19
CLEANING THE ENGINE AND DECK
• Promptly wipe off any fuel or oil spilled on the
machine.
• Do not allow grass, leaves, and dirt to
accumulate around the cooling fins of the
engine or on any other part of the machine,
especially the pulleys and other moving parts.
IMPORTANT:
The use a pressure washer or
garden hose to clean your tractor is NOT
recommended. It may cause damage to electrical
components, spindles, pulleys, bearings or the
engine. The use of water will result in a shortened
life of the tractor and reduce its serviceability.
Deck Wash System (Optional)
Your tractor’s deck is equipped with a water port on
its surface as part of its deck wash system.
Use the Deck Wash System to rinse grass clippings
from the deck’s underside and prevent build-up of
corrosive chemicals. Complete the following steps
after each mowing:
• Drive the tractor to a level, clear spot on your
lawn, near enough to a water sillcock (spigot)
for your garden hose to reach.
Figure 14
IMPORTANT:
Make certain the tractor’s dis-
charge chute is directed away from your house,
parked cars, etc.
• Disengage PTO, move shift lever into the
neutral position, set the parking brake, and
stop engine.
• Thread the hose coupler (packaged with this
manual) onto the end of your garden hose.
• Attach the hose coupler to the water port on
your decks surface. See Figure 14.
• Turn the water on.
• While sitting in the operator’s position on the
tractor, re-start the engine and place the
throttle lever in the FAST (rabbit) position.
• Engage the tractor’s PTO.
• Remain in the operator’s position with the
cutting deck engaged for a minimum of two
minutes, allowing the underside of the cutting
deck to throughly rinse.
• Disengage the tractor’s PTO.
• Turn the ignition key to the STOP position to
turn the tractor’s engine off.
• Turn the water off and detach the hose
coupler from the water port on your decks
surface. Repeat step 4-11 on the opposite
side of the cutting deck.
Cutting Deck Removal
To remove the cutting deck, proceed as follows:
• Place the PTO knob (or lever) in the
disengaged (OFF) position and engage the
parking brake.
• Lower the deck by moving the deck lift lever
into the bottom notch on the right fender.
• On models equipped with a 42-inch deck,
remove the PTO belt from around the cutting
deck’s center pulley. Refer to Figure 19.
• On models equipped with a 46-inch deck,
remove the PTO belt from around the tractor’s
engine pulley (or electric PTO clutch, if so
equipped) and idler pulley(s). Refer to Figure
20.
• Looking at the cutting deck from the left side
of the tractor, locate the deck support pin on
the rear left side of the deck.
• Pull the deck support pin outward to release
the deck from the deck lift arm. See Figure 15.
• Rotate the pin slightly toward the rear of the
tractor and release the pin into the hole
provided.
• Repeat the above steps on the tractor’s right
side.
• 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. Gently slide the cutting
deck toward the front of the tractor allowing
the hooks on the deck to release themselves
from the deck stabilizer rod.
• Gently slide the cutting deck (from the right
side) out from underneath the tractor.
Water Port
Hose Coupler
(Shown without
Hose Attached)
