Craftsman 917.259592 owner manual Mowing TiPS, Mulching Mowing Tips

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OPERATION

oMove motion control lever to neutral (N) position. Shut- off engine and set parking brake°

oEngage transmission by placing freewheel control in driving position (See "TO TRANSPORT" in this section of manual).

Sitting in the tractor seat, start engine. After the engine is running, move throttle control to half (1/2) speed With motion control lever in neutral (N) position, slowly disengage clutch/brake pedal.

Slowly move motion control lever forward, after the tractor moves approximately five (5) feet, slowly move motion control lever to reverse position. After the tractor moves approximately five (5) feet return the motion control lever to the neutral (N) position. Repeat this procedure with the motion control lever three (3) times_

oYour tractor is now purged and now ready for normal operation..

MOWING TiPS

oTire chains cannot be used when the mower housing is attached to tractor_

oMower should be properly leveled for best mowing performance, See 'q'OLEVEL MOWER HOUSING" in the Service and Adjustments section of this manual.

oThe left hand side of mower should be used for trim- ming

oDrive so that clippings are discharged onto the area that has been cut. Have the cut area to the right of the machine. This will result in a more even distribution of clippings and more uniform cutting.

°When mowing large areas, start by turning to the right so that clippings will discharge away from shrubs,

fences, driveways, etc_ After one or two rounds, mow in the opposite direction making left hand turns until finished (See Fig.. 11).

otf grass is extremely tall, it should be mowed twice to reduce load and possible fire hazard from dried clip- pings. Make first cut relatively high; the second to the desired height.

Do not mow grass when it is wet.. Wet grass will plug mower and leave undesirable clumps. Allow grass to dry before mowing

,Always operate engine at full throttle when mowing to assure better mowing performance and proper dis- charge of material. Regulate ground speed by select- ing a low enough gear to give the mower cutting performance as well as the quality of cut desire&

oWhen operating attachments, select a ground speed that will suit the terrain and give best performance of the attachment being used

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FIG. 11

MULCHING MOWING TIPS

IMPORTANT: FOR BEST PERFORMANCE, KEEP MOWER HOUSING FREE OF BUILT-UP GRASS AND

TRASH, CLEAN AFTER EACH USE,

=The special mulching blade will recut the grass clip- pings many times and reduce them in size so that as

they fall onto the lawn they will disperse into the grass and not be noticed, Also, the mulched grass will biode- grade quicklyto provide nutrients for the lawn, Always

mulch with your highest engine (blade) speed as this will provide the best recutting action of the blades..

oAvoid cutting your lawn when it is wet. Wet grass tends to form clumps and interferes with the mulching action. The best time to mow your lawn is the early afternoon.. At this time the grass has dried and the newly cut area will not be exposed to the direct sun_

,,For best results, adjust the mowercutting height so that the mower cuts off only the top one-third of the grass blades (See Fig. 12). For extremely heavy mulching, reduce your width of cut on each pass and mow slowly

Certain types of grass and grass conditions may re- quire that an area be mulched a second time to completely hide the clippings. When doing a second cut, mow across or perpendicular to the first cut path..

oChange your cutting pattern from week to week.. Mow north to south one week then change to east to west the next week. This will help prevent matting and graining of the lawno

MAX 1/3

1

FIG. 12

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Contents RR r+Zli4IIii + Safe OperationSAFETYPractices RULESfor Ride-On Mowers Model Product SpecificationsSerial Number Date of Purchase Table of Contents Attachments Engine MaintenancePerformance Contents of Hardware Pack Assembly Tools Required for AssemblyBefore Rolling Tractor OFF Skid Unpack CartonAssembly Connect Battery See FigAssemble Gauge Wheels to Mower Deck See FigInstall Mulcher Plate See Figs To Convert to Bagging or DischargingCheck Tire Pressure Check for Proper Position of ALL BeltsCheck Brake System Check Deck LevelnessOperation LockERATmON To Adjust Mower Cutting Height HOW to USE Your TractorSee Fig Operation To Operate Mower See FigTo Operate on Hills To Transport See FigsADD Gasoline To Start Engine See FigPurge Transmission StartingMowing TiPS Mulching Mowing TipsLubrication Chart Maintenance ScheduleCustomer General RecommendationsBattery TractorBlade Care Blade Removal See FigClean AIR Screen See Fig Transaxle CoolingEngine LubricationCleaning Custo ResponsibilitiesEngine OIL Filter See Fig MufflerTo Install Mower See Fig To Remove Mower See FigTo Level Mower Housing Both Front Links Must be Equal in LengthService AdjustmentsTo Adjust Brake See Fig To Replace Mower Blade Drive Belt See FigServnce AN Adjustments To Adjust Motion Control LeverTransmission REMOVAL/REPLACEMENT To Replace Motion Drive BeltService AN Adjustments To Adjust Steering Wheel AlignmentFront Wheel TOE-INICAMBER To Remove Wheel for Repairs See FigTo Start Engine with a Weak Battery To Remove Hood and Grill AssemblyTo Replace Headlight Bulb Interlocks and RelaysTo Adjust Throttle Control Cable See Fig To Adjust Carburetor See FigImportant Damage to the Needles Turned in TOO TightBattery OtherFuel System Engine OILProblem TroubleshootingPoints Problem Cause TroubleshootingCorrection Schematic 111Repair Parts ElectricalKEY Part DescriptionChassis and Enclosures KEY Drive KEY Part Description KEY Part NO. noUNC Steering Assembly REPAmR PartsSteering Assembly KEY Part NO, noDescription Seat AssemblyPart Description Decals Wheels & TiresKEY PartEngine Optional Equipment Spark ArresterNO, no EngineDescripon Mower Lift Tractor - Model Number161718 2O \ NO. no Mower Deck TUV Part DescriptionSqnk Hydro Gear Transaxle Model Number Cradle Kohler Engine Model Number CV15S, Type Number PS-41565 ExhaustAIR Intake KEY Part Description Blower Housing and Baffles Engine Controls KEY Part NO. noExhaust KEY Part @---1 Cylinder HEAD, Valve and BreatherKohler Engine Model Number CVt5S, Type Number PS-41565 Fuel SystemPart KEY Part Description NO. noKohler Engine Model Number CV15S, Type Number PS-41565 Ignition Electrical OIL PAN LubricationIgnition Electrical KEY Part Description OIL PAN/LUBRICATIONCrankcase KEY Part Starting System KEY PartRvice Otes Page SE CE Notes Suggested Guide for SiGHTiNG Slopes for Safe Operatron For Repair SERVICE, Call this Toll Free Number Owners UALI1IIl Lll Illlll Part Number