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Maintenance Instructions
54
CHECKING/SERVICING
3. Replace filler caps.
IMPORTANT: DO NOT overfill the battery. Electro-
lyte will overflow through the vent tube onto parts of
the machine and WILL result in severe corrosion.
Cleaning the Terminals
If battery terminals are corroded, remove battery
from the mower. Using a wire brush, remove corro-
sion with a solution of one part baking soda and
four parts water. Rinse with clean water. Coat the
terminals with petroleum jelly or terminal protector
spray to retard further corrosion.
Charging the Battery
Check the battery charge by measuring the specific
gravity of electrolyte; if specific gravity is less than
1.225, the battery will need to be charged as follows:
1. Charge the battery at 15 amps for 10 minutes.
DO NOT exceed 20 amps maximum recom-
mended charging rate. Charge until specific
gravity is at least 1.250. Total charging time
should not exceed one (1) hour.
2. After charging the battery, use drinking water to
adjust the electrolyte level to the bottom of the
vent wells [1/4 to 1/2 in. (6 to 13 mm) above the
plates].
Tire Pressure
Inflate tires to pressures shown below:
Deck Caster Wheel = 20 PSI (137 kPa)
Drive = 15 PSI (103 kPa)
Rear = 20 PSI (137 kPa)
Sharpen Mower Blades
Check mower blade(s) for straightness, sharp-
ness, condition of the cutting edge, and balance
every 10 hours of operation (or more often when
mowing abrasive type grass or operating on sandy
soils). Replace blades if worn, bent, cracked, or
otherwise damaged (refer to REPLACING/
REPAIRING the Mower Blades in this section).
Use the following procedure to check and sharpen
blades:
NOTE: Keep blades sharp - cutting with dull
blades not only yields a poor mowing job but slows
the cutting speed of the mower and causes extra
wear on the engine and blade drive by pulling hard.
1. Stop the engine, remove ignition key, and dis-
connect the spark plug wire before raising the
mower deck to service blades.
2. Raise the deck and secure it in the tilt-up posi-
tion (refer to Deck Secured in Tilt-Up Position
photo in CLEANING of Grass Buildup in
Mower Housing in this section).
3. Check the blades for straightness by marking
the blade tip position inside the deck housing,
and then rotating the opposite end of the blade
to the same position and comparing. If the dif-
ference in blade tip track is more than 1/8 in.
(3 mm), the blade is bent and should be re-
placed.
DANGER
BATTERIES PRODUCE EXPLOSIVE
GASES
• Charge the battery in a well-ventilated
area, so that gases produced while charg-
ing can dissipate.
• Keep sparks, flames, and smoking ma-
terials away from the battery at all times.
• Make sure the battery cap vents are open
(check manifold vent on each cap).
• Make sure the battery charger is un-
plugged before connecting or discon-
necting cables to the battery.
DANGER
NEVER operate cutter blades with the
deck in the raised position.