Using On Slopes; Suggestions For Maintaining; Maintenance; Safety Recommendations - ST F 72 FL Manuel D'utilisation

IMPORTANT To avoid activating the protec-
tion device:
– do not invert the leads on the battery terminals;
– do not use the machine without its battery or
damage may be caused to the charge regula-
tor;
– be careful not to cause short-circuits.
5.5 USING ON SLOPES (Fig. 5.13)
Observe the indicated limits (max 10° - 17).
WARNING! Take care when beginning
forward movement on sloping ground to
prevent the risk of tipping up. Reduce the
forward speed before going on a slope, par-
ticularly downhill.
DANGER! Never switch to reverse gear
to decrease speed when going downhill:
this could cause loss of control of the ma-
chine, especially on slippery ground.
Mechanical transmission
DANGER! Never ride the machine on
slopes in neutral or with the clutch out!
Always shift into a low gear before leav-
ing the machine at a standstill and unat-
tended.
Hydrostatic transmission:
Drive down slopes with your foot off the drive
pedal (see 4.21.1) to use the braking effect
of the hydrostatic transmission when the
transmission is not engaged.

5.6 SUGGESTIONS FOR MAINTAINING

A NICE LAWN
1. T o keep a lawn green and soft with a good
appearance, it should be cut regularly with-
out damaging the grass. A lawn can be com-
posed of different types of grass. If the lawn
is cut frequently, grass and roots grow more
vigorously, forming a solid grassy bed. If the
lawn is cut is less frequently, higher grass
and weeds start growing (clover and daisies,
etc.).
2. I t is always better to cut the grass when dry.
3. T he cutting means must be in good condition
and well sharpened so that the grass is cut
straight without a ragged edge that leads to
yellowing at the ends.
4. T he engine must run at full speed, both to
ensure a sharp cut of the grass and to get the
necessary thrust to push the cuttings through
the collector channel.
5. T he frequency of mowing should be in rela-
tion to the rate of growth of the grass, which
should not be left to grow too much between
one cut and the next.
6. D uring hot and dry periods, the grass should
be cut a little higher to prevent the ground
from drying out.
7. T he best height of the grass on a well-kept
lawn is approx. 4-5 cm. and with one mowing,
you do not need to remove more than a third
of the total height. If the grass is very tall,
it should be cut twice in a twenty-four hour
period. The first time with the cutting means
at maximum cutting height, possibly reducing
the cutting width and the second cut at the
height desired. Fig. 5.14)
8. T he appearance of the lawn will improve if
you alternate the cutting in both directions.
Fig. 5.15)
9. I f the collector system tends to get blocked
with grass, you should reduce the forward
speed as it may be too high for the condi-
tion of the grass. If the problem persists, the
probable causes are either badly sharpened
cutting means or deformed fins.
10. Be very careful when mowing near bushes
or kerbs as these could distort the horizontal po-
sition of the cutting-means assembly and dam-
age its edge as well as the cutting means.

6. MAINTENANCE

6.1 SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS

WARNING!
ized Service Centre or contact your Dealer if
the following are malfunctioning:
– the brake;
– the cutting means engage and disengage
functions,
– switching the drive to forward or reverse
gears.
6.2 ACCESSING THE ENGINE (Fig. 6.1)
Turning over the engine cover (1), you can ac-
cess the engine and all the mechanical parts
below it.
To perform this operation, you need to:
– p osition the machine on a flat surface, move
the cutting-means assembly to the fully raised
position and place some shims (2) measuring
about 65-70 mm under the edge to support
it while you proceed with the required opera-
tions;
13
You must go to a special-