General Operation; Slope Operation; Safe Operations - MTD EZ-Stow Manuel De L'utilisateur

Important Safe Operation Practices
The hauler was designed for hauling activities typically associated with residential lawn and garden
maintenance activities in conjunction with a suitable towing vehicle with a compatible hitch.

General Operation

1. Read, understand, and follow all instructions
on the equipment 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.
2. Never carry passengers in or on the hauler.
3. Never allow children less than 14 years
of age to operate the towing vehicle or
hauler. Children 14 and over should read
and understand the instructions and safe
operation practices in this manual, on the
hauler, and the towing vehicle manual and
should be trained and supervised by an
adult.
4. Never allow adults to operate the towing
vehicle or hauler without proper instruction.
5. Check the towing vehicle brake action
before use with the hauler. Adjust or
service the brakes per the manufacturer
instructions as necessary.
6. Keep bystanders, children and pets away
from the towing vehicle and the hauler
while it is in operation.
7. Wear sturdy, rough-soled work shoes and
close-fitting slacks and shirts. Avoid loose
fitting clothes and jewelry which can be
caught in movable parts of the hauler. Never
operate this hauler in bare feet or sandals.
8. Your hauler is not a toy. Use extreme caution
at all times. The hauler's purpose is to
haul material. Do not use it for any other
purpose.
9. Make sure you have control of the towing
vehicle and hauler at all times. Do not
rush. Take your time. When in doubt about
the towing vehicle and hauler or your
surroundings, stop and take time to look
things over. Make sure you are able to
proceed in a safe manner.
10. Watch for traffic when operating near or
crossing roadways.
11. Go slow. The hauler is not intended for use
on any public roadway or highway use.
12. Do not operate hauler while under the
influence of alcohol or drugs.
13. Operate only in daylight or good artificial
light.
14. Always look down and behind before and
while backing the tow vehicle and hauler to
avoid a back-over accident.
15. Slow down before turning. Operate the
towing vehicle smoothly. Avoid erratic
operation and excessive speed particularly
when carrying a full or heavy load or on
slopes.
16. Never leave a loaded cart unattended.
17. Use only accessories and attachments
approved for your hauler by the hauler
manufacturer. Read, understand and follow
all instructions provided with the approved
accessory or attachment.
18. If situations occur which are not covered
in this manual, use care and good
judgment. Contact your customer service
representative for assistance.
Towing, Loading and Unloading Safety
1. Do not exceed the 1000 lb. load capacity
of the hauler or the limits of the towing
vehicle.
2. Exceeding stated load capacity can lead
to loss of traction needed for slowing the
vehicle down and stopping.
3. Reduce towed weight when operating on
slopes.
4. Operate this hauler with towing vehicles
designed with a compatible tow hitch for
this hauler.
5. Do not allow riders on or in this hauler.
6. Make sure dump latch is securely latched
before loading or operating the unit.
7. Spread load evenly in bed. Secure load to
prevent movement. Avoid top-heavy loads
which could cause hauler to tip.
8. Go slow. Avoid sudden starts and stops
which could cause load to shift and loss of
control.
9. Use towing vehicle parking brake while
loading and unloading this hauler. When
lowering dump bed, keep hands and other
body parts from between bed and frame.
Keep bystanders away.
10. Unload dump bed before disconnecting
hauler from towing vehicle. Keep body parts
from under hauler tongue.

Slope Operation

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.
Do not tow heavy loads on slopes greater than 5
degrees. When going downhill, the extra weight
tends to push the tow vehicle and may cause you
to lose control (e.g. tow vehicle may speed up,
braking and steering ability are reduced, hauler
may jack-knife and cause tow vehicle to overturn.)
For your safety, use the slope gauge included
as part of this manual to measure slopes before
operating hauler on a sloped or hilly area. If the
slope is greater than 5 degrees as shown on the
slope gauge, do not operate hauler with a heavy
load on that area or serious injury could result.
Do:
1. Operate up and down slopes, not across.
Exercise extreme caution when changing
direction on slopes.
2. Reduce speed, especially when going
downhill, to avoid loss of control.
3. Watch for holes, ruts, bumps, rocks, or other
hidden objects that could cause the hauler
to tip over.
4. Go slow. Choose a low enough tow vehicle
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 tow vehicle in gear when going down
slopes to take advantage of engine braking
action.
5. Follow the tow vehicle manufacturer's
recommendations for towing operations.
Do not exceed the hauler recommendations
regardless of tow vehicle capabilities.
6. Keep all movement on the slopes slow and
gradual. Do not make sudden changes in
speed or direction. Rapid acceleration or
braking could cause the towing vehicle,
hauler, and load to become unstable which
could cause serious injury.
7. Avoid starting or stopping on a slope.
Do Not:
1. Do not turn on slopes unless necessary;
then, turn slowly and gradually downhill, if
possible.
2. Do not drive near drop-offs, ditches or
embankments. The tow vehicle and hauler
could suddenly turn over if a wheel is over
the edge of a cliff, ditch, or if an edge caves
in.
3. Do not the towing vehicle and this hauler on
steep slopes.
4. Do not operate towing vehicle and hauler
on wet grass or loose ground surfaces.
Reduced traction could cause sliding.
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