Craftsman 917.253724 owner manual Contents

	TABLE	OF CONTENTS
RULES FOR SAFE OPERATION		BELOW	MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS		6
ASSEMBLY	INSTRUCTIONS	2	TROUBLE	SHOOTING	13
OPERATION	INSTRUCTIONS	4	REPAIR	PARTS	15

RULES FOR SAFE OPERATmON

1_ Know the controls and how to stop quickly, READ THE OWNER'S MANUAL

2o Do not allow children to operate the vehicle. Do not allow

adults to operate it without proper instruction or with- out having read the owners manual,

3.Do not carry passengers, Keep children and pets a safe dis-

tance away,

4, Always wear substantial footwear, Do not wear loose fitting

clothing that could get caught in moving parts,

5, Keep your eyes and mind on your tractor, mower and the area being cut, Don't let other interests distract you,

6o Do not attempt to operate your tractor or mower when not in the drivers seat.

7.Always get on or off your tractor from the operators left hand side,

8, Clear the work area of objects which might be picked up and thrown.

9, Disengage ali attachment clutches and return speed control

lever to neutral before attempting to start the engine,

10, Disengage power to att#chments and stop the engine be- fore leaving the operator's position°

1 t Disengage power to mower, stop the engine and disconnect spark plug wire(s) from spark plug(s) before cleaning, mak- ing an adjustment or repairs,

12, Disengage power to attachments when transporting or not in use°

13.Take all possible precautions when leaving the vehlcte un-

attended, such as disengaging the power-take-off, lowering

the attachments, returning drive control lever to neutral, sh_fting into neutral, setting the parking brake, stopping

the engine and removing the key,

14_ Do not stop or start suddenly when going uphill or down- hilt. Mow up and down the face of slopes (not greater than 15°); never across the face,

15.Reduce speed on slopes and make turns gradually to pre-

vent tipping or loss of control, Exercise extreme caution when changing dfrection on slopes,

16.While going up or down slopes choose Ist gear to negotiate

the slope without stopping To reduce speed, move Vad- drive Control Lever rearward to slower position,,

17, Never mow in wet or slippery grass, when traction is un- sure or at a speed which could cause a skid,

I8, Stay alert for holes in the terrain and other hidden hazards. 19. Do not drive too close to creeks, ditches and public high-

ways.

20_ Exercise special care when mowing around fixed objects in order to prevent the blades from striking them. Never

deliberately run tractor or mower into or over any foreign object,.

21, Never shift gears until tractor comes to a stop,

224 Never place hands or feet under the mower, in discharge chute or near any moving parts while tractor or mower are running. Always keep clear of discharge chute°

23.Use care when pulling loads or using heavy equipment a, Use only approved drawbar hitch points,

b, Limit loads to those you can safety control. c° Do not turn sharply, Use care when backing,,

d.Use counterweight or wheel weights when suggested in the owner's manual.

24, Watch out for traffic when crossing or near roadways.

25, When using any attachments, never direct discharge of material toward bystanders nor atlow anyone near the ve- hicle while in operation.

26.Handte gasoline with care - it is highly flammable. ao Use approved gasoline containers.

b, Never remove the cap of the fuel tank or add gasoline to a running or hot engine, or fill the fuel tank indoors° Wipe up spilled gasoline

c, Open doors if the engine is run in the garage - exhaust fumes are dangerous, Do not run the engine indoors,

27, Keep the vehicle and attachments in good operating con- dition, and keep safety devices in place_

28.Keep all nuts, bolts and screws tight to be sure the equip- ment is in safe working condition,

29, Never store the equipment with gasoline in the tank inside a building where fumes may reach an open flame or spark. Allow the engine to cool before storing in any enclosure,

30.To reduce fire hazard, keep the engine free of grass, leaves or excessive grease, Do not clean product while engine is running.

31, Except for adjustment; DO NOT operate Engine if air

cleaner or cover directly over carburetor air intake is re- moved. Removal of such part could create a fire hazard,

32° DO NOT OPERATE WITHOUT A MUFFLER OR TAM-

PER WITH THE EXHAUST SYSTEM Damaged mufflers or spark arresters could create a fire hazard Inspect period- ically and replace if necessary,

33, The vehicle and attachments should be stopped and in- spected for damage after striking a foreign object, and the damage should be repaired before restarting and operating the equipment,

34 Do not change the engine governor settings or overspeed the engine; severe damage or injury may result_

35 When using the vehicle with mower, proceed as follows: a_,Mow only in daylight or in good artificial light,,

b, Never make a cutting height adjustment while the engine is running if the operator must dismount to do so.

c_ Shut the engine off when removing the grass catcher or unclogging chute.

do Check the blade mounting bolts for proper tightness at frequent intervals.

36Check the grass catcher bags frequently for wear or deterio- ration, Replace with new bags for safety protection.

37_ Do not operate the mower without the entire grass catcher, on mowers so equipped, or the deflector shield in place,

38 Disengage power to mower before backing up Do not mow

in reverse unless absolutely necessary and then only after careful observation of the entire area behind the mower.

LOOK FOR THIS SYMBOL TO POINT OUT IMPORTANT

SAFETY PRECAUTION& IT MEANS - ATTENTION!

BECOME ALERT! YOUR SAFETY IS INVOLVED.

WARNING

This unit is equipped with an internal combustion engine and should not be used on or near any unimproved forest-covered, brush- covered or grass-covered land unless the engine's exhaust system is equipped with a spark arrester meeting applicable 1ocaf or state

laws (if any), If a spark arrester is used, it should be maintained in effective worldng order by the operator

In the State of California the above is required by law (Section 4442 of the California Public Resources Code). Other states may have similar laws., Federal laws apply on federat fands, See your AuthorSzed Service Center for spark arrester muffler part number 674A380.