surveyingthesite.Alwaysusecommonsense
andgoodjudgmentwhenperformingthissurvey.
•Reviewtheslopeinstructionslistedbelowfor
operatingthemachineonslopesandtodetermine
whetheryoucanoperatethemachineinthe
conditionsonthatdayandatthatsite.Changes
intheterraincanresultinachangeinslope
operationforthemachine.
•Avoidstarting,stopping,orturningthemachineon
slopes.Avoidmakingsuddenchangesinspeedor
direction.Maketurnsslowlyandgradually.
•Donotoperateamachineunderanyconditions
wheretraction,steering,orstabilityisinquestion.
•Removeormarkobstructionssuchasditches,
holes,ruts,bumps,rocks,orotherhiddenhazards.
Tallgrasscanhideobstructions.Uneventerrain
couldoverturnthemachine.
•Beawarethatoperatingthemachineonwet
grass,acrossslopes,ordownhillmaycausethe
machinetolosetraction.Lossoftractiontothe
drivewheelsmayresultinslidingandalossof
brakingandsteering.
•Useextremecautionwhenoperatingthemachine
neardrop-offs,ditches,embankments,water
hazards,orotherhazards.Themachinecould
suddenlyrolloverifawheelgoesovertheedge
ortheedgecavesin.Establishasafetyarea
betweenthemachineandanyhazard.
•Identifyhazardsatthebaseoftheslope.
Iftherearehazards,mowtheslopewitha
pedestrian-controlledmachine.
•Ifpossible,keepthecuttingunit(s)loweredtothe
groundwhileoperatingonslopes.Raisingthe
cuttingunit(s)whileoperatingonslopescancause
themachinetobecomeunstable.
•Useextremecautionwithgrass-collectionsystems
orotherattachments.Thesecanchangethe
stabilityofthemachineandcausealossofcontrol.
Alwayskeepthemachineingearwhengoing
downslopes.Donotcoastdownhill(applicable
onlytogear-driveunits).
OperatingtheParking
Brake
Alwaysengagetheparkingbrakewhenyoustopthe
machineorleaveitunattended.
EngagingtheParkingBrake
WARNING
Theparkingbrakemaynotholdthemachine
parkedonaslopeandcouldcausepersonal
injuryorpropertydamage.
Donotparkthemachineonslopesunlessthe
wheelsarechockedorblocked.
g027914
Figure19
ReleasingtheParkingBrake
g027915
Figure20
StartingtheEngine
Note:Theglowpluglightilluminatesfor6seconds
whenyouturntheignitionkeytotheRUNposition.
TurntheignitiontotheSTARTpositionafterthelight
goesout.
Important:Usestartingcyclesofnomorethan
15secondsperminutetoavoidoverheatingthe
startermotor.
Important:Operatethemachinewiththethrottle
leverintheSLOWpositioninboththeforward
andreversedirectionsfor1to2minutesafter
changingtheengineoil,overhaulingeitherthe
engine,transmission,orwheelmotor,andwhen
youstarttheengineforthersttime.Operatethe
liftleverandPTOlevertoensurethattheyoperate
properly.Shuttheengineoff,checkuidlevels,
22