Craftsman 917.274031 owner manual Mulching Mowing Tips

COLD WEATHER STARTING ( 50 ° F and below)

6.When engine starts, leave throttle control in choke position until engine warms up and begins to run roughly. Once rough running begins, imme-

diately move the throttle control to the fast position. Engine warm-up may take from several seconds to several

minutes (the colder the temperature,

the longer the warm-up).

° The attachments can also be used dur-

ing the engine warm-up period. NOTE- {f at a high altitude (above 3000

feet) or in cold temperatures (below 32 F) the carburetor fuel mixture may need to

be adjusted for best engine performance (see "TO ADJUST CARBURETOR" in the Service and Adjustments section of this manual).

MOWING TIPS

•Mower _hould be properly leveled for

best mowing performance. See "TO LEVEL MOWER HOUSING" in the

Service and Adjustments section of this manual.

•The left hand side of mower should be used for trimming.

•Drive so that clippings are discharged onto the area thai has already been cut. Have the cut area to the right of the tractor. 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.

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•If grass is extremely tall, it should be mowed twice to reduce load and pos- sible fire hazard from dried clippings. 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 discharge of material. Regulate ground speed by selecting a low enough gear to give the mower cutting performance as well as the quality of cut desired.

•When operating attachments, select a ground speed that will suit the terrain and give best performance of the at- tachment being used.

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 clippings 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 biodegrade quickly

to provide nutrients for the lawn. Always mulch with your highest engine (blade) speed as this will provide the best recut- ting action of the blades.

•Avoid 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, the newly cut area will not be exposed to direct sunlight.

•For best results, adjust the mower cutting height so that the mower cuts off only the top one-third of the grass blades. For extremely heavy grass, re- duce your width of cut on each pass and mow slowly.

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•Certain types of grass and grass conditions may require that an area be mulched a second time to completely

hide the clippings. When doing a sec- ond cut, mow across (perpendqcular) to the first cut path.

•Change 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 lawn.

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