with regards to performance po...

Page 3: ...ersonal injury 7 Plan your mowing pattern to avoid discharge of material toward roads sidewalks bystanders and the like Also avoid discharging material against a wall or obstruction which may cause discharged material to ricochet back toward the operator 8 Always wear safety glasses or safety goggles during operation and while performing an adjustment or repair to protect your eyes Thrown objects ...

Page 4: ...op or shift while on the slope Tires may lose traction on slopes even though the brakes are functioning properly Always keep machine in gear when going down slopes to take advantage of engine braking action 4 Follow the manufacturer s recommendations for wheel weights or counterweights to improve stability 5 Use extra care with grass catchers or other attachments These can change the stability of ...

Page 5: ...g is complete Do not use a nozzle lock open device e Extinguish all cigarettes cigars pipes and other sources of ignition f Never fuel machine indoors g Never remove gas cap or add fuel while the engine is hot or running Allow engine to cool at least two minutes before refueling h Never over fill fuel tank Fill tank to no more than inch below bottom of filler neck to allow space for fuel expansion...

Page 6: ...mmediately with original equipment manufacturer s O E M parts only listed in this manual Use of parts which do not meet the original equipment specifications may lead to improper performance and compromise safety 12 Do not change the engine governor settings or over speed the engine The governor controls the maximum safe operating speed of the engine 13 Maintain or replace safety and instruction l...

Page 7: ...7 SECTION 2 SLOPE GAUGE 3IGHT AND HOLD THIS LEVEL WITH A VERTICAL TREE OR A CORNER OF A BUILDING OR A FENCE POST O L D A L O N G D O T T E D L I N E R E P R E S E N T S A S L O P E ...

Page 8: ...vot bracket with a plastic tie or mounted backward to the pivot bracket In either case free the seat form its shipping position and remove the two knobs from the bottom of seat before proceeding with applicable instructions below 1 Position the shoulder screws found on the base of the seat inside the slot openings in the seat pivot bracket Figure 2 2 Slide the seat slightly rearward in the seat pi...

Page 9: ...The tires on your unit may be over inflated for shipping purposes Reduce the tire pressure before operating the tractor Recommended operating tire pressure is approximately 10 p s i for the rear tires 14 p s i for the front tires Check sidewall of tire for maximum p s i Attaching the Battery Cables NOTE The positive battery terminal is marked Pos The negative battery terminal is marked Neg The pos...

Page 10: ...GHT or LEFT side of the tractor is observed from operator s position A Speed Control Lever Parking Brake E Ignition Switch Module B Clutch brake Pedal F Deck Lift Lever C Shift Lever G PTO Blade Engage Lever D Throttle Control Lever 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 PARK BRAKE P FAST SLOW CHOKE D A F C B E G ...

Page 11: ...The clutch brake pedal is located on the left side of the lawn tractor along the running board Depress the clutch brake pedal part way down when slowing the tractor by changing speeds Refer to Speed Control Lever Depress the pedal all the way down to engage the disc brake and bring the tractor to a complete stop NOTE The pedal must be depressed to start the engine Refer to Safety Interlock Switche...

Page 12: ...e engine Ignition Switch Module WARNING Never leave a running machine unattended Always disengage PTO move shift lever into neutral position set parking brake stop engine and remove key to prevent unintended starting To start the engine insert the key into the ignition switch and turn clockwise to the START position Release the key into the NORMAL MOWING MODE position once the engine has fired To ...

Page 13: ...h module allows the tractor to be operated in reverse with the blades PTO engaged IMPORTANT Mowing in reverse is not recommended To use the REVERSE CAUTION MODE IMPORTANT The operator MUST be seated in the tractor seat 1 Start the engine as previously instructed in this Operator s Manual 2 Turn the key from the NORMAL MOWING Green position to the REVERSE CAUTION MODE Yellow position of the key swi...

Page 14: ...gine disconnect the spark plug wire s and ground against the engine Thoroughly inspect the machine for any damage Repair the damage before restarting and operating If the blades are engaged place the PTO Blade Engage knob or lever in the disengaged OFF position Turn the ignition key counterclockwise to the OFF position Remove the key from the ignition switch to prevent unintended starting Driving ...

Page 15: ...s Driving On Slopes Refer to the SLOPE GAUGE on page 7 to help determine slopes where you may operate the tractor safely WARNING Do not mow on inclines with a slope in excess of 15 degrees a rise of approximately 2 1 2 feet every 10 feet The tractor could overturn and cause serious injury Mow up and down slopes NEVER across Exercise extreme caution when changing direction on slopes Watch for holes...

Page 16: ...er 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 t...

Page 17: ... nut and lock nut found on the front side of the stabilizer bracket See Figure 10 After loosening the jam nut Tighten the lock nut to raise the front of the deck Loosen the lock nut to lower the front of the deck Figure 9 Retighten the jam nut loosened earlier after proper adjustment is achieved Side to Side If the cutting deck appears to be mowing unevenly a side to side adjustment can be perform...

Page 18: ...in the rear of the tractor Adjust if necessary as follows Looking at the transmission from the right side of the tractor locate the compression spring and brake disc See Figure 11 Figure 11 Loosen but do NOT remove the hex nut found on the right side of the brake assembly See Figure 11 Re tighten the hex nut allowing a gap of 011 between the brake disc and the brake puck Use a feeler gauge to achi...

Page 19: ...e opposite order after oil has finished draining Refill the engine with new motor oil IMPORTANT Refer to the Briggs Stratton Operator Owner Manual packed with your unit for information regarding the quantity and proper weight of motor oil Air Cleaner Service the pre cleaner if so equipped and cartridge air cleaner element as instructed in the Briggs Stratton Operator Owner Manual packed with your ...

Page 20: ...trical components spindles pulleys bearings or the engine Deck Wash System A hex plug can be found on your tractor s deck surface See Figure 14 Figure 14 This plug can be replaced with a water port to be used as part of a separately available deck wash system Use the Deck Wash System to rinse grass clippings from the deck s underside and prevent the buildup of corrosive chemicals NOTE Refer to pag...

Page 21: ...e Move the deck lift lever into the top notch on the right fender to raise the deck lift arms up and out of the way Figure 16 Carefully remove the PTO cable from the rear of the cutting deck by removing the hair pin clip which secures it Proceed to remove the spring from the deck idler bracket See Gently slide the cutting deck toward the front of the tractor allowing the hooks on the deck to relea...

Page 22: ...unit with the dead battery WARNING Failure to use this procedure could cause sparking and the gas in either battery could explode Cleaning Clean the battery by removing it from the tractor and washing with a baking soda and water solution If necessary scrape the battery terminals with a wire brush to remove deposits Coat terminals and exposed wiring with grease or petroleum jelly to prevent corros...

Page 23: ...tested by balancing it on a round shaft screwdriver Grind metal from the heavy side until it balances evenly When replacing the blade be sure to install the blade with the side of the blade marked Bottom facing the ground when the mower is in the operating position IMPORTANT Use a torque wrench to tighten the blade spindle hex flange nut to between 70 foot pounds and 90 foot pounds Changing the Tr...

Page 24: ...hine use factory approved belts To change or replace the deck belt on your tractor proceed as follows Lower the deck by moving the deck lift lever into the bottom notch on the right fender Remove the belt guards by removing the self tapping screws that fasten them to the deck Remove the belt keeper rod from around the engine pulley Insert a 3 8 drive ratchet wrench set to loosen into the square ho...

Page 25: ...liance SECTION 10 ATTACHMENTS ACCESSORIES The following attachments and accessories are compatible for 700 Series Lawn Tractors See the retailer from which you purchased your tractor an authorized Troy Bilt Service Dealer or phone 1 866 840 6483 for information regarding price and availability NOTE Model Series 700 Lawn Tractors are NOT designed for use with any type of ground engaging attachments...

Page 26: ... or replace cap if damaged Drain fuel tank Refill with clean fresh less than 30 days old gasoline Replace air cleaner cartridge element or clean pre cleaner if so equipped Engine overheats Engine oil level low Air flow restricted Fill crankcase with proper capacity and weight of oil Clean grass clippings and debris from around the engine s cooling fins and blower housing Engine hesitates at high R...

Page 27: ...27 NOTES ...

Page 28: ... clutch adjustments deck adjustments and normal deterioration of the exterior finish due to use or exposure d Service completed by someone other than an authorized service dealer e Troy Bilt does not extend any warranty for products sold or exported outside of the United States and or Canada and their respective possessions and territories except those sold through Troy Bilt s authorized channels ...

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