4
S
ECTION
2 — I
MPORTANT
S
AFE
O
PERATION
P
RACTICES
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.
Back up slowly. Always look down and behind before and
while backing to avoid a back-over accident. Be aware
and pay attention to the safety system function that
stops power to the blades when driving in reverse. If not
fuctioning properly, contact an authorized dealer for safety
system inspection and repair.
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 drive control levers 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 machine should not be driven up or
down ramp(s), because the machine could tip over, causing
serious personal injury. The machine must be pushed
manually on ramp(s) to load or unload properly.
23.
Muffler and engine become hot and can cause a burn. Do
not touch.
24.
Check overhead clearances carefully before driving under
low hanging tree branches, wires, door openings etc.,
where the operator may be struck or pulled from the
machine, which could result in serious injury.
25.
Disengage all attachment clutches, set the parking brake to
the ‘ON’ position.
26.
Your machine is designed to cut normal residential grass of
a height no more than 10”. Do not attempt to mow through
unusually tall, dry grass (e.g., pasture) or piles of dry leaves.
Dry grass or leaves may contact the engine exhaust and/
or build up on the mower deck presenting a potential fire
hazard.
27.
Use only accessories and attachments approved for this
machine by the machine manufacturer. Read, understand
and follow all instructions provided with the approved
accessory or attachment.
28.
Data indicates that operators, age 60 years and above, are
involved in a large percentage of riding mower-related
injuries. These operators should evaluate their ability
to operate the riding mower safely enough to protect
themselves and others from serious injury.
29.
If situations occur which are not covered in this manual, use
care and good judgment. Contact your customer service
representative for assistance.
Slope Operation
Slopes are a major factor related to loss of control and tip-over
accidents which can result in severe injury or death. All slopes
require extra caution. If you cannot back up the slope or if you
feel uneasy on it, do not mow it.
For your safety, use the slope gauge included as part of this
manual to measure slopes before operating this machine on
a sloped or hilly area. If the slope is greater than 15 degrees as
shown on the slope gauge, do not operate this machine on that
area or serious injury could result.
Do:
1.
Mow across slopes, not up and down. Exercise extreme
caution when changing direction on slopes.
2.
Watch for holes, ruts, bumps, rocks, or other hidden
objects. Uneven terrain could overturn the machine. Tall
grass can hide obstacles.
3.
Use slow speed. Choose a low enough speed so that you
will not have to stop while on the slope. Avoid starting
or stopping on a slope. If the tires are unable to maintain
traction, disengage the blades and proceed slowly and
carefully straight down the slope.
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 the machine.
6.
Keep all movement on the slopes slow and gradual. Do
not make sudden changes in speed or direction. Rapid
acceleration or deceleration could cause the front of the
machine to lift and rapidly flip over backwards, which
could cause serious injury.
Do Not:
1.
Do not turn on slopes unless necessary; then turn slowly
uphill and use extra care while turning.
2.
Do not mow near drop-offs, ditches or embankments. The
mower could suddenly turn over if a wheel is over the edge
of a cliff, ditch, or if an edge caves in.
3.
Do not try to stabilize the machine by putting your foot on
the ground.
4.
Do not use a grass catcher on steep slopes.
5.
Do not mow on wet grass. Reduced traction could cause
sliding.
6.
Do not tow heavy pull behind attachments (e.g. loaded
dump cart, lawn roller, etc.) on slopes greater than 5
degrees. When going down hill, the extra weight tends to
push the tractor and may cause you to lose control (e.g.
tractor may speed up, braking and steering ability are
reduced, attachment may jack-knife and cause tractor to
overturn).
