MTD 19B30018OEM Manual Del Operador página 2

This symbol points out important safety instructions which, if not followed, could endanger the personal safety and/or property of yourself and others. Read and
follow all instructions in this manual before attempting to operate this machine. Failure to comply with these instructions may result in personal injury. When
you see this symbol, HEED ITS WARNING!
This attachment was built to be operated according to the safe operation practices in this manual. Carelessness or error on the part of the operator can result in serious injury.
Tractors are capable of amputating hands and feet and throwing objects. Failure to observe the following safety instructions, as well as the safety instructions provided with
your tractor, could result in serious injury or death.
GENERAL OPERATION
1. Read, understand, and follow all instructions on your equipment and in their manuals
before attempting to assemble and operate. Keep this manual in a safe place for future
and regular reference and for ordering replacement parts.
2. To help avoid blade contact or a thrown object injury, keep bystanders, helpers, children,
and pets at least 75 feet from the tractor while it is in operation. Stop tractor if anyone
enters the area.
3. Thoroughly inspect the area where the equipment is to be used. Remove all stones, sticks,
wire, bones, toys, and other foreign objects which could be picked up and thrown by the
blade(s). Thrown objects can cause serious personal injury.
4. Always wear safety glasses or safety goggles during operation and while performing an
adjustment or repair to protect your eyes. Thrown objects which ricochet can cause serious
injury to the eyes.
5. Do not operate the tractor without the discharge cover or entire grass catcher in its proper
place. A missing or damaged discharge cover or grass bag attachment component may
result in thrown objects or blade contact injuries.
6. Do not put hands or feet near rotating parts or under the cutting deck. Contact with the
blade(s) can amputate hands and feet.
7. Shut off tractor's engine and wait for blades to come to a complete stop before unclogging
tractor's discharge opening or bagger parts.
8. Slow down before turning. Operate the tractor smoothly. Avoid erratic operation and
excessive speed. Be aware that a grass catcher attachment can affect the handling
characteristics of your tractor.
9. Disengage blade(s), set parking brake, stop engine, and wait until the blade(s) come
to a complete stop before opening bagger attachment's top cover, removing grass
catcher, emptying grass, unclogging chute, removing any grass or debris, or making
any adjustments. Never leave a running tractor unattended. Always turn off blade(s),
place transmission in neutral, set parking brake, stop engine, and remove key
before dismounting.
10. Your tractor is designed to cut normal residential grass. Do not attempt to mow through
unusually tall, dry grass (e.g., pasture) or piles of dry leaves. Dry grass or leaves may
contact the engine exhaust and/or build up on the tractor deck presenting a potential
fire hazard.
11. If situations occur which are not covered in this manual, use care and good judgment.
Contact your customer service representative for assistance.
SLOPE OPERATION
Slopes are a major factor related to loss of control and tip-over accidents which can result
in severe injury or death. Attachments can also affect the stability of the tractor. All slopes
require extra caution.
For your safety, use the slope gauge included as part of this manual to estimate the angle of
slopes before operating this tractor on a sloped or hilly area. If the slope is greater than 10° or
17% as shown on the slope gauge, do not operate the tractor with the grass bag attachment
installed on that area or serious injury could result.
SAFE OPERATION PRACTICES
WARNING
DANGER
2
Do:
1. Mow up and down slopes, not across. Exercise extreme caution when changing direction
on slopes.
2. Watch for holes, ruts, bumps, rocks, or other hidden objects. Uneven terrain could overturn
the tractor. Tall grass can hide obstacles.
3. Use slow speed. Choose a low enough speed setting so that you will not have to stop
or shift while on the slope. Tires may lose traction on slopes even though the brakes
are functioning properly. Always keep tractor in gear when going down slopes to take
advantage of engine braking action.
4. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for wheel weights or counterweights to
improve stability. Keep all movement on the slopes slow and gradual. Do not make sudden
changes in speed or direction. Rapid acceleration or braking could cause the front of the
tractor to lift and rapidly flip over backwards which could cause serious injury.
5. Avoid starting or stopping on a slope. If tires lose traction, disengage the blade(s) and
proceed slowly straight down the slope.
Do Not:
1. Do not turn on slopes unless necessary; then, turn slowly and gradually downhill,
if possible.
2. Do not mow near drop-offs, ditches, or embankments. The tractor could suddenly turn
over if a wheel is over the edge of a cliff, ditch, or if an edge caves in.
3. Do not try to stabilize the tractor by putting your foot on the ground.
4. Do not use a grass catcher on steep slopes.
5. Do not mow on wet grass. Reduced traction could cause sliding.
SLOPE GAUGE (BACK COVER)
Slopes are a major factor related to tip-over and roll-over accidents which can result
in severe injury or death. Do NOT operate tractor on slopes in excess of 10°/17%. All
slopes require extra caution. If you cannot back up the slope or if you feel uneasy on
it, do not mow it. Always mow up and down slopes, never across the face of slopes.
USE THE SLOPE GAUGE ON THE BACK COVER AS SHOWN TO DETERMINE IF A SLOPE IS TOO STEEP
FOR SAFE OPERATION!
To check the slope, proceed as follows:
1. Open manual to the back cover and fold along the dashed line.
2. Locate a vertical object on or behind the slope (e.g. a pole, building, fence, tree, etc.).
3. Align either side of the slope gauge with the object.
4. Adjust gauge up or down until the left corner touches the slope.
5. If there is a gap below the gauge, the slope is too steep for safe operation.
WARNING