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Section 2: Operating Procedures
Thoroughly inspect area to be mowed for unforeseen
hazards in the grass such as rocks and other debris.
Mark potential hazards that cannot be removed and be
alert to their presence.
Always operate mower with belt guards installed. Do
not operate mower with floor platform removed
exposing pulleys and belts.
Always wear long pants, ear plugs, safety glasses and
safety shoes for personal protection. Some conditions
may warrant extra safety gear be worn such as dust
masks and safety helmets.
Keep hands, feet, long hair, clothing and jewelry away
from moving parts and obvious pinch points to avoid
entanglement. Clothing should be snug-fitting,
buttoned and tucked in the trousers.
Do not leave mower unattended with engine running.
Use extreme caution when driving through dry grass,
brush and other fire hazard materials. Never stop or
park over combustible materials. Keep grass and
brush from collecting on and around engine and
muffler parts.
Use extreme caution when cresting hills or when
visibility is limited. Proceed slowly until you are sure
conditions immediately ahead are safe.
Do not operate mower at night. With poor visibility,
night operation can lead to a serious accident.
Do not operate this mower on streets, highways, public
roads, or where it may be a hazard to faster moving
traffic.
Always park on level ground, place both control levers
in neutral and fully apart, set park brake and remove
ignition key before leaving mower.
Do not touch engine, engine exhaust pipe and/or
muffler while they are hot.
Battery fumes are explosive. A spark will ignite battery
fumes. Wear a face shield when charging or jumping a
battery. Follow all battery safety rules provided in this
manual.
Avoid battery acid spills. Do not get battery acid on
eyes, face, or other body parts. Flush eyes and other
body parts immediately with water for at least 15
minutes if battery acid has gotten on them.
Never speed engine RPM or any parts on the mower
without authorization. Unauthorized modifications will
void warranty to all parts directly and indirectly affected
by the modification.
Do not pull a trailer or implement with mower. Loss of
control and damage to the mower may result.
Do not push other equipment with front of mower.
Do not tow the mower with its wheels on the ground.
Always tow the mower loaded on a trailer. Make
certain the mower is properly secured to the trailer
and its park brake is locked.
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Do not smoke or use electrical devices including cell
phones while refueling.
When refueling use a UL listed container that has a
screen or filter. Set container on the ground before
fueling to eliminate static discharge. Do not use
Methanol fuel.
Always maintain proper tire inflation. See "Tire Inflation
Chart" on page 53.
Always disconnect negative battery terminal before
making adjustments to the mower's electrical system
or welding on the mower.
Support this mower securely before working beneath.
Chock wheels to prevent mower from rolling.
Always check wheel lug nut torque values two hours
after initial operation and two hours after each tire
repair and/or replacement. Routinely check lug nut
torque valves every 50 hours of operation. See also
"Torque Requirements" on page 29.
Engage blades with engine running at medium
speed. Pull up on blade engagement switch to start
blades turning. (Refer to Figure 2-2 on page 12). Once
blades are fully engaged and turning, increase engine
speed to maximum engine operating speed.
NOTE: Engaging blades when under heavy load
(i.e. tall grass) or at high engine rpm can cause
premature belt wear and/or belt damage.
Cut grass with blades operating at full speed. Your
Zero Turn Riding Mower operates at peak mowing
performance and gives the best cut when the throttle is
set at full rpm. This gives maximum power to the drive
wheels and cutting blades when needed. Use control
levers to control ground speed rather than engine rpm.
The mower's control levers are very responsive. For
smooth operation, move levers slowly, avoid sudden
movement. Skill and ease of operation come with
practice and experience. Inexperienced operators may
have a tendency to over-steer and lose control.
Slow-moving practice maneuvers are recommended to
become familiar with these characteristics before
attempting normal speed operation.
Sharp depressions or raised obstacles (such as gutters
or curbs) should not be directly approached at high
speed in an attempt to jump them as the operator could
be thrown from the mower. Approach at a slow speed
and angle one drive wheel at the obstruction. Continue at
an angle until both wheels clear the obstruction.
When turning on soft wet turf, keep both wheels rolling
either forward or backward. Pivoting on a stopped wheel
can damage the turf.
Select a mowing pattern that discharges cut grass
away from uncut grass. Use a pattern utilizing left turns
because cut grass is discharged to the right. Avoid
discharging cut grass onto uncut areas as grass is then
mowed twice. Mowing twice puts an unnecessary load
on the mower and reduces mowing efficiency.
ZST40 & ZST48 Zero Turn Mowers 357-505M
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