Engaging the Blades
WARNING!
thrown object injury, keep bystanders, helpers,
children and pets at least 75 feet from the machine
while it is in operation. Stop machine if anyone
enters the area.
1.
Move the throttle/choke control to the FAST (rabbit)
position.
2.
Slowly squeeze the blade control against the right handle
grip and the blades will engage. Release it and the blades
will stop.
Operating on Slopes
Refer to the Slope Gauge on page 8 to help determine slopes
where you may operate the mower safely.
WARNING!
excess of 15 degrees (a rise of approximately 2-1/2
feet every 10 feet). The mower could overturn and
cause serious injury.
•
Mow across the face of slopes; never up and down.
•
Exercise extreme caution when changing direction on
slopes.
•
Watch for holes, ruts, rocks, hidden objects, or bumps
which can cause you to slip or trip. Tall grass can hide
obstacles.
•
Always be sure of your footing. A slip and fall can cause
serious personal injury. If you feel you are losing your
balance, release the blade control handle immediately and
the blade will stop rotating within three seconds.
•
Do not mow near drop-offs, ditches or embankments, you
could lose your footing or balance.
•
Do not mow slopes greater than 15 degrees as shown on
the slope gauge.
•
Do not mow on wet grass. Unstable footing could cause
slipping.
Using the Deck Height Lever
To raise or lower the cutting deck, move the deck height
lever to the left, then place it in the notch best suited for your
application. Refer to page 12 in the Controls and Features
section of this manual.
16
S
5— o
ection
peration
To help avoid blade contact or a
Do not mow on inclines with a slope in
Mowing
The following information will be helpful when operating your
mower.
WARNING!
Plan your mowing pattern to avoid
discharge of materials toward roads, sidewalks,
bystanders and the like. Also, avoid discharging
material against a wall or obstruction which may
cause discharged material to ricochet back toward
the operator.
•
Do not mow at fast ground speeds, especially if a mulch kit
or grass collector is installed.
•
Do not cut the grass too short. Short grass is prone to weed
growth and yellows quickly in dry weather.
•
Always operate the mower with the throttle/choke control
in the FAST (rabbit) position while mowing.
•
For best results, it is recommended that the first two laps
be cut with the discharge thrown towards the center.
After the first two laps, reverse the direction to throw the
discharge to the outside for the balance of cutting. This will
give a better appearance to the lawn.
•
Do NOT attempt to mow heavy brush and weeds or
extremely tall grass. Your mower is designed to mow lawns,
NOT clear brush.
•
Keep the blades sharp and replace the blades when worn.
WARNING!
After striking a foreign object, stop the
engine, disconnect the spark plug wire and ground
against the engine. Thoroughly inspect the mower
for any damage. Always inspect the blade timing
belt as instructed on page 21 in the Maintenance
section of this manual. Repair the damage before
starting and operating the mower.
Mulching
The Cub Cadet Wide Cut mower is equipped with a mulch kit
which incorporates special blades, already standard on your
mower, in a process of recirculating grass clippings repeatedly
beneath the cutting deck. The ultra-fine clippings are then
forced back into the lawn where they act as a natural fertilizer.
Observe the following points for the best results when mulching.
•
Never attempt to mulch if the lawn is damp. Wet grass
tends to stick to the underside of the cutting deck
preventing proper mulching of the clippings.
•
Do NOT attempt to mulch more than 1⁄3 the total height of
the grass. Doing so will cause the clippings to clump up
beneath the deck and not be mulched effectively.
•
Maintain a slow ground speed to allow the grass clippings
more time to effectively be mulched.
•
Always keep the throttle control lever in the FAST (rabbit)
position while mowing. Failing to keep the engine at full
throttle places strain on the mower's engine and does not
allow the blades to properly mulch the grass clippings.