Troy-Bilt 13027 - Manual (Page 6)

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OPERATION
1. Disengage power to attachments
when transporting tractor, or when
attachments are not being utilized.
2. When using the tractor with a
mower deck, proceed as follows:
a. Mow only in daylight or in
good artificial light.
b. Never make a cutting height
adjustment while,the engine is
running if the operator must dis­
mount in order to do so.
c. Shut the engine off when re­
moving the grass catcher or un­
clogging the discharge chute.
d. Check the blade mounting
bolts for proper tightness at fre­
quent intervals.
3. Do not use your tractor on
slopes when there is a risk of turn­
ing over the machine. Do not
mow on hills steeper than a 15° in­
cline—see the slope gauge in the
Operation Section of this Manual.
Never mow across slopes. Stay
away from holes, ditches, soft or
steep embankments or other poten­
tially dangerous terrain. Tall grass
can hide obstacles. Wet surfaces
reduce traction and stability.
4. Keep observers far away from
the area where you are using your
tractor and attachments. Rotating
blades can hurl objects at high
speed, causing injury to bystanders.
5. Reduce speed and exercise cau­
tion on slopes and when making
turns. Be especially careful when
changing direction on slopes. Do
not start or stop suddenly when
going uphill or downhill. Always
mow up and down the face of ter­
rain that has an incline. Do not
mow on an incline greater than
15°. Never mow across slopes.
6. If the tractor is unable to con­
tinue moving uphill, move the
PTO Attachment Drive Switch to
OFF and back slowly downward.
7. Always be observant. Watch for
and avoid obstacles.
8. Do not direct the discharge of
mowed materials toward others.
9. Watch out for traffic when you
are crossing or near roadways.
10. The tractor and attachments
should be stopped and inspected
for damage after striking a foreign
object. Repair any damage before
using the equipment again.
11. Use caution when pulling loads
• Use only approved drawbar
hitch points.
• Limit loads to those that can
be safety controlled.
• Do not turn sharply. Use extra
caution when backing up.
• Use counterweights or wheel
weights for extra traction.
12. Disengage power to the mower
attachment before backing up. As
a general rule, do not mow in re­
verse. When absolutely necessary
to mow a small area using reverse,
go very slowly and carefully watch
the area behind the mower.
13. Keep your hands, feet, face
and clothing away from rotating
attachment and tractor parts at all
times. Never leave the operator’s
seat while the tractor is moving or
the mower attachment is in use. A
safety interlock switch will shut
off the engine if the operator
leaves the seat when an attachment
is on or the parking brake is not
engaged. If not working properly,
the safety interlock switch must be
repaired before using the tractor.
14. Before crossing a roadway or
driveway, disengage power to the
mower deck and raise the mower
housing to its highest level. This
prevents loose materials from
being blown around.
15. Do not leave the operator’s po­
sition if the tractor has not come to
a full stop. Before dismounting:
• Disengage power to mower
deck by moving PTO Attach­
ment Drive Switch to OFF.
• Lower all attachments.
• Place all other control levers
in their Neutral positions.
• Depress the Brake Pedal and
apply the Parking Brake.
• Turn off the engine and re­
move the ignition key.
16. Avoid contact with the engine
or muffler while the engine is run­
ning and for several minutes after
the engine is shut off. Hot sur­
faces can cause a severe bum.
17. Under normal use, the grass
catcher bag material (on the op­
tional Power Packer) is subject to
deterioration and wear. It should
be checked frequently for bag re­
placement. Replacement bags
must comply with the original
manufacturer’s recommendations
or specifications.
18. Always engage the Parking
Brake when parking the tractor on
a hill.