GARDEN WAY 12194, Owner'S Manual

21

Section 5:  Maintenance 

TILLER LUBRICATION

Proper lubrication of the tiller is an essen-
tial part of your maintenance program.
After every 10 operating hours, oil or
grease the lubrication points shown in
Figures 5-1 and 5-2 and described below.

Use a good quality lubricating oil (#30
weight engine oil is suitable) and a good
quality general purpose grease (grease
that has a metal lubricant is preferred, if
available).

• Remove wheels, clean wheel shaft (A,

Fig. 5-1) and apply thin coating of
grease to shaft.

• Grease back, front and sides of depth

regulator lever (B, Fig. 5-1).

• Remove tines, clean tine shafts (C, Fig.

5-1) and inspect for rust, rough spots or
burrs (especially around holes). File or
sand smooth and coat ends of shaft with
grease.

• Oil the threads on the handlebar height

adjustment flange handle (D, Fig. 5-1).

• Oil the outer casings of the engine throt-

tle cable and the wheel gear cable (E,
Fig. 5-1).  Allow oil to soak in and then
wipe off any excess.

• Oil the various pivot points (F, Fig. 5-2)

on the shifting mechanism, the handle-
bar, and the idler arms (do not allow oil
on the belts or pulleys).

CHECK TIRE PRESSURE

Check the air pressure in both tires.
Deflate or inflate both tires evenly to 15-
to-20 PSI (pounds per square inch).  Be
sure that both tires have the same air
pressure or the unit will tend to pull to
one side.

CHECK FOR OIL LEAKS

Before each use, check your tiller for
signs of an oil leak – usually a dirty, oily
accumulation either on the unit or on the
floor where it has been parked.

A little seepage around a cover or oil seal
is usually not a cause for alarm. However,
if the oil drips overnight then immediate
attention is needed as ignoring a leak can
result in severe transmission damage. 

If a cover is leaking, try tightening any
loose screws or bolts.  If the fasteners are
tight, a new gasket or oil seal may be
required.  If the leak is from around a
shaft and oil seal, the oil seal probably
needs to be replaced.  See your autho-
rized dealer or contact the factory for
service or advice.

IMPORTANT: Never operate the tiller if
the transmission is low on oil.  Check the
oil level after every 30 hours of operation
and whenever there is any oil leakage. 

CHECK HARDWARE

At least every 10 operating hours, check
the unit for loose or missing hardware
(screws, bolts, nuts, hairpin cotters, etc.).
Loose or missing hardware can lead to
equipment failure, poor performance, or
oil leaks.

Be sure to check the three end cap
mounting screws located at the rear of the
transmission (Figure 5-3).  Lift the tine
flap to service those screws.

Figure 5-1

Figure 5-3

Figure 5-2

A

B

C

F

D

E

E

WARNING  

Before inspecting, cleaning or servicing the unit, shut off engine, wait for all

parts to come to a complete stop, disconnect spark plug wire and move wire away from spark
plug.  Failure to follow these instructions can result in serious personal injury or 
property damage.

End
Cap