Farm Star RB-880 - Manual (Page 17)

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S A F E T Y I N S T R U C T I O N S (continued)
All equipment is potentially hazardous. There is no substitute for a cautious, safe-minded operator who
recognizes potential hazards and follows reasonable safety practices.
When the use of hand tools is required to perform any part of assembly, installation, adjustment, maintaining,
repairing, removal, or moving the implement, be sure the tools used are designed and recommended by the
tool manufacturer for that specific task.
Personal protection equipment including safety glasses, safety shoes, and gloves are recommended during
assembly, installation, operation, adjustment, maintaining, repairing, removal, or moving the rear blade.
Always use two people to handle heavy, unwieldy components during assembly, installation, removal, or
moving the rear blade.
Never place any part of your body where it would be in danger if movement should occur during assembly,
installation, operation, maintaining, repairing, removal, or moving the implement.
Never place yourself between the tractor and implement while hitching or while implement is in operation.
Do not work under a raised implement unless it is securely blocked or held in position. Do not depend on the
tractor hydraulic system to hold the implement in place.
Do not allow others to ride on the tractor with an operator. Riders are subject to injury such as being struck by
foreign objects or being thrown off. Riders obstruct the operator’s view resulting in unsafe operation. Never
allow anyone to ride on the implement!
Before you operate the rear blade, check over all pins, bolts and connections to be sure all are securely in
place. Replace any damaged or worn parts immediately.
Use stabilizer bars, adjustable sway chains, or sway blocks on your tractor lift arms to keep the rear blade from
swinging side to side. Adjust as tightly as practical for best performance.
Keep alert and watch the front as well as the rear when working with the implement.
When maneuvering close to buildings or passing through narrow areas, be sure to allow sufficient clearance
for the implement.
Do not operate close to ditches or creeks. Slow down when operating over rough ground.
Always be sure the implement is in the fully raised position when in transport.
OPERATIONAL SAFETY (continued)
O P E R ATING INSTRUCTIONS (continued)
UTILITY
To clean close to a fence or building, offset the swing
arm to the right (left) to offset the blade beyond the trac-
tor tire. Be careful not to hang the blade tip as this could
result in damage to the blade, or main frame.
For smoothing out loose soil, a fine finish can be
obtained by pushing the soil with the back of the mold-
board.
GRADING
Grading can be accomplished with the cutting edge
toward the tractor. Set the moldboard to the desired
angle, lower the blade to the ground and set the depth of
cut. If the ground is rough, work down the high spots first.
It will also help if you can work different directions and
use a scarifier to loosen the soil.
Be careful not to hit any hidden object when in the
backfill / bulldoze position. Do not ram into a load at any
time as this multiplies the forces several times normal
and could result in damage to your blade.
When using the rear blade in a reverse position use
extra care - DO NOT RAM REAR BLADE into dirt
piles! Tractor lift arms and the rear blade are not
built to take high impact loads in this position. RAM-
MING backwards can also dislodge operator from
seat and/or tractor controls, resulting in possible
serious injury or death.
W A R N I N G !
Watch for and avoid hidden obstructions, i.e.,
buried pipes, rocks, concrete piers, or uneven slabs
of concrete, when operating, or blade damage may
occur. This is especially true when removing snow.
C A U T I O N !
These suggestions are generalities; best results will be
obtained after some experience.
NOTE: Do not load either end of the blade heavily. Try
to balance the load on both ends of the blade. Take extra
care, if the blade is offset, not to overload the long side.
NOTE: Always use the tractor anti-sway bars, blocks, or
chains to prevent blade side-sway. This is a must when
using the blade in a reverse position.
W A R N I N G !
A heavy load can cause instability in driving a
tractor. Make sure the front of the tractor is properly
counterbalanced with weights. Always drive slowly -
especially around turns. An unstable tractor could
steer badly and possibly tip over, causing injury or
death.
Pass diagonally through sharp dips and avoid sharp
drops to prevent “hanging up” tractor and blade.
Practice will improve your skills in maneuvering rough
terrain.
UNEVEN TERRAIN
W A R N I N G !
Do not operate on steep slopes.
Do not stop, start or change directions suddenly on
slopes.
Use extreme care and reduce ground speed on
slopes and rough terrain.
Watch or hidden hazards on the terrain during
operation.
OBEY ALL
SAFETY
WARNINGS!!