Craftsman 247.28911 User manual

perator's

I:RAFrSMAN°

LAWN TRACTOR

17.5 HP

7 Speed, Shift-on=the=Go

42" Deck

Model No. 247.28911

• Espanol, P. 59

This product has a low emission engine which operates differently

from previously built engines. Before you start the engine, read and

understand this Operator's Manual.

Before using this equipment,

read this manual and follow

all safety rules and operating

instructions.

For answers to your questions about

this product, Call:

1-800=659=5917

CraftsmanTractorHelpLine

7 am =7 pm CT, Mort. =Sun.

Sears Brands Management Corporation, Hoffman Estates, IL 60179 U.S.A.

Visit our website: www.craftsman.com FormNo.769-05757A

(February15,2010)

Off-Season Storage ........................................................ 27

Trou bleshooting .............................................................. 28

Labels ............................................................................. 29

Parts List ......................................................................... 30

Espafiol ............................................................................ 59

Service Numbers ............................................. Back Cover

CRAFTSMAN FULL WARRANTY

Whenoperatedand maintainedaccordingtoallsuppliedinstructions,ifanynon-expendablepartof thisridingequipmentfailsduetoa defectin

materialorworkmanshipwithintwo yearsfromthedateorpurchase,call1-800-659-5917toarrangeforfreein-homerepair.

Theframeandfrontaxlewillbe repairedfreeofchargeforfiveyearsfromthedateofpurchaseifdefectiveinmaterialorworkmanship.

Alloftheabovewarrantycoverageappliesforonly90 daysfromthedateof purchaseifthis ridingequipmentiseverusedforcommercialor

rentalpurposes.

Inallcases,ifrepairprovesimpossible,theridingequipmentwillbe replacedfreeofchargewiththesameoran equivalentmodel.

Thebatterywillbe replacedfreeofchargefor90 daysfromthedateofpurchaseifdefectiveinmaterialorworkmanship(ourtestingprovesthat it

willnotholda charge).

Thiswarranty coversONLYdefects in material andworkmanship. Searswill NOTpayfor:

o

Expendableitemsthatbecomewornduringnormaluse,includingbutnotlimitedtoblades,sparkplugs,aircleaners,belts,

andoilfilters.

Standardmaintenanceservicing,oilchanges,or tune-ups.

Tirereplacementor repaircausedbypuncturesfromoutsideobjects,suchasnails,thorns,stumps,or glass.

Tireor wheelreplacementor repairresultingfromnormalwear,accident,orimproperoperationor maintenance.

Repairsnecessarybecauseof operatorabuse,includingbutnotlimitedtodamagecausedbytowingobjectsbeyondthe

capabilityoftheridingequipment,impactingobjectsthatbendtheframeorcrankshaft,or over-speedingtheengine.

Repairsnecessarybecauseof operatornegligence,includingbutnotlimitedto,electricalandmechanicaldamagecaused

byimproperstorage,failuretousethepropergradeandamountofengineoil,failuretokeepthedeckclearofflammable

debris,orfailureto maintaintheridingequipmentaccordingtotheinstructionscontainedintheoperator'smanual.

Engine(fuelsystem)cleaningor repairscausedbyfueldeterminedto becontaminatedoroxidized(stale).Ingeneral,fuel

shouldbeusedwithin30daysofitspurchasedate.

Normaldeteriorationandwearoftheexteriorfinishes,or productlabelreplacement.

Thiswarrantyappliesonlywhilethisproductiswithinthe UnitedStates.

Thiswarrantygivesyouspecificlegalrights,andyoumayalsohaveotherrightswhichvaryfromstatetostate.

Sears BrandsManagementCorporation, HoffmanEstates,IL60179

GrossHP: 17.5

EngineOil: SAE30

Fuel: UnleadedGasoline

SparkPlug: Champion®RC12YC

Engine: Briggs& StrattonI/C®

Model Number:

Serial Number:

Dateof Purchase:

Recordthemodelnumber,serialnumber,

anddateof purchaseabove.

Thissymbolpointsoutimportantsafetyinstructionswhich,if not

followed,couldendangerthepersonalsafetyand/orpropertyof

yourselfandothers.Readandfollowall instructionsin thismanual

beforeattemptingtooperatethismachine.Failuretocomplywith

theseinstructionsmayresultin personalinjury.Whenyouseethis

symbol,HEEDITSWARNING!

CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65

EngineExhaust,someof itsconstituents,andcertainvehicle

componentscontainoremitchemicalsknowntoStateofCalifornia

tocausecancerandbirthdefectsorotherreproductiveharm.

Batteryposts,terminals,and relatedaccessoriescontainleadand

leadcompounds,chemicalsknowntotheStateof Californiato

causecancerandreproductiveharm.Washhandsafterhandling.

Thismachinewasbuilttobeoperatedaccordingtothesafeopera-

tionpracticesinthis manual.Aswithanytypeof powerequipment,

carelessnessorerroron thepartoftheoperatorcanresultin serious

injury.Thismachineiscapableofamputatingfingers,hands,toes

andfeetandthrowingdebris.Failuretoobservethefollowingsafety

instructionscouldresultin seriousinjuryor death.

Your Responsibility--Restrict theuseofthis powermachineto

personswhoread,understandandfollowthewarningsand instruc-

tionsin thismanualandon themachine.

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS!

GENERAL OPERATION

• Read,understand,andfollowall instructionson themachineand

in themanual(s)beforeattemptingtoassembleandoperate.

Keepthis manualina safeplaceforfutureand regularreference

andfororderingreplacementparts.

• Befamiliarwithall controlsandtheirproperoperation.Knowhow

tostopthemachineanddisengagethemquickly.

• Neverallowchildrenunder14yearsoldtooperatethis machine.

Children14yearsoldandovershouldreadandunderstandthe

operationinstructionsandsafetyrulesinthismanualandshould

betrainedandsupervisedbya parent.

• Neverallowadultstooperatethis machinewithoutproper

instruction.

• Tohelpavoidbladecontactor a thrownobjectinjury,keep

bystanders,helpers,childrenandpetsatleast75feetfromthe

machinewhileitisin operation.Stopmachineifanyoneenters

thearea.

• Thoroughlyinspecttheareawheretheequipmentistobe used.

Removeallstones,sticks,wire,bones,toys,andotherforeign

objectswhichcouldbe pickedupandthrownbytheblade(s).

Thrownobjectscancauseseriouspersonalinjury.

• Planyourmowingpatterntoavoiddischargeofmaterialtoward

roads,sidewalks,bystandersandthelike.Also,avoiddischarg-

ingmaterialagainstawallorobstructionwhichmaycause

dischargedmaterialto ricochetbacktowardtheoperator.

• Alwayswearsafetyglassesor safetygogglesduringoperation

andwhileperformingan adjustmentor repairto protectyoureyes.

Thrownobjectswhichricochetcancauseseriousinjurytothe

eyes.

• Wearsturdy,rough-soledworkshoesandclose-fittingslacksand

shirts.Loosefittingclothesandjewelrycanbe caughtin movable

parts.Neveroperatethismachineinbarefeetorsandals.

• Beawareofthemowerandattachmentdischargedirectionand

do notpointitatanyone.Donotoperatethemowerwithoutthe

dischargecoverorentiregrasscatcherinits properplace.

Donotputhandsor feetnearrotatingpartsor underthecutting

deck.Contactwiththeblade(s)canamputatehandsandfeet.

A missingor damageddischargecovercancausebladecontact

or thrownobjectinjuries.

• Stoptheblade(s)whencrossinggraveldrives,walks,or roads

andwhilenotcuttinggrass.

• Watchfortrafficwhenoperatingnearorcrossingroadways.This

machineisnotintendedforuseonanypublicroadway.

• Donotoperatethemachinewhileundertheinfluenceofalcohol

or drugs.

• Mowonlyindaylightorgoodartificiallight.

Nevercarrypassengers.

• Disengageblade(s)beforeshiftingintoreverse.Backup slowly.

Alwayslookdownandbehindbeforeandwhilebackingtoavoida

back-overaccident.

3

• Slowdownbeforeturning.Operatethemachinesmoothly.Avoid

erraticoperationandexcessivespeed.

Disengageblade(s),setparkingbrake,stopengineandwaituntil

theblade(s)cometoa completestopbeforeremovinggrass

catcher,emptyinggrass,uncloggingchute,removinganygrassor

debris,or makinganyadjustments.

Neverleavea runningmachineunattended.Alwaysturnoff

blade(s),setparkingbrake,stopengineandremovekeybefore

dismounting.

Useextracarewhenloadingorunloadingthemachineintoa

trailerortruck.Thismachineshouldnotbedrivenupor down

ramp(s),becausethemachinecouldtipover,causingserious

personalinjury.Themachinemustbe pushedmanuallyon

ramp(s)to loador unloadproperly.

Mufflerandenginebecomehotandcancausea burn.Donot

touch.

Checkoverheadclearancescarefullybeforedrivingunderlow

hangingtreebranches,wires,dooropeningsetc.,wherethe

operatormaybestruckor pulledfromthemachine,whichcould

resultinseriousinjury.

Disengageallattachmentclutchesanddepressthebrakepedal

completelybeforeattemptingtostartengine.

Yourmachineisdesignedto cutnormalresidentialgrassofa

heightnomorethan10".Donotattemptto mowthroughunusually

tall,drygrass(e.g.,pasture)orpilesofdryleaves.Drygrassor

leavesmaycontacttheengineexhaustand/orbuilduponthe

mowerdeckpresentinga potentialfirehazard.

Useonlyaccessoriesandattachmentsapprovedforthis machine

bythemachinemanufacturer.Read,understandandfollowall

instructionsprovidedwiththeapprovedaccessoryor attachment.

Fora list ofapprovedaccessoriesandattachments,call 1-800-

659-5917.

Dataindicatesthatoperators,age60yearsandabove,are

involvedina largepercentageofridingmower-relatedinjuries.

Theseoperatorsshouldevaluatetheirabilitytooperatetheriding

mowersafelyenoughto protectthemselvesandothersfrom

seriousinjury.

If situationsoccurwhicharenotcoveredinthismanual,usecare

andgoodjudgment.Contact1-800-659-5917forinformationand

assistance.

SLOPE OPERATION

Slopesarea majorfactorrelatedtolossofcontrolandtip-over

accidentswhichcanresultinsevereinjuryor death.Allslopesrequire

extracaution.Ifyoucannotbackuptheslopeor ifyoufeeluneasyon

it, do notmowit.

Foryoursafety,usetheSlopeGuideincludedaspartofthis manual

to measureslopesbeforeoperatingthis machineona slopedor hilly

area.Iftheslopeisgreaterthan15degreesasshownonthe Slope

Guide,do notoperatethis machineonthatareaor seriousinjurycould

result.

Do:

o

Mowupanddownslopes,notacross.Exerciseextremecaution

whenchangingdirectionon slopes.

• Watchforholes,ruts,bumps,rocks,orotherhiddenobjects.

Uneventerraincouldoverturnthemachine.Tallgrasscanhide

obstacles.

Useslowspeed.Choosea lowenoughspeedsettingsothat

youwillnothavetostopor shiftwhileon theslope.Tiresmay

losetractionon slopeseventhoughthe brakesarefunctioning

properly.Alwayskeepmachinein gearwhengoingdownslopes

totakeadvantageofenginebrakingaction.

• Followthemanufacturer'srecommendationsforwheelweights

or counterweightstoimprovestability.Forrecommendations,call

1-800-659-5917.

• Useextracarewithgrasscatchersor otherattachments.These

canchangethestabilityofthe machine.

Keepallmovementontheslopesslowandgradual.Donotmake

suddenchangesinspeedor direction.Rapidengagementor

brakingcouldcausethefrontofthemachinetolift andrapidlyflip

overbackwardswhichcouldcauseseriousinjury.

• Avoidstartingorstoppingona slope.Iftireslosetraction,disen-

gagetheblade(s)andproceedslowlystraightdowntheslope.

DoNot:

• Donotturnon slopesunlessnecessary;then,turnslowlyand

graduallydownhill,ifpossible.

• Donotmowneardrop-offs,ditchesor embankments.Themower

couldsuddenlyturnoverifa wheelisovertheedgeofa cliff,

ditch,or ifan edgecavesin.

• Donottry tostabilizethemachinebyputtingyourfooton the

ground.

• Donotusea grasscatcheron steepslopes.

• Donotmowon wetgrass.Reducedtractioncouldcausesliding.

• Donotattempttocoastdownhill.Over-speedingmaycausethe

operatortolosecontrolofthemachineresultingin seriousinjury

or death.

• Donottowheavypull behindattachments(e.g.loadeddumpcart,

lawnroller,etc.)on slopesgreaterthan5 degrees.Whengoing

downhill,theextraweighttendstopushthetractorandmay

causeyoutoloosecontrol(e.g.tractormayspeedup,brakingand

steeringabilityarereduced,attachmentmayjack-knifeandcause

tractortooverturn).

4

CHILDREN

Tragicaccidentscanoccuriftheoperatorisnotalerttothepresence

ofchildren.Childrenareoftenattractedtothemachineandthemowing

activity.Theydonotunderstandthedangers.Neverassumethat

childrenwillremainwhereyoulastsawthem.

• Keepchildrenoutofthemowingareaand inwatchfulcareofa

responsibleadultotherthantheoperator.

• Bealertandturnmachineoff ifa childentersthearea.

• Beforeandwhilebacking,lookbehindanddownforsmall

children.

Nevercarrychildren,evenwiththeblade(s)shutoff.Theymay

falloffandbe seriouslyinjuredorinterferewithsafemachine

operation.

• Useextremecarewhenapproachingblindcorners,doorways,

shrubs,treesorotherobjectsthatmayblockyourvisionofa child

whomayrunintothe machine.

Toavoidback-overaccidents,alwaysdisengagethecutting

blade(s)beforeshiftingintoReverse.Ifequipped,the"Reverse

CautionMode"(bladesoperatewhilemachineridesinreverse)

shouldnotbe usedwhenchildrenor othersarearound.

Keepchildrenawayfromhotor runningengines.Theycansuffer

burnsfroma hotmuffler.

• Removekeywhenmachineisunattendedtopreventunauthorized

operation.

Neverallowchildrenunder14yearsofagetooperatethis machine.

Children14andovershouldreadandunderstandtheinstructionsand

safeoperationpracticesinthismanualandonthemachineandshould

betrainedandsupervisedbyan adult.

TOWING

Towonlywitha machinethathasa hitchdesignedfortowing.Do

notattachtowedequipmentexceptatthehitchpoint.

Followthemanufacturersrecommendationforweightlimitsfor

towedequipmentandtowingonslopes.Forrecommendations,

call1-800-659-5917.

Neverallowchildrenor othersinoron towedequipment.

Onslopes,theweightof thetowedequipmentmaycauselossof

tractionandlossofcontrol.

Alwaysuseextracautionwhentowingwitha machinecapableof

makingtightturns(e.g."zero-turn"ride-onmower). Makewide

turnstoavoidjack-knifing.

Travelslowlyandallowextradistancetostop.

Donotcoastdownhill.

SERVICE

SafeHandlingof Gasoline

Toavoidpersonalinjuryorpropertydamageuseextremecarein

handlinggasoline.Gasolineisextremelyflammableandthevaporsare

explosive.Seriouspersonalinjurycanoccurwhengasolineisspilled

on yourselforyourclotheswhichcanignite.Washyourskinand

changeclothesimmediately.

• Useonlyanapprovedgasolinecontainer.

Neverfillcontainersinsidea vehicleoron a truckortrailerbed

witha plasticliner.Alwaysplacecontainerson thegroundaway

fromyourvehiclebeforefilling.

Whenpractical,removegas-poweredequipmentfromthetruck

or trailerandrefueliton theground.Ifthis isnotpossible,then

refuelsuchequipmentona trailerwithaportablecontainer,rather

thanfroma gasolinedispensernozzle.

Keepthenozzleincontactwiththerimofthefueltankor

containeropeningatall timesuntilfuelingiscomplete.Donotuse

a nozzlelock-opendevice.

Extinguishall cigarettes,cigars,pipesandothersourcesof

ignition.

• Neverfuelmachineindoors.

Neverremovegascapor addfuelwhiletheengineishotor run-

ning.Allowengineto coolatleasttwominutesbeforerefueling.

Neveroverfillfueltank.Filltanktono morethan1/2inchbelow

bottomoffillernecktoallowspaceforfuelexpansion.

• Replacegasolinecapandtightensecurely.

• Ifgasolineisspilled,wipeitoff theengineandequipment.Move

machinetoanotherarea.Wait5 minutesbeforestartingthe

engine.

• Toreducefirehazards,keepmachinefreeofgrass,leaves,or

otherdebrisbuild-up.Cleanup oilor fuelspillageandremoveany

fuelsoakeddebris.

• Neverstorethemachineor fuelcontainerinsidewherethereisan

openflame,sparkor pilotlightasona waterheater,spaceheater,

furnace,clothesdryeror othergasappliances.

Allowa machineto coolatleastfiveminutesbeforestoring.

GeneralService

• Neverrunanengineindoorsorinapoorlyventilatedarea.Engine

exhaustcontainscarbonmonoxide,anodorless,anddeadlygas.

• Beforecleaning,repairing,orinspecting,makecertainthe

blade(s)andallmovingpartshavestopped.Disconnectthespark

plugwireandgroundagainsttheenginetopreventunintended

starting.

• Periodicallychecktomakesurethebladescometocomplete

stopwithinapproximately(5)fivesecondsafteroperatingthe

bladedisengagementcontrol.Ifthebladesdonotstopwithinthe

thistimeframe,yourmachineshouldbeservicedprofessionally

byaSearsorotherqualifiedservicedealer.

• Checkbrakeoperationfrequentlyasitissubjectedtowearduring

normaloperation.Adjustandserviceasrequired.

• Checktheblade(s)andenginemountingboltsatfrequent

intervalsforpropertightness.Also,visuallyinspectblade(s)

fordamage(e.g.,excessivewear,bent,cracked).Replacethe

blade(s)withtheoriginalequipmentmanufacturer's(O.E.M.)

blade(s)only,listedinthismanual.Useofpartswhichdonot

meettheoriginalequipmentspecificationsmayleadtoimproper

performanceandcompromisesafety!

• Mowerbladesaresharp.Wrapthebladeorweargloves,anduse

extracautionwhenservicingthem.

• Keepallnuts,bolts,andscrewstighttobesuretheequipmentis

insafeworkingcondition.

• Nevertamperwiththesafetyinterlocksystemor othersafety

devices.Checktheirproperoperationregularly.

• Afterstrikinga foreignobject,stoptheengine,disconnectthe

sparkplugwire(s)andgroundagainsttheengine.Thoroughly

inspectthemachineforanydamage.Repairthedamagebefore

startingandoperating.

• Neverattempttomakeadjustmentsor repairstothemachine

whiletheengineis running.

• Grasscatchercomponentsandthedischargecoverare subject

towearanddamagewhichcouldexposemovingpartsor allow

objectsto bethrown.Forsafetyprotection,frequentlycheck

componentsand replaceimmediatelywithoriginalequipment

manufacturer's(O.E.M.)partsonly,listedinthis manual.Useof

partswhichdo notmeettheoriginalequipmentspecificationsmay

leadtoimproperperformanceandcompromisesafety!

• Donotchangetheenginegovernorsettingsorover-speedthe

engine.Thegovernorcontrolsthemaximumsafeoperatingspeed

oftheengine.

Maintainorreplacesafetyandinstructionlabels,asnecessary.

• Observeproperdisposallawsandregulationsforgas,oil,etc.to

protecttheenvironment.

• Accordingtothe ConsumerProductsSafetyCommission(CPSC)

andthe U.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency(EPA),this product

hasanAverageUsefulLifeofseven(7)years,or 270hours

ofoperation.AttheendoftheAverageUsefulLife,buyanew

machineor havethemachineinspectedannuallybya Searsor

otherqualifiedservicedealerto ensurethatallmechanicaland

safetysystemsareworkingproperlyandnotwornexcessively.

Failuretodosocanresultinaccidents,injuriesor death.

DO NOT MODIFY ENGINE

Toavoidseriousinjuryor death,do notmodifyengineinanyway.

Tamperingwiththegovernorsettingcanleadtoa runawayengineand

causeittooperateat unsafespeeds.Nevertamperwithfactorysetting

ofenginegovernor.

NOTICE REGARDING EMISSIONS

Engineswhicharecertifiedto complywithCaliforniaandfederal

EPAemissionregulationsforSORE(SmallOffRoadEquipment)are

certifiedtooperateon regularunleadedgasoline,andmayinclude

thefollowingemissioncontrolsystems:EngineModification(EM)and

ThreeWayCatalyst(TWO)if soequipped.

SPARK ARRESTOR

Thismachineisequippedwithaninternalcombustionengineand

shouldnotbe usedonor nearanyunimprovedforest-covered,

brushcoveredorgrass-coveredlandunlesstheengine'sexhaust

systemisequippedwitha sparkarrestermeetingapplicablelocalor

statelaws(ifany).

Ifa sparkarresteris used,itshouldbe maintainedin effectiveworking

orderbytheoperator.IntheStateof Californiatheaboveisrequired

bylaw(Section4442of theCaliforniaPublicResourcesCode).Other

statesmayhavesimilarlaws.Federallawsapplyonfederallands.

A sparkarresterforthemufflerisavailablethroughyournearestSears

PartsandRepairServiceCenter.

6

SAFETY SYMBOLS

Thispagedepictsanddescribessafetysymbolsthatmayappearonthis product.Read,understand,andfollowallinstructionson themachine

beforeattemptingtoassembleandoperate.

0

A

READ THE OPERATOR'S MANUAL(S)

Read, understand, and follow all instructions in the manual(s) before attempting to assemble and

operate

DANGER-- ROTATING BLADES

Never carry passengers. Never carry children, even with the blades off.

DANGER-- ROTATING BLADES

Always look down and behind before and while backing to avoid a back-over accident.

WARNING-- ROTATING BLADES

Do not put hands or feet near rotating parts or under the cutting deck. Contact with the blade(s)

can amputate hands and feet.

WARNING--THROWN OBJECTS

This machine may pick up and throw and objects which can cause serious personal injury.

WARNING--THROWN OBJECTS

This machine may pick up and throw and objects which can cause serious personal injury.

BYSTANDERS

Keep bystanders, helpers, children and pets at least 75 feet from the machine while it is in

operation.

WARNING-- SLOPE OPERATION

Do not operate this machine on a slope greater than 15 degrees.

WARNING-- HOT SURFACE

Engine parts, especially the muffler, become extremely hot during operation. Allow engine and

muffler to cool before touching.

DANGER-- ROTATING BLADES

To reduce the risk of injury, keep hands and feet away. Do not operate unless discharge cover or grass

catcher is in its proper place. If damaged, replace immediately.

7

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ROTATING BLADES CAUSE

SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH

DONOTMOWWHENCHILDRENOROTHERSARE

AROUND

NEVERCARRYCHILDRENEVENWITHBLADE(S)OFF.

LOOKDOWNANDBEHINDBEFOREANDWHILE

BACKING.

MOWINGINREVERSEISNOTRECOMMENDED.

WARNING

Thissymbol points out important safety instructions

which, if notfollowed,could endangerthe personal

safety and/or property of yourselfand others. Readand

follow all instructions inthis manualbeforeattempting

to operatethis machine.Failuretocomply with these

instructions may resultin personalinjury.When yousee

this symbol HEED ITS WARNING!

Your Responsibility

Restrictthe useof this powermachineto persons who

read, understand,and follow the warningsand instruc-

tions in this manual and onthe machine.

9

IMPORTANT:Yourtractorisshippedwithmotoroil in theengine.

However,youMUSTchecktheoil levelbeforeoperating.Refertothe

Service& Maintenancesectionforinstructionson checkingtheoil

level.

Attaching the Battery Cables

CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65

Batteryposts,terminals,andrelatedaccessoriescontainleadand

leadcompounds,chemicalsknowntotheStateof Californiato

causecancerandreproductiveharm.Washhandsafterhandling.

Whenattachingbatterycables,alwaysconnectthePOSITIVE(Red)

wiretoits terminalfirst,followedbytheNEGATIVE(Black)wire.

Forshippingreasons,bothbatterycablesonyourequipmentmay

havebeenleftdisconnectedfromtheterminalsatthefactory.To

connectthebatterycables,proceedasfollows:

NOTE:ThepositivebatteryterminalismarkedPos.(+).Thenegative

batteryterminalis markedNeg.(-).

1. Removethe plasticcover,if present,fromthe positivebattery

terminalandattachthe redcableto thepositivebatteryterminal

(+)withtheboltandhexnut.See Figure1.

2. Removethe plasticcover,if present,fromthe negativebattery

terminalandattachtheblackcabletothenegativebattery

terminal(-) withtheboltandhexnut.SeeFigure1.

f

J

Figure1

3. Positionthe redrubberbootoverthepositivebatteryterminalto

helpprotectitfromcorrosion.

NOTE:If thebatteryisputintoserviceafterthedateshownon topof

battery,chargethebatteryas instructedintheService& Maintenance

sectionofthis manualpriortooperatingthetractor.

Shipping Brace Removal

Makesuretheridingmower'sengineisoff,removetheignitionkey,

andset theparkingbrakebeforeremovingtheshippingbrace.Refer

ItotheOperationsectionforinstructionsonhowto settheparking

lbrake.

• Locatetheshippingbrace,ifpresent,andaccompanyingwarning

tagfoundonthe rightsideofthemower,betweenthedischarge

chutedeflectorandthecuttingdeck.SeeFig.2.

//

Figure2

Placethedecklift leverinthehighestcuttingposition.Referto

SettingtheCuttingHeightin theOperationsectionofthismanual.

Whilepushingthedischargechuteddlectortowardsthemachinewith

yourlefthand,removetheshippingbracewithyourrighthandbygrasp-

ingitbetweenyourthumbandindexfingerandrotatingitclockwise.

Theshippingbrace,usedforpackagingpurposesonly,mustbe

removedand discardedbeforeoperatingyourridingmower.

Themowingdeck iscapableofthrowingobjects.Failureto operate

the ridingmowerwithoutthedischargecoverintheproperoperating

Ipositioncouldresultin seriouspersonalinjuryand/orproperty

ldamage.

Attaching The Steering Wheel

Ifthesteeringwheelforyourtractordid notcomeattached,the

hardwareforattachingithasbeenpackedwithinthesteeringwheel,

beneaththesteeringwheelcap.Carefullypryoff thesteeringwheel

capandremovethe hardware.

1. Withthewheelsofthetractorpointingstraightforward,placethe

steeringwheeloverthesteeringshaft.

2. Placethewasher(withthecuppedsidedown)overthesteering

wheeland securewiththehexbolt.SeeFig.3-3.

10

f

\

Figure3

3. Placethe steeringwheelcap overthecenterofthe steering

wheeland pushdownwarduntilit"clicks"intoplace.

Attaching The Seat

If theseatforyourtractorwasnotattachedatthefactory,refertothe

followingsteps.

NOTE: Forshippingreasons,seatsareeitherfastenedtothetractor

seat'spivotbracketwitha plastictie,or mountedbackwardtothepivot

bracket.Ineithercase,freetheseatfromits shippingpositionand

removetheadjustmentknobfromthebottomof seatbeforeproceed-

ingwiththeinstructionsbelow.

1. Positionthe shoulderscrews(foundon the baseofthe seat)

insidethe slotopeningsintheseatpivotbracket.

Fig.4.

2. Slidetheseat slightlyrearwardin theseatpivot bracket,lining

up thecenterrearslotin thepivotbracketwiththeremaininghole

in theseat'sbase.

Figure4

3. Selectdesiredpositionfor theseat,and securewiththeadjust-

mentknobremovedearlier.

4. Toadjustthepositionof theseat,loosentheadjustmentknob

on thebottomoftheseat.Slidetheseatforwardor backwardas

desired.Retightentheadjustmentknob.

Tire Pressure

X

Maximumtire pressureunderanycircumstancesis30 psi.Equal

tirepressureshouldbe maintainedatall times.Neverexceedthe

_maxmum nfatonpressureshownonthesdewa of thet re.

Therecommendedoperatingtirepressureis:

Approximately10psiforthe reartires

Approximately14psiforthefronttires

IMPORTANT: Refertothetiresidewallforexacttiremanufacturer's

recommendedormaximumpsi.Donotoverinfiate.Uneventirepres-

surecouldcausethecuttingdeckto mowunevenly.

11

B

14

A

C

G

D

F

Figure5

A SpeedControlLever/ ParkingBrakeLever

B Throttle/chokecontrollever

C IgnitionSwitchModule

D DeckLiftLever

E PTOLever(BladeEngage)

F CupHolder

G ShiftLever

H Clutch-BrakePedal

NOTE: Anyreferencein thismanualtotheRIGHTor LEFTsideofthetractorisobservedfromoperator'sseat

positionfacingforwardtowardsthefrontof tractor.

Meets ANSi Safety Standards

CraftsmanTractorsconformtothesafetystandardoftheAmericanNationalStandardsInstitute(ANSI).

E

J

12

SPEED CONTROL LEVER

Thespeedcontrollever,locatedontheleft sideofthe

tractor'sdashconsole,allowsyouto regulatetheground

speedofthelawntractor.Touse,depresstheclutch-

brakepedalandmovetheleveroutoftheparkingbrake

notchandforwardtoincreasethetractor'sgroundspeed.

Whenadesiredspeedhasbeenreached,releasethe

leverintoanappropriatenotchto maintainthatspeed.

Toslowthetractor'sgroundspeed,depresstheclutch-

brakepedalandmovethespeedcontrolleverrearward

andreleaseit intoa notch.

PARKING BRAKE

Tosettheparkingbrake,fullydepresstheclutch-brake _._J

PARK

pedal.Movethespeedcontrolleverall thewaydownand BRAKE

intotheparkingbrakeposition.Releasetheclutch-brake

pedaltoallowtheparkingbraketo engage.

Toreleasetheparkingbrake,depresstheclutch-brakepedaland

movethespeedcontrolleveroutofthenotchestothedesiredposition.

Releasethespeedcontrolleverandtheclutch-brakepedal.

NOTE:Theparkingbrakemustbe setiftheoperatorleavestheseat

withtheenginerunningor theenginewillautomaticallyshutoff.

THROTTLE/CHOKE CONTROL LEVER

Thethrottle/chokecontrolleverislocatedon therightsideof thetrac-

tor'sdashpanel.Thislevercontrolsthespeedoftheengineandwhen

pushedall thewayforward,thechokecontrolalso.Whensetin a given

position,thethrottlewillmaintaina uniformenginespeed.

iMPORTANT:Whenoperatingthetractorwiththecuttingdeck

engaged,thethrottle/chokecontrollevermustalwaysbein theFAST

(rabbit)position.

IGNITION SWITCH MODULE

Thekeyswitchmoduleisusedto

startand stoptheengine.Itis also

usedtoactivatetheReverseCaution

Mode(bladesoperatewhileriding

in reverse).Insertkeyintothekey

switchmoduleandturnclockwiseto

theSTARTposition.Releasethekey

intothenormalmowingpositiononce

enginehasstarted.Theheadlights

willbeactivatedin theNormal(and

ReverseCaution)modes.

Tostoptheengine,turntheignitionkey

counterclockwisetotheSTOPposition.

CHILDREN AROUND

@

IMPORTANT:Priortooperatingthetractor,refertoboththe"Safety

InterlockSystem"and"StartingTheEngine"laterinthissectionofthis

manualfordetailedinstructionsregardingtheIgnitionSwitchModule

andoperatingthetractorinREVERSECAUTIONMODE.

Neverleavearunningmachineunattended.AlwaysdisengagePTO

(BladeEngageLever),moveshiftleverintoneutralposition,setpark-

ingbrake,stopengineandremovekeyto preventunintendedstarting.

SHIFT LEVER

Theshiftleverislocatedontheleft

sideofthefenderand hasthree

positions,FORWARD,NEUTRAL

and REVERSE.Theclutch-brake

pedalmustbedepressedandthe

tractormustnotbe inmotionwhen

themovingshiftlever.

iMPORTANT:Neverforcethe

shiftlever.Doingsomayresultin

seriousdamagetothetractor's

transmission.

DECK LIFT LEVER

Foundonyourtractor'srightfender,thedeckliftleveris used

tochangetheheightofthecuttingdeck.Touse,movethe

levertotheleft,thenplacein thenotchbestsuitedforyour

application.

PTO (BLADE ENGAGE) LEVER

Foundonthetractor'srightfender,the PTO(bladeengage)

leveris usedtoengagepowertothecuttingdeckorother

(separatelyavailable)attachments.Tooperate,movethe

leverall thewayforward.Movingtheleveralltheway

rearwardintothePTOOFFpositiondisengagespowertothe

cuttingdeck/attachment.

NOTE:ThePTO(bladeengage)levermustbe inthe

disengaged(PTOOFF)positionwhenstartingtheengine.

CUP HOLDER

Thetractor'scupholderis locatedonthefendertotheleft of

theseat.

SEAT ADJUSTMENT KNOB

Theseatadjustmentknobislocatedonthebottomsideoftheseat.

Usethisknobtoadjusttheseatforwardor rearwardtoa comfortable

operatingpositionbylooseningtheknob,positioningtheseattothe

desiredpreference,thenretighteningtheknob.

CLUTCH-BRAKE PEDAL

Theclutch-brakepedalislocatedontheleft sideofthelawntractor,

alongtherunningboard.Depresstheclutch-brakepedalpartway

downwhenslowingthetractorbychangingspeeds(RefertoSpeed

ControlLever).Depressthepedalall thewaydowntoengagethedisc

brakeandbringthetractortoa completestop.

NOTE:Thepedalmustbe depressedto starttheengine.Referto

SafetyInterlockSwitcheslaterin thissectionof thismanual.

13

Gas and Oil Fill=up

0il

iMPORTANT:Yourtractorisshippedwithmotoroil intheengine.

However,youMUSTchecktheoil levelbeforeoperating.Becareful

notto overfill.

Forinstructionsonhowtochecktheengineoil, referto CheckingThe

EngineOilin theServiceandMaintenancesectionofthis manual.

Gasoline

Thegasolinetankislocatedunderthehood.Donotoverfill.

Useextremecarewhenhandlinggasoline.Gasolineisextremely

flammableandthevaporsareexplosive.Neverfuelmachineindoors

orwhiletheengineishotor running.Extinguishcigarettes,cigars,

[ppes,andothersourcesof gn ton.

NOTE : Purchasegasolineinsmallquantities.Donotusegasolineleft

overfromthe previousseason,tominimizegumdepositsinthefuel

system.

• Thisengineiscertifiedtooperateon unleadedgasoline.Forbest

results,fillthefueltankwithonlyclean,fresh,unleadedgasoline

witha pumpstickeroctaneratingof87or higher.

• Gasohol(upto 10%ethylalcohol,90%unleadedgasolineby

volume)isanapprovedfuel.Othergasoline/alcoholblends,such

asE85,arenotapproved.

• MethylTertiaryButylEther(MTBE)andunleadedgasolineblends

(uptoa maximumof 15%MTBEbyvolume)are approvedfuels.

Othergasoline/etherblendsare notapproved.

• Fillfueltankoutdoorsorin well-ventilatedarea.

• Donotoverfillfueltank.Filltanktono morethan1/2inchbelow

bottomoffillernecktoallowspaceforfuelexpansion.

• Neverremovegascapor addfuelwhiletheengineishotor run-

ning.Allowenginetocoolatleasttwo minutesbeforerefueling.

• Ifgasolineisspilled,wipeitoff theengineandequipment.Move

machinetoanotherarea.Wait5 minutesbeforestartingthe

engine.

To Add Gasoline

1. Turntheengineoff andletenginecoolatleast2 minutesbefore

removingthefuelcap.Thegasolinetankisunderthe rearfender,

withthefuelfillcaplocatedinthecenterofthe rearfender.

Thefuelcapistetheredtothetractortopreventitsloss.Donot

attempttoremovethecapfromthetractor.

2. Fillthefueltankwithgasoline.

3. Reinstallthefuelcap.

For California Models:

ForCaliforniamodelsequippedwithatethered,ratchetingfuelcap,

STOPfillingtankoncefuelis seeninsidethefillerneck. Thisensures

thata properexpansionvolumeiscreated,otherwisethefuelcanover-

flowcreatingahazardoussituation. DoNOTfilltothetopofthefiller

neck.On Californiamodels,fillthetank inaccordancewith Figure6.

Figure6

Avoid Serious injury or Death

• Go upanddownslopes,notacross.

• Avoidsuddenturns.

• Donotoperatetheunitwhereitcouldslipor tip.

• Ifmachinestopsgoinguphill,stopbladesand backdownhill

slowly.

• Donotmowwhenchildrenorothersare around.

• Nevercarrychildren,evenwithbladesoff.

• Lookdownand behindbeforeandwhilebacking.

• Keepsafetydevices(guards,shields,and switches)inplace

andworking.

• Removeobjectsthat couldbethrownbytheblades.

• Knowlocationandfunctionofall controls.

• Besurebladesandenginearestoppedbeforeplacinghandsor

feetnearblades.

• Beforeleavingoperator'sposition,stoptractor,disengage

blades,engageparkingbrake,shutengineoff,and removekey.

Read Operator's Manual

SAFETY INTERLOCK SYSTEM

Thesafetyinterlocksystemisdesignedforsafeoperationofthetrac-

tor.If thissystemshouldevermalfunction,donotoperatethetractor,

immediatelycontact1-800-4-MY-HOMEto havethesystemserviced.

• Thesafetyinterlocksystempreventstheenginefromstarting

unlesstheparkingbrakeisengagedandthe PTO(BladeEngage)

leveris inthedisengaged(OFF)position.

• Thesafetyinterlocksystemwillautomaticallyshutofftheengineif

theoperatorleavestheseatbeforeengagingtheparkingbrake.

• Thesafetyinterlocksystemwillautomaticallyshutofftheengine

if theoperatorleavesthetractor'sseatwiththePTO(Blade

Engage)leverengaged,regardlessof whethertheparkingbrake

is engaged.

14

REVERSE CAUTION MODE

UseextremecautionwhileoperatingthetractorintheREVERSE

CAUTIONMODE.Alwayslookdownand behindbeforeandwhile

backing.Donotoperatethetractorwhenchildrenor othersare

around.Stopthetractorimmediatelyifsomeoneentersthearea.

TheREVERSECAUTIONMODEpositionofthekeyswitchmodule

allowsthetractorto beoperatedinreversewiththeblades(PTO)

engaged.

iMPORTANT: Mowinginreverseisnotrecommended.

TousetheREVERSECAUTIONMODE:

iMPORTANT: TheoperatorMUSTbeseatedinthetractorseat.

1. Startengineasinstructedunderthe headingStartingTheEngine

laterinthissection.

2. TurnthekeyfromtheNORMALMO%NG (Green)positiontothe

REVERSECAUTIONMODE(Yellow)positionofthekeyswitch

module.SeeFigure7.

3. DepresstheREVERSEPUSHBUTTON(Orange,Triangular

Button)atthetop,rightcornerofthekeyswitchmodule.Thered

indicatorlightatthetop,leftcornerofthekeyswitchmodulewill

beONwhileactivated.SeeFigure7.

f Reverse

Push

Button

indicator

REVERSE PUSH

Light BUTTON--'_

Reverse

Caution - Normal

Mode Driving

Position Mode

Stop

position

Figure 7

4. Onceactivated(indicatorlightON),thetractorcanbedrivenin

reversewiththecuttingblades(PTO)engaged.

5. Alwayslookdownand behindbeforeandwhilebackingtomake

surenochildrenarearound.

6. Afterresumingforwardmotion,returnthekeytothe NORMAL

MO%NG position.

iMPORTANT: TheREVERSECAUTIONMODEwillremainactivated

until:

a.

ThekeyisplacedineithertheNORMALMO%NGposition

orSTOPposition.

Theoperatorengagestheparkingbrakebyfullydepressing

theclutch-brakepedalandholdingitdownwhilemovingthe

speedcontrolleverintothePARKBRAKEposition.

ENGAGING THE PARKING BRAKE

To engage the parking brake:

1. Fullydepresstheclutch-brakepedaland holditdownwithyour

foot.

2. Movethe speedcontrolleverall thewaydownandintothe

parkingbrakeposition.

3. Releasetheclutch-brakepedaltoallowtheparkingbraketo

engage.

To release the parking brake:

1. Depresstheclutch-brakepedaland movethespeedcontrollever

outoftheparkingbrakepositionandintoadesiredspeed.

SETTING THE CUTTING HEIGHT

1. Selecttheheightpositionofthecuttingdeckbyplacingthedeck

liftleverin anyofthesixdifferentcuttingheightnotchesonthe

rightsideofthefender.

Keephandsandfeetawayfromthedischargeopeningofthecutting

deck.

STARTING THE ENGINE

Donotoperatethetractoriftheinterlocksystemismalfunctioning.

Thissystemwasdesignedforyoursafetyand protection.

NOTE:RefertotheGasolineandOilfill-upinstructionsearlierin this

section.

1. Insertthetractorkeyintotheignitionswitch.

2. PlacethePTO(BladeEngage)leverinthedisengaged(OFF)

position.

3. Engagethetractor'sparkingbrake.

4. Activatethechokecontrolbymovingthethrottle/chokeleverall

thewayupintothechokeposition.

5. TurntheignitionkeyclockwisetotheSTARTposition.Afterthe

enginestarts,releasethekey.ItwillreturntotheON(or Normal

Mowing)position.

DO NOTholdthekeyintheSTARTpositionforlongerthanten

secondsata time.Doingsomaycausedamagetoyourengine's

electricstarter.

6. Aftertheenginestarts,deactivatethechokecontrolandplacethe

throttlecontrolin theFASTposition.

NOTE:DoNOTleavethechokecontrolon whileoperatingthetractor.

Doingsowillresultina "rich"fuelmixtureandcausetheenginetorun

poorly.

15

STOPPING THE ENGINE

If youstrikea foreignobject,stoptheengine,disconnectthespark

plugwire(s)andgroundagainsttheengine.Thoroughlyinspectthe

machineforanydamage.Repairthedamagebeforerestartingand

operating

1. Ifthe bladesareengaged,placethePTO(BladeEngage)leverin

thedisengaged(OFF)position.

2. TurntheignitionkeycounterclockwisetotheSTOPposition.

3. Removethe keyfromtheignitionswitchto preventunintended

starting.

DRIVING THE TRACTOR

Avoidsuddenstarts,excessivespeedandsuddenstops.

DonotleavetheseatofthetractorwithoutfirstplacingthePTO

(BladeEngage)leverinthedisengaged(OFF)position,depressing

Ithebrakepedalandengagingtheparkingbrake.Ifleavingthetractor

[unattended,alsoturntheignitionkeyoffandremovethekey.

Alwayslookdownandbehindbeforeandwhilebackinguptoavoida

back-overaccident.

1. Depresstheclutch-brakepedaltoreleasetheparkingbrakeand

thenletthepedalup.

2. MovethethrottleleverintotheFAST(rabbit)position.

3. PlacetheshiftleverineithertheFORWARDor REVERSE

position.

IMPORTANT: DoNOTusetheshiftleverto changethedirectionof

travelwhenthetractorisin motion.Alwaysusetheclutch-brakepedal

tobringthetractortoa completestopbeforeshifting.

4. Releasetheparkingbrakebydepressingtheclutch-brakepedal

andpositioningthespeedcontrolleverinthedesiredposition.

IMPORTANT: First-timeoperatorsshouldusespeedpositions1or

2.Becomecompletelyfamiliarwiththetractor'soperationandcontrols

beforeoperatingthetractorinhigherspeedpositions.

5. Releaseclutch-brakepedalslowlytoputunitintomotion.

6. Thelawntractorisbroughttoa stopbydepressingtheclutch-

brakepedal.

NOTE:Whenoperatingtheunitinitially,therewillbe littledifference

betweenthehighesttwospeedsuntilafterthe beltshaveseated

themselvesintothepulleysduringthebreak-inperiod.

WARNING!Beforeleavingtheoperator'spositionforanyreason,

disengagetheblades,placetheshiftleverinneutral,engagethe

parkingbrake,shutengineoff andremovethekey.

IMPORTANT: Whenstoppingthetractorforanyreasonwhileona

grasssurface,always:

1. Placetheshiftleverinneutral,

2. Engagetheparkingbrake,

3. Shutengineoffand removethekey.Doingsowillminimizethe

possibilityofhavingyourlawn"browned"byhotexhaustfrom

yourtractor'srunningengine.

Ifunitstallswithspeedcontrolinhighspeed,orif unitwillnotoperate

withspeedcontrolleverin a lowspeedposition,proceedas follows:

1. PlaceshiftleverinNEUTRAL.

2. Restartengine.

3. Placespeedcontrolleverinhighestspeedposition.

4. Releaseclutch-brakepedalfully.

5. Depressclutch-brakepedal.

6. Placespeedcontrolleverindesiredposition.

7. PlaceshiftleverineitherFORWARDor REVERSE,andfollow

normaloperatingprocedures.

DRIVING ON SLOPES

RefertotheSLOPEGAUGEintheSafetyInstructionssectionofthe

manualto helpdetermineslopeswhereyoumayoperatethistractor

safely.

Donotmowon inclineswitha slopeinexcessof 15degrees(a rise

ofapproximately2-1/2feetevery10feet).Thetractorcouldoverturn

andcauseseriousinjury.

• Mowupanddownslopes,NEVERacross.

• Exerciseextremecautionwhenchangingdirectionon slopes.

• Watchforholes,ruts,bumps,rocks,orotherhiddenobjects.

Uneventerraincouldoverturnthemachine.Tallgrasscanhide

obstacles.

• Avoidturnswhendrivingon a slope.If a turnmustbe made,turn

downtheslope.Turningupa slopegreatlyincreasesthechance

ofa rollover.

• Avoidstoppingwhendrivingup a slope.If itisnecessarytostop

whiledrivingupa slope,startupsmoothlyandcarefullyto reduce

thepossibilityofflippingthetractoroverbackward.

ENGAGING THE BLADES

Engagingthe PTO(BladeEngage)transferspowertothecuttingdeck

or other(separatelyavailable)attachments.Toengagetheblades,

proceedasfollows:

1. Movethethrottle/chokecontrollevertotheFAST(rabbit)position.

2. GraspthePTO(BladeEngage)leverandpivotitall theway

forwardintotheengaged(ON)position.

3. KeepthethrottleleverintheFAST(rabbit)positionforthemost

efficientuseofthecuttingdeckorother(separatelyavailable)

attachments.

NOTE:Theenginewillautomaticallyshutoff ifthePTOisengaged

withtheshiftleverinpositionforreversetravelwiththeignitionkeyin

the NORMALMOWINGposition.

MULCHING

A mulch kit isavailableasan attachment.Mulching isa processof

recirculating grass clippings repeatedly beneaththecutting deck.

Theultra-fineclippings are then forcedbackinto the lawnwhere

they act asa naturalfertilizer.

16

A mulchkit canbe purchased,SeetheReplacementParts& Attach-

mentssectionofthis manualformoreinformation.

USING THE DECK LIFT LEVER

Toraisethecuttingdeck,movethedecklift levertothe left,thenplace

itin thenotchbestsuitedforyourapplication.RefertoSettingThe

CuttingHeightearlierinthis Operationsection.

MOWING

Tohelpavoidbladecontactor a thrownobjectinjury,keepbystand-

ers,helpers,childrenandpetsatleast75feetfromthemachine

whileitis inoperation.Stopmachineifanyoneentersthearea.

Thefollowinginformationwillbehelpfulwhenusingthecuttingdeck

withyourtractor:

Planyourmowingpatterntoavoiddischargeof materialstoward

roads,sidewalks,bystandersandthelike.Also,avoiddischarging

materialagainstawallor obstructionwhichmaycausedischarged

materialto ricochetbacktowardtheoperator.

HEADLIGHTS

• Thelampsare ONwheneverthetractor'sengineis running.

• ThelampsturnOFFwhentheignitionkeyismovedtotheSTOP

position.

• Donotmowathighgroundspeed,especiallyifa mulchkitor

grasscollectorisinstalled.

• Forbestresultsitis recommendedthatthefirsttwolapsbecut

withthedischargethrowntowardsthecenter.Afterthefirsttwo

laps,reversethedirectiontothrowthedischargetotheoutside

forthebalanceofcutting.Thiswillgivea betterappearancetothe

lawn.

• Donotcut thegrasstooshort.Shortgrassinvitesweedgrowth

andyellowsquicklyindryweather.

• Mowingshouldalwaysbedonewiththeengineatfullthrottle.

• Underheavierconditionsitmaybenecessarytogo backoverthe

cutareaa secondtimetogeta cleancut.

• DoNOTattempttomowheavybrushandweedsandextremely

tallgrass.Yourtractorisdesignedto mowlawns,NOTclear

brush.

• Keepthebladessharpandreplacethebladeswhenworn.Refer

toCuttingBladesin theServicesectionofthis manualforproper

bladesharpeninginstructions.

17

MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE

Beforeperforminganytypeofmaintenance/service,disengageall

controlsandstoptheengine.Waituntilallmovingpartshavecometo

acompletestop.Disconnectsparkplugwireandgrounditagainstthe

enginetopreventunintendedstarting.Alwayswearsafetyglassesduring

operationor whileperforminganyadjustmentsor repairs.

Followthemaintenanceschedulegivenbelow.Thischartdescribes

serviceguidelinesonly.UsetheServiceLogcolumntokeeptrack

ofcompletedmaintenancetasks.Tolocate the nearest Parts&

RepairService Centeror to scheduleservice,simplycontact

1-800-4-MY-HOME®.

BeforeEachUse

IntheFirstFiveHours

Every10Hours

Every25 hours

Every50 hours

Annually

BeforeStorage

1. Engineoil level

2. Mufflerareaandcontrols

3. Fingerguard

1. EngineOil

1. Hood/Dashairvents

2. Batteryterminals

3. Deckspindlesand idler

bracket

1. Air filter'sprecleaner*

2. Air filter*

3. Midsteeringarms,pivot

shafts,andaxles

4. Frontwheelbearings

5. Frontdeckwheels

1. Engineoil

2. Muffler

1. Air filter

2. Air filter'spre-cleaner

3. Sparkplug

4. Air coolingsystem*

5. Fuelfilter

6. SteeringGears

7. RearWheels

1. Hood/Dashairvents

2. Batteryterminals

3. Midsteeringarms,pivot

shafts,andaxles

4. Frontwheelbearings

5. Frontdeckwheels

6. Deckspindlesand idler

bracket

7. Pedalpivotpoints

1. Check

2. Clean

3. Clean

1. Change

1. Clean

2. Clean

3. Lubricate

1. Clean

2. Clean

3. Lubricate

4. Lubricate

5. Lubricate

1. Change

2. Check

1. Replace

2. Replace

3. Replace

4. Clean

5. Replace

6. Clean

7. Removeandgreaseaxles

1. Clean

2. Clean

3. Lubricate

4. Lubricate

5. Lubricate

6. Lubricate

7. Lubricate

*Servicemorefrequentlyunderdustyconditions.

Beforeperforminganymaintenanceor repairs,disengagethePTO

(BladeEngageLever),engagetheparkingbrake,stoptheengine

and removethekeytopreventunintendedstarting.

Iftheenginehasbeen recentlyrun,theengine,mufflerandsur-

roundingmetalsurfaceswillbehotand cancauseburnsto theskin.

Exercisecautiontoavoidburns.

18

ENGINE MAINTENANCE

Checking the Engine Oil

Onlyusehighqualitydetergentoil ratedwithAPIserviceclassification

SF,SG,SH,or SJ,Selecttheoil'sSAEviscositygradeaccordingto

theexpectedoperatingtemperature.Followthechartbelow.

Althoughmulti-viscosityoils(5W20,10W30,etc.)improvestarting

in coldweather,theywillresultinincreasedoil consumptionwhen

usedabove32°RCheckyourengineoillevelmorefrequentlytoavoid

possibleenginedamagefromrunninglowonoil.

f'_older 32°F _Warmer_

,_. Oil Viscosity Chart j

Tochecktheengineoil,proceedasfollows:

1. Ensurethatthetractorisona levelsurface.

2. Cleantheoil fillareaofanydebris.

3. Removethedipstickandwipewithacleancloth.

4. Insertandtightendipstick.

5. Removethedipstickandchecktheoil level.It shouldbeatthe

Fullmarkonthedipstick.SeeFigure9.

f

Dipstick_

Changing Engine Oil

Theengineoil shouldbechangedinthefirst5 hoursand thenevery

50 hoursoroncea season.Tochangetheengineoil,proceedas

follows:

1. WithengineOFFbutstillwarm,disconnectsparkplugwireand

keepitawayfromsparkplug.

2. Removetheoilfillcap/dipstickfromtheoil filltube.SeeFigure9.

3. Cliptheoildrainsleeve(packedwiththismanual)ontotheoil

drainport. Routetheoppositeendofthesleeveintoanappropri-

ateoilcollectioncontainerwitha capacitygreatenoughtocollect

theusedoil.

4. Removedrainpluganddrainoil intoa suitablecontainerwitha

capacityof nolessthan64 oz.

5. Performsteps2 through4 intheoppositeorderafteroil has

finisheddraining.

6. Refilltheenginewithnewmotoroil untiltheoil levelonthe

dipstickreadsFULL.Replacetheoilfillcap/dipstick.

Usedoil isa hazardouswasteproduct.Disposeofusedoil properly.

Donotdiscardwithhouseholdwaste.Checkwithyourlocalauthori-

ties oror contact1-800-4-MY-HOMEforalist ofsafedisposal/

recyclingfacilities.

7. Reconnectsparkplugwire.

OilDrain

Valve

Oil Drain

Sleeve

Figure9

6. If low,addoil slowlyintotheengineoilfill. Donotoverfill.After

addingoil,waitoneminuteand thenrechecktheoil level.

Donotoverfill.Overfillingwithoil maycausetheenginetonotstart,

hardstarting,orenginesmoking.IfovertheFULLmarkonthe

dipstick,drainoil toreduceoil leveltoFULLmarkondipstick.

7. Replaceandtightendipstick.

19

Fuel Filter Air Cleaner

Gasolineand itsvaporsareextremelyflammableandexplosive.Fire

orexplosioncancausesevereburnsor death.

• Keepgasolineawayfromsparks,openflames,pilotlights,heat,

andotherignitionsources.

• Checkfuellines,tank,cap,andfittingsfrequentlyforcracksor

leaks.Replaceif necessary.

• Beforereplacingthefuelfilter,drainthefueltankasperthe

instructionsbelow.

• Donotdrainfuelwhentheengineishot.Allowtheengine

adequatetimetocool. Drainfuelintoan approvedcontainer

outdoors,awayfromopenflame.

• Drainanylargevolumeoffuelfromthetankbydisconnectingthe

fuellinefromthein-linefuelfilterneartheengine.

• RemovethefuellinefromtheIn-lineside(sidetowardsthefuel

tank)of thefuelfilter.

• Replacementpartsmustbethesameand installedin thesame

positionastheoriginalparts.

• Iffuelspills,waituntilitevaporatesbeforestartingengine.

• Beforereplacingthefuelfilter,drainthefueltank.Otherwisefuel

canleakoutandcausea fireor explosion.

ToDrainthe fuel:

1. Locatethefuelfilter,whichisroutedontheleftsideoftheengine

betweenthefueltankandthecarburetor,andmaybeattachedto

theenginewitha tiestrap.Cutthetiestrap,ifpresent,thenpinch

thein-lineclamponthefuelfilterwitha pairofpliers,slidethe

clampupthefuelline.Pullthefuellinefreefromthefilterandplace

theopenendofthelineintoanapprovedcontainertodrainthefuel.

Tochangethe fuel filter:

1. Useplierstosqueezethetabsontheotherclamp(theout-line

sideofthefuelfilter),thenslidetheclampawayfromthefuelfilter.

Twistandpullthefuellineoff ofthefuelfilter.SeeFigure10.

2. Checkthefuellinesforcracksor leaks.Replaceifnecessary.

3. Replacethefuelfilterwithan originalequipmentreplacement

filter.Call1-800-4-MY-HOME®topurchasetheoriginalequip-

mentreplacementfilter.

4. Securethefuellineswiththeclamps.

Iffilters,or coversare notinstalledcorrectlyseriousinjuryordeath

couldresultfrombackfire.Donotattemptto starttheenginewith

themremoved.

Donotusepressurizedairor solventsto cleantheair cleaner

cartridge.

1. Removetheairfiltercover.

2. Toremovetheairfilter,lifttheendof thefilter.SeeFigure11.

f

Figure11

3. Removethepre-cleanerfromthefilter.

4. Toloosendebris,gentlytapthefilteron a hardsurface.If thefilter

isexcessivelydirty,replacewitha newfilter.

5. Washthepre-cleanerinliquiddetergentandwater.Allowitto

thoroughlyairdry.Donot oilthepre-cleaner.

6. Assemblethedrypre-cleanertothefilter.

7. Installthefilterintotheenginebaseand pushdownuntilthefilter

snapsin place.

8. Installthecover.

Tab

Clamp

Fuel

Line

Figure10

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