Craftsman 917.274031 owner manual HOW to USE Your Tractor

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 a wide vision safety mask over spectacles or standard safety glasses.

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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.

Choke Control Attachment Clutch Switch Pull out to "Engage"

Pedal

	Position	Control	Lever
"Disengaged"	Parking Brake		Push in to
Position	"Engaged"	Position	"Disengage"

STOPPING

MOWER BLADES -

•To stop mower blades, push attachment clutch switch in to disengaged position.

GROUND DRIVE -

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

•Move gearshift lever to neutral (N) posi- tion.

ENGINE -

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

slow position to allow 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.

•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 running, hot engine exhaust gases may

cause "browning" of grass. To eliminate this possibility, always stop engine when

stopping tractor on grass areas.

_I_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 USE CHOKE CONTROL

Use choke control whenever you are start- ing a cold engine. Do not use to start a warm engine.

•To engage choke control, pull knob out. Slowly push knob in to disengage.

TO MOVE FORWARD AND BACKWARD

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

1.Start tractor with clutch/brake pedal de- pressed and gearshift lever in neutral

(N)position.

2.Move gearshift lever to desired po- sition.

3.Slowly release clutch/brake pedal to start movement.

IMPORTANT: Bring tractor to a complete stop before shifting or changing gears. Failure to do so will shorten the useful life

of your transaxle.

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.

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