9
3
WARNING
Make sure the riding
mower’s engine is
off, remove the igni-
tion key, and set the
parking brake before
removing the shipping
brace.
Setting Up
Your Lawn
Tractor
The shipping brace,
used for packaging
purposes only, must
be removed and
discarded before
operating your riding
mower.
The mowing deck is
capable of throwing
objects. Failure to
operate the riding
mower without the
discharge cover in
the proper operating
position could result
in serious personal
injury and/or property
damage.
Attaching the PTO Lever
(
Models with Manual PTO only)
If the PTO lever for your tractor was not attached at the
factory, follow the instructions below to attach it.
1. Position the PTO lever on the PTO shaft and secure
with the hex lock nut. See Fig. 3-3.
2. Place the PTO lever cap over the hex nut and push
downward until it “clicks” into place.
Attaching The Steering Wheel
NOTE: There are two different styles of steering wheel
cap. See Figure 3-4.
Styles vary by model.
If the steering wheel for your tractor did not come
attached, the hardware for attaching it has been packed
within the steering wheel, beneath the steering wheel
cap. Carefully pry off the steering wheel cap and remove
the hardware.
1.
With the wheels of the tractor pointing straight
forward, place the steering wheel over the steering
shaft.
2. Place the washer (with the cupped side down) over
the steering shaft and secure with the hex bolt. See
Figure 3-4.
3. Place the steering wheel cap over the center of the
steering wheel and push downward until it “clicks” into
place.
Identifying the Mulch Plug
(if so equipped)
On tractor models so equipped, a mulch plug can either
be found within the cutting deck’s discharge opening or
packed separately with your unit.
NOTE: Refer to Mulching on page 19 for more detailed
information.
If you’d prefer to operate the cutting deck without mulch-
ing, simply remove the mulch plug by unthreading the
plastic wing nut which fastens it to the cutting deck. This
will allow the clippings to discharge out of the discharge
opening during operation. See Figure 3-5.
Figure 3-4
Figure 3-3
Figure 3-5
