User manual MTD OEM-290-259

[. . . ] Place a block under the engine (A, Figure 2) to prevent the tiller from tipping forward. 3. Secure the bottom portion of Blade Mounting Bracket to the Bottom Brace with with two nuts (6, Figure 1), two lock washers (7, Figure 1) and two 5/16"-18 x 1-3/4" screws (9, Figure 1) included with this attachment (C, Figure 4). A C Figure 2: TILLER BLOCKED (ELECTRIC-START MODEL SHOWN) Figure 4: ATTACHING THE BLADE MOUNTING BRACKET Step 2: Remove the Tines Removing the tines has a functional purpose as well as a safety purpose. Tine removal makes it possible to bank snow and dirt because the rear of the tiller sets down further and the blade can be raised higher off the ground. [. . . ] Chains are also very helpful for winter snowplowing jobs. They can be left on year-round (for muddy or sandy conditions), or they can be removed and replaced in minutes, as needed. D Winterize Before cold weather Use When using your tiller during temperatures below 32o F, you must drain the #30 weight motor oil and change to a lighter weight oil. Consult the separate Engine Owner’s Manual for the specific weight motor oil recommended by the engine manufacturer for lower temperatures. You should also change from #140 to #90 weight gear oil in the tiller transmission before operating your tiller in below freezing temperatures. CAUTION Never run the engine indoors or in enclosed, poorly ventilated areas. Engine exhaust contains carbon monoxide, an odorless and deadly gas. Figure 7: ATTACHING THE BLADE TO THE SWIVEL BRACKET Step 8: Set Blade Angle Move the blade to the desired angle, then align the holes in the two blade mounting plates (E, Figure 8) with the hole in the swivel bracket. Insert the index pin (16, Figure 1) down through the three holes. USING THE DOZER/SNOW BLADE Snowplowing Tips Your Dozer/Snow Blade can move large amounts for snow quickly. Here are some snowplowing techniques to speed up the job with a minimum of reverse maneuvering and blade angle changing. Use the patterns described below and shown in Figure 9 as a guide. IMPORTANT: Winterize your tiller before using it in cold weather. See Before Using the Dozer/Snow Blade, above. BEFORE USING THE DOZER/SNOW BLADE Adjust Handlebars When plowing or dozing, your handlebars should be set slightly less than waist high. This enables more leverage when raising the blade for banking, clearing obstacles and backing up. -3- G Warmup - In cold weather, always allow the engine five or 10 minutes to warmup before plowing (See the Horse Tiller Operator’s Manual for starting and operating instructions. ). Running the engine before use heats the oil so that it flows for proper engine lubrication. While warming up the engine, leave the Wheel Speed Shift Lever in Free Wheeling position and put the Forward/Reverse Lever in Forward position for five minutes or more. This rotates the tine shaft and warms the transmission gear oil. [. . . ] Thoroughly loosen the soil with the tines (before you take them off for safety) or use hand tools to break-up hard-packed piles. Soil Condition - The soil (or mulch, or manure) is best moved when it’s dry. If it’s very wet, it can stick to the blade, and the moisture’s extra weight means you’ll move less per pass. [. . . ]