Craftsman 917.28990, YT 4500 manual Purge TRANSMiSSiON, Mowing TiPS

AUTOMATICTRANSMISSIONWARMUP

Beforedrivingtheunitincoldweather,the

transmissionshouldbewarmedupasfollows:

1.Besurethetractorisonlevelground.

2.Releasetheparkingbrakeandtetthe brakeslowlyreturntooperatingposition.

3.Allowoneminutefortransmissionto

warmup.Thiscanbedoneduringthe

enginewarmupperiod. Theattachmentscanbeusedduring theenginewarm-upperiodafterthe transmissionhasbeenwarmedupand mayrequirethechokecontrolbepulled outslightly.

NOTE:If at a highaltitude(above3000 feet)orincoldtemperatures(below32F) thecarburetorfuelmixturemayneedtobe adjustedforbestengineperformance(see "TOADJUSTCARBURETOR"intheService andAdjustmentssectionofthismanual).

PURGE TRANSMiSSiON

,_CAUTION: Never engage or disengage freewheel lever while the engine is running.

To ensure proper operation and performance, it is recommended that the transmission be

purged before operating tractor for the first time. This procedure will remove anytrapped air inside the transmission which may have developed during shipping of your tractor. IMPORTANT: Should your transmission require removal for service or replace- ment, it should be purged after reinstalla- tion before operating the tractor.

1.Place tractor safely on a level surface - that is clear of objects and open - with engine off and parking brake set.

2.Disengage transmission by placing freewheel control in disengaged posi- tion (See "TO TRANSPORT" in this section of manual).

3.Sitting in the tractor seat, start engine. After the engine is running, move throttle control to stow position. Disen-

_igcage parking brake.

AUTION: At any time, during step

4, there may be movement of the drive wheels.

4.Depress forward drive pedal to full forward position and hold for five (5) seconds and release pedal. Depress reverse drive pedal to full reverse posi- tion and hold for five (5) seconds and release pedal. Repeat this procedure three (3) times.

5.Shutoff engine and set parking brake.

6.Engage transmission by placing free-

wheel control in engaged position (See "TO TRANSPORT" in this section of

manual).

7.Sitting in the tractor seat, start engine. After the engine is running, move throttle control to half (1/2) speed. Disengage parking brake.

8.Drive tractor forward for approximately five feet then backwards for five feet.

Repeatthis driving procedure three times. Your transmission is now purged and now ready for normal operation.

MOWING TiPS

•Tire chains cannot be used when the

mower housing is attached to tractor. Mower should be properly leveled for best

mowing performance. See "TO LEVEL MOWER HOUSING" in the Service and

Adjustments section of this manual. The left hand side of mower should be

used for trimming.

Drive so that clippings are discharged onto the area that has already been cut. Have the cut area to the right of the tractor. This will result in a more even distribution

of clippings and more uniform cutting. When mowing large areas, start by turning to the right so that clippings will discharge away from shrubs, fences, driveways, etc. After one or two rounds,

mow in the opposite direction making left hand turns until finished.

If grass is extremely tall, it should be mowed twice to reduce load and pos- sible fire hazard from dried clippings.

Make first cut relatively high; the second to the desired height.

Do not mow grass when it is wet. Wet grass will plug mower and leave undesirable clumps. Allow grass to dry before mowing. Always operate engine at full throttle when mowing to assure better mowing performance and proper discharge of material. Regulate ground speed by selecting a low enough speed to give the mower cutting performance as well as the quality of cut desired.

*When operating attachments, select a ground speed that will suit the terrain and give best performance of the at- tachment being used.

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