Craftsman 917.273823 owner manual HOW to USE Your Tractor, To Adjust Mower Cutting Height

The operation of any tractor can result in foreign objects thrown into the / eyes, which can result in severe eye damage. Always wear safety glasses/ or eye shields while operating your tractor or performing any adjustments / or repairs. We recommend standard safety glasses or a wide vision safety_

mask worn over spectacles.

HOW TO USE YOUR TRACTOR

TO SET PARKING BRAKE

Your tractor is equipped with an operator presence sensing switch. When engine is running, any attempt by the operator to leave the seat without first setting the parking brake will shut off the engine.

1.Depress clutch/brake pedal all the way down and hold.

2.Pull parking brake lever up and release pressure from clutch!brake pedal. Pedal should remain in brake position. Make sure parking brake will hold trac- tor secure.

Attachment Clutch Lever

Throttle!"Engaged" Position

Choke

Clutch/	_"Disengaged"
Brake	Position
Pedal	Motion Control

J"Brake"

"Disengaged" Parking Brake Position

Position "Engaged"

Position

STOPPING

MOWER BLADES -

•To stop mower blades, move attachment clutch lever to "DISENGAGED" position.

GROUND DRIVE -

•To stop ground drive, depress clutch/ brake pedal all the way down.

•Move motion control lever to neutral (N)

position.

IMPORTANT: The motion control lever

does not return to neutral (N) position when the clutch!brake pedal is depressed.

ENGINE -

•Move throttle control to slow position. NOTE: Failure to move throttle control

to slow position and allowing engine to

idle before stopping may cause engine to "backfire".

•Turn ignition key to "STOP" position and remove key. Always remove key when leaving tractor to prevent unauthorized use.

J

•Never use choke to stop engine.

IMPORTANT: Leaving the ignition switch in any position other than "STOP" will

cause the battery to discharge and go dead.

NOTE: Under certain conditions when

tractor is standing idle with the engine run- ning, hot engine exhaust gases may cause "browning" of grass. To eliminate this pos- sibility, always stop engine when stopping tractor on grass areas.

_CAUTION: Always stop tractor com-

pletely, as described above, before leaving the operator's position.

TO USE THROTTLE CONTROL

Always operate engine at full throttle.

•Operating engine at less than full

throttle reduces the battery charging rate.

•Full throttle offers the best bagging and mower performance.

TO MOVE FORWARD AND BACKWARD

The direction and speed of movement is controlled by the motion control lever.

1.Start tractor with motion control lever in neutral (N) position.

2.Release parking brake.

3.Slowly move motion control lever to desired position.

TO ADJUST MOWER CUTTING HEIGHT

The position of the attachment lift lever determines the cutting height.

•Grasp lift lever.

•Press plunger with thumb and move lever to desired position.

The cutting height range is approxi- mately 1-1/2 to 4". The heights are mea- sured from the ground to the blade tip with the engine not running. These heights are approximate and may vary depending upon soil conditions, height of grass and types of grass being mowed.

•The average lawn should be cut to ap- proximately 2-1/2 inches during the cool season and to over 3 inches during hot months. For healthier and better look- ing lawns, mow often and after moder- ate growth.

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