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4

2

Safe  

Operation 

Practices

Children

1.  Tragic accidents can occur if the operator is not 

alert to the presence of children. Children are often 

attracted to the machine and the mowing activity. 

They do not understand the dangers. Never assume 

that children will remain where you last saw them.

    a.  Keep children out of the mowing area and in  

   

watchful care of a responsible adult other than  

   

the operator. 

    b.  Be alert and turn machine off if a child enters  

   

the area. 

    c.  Before and while backing, look behind and  

   

down for small children. 

    d.  Never carry children, even with the blade(s)  

   

shut off. They may fall off and be seriously  

   

injured or interfere with safe machine operation.

    e.  Use extreme care when approaching blind  

   

corners, doorways, shrubs, trees or other  

   

objects that may block your vision of a child  

   

who may run into the machine.

    f. 

To avoid back-over accidents, always 

disengage the cutting blade(s) before 

shifting into Reverse. If equipped, the 

“Reverse Caution Mode” should not be 

used when children or others are around.

    g.  Keep children away from hot or running  

   

engines. They can suffer burns from a hot  

   

muffler. 

    h.  Remove key when machine is unattended to  

   

prevent unauthorized operation.

2.  Never allow children under 14 years old to  operate 

the machine. Children 14 years old and over should 

read and understand the operation instructions and 

safety rules in this manual and should be trained and 

supervised by a parent.

Operation

Safe Handling of Gasoline:

1. 

T

o avoid personal injury or property damage use 

extreme care in handling gasoline. 

Gasoline is 

extremely flammable and the vapors are explo-

sive.

 Serious personal injury can occur when gasoline 

is spilled on yourself or your clothes which can ignite.  

Wash your skin and change clothes immediately.

    a.  Use only an approved gasoline container.
    b.  Never fill containers inside a vehicle or on a  

   

truck or trailer bed with a plastic liner. Always  

   

place containers on the ground away from  

   

your vehicle before filling.

    c.  When practical, remove gas-powered    

   

equipment from the truck or trailer and refuel it  

   

on the ground. If this is not possible, then  

   

refuel such equipment on a trailer with a  

   

portable container, rather than from a gasoline  

   

dispenser nozzle.

    d.  Keep the nozzle in contact with the rim of  

   

the fuel tank or container opening at all  

   

times until fueling is complete. Do not use a  

   

nozzle lock-open device.

    e.  Extinguish all cigarettes, cigars, pipes and  

   

other sources of ignition.

    f.  Never fuel machine indoors.
    g.  Never remove gas cap or add fuel while the  

   

engine is hot or running. Allow engine to cool  

   

at least two minutes before refueling.

    h.  Never over fill fuel tank. Fill tank to no more  

   

than ½ inch below bottom of filler neck to  

   

allow space for fuel expansion.

    i.  Replace gasoline cap and tighten securely.
    j.  If gasoline is spilled, wipe it off the engine  

   

and equipment. Move unit to another area.  

   

Wait 5 minutes before starting the engine. 

    k.  To reduce fire hazards, keep machine free of  

   

grass, leaves, or other debris build-up. Clean  

   

up oil or fuel spillage and remove any fuel  

   

soaked debris.

    l.  Never store the machine or fuel container  

   

inside where there is an open flame, spark  

   

or pilot light as on a water heater, space  

   

heater, furnace, clothes dryer or other gas  

   

appliances. 

    m.  Allow a machine to cool at least five minutes 

   

before storing.

WARNING:

 Engine Exhaust, some of its constituents, and certain vehicle compo-

nents contain or emit chemicals known to State of California to cause cancer and 
birth defects or other reproductive harm.

WARNING

This symbol points 
out important safety 
instructions which, if 
not followed, could 
endanger the personal 
safety and/or property 
of yourself and others. 
Read and follow all 
instructions in this man-
ual before attempting to 
operate this machine. 
Failure to comply with 
these instructions may 
result in personal injury. 
When you see this 
symbol.

HEED ITS WARNING

Your  

Responsibility

Restrict the use 

of this power machine 

to persons who read, 

understand 

and follow the warnings 

and instructions 

in this manual 

DANGER:

 This machine was built to be operated according to the rules for safe operation in this 

manual. As with any type of power equipment, carelessness or error on the part of the operator can 
result in serious injury. This machine is capable of amputating hands and feet and throwing objects. 
Failure to observe the following safety instructions could result in serious injury or death.

Summary of Contents for 760-779

Page 1: ...ctive working order by the operator In the State of California the above is required by law Section 4442 of the California Public Resources Code Other states may have similar laws Federal laws apply on federal lands A spark arrester for the muffler is available through your nearest engine authorized service dealer or contact the service department P O Box 361131 Cleveland Ohio 44136 0019 MTD LLC P...

Page 2: ...est performance Please read and understand what it says Customer Support Slope Gauge 3 Safe Operation Practices 4 Setting Up Your Lawn Tractor 8 Operating Your Lawn Tractor 12 Adjusting Your Lawn Tractor 20 Maintaining Your Lawn Tractor 22 Off Season Storage Attachments 28 Safety Labels 29 Trouble Shooting 30 Warranty Back Page If you have difficulty assembling this product or have any questions r...

Page 3: ...alk behind mower on such a slope it is extremely difficult to maintain your footing and you could slip resulting in serious injury Operate RIDING mowers up and down slopes never across the face of slopes Operate WALK BEHIND mowers across the face of slopes never up and down slopes Use this page as a guide to determine slopes where you may not operate safely Do not operate your lawn mower on such s...

Page 4: ...en refuel such equipment on a trailer with a portable container rather than from a gasoline dispenser nozzle d Keep the nozzle in contact with the rim of the fuel tank or container opening at all times until fueling is complete Do not use a nozzle lock open device e Extinguish all cigarettes cigars pipes and other sources of ignition f Never fuel machine indoors g Never remove gas cap or add fuel ...

Page 5: ...g deck Contact with the blade s can amputate hands and feet 12 A missing or damaged discharge cover can cause blade contact or thrown object injuries 13 Stop the blade s when crossing gravel drives walks or roads and while not cutting grass 14 Watch for traffic when operating near or crossing roadways This machine is not intended for use on any public roadway 15 Do not operate the machine while un...

Page 6: ...urn slowly and gradually downhill if possible 2 Do not mow near drop offs ditches or embankments The mower could suddenly turn over if a wheel is over the edge of a cliff ditch or if an edge caves in 3 Do not try to stabilize the machine by putting your foot on the ground 4 Do not use a grass catcher on steep slopes 5 Do not mow on wet grass Reduced traction could cause sliding 6 Do not shift to n...

Page 7: ...damage e g excessive wear bent cracked Replace the blade s with the original equipment manufacturer s O E M blade s only listed in this manual Use of parts which do not meet the original equipment specifications may lead to improper performance and compromise safety 6 Mower blades are sharp Wrap the blade or wear gloves and use extra caution when servicing them 7 Keep all nuts bolts and screws tig...

Page 8: ...d wire is secured to the positive battery terminal with a hex bolt and hex nut at the factory Make certain that the rubber boot covers the terminal to help protect it from corrosion Remove the hex bolt and hex nut from the negative cable Remove the black plastic cover if present from the negative battery terminal and attach the negative cable heavy black wire to the negative battery terminal with ...

Page 9: ...d by grasping it between your thumb and index finger and rotating it clockwise WARNING The shipping brace used for packaging purposes only must be removed and dis carded before operating your riding mower WARNING The mowing deck is capable of throwing objects Fail ure to operate the riding mower without the discharge cover in the proper operating position could result in serious personal injury an...

Page 10: ...th applicable instructions below Standard Adjustment Seat 1 Position the shoulder screws found on the base of the seat inside the slot openings in the seat pivot bracket Figure 4 2 Slide the seat slightly rearward in the seat pivot bracket lining up the rear slots in the pivot bracket with the remaining two holes in the seat s base 3 Select desired position for the seat and secure with the two hex...

Page 11: ...s it to the cutting deck This will allow the clippings to discharge out of the discharge opening during operation See Figure 7 Tire Pressure WARNING Maximum tire pres sure under any circumstances is 30 psi Equal tire pressure should be maintained at all times The tires on your unit may be over inflated for shipping purposes Reduce the tire pressure before operating the tractor Recommended operatin...

Page 12: ...ch Module C Shift Lever G Deck Lift Lever D Choke Control H PTO Blade Engage Lever NOTE Any reference in this manual to the RIGHT or LEFT side of the tractor is observed from operator s position If so equipped NOTE Any reference in this manual to the RIGHT or LEFT side of the tractor is observed from operator s position NOTE Steering wheel not shown for clarity ...

Page 13: ...sert key into the ignition switch and turn clockwise to the START position Release the key into the ON position once engine has fired See Figure 10A Ignition Switch Module If Equipped To start the engine insert the key into the ignition switch and turn clockwise to the START position Release the key into the NORMAL MOWING MODE position once the engine has fired To stop the engine turn the ignition...

Page 14: ...een reached release the lever into an appropriate notch to maintain that speed To slow the tractor s ground speed depress the clutch brake pedal and move the speed control lever rearward and release it into a notch NOTE Lawn tractors vary by model and are available with either a 6 or 7 speed control lever PTO Blade Engage Lever Found on the tractor s right fender the PTO blade engage lever is used...

Page 15: ...r Button at the top right corner of the key switch module The red indicator light at the top left corner of the key switch module will be ON while activated See Figure 12 4 Once activated indicator light ON the tractor can be driven in reverse with the cutting blades PTO engaged 5 Always look down and behind before and while backing to make sure no children are around 6 After resuming forward moti...

Page 16: ...he engine starts release the key It will return to the ON position IMPORTANT Do NOT hold the key in the START position for longer than ten seconds at a time Doing so may cause damage to your engine s electric starter 6 After the engine starts deactivate the choke control and place the throttle control in the FAST position NOTE Do NOT leave the choke control on while operat ing the tractor Doing so...

Page 17: ... NOTE When operating the unit initially there will be little difference between the highest two speeds until after the belts have seated themselves into the pulleys during the break in period WARNING Before leaving the operator s position for any reason disengage the blades place the shift lever in neutral engage the parking brake shut engine off and remove the key IMPORTANT When stopping the trac...

Page 18: ...ting the engine when traveling in reverse and if the operator leaves the seat Refer to Safety Interlock Switches on page 14 Using the Deck Lift Lever To raise the cutting deck move the deck lift lever to the left then place it in the notch best suited for your applica tion Refer to Setting The Cutting Height earlier in this section Mowing WARNING To help avoid blade contact or a thrown object inju...

Page 19: ...ick to the underside of the cutting deck preventing proper mulching of the clippings Do NOT attempt to mulch more than 1 3 the total height of the grass or approximately 1 1 2 inches Doing so will cause the clippings to clump up beneath the deck and not be mulched effectively Maintain a slow ground speed to allow the grass clippings more time to effectively be mulched Always position the throttle ...

Page 20: ...he front of the deck 4 Retighten the jam nut 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 1 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 wi...

Page 21: ...nto stop Standard Seat To adjust the position of the seat loosen the two hex screws on the bottom of the seat Slide the seat forward or backward as desired Retighten the two screws See Figure 17 Knob Adjustment Seat if so equipped To adjust the position of the seat on models so equipped loosen the two knobs on the bottom of the seat See Figure 18 Slide the seat forward or backward as desired Retig...

Page 22: ... packed with your unit IMPORTANT Refer to the Engine Operator Owner Manual packed with your unit for information regarding the quantity and proper weight of motor oil Air Cleaner Service the pre cleaner if so equipped and cartridge air cleaner element as instructed in the Engine Operator Owner Manual packed with your unit Spark Plug s The spark plug s should be cleaned and the gap reset once a sea...

Page 23: ...gine pulley and idler pulley s Refer to Changing the Deck Belt on page 26 for detailed instructions 4 Looking at the cutting deck from the left side of the tractor locate the hair pin clip that secures the deck support rod on the rear left side of the deck See Figure 22 5 Remove the hair pin clip that secures the deck support rod and carefully remove the deck support from the deck lift arm 6 Repea...

Page 24: ...nstalling the battery follow these instructions to prevent the screwdriver from shorting against the frame IMPORTANT Never jump your tractor s dead battery with the battery of a running vehicle 1 Connect end of one jumper cable to the positive terminal of the good battery then the other end to the positive terminal of the dead battery 2 Connect the other jumper cable to the negative terminal of th...

Page 25: ...e its underside 2 Place a block of wood between the center deck hous ing baffle and the cutting blade to act as a stabilizer See Figure 24 3 Use a 15 16 wrench to remove the hex flange nut that secures the blade to the spindle assembly See Figure 24 4 To properly sharpen the cutting blades remove equal amounts of metal from both ends of the blades along the cutting edges parallel to the trailing e...

Page 26: ...d the engine pulley 4 Insert a 3 8 drive ratchet wrench set to loosen into the square hole found in the idler bracket on the left side of the deck s surface See Figure 26 5 Grasp the ratchet s handle and pivot it toward the front of the tractor to relieve tension on the belt 6 With belt tension relieved carefully remove the belt from around the left hand spindle pulley IMPORTANT Carefully allow th...

Page 27: ...27 6 Maintaining Your Lawn Tractor Figure 27 Figure 26 ...

Page 28: ...RNING Never store the machine or fuel container indoors where there is an open flame spark or pilot light such as on water heater furnace clothes dryer or other gas appliance Attachments Accessories The following attachments and accessories are compatible for Model Series 700 Lawn Tractors See the retailer from which you purchased your tractor an authorized MTD Service Dealer or phone 800 800 7310...

Page 29: ...ers Read and follow all instructions in this manual before at tempting to operate this machine Failure to comply with these instructions may result in personal injury When you see this symbol HEED ITS WARNING Your Responsibility Restrict the use of this power machine to persons who read understand and follow the warnings and instructions in this manual and on the machine ...

Page 30: ...n CHOKE position 5 Clean adjust gap or replace 6 Clean fuel line or replace fuel filter if so equipped 7 Crank engine with throttle in FAST position 8 Engage parking brake 9 Place throttle lever to FAST position Engine runs erratic 1 Push CHOKE control if so equipped in or move the throttle control out of the CHOKE position 2 Connect and tighten spark plug wire s 3 Clean fuel line fill tank with c...

Page 31: ...fouled faulty or gap too wide 2 Dirty air cleaner Mower will not mulch grass If Equipped 1 Place throttle control in FAST rabbit position 2 Do not mow when grass is wet wait until later to cut 3 Mow once at a high cutting height then mow again at desired height or make a narrower cutting path 4 Sharpen or replace blade 1 Engine speed too low 2 Wet grass 3 Excessively high grass 4 Dull blade Uneven...

Page 32: ...32 NOTES Use this page to make notes and write down important information ...

Page 33: ...33 NOTES Use this page to make notes and write down important information ...

Page 34: ...34 NOTES Use this page to make notes and write down important information ...

Page 35: ...arranty period stated above If the part fails during the period of warranty coverage the part will be repaired or replaced by MTD Consumer Group Inc according to subsection 4 below Any such part repaired or replaced under warranty will be warranted for the remainder of the period 2 Any warranted part that is scheduled only for regular inspection in the written instructions supplied is warranted fo...

Page 36: ... of the exterior finish due to use or exposure d Service completed by someone other than an authorized service dealer e MTD does not extend any warranty for products sold or exported outside of the United States its possessions and territories except those sold through MTD s authorized channels of export distribution f Replacement parts that are not genuine MTD parts g Transportation charges and s...

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