Section 1: Safety
Operation
1. Do not put hands or feet near or
under rotating parts.
2.
Use extreme caution when on or
crossing gravel driveways, walks or
roadways. Be alert for hidden
hazards or traffic. Do not carry
passengers.
3.
If you hit a foreign object, stop the
engine, let all moving parts come to
a complete stop, disconnect spark
plug wire and move wire away from
the spark plug, and inspect for dam-
age. Repair damage before restarting.
4.
Exercise caution to avoid slipping or
falling.
5.
If abnormal tiller vibration occurs,
stop engine immediately, disconnect
the spark plug wire, and move wire
away from spark plug. Check for the
cause. Carefully inspect for any dam-
age. Fix the problem before using
the tiller again. Vibration is generally
a warning sign of trouble.
6.
Stop the engine, let all moving parts
stop completely, disconnect the
spark plug wire and move the wire
away from the plug before leaving
the operating position, unclogging
tines, or making repairs, adjustments
or inspections.
7.
Take all possible precautions when
leaving the machine unattended. Let
go of all controls. Stop engine, allow
all moving parts to stop completely,
disconnect spark plug wire and move
wire away from plug to prevent the
possibility of accidental starting.
8.
Before cleaning, repairing or
inspecting, stop the engine, let all
moving parts stop completely,
disconnect the spark plug wire and
move wire away from spark plug to
prevent the possibility of accidental
starting.
9.
The Operational Interlock System
should be tested for correct function
every time prior to using this equip-
ment. See Section 4 in this Manual.
10. Never use equipment unless safety
guards and safety devices are in
place and working properly.
11. Do not remove the hood flap or in
any way alter its performance. Doing
so may allow stones to be thrown in
the operator’s direction, increase the
risk of accidentally coming into con-
tact with the tines, or increasing the
possibility that the unit may unexpec-
tedly be propelled backward.
12. Do not run the engine in an enclosed
area. Engine exhaust contains carbon
monoxide gas, a deadly poison that
is odorless, colorless and tasteless.
13. Keep children and pets away.
14. Never operate the equipment in the
rear tine tiller mode (operator
standing behind the tines) unless the
tine hood is properly installed over
the tines. Refer to illustrations on
Page 4. The tine hood may only be
removed after the handlebar is
swung around 180
o
to the front tine
tiller/cultivator mode (handlebar is
positioned over the engine). Never
till or cultivate in front tine tiller/
cultivator mode with the tine hood
installed— in this mode the tine
hood should always be off. Failure to
comply with these requirements
could result in serious personal
injury or damage to the tine hood. A
special safety interlock switch pre-
vents the engine from running if the
tine hood is removed when the handle-
bar is in the rear tine tiller mode
(handlebars over hood and tines).
See illustration on Page 4.
15. When in rear tine tiller mode, the
tiller could unexpectedly jump
backward if the tines dig in too
deeply and the wheels lose traction.
To minimize the possibility of the
machine jumping backwards, do not
push down on the handlebar when in
rear tine tilling mode.
16. If in doubt about tilling conditions,
use the following precautions to help
you in maintaining tiller control:
a.) Walk on the left side of the
handlebar when in the rear tine tilling
mode. When front tine tilling or
cultivating, walk behind the handlebar.
b.) Use slower engine throttle speeds.
c.) When tilling, work gradually
deeper with each tilling pass.
d.) Clear the tilling area of big
stones, roots and other debris.
e.) When in rear tine tilling mode,
avoid putting downward pressure on
the handlebar which would cause the
wheels to lose traction. If necessary,
apply upward pressure to increase
wheel traction and to prevent the
tines from digging too deeply. When
in the cultivating mode, do the
opposite—apply downward
handlebar pressure to prevent the
tines from digging too deeply.
f.) In an emergency, release the con-
trol lever to stop tines and wheels.
17. Do not overload the capacity of the
machine by trying to till or cultivate
too deeply at too fast a rate.
18. Never use the tiller at high speed on
hard or slippery surfaces. Look
behind and use care when backing
up (there is no powered “reverse”).
19. Do not use this unit on steep slopes.
On modest slopes, slow down.
Obtain good footing. Don’t let unit
“freewheel” down slopes. When
possible, operate unit under power
with wheels engaged.
20. Clear the area of bystanders before
tilling or cultivating.
21. Use only attachments and access-
ories approved by Garden Way Inc.
22. Use tiller attachments and access-
ories when recommended.
23. Never operate this equipment with-
out good visibility or light.
5
d.) Fill fuel tank outdoors using
extreme caution. Never add fuel
indoors. Use a funnel or spout to
prevent spillage.
e.) Replace all fuel tank and
container caps securely.
f.) If fuel is spilled, do not attempt to
start the engine, but move the
machine away from the area of
spillage and avoid creating any
source of ignition until fuel vapors
dissipate.
7.
Never attempt to make any
adjustments while the engine is
running or the spark plug wire is
connected, except when so
instructed.
