Summary of the content on the page No. 1
Safety • Assembly • Operation • Adjustments • Maintenance • Troubleshooting • Parts Lists • Warranty
OPERATOR’S MANUAL
21” Rotary Mower — Model Series 400
IMPORTANT:
READ SAFETY RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS
CAREFULLY BEFORE OPERATING EQUIPMENT.
For US Customers: MTD LLC, P.O. BOX 361131 CLEVELAND, OHIO 44136-0019
For Canadian Customers: MTD Products Ltd., P. O. Box 1386, KITCHENER, ONTARIO N2G 4J1 772C0828
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
04/20/2006
Summary of the content on the page No. 2
This Operator’s Manual is an important part of your new equipment. It will help you assemble, prepare and maintain the unit for best performance. Please read and understand what it says. Table of Contents Slope Gauge ....................................................... 3 Maintenance & Off-Season Storage ................ 10 Safe Operation Practices ................................... 4 Trouble Shooting .............................................. 12 Set-Up & Adjustments ..................
Summary of the content on the page No. 3
����������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������� ���������������������������� ��������������� ��� Use this page as a guide to determine slopes where you may not operate safely. Do not operate your lawn mower on such slopes. 1 Slope Gauge WARNING Do not mow on inclines with a slope in excess of 15 degrees (a rise of approximately 2-1/2 feet every 10 feet). A riding mower could overturn and cause serious injury. If operating a walk- behi
Summary of the content on the page No. 4
WARNING: Engine Exhaust, some of its constituents, and certain vehicle components contain or emit chemicals known to State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproduc- tive harm. DANGER: This machine was built to be operated according to the rules for safe operation in this manual. As with 2 any type of power equipment, carelessness or error on the part of the operator can result in serious injury. This machine is capable of amputating hands and feet and throwing objects
Summary of the content on the page No. 5
Do: 8. Never fuel machine indoors because flammable vapors will accumulate in the area. 1. Mow across the face of slopes; never up and down. Exercise extreme caution when changing direction on 9. Never remove gas cap or add fuel while the engine is slopes. hot or running. Allow engine to cool at least two minutes before refueling. 2. Watch for holes, ruts, rocks, hidden objects, or bumps which 2 can cause you to slip or trip. Tall grass can hide obstacles. 10. Never over fill fuel tank. F
Summary of the content on the page No. 6
1. Remove loose parts and any packing material which may be between upper and lower handles. a. Pull up and back on the upper handle to raise the handle from position A into the operating position. 3 See Figure 1. b. Tighten hand knobs (star knobs) securing upper � handle to lower handle. Make sure that each Setup and carriage bolt is seated properly in the handle. Adjustments NOTE: On some models wing nuts have been replaced with star knobs. Figures show wing nuts only. 2. Locate hairpi
Summary of the content on the page No. 7
6. To assemble the grasscatcher: a. Place bag over frame (black plastic side is the � bottom of bag.) Insert the hooks on the frame through the holes in the side plastic channels of � 3 the bag. See Figure 6. � b. Secure bag to frame by working the plastic channels on bag over frame as shown in Figure 6. Setup and All of the plastic channels except center top of bag attach from the outside of bag. Center top of bag Adjustments attaches from the inside of bag. 7. Attaching Grass Catcher to
Summary of the content on the page No. 8
Know Your Lawn Mower ������������� 4 Operating Your Lawn Mower ������ ������� ����� ���������� ������� WARNING ��������������� ����������������� Read, understand, and follow all instruc- tions and warnings on the machine and in this manual before operating. ���������� This blade control mechanism is a safety device. Never Figure 8 attempt to bypass its Blade Control Handle Before Starting operations. The blade control handle is located on the upper handle 1. Service the engine with gas
Summary of the content on the page No. 9
To Stop Engine 1. Release the blade control handle to stop the engine and blade. � WARNING: The blade continues 4 to rotate for a few seconds after the engine is shut off. Operating 2. Disconnect and ground the spark plug wire as instructed in the separate engine manual to prevent Your Lawn accidental starting while equipment is unattended. � Mower Using Your Lawn Mower � WARNING: Never operate your mower without either the rear � door or the entire grass catcher assembly firmly secur
Summary of the content on the page No. 10
Engine 1. Refer to the separate engine manual for engine maintenance instructions. 2. Maintain engine oil as instructed in the separate 5 ���������������� engine manual packed with your unit. Read and follow �������������� instructions carefully. ���������� � 3. Under normal conditions service air cleaner as Maintenance instructed in the separate engine manual packed with your unit. Clean every few hours under extremely dusty conditions. Poor engine performance and flooding usually
Summary of the content on the page No. 11
Rear Flap Replacement 1. The rear flap is attached to the back of the mower deck, and is designed to minimize the possibility that objects will be thrown from the rear of the mower 5 toward the operator. If the rear flap becomes dam- aged, replace as follows. 2. To remove the old rear flap, cut off the flat end of the Maintenance wire rod which secures it to the deck using a pair of side-cutters. Attach the new rear flap using the new rod provided with the rear flap, bending the ends of t
Summary of the content on the page No. 12
Problem Cause Remedy 1. Engage blade control handle. Engine fails to start 1. Blade control handle disengaged. 6 2. Spark plug wire disconnected. 2. Connect wire to spark plug. 3. Fuel tank empty or stale fuel. 3. Fill tank with clean, fresh gasoline. Trouble 4. Refer to engine manual. 4. Engine not primed. 5. Faulty spark plug. 5. Clean, adjust gap, or replace. Shooting 6. Clean fuel line. 6. Blocked fuel line. 7. Engine flooding. 7. Wait a few minutes to restart, but do not prime. Engine run
Summary of the content on the page No. 13
TWO YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY The limited warranty set forth below is given by MTD LLC with respect to new merchandise purchased and used in the United States and/or its territories and possessions, and by MTD Products Limited with respect to new merchandise purchased and used in Canada and/or its territories and possessions (either entity respectively, “MTD”). 7 MTD warrants this product (excluding its normal wear parts as described below) against defects in material and workman- ship for a perio
