16
Mowing
WARNING:
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.
This tractor is equipped with one of White Outdoor’s
high quality cutting decks. The following information will
be helpful when using the cutting deck with your tractor.
WARNING:
Plan your mowing pattern to
avoid discharge of materials 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.
•
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 22 of this
manual for proper blade sharpening instructions.
SECTION 6: MAKING ADJUSTMENTS
WARNING:
Never attempt to make any
adjustments while the engine is running,
except where specified in the operator’s
manual.
WARNING:
Disconnect the spark plug
wire(s) and ground against the engine before
performing any adjustments, repairs or
maintenance.
Leveling the Deck
NOTE:
Check the tractor’s tire pressure before
performing any deck leveling adjustments. Refer to
Tires
on page 23 for information regarding tire pressure.
Front To Rear
The front of the cutting deck is supported by a stabilizer
bar that can adjusted to level the deck from front to rear.
The front of the deck should be between 1/4-inch and
3/8-inch lower than the rear of the deck. Adjust if
necessary as follows:
•
With the tractor parked on a firm, level surface,
place the deck lift lever in the top notch (highest
position) and rotate the blade nearest the discharge
chute so that it is parallel with the tractor.
•
Measure the distance from the front of the blade tip
to the ground and the rear of the blade tip to the
ground.
•
The first measurement taken should be between
1/4" and 3/8" less than the second measurement.
•
Determine the approximate distance necessary for
proper adjustment and proceed, if necessary, to the
next step.
•
Loosen the two jam nuts on the rear side of the
deck stabilizer bracket. See Figure 10A.
•
Locate the two lock nuts on the opposite side of the
stabilizer bracket. See Figure 10A. Tighten the lock
nuts to raise the front of the deck; loosen the lock
nuts to lower the front of the deck.
•
Retighten the two jam nuts loosened earlier when
proper adjustment is achieved.
Side to Side
If the cutting deck appears to be mowing unevenly, a
side to side adjustment can be performed. Adjust if
necessary as follows:
•
With the tractor parked on a firm, level surface,
place the deck lift lever in the top notch (highest
position) and rotate both blades so that they are
perpendicular with the tractor.
•
Measure the distance from the outside of the left
blade tip to the ground and the distance from the
outside of the right blade tip to the ground. Both
measurements taken should be equal. If they’re
not, proceed to the next step.
•
Loosen, but do NOT remove, the hex cap screw on
the left deck hanger bracket. See Figure 10B.
•
Balance the deck by using a wrench to turn the
adjustment gear (found immediately behind the hex
cap screw just loosened) clockwise/up or
counterclockwise/down.
