Tiller Lubdcation; Checkfor Oil Leaks; Check Hardware; Check Tirepressure - Troy-Bilt 12213 Owner's Manual

Section 5: Maintenance
WARNING
Belore inspecting, cleaning or servicing the unit, shut off engine, wait for all t =,.-.,.
parts to come to a complete stop, disconnectspark plug wire and move wire away from spark
plug. Failure to follow these instructions can result in serious personal injury or
propertydamage.
TILLER LUBRICATION
Proper lubrication of the tiller is an
essential part of your maintenance
program. After every t0 operating
hours, oil or grease the lubrication points
shown in Figure 5-1 and described
below.
Use a good quality lubricating oil (#30
weight engine oil is suitable) and a good
quality general purpose grease (grease
that has a metal lubricant is preferred, if
available).
• Removewheels, clean wheel shaft (A,
Fig. 5-1) and apply thin coating of
greaseto shaft.
• Greaseback, front and sides of depth
regulator lever (g, Fig. 5-1).
• Removetines, clean tine shafts (C, Fig.
5-1) and inspect for rust, rough spots
or burrs (especially around holes). File
or sand smooth and coat ends of shaft
with grease.
• Oil the threads on the handlebar height
adjustment screws and the handlebar
attaching screws (D, Fig. 5-1).
D
A
Figure5-I
CHECKFOR OIL LEAKS
Beforeeach use, check your tiller for
signs of an oil leak - usually a dirty, oily
accumulation either on the unit or on the
floor where it has been parked.
A little seepagearound a cover or oil sea]
is usually not a cause for alarm. However,
if the oil drips overnight then immediate
attention is needed as ignoring a leak can
result in severe transmission damage.
If a cover is leaking, check for loose
screws. If the screws are tight, a new
gasket or oil seal may be required. If the
leak is from around a shaft and oil seal,
the oil seal probably needs to be replaced.
Seeyour authorized dealer or contact the
factory for service or advice.
IMPORTANT:Never operate the tiller if the
transmission is low on oil. Checkthe oil
level after every 30 hours of operation and
whenever there is any oil leakage.
CHECK HARDWARE
Checkfor loose or missing hardware after
every 10 operating hours. Tighten or
replace hardware before using the tiller.
Be sure to check the screws underneath
the tiller hood (lift the hood flap) that
secure the transmission cover and the
Depth Regulator Leverto the transmis-
sion.
CHECK TIREPRESSURE ( Models
with pneumatictires)
Checkthe air pressure in both tires.
Deflate or inflate both tires evenly from
t 5-to-20 PSI (pounds per square inch).
Be sure that both tires have the same air
pressure or the unit will tend to pull to
one side.
TRANSMISSIONGEAROIL SERVICE
Checkthe transmission gear oil levei after
every 30 hours of operation or whenever
you notice any oil leak, Operating the
tiller when the transmission is low on oil
can result in severe damage.
A. To Checkthe Transmission
Gear Oil Level:
1. Checkthe gear oil levelwhen the trans-
mission is cool. Gear oil will expand in
warm operating temperatures and this
expansion will provide an incorrect oil
level reading.
2. With the tiiler on level ground, pull the
Depth Regulator Lever all the way up.
3. Removethe oil fill plug (A, Fig. 5-2)
from the transmission housing and locate
the main drive shaft situated inside the
housing.
4. The gear oil level is correct if the gear
oil is approximately halfway up the side of
the main drive shaft.
5. If the gear oil level is low, add gear oil
as described next. If the gear oil level is
okay, securely replacethe oil fill plug.
IMPORTANT:Do not operate the tiller if
the gear oil level is Iow. Doing so will
result in severe damage to the transmis-
sion components.
8. If adding only a few ounces of gear
oil, use API rated GL-4 or GL-5 gear oil
having a viscosity of SAE 140, SAE 85W-
140 or SAE 80W-90. if refilling an empty
transmission, use only GL-4 gear oil
having a viscosity of SAE 85W-140 or
SAE 140.
IMPORTANT: Do not use automatic
transmission fluid or motor oil in the
transmission.
7. While checking frequently to avoid
overfilling, slowly add gear oil into the oil
fill hole until it reaches the halfway point
on the drive shaft.
8. Securely replacethe oiI fill plug,
B. To Drain the TransmissionGear Oil:
The transmission gear oil does not need
to be changed unless it has been contam-
inated with dirt, sand or metal particles.
1. Drain gasoline from the fuel tank or
run the engine until the fueI tank is
empty_See "DANGER" statement that
follows.
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