MTD 769-01645A - Page 19

Thefollowinginformationwillbehelpfulwhenusingthe
cuttingdeckwithyourtractor:
_ ARNING: Plan your mowing
pattern to avoid discharge of
materials toward roads, side-
walks, bystanders and the like.
Also, avoid discharging material
against a wall or obstruction
which may cause discharged
material to ricochet back toward
the operator.
• Donotmowathighgroundspeed,especiallyif a
mulchkit orgrasscollectoris installed.
• Forbest resultsit is recommendedthatthe firsttwo
lapsbecutwiththedischargethrowntowardsthe
center.Afterthefirst twolaps,reversethedirectionto
throwthedischargetotheoutsideforthebalanceof
cutting.Thiswillgivea betterappearanceto the lawn.
• Donotcut thegrasstooshort.Shortgrassinvites
weedgrowthandyellowsquicklyin dryweather.
• Mowingshouldalwaysbe donewiththe engineat full
throttle.
Underheavierconditionsit maybenecessaryto go
backoverthecut areaa secondtimetogeta clean
cut.
• DoNOTattempttomowheavybrushandweedsand
extremelytallgrass.Yourtractoris designedto mow
lawns,NOTclearbrush.
• Keepthebladessharpand replacethe bladeswhen
worn.Referto Cutting Blades inthe Maintaining
YourLawnTractorsectionof this manualfor proper
bladesharpeninginstructions.
Mulching (If Equipped)
Selectmodelscomeequippedwitha mulchkitwhich
incorporatesspecialblades,alreadystandardonthe
tractor,ina processof recirculatinggrassclippings
repeatedlybeneaththecuttingdeck.Theultra-fine
clippingsarethenforcedbackintothe lawnwherethey
actasa naturalfertilizer.
Figure 13
Observethefollowingpointsforthebestresultswhen
mulching:
• Neverattemptto mulchifthelawnisdamp.Wetgrass
tendstosticktotheundersideofthecuttingdeck
preventingpropermulchingoftheclippings.
DoNOTattempttomulchmorethan 1/3 thetotal
heightof the grassorapproximately1-1/2inches.
Doingsowill causethe clippingsto clumpupbeneath
thedeckandnotbe mulchedeffectively.
• Maintaina slowgroundspeedto allow the grass
clippingsmoretimetoeffectivelybemulched.
• Alwayspositionthethrottlecontrolleverin the FAST
(rabbit)positionandallowitto remaintherewhile
mowing.Failingto keepthe engineat full throttle
placesstrainon thetractor'sengineanddoes not
allowthebladesto properlymulchgrass.
NOTE:It is notnecessaryto removethe dischargechute
tooperatethe mowerwiththe mulchkitinstalled.
Tooperatethe cuttingdeckwithoutmulching,simply
removethemulchplugbyunthreadingtheplasticwing
nutwhichfastensittothecuttingdeck.Thiswill allowthe
clippingstodischargeouttheside.SeeFigure13.
Headlights
• Thelampsare ONwheneverthe ignitionkeyis moved
outoftheSTOPposition.
• ThelampsturnOFFwhenthe ignitionkeyismovedto
theSTOPposition.
19
0 perat ing
WARNING
Plan your mowing pat-
tern to avoid discharge
of materials toward
roads, sidewalks, by-
standers and the like.
Also, avoid discharging
_aterial against a wall
_r obstruction which
may cause discharged
aterial to ricochet
back toward the
operator.