Craftsman T1600 - SLOPE OPERATION; CHILDREN; TOWING

Checkoverheadclearancescarefullybeforedrivingunderlowhangingtree
branches,wires,dooropeningsetc.,wheretheoperatormaybestruckor
pulledfromthemachine,whichcouldresultinseriousinjury.
Disengageallattachmentclutchesanddepressthebrakepedalcompletely
beforeattemptingto startengine.
Yourmachineisdesignedto cutnormalresidentialgrassofa heightnomore
than10".Donotattempttomowthroughunusuallytall,drygrass(e.g.,
pasture)orpilesof dryleaves.Drygrassor leavesmaycontacttheengine
exhaustand/orbuilduponthemowerdeckpresentingapotentialfire
hazard.
Useonlyaccessoriesandattachmentsapprovedforthis machinebythe
machinemanufacturer.Read,understandandfollowall instructions
providedwith theapprovedaccessoryorattachment.Foralistofapproved
accessoriesandattachments,call1-888-331-4569.
Dataindicatesthatoperators,age60yearsandabove,areinvolvedin a
largepercentageof ridingmower-relatedinjuries.Theseoperatorsshould
evaluatetheirabilityto operatetheridingmowersafelyenoughtoprotect
themselvesandothersfromseriousinjury.
If situationsoccurwhicharenotcoveredin thismanual,usecareandgood
judgment.
SLOPE OPERATION
Slopesareamajorfactorrelatedto lossof controlandtip-overaccidentswhichcan
resultinsevereinjuryordeath.Allslopesrequireextracaution.Ifyoucannotback
uptheslopeorif youfeeluneasyonit, donotmowit.
Foryoursafety,usetheSlopeGuideincludedaspartofthismanualto measure
slopesbeforeoperatingthis machineonaslopedorhillyarea.If theslopeisgreater
than15degreesasshownonthe SlopeGuide,donotoperatethismachineonthat
areaorseriousinjurycouldresult.
Do;
Mowupanddownslopes,notacross.Exerciseextremecautionwhen
changingdirectiononslopes.
Watchfor holes,ruts,bumps,rocks,orotherhiddenobjects.Uneventerrain
couldoverturnthemachine.Tallgrasscanhideobstacles.
Useslowspeed.Choosea lowenoughspeedsettingsothatyouwill nothave
tostoporshiftwhileontheslope.Tiresmaylosetractiononslopeseven
thoughthebrakesarefunctioningproperly.Alwayskeepmachineingear
whengoingdownslopestotakeadvantageofenginebrakingaction.
Followthemanufacturer'srecommendationsfor wheelweightsor
counterweightstoimprovestability.
Useextracarewith grasscatchersorotherattachments.Thesecanchange
thestabilityofthemachine.
Keepallmovementontheslopesslowandgradual.Donotmakesudden
changesinspeedordirection.Rapidengagementorbrakingcouldcause
thefrontofthe machineto lift andrapidlyflip overbackwardswhichcould
causeseriousinjury.
Avoidstartingorstoppingona slope.Iftireslosetraction,disengagethe
blade(s)andproceedslowlystraightdowntheslope.
Do Not:
Donotturn onslopesunlessnecessary;then,turnslowlyandgradually
downhill,if possible.
Donotmowneardrop-offs,ditchesorembankments.Themowercould
suddenlyturnoverifa wheelisovertheedgeofacliff, ditch,orifanedge
cavesin.
Donottry to stabilizethemachinebyputtingyourfoot ontheground.
Donotusea grasscatcheronsteepslopes.
Donotmowonwetgrass.Reducedtractioncouldcausesliding.
Donotattemptto coastdownhill.Over-speedingmaycausetheoperatorto
losecontrolofthe machineresultinginseriousinjuryordeath.
Donottow heavypull behindattachments(e.g.loadeddumpcart,lawn
roller,etc.)onslopesgreaterthan5 degrees.Whengoingdownhill,the
extraweighttendstopushthetractorandmaycauseyoutoloosecontrol
(e.g.tractormayspeedup,brakingandsteeringabilityarereduced,
attachmentmayjack-knifeandcausetractortooverturn).
CHILDREN
Tragicaccidentscanoccuriftheoperatorisnotalertto thepresenceofchildren.
Childrenareoftenattractedtothemachineandthemowingactivity.Theydonot
understandthedangers.Neverassumethatchildrenwill remainwhereyoulastsaw
them.
Keepchildrenoutof themowingareaandinwatchfulcareof aresponsible
adultotherthantheoperator.
Bealertandturnmachineoff ifachildentersthearea.
Beforeandwhilebacking,lookbehindanddownforsmallchildren.
Nevercarrychildren,evenwith theblade(s)shutoff.Theymayfall offand be
seriouslyinjuredorinterferewith safemachineoperation.
Useextremecarewhenapproachingblindcorners,doorways,shrubs,trees
orotherobjectsthat mayblockyourvisionofa childwho mayrunintothe
machine.
Toavoidback-overaccidents,alwaysdisengagethecuttingblade(s)before
shiftingintoReverse.Ifequipped,the"ReverseCautionMode"(blades
operatewhilemachineridesinreverse)shouldnotbeusedwhenchildrenor
othersarearound.
Keepchildrenawayfromhotorrunningengines.Theycansufferburnsfrom
ahotmuffler.
Removekeywhenmachineisunattendedto preventunauthorized
operation.
Neverallowchildrenunder14yearsofagetooperatethismachine.Children14and
overshouldreadandunderstandtheinstructionsandsafeoperationpracticesin
thismanualandonthemachineandshouldbetrainedandsupervisedbyanadult.
TOWING
Towonlywith amachinethathasa hitchdesignedfor towing.Donotattach
towedequipmentexceptat thehitchpoint.
Followthe manufacturersrecommendationforweightlimitsfor towed
equipmentandtowingonslopes.
Neverallowchildrenorothersinorontowedequipment.
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