Troy-Bilt TUFFY 1634A Operator's Manual page 16

TILLINGTIPS & TECHNIQUES (CON'T)
TerraceGardening(continued)
• Tocreatea terrace,start at the top of the slopeand work down. Go backandforth
acrossthe first row asshown in Fig. 4-10.
• Eachsucceedinglowerterrace is started bywalking belowthe terraceyou're pre-
paring.Foraddedstability of thetiller, alwayskeepthe uphill wheelin the soft, new-
ly tilled soil. Do not till the last 12" or more of the downhill outside edge of each
terrace. This untilled strip helps prevents the terracesfrom breakingapart and
washing downhill. It also providesa walking path betweenrows. _, REPEAT
Fig. 4-10
Clearingthe Tines
Thetines havea self-clearingaction which eliminatesmost tangling of debris in
the tines. However, o ccasionallydry grass,stringy stalks or tough vines may be-
come tangled. Follow these proceduresto help avoid tangling and to cleanthe
tines, if necessary.
• It may be necessary to removethe debris by hand
(a pocketknife will help you to cut awaythe mate-
rial). Besure to stopthe engineand disconnectthe
spark plug wire beforeclearingthe tines by hand.
• Toreducetangling,set thedepthregulatordeepenoughto getmaximum "chop-
ping" action asthe tines chop the materialagainstthe ground.Also, try to till un-
der crop residuesor cover crops while they are green,moist and tender.
• While powercomposting,try swayingthe handlebarsfrom side to side (about
6"to 12").This "fishtailing" action often clearsthe tines of debris.
• If tangling occurs, lift the tines out of the soil and run thetiller in reverse(if unit
is equippedwith poweredreverse)for a few feet.This reversingaction should un-
wind a good deal of debris.
WARNING:
Beforeclearing the
tines by hand, stop the engine, allow
all moving parts to stop and
disconnect the spark plug wire.
Removethe ignition key on electric
start models.
Failureto follow this warning could
result in personal injury.
LOADING AND UNLOADING
THE TILLER
WARNING:
Loading and
unloading the tiller into a
vehicle is potentially hazardous
and we don't recommend doing
so unlessabsolutely necessary,
asthis could result in personal
injury or property damage.
However, if you must load or
unload the tiller, follow the
guidelines given next.
• Before loading or unloading, stop the en-
gine, wait for all parts to stop moving,
disconnect the spark plug wire and let the
engine and muffler cool.
• Thetiller is too heavy and bulky to lift
safely by one person. Two or more people
should share the load.
• Use sturdy ramps and manually (engine
shut off) roll the tiller into and out of the
vehicle. Two or more people are neededto
do this.
• The ramps must be strong enough to
support the combined weight of the tiller
and any handlers. The ramps should pro-
vide good traction to prevent slipping; they
should have side rails to guide the tiller
along the ramps; and they should have a
locking device to secure them to the
vehicle.
• Thehandlersshould wearsturdy footwear
that will help to preventslipping.
• Position the loading vehicle so that the
ramp angle is as flat as possible (the less
incline to the ramp, the better). Turn the
vehicle's engine off and apply its parking
brake.
• When going up ramps, stand in the
normal operating position and push the
tiller ahead of you. Havea person at each
side to turn the wheels.
• When going down ramps, walk backward
with the tiller following you. Keep alert for
any obstacles behind you. Position a per-
son at each wheel to control the speed of
the tiller. Nevergo down ramps tiller-first,
as the tiller could tip forward.
• Placewooden blocks on the downhill side
of the wheels if you need to stop the tiller
from rolling down the ramp. Also, use the
blocks to temporarily keepthe tiller in
place on the ramps (if necessary),and to
chock the wheels in placeafter the tiller is
in the vehicle.
• After loading the tiller, prevent it from
rolling by engaging the wheels in the
WHEELDRIVEposition. Chockthe wheels
with blocks and securely tie the tiller down.
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