MTD Gold 580 21 Inch Rotary Mower Lawn Mower Owners Manual

Safety · Setup · Adjustments · Operation · Maintenance · Troubleshooting · Parts Lists · Warranty OPERATOR’S MANUAL 21 ” Rotary Mower — Model Series 580 IMPORTANT: READ SAFETY RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE OPERATING EQUIPMENT. PRINTED IN U.S.A. MTD Products Ltd., P. O. Box 1386, KITCHENER, ONTARIO N2G 4J1 769-02855A 11/16/07 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 Safe Operation Practices . 4 Set-Up & Adjustments 6 Operation . 8 Maintenance 10 Off-Season Storage 11 Trouble Shooting 12 Warranty 13 Illustrated Parts Lists . 14 Finding and Recording Model Number BEFORE YOU START ASSEMBLING YOUR NEW EQUIPMENT, please locate the model plate on the equipment and copy the model number and the serial number to the sample model plate provided to the right. You can locate the model plate by standing at the operating position and looking down at the rear of the machine. Customer Support Please do NOT return the unit to the retailer from which it was purchased, without first contacting Customer Support. If you have difficulty assembling this product or have any questions regarding the controls, operation or maintenance of this unit, you can seek help from the experts. Choose from the options below: 1. Visit www.mtdcanada.ca for many useful suggestions, click on Customer Support button. 2. Call a Customer Support Representative at 1-800-668-1238. 3. The engine manufacturer is responsible for all engine-related issues in terms of performance, power-rating, specifications, warranty, and service. Depending on the engine manufacturer, more information is included in this publication or packed separately with this product. Please have your unit’s model number and serial number ready when you call. See previous section to locate this information. You will be asked to enter the serial number in order to process your call. 2 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 walkbehind mower on such a slope, it is extremely difficult to maintain your footing and you could slip, resulting in serious injury. Operate RIDING mowers up and down slopes, never across the face of slopes. Operate WALK-BEHIND mowers across the face of slopes, never up and down slopes. Sight and hold this level with a vertical tree. 15° Fold a lo ng do tted line (r epres en ts a 3 or a corner of a building. or a fence post 1 5° slo pe ) 2 Safe Operation Practices WARNING This symbol points out important safety instructions which, if not followed, could endanger the personal safety and/or property of yourself and others. Read and follow all instructions in this manual before attempting to operate this machine. Failure to comply with these instructions may result in personal injury. When you see this symbol. HEED ITS WARNING! WARNING: Engine Exhaust, some of its constituents, and certain vehicle components contain or emit chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. 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. General Operation 1. Read this operator’s manual carefully in its entirety before attempting to assemble this machine. Read, understand, and follow all instructions on the machine and in the manual(s) before operation. Keep this manual in a safe place for future and regular reference and for ordering replacement parts. 2. Be completely familiar with the controls and the proper use of this machine before operating it. 3. This machine is a precision piece of power equipment, not a plaything. Therefore, exercise extreme caution at all times. Your unit has been designed to perform one job: to mow grass. Do not use it for any other purpose. 4. Never allow children under 14 years old to operate this machine. Children 14 years old and over should read and understand the instructions in this manual and should be trained and supervised by a adult. 5. Only responsible individuals who are familiar with these rules of safe operation should be allowed to use this machine. 6. Thoroughly inspect the area where the equipment is to be used. Remove all stones, sticks, wire, bones, toys and other foreign objects which could be tripped over or picked up and thrown by the blade. Thrown objects can cause serious personal injury. 7. Plan your mowing pattern to avoid discharge of material 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. 8. To help avoid blade contact or a thrown object injury, stay in the operator zone behind the handles and keep children, bystanders, helpers and pets at least 75 feet from the mower while it is in operation. Stop machine if anyone enters the area. 9. Always wear safety glasses or safety goggles during operation and while performing an adjustment or repair to protect your eyes. Thrown objects which ricochet can cause serious injury to the eyes. 10. Wear sturdy, rough-soled work shoes and close-fitting slacks and shirts. Shirts and pants that cover the arms and legs and steel-toed shoes are recommended. Never operate this machine in bare feet, sandals, slippery or light weight (e.g. canvas) shoes. 11. Do not put hands or feet near rotating parts or under the cutting deck. Contact with the blade can amputate hands and feet.

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