Troy-Bilt 12159 - Manual (Page 3)

SAFETY RULES
Repair the damage before restarting and operating the
machine.
• Exercise caution to avoid slipping or falling.
• If the machine should start to vibrate abnormally, stop
the engine. Disconnect the spark plug wire and prevent
it from touching the plug. Check immediately for the
cause. Vibration is generally a warning of trouble. Fix
the problem before using the equipment again.
• Stop the engine, disconnect the spark plug wire and
prevent it from touching the spark plug whenever you
leave the equipment, before unciogging the tines, or
when making any repairs, adjustments or inspections.
• Take all possible precautions when leaving the ma­
chine unattended. Always stop the engine. Disconnect
the spark plug wire and prevent it from touching the plug.
• Before cleaning, repairing, or inspecting, stop the en­
gine and make certain all moving parts have stopped.
Disconnect the spark plug wire and prevent it from
touching the spark plug to avoid accidental starting.
• Never operate equipment without proper guards,
plates, or other protective safety devices in place.
• Do not run the engine in an enclosed area. The ex­
haust fumes from the engine contain extremely danger­
ous carbon monoxide gas. This gas is colorless, odor­
less, tasteless and deadly poisonous.
• Keep children and pets away.
• Be aware that the equipment may unexpectedly
bounce upward or jump forward if the tines should strike
extremely hardpacked soil, frozen ground, or buried ob­
stacles such as large stones, roots or stumps. If you are
in doubt about the tilling conditions, always use the fol­
lowing operating precautions to assist you in maintaining
control of the equipment:
a. Stand behind the equipment, using both hands on the
handlebars. Relax your arms, but use a secure hand
grip.
b. Start tilling at shallow depths, working gradually
deeper with each pass.
c. Clear the tilling area of all large stones, roots, and
other debris.
d. In an emergency, stop the tines by releasing the en­
gine throttle lever on the handlebar. To stop the en­
gine, move the engine on-off switch to OFF.
• Do not overload the machine’s capacity by attempting
to till too deeply at too fast a rate.
• Never operate the equipment on slippery surfaces.
Look behind and use care when backing up.
• Do not operate the equipment on a slope that is too
steep for safety. When on slopes, slow down and make
sure you have good footing.
• Never allow bystanders near the unit.
• Only use attachments and accessories that are
factory-approved.
• Never operate the equipment without good visibility or
good light.
• Never operate the unit if you are tired, or under the in­
fluence of alcohol, drugs, or medication.
• Do not tamper with the engine governor settings on
the machine; the governor controls the maximum safe
operating speed and protects the engine and all other
moving parts from damage caused by engine over­
speed. Authorized service shall be sought if a problem
exists.
• Do not touch engine parts which may be hot from op­
eration. Allow parts to cool before inspecting, cleaning
or repairing.
• Remember: you can stop the tines by releasing the en­
gine throttle lever. Move the engine on-off switch to OFF
to shut the engine off.
• Never transport this machine when the engine is
running.
• Terminals and non-insulated electrical parts shall be
protected against shorting during normal servicing, refu­
eling or lubrication.
• Use extreme caution when reversing or pulling the ma­
chine toward you.
• Start the engine carefully according to instructions and
with feet well away from the tines.
MAINTENANCE/STORAGE
• Keep the tiller, attachments and accessories in safe
working condition.
• Check all nuts, bolts, and screws at frequent intervals
for proper tightness to be sure equipment is in safe
working condition.
• Never store equipment with fuel in fuel tank inside a
building where fumes may reach an open flame or spark
(hot water and space heaters, furnaces, clothes dryers,
stoves, electric motors, etc.).
• Allow the engine to cool before storing the equipment.
• Keep the engine free of grass, leaves, or grease to re­
duce the chance of a fire hazard.
• Store gasoline in a cool, well-ventilated area, safely
away from any spark- or flame-producing equipment.
Store gasoline in an approved container, safely away
from the reach of children.
• Never perform maintenance when engine is running or
spark plug wire is connected unless instructed to do so.
• If fuel tank must be drained, do so outdoors.
• Follow manufacturer’s recommendations for safe load­
ing, unloading, transport, and storage of machine.
WARNING:
Tlie engine exhaust from this product
contains chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer, birth defects, or
other reproductive harm.