Safety Instructions189. Watch for holes, rocks, and roots in the terrainand for other hidden hazards. When mowing tallgrass, mow higher than desired to expose anyhidden obstacles. Then, clean the area andmow to the desired height.10. Avoid sudden starts or stops. Before backingthe machine up, look to the rear to be sure noone is behind the machine. Watch carefully fortraffic when crossing or working near roadways.11. Disengage the blade drive when transportingthe machine across drives, sidewalks, etc. Ne-ver raise the mower deck while blades arerotating.12. The maximum recommended side slope op-erating angle is 20 degrees or 33% grade.When operating the machine on a slope, reducespeed and use caution to start, stop, and ma-neuver. To prevent tipping or loss of control ofthe machine, avoid sharp turns or suddenchanges in direction.13. Never adjust cutting height with the enginerunning. Before adjusting cutting height or ser-vicing, disengage the blade clutch (PTO), stopthe engine, and remove the ignition key. Wait forall movement to stop before getting off the seat.NOTE: A blade/blower brake should normallystop drive line rotation within five (5) seconds ofdisengaging the PTO clutch.14. For side discharge mower decks, do not oper-ate with the grass deflector chute removed.Keep the deflector in the lowest possible posi-tion.15. For tractors equipped with tilt-up deck, observethe following recommendations:a. Do not move tractor with deck in tilt-up po-sition.b. Never tilt body forward with deck in tilt-upposition.16. For GHS equipped models, do not operate themachine with the grass catcher in the DUMPposition or with the back door OPEN. Dan-gerous projectiles may be thrown out of the dis-charge chute or the back of the grass catcher.17. For GHS equipped models, use care whenclosing the grass catcher door. Keep fingersand hands away from the hinge and pinchpoints when the door is being closed. Also,keep fingers and hands clear of the door frame.The door is held closed with springs and thedoor may slam shut with considerable force.18. In case of a clogged or plugged mower deckor GHS catching system:a. Disengage the blade clutch (PTO) and turnthe engine off before leaving the seat.b. LOOK to make sure blade drive shaft andblower drive pulley movement has stoppedbefore trying to unclog the system.c. Disconnect the spark plug wires.d. Never place hands under the deck or in theGHS blower - use a stick or similar tool toremove clogged material.19. If the cutting blades strike a solid object or themachine begins to vibrate abnormally, immedi-ately disengage the blade clutch (PTO), stopthe engine, and wait for all moving parts tostop. To prevent accidental starting, disconnectthe spark plug wires. Thoroughly inspect themower and repair any damage before restartingthe engine and operating the mower. Make surecutter blades are in good condition and bladenuts are torqued to 60 ft-lb (81.3 N⋅m).20. Do not touch the engine or muffler while theengine is running or immediately after stoppingthe engine. These areas may be hot enough tocause serious burns.21. When leaving the machine unattended, dis-engage the blade clutch (PTO), stop the en-gine, and remove the key.22. For Model MTL, never remove the radiatorpressure cap when the engine is hot (hotwater may spray and cause burns).MAINTENANCE1. To prevent accidental starting of the enginewhen servicing or adjusting the machine, re-move the key from the ignition switch and dis-connect the spark plug wires.