Troy-Bilt 31/2 HP - Manual (Page 30)

MAINTENANCE
Wheel Drive Initial Setting
1. Using two %-inch open-end wrenches, loosen the
jam nut on the wheel drive cable upper adjuster. Turn
the jam nut all the way up the threaded barrel on the
main adjuster. Then turn the barrel up the threaded
barrel until it is approximately Vs-inch away from the
jam nut as shown in Photo 5-21. This decreases
tension on the wheel drive cable.
JAM NUT!
■ABBROX.
' INCH
THREADED
BARREL
Photo 5-21: Setting the upper adjuster.
2. Remove the two bolts that attach the hood to the
rear hood. Loosen the four bolts that secure the sides
of the hood to the side frames. Take the hood off the
mower.
3. Use a V 2 -inch wrench to loosen the lower jam nut
on the lower wheel drive cable adjuster. (The lower
jam nut is located beneath the cable holder that is
welded to the inside of the right-hand side frame.)
4. Turn the upper jam nut on the adjuster until you
get a dimension of approximately
1 -inch between the
top of the upper jam nut and the top of the adjuster
as shown in Photo 5-22.
^PROXIMATELY
1-INCH
..j.:.
28 Photo 5-22; Setting the lower adjuster.
5. Push the mower forward and backward approxi­
mately 4 to 5 feet to make sure that the wheels turn
freely. (Don’t engage the Wheel Drive Lever.)
6
. Gradually open the upper adjuster by turning its
barrel clockwise (as viewed from above) one com­
plete turn. Then perform Step 5. If the wheels turn
freely, turn the barrel another complete turn and again
repeat Step 5. Keep doing this until you lose free
wheel (the wheels won’t turn freely). After you lose
free wheel, turn the adjuster barrel counterclockwise
until your mower freewheels when you repeat Step 5.
7. When you obtain freewheel, tighten the lower jam
nut on the lower adjuster. Then tighten the jam nut on
the upper adjuster against the adjuster barrel.
8
. Perform the Wheel Drive Check (on Page 27) to
make sure that your adjustment is correct.
9. Reinstall the hood.
Wheel Drive Main Adjustment
1. Perform the Wheel Drive Check.
2. Use two %-inch open-end wrenches to loosen the
jam nut on the wheel drive cable’s upper adjuster.
3. If, during the Wheel Drive Check, you found that
you could keep the wheels from spinning on the
driveway, there is not enough tension on the cable.
Increase its tension as follows:
a. Open the upper adjuster by turning the adjuster
barrel clockwise (as viewed from above) approxi­
mately one-half of a turn.
b. Perform the Wheel Drive Check to see if this
adjustment is correct.
c. Repeat Steps 3a and 3b until the mower passes
the Wheel Drive Check.
NOTE
If you’ve unscrewed the upper adjuster as far as
you can and you can still prevent the mower’s
wheels from turning during the Wheel Drive
Check, repeat the Wheel Drive Initial Setting.
However, this time increase the dimension shown
in Photo 5-22 as necessary to take up the
excess slack in the system.
4. If, during the Wheel Drive Check, you found that
the wheels rotated before you engaged the Wheel
Drive Lever, or that they continued to rotate after you
released the Wheel Drive Lever, there is too much
tension on the cable. Reduce the tension as follows:
a. Close the upper adjuster by turning the adjuster
barrel counterclockwise (as viewed from above)
approximately one-half a turn.
b. Perform the Wheel Drive Check to see if this
adjustment is correct.
c. Repeat Steps 3a and 3b until the mower passes
the Wheel Drive Check.