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15
Disengage the cruise control using one of the following
methods:
• Depress the brake pedal to disengage the cruise
control and stop the tractor.
• Lightly depress the drive pedal.
To change to the reverse direction when operating with
cruise control, depress the brake pedal to disengage
the cruise control and bring the tractor to a complete
stop. Then place the shift lever in the REVERSE
position and depress the drive pedal.
Engaging the PTO
Engaging the PTO transfers power to the cutting deck
or other (separately available) attachments. To engage
the PTO, proceed as follows:
• Move the throttle control lever to the FAST (rabbit)
position.
• Grasp the PTO lever and pivot it all the way forward
into the engaged (ON) position.
• Keep the throttle lever in the FAST (rabbit) position
for the most efficient use of the cutting deck or other
(separately available) attachments
IMPORTANT:
The engine will automatically shut off if the
PTO is engaged with the shift lever in position for
reverse travel. Refer to Safety Interlock Switches on page
13.
Operating The Headlights
To turn the tractor’s headlights on:
• Start the engine following the instructions earlier in
this section.
• Turn the key one notch counterclockwise into the
On/Lights position of the ignition switch. Refer to
Figure 5.
To turn the tractor’s headlights off:
• Turn the key either into the On position (to leave the
engine running) or the Off position (to shut the
engine off). Refer to Figure 5.
NOTE:
Never move the key into the Start position
while the engine is running. Doing so may cause
damage to your engine’s electric starter.
Mowing
WARNING:
To help avoid blade contact or
a thrown object injury, keep bystanders,
helpers, children and pets at least 75 feet
from the machine while it is in operation. Stop
machine if anyone enters the area.
The following information will be helpful when using the
cutting deck with your tractor.
WARNING:
Plan your mowing pattern to
avoid discharge of materials toward roads,
sidewalks, bystanders and the like. Also,
avoid discharging material against a wall or
obstruction which may cause discharged
material to ricochet back toward the operator.
• Do not mow at high ground speed, especially if a
mulch kit or grass collector is installed.
• For best results it is recommended that the first two
laps be cut with the discharge thrown towards the
center. After the first two laps, reverse the direction
to throw the discharge to the outside for the
balance of cutting. This will give a better
appearance to the lawn.
• Do not cut the grass too short. Short grass invites
weed growth and yellows quickly in dry weather.
• Mowing should always be done with the engine at
full throttle.
• Under heavier conditions it may be necessary to go
back over the cut area a second time to get a clean
cut.
• Do NOT attempt to mow heavy brush and weeds
and extremely tall grass. Your tractor is designed to
mow lawns, NOT clear brush.
• Keep the blades sharp and replace the blades
when worn. Refer to Cutting Blades on page 20 of this
manual for proper blade sharpening instructions.
Mulching
Your tractor is equipped with a mulch kit which
incorporates special blades, already standard on your
tractor, in a process of recirculating grass clippings
repeatedly beneath the cutting deck. The ultra-fine
clippings are then forced back into the lawn where they
act as a natural fertilizer. Observe the following points
for the best results when mulching.
• Never attempt to mulch if the lawn is damp. Wet
grass tends to stick 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 control lever in the
FAST (rabbit) position and allow it to remain there
while mowing. Failing to keep the engine at full
throttle places strain on the tractor’s engine and
does not allow the blades to properly mulch grass.
NOTE:
It is not necessary to remove the discharge
chute to operate the mower with the mulch kit installed.
Do NOT remove the discharge chute when mulching.