Craftsman 900.370520 manual To Remove Mulch Insert, Insert installed, To Install Mulch Insert

MOWING TIPS

the maintenance section of this manual.

•Mow across the face of slopes, never up-and-down. Exercise extreme caution when changing direction on slopes. Do not mow excessively steep slopes. Always maintain good footing.

•Release switch to turn mower "OFF" when crossing any graveled area (stones can be thrown by the blade).

,Set mower at highest cutting height .........

when mowing in rough ground or in tall weeds.

•From time to time turn off mower and wait for the blade to come to a complete stop. Then remove the safety key and turn mower on its side. Using an object such as a stick, wipe out any accumula- tion of grass in the blade area. Be care- ful of the sharp edges of the blade.

•If grasscatcher is used during the fast growing season, the grass may tend to clog up at the discharge opening. Turn the switch "OFF" and remove the safety key. Remove the catcher and shake the grass down to the back end of the bag. Also clean out any grass or debris which may be packed around the discharge opening, Replace the grass catcher,

Clean often in wet, spring grass.

•If mower should start to vibrate abnor- mally, turn mower "OFF" and remove safety key. Check immediately for cause. Vibration is a warning of trouble. Do not operate mower until a service check has been made.

•ALWAYS turn the switch "OFF" and

remove safety key when leaving mower unattended even for a short period of time,

MULCHING

•Your mower is designed to re-cut the grass clippings many times and reduce them in size so that, as they fall into the lawn, they will disperse into the grass and not be noticed. Also, the mulched grass will biodegrade quickly to provide nutrients to the lawn.

°Your mower was shipped with the Mulch

Insert installed.

MULCHING MOWING TIPS

°For best performance, keep the mower housing free of built-up grass and trash, Clean after each use. See CLEANING In

•Avoid cutting the lawn when it is wet. Wet grass tends to form clumps which interfere with the mulching action. The best time to mow your lawn is in the late afternoon. At this time the grass is dried and the newly cut area will not be exposed to the direct sun.

•For best results, adjust the mower cut- ting height so that the mower cuts off only the'top one-thirdof the grass blades. If the lawn is overgrown it wil! be neces- sary to increase the cutting height to reduce the pushing effect and reduce overloading the motor. For extremely heavy mulching make narrower cuts and mow slowly.

•Certain types of grass and grass condi- tions may require 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. DO NOT mow perpendic- ular to the first path if it would cause mowing across a hill.

•Change your cutting pattern from week to week. Mow north to south one week and east to west the next week. This will

help prevent matting and graining of the lawn.

TO REMOVE MULCH INSERT

•Shut the mower off, wait until the blade stops and remove safety ,key.

•Raise the rear door and hold it up.

•Locate your hand in the handle pocket of the mulch insert, lift and pull out the mulch insert completely.

•The rear discharge door is spring

loaded. When you release it the door will return to the closed position.

TO INSTALL MULCH INSERT

•Shut the mower off, wait until the blade stops, and remove safety key.

•Raise the rear door and slide the mulch insert into the discharge opening until it is firmly in contact with the deck.

°Release the rear door.

12