Craftsman 757.243481 owner manual Operation, When to Aerate, Mounting and Transporting, Laid SOD

OPERATION

WARNING

• To avoid personal injury and/or equipment damage, never exceed the

recommended operating speed range of 3 to 5 MPH.

WHEN TO AERATE

Your Aerator should not be used when Lawn Conditions are too Wet or too Dry. To determine condition, dig a small amount of your soil (about three inches deep):

•If soil appears powdery and brittle- it is too dry. Wait until a later date, after a rainfall. If soil is too dry, the Plugging Spoons will not penetrate properly.

•If soil appears damp, roll a small amount into a ball in the palm of your hand- if it forms a ball, the_rit is too wet. Ideally, the soil should fall apart when rolled in the palm of your hand. Wait till a later date for soil to dry. If soil is too wet, the Plugging Spoons will stop up and your Tractor could lose traction,causing Lawn Damage

MOUNTING AND TRANSPORTING

•Attach Aerator to your Rider using Pin and Hairpin Cotter supplied.

•To place in Transport Position:

Pull FORWARD on Lift Handle (12) and move to Transport Lock Pin in Side Plate. Pull OUT and move Handle to Lock-in position. Aerator rests on Wheels.

•To place in Operating Position:

Pull OUT on Lift Handle (releasing from

Transport Position) and move back. Aerator rests on Plugging Spoons.

,_ CAUTION

Use the Plugging Aerator only on established lawns, NEVER ON NEWLY

LAID SOD.

•Never exceed the Weight Tray capacity of 150 pounds. If the Plugging Spoons are going too deep, remove some of the weight from the weight Tray.

•Always raise Plugging Spoons to Transport position when crossing asphalt or concrete.

•When backing-carefully back straight to avoid jackknifing, which could result in damage to equipment.

USE OF ADDITIONAL WEIGHT

The weight required to give a recommended penetration of approximately three inches will vary according to soil type and conditions. Concrete Blocks, Patio Blocks, Sand Bags, or any other type of weight can be added to Aerator Tray as required. Weight can be secured by using tie downs through holes in Tray Flanges. Tie downs are not furnished with your unit. Usually three

Concrete Blocks will be sufficient, but more or less

may be required.

•Drive your Tractor to location to be Aerated.

•Lower Aerator to Operating Position.

•Drive the Tractor FORWARD approximately ten feet and stop.

•Observe the operation- there should a Plug hole approximately every 10 inches to 12 inches and not more than 3 inches deep.

•Add or remove weight to obtain this condition.

CUSTOMER RESPONSIBILITY

•Should rust appear on any other part of your

Aerator,, sand lightly to remove rust and coat lightly with enamel.

•Apply a drop of lubricating oil to each Nylon Bearing and the Aerator Axle before each use.

•To prevent rust on Plugging Spoons, apply a light

coat of oil on the working areas of Spoons after each

use.

• Periodically check the Spoons -remove any debris which might build up and restrict their action.

•After each use, service unit as described - and store in a dry area, shielding tines to avoid injury.

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