Troy-Bilt 449 User Manual

The cutting blade continues to rotate for a few seconds after 
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.

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.

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.

Do:

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.

Safe Handling Of Gasoline:

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.

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.

7.  Extinguish all cigarettes, cigars, pipes and other sources  

of ignition.

8.  Never fuel machine indoors because flammable vapors will 

accumulate in the area.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

8.  Never attempt to make a wheel or cutting height adjustment 

while the engine is running.

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.

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.

Restrict the use 

of this power machine 

to persons who read, 

understand 

and follow the warnings 

and instructions 

in this manual 

and on the machine.