Craftsman 247.29931 - Manual (Page 17)

OPERATION
hill. When going downhill, overlap the first pass by about one-half
the width of the tiller.
Terrace Gardening
1. To create a terrace, start at the top of the slope and work down
Go back and forth across the first row. See Figure 16.
2. Each succeeding lower terrace is started by walking below the
terrace you are preparing. For added stability of the tiller, always
keep the uphill wheel in the soft, newly tilled soil. Do not till the
last 12” or more of the downhill outside edge of each terrace. This
untilled strip helps prevent the terraces from breaking apart and
A
warning
Loading and unloading the tiller into a vehicle is potentially hazard­
ous and doing so is not recommended unless absolutely necessary,
as this could result in personal injury or property damage.
washing downhill. It also provides a walking path between the
rows.
Loading & Unloading the Tiller
If you must load or unload the tiller, follow the guidelines given below:
• Before loading or unloading the tiller, stop the engine, wait for all
parts to stop moving, disconnect the spark plug wire and let the
engine and muffler cool.
• Put the wheels in freewheel by putting the click pins through the
wheel shaft only (not through the wheel hub).
• The tiller is too heavy and bulky to be safely lifted by one person.
Two or more people should share the load.
• Use sturdy ramps and manually — with the engine shut off — roll
the tiller into and out of the vehicle. Two or more people are
needed to do this.
• The ramps must be strong enough to support the combined
weight of the tiller and any handlers. The ramps should provide
good traction to prevent slipping; they should also have side rails
to guide the tiller along the ramps; and they should have a locking
device to secure them to the vehicle.
• The handlers should wear sturdy footwear that will help to prevent
slipping.
• Position the loading vehicle so that the ramp angle is as flat
as possible (the less incline to the ramp, the better). Turn the
vehicle's engine off and apply the parking brake.
• When going up the ramps, stand in the normal operating position
and push the tiller ahead of you. Have a person at each side to
turn the wheels.
• When going down the ramps, walk backward with the tiller
following you. Keep alert tor any obstacles behind you. Position a
person at each wheel to control the speed of the tiller. Never go
down the ramps tiller-first, as the tiller could tip forward.
• Place wooden blocks on the downhill side of the wheels it you
need to stop the tiller from rolling down the ramp. Also, use the
blocks to temporarily keep the tiller in place on the ramps (if
necessary), and to chock the wheels in place after the tiller is in
the vehicle.
• After loading the tiller, prevent it from rolling by engaging the
wheels in the WHEEL DRIVE position. Chock the wheels with
Figure 16
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