Homelite 24683 - Manual (Page 5)

FIGURE 7
mission or 1/3 to 1/2 speed with the Hydrostatic Trans­
mission, If the ground is hard, rocky or rough, a slower
speed may be advisable since the revitalizer will not be
as effective under these conditions.
Travel the long direction of the lawn to minimize turns. Be­
fore turning, raise the revitalizer to prevent excessive uproot­
ing of grass. On the second and successive passes, be sure to
drive so the revitalizer slightly overlaps that portion of the
lawn already revitalized.
NOTE: DO NOT MAKE SHARP TURNS WITH UNIT IN
GROUND, SINCE THIS WILL CAUSE LAWN DAMAGE.
If wire or other foreign material get caught in the revitalizer,
stop the tractor and disengage the clutch immediately. STOP
THE TRACTOR ENGINE BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO
WORK AROUND THE REVITALIZER.
Preparing a Seedbed
The revitalizer may be used to prepare a seedbed for reseed­
ing a sparse area by making a second pass diagonally to the
first one at about a 45° angle. Use a depth setting of ap­
proximately 1/2 inch.
Removing the Thatch
Dead g*ass and thatch should be removed after using the re­
vitalizer. A HOMELiTE vacuum collector system is excellent
for this purpose. For best results allow the thatch and grass to
dry for a few hours before using the vacuum collector. A
sweeper will also work well in removing the thatch.
Trouble Shooting
If the thatch is not being lifted effectively:
1. Ground speed may be too fast - use a lower ground
speed.
2. Engine speed may be too slow - operate the engine at
3/4 to full throttle.
3. Long grass may be interfering - grass should be cut to
about 2” before revitalizing.
4. The revitalizer drive belt may be slipping - check the
belt tension to be sure it is set correctly, see Adjust­
ments. Page 5.
If thatch removed is not uniform or an unusual amount of
green grass is being torn up:
1. Check to see if wire, sticks, etc. are caught on the
knives.
2. Check the depth of the grooves in the ground. A depth
of 1/2 inch is correct under most conditions.
If the drive belt will not stop turning when the revitalizer is
disengaged:
1. The belt stops may be out of adjustment. See “Ad­
justments.” Page 5.
2. The belt tension adjustment at the revitalizer clutch
may be out of adjustment. See “Adjustments”. Page 5.
3. The belt may be of the wrong length or construction -
use only the correct belt.
ADJUSTMENTS.
O
Belt Tension Adjustment
(See figure 7) Tension on the revitalizer drive belt is regu ­
lated by the position of the set collar in the rod guide assem­
bly of the revitalizer clutch. Belt tension is correct when there
is 5/8” to 3/4” clearance between the set collar and the lower
end of the rod guide assembly when the revitalizer clutch is
engaged. To increase belt tension, disengage the revitalizer
clutch and loosen the set screw in the collar. Move the rod
down slightly to reposition it under the set collar and re­
tighten the set screw. Check the clearance by engaging the re­
vitalizer clutch. Do not operate the revitalizer with more than
3/4 inch clearance between the set collar and rod guide as the
excessive tension may cause premature belt and bearing fail­
ure.
Belt Stop Adjustment
If the revitalizer will not disengage properly or the back­
side of the drive belt shows wear, the belt stops and guard
may
need adjusting. Adjustments should be made as
follows.
CAUTION: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO MAKE ANY ADJUST­
MENTS WITH THE TRACTOR ENGINE RUNNING.
(See Figure 8.) The belt stops are located above and be­
low the drive pulley.