Dixon Zero-Turn Riding Mower manual

ZEETER™ Safety Instructions & Operator ’ s Manual ZEETER ™[...]

2 IMPOR T ANT - READ CAREFULL Y The Dixon® ZTR® mower is both easy and fun to operate. However , any power mower must be operated properly to be safe. It is not a toy or a recreational vehicle. Before you start to use the mower , read this Operator ’ s Manual carefully . It contains valuable information that is necessary for the safe operation [...]

3 T ABLE OF CONTENTS Page SAFETY & W ARNING .................................... 4-15 W ARRANTY ......................................................... 1 6 SPECIFICA TIONS..............................................1 7 CONTROLS................................................... 18-22 OPERA TION INSTRUCTIONS.................... 23-31 CARE &a[...]

SAFETY 4 Blade Contact Tip Over Run Over Back Over RIDING LA WN MOWERS, IF IMPROPERL Y OPERA TED CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEA TH Pictured below are the most common causes of injury to the operator or bystander . Please read and understand this manual to prevent injuries.[...]

SAFETY 5 Safety Alert Symbol When you see this symbol, BE ALERT to the potential for injury . Follow the recommended safety precautions and safe operating practices. DANGER (highlighted in red) indicates an imminently hazardous situation which, if not avoided, will result in death or serious injury . WARNING (highlighted in orange) indicates a pote[...]

W ARNING 6 Failure to observe the following safety instructions could result in serious injury or death. GENERAL OPERA TION: Read, understand, and follow all instructions in this manual and on the mower before starting. Only allow responsible adults, who are familiar with the instructions, to operate the mower . Clear the area of objects such as ro[...]

W ARNING 7 GENERAL OPERA TION (continued): Never leave a running mower unattended. Always turn off blades, set parking brake, stop engine and remove key before dismounting. T urn off blades when not mowing. Injury could occur from contact with moving parts. Under no circumstances should you place hands or feet under the mower deck or in the chute w[...]

W ARNING 8 Never dismount mower without applying parking brake or stopping engine. Protect your eyes. Always wear safety goggles or safety glasses with side shields when operating mower . Data indicates that operators, age 60 years and above, are involved in a large percentage of riding mower- related injuries. These operators should evaluate their[...]

W ARNING 9 SLOPE OPERA TION: Slopes are a major factor related to loss-of-control and tip-over accidents, which can result in severe injury or death. All slopes require extra caution. If you feel uneasy on a slope, do not mow it! DO Mow across the slope with your Dixon® ZTR® -- never up or down. This will decrease the risk of tip-over . Remove ob[...]

W ARNING 10 Keep all movement on the slopes slow and gradual. Do not make sudden changes in speed or direction. Use extreme caution when operating the mower with attachment s to prevent tip-over or roll-over . If front wheels lift off the ground, pull levers back to stabilize the mower . Discontinue mowing the slope! SLOPE OPERA TION (continued): D[...]

W ARNING 11 SLOPE OPERA TION (continued): DO NOT Do not turn on slopes unless necessary , and then, turn slowly and gradually downhill, if possible. Rapid uphill turns may cause tip-over . Do not mow near drop-offs, ditches, or embank- ments. The mower could suddenly turn over if a wheel is over the edge of a cliff or ditch or if an edge caves in. [...]

W ARNING 12 FIRE HAZARDS: Use extra care when handling gasoline and other fuels. They are flammable and vapors are explosive. Store all fuel in approved containers specifically designed for that purpose. Allow engine to cool before refueling. Never remove fuel cap or add fuel with engine running. Do not smoke while refueling or operating the mower [...]

W ARNING 13 FIRE HAZARDS (continued): T o prevent fire or explosion, keep sp arks and open flames away from battery . Keep electrical connections clean and tight. Inspect them often. Loose connections and corrosion increase fire risk. Before disconnecting the negative ground cable, make sure all switches are off. This decreases the chance of sparki[...]

W ARNING 14 CHILDREN: Tragic accidents can occur if the operator is not alert to the presence of children. Children are attracted to lawn mowers and the mowing activity . NEVER assume children will stay where they were last seen. Be alert to avoid accidents. Keep children out of the mowing area and under the watchful care of another responsible adu[...]

W ARNING 15 SERVICE: Never run a mower inside a closed area or without proper ventilation. Keep nuts and bolts tight, especially blade attachment bolts, and keep equipment in good condition. Never tamper with safety devices. Check their proper operation regularly . Stop and inspect the equipment if you strike an object. Repair , if necessary , befo[...]

16 DIXON® ZTR® RESIDENTIAL WARRANTY POLICY ZEETER™ - Residential Mower DIXON® WARRANTS ITS ZTR® MOWERS AGAINST DEFECTS IN MA TERIAL AND WORK- MANSHIP FOR THE PERIODS SET FORTH BELOW . THE SOLE REMEDY UNDER THIS WARRANTY IS REPLACEMENT OR REP AIR OF P ARTS INCLUDING LABOR COSTS. THIS W ARRANTY IS SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS AND LIMIT A[...]

SPECIFICA TIONS 17 SPECIFICA TIONS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE Additional information may be provided elsewhere in this manual. CHASSIS: 1 1 G A welded channel frame BODY: All body parts made of rotational molded polyethylene. Front body contains access panel for battery service. Seat tilts forward to allow transmission service. MOWER DECK: 1 [...]

CONTROLS 18 CONTROL LEVERS T O GO FOR W ARD •From neutral position, gently push control levers for- ward. •T o increase speed, move levers further forward. T O GO BACKW ARDS •From neutral position, gently pull control levers toward you. TURNING •T urning is controlled by moving one control lever slightly forward or rearward of the other . ?[...]

CONTROLS 19 P ARKING BRAKE: The parking brake is designed to hold the mower from moving and is not intended for use in stopping the mower while it is in motion. The engine will stop if the parking brake is engaged while the control levers are in the drive position. Engage parking brake before starting engine. TO SET P ARKING BRAKE: The hand operate[...]

CONTROLS 20 BEFORE OPERA TING MOWER: 1 . Read engine manufacturer ’s operating and maintenance instructions. 2 . Read and observe all safety instructions on your mower and in the manual. 3 . Check engine oil. 4 . Check fuel cap to be sure it is in place. 5 . Be sure parking brake is on. 6 . Be sure mower blade drive is off. 7 . Know how to stop e[...]

CONTROLS 21 TOWING TRAILERS AND OTHER A TT ACHMENTS: T owing a trailer or other attachment that is too heavy could damage the drive or cause the mower to become unstable. Limit loads to 250 pounds or less with this mower . The Dixon® ZEETER™ has a unique transaxle that requires only two drive levers to control braking, turning, speed and directi[...]

CONTROLS 22 BLADE DRIVE: •Located to the left of the operator . •T o engage the mower blade, turn lever on floor slowly to the “ON” position. •T o disengage mower blade, turn lever to the “OFF” position. THROTTLE CONTROL LEVER: •Located on control panel to operator ’s right. •Throttle control for engine speed. •Choke for engin[...]

OPERA TION INSTRUCTIONS 23 The safe and successful operation of the ZEETER™ mower will depend upon the operator having the correct knowledge of all controls used on the mower and making good judgements about the terrain to be mowed. NEVER allow anyone to operate the mower without complete knowledge of all controls and their functions. NEVER dismo[...]

OPERA TION INSTRUCTIONS 24 CAUTION Failure to follow these instructions may result in personal injury . ST ARTING INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Parking brake must be on and blade drive disengaged. 2. Position throttle lever to 1/2 speed setting. If engine is cold, position lever to the choke position. NOTE: Engine may require choke setting to start even if the [...]

OPERA TION INSTRUCTIONS 25 P ARKING BRAKE SWITCH TEST : a) Put parking brake in OFF position b) T urn ignition switch to ST ART Engine should not turn over or attempt to start. BLADE DRIVE SWITCH TEST : a) Put parking brake in ON position b) Engage blade drive switch. c) T urn ignition switch to ST ART . Engine should not turn over or attempt to st[...]

OPERA TION INSTRUCTIONS 26 MOWING WITH A MULCHING ATTACHMENT: Mulching or recycling the grass clippings requires a totally different mowing approach than would be normal when side discharging or bagging the grass. There may be instances or conditions where it is not possible to hide all the recycled or mulched clippings. In order to achieve the bes[...]

OPERA TION INSTRUCTIONS 27 MOWING WITH A MULCHING A TT ACHMENT (continued): 7. Keep the underside of the mower deck clean. Remove all grass and dirt build-up from the underside of the pan, the baffles and deflectors after each use. Never , under any circumstances, should you place hands or feet under the mower deck or in the chute while blades or i[...]

OPERA TION INSTRUCTIONS 28 MOWING WITH A GRASS CA TCHER A TT ACHMENT : In order to achieve optimum performance when mowing with a grass catching attachment, please read and follow the tips listed below . 1. Read and follow the installation instructions that are included with your grass catcher . 2 . Set engine speed control to the wide open or full[...]

OPERA TION INSTRUCTIONS 29 MOWING WITH A GRASS CA TCHER A TT ACHMENT (continued): 7. Maintain sharp blades throughout the cutting season. Some grass catching attachments require a “high-lift” blade. See your dealer for advice on the type of blade(s) needed for your mower . 8 . Some mowing applications/use of grass catchers may require that an a[...]

OPERA TION INSTRUCTIONS 30 SIDE DISCHARGE OF THE CLIPPINGS: In order to achieve optimum performance when side discharging the grass clippings, please read and follow the tips listed below . Additional information can be found in the T roubleshooting guide. CAUTION T o avoid personal injury , be sure that the deflector is properly installed on the d[...]

OPERA TION INSTRUCTIONS 31 GRASS HEIGHT & CUTTING SUGGESTIONS: Do not attempt to cut grass when it is wet. If the grass is tall, place the mower deck cut height lever in the top or second notch. “Initially” overlap cutting swaths instead of a full swath with each pass. Some applications may require a second cutting. Keep the underside of th[...]

CARE AND MAINTENANCE 32 W ARNING Failure to observe the following instructions may result in personal injury . Before performing any maintenance, turn off engine, allow to cool & remove key . Use extreme care when working on machinery . Do not wear watch or jewelry . Do not wear loose fitting clothes, and observe all common safety practices wit[...]

CARE AND MAINTENANCE 33 CUTTER BLADE MAINTENANCE: CAUTION Stop engine and remove ignition key for safety . Wear heavy , thick gloves when holding onto cutter blade, avoid the sharp edge of the blade. Blades should be discarded when worn excessiv ely . DANGEROUS! DO NOT USE BLADE IN THIS CONDITION! When notch starts, discard blade New Blade Check sh[...]

CARE AND MAINTENANCE 34 ENGINE: For complete maintenance and operating information of the engine, please refer to the maintenance instructions furnished by the engine manufacturer included in your Zero T urn Radius mower information packet. BA TTER Y : This is a maintenance-free battery and the fluid level cannot be checked. •Charge battery if re[...]

CARE AND MAINTENANCE 35 LUBRICA TION: CHASSIS: (5) grease zerks LOCA TIONS: (1) each front wheel caster (1) each front wheel hub (1) each mower deck hub SER VICE INTERV ALS: Every 50 hours of operation or once per season. RECOMMENDED Name brand wheel bearing GREASE: or multi-purpose grease (3 pumps each)[...]

CARE AND MAINTENANCE 36 BEL TS: Check belts every 50 hours. Replace any belts found to be in poor condition. BEL T TENSION: Engine to T ransmission Belt - P/N 7650 Manual adjustment. Engine to Mower Deck Belt (manual clutch) - P/N 7725 No adjustment required. TIRES: Correct tire pressure is essential for efficient operation of the mower . Check tir[...]

CARE AND MAINTENANCE 37 ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS: Keep all connections clean and tight. CLEANING THE MOWER: W ash mower periodically . Clean above and below deck. High pressure washing and alkaline based soaps can cause damage to bearings and other parts of the mower . After washing your mower , start the engine and engage the mower deck for a few minute[...]

CARE AND MAINTENANCE 38 CAUTION HOT oil may cause burns. Allow engine to cool before draining oil. CHANGING THE ENGINE OIL: 1 . The oil drain valve is located on the lower left side of the engine crankcase. 2. Place a suitable container under the drain valve. 3 . T o drain, remove plug from 90 degree fitting. 4 . After engine is drained, replace dr[...]

CARE AND MAINTENANCE 39 HOT oil may cause burns. Allow engine to cool before draining oil. OIL FILL: 1 . Clean any spilled oil from engine and chassis. 2. Refill engine with type, and quantity of oil recom- mended by the engine manufacturer in engine literature. NOTE: Engine oil changes on the ZEETER™ mower will require replacement of the oil fil[...]

CARE AND MAINTENANCE 40 MOWER DECK LEVELING PROCEDURE: 1. Place mower on a smooth, level surface and check tire pressures to insure correct stance. Tires should be inflated as follows. Front: 1 6 - 2 1 l b s Rear: 8 - 1 4 l b s 2 . T urn blade so tips align with the deck in a side to side manner . 3. Measure from the floor surface up to the bottom [...]

CARE AND MAINTENANCE 41 IllustrationB[...]

CARE AND MAINTENANCE 42 CAUTION Stop engine, remove key and set parking brake before attempting to adjust the rear chain. REAR CHAIN ADJUSTMENT : Proper tension for the rear chains is accomplished through the use of an adjuster located at mid-point of each rear chain. T o adjust, tighten the nut on top of the rubber spring until the chain has appro[...]

CARE AND MAINTENANCE 43 DECK REMOV AL: 1. Place cut height lever in lowest cut position. 2 . Loosen belt keepers. 3. Remove deck drive belt from engine pulley . 4. Using a slight upward twisting motion, remove link from engagement handle. 5. T urn handle fully to the left until handle clears stop on mower deck pan. Lift handle then remove handle do[...]

CARE AND MAINTENANCE 44 DRIVE SYSTEM ADJUSTMENTS: Due to both the complex nature of the transmission and the number of special tools required for service, adjust- ments should be entrusted to your dealer . There are a number of simple owner service items which greatly influence the performance of the drive system. 1 . Front and rear tires must be i[...]

45 BLADES *Hi-Lift - P/N 13928 Standard Lift - P/N 13927 Gator - P/N 13929 *Factory installed ST ANDARD SER VICE P ARTS LIST BEL TS Engine to Mower Deck - P/N 7725 Engine to T ransmission - P/N 7650 ENGINE AIR AND OIL FIL TERS Refer to Engine Operator ’ s Manual for correct service intervals for engine oil changes and air filter maintenance. Prot[...]

46 1. ENGINE WON’T TURN OVER Mower blades engaged- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - disengage blades Parking brake not on- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - engage parking brake Circuit breaker trips- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -reset breaker Dead battery- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - charge or replace S[...]

47 TROUBLESHOOTING 6. ENGINE RUNS BUT MOWER WON’T MOVE FORWARD Drive belt broken or slipping- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - replace drive belt Damaged transmission- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -consult dealer 7. MOWER LOSES POWER OR TRANSMISSION OVERHEA TS Engine air filter-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - clean or [...]

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OWNER’S INFORMA TION Date of Purchase Mower Model Number Mower Serial Number Purchased From Name Address DA TE OIL CHANGED DA TE ENGINE TUNED Dixon Industries, Inc.~P .O. Box 1569~Coffeyville, Ks~620-251-2000~Fax 620-251-41 17[...]

Dixon® and ZTR® are registered trademarks of Dixon Industries, Inc. DIXON INDUSTRIES, INC. P .O. Box 1569 Coffeyville, Ks 67337-0945 620-251-2000 ZEETER™ Part No. 14295-1005 The engine exhaust from this product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm. WARNING :[...]