Operator's Manual
31
and, turning up hill while traversing a hill are particularly
dangerous. Even at a slow speed and without a load, tip
overs are more likely if you turn on a hill.
Slow down and shift into a lower gear before starting up or
down a hill. If you have to turn while on a hill, do it as
slowly and cautiously as possible. Never make sharp or fast
turns on a hill.
If you stall or begin to lose headway while climbing a steep
hill, quickly apply the brakes, shift to neutral, restart the
engine and shift to reverse. At idle speed, engine and
transaxle drag will aid the brakes in controlling the vehicle
on the hill and help you back down the hill more safely.
Reduce the weight of the load if it is a steep hill or if the
load has high center of gravity. Remember, loads can shift.
Secure them.
Note: The Workman has excellent hill climbing ability. The
differential lock will increase this ability. Hill climbing
traction can also be increased by adding weight to the rear
of the vehicle in one of the following ways:
• Adding weight to inside of box, making sure it is
secured.
• Mounting wheel weights to rear wheels.
• Adding liquid ballast (calcium chloride) to rear tires.
• Traction will increase with no passenger in front seat.
Loading And Dumping
The weight and position of the cargo and passenger can
change the vehicle center of gravity and vehicle handling.
To avoid loss of control resulting in personal injury, follow
these guidelines.
Do not carry loads which exceed the load limits described
on the vehicle weight label.
The bed will lower whenever the dump lever is
pushed down, even when the engine is off. Turning
off the engine will NOT prevent the box from
lowering. Always place the safety support on
extended lift cylinder to hold box up if you are not
going to lower it right away.
Warning
When lowering the box it is possible for you or
others to get their hands or other body parts in the
wrong spot and have them crushed. Take extra
care that no one will get hurt. Also, do not dump
on anyone’s feet. It may seem funny but, it can be
dangerous.
Warning
The vehicle has several combinations of boxes, platforms,
and attachments available. These can be used in various
combinations that allow for maximum capacity and
versatility. The full sized box is 55 inches wide by 65
inches long and can hold up to 2000 pounds of evenly
distributed cargo.
Loads vary in how they are distributed. Sand spreads out
evenly and quite low. Other items, such as bricks, fertilizer
or landscape timbers, stack higher in the box.
The height and weight of the load has a significant
influence on tip overs. The higher a load is stacked, the
more likely the vehicle is to tip over. You may find that
2000 pounds stacks too high for safe operation. Reducing
the total weight is one way to reduce the risk of a tip over.
Distributing the load as low as possible is another way to
reduce the risk of a tip over.
If the load is positioned toward one of the sides, it will
make the vehicle much more likely to tip over on that side.
This is especially true when turning if the load is on the
outside of the turn.
Never position heavy loads behind the rear axle. If the load
is positioned so far to the rear that it is behind the rear axle,
it will reduce the weight on the front wheels and this will
reduce steering traction. With the load all the way to the
back, the front wheels can even come off of the ground
when going over bumps or up a hill. This will result in a
loss of steering and may lead to the vehicle tipping over.
As a general rule, position the weight of the load evenly
from front to rear and evenly from side to side.
If a load is not secured, or you are transporting a liquid in a
large container such as a sprayer, it can shift. This shifting
happens most often while turning, going up or down hills,
suddenly changing speeds or while driving over rough
surfaces. Shifting loads can lead to tip overs. Always secure
loads so that they do not shift. Never dump the load while
the vehicle is sideways on the hill.
Heavy loads increase stopping distance and reduce your
ability to turn quickly without tipping over.
The rear cargo space is intended for load carrying purposes
only, not for passengers.