Tilling Hints; Tuni Shear Pins - Craftsman 917.293490 Owner's Manual

TILLING HINTS
_anCAUTION; Until you are accustomed to
dling your tiller, start actual field use
with throttle in slow position (mid-way
between _FAST" and =iDLE").
• Tilling is digging into, turning over, and
breaking up packed soil before
planting. Loose, unpacked soil helps
root growth. Best tilling depth is 4" to 6".
A tiller will also clear the soil of un-
wanted vegetation. The decomposition
of this vegetable matter enriches the
soil. Depending on the climate (rainfall
and wind), it may be advisable to till the
soil at the end of the growing season to
further condition the soil.
• Soil conditions are important for proper
tilling. Tines will not readily penetrate
dry, hard soil which may contribute to
excessive bounce and difficult handling
of your tiller. Hard soil should be
moistened before tilling; however,
extremely wet soil will "ball-up" or
clump during tilling. Wait until the soil is
less wet in order to achieve the best
results. When tilling in the fall, remove
vines and long grass to prevent them
from wrapping around the tine shaft
and slowing your tilling operation.
• You will find tilling much easier if you
leave a row untilled between passes.
Then go back between tilled
rows.There are two reasons for doing
this. First, wide turns are much easier to
negotiate than about-faces. Second,
the tiller won't be pulling itself, and
you, toward the row next to it.
• Do not lean on handle. This takes
weight off the wheels and reduces
traction. To get through a really tough
section of sod or hard ground, apply
upward pressure on handle or lower
the depth stake.
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CULTIVATING
Cultivating is destroying the weeds
between rows to prevent them from
robbing nourishment and moisture from
the plants. At the same time, breaking up
the upper layer of soil crust will help
retain moisture in the soil. Best digging
depth is 1" to 3" (2.5-7.5 cm). Lower the
outer side shields to protect small plants
from being buried.
• Cultivate up and down the rows at a
speed which will allow tines to uproot
weeds and leave the ground in rough
condition, promoting no further growth
of weeds and grass.
• Do not lean on handle, this takes
weight off the wheels, reduces traction,
and may cause the tiUerto skip over the
ground.
• Always lower the drag stake when
using the forward rotating tine drive.
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TINE SHEAR PINS
The tine assemblies on your tiller are
secured to the tine shaft with shear pins
(See "TINE REPLACEMENT" in the
Sewice and Adjustments section of this
manual).
If the tiller is unusually overloaded or
jammed, the shear pins are designed to
break before internal damage occurs to
the transmission.
• If shear pin(s) break, replace only with
those shown in the Repair Parts
section of this manual.
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