Simplicity ZT2561 - Manuals

Read these safety rules and follow them closely. Failure to obey these rules could result in loss of con-trol of unit, severe personal injury or death to you, or bystanders, or damage to property or equipment.This mowing deck is capable of amputating hands and feet and throwing objects. The triangle...

4 Safety Rules & Information CHILDREN Tragic accidents can occur if the operator is not alert tothe presence of children. Children are often attracted tothe unit and the mowing activity. Never assume that chil-dren will remain where you last saw them. • Keep children out of the mowing area and u...

5 SAFETY DECALS This unit has been designed and manufactured to pro-vide you with the safety and reliability you would expectfrom an industry leader in outdoor power equipmentmanufacturing. Although reading this manual and the safety instructionsit contains will provide you with the necessary basick...

Features & Controlsof the Zero Turn Rider CONTROL FUNCTIONS The information below briefly describes the function of individual controls. Starting, stopping, driving, and mowingrequire the combined use of several controls applied in specific sequences. To learn what combination and sequenceof con...

Features & Controls SAFETY INTERLOCK SYSTEM This unit is equipped with safety interlock switches andother safety devices. These safety systems are presentfor your safety, do not attempt to bypass safety switch-es, and never tamper with safety devices. Check theiroperation regularly. Operational ...

Operatingthe Zero Turn Rider GENERAL OPERATING SAFETY Before first time operation: • Be sure to read all information in the Safety and Operation sections before attempting to operate thistractor and mower. • Become familiar with all of the controls and how to stop the unit. • Drive in an open area w...

WARNING If you do not understand how a specific controlfunctions, or have not yet thoroughly read theFEATURES & CONTROLS section, do so now. Do NOT attempt to operate the tractor withoutfirst becoming familiar with the location andfunction of ALL controls. STARTING THE ENGINE 1. While sitting in...

Operating the Zero Turn Rider ZERO TURNDRIVING PRACTICE The lever controls of the Zero Turn rider are responsive, and learning to gain a smooth and efficient control of the rider’s forward, reverse, and turning movements will takesome practice. Spending some time going through the maneuversshown and...

ADVANCED DRIVING Executing an End-Of-Row ZeroTurn Your Zero Turn Rider’s unique ability to turnin place allows you to turn around at the endof a cutting row rather than having to stopand Y-turn before starting a new row. For example, to execute a right end-of rowZero Turn: 1. Slow down at the end of...

Operating the Zero Turn Rider STORAGE Temporary Storage (30 Days Or Less) Remember, the fuel tank will still contain some gasoline, sonever store the unit indoors or in any other area where fuelvapor could travel to any ignition source. Fuel vapor is alsotoxic if inhaled, so never store the unit in ...

RegularMaintenance MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE & PROCEDURES The following schedule should be followed for normal care of your rider and mower. You will need to keep a record ofyour operating time. Determining operating time is easily accomplished by observing the elapsed time recorded bythe hour meter....

CHECKING / ADDING FUEL To add fuel: 1. Remove the fuel cap (see A, Figure 2). 2. Fill the tank. Do not overfill. Leave approximately 1” of room in thetank for fuel expansion. Refer to your engine manualfor specific fuel recommendations. 3. Install and hand tighten the fuel cap. 4. Repeat same proces...

Oil: • control handle pivots• floor plate hinge • discharge chute hinge Generally, all moving metal parts should be oiledwhere contact is made with other parts. Keep oil andgrease off belts and pulleys. Remember to wipe fit-tings and surfaces clean both before and after lubri-cation. 16 LUBRICATION ...

17 Regular Maintenance A B TIGHTEN Figure 17. Balancing The Blade Figure 18. Installing The Blade A. Blade BoltB. Flat Washer Nail SERVICING THE MOWER BLADES 1. Blades should be sharp and free of nicks and dents. If not, sharpen blades as described in followingsteps. 2. To remove blade for sharpenin...

Troubleshooting Adjustments & Service TROUBLESHOOTING While normal care and regular maintenance will extendthe life of your equipment, prolonged or constant usemay eventually require that service be performed toallow it to continue operating properly. The troubleshooting guide below lists the mo...

Rider Troubleshooting Continued. PROBLEM CAUSE REMEDY Engine runs, but rider will 1. Hydraulic release valve(s) 1. Turn valve(s) clockwise to close. not drive. in “open” position. 2. Belt is broken. 2. See Drive Belt Replacement. 3. Drive belt slips. 3. See problem and cause below. 4. Brake is not f...

Troubleshooting, Adjustment & Service SEAT ADJUSTMENT See Figure 19. The seat can be adjusted forward andback. Move the lever forward, position the seat asdesired, and release the lever to lock the seat into posi-tion. GROUND SPEED CONTROL LEVERADJUSTMENT The control levers can be adjusted in tw...

Troubleshooting, Adjustment & Service PARKING BRAKE ADJUSTMENT 1. Disengage the PTO, stop the engine, block the front wheels, remove the ignition key, and engage theparking brake. 2. Remove both control covers. 3. Locate the upper brake spring (A, Figure 22). 4. With the parking brake engaged, m...

Troubleshooting, Adjustment & Service PTO CLUTCH ADJUSTMENT Check the PTO clutch adjustment after the initial 50 hourbreak-in period and then after every 250 hours of opera-tion. Also perform the following procedure if the clutch isslipping or will not engage, or if a new clutch has beeninstalle...

Troubleshooting, Adjustment & Service NEUTRAL ADJUSTMENT If the tractor “creeps” while the ground speed controllevers are locked in NEUTRAL, than it may be neces-sary to adjust the control linkage. NOTE: Perform this adjustment on a hard, level surfacesuch as a concrete floor. 1. Disengage the P...

Troubleshooting, Adjustment & Service MOWER BELT REPLACEMENT 1. Park the tractor on a smooth, level surface such as a concrete floor. Disengage the PTO, engage theparking brake, turn off the engine, and remove theignition key. 2. Remove the hardware fastening the PTO clutch to the rubber anchor ...

Troubleshooting, Adjustment & Service BATTERY SERVICE Checking Battery Voltage A voltmeter can be used to determine condition of bat-tery. When engine is off, the voltmeter shows batteryvoltage, which should be 12 volts. When engine is run-ning, the voltmeter shows voltage of charging circuitwhi...

Lawn Care & Mowing Information TYPES OF GRASS, CLIMATE ANDCONDITIONS A variety of grasses are commonly grown in householdlawns, but two main groups known as cool-seasongrasses (varieties of bluegrass, ryegrass, and fescue),and warm-season grasses (typically bermuda, buffalograss, and zoysia vari...

LC-2 Lawn Care & Mowing Information HOW HIGH TOMOW THE GRASS Often cutting height is amatter of personal prefer-ence. Typically, you shouldmow the grass when it is isbetween three and fiveinches high. The propercutting height range for aspecific lawn will dependupon several factors,including the...

LC-3 Lawn Care & Mowing Information Where possible, make one or two passes around theoutside of the area discharging the grass INTO the lawnto keep the cut grass off fences and walks. WHEN AND HOW OFTEN TO MOW The time of day and condition of the grass greatly affectthe results you’ll get when m...

LC-4 Lawn Care & Mowing Information MOWING METHODS Proper Broadcast Mowing Broadcasting, or side-discharging, disperses fine clip-pings evenly over the entire lawn. Many golf courses usethis method. Your mower has a deep dish deck to allowfreer circulation of clippings so they are broadcast even...

LC-5 Lawn Care & Mowing Information TIPS On Dealing With Clippings Clippings are beneficial to your lawn. A common mis-conception about clippings is that they automaticallylead to thatch—this is untrue. Short clippings producedby broadcasting and clippings produced by mulchingmethods actually co...

LC-6 Lawn Care & Mowing Information Stepped Cutting Stepped cutting is sharp ridges or uneven levels left inthe lawn surface. Stepped cutting is usually caused bymower deck damage or misadjustment, or damage tomower blades. CAUSE SOLUTION Deck is not leveled correctly Level the deck correctly Ti...

LC-7 Lawn Care & Mowing Information Stingers Stingers are sparse patches of uncut grass left behindthe mower. Stingers are usually caused by operatorerror or poor blade maintenance. CAUSE SOLUTION Blades are not sharp or are nicked Sharpen your blades Blades are worn down too far Replace your bl...

LC-8 Common International Symbols Technical Manuals Additional Technical Literature Available Operators Manuals Additional copies of this manual are available, (and as partof our product support commitment, we maintain a stock ofprinted operators manuals going back many years!) Parts Manuals Fully i...