Cub Cadet Lawn Mower LTX1042KW User Manual

Safe Operation Practices • Set-Up • Operation • Maintenance • Service • Troubleshooting • Warranty  
OperatOrs Manual  
Hydrostatic Lawn Tractor — LTX1042KW, LTX1045 & LTX1046M  
WARNING  
READ AND FOLLOW ALL SAFETY RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS IN THIS MANUAL  
BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO OPERATE THIS MACHINE.  
FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THESE INSTRUCTIONS MAY RESULT IN PERSONAL INJURY.  
CUB CADET LLC, P.O. BOX 361131 CLEVELAND, OHIO 44136-0019  
Printed In USA  
Form No. 769-08376  
(November 1, 2012)  
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Important Safe Operation Practices  
2
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!  
CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65  
WARNING! Engine Exhaust, some of its constituents, and certain vehicle components  
contain or emit chemicals known to State of California to cause cancer and birth defects  
or other reproductive harm.  
WARNING! Battery posts, terminals, and related accessories contain lead and lead  
compounds, chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and reproductive  
harm. Wash hands after handling  
DANGER! This machine was built to be operated according to the safe operation practices in  
this manual. As with any type of power equipment, carelessness or error on the part of the  
operator can result in serious injury. This machine is capable of amputating hands and feet  
and throwing objects. Failure to observe the following safety instructions could result in  
serious injury or death.  
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 picked up and thrown by  
the blade(s). Thrown objects can cause serious personal  
injury.  
General Operation  
1.  
Read, understand, and follow all instructions on the  
machine and in the manual(s) before attempting to  
assemble and operate. Keep this manual in a safe place for  
future and regular reference and for ordering replacement  
parts.  
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.  
2.  
Be familiar with all controls and their proper operation.  
Know how to stop the machine and disengage them  
quickly.  
3.  
Never allow children under 14 years of age to operate this  
machine. Children 14 and over should read and understand  
the instructions and safe operation practices in this manual  
and on the machine and should be trained and supervised  
by an adult.  
8.  
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.  
Wear sturdy, rough-soled work shoes and close-fitting  
slacks and shirts. Loose fitting clothes and jewelry can be  
caught in movable parts. Never operate this machine in  
bare feet or sandals.  
4.  
5.  
Never allow adults to operate this machine without proper  
instruction.  
To help avoid blade contact or a thrown object injury,  
keep bystanders, helpers, children and pets at least 75 feet  
from the machine while it is in operation. Stop machine if  
anyone enters the area.  
10. Be aware of the mower and attachment discharge direction  
and do not point it at anyone. Do not operate the mower  
without the discharge cover or entire grass catcher in its  
proper place.  
11. Do not put hands or feet near rotating parts or under the  
cutting deck. Contact with the blade(s) can amputate  
hands and feet.  
3
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12. A missing or damaged discharge cover can cause blade  
Slope Operation  
contact or thrown object injuries.  
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 cannot back up the slope or if you  
feel uneasy on it, do not mow it.  
13. Stop the blade(s) when crossing gravel drives, walks, or  
roads and while not cutting grass.  
14. Watch for traffic when operating near or crossing  
roadways. This machine is not intended for use on any  
public roadway.  
For your safety, use the slope gauge included as part of this  
manual to measure slopes before operating this machine on  
a sloped or hilly area. If the slope is greater than 15 degrees as  
shown on the slope gauge, do not operate this machine on that  
area or serious injury could result.  
15. Do not operate the machine while under the influence of  
alcohol or drugs.  
16. Mow only in daylight or good artificial light.  
17. Never carry passengers.  
Do:  
1.  
Mow up and down slopes, not across. Exercise extreme  
caution when changing direction on slopes.  
18. Disengage blade(s) before shifting into reverse. Back up  
slowly. Always look down and behind before and while  
backing to avoid a back-over accident.  
2.  
Watch for holes, ruts, bumps, rocks, or other hidden  
objects. Uneven terrain could overturn the machine. Tall  
grass can hide obstacles.  
19. Slow down before turning. Operate the machine smoothly.  
Avoid erratic operation and excessive speed.  
3.  
Use slow speed. Choose a low enough speed setting so  
that you will not have to stop or shift while on the slope.  
Tires may lose traction on slopes even though the brakes  
are functioning properly. Always keep machine in gear  
when going down slopes to take advantage of engine  
braking action.  
20. Disengage blade(s), set parking brake, stop engine and wait  
until the blade(s) come to a complete stop before removing  
grass catcher, emptying grass, unclogging chute, removing  
any grass or debris, or making any adjustments.  
21. Never leave a running machine unattended. Always turn  
off blade(s), place transmission in neutral, set parking  
brake, stop engine and remove key before dismounting.  
4.  
5.  
6.  
Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for wheel  
weights or counterweights to improve stability.  
22. Use extra care when loading or unloading the machine into  
a trailer or truck. This machine should not be driven up or  
down ramp(s), because the machine could tip over, causing  
serious personal injury. The machine must be pushed  
manually on ramp(s) to load or unload properly.  
Use extra care with grass catchers or other attachments.  
These can change the stability of the machine.  
Keep all movement on the slopes slow and gradual. Do  
not make sudden changes in speed or direction. Rapid  
engagement or braking could cause the front of the  
machine to lift and rapidly flip over backwards which could  
cause serious injury.  
23. Muffler and engine become hot and can cause a burn. Do  
not touch.  
24. Check overhead clearances carefully before driving under  
low hanging tree branches, wires, door openings etc.,  
where the operator may be struck or pulled from the  
machine, which could result in serious injury.  
7.  
Avoid starting or stopping on a slope. If tires lose traction,  
disengage the blade(s) and proceed slowly straight down  
the slope.  
25. Disengage all attachment clutches, depress the brake  
pedal completely and shift into neutral before attempting  
to start engine.  
Do Not:  
1.  
Do not turn on slopes unless necessary; then, turn slowly  
and gradually downhill, if possible.  
26. Your machine is designed to cut normal residential grass of  
a height no more than 10”. Do not attempt to mow through  
unusually tall, dry grass (e.g., pasture) or piles of dry leaves.  
Dry grass or leaves may contact the engine exhaust and/  
or build up on the mower deck presenting a potential fire  
hazard.  
2.  
Do not mow near drop-offs, ditches or embankments. The  
mower could suddenly turn over if a wheel is over the edge  
of a cliff, ditch, or if an edge caves in.  
3.  
Do not try to stabilize the machine by putting your foot on  
the ground.  
4.  
5.  
Do not use a grass catcher on steep slopes.  
27. Use only accessories and attachments approved for this  
machine by the machine manufacturer. Read, understand  
and follow all instructions provided with the approved  
accessory or attachment.  
Do not mow on wet grass. Reduced traction could cause  
sliding.  
6.  
7.  
Do not shift to neutral and coast downhill. Over-speeding  
may cause the operator to lose control of the machine  
resulting in serious injury or death.  
28. 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 ability  
to operate the riding mower safely enough to protect  
themselves and others from serious injury.  
Do not tow heavy pull behind attachments (e.g. loaded  
dump cart, lawn roller, etc.) on slopes greater than 5  
degrees. When going down hill, the extra weight tends  
to push the tractor and may cause you to loose control  
(e.g. tractor may speed up, braking and steering ability are  
reduced, attachment may jack-knife and cause tractor to  
overturn).  
29. If situations occur which are not covered in this manual, use  
care and good judgment. Contact your customer service  
representative for assistance.  
4
Section 2 — important Safe operation practiceS  
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Children  
Service  
1.  
Tragic accidents can occur if the operator is not alert to the  
Safe Handling of Gasoline:  
presence of children. Children are often attracted to the  
machine and the mowing activity. They do not understand  
the dangers. Never assume that children will remain where  
you last saw them.  
1.  
To avoid personal injury or property damage use extreme  
care in handling gasoline. Gasoline is extremely  
flammable and the vapors are explosive. Serious  
personal injury can occur when gasoline is spilled on  
yourself or your clothes which can ignite. Wash your skin  
and change clothes immediately.  
a. Keep children out of the mowing area and in  
watchful care of a responsible adult other than the  
operator.  
a. Use only an approved gasoline container.  
b. Be alert and turn machine off if a child enters the  
area.  
b. Never fill containers inside a vehicle or on a truck  
or trailer bed with a plastic liner. Always place  
containers on the ground away from your vehicle  
before filling.  
c. Before and while backing, look behind and down for  
small children.  
d. Never carry children, even with the blade(s) shut off.  
They may fall off and be seriously injured or interfere  
with safe machine operation.  
c. When practical, remove gas-powered equipment  
from the truck or trailer and refuel it on the ground.  
If this is not possible, then refuel such equipment on  
a trailer with a portable container, rather than from a  
gasoline dispenser nozzle.  
e. Use extreme care when approaching blind corners,  
doorways, shrubs, trees or other objects that may  
block your vision of a child who may run into the  
path of the machine.  
d. Keep the nozzle in contact with the rim of the fuel  
tank or container opening at all times until fueling is  
complete. Do not use a nozzle lock-open device.  
f.  
To avoid back-over accidents, always disengage  
the cutting blade(s) before shifting into Reverse.  
If equipped, the “Reverse Caution Mode” should  
not be used when children or others are around.  
e. Extinguish all cigarettes, cigars, pipes and other  
sources of ignition.  
f.  
Never fuel machine indoors.  
g. Keep children away from hot or running engines.  
They can suffer burns from a hot muffler.  
g. Never remove gas cap or add fuel while the engine  
is hot or running. Allow engine to cool at least two  
minutes before refueling.  
h. Remove key when machine is unattended to  
prevent unauthorized operation.  
h. Never over fill fuel tank. Fill tank to no more than ½  
inch below bottom of filler neck to allow space for  
fuel expansion.  
2.  
Never allow children under 14 years of age to operate this  
machine. Children 14 and over should read and understand  
the instructions and safe operation practices in this manual  
and on the machine and should be trained and supervised  
by an adult.  
i.  
j.  
Replace gasoline cap and tighten securely.  
If gasoline is spilled, wipe it off the engine and  
equipment. Move machine to another area. Wait 5  
minutes before starting the engine.  
Towing  
1.  
Tow only with a machine that has a hitch designed for  
towing. Do not attach towed equipment except at the  
hitch point.  
k. To reduce fire hazards, keep machine free of grass,  
leaves, or other debris build-up. Clean up oil or fuel  
spillage and remove any fuel soaked debris.  
2.  
Follow the manufacturers recommendation for weight  
limits for towed equipment and towing on slopes.  
l.  
Never store the machine or fuel container inside  
where there is an open flame, spark or pilot light  
as on a water heater, space heater, furnace, clothes  
dryer or other gas appliances.  
3.  
Never allow children or others in or on towed equipment.  
4.  
On slopes, the weight of the towed equipment may cause  
loss of traction and loss of control.  
m. Allow a machine to cool at least five minutes before  
storing.  
5.  
Always use extra caution when towing with a machine  
capable of making tight turns (e.g. “zero-turn” ride-on  
mower). Make wide turns to avoid jack-knifing.  
General Service  
1.  
Never run an engine indoors or in a poorly ventilated area.  
Engine exhaust contains carbon monoxide, an odorless,  
and deadly gas.  
6.  
7.  
Travel slowly and allow extra distance to stop.  
Do not shift to neutral and coast downhill.  
2.  
Before cleaning, repairing, or inspecting, make certain the  
blade(s) and all moving parts have stopped. Disconnect the  
spark plug wire and ground against the engine to prevent  
unintended starting.  
Section 2 — important Safe operation practiceS  
5
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3.  
Periodically check to make sure the blades come to  
complete stop within approximately (5) five seconds after  
operating the blade disengagement control. If the blades  
do not stop within the this time frame, your machine  
should be serviced professionally by an authorized MTD  
Service Dealer.  
Do not modify engine  
To avoid serious injury or death, do not modify engine in any  
way. Tampering with the governor setting can lead to a runaway  
engine and cause it to operate at unsafe speeds. Never tamper  
with factory setting of engine governor.  
4.  
5.  
Check brake operation frequently as it is subjected to wear  
during normal operation. Adjust and service as required.  
Notice Regarding Emissions  
Engines which are certified to comply with California and federal  
EPA emission regulations for SORE (Small Off Road Equipment)  
are certified to operate on regular unleaded gasoline, and  
may include the following emission control systems: Engine  
Modification (EM), Oxidizing Catalyst (OC), Secondary Air  
Injection (SAI) and Three Way Catalyst (TWC) if so equipped.  
Check the blade(s) and engine mounting bolts at frequent  
intervals for proper tightness. Also, visually inspect blade(s)  
for damage (e.g., excessive wear, bent, cracked). Replace  
the blade(s) with the original equipment manufacturer’s  
(O.E.M.) blade(s) only, listed in this manual. “Use of parts  
which do not meet the original equipment specifications  
may lead to improper performance and compromise  
safety!”  
When required, models are equipped with low permeation fuel  
lines and fuel tanks for evaporative emission control. California  
models may also include a carbon canister. Please contact  
Customer Support for information regarding the evaporative  
emission control configuration for your model.  
6.  
7.  
Mower blades are sharp. Wrap the blade or wear gloves,  
and use extra caution when servicing them.  
Keep all nuts, bolts, and screws tight to be sure the  
equipment is in safe working condition.  
Spark Arrestor  
8.  
9.  
Never tamper with the safety interlock system or other  
safety devices. Check their proper operation regularly.  
WARNING! This machine is equipped with an  
internal combustion engine and should not be used  
on or near any unimproved forest-covered,  
brushcovered or grass-covered land unless the  
engine’s exhaust system is equipped with a spark  
arrestor meeting applicable local or state laws (if  
any).  
After striking a foreign object, stop the engine, disconnect  
the spark plug wire(s) and ground against the engine.  
Thoroughly inspect the machine for any damage. Repair  
the damage before starting and operating.  
10. Never attempt to make adjustments or repairs to the  
If a spark arrestor is used, it should be maintained in effective  
working order by the operator. In the State of California the  
above is required by law (Section 4442 of the California Public  
Resources Code). Other states may have similar laws. Federal laws  
apply on federal lands.  
A spark arrestor for the muffler is available through your  
nearest engine authorized service dealer or contact the service  
department, P.O. Box 361131 Cleveland, Ohio 44136-0019.  
machine while the engine is running.  
11. Grass catcher components and the discharge cover are  
subject to wear and damage which could expose moving  
parts or allow objects to be thrown. For safety protection,  
frequently check components and replace immediately  
with original equipment manufacturer’s (O.E.M.) parts only,  
listed in this manual. “Use of parts which do not meet the  
original equipment specifications may lead to improper  
performance and compromise safety!”  
12. Do not change the engine governor settings or over-speed  
the engine. The governor controls the maximum safe  
operating speed of the engine.  
13. Maintain or replace safety and instruction labels, as  
necessary.  
14. Observe proper disposal laws and regulations for gas, oil,  
etc. to protect the environment.  
15. According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission  
(CPSC) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),  
this product has an Average Useful Life of seven (7) years,  
or 270 hours of operation. At the end of the Average Useful  
Life have the machine inspected annually by an authorized  
service dealer to ensure that all mechanical and safety  
systems are working properly and not worn excessively.  
Failure to do so can result in accidents, injuries or death.  
WARNING! Your Responsibility—Restrict the use of this power machine to persons who read, understand and  
follow the warnings and instructions in this manual and on the machine.  
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS!  
6
Section 2 — important Safe operation practiceS  
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Safety Symbols  
This page depicts and describes safety symbols that may appear on this product. Read, understand, and follow all instructions on the  
machine before attempting to assemble and operate.  
Symbol  
Description  
READ THE OPERATOR’S MANUAL(S)  
Read, understand, and follow all instructions in the manual(s) before attempting to  
assemble and operate  
DANGER— ROTATING BLADES  
Never carry passengers. Never carry children, even with the blades off.  
DANGER— ROTATING BLADES  
Always look down and behind before and while backing to avoid a back-over accident.  
WARNING— ROTATING BLADES  
Do not put hands or feet near rotating parts or under the cutting deck. Contact with the  
blade(s) can amputate hands and feet.  
WARNING—THROWN OBJECTS  
This machine may pick up and throw and objects which can cause serious personal injury.  
WARNING—THROWN OBJECTS  
This machine may pick up and throw and objects which can cause serious personal injury.  
BYSTANDERS  
Keep bystanders, helpers, children and pets at least 75 feet from the machine while it is in  
operation.  
WARNING— SLOPE OPERATION  
Do not operate this machine on a slope greater than 15 degrees.  
WARNING— HOT SURFACE  
Engine parts, especially the muffler, become extremely hot during operation. Allow engine  
and muffler to cool before touching.  
DANGER — ROTATING BLADES  
To reduce the risk of injury, keep hands and feet away. Do not operate unless discharge cover  
or grass catcher is in its proper place. If damaged, replace immediately.  
WARNING— TOWING  
Avoid jack-knifing when towing, go slow and make wide turns.  
Section 2 — important Safe operation practiceS  
7
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8
Section 2 — important Safe operation practiceS  
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