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Safety • Assembly • Features & Controls • Operation • Maintenance • Troubleshooting • Warranty • Parts Lists
OPERATOR’S MANUAL
Rear-Tine Tiller - Model 643B, 643C & 645A
IMPORTANT:
READ SAFETY RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS
CAREFULLY BEFORE OPERATING EQUIPMENT.
772C0845
PRINTED IN U.S.A. MTD Products Ltd., P. O. Box 1386, KITCHENER, ONTARIO N2G 4J1 02/24/2006
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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 Safety Operation Practices ................................ 3 Maintenance & Off-Season Storage ................ 17 Assembly ............................................................. 5 Trouble Shooting .............................................. 22 Features & Controls .................
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DANGER: This machine was built to be operated according to the rules for safe operation in this manual. As with 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. Failure to observe the 1 following safety instructions could result in serious injury or death. Safe 14. If gasoline is spilled, wipe it off the engine and Training equipment. Move machine to ano
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17. If the machine should start making an unusual noise or stopped. Disconnect the spark plug wire and ground it vibration, stop the engine, disconnect the spark plug wire against the engine to prevent unintended starting. and ground it against the engine. Inspect thoroughly for 4. Do not change the engine governor settings or over-speed damage. Repair any damage before starting and operating. the engine. The governor controls the maximum safe operat- 18. Keep all shields, guards and safety d
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WARNING: To prevent personal injury or property damage, do not start the engine until all assembly steps are complete and you have read and understand the safety and operating instructions in this manual. 2 INTRODUCTION Assembly Carefully follow these assembly steps to correctly prepare your tiller for use. It is recommended that you read this Section in its entirety before beginning assembly. NOTE: Various tiller models are presented in this manual. Use only the information appropriate for
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� 2 �� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Assembly � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � IMPORTANT: The support brackets must be assembled to the outside of the handle- � bar assembly. � � IMPORTANT: Before starting the engine, the wheels must be placed in the WHEEL DRIVE position (pins through � wheel hubs and wheel � shaft). This procedure is described in Wheel Drive Pins on page 10. Fig. 2.2:
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STEP 4: INSTALL FORWARD CLUTCH CABLE � 1. Carefully unwrap the forward clutch cable (cable without an attached 2 knob) from its shipping position and � slide the thin cable wire (M, Fig. 2-4) into the slot in the cable bracket. Push Assembly the cable connector (N, Fig. 2-4) up through the hole in the bracket until the groove in the connector snaps into place. � 2. Thread the #10-24 hex nut (Z, Fig. 2-5) halfway onto the screw (V) which runs through the spring (W, Fig. 2-5). Fig. 2-
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STEP 6: CHECK TRANSMISSION OIL LEVEL The transmission was filled with gear oil at the factory. However, you should check the gear oil level at this time �� to make certain it is correct. 2 IMPORTANT: Do not operate the tiller if the gear oil level is low. Doing so will result in severe damage to the � � Assembly transmission components. � � 1. With the tiller on level ground, pull the Depth Regula- tor Lever (FF, Fig. 2-10) back and then all the way up � � � � � � � � � until the lowest not
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3 � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Features � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � and Controls ��� � � � ���� � � ��� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � WARNING � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �� � � � Before operating your � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � ��������������� machine, carefully read and understand Figure 3-1: Tiller featrues and controls. See separate Engine Owner’s Manual to identify engine controls. all safety, control
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3. Remove Klick Pin (A, Figures 3-2 and 3-3) from wheel � drive shaft (B). 4. FOR WHEEL DRIVE MODE (Figure 3-2): Slide wheel outward and align holes in wheel hub (D, Figure 3-2) 3 and wheel shaft (B). Insert Klik pin (A) through wheel hub (C) and wheel shaft (B). Repeat with the other wheel and then remove the support from beneath the Features transmission. and � � Controls Figure 3-3: FREEWHEEL position. � WARNING: Use extreme caution when reversing or pulling the machine towards you.
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Moving the lever upward will increase the tilling depth. HANDLEBAR HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT The lowest notch allows a tilling depth of approximately The handlebar height is adjustable to three different 6”, depending on soil conditions. For best results, settings (Figure 3-6). In general, adjust the handlebars always begin tilling at a very shallow depth setting and so they are at waist level when the tines are 3”-4” in the gradually increase the tilling depth. 3 soil. WARNING: Do not attempt to
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WARNING: Before operating your � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � machine, carefully read and under- � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � stand all safety (Section 1), controls (Section 3) and operating instruc- 4 tions (Section 4) in this Manual, the separate Engine Owner’s Manual, and on the decals on the machine. � � � � � � � Failure to follow these instructions ���� � � � ���� Operating � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � can result in serious personal injury. INTRODUCTION Yo
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3. Move the Depth Regulator Lever all the way down to the “travel” position, so that the tines clear the ground. 4. Release all controls on the tiller. 5. On engine’s with a fuel shut-off valve, turn valve to 4 open position, as instructed in the separate Engine Owner’s Manual. 6. Put ignition switch and/or throttle control lever located Operating on engine in the “ON”, “RUN”, “FAST” or “START” position, as instructed in the Engine Owner’s Manual. Your Tiller 7. Choke or prime engine, as i
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b. Swing the handlebar to the left so the right wheel takes a “step” backward. Next swing the handle- bar to the right so the left wheel “steps” backward. Repeat as needed. 4 c. If longer distances need to be covered in reverse, shut off the engine, then place the two wheels in FREEWHEEL. Operating 7. To Turn the Tiller Around: a. Practice turning the tiller in a level, open area. Be Your Tiller very careful to keep your feet and legs away from the tines. Figure 4-4: To begine turn, lift
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Let the Tiller Do the Work Avoid Making Footprints Avoid Tilling Soggy, Wet Soil While tilling, relax and let the wheels Whenever possible, walk on the untilled Tilling wet soil often results in pull the tiller along while the tines do side of the unit to avoid making foot- large, hard clumps of soil that the digging. Walk on the side that prints in your freshly tilled or cultivated can interfere with planting. If time 4 is not yet finished (to avoid making soil. Footprints cause soil compact
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TERRACE GARDENING LOADING AND UNLOADING THE TILLER • To create a terrace, start at the top of the slope and • Before loading or unloading, stop the engine, wait for work down. Go back and forth across the first row as all parts to stop moving, disconnect the spark plug shown in Figure 4-10. wire and let the engine and muffler cool. 4 • Each succeeding lower terrace is started by walking • The tiller is too heavy and bulky to lift safely by one below the terrace you’re preparing. For added
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MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE PROCEDURE NOTES � Check motor oil level 2, 3 � 5 Clean engine 2, 7 Check drive belt tension 1, 4 Check nuts and bolts 1, 4 Maintenance Change motor oil 4, 6, 9 Lubricate tiller 4 Service engine air cleaner system 7 Check gear oil level in transmission 1, 5 Check tines for wear 5 � � Check air pressure in tires 5 (if unit has pneumatic tires) Figure 5-1 WARNING Service spark plug 7 CHECK FOR OIL LEAKS Before each use, check the tiller for signs of an oil leak Before inspecti
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TRANSMISSION GEAR OIL SERVICE Check the transmission gear oil level after every 30 hours of operation or whenever you notice any oil leak. Operat- ing the tiller when the transmission is low on oil can result 5 in severe damage. � A. To Check the Transmission Gear Oil Level: Maintenance 1. Check the gear oil level when the transmission is cool. Gear oil will expand in warm operating temperatures � � and this expansion will provide an incorrect oil level reading. Figure 5-2: Remove oil fill pl
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5 Maintenance � � � WARNING � � � � � � � � Do not operate tiller on a slope too steep Figure 5-3: Install tines so that cutting edge of tines enter soil first when tiller moves forward. for safe operation. Till slowly and be sure 2. When installing a single tine, be sure to position it so • At the end of each tilling season, check the belt for you have good footing. that its cutting edge (sharp) will enter the soil first as cracks, cuts or frayed edges and replace it as soon as Never per
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3. Have an assistant pull the Reverse Clutch Control knob all the way out and hold it in that position. Measure the length of the cable wire between the end of the threaded cable adjuster (A, Figure 5-5) and 5 the end of the Z-fitting (B) to which the cable wire is attached. � Maintenance 4. The belt tension is ideal if the cable wire length � measures between 1/8” to 1/4”. If it is less than 1/8” (and if there is no reverse action when the tiller is running), then make the following ad
