Craftsman 917.289030, 917.289031 owner manual Brake, Position

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.

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 tractor se- cure,

Throttle!		Attachment	Clutch Lever
Choke		"Engaged"	Position
Control"\	.._ __/
\	---4_.	_._ --_ Ignition Key
"-_'--,...z,_ ___//			ulsengagea
"Brake"			Position

Position _, ',, X._', _ij_/Parking Brake

_.._ '. _k_: _/ "Engaged'

' '\ _, _,,'-- ;_ Position

\\_ _.." .f_J_ Gearshift

f,,n_,.,,',,.... ,4, Lever

Clutch/Brake ,-,,o=-u=u_,-,

PedalPosition

STOPPING

MOWER BLADES -

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

GROUND DRIVE-

•To stop ground drive, depress clutch/brake pedal a!l the way down.

•Move gearshift lever to neutral iN) po- sition.

ENGINE -

• Move throttle control between half and full

speed (fast) position.

NOTE: Failure to move throttle control

between half and full speed (fast) posi- tion, before stopping, may cause engine to "backfire"°

• Turn ignition key to "STOP" position and re- move key.. Always remove key when leav- ing 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: Undercertain conditionswhentractor

is standing idle with the engine running, hot engine exhaust gases may cause "brown- ing" of grass. To eliminate this possibility, 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 speed (fast).

•Operating engine at less than full speed (fast) reduces engine's operating effi- ciency.

•Full speed (fast) offers the best mower performance.

TO MOVE FORWARD AND BACKWARD

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

1. Start tractor with clutch!brake pedal depressed and gearshift lever in neutral

(N)position.

2.Move gearshift lever to desired po- sition.

3, Slowly release clutch/brake pedalto start movemento

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 approximately

1-1/2to 4% The heights are measured from the ground to the blade tip with the engine not running. These heights are approximate and may vary depending upon soil condi- tions, height of grass and types of grass being mowed.

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