Toro 78231 User manual

Operator’s Manual

IMPORTANT: Read this manual carefully. It contains information about your

safety and the safety of others. Also become familiar with the controls and

their proper use before you operate the product.

FORM NO. 3319–559 Rev A

Wheel Horse

42” Mower

for

Lawn and Garden Tractors

Model No. 78231 – 8900001 & Up

Printed in USA

Introduction

We want you to be completely satisfied with your new

product, so feel free to contact your local Authorized

Service Dealer for help with service, genuine replacement

parts, or other information you may require.

Whenever you contact your Authorized Service Dealer or

the factory, always know the model and serial numbers of

your product. These numbers will help the Service Dealer

or Service Representative provide exact information about

your specific product. You will find the model and serial

number plate located in a unique place on the product as

shown below.

1275

1. Modeland Serial Number Plate

For your convenience, write the product model and serial

numbers in the space below.

Model No:

Serial No.

The warning system in this manual identifies potential

hazards and has special safety messages that help you and

others avoid personal injury, even death. DANGER,

WARNING and CAUTION are signal words used to

identify the level of hazard. However, regardless of the

hazard, be extremely careful.

DANGER signals an extreme hazard that will cause

serious injury or death if the recommended precautions

are not followed.

WARNING signals a hazard that may cause serious injury

or death if the recommended precautions are not followed.

CAUTION signals a hazard that may cause minor or

moderate injury if the recommended precautions are not

followed.

Two other words are also used to highlight information.

“Important” calls attention to special mechanical

information and “Note” emphasizes general information

worthy of special attention.

The left and right side of the machine is determined by

sitting on the seat in the normal operator’s position.

Contents

Page

Safety and Instruction Decals 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Assembly 3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Loose Parts 3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Installing Discharge Chute 4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Install Rear and Adjustable Links 5. . . . . . . . . . . .

Installing the Mower 5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Transport Height Adjustment 6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Side-to-Side Mower Leveling 7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Front-to-Rear Blade Slope 8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Removing the Mower 9. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Operation 10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Side Discharge 10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Operating the Power Take Off (PTO) 10. . . . . . . . .

Page

Attachment Lift Lever 11. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Attachment Power Lift 11. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Adjusting Dial-A-Height 12. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Adjusting Anti-Scalp Rollers 12. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tips for Mowing Grass 13. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Maintenance 14. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Service Interval Chart 14. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Cutting Blade 15. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Greasing and Lubrication 17. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Blade Drive Belt 17. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Storage 18. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Troubleshooting 19. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Safety

Safety and Instruction Decals

Safety decals and instructions are easily visible to the operator and are located near any

area of potential danger. Replace any decal that is damaged or lost.

ON GRASS DEFLECTOR

(Part No. 93–1122)

ON MOWER RIGHT SIDE

(Part No. 116286)

ON MOWER LEFT AND

RIGHT SIDES

(Part No. 92–7108)

Assembly

Loose Parts

Note: Use the chart below to identify parts used for assembly.

DESCRIPTION QTY. USE

Grass deflector

Torsion spring

Washer (1/2”)

Cotter pin (3/4”)

Plastic washer

Rubber bushing

Jam nut (3/8”–16)

Install grass deflector

Rear link

Washer (1/2”)

Cotter pin (1”)

Hairpin cotter (2–9/16”)

Install rear link

Adjustable link

Washer (1/2”)

Cotter pin (1”)

Hairpin cotter (2–9/16”)

Install front link to mower

V belt

Hairpin cotter (3–3/8”)

Washer (3/4”)

2Install mower to tractor

Operator’s Manual 1Read before operating

Assembly

Installing Grass Deflector

1. Locate items shown in Fig. 1.

2. Place the short end of the spring into the small hole in

the grass deflector.

3. Position spring and grass deflector over post on rear of

deck and secure with 1/2” washer and 3/4” cotter pin

(Fig. 1).

4. Slide rubber bushing and plastic washer over stud at

front of mower.

5. Place grass deflector over stud and secure with second

plastic washer and 3/8” jam nut (Fig. 1).

6m-3141

Figure 1

1. Grass deflector

2. Spring

3. Cotter pin 3/4”

4. Washer 1/2”

5. Rubber bushing

6. Plastic washer

7. Jam nut 3/8”

Important Grass deflector must be spring loaded in

the down position. Lift chute up to test that it snaps to the

full down position.

POTENTIAL HAZARD

•Without the grass deflector, discharge cover, or

complete grass catcher assembly mounted in

place, you and others are exposed to blade

contact and thrown debris.

WHAT CAN HAPPEN

•Contact with rotating mower blade(s) and

thrown debris will cause injury or death.

HOW TO AVOID THE HAZARD

•NEVER remove the grass deflector from the

mower because the grass deflector routes

material down toward the turf. If the grass

deflector is ever damaged, replace it

immediately.

•Never put your hands or feet under the mower.

•Never try to clear discharge area or mower

blades unless you move the power take off

(PTO) to “OFF” and rotate the ignition key to

“OFF.” Also remove the key and pull the wire

off the spark plug(s).

Assembly

Installing the Rear and

Adjustable Links

1. Install a hairpin cotter (2–9/16 in.) into the inside hole

of the rear link (Fig. 2).

2. Install the rear link into the gage wheel support and

secure with a washer (1/2 in.) and cotter pin (1 in.)

(Fig. 2).

3. Install rear link into the attachment lift and secure with

a washer (1/2 in.) and hairpin cotter (2–9/16 in.)

(Fig. 2).

m-5812

Figure 2

1. Rear link

2. Washer, 1/2 in.

3. Cotter pin, 1 in.

4. Attachment lift

5. Hairpin cotter, 2–9/16 in.

6. Inside hole

7. Gage wheel support

4. Install front adjustable link to the attachment lift with

a washer (1/2 in.) and hairpin cotter (2–9/16 in.)

(Fig. 3).

5. Install front adjustable link to the mower with a

washer (1/2 in.) and hairpin cotter (2–9/16 in.) (Fig. 3).

m–3165

Figure 3

1. Front adjustable link

2. Washer 1/2”

3. Cotter pin 1”

4. Attachment lift

5. Hairpin cotter 2–9/16”

Installing the Mower

1. Park the tractor on a flat surface, disengage the power

take off (PTO), set the parking brake, and turn the

ignition key to “OFF” to stop the engine. Remove the

key.

2. Turn the front wheels fully to the left and raise

attachment lift lever all the way to the latched

position; refer to tractor Operator’s Manual.

3. Slide the mower under the chassis from the right side

(Fig. 4) and align rear mounting bushings with ends of

lift arms.

4. Straighten the front wheels, turn Dial-A-Height knob

counterclockwise, all the way, and lower the

attachment lift lever to the mounting position; refer to

tractor Operator’s Manual.

5. Place rear guide bushings, first left side then right,

onto lift arms then slide deck left into position (Fig. 4).

6. Secure deck to rear lift arms with 3/4” washers and

3–3/8” hairpin cotters (Fig. 4).

Assembly

1234a

Figure 4

1. Lift arm

2. Washer 3/4”

3. Hair pin cotter 3–3/8”

4. Rear link

5. Attachment lift

7. Attach rear link to attachment lift with 1/2” washer

and 2–9/16” hairpin cotter (Fig. 3 & 4).

8. Install front adjustable link to right front lift arm with

1/2” washer and 2–9/16” hairpin cotter (Fig. 5).

m–3536

Figure 5

1. Adjustablelink

2. Washer 1/2” 3. Hairpin cotter 2/916”

9. Pull on idler pulley to relax belt tension and install

mower drive belt into the top, or single engine drive

pulley groove (Fig. 6).

Figure 6

Top View

1. Mowerbelt 2. Engine pulley

Note: Ensure that the belt is properly located in the

engine, mower, and idler pulleys.

10.Check mower level; refer to Side-to-Side Mower

Leveling, page 7 and Front-to-Rear Blade Slope,

page 8.

11. Raise attachment lift lever all the way to the latched

position and adjust mower height-of-cut (refer to page

13) and transport height adjustment (refer to page 7).

Assembly

Transport Height Adjustment

Transport height is set at the factory and should not need

adjustment; however if the belt covers contact the footrest

in the raised position, adjustment is required.

1. Adjust by turning transport height nut, (Fig. 7) on lift

mechanism, clockwise to raise or counterclockwise to

lower mower.

2. Adjust nut until there is 1/16–1/8 ” clearance between

belt cover and left footrest.

1223

Figure 7

1. Nut

Side-to-Side Mower Leveling

The mower blades must be level from side to side. Check

the side-to-side level any time you install the mower or

when you see an uneven cut on your lawn. Before you

level the mower, set the air pressure in the front and rear

tires to 12 psi (.85 kPa).

2-3/4” to 4” Height-of-Cut Range

When the mower height-of-cut is set to the 2-3/4” to 4”

range the mower is suspended from the tractor.

1. Park the tractor on a flat surface, disengage the power

take off (PTO), set the parking brake, and turn the

ignition key to “OFF” to stop the engine. Remove the

key.

2. Raise attachment lift lever all the way to the latched

position.

3. Carefully rotate blade(s) side to side (Fig. 8). Measure

between the outside cutting edges and the flat surface

(Fig. 8). If both measurements are not within 3/16”, an

adjustment is required; refer to steps 4 and 6.

Front

Figure 8

1. Blades side to side

2. Outside cutting edges 3. Measure here

4. Loosen adjustment bolt on one side and rotate hanger

bracket to raise or lower mower (Fig. 9).

5. After adjusting, tighten bolt and check side-to-side

level.

Important If hanger is rotated to the end of

adjustment on one side and mower is not level, adjust the

opposite side.

Assembly

1224

Figure 9

1. Bolt 2. Hangerbracket

6. Now check the front-to-rear blade slope; refer to

Front-to-Rear Blade Slope, page 8.

3/4” to 2-3/4” Height-of-Cut Range

When the mower height-of-cut is set to the 3/4” to 2-3/4”

range the rear gage wheels contact the ground. There is no

side-to-side adjustment for this height range, see

Front-to-Rear Blade Slope.

Front-to-Rear Blade Slope

Check the front-to-rear blade slope any time you install

the mower. Before checking the slope, set air pressure in

the front and rear tires to 12 psi (.85 kPa). If the front

blade tip is not 0–3/8” (0–9.5 mm) lower than the rear

blade tip, adjust the blade slope using the following

instructions:

1. Park the tractor on a flat surface, disengage the power

take off (PTO), set the parking brake, and turn the

ignition key to “OFF” to stop the engine. Remove the

key.

2. Check and adjust side-to-side blade level if you have

not checked the setting; refer to Side-to-Side Mower

Leveling, page 7.

3. Adjust the Dial-A-Height knob so the height-of-cut is

in the middle of the range and lower attachment lift.

4. Carefully rotate blades so they are facing front and

rear (Fig. 10).

5. Measure between the tip of the front blade (Fig. 10)

and the tip of the rear blade to the flat surface. If the

front blade tip is not 0–3/8” (0–9.5 mm) lower than the

rear blade tip adjust front adjustment link.

Front 1078

Figure 10

1. Bladefront to rear

2. Measure front blade tip 3. Measure rear blade tip

4. Measure here

6. To adjust front-to rear blade level loosen jam nut on

front adjustable link. (Fig. 11).

7. Rotate the bolt on front adjustable link to change

front-to rear blade level (Fig. 11).

Note: To raise the front of the mower, shorten the

adjustable link by turning bolt clockwise.

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