Page 2 - I. GENERAL OPERATION; SAFETY RULES; Safe Operation Practices for Ride-On Mowers; WARNING
2 I. GENERAL OPERATION • Read, understand, and follow all instructions on the machine and in the manual before starting. • Do not put hands or feet near rotating parts or under the machine. Keep clear of the discharge opening at all times. • Only allow responsible adults, who are familiar with the i...
Page 3 - Never; SAFE HANDLING OF GASOLINE
3 • Be sure the area is clear of bystanders before operat-ing. Stop machine if anyone enters the area. • Never carry passengers. • Do not mow in reverse unless absolutely necessary. Al ways look down and behind before and while back-ing. • Never carry children, even with the blades shut off. They ma...
Page 4 - TABLE OF CONTENTS; PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS; CONGRATULATIONS; on your purchase of a new tractor.; CUSTOMER RESPONSIBILITIES; Read and observe the safety rules.
4 TABLE OF CONTENTS PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS Gasoline Capacity 4 Gallons and type: Unleaded Regular Oil Type (API-SG-SL): SAE 3 0 (above 3 2°F) SAE 5W- 3 0 (below 3 2°F) Oil Capacity: W/ Filter: 64 oz. W/O Filter: 60 oz. Spark Plug: Champion QC12YC (Gap: .040") Ground Speed (MPH): Forward: 0 – 5.8...
Page 5 - UNASSEMBLED PARTS; Slope Sheet
5 UNASSEMBLED PARTS (2) K e y s Slope Sheet Keys Mower (1) W h ee l (5) L arge Re t ainer S p rings - 7/16 (2) Sma ll er Re t ainer S p rings - 5/16 (1) Lock n ut 3/8-16 (1) O i l D rain Tu be Fo r Futu re U se (1) S houl der Bolt Mower Front Wheel (1) 3/4 O . D . Was h ers (1) An t i - Swa y B ar (...
Page 6 - ASSEMBLY; er a tion section for location and function of; TOOLS REQUIRED FOR ASSEMBLY; UNPACK CARTON
6 ASSEMBLY FIG. 1 02931 CHECK BATTERY (See Fig. 1) • Lift hood to raised position. NOTE: If this battery is put into service after month and year indicated on label (L) (label is located between terminals) charge battery for minimum of one hour at 6-10 amps. (See "BATTERY" in Maintenance sec...
Page 7 - INSTALL MOWER AND DRIVE BELT; Lower attachment lift lever to it's lowest position.
7 ASSEMBLY INSTALL MOWER AND DRIVE BELT (See Figs. 4-12) See MOWER AND DRIVE BELT ASSEMBLY Supplement Sheet for additional guidance on this assembly. Be sure tractor is on level surface and engage park ing brake.• Lower attachment lift lever to it's lowest position. CAUTION: Lift lever is spring loa...
Page 8 - Repeat on opposite side of tractor.
8 ASSEMBLY • ATTACH REAR LIFT LINKS (C) - Insert rod end of lift link assembly into hole in tractor lift shaft suspension arm (L) and pivot link down to mower. Lift rear corner of mower and position slot in link assembly over pin on rear mower bracket (D) and secure with washer and retainer spring. ...
Page 9 - CHECK TIRE PRESSURE; CHECKLIST; PLEASE REVIEW THE FOLLOWING CHECKLIST:
9 ASSEMBLY CHECK TIRE PRESSURE The tires on your tractor were overinfl ated at the factory for shipping purposes. Correct tire pressure is important for best cutting performance.• Reduce tire pressure to PSI shown on tires. CHECK DECK LEVELNESS For best cutting results, mower housing should be prope...
Page 10 - OPERATION
10 OPERATION These symbols may appear on your tractor or in literature supplied with the product. Learn and understand their mean-ing. DANGER, KEEP HANDS AND FEET AWAY FREE WHEEL (Automatic Models only) KEEP AREA CLEAR SLOPE HAZARDS 15 15 (SEE SAFETY RULES SECTION) BATTERY REVERSE FORWARD FAST SLOW ...
Page 11 - KNOW YOUR TRACTOR
11 OPERATION KNOW YOUR TRACTOR READ THIS OWNER'S MANUAL AND SAFETY RULES BEFORE OPERATING YOUR TRACTOR Compare the illustrations with your tractor to familiarize yourself with the locations of various controls and ad just ments. Save this manual for future reference. Our tractors conform to the appl...
Page 12 - HOW TO USE YOUR TRAC TOR; STOPPING; Failure to move throttle control between half and; i n g t h e
12 OPERATION FIG. 14 TO USE CHOKE CONTROL - N (See Fig. 16) Use choke control whenever you are starting a cold engine. Do not use to start a warm engine.• To engage choke control, pull knob out. Slowly push knob in to disengage. The operation of any tractor can result in foreign objects thrown into ...
Page 13 - TO OPERATE MOWER
13 OPERATION TO ADJUST MOWER CUT TING HEIGHT (See Fig. 18) The po si tion of the at tach ment lift le ver (A) de ter mines the cut ting height. • Put attachment lift lever in desired cutting height slot. The cutting height range is ap prox i mate ly 1" to 4". The heights are measured from th...
Page 14 - TOWING CARTS AND OTHER AT TACH MENTS; SERVICE REMINDER/HOUR METER; BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE; CHECK ENGINE OIL LEVEL; Do not mow in reverse unless; TO OPERATE ON HILLS; NOTE
14 OPERATION FIG. 21 TOWING CARTS AND OTHER AT TACH MENTS Tow only the attachments that are recommended by and comply with specifi cations of the manufacturer of your trac-tor. Use common sense when towing. Too heavy of a load, while on a slope, is dangerous. Tires can lose traction with the ground ...
Page 15 - ADD GASOLINE; PURGE TRANSMISSION
15 CAUTION: Alcohol blended fuels (called gasohol or using ethanol or methanol) can attract moisture which leads to sep a ra tion and for ma tion of acids during storage. Acidic gas can damage the fuel system of an engine while in storage. To avoid engine problems, the fuel system should be emptied ...
Page 16 - MOWING TIPS; to assure better mowing performance and proper
16 FIG. 22 MOWING TIPS • Mower should be properly leveled for best mowing per-formance. See “TO LEVEL MOWER HOUSING” in the Service and Adjustments section of this manual. • The left hand side of mower should be used for trim- ming. • Drive so that clippings are discharged onto the area that has bee...
Page 17 - MAINTENANCE; GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS; BEFORE EACH USE; LUBRICATION CHART
17 MAINTENANCE T RAC T 0 R I ns p e ct M uffl er / S p ar k Arres t er Cl ean Air F i lt er Ch ange E ngine O i l ( wi th o i l f i lt er ) Re pl a c e Air F i lt er P a p er C ar t ridge Re pl a c e S p ar k Plu g Ch e ck E ngine O i l L e v e l Cl ean E ngine Cool ing F ins Cl ean Air S c reen 1 -...
Page 18 - BATTERY; TRACTOR; BRAKE OPERATION; Use only a replacement blade
18 MAINTENANCE FIG. 23 02 544 MANDRELASSEMBLY BLADE BLADE BOLT (SPECIAL) CENTER HOLE STAR BATTERY Your tractor has a battery charging system which is suf fi cient for normal use. However, periodic charging of the battery with an automotive charger will extend its life.• Keep battery and terminals cl...
Page 19 - ENGINE
19 MAINTENANCE V-BELTS Check V-belts for deterioration and wear after 100 hours of operation and replace if necessary. The belts are not ad just able. Re place belts if they begin to slip from wear. TRANSAXLE COOLING The transmission fan and cooling fi ns should be kept clean to assure proper coolin...
Page 20 - MUFFLER; Immediately wipe up any spilled gasoline.; CLEANING; Protect painted surfaces with automotive type wax.
20 MAINTENANCE MUFFLER Inspect and replace corroded muffl er and spark arrester (if equipped) as it could create a fi re hazard and/or dam-age. SPARK PLUGS Replace spark plugs at the beginning of each mowing season or after every 100 hours of operation, whichever occurs fi rst. Spark plug type and g...
Page 21 - TO LEVEL MOWER; SERVICE AND ADJUSTMENTS; TO REMOVE MOWER
21 TO LEVEL MOWER Make sure tires are properly infl ated to the PSI shown on tires. If tires are over or under infl ated, it may affect the appearance of your lawn and lead you to think the mower is not adjusted properly. VISUAL SIDE-TO-SIDE ADJUSTMENT (See Fig. 28)• With all tires properly infl ate...
Page 23 - gage parking; Observe entire motion drive belt and position of all
23 SERVICE AND ADJUSTMENTS TO REPLACE MOWER BLADE DRIVE BELT (See Fig. 32) MOWER DRIVE BELT REMOVAL• Park tractor on a level surface. En gage parking brake. • Lower attachment lift lever to its lowest position. • Disengage belt tension rod (K) from lock bracket (L). CAUTION: Belt tension rod is spri...
Page 24 - TO CHECK BRAKE
24 SERVICE AND ADJUSTMENTS TO REMOVE WHEEL FOR REPAIRS (See Fig. 34) • Block up axle securely. • Remove axle cover, retaining ring and washers to allow wheel removal (rear wheel contains a square key - Do not lose). • Repair tire and reassemble. • On rear wheels only: align grooves in rear wheel hub...
Page 25 - • Raise; • Close
25 SERVICE AND ADJUSTMENTS Positive(Red)Cable Negative (Black) Cable 02954 A B C FIG. 36 TO REPLACE HEADLIGHT BULB • Raise hood. • Pull bulb holder out of the hole in the backside of the grill. • Replace bulb in holder and push bulb holder securely back into the hole in the backside of the grill. • ...
Page 26 - STORAGE; FUEL SYSTEM; ENGINE OIL; OTHER
26 STORAGE Immediately prepare your tractor for storage at the end of the season or if the tractor will not be used for 3 0 days or more. WARNING: Never store the trac tor with gas o line in the tank inside a building where fumes may reach an open fl ame or spark. Allow the engine to cool before sto...
Page 27 - TROUBLESHOOTING POINTS; PROBLEM
27 TROUBLESHOOTING POINTS Will not start 1. Out of fuel. 1. Fill fuel tank. 2. Engine not “CHOKED” properly. 2. See “TO START ENGINE” in Operation section. 3 . Engine fl ooded. 3 . Wait several minutes before attempting to start. 4. Bad spark plug. 4. Replace spark plug. 5. Weak or dead battery. 5. ...
Page 29 - SCHEMATIC
29 M FU S E S T AR TE R S OLE N OID B A TTE R Y ELECT R IC CLUTCH CLUTCH/B RA KE (PED A L UP) R EVE RS E SW ITCH ( N OT I N R EVE RS E) S E A T SW ITCH ( N OT OCCUPIED) S HO R TI N G CO NN ECTO R CH ASS I S H ARN E SS IG N ITIO N U N IT HOU R M ETE R R EGUL A TO R CH ASS I S H ARN E SS CO NN ECTO R ...
Page 30 - ELECTRICAL
30 TRACTOR - MODEL NO. GTH26K54 (96043003100), PRODUCT NO. 960 43 00-31 ELECTRICAL Batter y _28 8 1 99 100 91 2 27 22 21 16 55 46 46 90 59 10 3 101
Page 31 - DESCRIPTION
31 TRACTOR - MODEL NO. GTH26K54 (96043003100), PRODUCT NO. 960 43 00-31 ELECTRICAL KEY PARTNO. NO. DESCRIPTION 1 5 3 2 14 4 9 -27 Battery 2 874 76 04-12 Bolt Hex Hd 1/4-20 unc x 3 /4 8 5 3 2 18 64- 9 1 Battery Box 16 5 3 2 17 61- 3 8 Switch Interlock 21 5 3 2 18 3 7-5 9 Harness Socket Light 22 5 3 2...
Page 32 - CHASSIS
32 TRACTOR - MODEL NO. GTH26K54 (96043003100), PRODUCT NO. 960 43 00-31 CHASSIS 14 214 130 130 37 194 194 181 181 182 176 176 176 175 178 195 165 228 228 194 99 150 202 203 204 210 208 18 15 25 207 211 209 212 180 130 130 5 161 36 36 199 162 177 196 221 162 176 176 205 206 58 189 189 chassis-te x_12...
Page 33 - KEY PART
33 TRACTOR - MODEL NO. GTH26K54 (96043003100), PRODUCT NO. 960 43 00-31 CHASSIS KEY PART NO. NO. DESCRIPTION 5 5 3 2 40 87-01 Dash 14 5 3 2 41 10-46 Hood 15 5 3 2 1 9 8 9 -07 Lens LH 18 5 3 2 40 48-21 Grille 25 5 3 2 1 9 8 9 -06 Lens RH 3 4 5 3 2 1 9 61-25 Plate Engine 3 6 817 06 05-12 Screw 5/16-18...
Page 34 - DRIVE
34 TRACTOR - MODEL NO. GTH26K54 (96043003100), PRODUCT NO. 960 43 00-31 DRIVE 56 70 74 220 74 171 197 196 186 189 49 187 50 51 190 52 51 51 52 175 125 93 114 170 211 166 174 64 185 188 17 161 35 184 221 167 160 160 42 drive-tex_15-HG_3000 203 201 201 114 166 216 143 23 1 116 2 73 3 145 7 9 69 33 2 1...
Page 37 - SPARK ARRESTER KIT
37 TRACTOR - MODEL NO. GTH26K54 (96043003100), PRODUCT NO. 960 43 00-31 ENGINE KEY PART NO. NO. DESCRIPTION NOTE: All component dimensions given in U.S. inches 1 inch = 25.4 mm For engine service and replacement parts, call the toll free number for your engine manufacturer listed below:Briggs & ...
Page 38 - SEAT ASSEMBLY; All component dimensions given in U.S. inches
38 TRACTOR - MODEL NO. GTH26K54 (96043003100), PRODUCT NO. 960 43 00-31 SEAT ASSEMBLY 1 5 3 2 40 66-21 Seat 2 5 3 2 18 01-66 Bracket Pivot Fender 3 5 3 2 14 06-75 Strap, Asm Fender 5 5 3 2 14 50-06 Clip, Push In, Hinged 6 87 3 80 06-00 Nut, Lock W/Ins. 3 /8-16 unc 7 5 3 2 12 41-81 Spring, Seat Cprsn...
Page 39 - DECALS; WHEELS AND TIRES; Rim Assembly, Front
39 TRACTOR - MODEL NO. GTH26K54 (96043003100), PRODUCT NO. 960 43 00-31 DECALS NOTE: All component dimensions given in U.S. inches 1 inch = 25.4 mm KEY PART NO. NO. DESCRIPTION 6 2 1 3 11 4 10 5 9 8 7 wheel_art_1-vgt WHEELS AND TIRES KEY PART NO. NO. DESCRIPTION KEY PART NO. NO. DESCRIPTION 17 16 16...
Page 40 - MOWER DECK
40 TRACTOR - MODEL NO. GTH26K54 (96043003100), PRODUCT NO. 960 43 00-31 MOWER DECK 47 7 49 46 32 33 31 30 1 33 52 52 43 196 97 33 192 49 34 39 185 46 46 6 21 122 114 98 31 32 25 26 24 27 58 60 59 18 21 194 113 49 187 190 188 190 187 50 120 117 116 21 18 189 21 18 13 14 15 11 8 29 mower_deck 54-tex_3...
Page 42 - MOWER LIFT
42 TRACTOR - MODEL NO. GTH26K54 (96043003100), PRODUCT NO. 960 43 00-31 MOWER LIFT 7 3 87 10 88 2 89 90 87 98 97 97 91 lift-tex_3 89 87 89 87 2 5 3 2 1 9 52-2 3 Shaft Asm., Lift 3 5 3 2 1 9 52- 3 0 Lever Asm., Lift Rh 7 5 3 2 1 9 64- 9 2 Grip, Lever 10 5 3 2 1 9 6 3 -14 Spring Torsion 87 5 3 2 1 9 4...
Page 43 - SUGGESTED GUIDE FOR SIGHTING SLOPES FOR SAFE OPERATION; WARNING: To avoid serious injury, operate your tractor up and
43 15 DEGREES MAX. FOLD ALONG DOTTED LINE THIS IS A 15 DEGREE SLOPE ONLY RIDE UP AND DOWN HILL, NOT ACROSS HILL SUGGESTED GUIDE FOR SIGHTING SLOPES FOR SAFE OPERATION WARNING: To avoid serious injury, operate your tractor up and down the face of slopes, never across the face. Do not mow slopes great...
