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DR ® POWERWAGON ™ Safety & Operating Instructions 6
Operating Tips
When the throttle is not engaged the machine will act like it's in neutral—it will freewheel—even if
it's in gear. Always have the throttle engaged or the brake on for control.
You can leave the machine in gear while idling, but always use the parking brake and never leave
the machine unattended while running.
If you're making frequent stops to load and unload it is better to leave the DR ® POWERWAGON ™
running (on idle with the parking brake on) than to start and stop repeatedly. Frequent starting
and stopping will reduce the life of the battery. Running the DR
® POWERWAGON ™ recharges
the battery. See page 10 for more battery care information.
Uneven Terrain & Slopes
Exercise caution when using the DR ® POWERWAGON ™ on uneven terrain or slopes.
A good rule of thumb: the steeper the hill, the
lighter and lower your load should be.
Limit loads to less than 300 pounds on
slopes.
Use a first gear and move slowly if the ground
is rough, especially with a full load. Be
sure you're in low gear before starting
down a slope. Shifting mid-slope can be
awkward.
We do not recommend using the DR ®
POWERWAGON ™ for continuous use on
a slope greater than 20 degrees. Doing so
may deprive the engine of oil and damage
the engine components.
For added traction when going uphill, lift up on the handlebars slightly to transfer weight to the front
wheels and improve traction. When going downhill, keep a firm grip on the handlebars and push
down slightly.
Do not apply the brake abruptly when going down hill with a heavy load or the DR ®
POWERWAGON ™ may pitch forward on its front end.
We recommend going straight up and down slopes, instead of across them, whenever possible. If
you do maneuver across a slope use EXTREME CAUTION as this puts additional pressure on
the downhill side of the machine. The higher and heavier the load, the greater the chance the
DR
® POWERWAGON ™ may tip over. Limit side hill loads to less than 300 pounds.
Be careful with partial loads. Material can shift within the body and tip the machine.
Figure 11