Poulan P61ZXT Owner Manual - Page 19

O P E R AT I O N or two rounds, mow in the opposite direction making left hand turns until finished. IMPORTANT INFORMATION Leaving the ignition switch in a position than OFF will cause the battery to be discharged. Operating on Hills Read the Safety Instructions Driving on Slopes in the Safety section. • Use the slowest speed possible before starting up or down hills. • Avoid stopping or changing speed on hills. • If stopping is necessary, pull drive levers into the neutral position and push outward. Engage the park brake. • To restart movement, release the park brake. • Pull the control levers back to the center of the mower and press forward to regain forward motion. • Make all turns slowly. WARNING! Do not drive the mower on terrain that slopes more than 10 degrees. Mow slopes up and down, never side to side. Do not drive across slopes. Avoid sudden directional changes. • Avoid mowing wet lawns. The mowing result is poorer because the wheels sink into the soft lawn, clumps build, and grass clippings fasten under the cowling. • Hose the mower deck underside with water after each use. When cleaning, raise the mower into the transport position. Make sure the mower is cooled and the engine is off. • Use compressed air to clean top surface of the deck. Avoid flooding water on top surface, engine and electrical components. • When the mulching kit is used, it is important that the mowing interval is frequent. Mowing Tips • Observe and flag rocks and other fixed objects to avoid collisions. • Begin with a high cutting height and reduce it until the desired mowing result is attained. Cut the average lawn to 2-1/2" during the cool season and over 3" during the hot months. For healthier and better looking lawns, mow often after moderate growth. • For best cutting performance, mow grass over 6" in height twice. Make the first cut relatively high; the second to the desired height. • The mowing result will be best with a high engine speed (the blades rotate rapidly) and low speed (the rider moves slowly). If the grass is not too long and dense, the driving speed can be increased without negatively affecting the mowing result. • The finest lawns are obtained by mowing often. The lawn becomes more even and the grass clippings more evenly distributed over the mown area. The total time taken is not increased as a higher operating speed can be used without poor mowing results. • When mowing large areas, start by turning to the right so that clippings will discharge away from shrubs, fences, driveways, etc. After one Moving Machine By Hand When pushing or pulling the mower, engage the EZT bypass linkages. The EZT bypass linkages are located on the rear of the frame, below the rear engine guard. 1. Raise the deck into the highest cutting position. 2. Engage the park brake. 3. Pull the EZT bypass linkages up and out of the keyhole slots. Release the levers with the head outside the frame and held in the bypass position. 4. To reengage the EZT's to drive, reverse the above procedure. 19