Troy-Bilt 15009 - Manual (Page 34)

Photo 4-20: Leave the outside edge (12” or more) un­
broken to prevent erosion.
Tilling Across Slopes Without Terraces
If terracing isn’t practical for you, then you can
till laterally across a slope, although we don’t re­
ally recommend it. For best results, we urge you
to till vertically up and down a slope, or create
terraces.
First, make sure that the slope is not too steep
to till safely. Then, begin at the top of the slope
and overlap half of each tilled path, always keep­
ing the uphill wheel in the soft, newly tilled soil.
Doing so will help keep the tiller more stable
across a relatively steep slope.
UPHILL TILLING NOTE
When tilling on slopes, be extra careful to see
that your engine crankcase is kept filled to either
the
FULL mark on the dipstick (6HP Tecumseh
engines)or to the top of the engine oil fill tube
(5FIP Briggs and 4FIP Tecumseh engines).
When tilling at the deepest settings and going
up a steep hill, the oil slants away from its nor­
mal level and can starve the engine of lubrication
as the engine’s oil dipper may not be able to
reach the oil due to its slanted level. Keeping the
oil level at the FULL mark is very important for
the protection of your engine.
To prevent engine damage from oil starvation,
check engine oil level at least every half-hour
during uphill tilling operations.
LOADING AND UNLOADING TILLER A
WARNING
Loading and unloading your tiller into a ve­
hicle is potentially hazardous and we don’t
recommend that you do so unless abso­
lutely necessary, as this could result in per­
sonal injury or property damage.
However, if you must load or unload the
tiller, follow the guidelines given next. * •
• Shut the tiller engine off before loading or un­
loading. Allow the tiller engine to cool, discon­
nect the spark plug wire and prevent it from
touching the spark plug. (Remove the Ignition
Switch key on electric start models.)
•The tiller is too heavy (well over 200 pounds)
and bulky to lift safely by one person. To lift the
tiller, two or more people should share the load.
• We recommend that you use sturdy ramps and
that you manually (engine shut off) roll the tiller
into and out of the vehicle. This will require as­
sistance from another person.
• Ramps should be strong enough to support the
tiller and the handlers. The ramps should provide
good traction to prevent slipping; they should
have side rails to guide the tiller up and down the
ramps; and they should have a locking device to
secure them to the vehicle bed.
• The operator and handlers should wear sturdy
footwear that will help to prevent slips.
• Position the vehicle so the ramp angle is as flat
as possible (the less the incline of the ramp, the
better). Turn the vehicle’s engine off and apply
the vehicle’s parking brake.
• When going up ramps, stand in the normal op­
erating position and push the tiller ahead of you.
Have a person at each wheel to turn the wheels.
• When going down ramps, walk backward down
the ramp with the tiller following you. Keep alert
for, and avoid any obstacles that could cause
you to fall. Position a person at each wheel to
control the speed of the tiller. Never go down
ramps tiller-first, as the tiller could tip forward.
• Have wooden blocks handy to place on the
downhill side of the wheels if you need to stop
the tiller from rolling down the ramp when un­
loading or loading. Use the blocks to temporarily
keep the tiller in place on the ramps while you
get a firmer grip on the handlebars, reposition
the tiller, etc. Also use the blocks to chock the
wheels in place after you’ve tied the tiller down.
• Once the tiller is in the vehicle, move the
Wheel Gear Lever to “ENGAGE” (on Econo-
Horse and Pony Models) or be sure the Wheel
Drive Pins are Engaged (Junior Model). This
locks the wheels in position and helps prevent
the tiller from moving. Then securely tie the tiller
down.
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