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10

5

Maintaining 

Your Lawn 

Mower

WARNING

Always stop engine, 
disconnect spark 
plug, and ground 
against engine before 
cleaning, lubricating 
or doing any kind of 
maintenance on your 
machine.

We do not recommend 
the use of pressure 
washers or garden 
hose to clean your 
unit. These may cause 
damage to electric 
components, spindles, 
pulleys, bearings, or 
the engine. The use 
of water will result in 
shortened life and 
reduce serviceability.

Figure 3

General Recommendations

1.  Always observe safety rules when performing  

any maintenance.

2.  The warranty on this lawn mower does not cover 

items that have been subjected to operator abuse 
or negligence. To receive full value from warranty, 
operator must maintain the lawn mower as  
instructed here. 

3.  Changing of engine-governed speed will void  

engine warranty. 

4.  All adjustments should be checked at least once 

each season. 

5.  Periodically check all fasteners and make sure these 

are tight.

WARNING: Always stop engine, 
disconnect spark plug, and 
ground against engine before 
cleaning, lubricating or doing 
any kind of maintenance on your 
machine.

Lubrication

1.  Lubricate pivot points on the blade control handle at 

least once a season with light oil. The blade control 
must operate freely in both directions. See Figure 3.

2.  Lubricate the wheels at least once a season with 

light oil (or motor oil). If  wheels are removed for any 
reason, lubricate surface of the pivot arm and inner 
surface of the wheel with light oil. See Figure 3.

3.  Lubricate the torsion spring and pivot point on the 

rear discharge door periodically with light oil to 
prevent rust. See Figure 3. 

4.  Follow the accompanying engine manual for lubrica-

tion schedule and instruction for engine lubrication.

Deck Care

Clean underside of the mower deck after each use 
to prevent build-up of grass clippings or other debris. 
Follow steps below for this job.

1.  Disconnect spark plug wire. Drain gasoline from lawn 

mower, or place a piece of plastic under the gas cap.

2.  Tip mower so that it rests on the housing. Keep the 

side with the air cleaner facing up. Hold mower firmly.

WARNING: Never tip the mower 
more than 90 degrees in any 
directions and do not leave the 
mower tipped for any length of 
time. Oil can drain into the upper 
part of the engine causing a 
starting problem.

3.  Scrape and clean the underside of the deck with a 

suitable tool. Do not spray with water. 

4.  Put the mower back on its wheels on the ground. If 

you had put plastic under the gas cap earlier, make 
sure to remove it now.

Engine Care

A list of key engine maintenance jobs required for good 
performance by the mower is given below. Follow the 
accompanying engine manual for a detailed list and 
instructions.
1.  Maintain oil level as instructed in engine manual.
2.  Service air cleaner every 25 hours under normal 

conditions. Clean every few hours under extremely 
dusty conditions. Poor engine performance and 
flooding usually indicates that the air cleaner should 
be serviced. To service the air cleaner, refer to the 
engine manual.

3.  Clean spark plug and reset the gap once a season. 

Spark plug replacement is recommended at the start 
of each mowing season. Check engine manual for 
correct plug type and gap specifications.

4.  Clean engine regularly with a cloth or brush. Keep the 

cooling system (blower housing area) clean to permit 
proper air circulation. Remove all grass, dirt and 
combustible debris from muffler area.

Summary of Contents for Yard-Man 588

Page 1: ...ntained in effective 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 Feder...

Page 2: ...Customer Support If you have difficulty assembling this product or have any questions regarding the controls operation or maintenance of this unit you can seek help from the experts Choose from the o...

Page 3: ...lk 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 slop...

Page 4: ...shirts Shirts and pants that cover the arms and legs and steel toed shoes are recommended Never operate this machine in bare feet sandals slippery or light weight e g canvas shoes 8 Do not put hands...

Page 5: ...hile engine is hot or running Allow engine to cool at least two minutes before refueling 10 Never over fill fuel tank Fill tank to no more than inch below bottom of filler neck to provide for fuel exp...

Page 6: ...control handle against upper handle b Pull starter rope out of the engine Release blade control handle c Slip starter rope into rope guide d Tighten wing nut 4 Insert post on cable ties into holes pro...

Page 7: ...he grass catcher a Place bag over frame so that its black plastic side is at the bottom b Slip plastic channel of grass bag over hooks on the frame See Step 7 All the plastic channels except center to...

Page 8: ...rter is attached to the right upper handle Stand behind the unit and pull the recoil starter rope to start the unit Gas and Oil Fill Up 1 Check oil level and add oil if necessary Follow engine manual...

Page 9: ...for the blade to stop completely before doing any work on the mower or to remove the grass catcher Stopping Engine 1 Release blade control to stop the engine and blade 2 Disconnect spark plug wire fr...

Page 10: ...igure 3 4 Follow the accompanying engine manual for lubrica tion schedule and instruction for engine lubrication Deck Care Clean underside of the mower deck after each use to prevent build up of grass...

Page 11: ...ge to mower and could break causing personal injury 8 Lubricate the engine crankshaft and the inner surface of the blade adapter with light oil Slide the blade adapter onto the engine crankshaft 9 Pla...

Page 12: ...retor out of adjustment Engine overheats 1 Fill crankcase with proper oil 2 Remove blower housing and clean 3 Refer to engine manual 1 Engine oil level low 2 Air flow restricted 3 Carburetor not adjus...

Page 13: ...13 7 Safety Labels WARNING DO NOT remove safety or any labels from mower for any reason...

Page 14: ...14 39 38 41 10 17 46 47 19 40 30 44 12 30 24 32 18 32 25 27 45 22 21 43 23 26 15 28 29 45 42 16 14 4 8 3 2 33 20 6 7 9 11 5 1 13 37 34 35 45 45 31 36...

Page 15: ...m Assembly LH 26 736 0524B Blade Bell Support 27 787 01290 Front Adjustment Plate 28 720 0426 Adjustment Lever Knob 29 732 0866 Spring Lever 30 738 0507B Shoulder Screw 31 734 04086 Front Wheel 7 x 1...

Page 16: ...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...

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