Cub Cadet CC 760ES CC 760ES Operator's Manual - Page 16

Engaging the Blades Warning! To help avoid blade contact or a thrown object injury, keep bystanders, helpers, children and pets at least 75 feet from the machine while it is in operation. Stop machine if anyone enters the area. 1. Move the throttle/choke control to the FAST (rabbit) position. 2. Slowly squeeze the Blade Control against the right handle grip and the blades will engage. Release it and the blades will stop. Operating On Slopes Refer to the SLOPE GAUGE on page 8 to help determine slopes where you may operate the mower safely. 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). The mower could overturn and cause serious injury. • Mow across the face of slopes; never up and down. • Exercise extreme caution when changing direction on slopes. • Watch for holes, ruts, rocks, hidden objects, or bumps which can cause you to slip or trip. Tall grass can hide obstacles. • Always be sure of your footing. A slip and fall can cause serious personal injury. If you feel you are losing your balance, release the blade control handle immediately and the blade will stop rotating within three (3) seconds: • Do not mow near drop-offs, ditches or embankments, you could lose your footing or balance. • Do not mow slopes greater than 15 degrees as shown on the slope gauge. • Do not mow on wet grass. Unstable footing could cause slipping. Using the Deck Height Lever To raise or lower the cutting deck, move the deck height lever to the left, then place it in the notch best suited for your application. Mowing The following information will be helpful when operating your mower. Warning! Plan your mowing pattern to avoid discharge of materials toward roads, sidewalks, bystanders and the like. Also, avoid discharging material against a wall or obstruction which may cause discharged material to ricochet back toward the operator. • Do not mow at fast ground speeds, especially if a mulch kit or grass collector is installed. • Do not cut the grass too short. Short grass is prone to weed growth and yellows quickly in dry weather. • Always operate the mower with the throttle/choke control in the FAST (rabbit) position while mowing • For best results, it is recommended that the first two laps be cut with the discharge thrown towards the center. After the first two laps, reverse the direction to throw the discharge to the outside for the balance of cutting. This will give a better appearance to the lawn. • Do NOT attempt to mow heavy brush and weeds or extremely tall grass. Your mower is designed to mow lawns, NOT clear brush. • Keep the blades sharp and replace the blades when worn. Warning! After striking a foreign object, stop the engine, disconnect the spark plug wire and ground against the engine. Thoroughly inspect the mower for any damage. Always inspect the blade timing belt as instructed in the Maintenance section of this manual. Repair the damage before starting and operating the mower. Mulching The Cub Cadet Wide Cut mower is equipped with a mulch kit which incorporates special blades, already standard on your mower, in a process of recirculating grass clippings repeatedly beneath the cutting deck. The ultra-fine clippings are then forced back into the lawn where they act as a natural fertilizer. Observe the following points for the best results when mulching. • Never attempt to mulch if the lawn is damp. Wet grass tends to stick to the underside of the cutting deck preventing proper mulching of the clippings. • Do NOT attempt to mulch more than 1⁄3 the total height of the grass. Doing so will cause the clippings to clump up beneath the deck and not be mulched effectively. • Maintain a slow ground speed to allow the grass clippings more time to effectively be mulched. • Always keep the throttle control lever in the FAST (rabbit) position while mowing. Failing to keep the engine at full throttle places strain on the mower's engine and does not allow the blades to properly mulch the grass clippings. 16 Section 5- Operation