Craftsman 917.29604 owner manual Cultivating, Tine Shear Pins

TILLING HINTS

_IkCAUTION: Until you are accustomed to handling your tiller, start actual field use with throttle in slow position (mid-way between "FAST" and "IDLE").

•Tilling is digging into, turning over, and breaking up packed soil before plant- ing. Loose, unpacked soil helps root growth. Best tilling depth is 4" to 6". A tiller will also clear the soil of unwanted

vegetation. The decomposition of this vegetable matter enriches the soil. Depending on the climate (rainfall and wind), it may be advisable to till the soil

at the end of the growing season to further condition the soil.

•Soil conditions are important for proper tilling. Tines will not readily penetrate dry, hard soil which may contribute to excessive bounce and difficult handling of your tiller. Hard soil should be mois- tened before tilling; however, extremely wet soil will "ball-up" or clump during till- ing. Wait until the soil is less wet in order to achieve the best results. When tilling in the fall, remove vines and long grass to prevent them from wrapping around the tine shaft and slowing your tilling operation.

•You will find tilling much easier if you leave a row untilled between passes. Then go back between tilled rows.There are two reasons for doing this. First, wide turns are much easier to negoti- ate than about-faces. Second, the tiller won't be pulling itself, and you, toward the row next to it.

•Do not lean on handle. This takes weight off the wheels and reduces traction. To get through a really tough section of sod or hard ground, apply upward pressure on handle or lower the depth stake.

CULTIVATING

Cultivating is destroying the weeds be- tween rows to prevent them from robbing nourishment and moisture from the plants. At the same time, breaking up the upper layer of soil crust will help retain moisture in the soil. Best digging depth is 1" to 3" (2.5-7.5 cm). Lower the outer side shields to protect small plants from being buried.

•Cultivate up and down the rows at a speed which will allow tines to uproot weeds and leave the ground in rough condition, promoting no further growth of weeds and grass.

•Do not lean on handle, this takes weight off the wheels, reduces traction, and may cause the tiller to skip over the ground.

•Always lower the drag stake when using the forward rotating tine drive.

TINE SHEAR PINS

The tine assemblies on your tiller are secured to the tine shaft with shear pins

(See "TINE REPLACEMENT" in the

Service and Adjustments section of this manual).

If the tiller is unusually overloaded or jammed, the shear pins are designed to

break before internal damage occurs to the transmission.

•If shear pin(s) break, replace only with

those shown in the Repair Parts section of this manual.

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