Troy Bilt Lawn Mower 429 User Manual

Safety • Assembly • Operation • Tips & Techniques • Maintenance • Troubleshooting • Parts Lists • Warranty  
OPERATOR’S MANUAL  
21-inch Rotary Mower — Model 429  
IMPORTANT  
READ SAFETY RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE OPERATION  
Warning: This unit is equipped with an internal combustion engine and should not be used on or near any unimproved forest-covered, brush-  
covered or grass-covered land unless the engine’s exhaust system is equipped with a spark arrester meeting applicable local or state laws (if any).  
If a spark arrester 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 arrester  
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.  
PRINTED IN U.S.A  
Troy-Bilt LLC, P.O. BOX 361131 CLEVELAND, OHIO 44136-0019  
FORM NO. 769-02338  
01/18/2006  
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Use this page as a guide to determine slopes where you may not operate safely. Do not operate  
your lawn mower on such slopes.  
1
Slope  
Gauge  
WARNING  
Do not mow on inclines  
with a slope in excess  
of 15 degrees (a rise  
of approximately  
2-1/2 feet every 10  
feet). A riding mower  
could overturn and  
cause serious injury.  
If operating a walk-  
behind mower on such  
a slope, it is extremely  
difficult to maintain your  
footing and you could  
slip, resulting in serious  
injury.  
Operate RIDING  
mowers up and down  
slopes, never across  
the face of slopes.  
Operate  
WALK-BEHIND  
mowers across the  
face of slopes, never  
up and down slopes.  
3
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WARNING: Engine Exhaust, some of its constituents, and certain vehicle compo-  
nents contain or emit chemicals known to State of California to cause cancer and  
birth defects or other reproductive harm.  
2
DANGER: This machine was built to be operated according to the rules for safe operation 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.  
Safe  
Operation Failure to observe the following safety instructions could result in serious injury or death.  
6. Always wear safety glasses or safety goggles during opera-  
Children  
tion and while performing an adjustment or repair to protect  
your eyes. Thrown objects which ricochet can cause serious  
injury to the eyes.  
Tragic accidents can occur if operator is not alert to presence  
of children. Children are often attracted to mower and mowing  
activity.They do not understand the dangers. Never assume  
that children will remain where you last saw them.  
Practices  
7. Wear sturdy, rough-soled work shoes and close-fitting  
slacks and shirts. Shirts and pants that cover the arms and  
legs and steel-toed shoes are recommended. Never operate  
this machine in bare feet, sandals, slippery or light weight  
(e.g. canvas) shoes.  
8. Do not put hands or feet near rotating parts or under cutting  
deck. Contact with blade can amputate hands and feet.  
9. A missing or damaged discharge cover can cause blade  
contact or thrown object injuries.  
10. Many injuries occur as a result of the mower being pulled  
over the foot during a fall caused by slipping or tripping.  
Do not hold on to the mower if you are falling; release the  
handle immediately.  
11. Never pull the mower back toward you while you are  
walking. If you must back the mower away from a wall or  
obstruction first look down and behind to avoid tripping and  
then follow these steps:  
1. Keep children out of the mowing area and under watchful  
care of a responsible adult other than the operator.  
2. Be alert and turn mower off if a child enters the area.  
3. Before and while moving backwards, look behind and down  
for small children.  
4. Use extreme care when approaching blind corners,  
doorways, shrubs, trees, or other objects that may obscure  
your vision of a child who may run into the mower.  
5. Keep children away from hot or running engines.They can  
suffer burns from a hot muffler.  
6. Never allow children under 14 years old to operate a power  
mower. Children 14 years old and over should read and  
understand operation instructions and safety rules in this  
manual and should be trained and supervised by a parent.  
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 man-  
ual before attempting to  
operate this machine.  
Failure to comply with  
these instructions may  
result in personal injury.  
When you see this  
symbol.  
General Operation  
1. Read this operator’s manual carefully in its entirety before  
attempting to assemble this machine. Read, understand,  
and follow all instructions on the machine and in the  
manual(s) before operation. Be completely familiar with  
the controls and the proper use of this machine before  
operating it. Keep this manual in a safe place for future  
and regular reference and for ordering replacement parts.  
a. Step back from mower to fully extend your arms.  
b. Be sure you are well balanced with sure footing.  
c. Pull the mower back slowly, no more than half way  
toward you.  
d. Repeat these steps as needed.  
12. Do not operate the mower while under the influence of  
alcohol or drugs.  
13. Do not engage the self-propelled mechanism on units so  
equipped while starting engine.  
2. This machine is a precision piece of power equipment,  
not a plaything. Therefore, exercise extreme caution at all  
times. Your unit has been designed to perform one job: to  
mow grass. Do not use it for any other purpose.  
3. Never allow children under 14 years old to operate this  
machine. Children 14 years old and over should read and  
understand the instructions in this manual and should  
be trained and supervised by a parent. Only responsible  
individuals who are familiar with these rules of safe  
operation should be allowed to use this machine.  
4. 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 tripped over or picked  
up and thrown by the blade. Thrown objects can cause  
serious personal injury. 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.  
5. To help avoid blade contact or a thrown object injury,  
stay in operator zone behind handles and keep children,  
bystanders, helpers, and pets at least 75 feet from mower  
while it is in operation. Stop machine if anyone enters  
area.  
14. The blade control handle is a safety device. Never attempt  
to bypass its operation. Doing so makes the safety device  
inoperative and may result in personal injury through  
contact with the rotating blade. The blade control handle  
must operate easily in both directions and automatically  
return to the disengaged position when released.  
15. Never operate the mower in wet grass. Always be sure of  
your footing. A slip and fall can cause serious personal  
injury. If you feel you are losing your footing, release the  
blade control handle immediately and the blade will stop  
rotating within three seconds.  
16. Mow only in daylight or good artificial light. Walk, never run.  
17. Stop the blade when crossing gravel drives, walks or roads.  
18. If the equipment should start to vibrate abnormally, stop the  
engine and check immediately for the cause. Vibration is  
generally a warning of trouble.  
HEED ITS WARNING  
Your  
Responsibility  
Restrict the use  
of this power machine  
to persons who read,  
understand  
and follow the warnings  
and instructions  
19. Shut the engine off and wait until the blade comes to a  
complete stop before removing the grass catcher or unclog-  
ging the chute.  
in this manual  
and on the machine.  
4
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The cutting blade continues to rotate for a few seconds after 7. Extinguish all cigarettes, cigars, pipes and other sources  
the engine is shut off. Never place any part of the body in  
the blade area until you are sure the blade has stopped  
rotating.  
of ignition.  
8. Never fuel machine indoors because flammable vapors will  
accumulate in the area.  
20. Never operate mower without proper trailshield, discharge  
cover, grass catcher, blade control handle, or other safety  
protective devices in place and working. Never operate  
mower with damaged safety devices. Failure to do so can  
result in personal injury.  
21. Muffler and engine become hot and can cause a burn. Do  
not touch.  
22. Only use parts and accessories made for this machine by  
manufacturer. Failure to do so can result in personal injury.  
23. If situations occur which are not covered in this manual,  
use care and good judgment. Contact your dealer for  
assistance. Telephone 1-866-840-6483 for the name of your  
nearest dealer.  
9. Never remove gas cap or add fuel while engine is hot or  
running. Allow engine to cool at least two minutes before  
refueling.  
10. Never over fill fuel tank. Fill tank to no more than ½ inch  
below bottom of filler neck to provide for fuel expansion.  
2
Safe  
Operation  
Practices  
11. Replace gasoline cap and tighten securely.  
12. If gasoline is spilled, wipe it off the engine and equipment.  
Move unit to another area. Wait 5 minutes before starting  
engine.  
13. Never store the machine or fuel container near an open  
flame, spark or pilot light as on a water heater, space  
heater, furnace, clothes dryer, or other gas appliances.  
14. To reduce fire hazard, keep mower free of grass, leaves,  
or other debris build-up. Clean up oil or fuel spillage and  
remove any fuel soaked debris.  
Slope Operation  
Slopes are a major factor related to slip and fall accidents which  
can result in severe injury. Operation on slopes requires extra  
caution. If you feel uneasy on a slope, do not mow it. For your  
safety, use the slope gauge included as part of this manual to  
measure slopes before operating this unit on a sloped or hilly  
area. If the slope is greater than 15 degrees, do not mow it.  
15. Allow a mower to cool at least 5 minutes before storing.  
General Service:  
1. Never run an engine indoors or in a poorly ventilated area.  
Engine exhaust contains carbon monoxide, an odorless and  
deadly gas.  
WARNING  
2. Before cleaning, repairing, or inspecting, make certain the  
blade and all moving parts have stopped. Disconnect the  
spark plug wire and ground against the engine to prevent  
unintended starting.  
3. Check the blade and engine mounting bolts at frequent  
intervals for proper tightness. Also, visually inspect blade for  
damage (e.g., bent, cracked, worn) Replace blade with the  
original equipment manufacture’s (O.E.M.) blade only, listed  
in this manual.Use of parts which do not meet the original  
equipment specifications may lead to improper performance  
and compromise safety!”  
4. Mower blades are sharp and can cut.Wrap the blade or wear  
gloves, and use extra caution when servicing them.  
5. Keep all nuts, bolts, and screws tight to be sure the equip-  
ment is in safe working condition.  
6. Never tamper with safety devices. Check their proper opera-  
tion regularly.  
7. After striking a foreign object, stop the engine, discon-  
nect the spark plug wire and ground against the engine.  
Thoroughly inspect the mower for any damage. Repair the  
damage before starting and operating the mower.  
Do:  
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 man-  
ual before attempting to  
operate this machine.  
Failure to comply with  
these instructions may  
result in personal injury.  
When you see this  
symbol.  
1. Mow across the face of slopes; never up and down.  
Exercise extreme caution when changing direction on  
slopes.  
2. Watch for holes, ruts, rocks, hidden objects, or bumps which  
can cause you to slip or trip. Tall grass can hide obstacles.  
3. Always be sure of your footing. A slip and fall can cause  
serious personal injury. If you feel you are losing your  
balance, release the blade control handle immediately, and  
the blade will stop rotating within 3 seconds.  
Do Not:  
1. Do not mow near drop-offs, ditches or embankments, where  
you could lose your footing or balance.  
2. Do not mow slopes greater than 15 degrees as shown on  
the slope gauge.  
3. Do not mow on wet grass. Unstable footing could cause  
slipping.  
Service  
8. Never attempt to make a wheel or cutting height adjustment  
while the engine is running.  
Safe Handling Of Gasoline:  
HEED ITS WARNING  
9. Grass catcher components, discharge cover, and trail  
shield 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 im-  
mediately 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!”  
10. Do not change the engine governor setting or overspeed the  
engine.The governor controls the maximum safe operating  
speed of the engine.  
11. Maintain or replace safety labels, as necessary.  
12. Observe proper disposal laws and regulations. Improper  
disposal of fluids and materials can harm the environment.  
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.  
2. Wash your skin and change clothes immediately.  
3. Use only an approved gasoline container.  
4. 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.  
5. 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.  
Your  
Responsibility  
Restrict the use  
of this power machine  
to persons who read,  
understand  
and follow the warnings  
and instructions  
6. 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.  
in this manual  
and on the machine.  
5
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IMPORTANT: This unit is shipped without gasoline or  
oil in the engine. Fill up gasoline and oil as instructed  
in the accompanying engine manual BEFORE operat-  
ing your mower.  
3
1. Remove any packing material which may be between  
upper and lower handles.  
Setup and  
Adjustment  
a. Pull up and back on upper handle as shown in  
Figure 3-1. Make certain the lower handle is seated  
securely into the handle mounting brackets. Do not  
crimp cable while lifting the handle up.  
b. Tighten star knobs securing upper handle to lower  
handle, Figure 3-1. Make sure that each carriage  
bolt is seated properly in the handle.  
2. Locate the hairpin clip on the weld pin on each side  
lower handle.  
a. Remove hairpin clip from this hole. Using a pair  
of pliers, insert hairpin clip into the hole on pin  
closest to the bracket, Figure 3-2. Repeat on other  
side.  
Figure 3-1: Unfold handle and tighten hardware.  
 
b. Insert a carriage bolt from the hardware pack into  
the upper hole on the handle mounting bracket,  
Figure 3-2. Secure with one plastic wing nut, also  
included in the hardware pack. Repeat on other  
side.  
Stand behind the mower  
as if you were going to  
operate it. Your right  
hand corresponds to the  
right side of the mower;  
your left hand corre-  
sponds to the left side of  
the mower.  
���  
3. The rope guide is attached to the right side of the  
upper handle. Loosen the wing nut which secures the  
rope guide, Figure 3-3.  
a. Hold blade control handle against upper handle.  
b. Pull starter rope out of the engine. Release blade  
control handle.  
c. Slip starter rope into rope guide.  
d. Tighten wing nut.  
4. Insert post on cable ties into holes provided on the  
lower handle. Pull cable tie tight and trim excess,  
Figure 3-4.  
Figure 3-2: Secure lower handle to mounting brackets.  
Each end of the lower  
handle must be placed at  
the same position on the  
mounting brackets.  
IMPORTANT: This unit is  
shipped without gasoline  
or oil in the engine. Fill  
up gasoline and oil as  
instructed in the accom-  
panying engine manual  
BEFORE operating your  
mower.  
Figure 3-3: Pull recoil starter through rope guide and tighten.  
Figure 3-4: Secure cable to handle using cable ties.  
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