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16

MOWING TIPS

•   Mower should be properly leveled for 

best mowing performance.  See “TO 
LEVEL MOWER HOUSING” in the 
Service and Adjustments sec tion of this 
manual.

•   The left hand side of mower should be 

used for trim ming.

•   Drive so that clippings are dis charged 

onto the area that has already been 
cut.  Have the cut area to the right of 
the tractor.  This will result in a more 
even dis tri bu tion of clippings and more 
uniform cutting.

•   When mowing large areas, start by 

turning to the right so that clippings will 
discharge away from shrubs, fences, 
driveways, etc.  After one or two rounds, 
mow in the opposite direction making 
left hand turns until fi nished.

00272

•   If grass is extremely tall, it should be 

mowed twice to reduce load and pos-
sible fi re hazard from dried clip pings.  
Make fi rst cut relatively high; the second 
to the desired height.

•   Do not mow grass when it is wet.  

Wet grass will plug mower and leave 
undesirable clumps.  Allow grass to dry 
before mowing.

•  

Always operate engine at full throt tle 
when mowing

 to assure better mow-

 ing performance and proper dis charge 
of material.  Regulate ground speed by 
se lect ing a low enough gear to give the 
mower cut ting per for mance as well as 
the quality of cut desired.

•   When operating attachments, se lect a 

ground speed that will suit the terrain 
and give best performance of the at-
 tach ment being used.

mulcher_9

MAX 1/3

IMPORTANT: 

 For best performance, keep 

mower housing free of built-up grass and 
trash.  Clean after each use.
•  The spe cial mulch ing blade will re cut 

the grass clip pings many times and 
reduce them in size so that as they fall 
onto the lawn they will disperse into 
the grass and not be noticed.  Also, the 
mulched grass will biodegrade quick ly 
to provide nutrients for the lawn.  Always 
mulch with your highest engine (blade) 
speed as this will pro vide the best recut-
ting action of the blades.

•   Avoid cutting your lawn when it is wet.  

Wet grass tends to form clumps and 
interferes with the mulch ing action.  The 
best time to mow your lawn is the early 
afternoon.  At this time the grass has 
dried, yet the newly cut area will not be 
exposed to direct sunlight.

  For best results, adjust the mower 

cutting height so that the mower cuts 
off only the top one-third of the grass 
blades. For ex tremely heavy grass, re-
 duce your width of cut on each pass and 
mow slow ly. 

•  Certain types of grass and grass 

con di tions may re quire that an area be 
mulched a second time to com pletely 
hide the clippings.  When doing a sec-
 ond cut, mow across (per pen dic u lar) to 
the fi rst cut path.

•  Change your cutting pattern from week 

to week.  Mow north to south one week 
then change to east to west the next 
week.  This will help prevent matting and 
graining of the lawn.

Summary of Contents for 191616

Page 1: ...utor call 1 800 849 1297 For Technical Assistance call 1 800 829 5886 MODEL NO CO18542STA 18 5 HP 42 INCH LAWN TRACTOR 191616 Rev 3 8 11 04 TR MH PRINTED IN U S A Assembly Operation Maintenance Service and Adjustments Storage Troubleshooting Repair Parts ...

Page 2: ...re during the first ninety 90 days of ownership After ninety 90 days we will exchange the Bat tery charging you 1 12 of the price of a new Battery for each full month from the date of the original sale Battery must be maintained in accordance with the instructions furnished 4 The Warranty period for any products used for rental or commercial purposes is limited to 90 days from the date of original...

Page 3: ...ne parts and burn Do not allow the mower deck to plow leaves or other debris which can cause build up to occur Clean any oil or fuel spillage before operating or storing the machine Allow machine to cool before storage II SLOPE OPERATION Slopes are a major factor related to loss of control and tipover accidents which can result in severe injury or death All slopes require extra caution If you cann...

Page 4: ... children enter the area Before and when backing look behind and down for small children Never carry children They may fall off and be seriously injured or interfere with safe machine operation Never allow children to operate the machine SAFETY RULES Use extra care when approaching blind corners shrubs trees or other objects that may obscure vision IV SERVICE Use extra care in handling gasoline an...

Page 5: ...hine off if children enter the area Before and when backing look behind and down for small children Mow up and down slopes 15 Max not across Remove obstacles such as rocks tree limbs etc Watch for holes ruts or bumps Uneven terrain could overturn the machine Tall grass can hide obstacles Use slow speed Choose a low gear so that you will not have to stop or shift while on the slope Avoid starting o...

Page 6: ...ar any unim proved forest covered brush covered or grass covered land unless the engine s exhaust system is equipped with a spark arrester meeting applicable local or state laws if any If a spark arrester is used it should be maintained 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 state...

Page 7: ... Wheel Insert Seat 1 Large Flat Washer Steering Wheel Adapter 2 Keys Slope Sheet Keys 1 Oil Drain Tube For Future Use 1 Hex Bolt 1 4 28 x 1 1 4 1 Hex nut 1 2 20 1 Knob 1 Washer 17 32 x 1 3 16 x 12 Gauge Steering Sleeve Steering Sleeve Extension ...

Page 8: ...ng seat to cardboard packing and set aside for assembly of seat to tractor 02143 Steering Wheel Insert Lock Nut Large Flat Washer Steering Wheel Steering Wheel Extention Steering Shaft Steering Sleeve Steering Wheel Adaptor Tabs BEFORE REMOVING TRACTOR FROM SKID ATTACH STEERING WHEEL 1 Remove locknut and large flat washer from steering shaft 2 Position front wheels of the tractor so they are point...

Page 9: ...OFF SKID See Operation section for location and function of controls WARNING Before starting read un derstand and follow all instructions in the Operation section of this manual Be sure tractor is in a well ventilated area Be sure the area in front of tractor is clear of other people and objects 1 Be sure all the above assembly steps have been completed 2 Check engine oil level and fill fuel tank ...

Page 10: ... side front to rear for best cutting results Tires must be properly inflated for leveling Check mower and drive belts Be sure they are routed properly around pulleys and inside all belt keepers Check wiring See that all connections are still secure and wires are properly clamped While learning how to use your tractor pay extra attention to the following important items Engine oil is at proper leve...

Page 11: ...ould result in serious injury or death The safety alert symbol is used to identify safety inform ation about hazards which can result in death serious injury and or property damage DANGER indicates a hazard which if not avoided will result in death or serious injury WARNING indicates a hazard which if not avoided could result in death or serious injury CAUTION indicates a hazard which if not avoid...

Page 12: ...CH BRAKE PEDAL Used for declutching and braking the tractor and starting the engine GEARSHIFT LEVER Selects the speed and direction of tractor IGNITION SWITCH Used for starting and stopping the engine LIFT LEVER PLUNGER Used to release attachment lift lever when changing its position LIGHT SWITCH POSITION Turns the headlights on and off PARKING BRAKE LEVER Locks clutch brake pedal into the brake p...

Page 13: ...brake pedal to start movement IMPORTANT Bring tractor to a complete stop before shifting or changing gears Failure to do so will shorten the useful life of your transaxle HOW TO USE YOUR TRACTOR TO SET PARKING BRAKE Your tractor is equipped with an operator presence sensing switch When engine is running any attempt by the operator to leave the seat without first setting the parking brake will shut...

Page 14: ...movement To restart movement slowly release parking brake and clutch brake pedal Make all turns slowly TO OPERATE MOWER Your tractor is equipped with an operator presence sensing switch Any attempt by the operator to leave the seat with the engine running and the attachment clutch engaged will shut off the engine You must remain fully and centrally positioned in the seat to prevent the engine from...

Page 15: ...start the engine and let it run until the fuel lines and carburetor are empty Use fresh fuel next season See Storage Instructions for additional information Never use engine or carburetor cleaner products in the fuel tank or permanent damage may occur TO START ENGINE When starting the engine for the first time or if the engine has run out of fuel it will take extra cranking time to move fuel from ...

Page 16: ...ct a ground speed that will suit the terrain and give best performance of the at tachment being used mulcher_9 MAX 1 3 IMPORTANT For best performance keep mower housing free of built up grass and trash Clean after each use The special mulching blade will recut the grass clippings many times and reduce them in size so that as they fall onto the lawn they will disperse into the grass and not be noti...

Page 17: ...COMMENDATIONS The warranty on this tractor does not cover items that have been subjected to operator abuse or negligence To receive full value from the warranty operator must maintain tractor as instructed in this manual Some adjustments will need to be made periodically to properly maintain your tractor At least once a season check to see if you should make any of the adjustments described in the...

Page 18: ...ensure proper assembly center hole in blade must align with star on mandrel assembly 4 Reassemble blade bolt lock washer and flat washer in exact order as shown 5 Tighten blade bolt securely 27 35 Ft Lbs torque IMPORTANT Blade bolt is heat treated If bolt needs replacing replace only with approve bolt shown in the Repair Parts TO SHARPEN BLADE NOTE We do not recommend sharp ening blade but if you ...

Page 19: ...careful not to allow dirt to enter the engine when changing oil 2 Remove yellow cap from end of drain valve and install the drain tube onto the fitting 02463 Closed and Locked Position Oil Drain Valve Yellow Cap Drain Tube 3 Unlock drain valve by pushing inward slightly and turning counterclockwise 4 To open pull out on the drain valve 5 After oil has drained completely close and lock the drain va...

Page 20: ...ng brake 2 Place gearshift lever in neutral N position 3 Place attachment clutch in DISENGAGED position 4 Turn ignition key to STOP and remove key 5 Make sure the blades and all moving parts have completely stopped 6 Disconnect spark plug wire from spark plug and place wire where it cannot come in contact with plug TRACTOR MUFFLER Inspect and replace corroded muffler and spark arrester if equipped...

Page 21: ... D D Mandrel TO LEVEL MOWER HOUSING Adjust the mower while tractor is parked on level ground or driveway Make sure tires are properly inflated See PROD UCT SPECIFICATIONS section of this manual If tires are over or underinflated you will not properly adjust your mower SIDE TO SIDE ADJUSTMENT Raise mower to its highest position At the midpoint of both sides of mower measure height from bottom edge ...

Page 22: ...tral N position The rear wheels must lock and skid when you try to manually push the tractor forward If the rear wheels rotate the brake needs to be adjusted or the pads need to be replaced TO ADJUST BRAKE 1 Depress clutch brake pedal all the way down and engage parking brake 2 Measure distance between brake oper ating arm and nut A on brake rod 3 If distance is other than 1 1 2 loosen jam nut and...

Page 23: ...xle is in neutral 2 Loosen adjustment bolt in front of the right rear wheel 3 Position the gear shift lever in the neu tral N position 4 Tighten adjustment bolt securely NOTE If additional clearance is needed to get to adjustment bolt move mower deck height to the lowest position TO START ENGINE WITH A WEAK BATTERY WARNING Lead acid batteries gen erate explosive gases Keep sparks flame and smoking...

Page 24: ...ifferences in fuel temperature altitude or load If the carburetor does need adjustment see engine manual 02179 Keps Nut Terminal Guard Terminal Access Door Hex Bolt Positive Red Cable Negative Black Cable REPLACING BATTERY WARNING Do not short battery terminals by allowing a wrench or any other object to contact both terminals at the same time Before connecting battery remove metal bracelets wrist...

Page 25: ... forming in essential fuel system parts such as carburetor fuel hose or tank during storage Also alcohol blended fuels called gasohol or using ethanol or methanol can attract moisture which leads to separation and formation of acids during storage Acidic gas can dam age the fuel system of an engine while in storage Empty the fuel tank by starting the en gine and letting it run until the fuel lines...

Page 26: ...ed wiring 6 Check all wiring 7 Carburetor out of adjustment 7 See To Adjust Carburetor in Service and Adjustments section 8 Engine valves out of 8 Contact a qualified adjustment service center department Engine will not 1 Clutch brake pedal not 1 Depress clutch brake pedal turn over depressed 2 Attachment clutch is 2 Disengage attachment engaged clutch 3 Weak or dead battery 3 Recharge or replace ...

Page 27: ...Excessive 1 Worn bent or loose blade 1 Replace blade Tighten blade vibration bolt 2 Bent blade mandrel 2 Contact a qualified service center department 3 Loose damaged part s 3 Tighten loose part s Replace damaged parts Engine continues 1 Faulty operator safety 1 Check wiring switches and to run when oper presence control system connections If not contact a ator leaves seat qualified service center...

Page 28: ...t 11 Clean around mandrels to holes from buildup of grass open vent holes leaves and trash around mandrels Headlight s not 1 Switch is OFF 1 Turn switch ON working 2 Bulb s or lamp s burned out 2 Replace bulb s or lamp s if so equipped 3 Faulty light switch 3 Check replace light switch 4 Loose or damaged wiring 4 Check wiring and connections 5 Blown fuse 5 Replace fuse Battery will not 1 Bad batte...

Page 29: ...never across the face Do not mow slopes greater than 15 degrees Make turns gradually to prevent tipping or loss of control Exercise extreme caution when changing direction on slopes 1 Fold this page along dotted line indicated above 2 Hold page before you so that its left edge is vertically parallel to a tree trunk or other upright structure 3 Sight across the fold in the direction of hill slope y...

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