Cub Cadet Z-Force 54-KH, Operator'S Manual

Page 1: ...ractices Set Up Operation Maintenance Service Troubleshooting Warranty WARNING READ AND FOLLOW ALL SAFETY RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS IN THIS MANUAL BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO OPERATE THIS MACHINE FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THESE INSTRUCTIONS MAY RESULT IN PERSONAL INJURY Z Force 54 KH Form No 769 05053 October 21 2009 ...

Page 2: ...specifications for various models Characteristics and features discussed and or illustrated in this manual may not be applicable to all models We reserve the right to change product specifications designs and equipment without notice and without incurring obligation If you have any problems or questions concerning the machine phone your local Cub Cadet dealer or contact us directly Cub Cadet s Cus...

Page 3: ...jects which ricochet can cause serious injury to the eyes Wear sturdy rough soled work shoes and close fitting 9 slacks and shirts Loose fitting clothes and jewelry can be caught in movable parts Never operate this machine in bare feet or sandals Be aware of the mower and attachment discharge direction 10 and do not point it at anyone Do not operate the mower without the discharge cover or entire ...

Page 4: ...d with the approved accessory or attachment Data indicates that operators age 60 years and above are 28 involved in a large percentage of riding mower related injuries These operators should evaluate their ability to operate the riding mower safely enough to protect themselves and others from serious injury If situations occur which are not covered in this manual use 29 care and good judgment Cont...

Page 5: ...adjustment should be made without the operator sitting in the seat The seat back recline adjustment is also on the right side between the seat back and seat bottom and it provides up to 10 degrees The fore aft single locking adjustment tracks operate on roller bearings for smooth and almost effortless operation The lever for seat track actuation is near the right front corner of the seat bottom an...

Page 6: ...immediately with original equipment manufacturer s O E M parts only listed in this manual Use of parts which do not meet the original equipment specifications may lead to improper performance and compromise safety Do not change the engine governor settings or over speed 12 the engine The governor controls the maximum safe operating speed of the engine Maintain or replace safety and instruction lab...

Page 7: ...semble and operate WARNING ROTATING BLADES Do not put hands or feet near rotating parts or under the cutting deck Contact with the blade s can amputate hands and feet WARNING THROWN OBJECTS This machine may pick up and throw and objects which can cause serious personal injury WARNING THROWN OBJECTS This machine may pick up and throw and objects which can cause serious personal injury BYSTANDERS Ke...

Page 8: ...ING Do not operate your lawn mower on such slopes Do not mow on inclines with a slope in excess of 15 degrees a rise of approximately 2 1 2 feet every 10 feet A riding mower could overturn and cause serious injury Operate riding mowers up and down slopes never across the face of slopes Operate Z Force zero turn tractors across the face of slopes rather than up and down Begin with the first pass ac...

Page 9: ...rain tube from the manual bag and store for future use Cut the wire tie holding the chute deflector up and discard any packing material Install Operator s Seat To install the seat proceed as follows NOTE The seat is shipped with the seat switch and seat pan attached Cut any straps securing the seat assembly and the drive 1 control levers to the tractor Remove any packing material NOTE Be careful n...

Page 10: ...tery terminal with the bolt and hex nut See Fig 3 6 Position the red rubber boot over the positive battery 3 terminal to help protect it from corrosion NOTE If the battery is put into service after the date shown on top side of battery charge the battery as instructed in the Maintenance section your Operator s Manual prior to operating the tractor Install lanyard using existing self tapping screw ...

Page 11: ...ngine Each lever controls the respective RH or LH transmission Consequently these levers control all of the movements of the tractor Driving and steering utilizing these control levers is quite different from conventional tractors and will take some practice to master Refer to Operation for instructions on using the control levers NOTE References to LEFT RIGHT FRONT and REAR indicate that position...

Page 12: ...operator s seat When set in a given position a uniform engine speed will be maintained Push the throttle control handle forward to increase the engine speed The tractor is designed to operate with the throttle control in the fast position full throttle when the tractor is being driven and the mower deck is engaged Pull the throttle control handle rearward to decrease the engine speed Choke Knob Th...

Page 13: ...ts section for instructions on using the bypass feature Caution Never tow your tractor Towing the tractor with the rear wheels on the ground may cause severe damage to the transmissions Transmission Oil Expansion Reservoir Not Shown The transmission oil expansion reservoir is connected by hoses to the RH and LH transmission assemblies and is located beneath the seat box The function of the reservo...

Page 14: ...ration on traction surfaces that are unstable use extreme caution if the surface is slippery Always remove debris and other objects from the area to be mowed debris and loose grass will reduce traction Mow only in daylight or good artificial light Watch for holes sprinkler heads and other hidden hazards Avoid driving too close to trees creeks ditches sand traps and other obstacles Slow down before...

Page 15: ...ition Engage the parking brake 3 Make certain the PTO switch is in the disengaged down 4 position Pull the choke knob up into the CHOKE position 5 NOTE If the engine is warmed up it may not be necessary to choke the engine Push the throttle control to the full forward position 6 Turn the ignition key clockwise to the START position 7 and release it as soon as the engine starts however do not crank...

Page 16: ...s hats etc Warning Hearing Protection is required for all operator exposure exceeding two 2 hours Carefully practice maneuvering the tractor using the instructions in the following section Driving the Tractor Practice until you are confident that you can safely operate the tractor Driving the Tractor Warning Avoid sudden starts excessive speed and sudden stops Adjust the operator s seat to the mos...

Page 17: ... turf defacement and could affect control of the tractor ALWAYS slow the tractor before making sharp turns To turn the tractor while driving forward move the control levers as necessary so that one lever is rearward of the other The tractor will turn in the direction of the rearward control lever To turn to the left move the left drive control lever 1 rearward of the right lever See Fig 5 3 To tur...

Page 18: ...direction of the forward control lever To turn to the left while traveling in reverse move the left 1 drive control lever forward of the right lever See Fig 5 6 To turn to the right while traveling in reverse move the 2 right drive control lever forward of the left lever See Fig 5 7 The greater the fore to aft distance between the two 3 levers the sharper the tractor will turn To execute a pivot t...

Page 19: ...otion of the tractor Push the PTO switch downward to the disengaged 2 position Use the deck lift pedal to raise the deck to its highest 3 position If dismounting the tractor move the drive control handles 4 fully outward in the neutral position engage the parking brake move the throttle control lever to the fast position turn the ignition switch to OFF and remove the key from the switch Warning Do...

Page 20: ...with a 8 previously cut strip To prevent rutting or grooving of the turf if possible 9 change the direction that the strips are mowed by approximately 45 for the next and each subsequent mowing WARNING Be careful when crossing gravel paths or driveways Disengage the PTO and raise the deck to the highest position before crossing NOTE When stopping the tractor for any reason while on a grass surface...

Page 21: ...ear Points See Chart P P Clean and Re oil Air Filter s Foam Precleaner P Grease three Spindle Bearings P Check Fluid Level in Transaxle Expansion Reservoir P Replace Air Filter Element P Change Engine Oil and Replace Oil Filter P Check Battery s Electrolyte Level If equipped w fill caps P Clean Engine Cooling Fins External Surfaces P Check Spark Plug Condition Gap P Lubricate all grease fittings S...

Page 22: ...spray lubricant Apply the oil to both sides of pivot points Wipe off any excess Start engine and operate mower briefly to insure that oil spreads evenly LUBRICATION CHART Use a grease gun filled with NO 2 Multipurpose Lithium Base Grease Engine Oil Rimula 15W40 recommended or 10W40 engine oil rated SJ or higher Hydrostatic Fluid Rimula 15W40 recommended Spindle Lubricant Use only Shell Alvania RL ...

Page 23: ...ith new oil Refer to the Kohler Owner s 8 Manual for information regarding the volume and weight of engine oil Air Cleaner Service the pre cleaner and cartridge air cleaner element as instructed in the Kohler Owner s Manual Spark Plug The spark plugs should be cleaned and the gap reset once a season Refer to the Kohler Owner s Manual for correct plug type and gap specifications Hydrostatic Transmi...

Page 24: ...ed to prevent air pressure loss Lubrication Using a pressure lubricating gun lubricate all grease fittings and points as noted in the Lubrication Chart Lubricate all other pivot points with a quality lubricating oil as noted in the Oil Chart Using the Deck Wash System Warning When using the deck wash system never engage the deck from any position other than the operator s seat of the tractor Do no...

Page 25: ...ed battery A fully charged battery will store longer in cold temperatures than hot Refer to chart below Recharge battery when ever the specific gravity value is 4 less than 1 225 Tractor Storage If your tractor is not going to be operated for an extended period of time thirty days to approximately six months the tractor should be prepared for storage Store the tractor in a dry and protected locati...

Page 26: ...emoving The Tractor From Storage Check the engine oil 1 Fully charge the battery lower tractor off blocks and 2 inflate the tires to the recommended pressure Remove the spark plugs and wipe them off Using the 3 starter crank the engine to pump the excess oil out of the spark plug holes Replace the spark plugs and the ignition leads If drained before storing fill the fuel tank with clean fresh 4 ga...

Page 27: ...should be approximately 1 4 lower than the rear of deck NOTE Check the tractor s tire pressure before performing any deck leveling adjustments See the tire side wall for proper inflation pressures Park the mower on a flat paved surface engage the 1 parking brake shut off the engine remove the key from the ignition switch disconnect the spark plug wires Using the deck lift pedal position the mowing...

Page 28: ... Gauge Wheels Warning Keep hands and feet away from the discharge opening of the cutting deck NOTE The deck gauge wheels are an anti scalp feature of the deck and are not designed to support the weight of the cutting deck The mower deck cutting height can be set using the tractor s deck lift pedal The deck heights range from 1 to 4 The deck gauge wheel position should be approximately 1 4 to 1 2 a...

Page 29: ... a MAXIMUM rate of 10 amps Voltmeter Reading State of Charge Charging Time 12 7 100 Full Charge 12 4 75 90 Min 12 2 50 180 Min 12 0 25 280 Min Jump Starting WARNING Failure to use this starting procedure can cause sparking and the gases in the battery to explode Attach the end of the red jumper cable to the positive 1 terminal of the charged battery Attach the other end of the red jumper cable to ...

Page 30: ...ck Reduce the tension on the PTO belt by moving the idler arm 3 lever toward the back of the tractor then remove the belt from the pulley See Fig 7 2 Remove the four hair pins from the right and left side of the 4 deck lift bracket See Fig 7 3 Shift the deck forward until the trailing link is free and you 5 are able to remove the deck Turn the front caster wheels outward 6 To install reverse the p...

Page 31: ... Remove the key from the ignition and disconnect the spark 1 plugs Jack up the front of the mowing deck about one foot and 2 block it in that position Wrap a rag around one end of the blade and grasp it to 3 prevent it from turning or secure the blade by placing a block of wood between the blade and the deck housing See Fig 7 6 Use a 1 4 1 8 socket wrench on the pulley side of the spindle bolt Rem...

Page 32: ...lutch is disengaged 2 Remove the deck cover 3 Remove the deck belt See Replacing the Deck Belt 4 Remove the blade See Replacing the Blades 5 Using a wrench or socket ratchet remove four hex nuts 6 and the four hex head cap screws Remove the spindle assembly See Fig 7 7 Reverse the process to install the spindle assembly 7 Changing the Transmission Drive Belt Several components must be removed and ...

Page 33: ...t position 5 Pull choke control into full choke position 6 Fill tank with clean fresh less than 30 days 7 old gas Clean fuel line and replace fuel filter 8 Clean adjust gap or replace plug s 9 Crank engine with throttle in FAST position 10 and the choke in the OFF position Engine runs erratic Tractor running with CHOKE activated 1 Spark plug wire s loose 2 Blocked fuel line or stale fuel 3 Vent in...

Page 34: ...r cleaner element and or clean 2 pre cleaner Excessive vibration Cutting blade loose or unbalanced 1 Damaged or bent cutting blade 2 Tighten blade and spindle 1 Replace blade 2 Uneven cut Deck not leveled properly 1 Dull blade 2 Uneven tire pressure 3 Perform side to side deck adjustment 1 Sharpen or replace blade 2 Check tire pressure in all four tires 3 Mower will not mulch grass If Equipped w M...

Page 35: ... 12 050 01 S Oil Filter 02000653 Deck Belt 01005012 PTO Belt 02002648 Drive Belt Transmissions 02005018 Blades 918 04426 Deck Spindle Phone 877 282 8684 to locate your nearest Cub Cadet dealer to order replacement parts or a complete Parts Manual have your full model number and serial number ready Parts Manual downloads are also available free of charge at www cubcadet com ...

Page 36: ... Choke Cable 725 1341B Ignition Key 01006693 Discharge Chute Assembly 02003490 Wheel Assembly 02005000 Caster Wheel Assembly Phone 877 282 8684 to locate your nearest Cub Cadet dealer to order replacement parts or a complete Parts Manual have your full model number and serial number ready Parts Manual downloads are also available free of charge at www cubcadet com ...

Page 37: ...r 59A30014150 Bagger w Power Assist 59A30015150 Work Light Kit 590 863 100 Tow Hitch The following attachments and accessories are compatible with your Zero Turn tractor See your dealer or the retailer from which you purchased your tractor for information regarding price and availability ...

Page 38: ...Pedal with pin lock for height adjustment at 1 4 increments Cutting Height 1 to 4 No of Blades 3 belt driven power take off from engine Controls Engine ignition and start switch throttle choke left and right steering levers electric blade clutch switch parking brake mower deck lift Parking Brake Mechanical linkage attached to the brake handle Front Caster Wheels 13 x 5 00 6 Tire Pressure 8 10 psi ...

Page 39: ...Notes 12 39 ...

Page 40: ...40 Section 11 Notes ...

Page 41: ...41 Section 11 Notes ...

Page 42: ...at cause the failure of a warranted part to be identical in all material respects to that part as described in MTD Consumer Group Inc s application for certification The warranty period begins on the date the outdoor equipment engine is delivered to an ultimate purchaser or first placed into service The warranty period is two years Subject to certain conditions and exclusions as stated below the w...

Page 43: ...l eligible for warranty coverage Further the coverage under this warranty extends only to parts that were present on the off road engine and equipment purchased The following emission warranty parts are covered if applicable 1 Fuel Metering System Cold start enrichment system soft choke Carburetor and internal parts or fuel injection system Fuel pump Fuel tank 2 Air Induction System Air cleaner In...

Page 44: ...warranty coverage if the hour meter or any part thereof is altered modified disconnected or otherwise tampered with HOW TO OBTAIN SERVICE Warranty service is available WITH PROOF OF PURCHASE AND APPLICABLE MAINTENANCE RECORDS through your local authorized service dealer To locate the dealer in your area In the U S A Check your Yellow Pages or contact Cub Cadet LLC at P O Box 361131 Cleveland Ohio ...