MTD 310-181-000 - Manual (Page 3)

t WARNING
To reduce the potential for any injury, comply with the following safety instructions. Failure to comply with
the instructions may result in personal injury.
SAFE OPERATION PRACTICES FOR SNOW THROWERS
TRAINING
1. Read this owner’s guide carefully. Be thoroughly familiar
with the controls and proper use of the equipment. Know
how to stop the unit and disengage the controls quickly.
2. Never allow children to operate equipment. Never allow
adults to operate equipment without proper instructions.
3. No one should operate this unit while intoxicated or while
taking medication that impairs the senses or reactions.
4. Keep the area of operation clear of all persons, especially
small children and pets.
5. Exercise caution to avoid slipping or falling, especially
when operating in reverse.
PREPARATION
1. Thoroughly inspect the area where the equipment is to
be used and remove all door mate, sleds, boards, wires
and other foreign objects.
2. Disengage all clutches and shift into neutral before start­
ing engine.
3. Do not operate equipment without wearing adequate
winter outer garments. Wear footwear which will improve
footing on slippery surfaces.
4. Check the fuel before starting the engine. Gasoline is
an extremely flammable fuel. Do not fill the fuel tank in­
doors, while the engine is running, or while the engine
is still hot. Replace gasoline cap securely and wipe off
any spilled gasoline before starting the engine as it may
cause a fire or explosion.
5. Use a grounded three wire plug-in for ail units with elec­
tric drive motors or electric starting motors.
6. Never attempt to make any adjustments while engine is
running (except where specifically recommended by
manufacturer).
7. Let engine and machine adjust to outdoor temperature
before starting to clear snow.
8. Always wear safety glasses or eye shields during opera­
tion or while performing an adjustment or repair, to pro­
tect eyes from foreign objects that may be thrown from
the machine in any direction.
OPERATION
1. Do not put hands or feet near rotating parts. Keep clear
of discharge opening at all times.
2. Exercise extreme caution when operating on or cross­
ing gravel drives, walks, or roads. Stay alert for hidden
hazards or traffic. Do not carry passengers.
3. After striking a foreign object, stop the engine, remove
wire from spark plug, and thoroughly inspect the snow
thrower for any damage. Repair the damage before
restarting and operating the snow thrower.
4. If the snow thrower should start to vibrate abnormally,
stop the engine and check immediately for the cause.
Vibration is generally a warning of trouble.
5. Stop engine whenever you leave the operating position,
before unclogging the collector/impeller housing or
discharge guide, and making any repairs, adjustments,
or inspections.
6. Take all possible precautions when leaving the unit un­
attended. Disengage the collector/impeller, shift into
neutral, stop the engine, and remove the key.
7. When cleaning, repairing, or inspecting, make certain
collector/impeller and all moving parts have stopped.
Disconnect spark plug wire and keep away from plug to
prevent accidental starting.
8. Do not run engine indoors, except when starting engine
and transporting snow thrower in or out of building. Open
doors. Exhaust fumes are dangerous.
9. Do not clear snow across the face of slopes. Exercise
extreme caution when changing direction on slopes. Do
not attempt to clear steep slopes.
10. Never operate snow thrower without guards, plates, or
other safety protection devices in place.
11. Never operate snow thrower near glass enclosure,
automobiles, window wells, drop off, etc., without proper
adjustments of snow thrower discharge angle. Keep
children and pets away.
12. Do not overload machine capacity by attempting to clear
snow at too fast a rate.
13. Never operate the machine at high transport speeds on
slippery surfaces. Look behind and use care when
backing.
14. Never direct discharge at bystanders or allow anyone In
front of unit.
15. Disengage power to collector/impeller when transporting
or not in use.
16. Use only attachments and accessories approved by the
manufacturer of snow thrower (such as wheel weights,
counter weights, cabs, etc.).
17. Never operate the snow thrower without good visibility
or light. Always be sure of your footing and keep a firm
hold on the handles. Walk, never run.
MAINTENANCE AND STORAGE
1. Check shear bolts, engine mounting bolts, etc., at fre­
quent intervals for proper tightness to be sure equipment
is in safe working condition.
2. Never store the machine with fuel in the fuel tank inside
a building where ignition sources are present, such as
hot water and space heaters, clothes dryers, and the like.
Allow engine to cool before storing in any enclosure.
3. Always refer to owner’s guide instructions for important
details if snow thrower is to be stored for an extended
period.
4. Run machine a few minutes after throwing snow to pre­
vent freeze up of collector/impeller.