MTD 11-096R000 - Manual (Page 2)

IMPORTANT
RULES FOR SAFE OPERATION
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THIS SYMBOL POINTS OUT IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRl ICTIONS WHICH, IF NOT FOLLOWED, COULD ENDANGER THE PERSONAL SAFETY
AND/OR PROPERTY OF YOURSELF AND OTHERS. RE/D AND FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS IN THIS MANUAL BEFORE AHEMPTING
TO OPERATE YOUR LAWN MOWER. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THESE INSTRUCTIONS MAY RESULT IN PERSONAL INJURY. WHEN
YOU SEE THIS SYMBOL- A HEED ITS WARMNG.
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Your lawn mower was buill to be operated according to tbe rules for safe operation in this manual. As
DANGER:
with any type of power equ pment, carelessness or error on the part of the operator can result in serious
injury. If you violate any ol these rules, you may cause serious injury to yourself or others.
TRAINING
Read this owner’s guide carefully in its entirety before attempting
to assemble or operate this machine. Be completely f< miliar with
the controls and the proper use of this machine befoni operating
it. Keep this manual in a safe place for future and reguli r reference
and for ordering replacement parts.
2. Your rotary mower is a precision piece of power equi iment, not
a plaything. Therefore, exercise extreme caution at all 1 mes. Your
unit has been designed to perform one job: to mow grass. Do
not use it for any other purpose.
3. Never allow children under 14 years old to operate a po\ /er mower.
Children 14 years old and over should only operate mower under
close parental supervision. Only persons well acquaintec with these
rules of safe operation should be allowed to use yo ir mower.
4. Keep the area of operation clear of all persons, partici ilarly small
children and pets. Stop engine when they are in the vicinity of
your mower to help prevent blade contact or throwr object in­
jury. Although the area of operation should be complei ely cleared
of foreign objects, an object may have been overlookei
I and could
be accidently thrown by the mower in any direction and cause
serious personal injury to the operator or any others allowed in
the area.
PREPARATION
Thoroughly inspect the area where the equipment is lo be used.
Remove all stones, sticks, wire, bones and other foreign objects
which could be picked up and thrown by the mower ir any direc­
tion and cause serious personal injuiy to the operator oi any others
allowed in the area. Plan your mowing pattern to avoi( I discharge
of material toward roads, sidewalks, bystanders anc the like.
2. Always wear safety glasses or eye shields during operal on or while
performing an adjustment or repair, to protect eyes fi om foreign
objects that may be thrown from the machine in an f direction.
3. Wear sturdy, rough-soled work shoes and close-fitting slacks and
shirts. Shirts and pants that cover the arms and leg: and steel­
toed shoes are recommended. Do not wear loose fitting clothes
or jewelry. They can be caught in moving parts. Never operate
a unit in bare feet, sandals, or sneakers.
4. Before working with gasoline, extinguish all cigarettes, c Igars, pipes
and other sources of ignition. Check the fuel level bef >re starting
the engine. Gasoline is an extremely flammable fuel Do not fill
the gasoline tank indoors, while the engine is runni ig, or until
engine has been allowed to cool for at least two m ñutes after
running. Replace gasoline cap securely and wipe off any spilled
gasoline before starting the engine as it may cause a fire or
explosion.
5. Disengage the self-propelled mechanism or drive clul ch on units
so equipped before starting the engine.
6. The blade control handle is a safety device. Never attem )t to bypass
its operation. Doing so makes the safety device inof erative and
may result in personal injury through contact with he rotating
blade. The blade control handle must operate easily ir both direc­
tions and automatically return to the disengaged pos tition when
released.
7. Never attempt to make a wheel or cutting height adjus tment while
the engine is running.
8. Never operate the mower in wet grass. Always be s ure of your
footing. A slip and fall can cause serious personal i ijury. Keep
a firm hold on the handle and walk, never run. Mow onl / in daylight
or in good artificial light.
9. For your safety, use the slope gauge included as part of this manual
to measure slopes before operating this unit on a sloped or hilly
area. If the slope is greater than 15° as shown on the slope gauge,
do not operate this unit on that area or serious injury could result.
OPERATION
5.
6.
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Do not change the engine governor settings or overspeed the
engine. Excessive engine speeds are dangerous.
Do not put hands or feet near or under rotating parts. Keep clear
of the discharge opening at all times as the rotating blade can
cause injury.
Stop the blade when crossing gravel drives, walks or roads.
After striking a foreign object, stop the engine, remove the wire
from the spark plug, and thoroughly inspect the mower for any
damage. Repair the damage before restarting and operating the
mower.
If the equipment should start to vibrate abnormally, stop the engine
and check immediately for the cause. Vibration is generally a warn­
ing of trouble.
Shut the engine off and wait until the blade comes to a complete
stop before removing the grass catcher or unclogging the chu*'
The cutting blade continues to rotate for a few seconds after
engine is shut off. Never place any part of the body in the blau»
area until you are sure the blade has stopped rotating.
Before cleaning, repairing or inspecting, make certain the blade
and all moving parts have stopped. Disconnect the spark plug wire,
and keep the wire away from the spark plug to prevent accidental
starting.
Do not run the engine indoors.
Never cut grass by pulling mower toward you. Mow across the
face of slopes, never up-and-down. Exercise extreme caution when
changing direction on slopes. Do not mow excessively steep slopes;
Always be sure of your footing. A slip and fall can cause serious
personal injury.
Never operate mower without proper guards, plates or other safety
protective devices in place.
Muffler and engine become hot and can cause a burn. Do not
touch.
MAINTENANCE AND STORAGE
3.
Check the blade and engine mounting bolts at frequent intervals
for proper tightness. Also visually inspect blade for damage (e.g.
bent, cracked). Replace with blade which meets original equip­
ment specifications.
Keep all nuts, bolts, and screws tight to be sure the equipment
is in safe working condition.
Never store the mower with gasoline in the tank or gas containers
inside of a building where fumes may reach an open flame or spark
(e.g. gas hot water heater). Allow the engine to cool before stor­
ing in any enclosure.
To reduce fire hazard, keep the engine free of grass, leaves ar'
excessive oil.
Check the grass catcher bag frequently for wear or deteriorati^
Replace a worn or damaged bag immediately. For safety protec­
tion, replace only with new bag meeting original equipment
specifications.