Sears Brands Mana gement Corpo ration, Hoffman Estates, IL 60 1 7 9, U .S.A.
Visit our website: ww w.craftsman.com
CAU TI O N: Be fore using this produc t,
read this manual a nd follow all safety
rules and operating instruc tions.
Opera tor’ s Ma nual
• SAFE T Y
• UNP ACKING P . 8
• ASSEMBL Y
• OPERA T ION
• MAINT ENANCE
• ESP AÑOL
2 1 ” LAWN MOWER
Model No. 2 4 7 .377 00 1
Fo rm N o. 76 9 -1212 9
(January 24, 201 7)
2
T ABL E OF CONTENT S
© Sears Brands, LLC
WARRANTY STA TEM ENT
CRAFTSM AN LIMITED WARRANT Y
FOR TWO YEARS from the date of sale, this product is warranted against any defec ts in material or workmanship.
WITH PROOF OF SALE, a defective product will receive free repair. If the product cannot be repaired it will be replaced free of charge.
For warranty coverage details to obtain free repair or replacement, visit the web page: www.craftsman.com/warranty
This warranty covers ONLY defects in material and workmanship. Warranty coverage does NOT include :
• Expendable items that can wear out from normal use within the warranty per iod, including but not limited to blades, spark plugs, air cleaners, belts,
and oil filters.
• Product damage resulting from user attempts at produc t modific ation or repair or caused by product accessories.
• Repairs necessary bec ause of accident or failure to operate or maintain the product according to all supplied instructions.
• Preventive maintenance , or repairs necessary due to improper f uel mixture, contaminated or stale fuel.
This warranty is void if this product is ever used while providing commercial services or if rented to another person.
This warranty gives you specific legal right s, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.
Sears Brands Management Corporation, Hoffman Est ates, IL 601 79
Warranty Stat ement ..............................Page 2
Safet y Inst ructi ons ............................Pa ges 3- 6
Slope Guide .....................................Page 7
Assembly ....................................P a g e s 8 -10
Adjustments ....................................P ag e 10
Operation ..................................Pa g e s 11 - 1 2
Service and Maintenance ....................Pa g e s 13 -14
Off-Season Storage ..............................Pa g e 15
T roubleshooting .............................Pa g e 16 -17
Español .........................................Pag e 21
Service Number ............................. Back Cover
MODEL NUMBERPRODU CT SPECI FIC A TION S
Engine Oil: SAE 10W- 30
Fuel: Unleaded Gasoline
Engine: Briggs & Stratton
Model Number ________________________________
Serial Number _________________________________
Date of Purchase _______________________________
Record the model number , serial number,
and date of purchase above.
3
SAFETY INSTRUC TIONS
GENERAL OPERA TION
• Read this operator’s manual caref ully in its entire ty before at tempting to
assemble this machine. Read, under stand, and follow all ins truction s on the
machine and in the manuals befor e operation. Keep this manual in a s afe
place for future and re gular reference and for or dering replacement par ts
• Be completely familiar wit h the controls and the prop er use of this machine
before operating it.
• This machine is a precision p iece of power equipment, not a play thing.
Therefore, exercise e xtreme c aution at all times. This machin e has been
designed to per form one job: to mow grass. D o not use it for any other
purpo se.
• Never allow children under 14 years of age to operate this m achine. Children
14 and over should read and understand the i nstruct ions and safe operati on
practices in thi s manual and on the machine and should be t rained and
supervised by an adult.
• Only responsible indi viduals who are familiar with t hese rules of saf e
operation should be allowed to us e this machine.
• Thoroughly inspec t the area where the eq uipment is to be used. Remove all
stones, stick s, wire, bones, toys and other fo reign object s, which could be
tripped over or picked up and t hrown by the blade. Thrown objec ts can cau se
serious personal injury.
• Plan your mowing pattern to avoid di scharge of material toward roa ds,
sidewalks, bystan ders and the like. Also, avoid discharging materia l against
a wall or obstruc tion, which may cause dis charged material to ricoch et back
toward the operator.
• To help avoid blade contact or a thrown objec t injury, stay in operator zone
behind handles and keep childr en, bystanders, help ers and pets at leas t 75
feet from mower whil e it is in operation. Stop machine if anyone ente rs area.
• Always wear safety gla sses or safet y goggles during o peration and while
perform ing an adjustment or repai r to protect your eyes. T hrown object s
which ricochet c an cause serious injur y to the eyes.
• Wear sturdy, rough-soled work shoe s and close-f itting slack s and shirt s.
Shirts and pant s that cover the arms and legs and s teel-toed shoes are
recommended. Never oper ate this machine in bare fee t, sandals, slippery o r
light-weight (e.g. canvas) shoes.
• Do not put hands or feet ne ar rotating par ts or under the cut ting deck.
Contact with blad e can amputate f ingers, hands, toes and fe et.
• A missing or damaged discharg e cover can cause blade contac t or thrown
object injuries.
• Many injuries occur as a result o f the mower being pulled over the foot
during a fall cause d by slipping or tripping. Do n ot hold on to the mower if
you are falling: release the handle imme diately.
• Never pull the mower back toward you while you ar e walking. If you must
back the mower away from a wall or obs tructio n firs t look down and behind
to avoid tripping and then follow t hese steps:
a. Step back from mower to fully ex tend your arms for ward.
b. Be sure you are well balanced with sure footing.
c. Pull the mower bac k slowly, no more than half way toward you.
d. Repeat these steps as needed.
• Do not operate the mower while unde r the influence of alcoho l or drugs.
• Do not engage the self-prop elled mechanism on machine s so equipped
while starting engine.
• The blade control handle is a s afety device. Never at tempt to bypass its
operation. Doing so makes t he safety dev ice inoperative and may result in
personal injur y through contac t with the rotatin g blade. The blade control
handle must operate easily in b oth directio ns and automatically retur n to the
disengaged position when released.
• Never operate the mower in wet grass. Al ways be sure of your footing. A
slip and fall can cause s erious personal inj ury. If you feel you are losing your
footing, release the blad e control handle immediately and t he blade will
stop rotating with in three seconds.
• Mow only in daylight or good ar tificial lig ht. Walk, never run.
• Stop the blade when crossing gr avel drives, walks or road s.
WAR N I NG
This symbol points out important safety instructions which, if not
followed, could endanger the personal safety and/ or property of
yourself an d others. Read an d follow all inst ructio ns in this manual
before attempting to operate this machine . Failure to comply with these
instructions may result in personal injury. When you see this symbol, HEED
ITS WARNING!
WAR N I NG
CALIFORNIA PROPOSIT ION 65
Engine Exhaust, some of its constituents, and certain vehicle components
contain or emit c hemicals k nown to State of Califo rnia to cause c ancer and
birth defects or other reproductive harm.
DAN GE R
This machine wa s built to be opera ted according to the s afe operati on
practice s in this manual. A s with any typ e of power equipme nt,
carelessn ess or error on t he part of th e operator can r esult in serio us injur y.
This machine is c apable of amp utating f ingers, han ds, toes and feet a nd
throwing debris. Failure to observe the following safety instructions could
result in serious injury or death.
WAR N I NG
Your Responsibility—Restrict the us e of this power machi ne to
persons who read, understand and follow the warnings and instructions in
this manual and on the machine.
SAVE THESE INSTRUC TIONS!
4
SAFETY INSTRUC TIONS
• If the equipment should start to vibrate abnormally, stop the engine and
check immediately fo r the cause. Vibration is ge nerally a warning of troub le.
• Shut the engine of f and wait until the blade comes to a co mplete stop befor e
removing the grass Bagger or unclogging the chute. The cutting blade
continues to rotate for a fe w seconds afte r the blade control is release d.
Never place any part of the bod y in the blade area until you are sure t he
blade has stopped rot ating.
• Never operate mower without pr oper trail shield, dischar ge cover, grass
Bagger, blade control handle or other saf ety protec tive devices in place and
working. Never operate mower wi th damaged safet y devices. Failure to do so
can result in pers onal injury.
• Muff ler and engine become hot an d can cause a burn. Do n ot touch.
• Never attempt to make a wheel or c utting height adjus tment while the
engine is running.
• Only use part s and accessories mad e for this machine by the manuf acturer as
listed in the Part s pages of this Oper ator’s Manual. Failure to do so can result
in personal injur y.
• When starting engine, pull cord slowly until resistance is felt, then pull
rapidly. Rapid retract ion of starte r cord (kickback) will p ull hand and arm
toward engine faster than you c an let go. Broken bones, fr actures, br uises or
sprains could result.
• If situations occur which a re not covered in this manual, use care and go od
judgement.
SLOPE OPERA TION
Slopes are a major fac tor related to slip and fall accident s, which can result in s evere
injury. Operation on slope s requires ex tra caution. The m achine is heavy and can
speed up when going down hill. Be prepared to maintain cont rol of the machine.
If you feel uneasy on a slope, do not m ow it. For your safet y, use the slope gauge
included as par t of this manual to measure slopes be fore operating thi s machine on
a sloped or hilly area. If the slope is g reater than 15 degrees, do not mow it.
Do:
• Mow across the face of sl opes; never up and down to avoid loss of contro l.
• Exercise ex treme caution when changing direc tion on slopes; turn up hill not
down.
• Watch for holes, ruts, roc ks, hidden objec ts, or bumps whic h can cause you
to slip or trip. Tall grass can hide obstacle s.
• Always be sure of your footing. A sli p and fall can cause ser ious personal
injury. If you feel you are losing your balance, relea se the blade control
handle immediately and the blade wi ll stop rotating withi n three (3)
seconds.
Do Not:
• Do not mow near drop- offs, di tches or embankment s, because you could
lose your footing or balance.
• Do not mow slopes greater than 15 degrees as show n on the slope guide.
• Do not mow on wet grass. Unst able footing could cau se slipping.
CHILDREN
Tragic accidents can occur if the op erator is not alert to th e presence of children.
Children are ofte n attrac ted to the mower and the mowing ac tivity. They do not
understand th e dangers. Never assume that c hildren will remain where you las t saw
them.
• Keep children out of the mowin g area and under watchful c are of a
responsible adult other t han the operator.
• Be alert and tur n mower off if a child e nters the area.
• Before and while movin g backwards, loo k behind and down for small
children.
• Use extreme c are when approaching b lind corners, door wa ys, shrubs, trees,
or other object s that may obscure your visio n of a child who may run into the
mo wer.
• Keep children away from hot or r unning engines. They can su ffer bur ns from
a hot muff ler.
• Never allow children under 14 years of age to operate this m achine. Children
14 and over should read and understand the i nstruct ions and safe operati on
practices in thi s manual and on the machine and be trai ned and supervi sed
by an adult.
SERVICE
Safe Handling of Gasoline:
To av oid personal injury or property damage use extreme care in handling
gasoline. Gasoline is extremely flammable and the vapors are explosive.
Serious personal injury can occur when gasoline is spilled on yourself or your
clothes which can ignite. Wash your skin and change clothes immediat ely.
• Use only an approved gasoline cont ainer.
• Never fill container s inside a vehicle or on a truc k or trailer bed with a p lastic
liner. Always place containers on the ground away f rom your vehicle before
filling.
• Remove gas-powered equipment f rom the truck or t railer and refuel i t on
the ground. If this is not pos sible, then refuel such e quipment on a trailer
with a port able container, rather than from a gasoli ne dispenser nozzle.
• Keep the nozzle in contac t with the rim of th e fuel tank or container o pening
at all times until fueling is co mplete. Do not use a nozzle loc k-open device.
• Extingu ish all cigarettes, cig ars, pipes and other so urces
of ignition.
• Never fuel machine indoo rs because f l ammable vapors will acc umulate in
the area.
• Never remove gas cap or add fuel w hile engine is hot or running. Allow
engine to cool at least t wo minutes before re fueling.
• Never over-fill fuel tank. To allow for expansio n of the fuel, do not f ill above
the bottom of the f uel tank neck.
• Replace gasoline cap and tighten securely.
• If gasoline is spilled, wipe it off the engine and equipment. Move machine to
another area. Wait 5 minutes befor e starting e ngine.
5
SAFETY INSTRUC TIONS
• Never store the machine or f uel container near an open f lame, spark or pilot
light as on a water heater, space heater, furnace, clothes dryer or other gas
appliances.
• To reduce fire hazard, keep machin e free of grass, leaves, or othe r debris
build-up. Clean up oil or fu el spillage and remove any fuel-soake d debris.
• Allow machine to cool at least 5 minute s before storin g.
General Service:
• Never run an engine indoor s or in a poorly ventilated area. Eng ine exhaust
contains carbon mon oxide, an odorless and deadly gas .
• Before cleaning, rep airing, or inspec ting, make certain the b lade and all
moving part s have stopped. Disconnec t the spark plug wi re and ground
against the engine to prevent unintended starting.
• Check the blade and engine mounting bolts at frequent intervals for proper
tightness. Also, visually inspec t blade for damage (e .g., bent, cracked, worn).
Replace blade with the origi nal equipment manufac ture’s (O.E.M.) blade
only, listed in the Parts pag es of this manual. Use of part s which do not meet
the original equipment sp ecific ations may lead to improper per formance
and compromise safe ty!
• Mower blades are sharp and can cu t. Wrap the blade or wear gloves, and use
extra caution when ser vicing them.
• Keep all nuts, bolts, and s crews tight to be sure the e quipment is in safe
working condition.
• Never tamper with safety devices. Check their proper operation re gularly.
• After strik ing a foreign objec t, stop the engine, discon nect the spar k plug
wire and ground against t he engine. Thoroughly inspec t the mower for any
damage. Repair the damage befor e starting an d operating the mower.
• Never attempt to make a wheel or c utting height adjus tment while the
engine is running.
• Grass Bagger compone nts, discharge cover, and trail shield are subjec t to
wear and damage which could expo se moving part s or allow object s to be
thrown. For safet y protect ion, frequently che ck components and re place
immediately with original equipment manufacturer ’s (O .E.M.) parts only,
listed in the Part s pages of this manual. Use of par ts which do not meet the
original equipment spe cificat ions may lead to improper per formance and
compromise safety!
• Do not change the engine’s governor setting or over-speed the engine. The
governor controls the maximum safe operating speed of the engine.
• Check fuel line, tank , cap, and fit tings frequently f or cracks o r leaks. Replace
if necessary.
• Do not crank engine with sp ark plug removed.
• Maintain or replace safe ty and instru ction labels, as nece ssary.
• Observe prop er disposal laws and regulati ons. Improper dispos al of fluids
and materials can harm the enviro nment.
• According to the Consumer Produc ts Safet y Commission (CPSC) and the U.S.
Environmental Protec tion Agency (EPA), this product has an Average Useful
Life of seven (7) years, or 140 hours o f operation. At the end of the Average
Useful Life have the machin e inspected annually by a Sea rs or other qualif ied
service dealer to ensur e that all mechanical and saf ety sys tems are working
properly and not worn e xcessively. Failure to do so can result in accidents,
injuries or death.
DO NOT MODI FY ENG INE
To av oid serious injury or death, do not modify engine in any wa y. T ampering
with the governor s etting c an lead to a runaway engi ne and cause i t to
operate at unsafe speeds. Never tamper with factory setting of engine
governor.
NOTICE REGAR DING EM ISSIONS
Engines whic h are certi fied to comp ly with Califo rnia and fede ral EPA
emission regulations for SORE ( Small Off Road Equipment) are certified
to operate on regu lar unleaded gas oline, and may inclu de the following
emission control systems: Engine Modification (EM ), Oxidizing Catalyst ( OC),
Secondar y Air Injec tion (SAI) and Three Way Catalyst ( TWC) if so equ ipped.
SPARK ARRESTOR
WAR N I NG
This machine is equipped with an internal combustion engine and should
not be used on or ne ar any unimproved fo rest-covered, brus hcovered or
grass-covered la nd unless the en gine’s exhaust sys tem is equippe d with a
spark arres tor meeting ap plicable lo cal or state laws (i f any).
If a spark arre stor is used, it sh ould be maint ained in ef fecti ve working orde r
by the operator. In the State of Cali fornia the above is r equired by law (Sec tion
4442 of the Cali fornia Publi c Resources Cod e). Other states may have similar
laws. Federal laws apply on federal lands.
A spark arres tor for the muf fler is available through yo ur nearest Se ars Part s
and Repair Service Center .
6
SAFETY INSTRUC TIONS
SAFETY SYMBO LS
This page depic ts and describes safe ty symb ols that may appear o n this produc t. Read, under stand, and f ollow all instr uctions o n the machine be fore
attempting to assemble and operate.
Symbol Description
READ THE OPERATOR’S MANUAL(S)
Read, underst and, and follow all instruc tions in the manual(s) before attempting to assem ble and
operate
DANGER — ROTA TING BLADES
To reduce the risk of injury, keep hands and feet away. Do not operate unless discharge cover or grass
bagger is in its prop er place. If damaged, rep lace immediately.
DANGER — BYST ANDERS
Do not mow when children or oth ers are around.
DANGER — HAND/ FOOT CUT
Keep hands and feet away from rotatin g parts.
DANGER — THROWN DEBRIS
Remove object s that can be thrown by the blade in any direc tion. Wear safet y glasses.
DANGER — SLOPES
Use extra cautio n on slopes. The ma chine is heavy and can sp eed up when going d ownhill. Be
prepared to maintain control of the ma chine. To avoid loss of control, operate across slopes, not up
and down. When turning , turn uphill, not down. Do not o perate on slopes greater than 15°.
WARNING—G ASOLINE IS FLAMMAB LE
Allow the engine to cool at least t wo minutes before refu eling.
WARNING— CARBON MONO XIDE
Never run an engine indoo rs or in a poorly ventilated are a. Engine exhaust contains carb on
monoxide, an odorless and deadly ga s.
WARNING— HOT SURFACE
Engine parts , especially the muf fler, become ex tremely hot durin g operation. Allow eng ine and
muff ler to cool before touching .
WARNING: Your Responsibility—Res trict the use of this power ma chine to persons who read, un derstand and fo llow
the warnings and instruc tions in this manual and on the machine.
SAVE THESE INSTRUC TIONS!
7
SLO P E G AUG E
(OK) ( TOO STEEP)
USE THIS SL OPE GAUGE T O DETERMINE
IF A SLOPE IS TOO STEEP FOR SAFE OPERA TION!
To check the slope , proceed as follows:
1. Remove this page and fold along the dashed line.
2. Locate a vertical object on or behind the slope (e.g. a pole, building, fence , tree, etc.)
3. Align either side of the slope gauge with the object (See Figure 1 and Figure 2 ).
4. Adjust gauge up or down until the left corner touches the slope (See Figure 1 and Figur e 2).
5. If there is a gap below the gauge, the slope is too steep for safe operation (See F igure 2 above).
15° dashed line
Slope Gauge
Figure 2 Figure 1
15° Slope
15° Slope
WAR N I NG
Slopes are a major f actor relat ed to slip and fall acciden ts which can result in se vere injury or dea th.
The machine is hea vy and can speed up when going downhill . Be prepared to mai ntain control of the ma chine. T o avoid loss of control, opera te across
slopes, not up and down . When turning, tu rn uphill, not down . Do not operate m achine on slopes in ex cess of 1 5 degrees.
8
ASSEMBL Y
IM PORT AN T: This uni t is shipped without gas oline or oil in the engine. Be cer tain to
service engine w ith gasoline and oil as ins tructed in th e Engine Operator ’s Manual
before starting or running your machine.
NOTE: Reference to rig ht and left hand side o f the lawn mower is observe d from the
operating position.
OPENING C ARTON
1. Cut each corner of the car ton vertic ally from top to bot tom.
2. Remove all loose parts.
3. Remove loose packing material.
REMOVING UNIT FROM CARTON
1. Lift unit f rom the rear to detach i t from underlyin g carton material and r oll
unit out of car ton.
2. Check carton thoroughly f or any other loose par ts.
Loose Parts In Carton
• Side Discharge Cover
• Engine Oil
Assembly
Attaching The Handle
1. Remove any packing material which may be b etween upper and lower
handles.
a. Remove wing nuts and carriage b olts handle as shown in Figur e 1.
Do not loosen or remove adjacent he x head screws.
b. While stabilizing mower so it doesn’t move, pivot upper hand le up as
shown in Figure 2. Do not crimp c able while lif ting the handle up.
2. Remove T -bolts from t he handle brackets as shown i n Figure 3.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
9
ASSEMBL Y
3. Follow the steps below to complete handle assemb ly:
a. Pull upward on the handle until holes in lower handle (shown in
Figure 3 deck cutaway) line up with ho les in handle bracket. Se e
Figure 4.
NOTE: When pulling upward on hand le, make sure to not pull handle all the
way out.
b. Insert the T-bolts removed in Step 2 through the han dle brackets
and lower handle and tighten secure ly to secure the handle in place.
See Figure 4.
c. Reatt ach wing nuts and c arriage bolts r emoved in Step 1 into lower
holes of handle as shown in Figure 5.
4. The rope guide is attached to the r ight side of the upper handle. Loos en the
wing knob which sec ures the rope guide. Ref er to Figure 6.
a. Hold blade control against upper han dle.
b. Slowly pull starter rope handle f rom engine and slip star ter rope into
the rope guide. See Figure 6.
c. Tighten rope guide wing knob.
d. Use cable ties to secure blade control cab le to lower handle.
Attaching the Grass Catcher
1. Follow steps below to assemble t he grass catcher. Make certain bag i s turned
right side out befo re assembling (warning label will be o n the outside).
a. Place bag over frame so that its black plas tic side is at the bot tom.
b. Slip plastic channel of grass bag over hoo ks on the fram e. See Figure 7.
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6
Figure 7
10
ASSEMBL Y
2. Follow steps below to attach grass catch er:
a. Lift rear discharge d oor.
b. Place grass catcher into the slots in the handle brac kets as shown in
Figure 8. Let go of discharge d oor so that it rest s on the grass catcher.
To remove grass catcher, lift rear discharge doo r on the mower. Lift grass catc her up
and off the slot s in the handle bracket s. Release rear discharge do or to allow it to
close rear opening of mower.
Attaching Side Discharge Cover
Your mower is shipped as a mulcher. To convert to side discharge, make sure grass
catcher is off o f the unit and rear discharge d oor is closed.
1. On the side of the mower, lift the mulch cover. See Figure 9.
2. Slide two hooks of side discharge cover und er hinge pin on mulching cover
assembly. Lower mulching cover. Do not remove side mulching cover at any
time, even when you are not mulching.
Adjustments
Cutting Height
There is a cutti ng height adjustment lever loc ated above the front and rea r right
wheel.
1. Pull the height adjustment lever o utward towards wh eel (unit will tend to
fall when lever is moved out ward). See Figure 10.
2. Move lever to desired position for a change in cut ting height. See Figu re 10.
3. Release lever towards deck.
IM PORT AN T: All whee ls must be placed in the sam e position. For rough or un even
lawns, move each height adjustment lever to a hig her position. This will prevent you
from cut ting the grass too clos e to the ground.
Handle Pitch
For convenience of operation, you may adjust t he pitch of the handle as follows:
1. Remove wing nuts and car riage bolts f rom handle. See Figure 11.
2. Position the handle in one of the three positions t hat is most comfor table.
See Figure 11 inset.
3. Secure into position with wi ng nuts and carr iage bolts removed earlie r.
Figure 8
2
1
Mulch Cover
Side Discharge
Cover
Figure 9
3
2
2
1
3
1
Lower
Lower
Higher
Higher
Figure 10
Figure 1 1
11
OPERA TION
Blade Contro l
Recoil Starte r
Mulch Cove r
Cutting Height
Adjustment
Lever
Cutting Height
Adjustment
Lever
Side Discharge
Chute
Drive Contro l
Oil Fill Cap/Dipstick
Figure 12
Blade Control
The blade control is at tached to the upper hand le of the mower. Depress and
squeeze it against the u pper handle to operate the unit . Release it to stop engine
and blade.
WARNI NG
This blade contr ol is a safet y device. Never attem pt to bypass its o peration.
Drive Control
The drive control is loc ated on the underside o f the upper handle and is used to
engage the drive. Squeeze it agai nst the upper handle to engage t he drive; release it
to slow down or stop mower from p ropelling.
Cutting Height Adjustment Lever
One adjustment lever is loc ated on the right rear whe el and one is located on the
right front whee l. Both levers have to be at the same po sition to ensure a unifor m
cut. To adjust the cutting height, refer to the Assembly Section.
Side Discharge Cover
Your mower is shipped as a mulcher. To discharge the grass clippings to the side
instead, follow the instr uctions in the A ssembly sec tion to attac h the side discharge
cov er.
Mulch Cover
The mulch cover is used for mulc hing purposes. Ins tead of collecting t he grass
clippings in a grass catc her or using the side discharg e chute, some mower models
have the option of recirculatin g the clippings back to the lawn. T his is called
mulching.
WARNI NG
Keep hands and fee t away from the chute a rea on cutt ing deck. Ref er to
warning label on the unit.
Trail S hield
The trail shield is att ached to the rear of the mower and is th ere to protect the
operator from f lying debris. D o not use the mower unless the shield i s fully
functional an d in place.
Recoil Starter
The recoil star ter is attache d to the right upper handle. Stand behi nd the unit and
pull the recoil star ter rope to star t the unit.
Oil fill Cap/Dipstick
Refer to the Engine Oper ator’s Manual packed with your mower for de tailed oil
filling, checking and changing instruc tions.
Meets ANSI Safety Standards
Craft sman Lawn Mowers confor m to the safety s tandard of the Americ an National Standards Insti tute (ANSI).
12
OPERA TION
WARNI NG
Be sure no one other t han the operator i s standing ne ar the lawn mower
while starting engine or operating mower . Never run engine indoors or
in enclosed, poorly ventilated areas. Engine exhaust contains carbon
monoxide, an odor less and deadly g as. Keep hands, fee t, hair and loose
clothing away fro m any moving par ts on engine a nd lawn mower.
TO START ENGINE
1. Standing behind the mower, squeeze the blade cont rol handle against upper
handle.
2. Holding these two handles togethe r firmly, grasp recoil st arter handle and
pull rope slowly until resis tance is felt, then pull wi th a rapid, continuous, full
arm stroke. See Figure 13. Keeping a fir m grip on the star ter cord handle, let
the rope rewind slowly. Repeat until engine c ranks. Let the r ope rewind each
time slowly.
WARNI NG
Keep a firm gr ip on the star ter cord han dle to prevent rapid r etracti on of
starter c ord (kickb ack). Rapid retrac tion can p ull hand and arm tow ard
engine faste r than you can let go, and r esult in broken b ones, frac tures,
bruises or sprains.
TO STOP ENGINE
1. Release blade control to sto p the engine and blade.
WARNI NG
Wait for the blade to stop c ompletely be fore per forming any wor k on the
mower or to remove the gra ss catcher.
Using Y our Lawn Mower
Be sure lawn is clear of stones, s ticks, wire, or othe r objects w hich could damage
lawn mower or engine. Such objec ts could be accidently th rown by the mower in
any direction and c ause serious per sonal injury to the o perator and others.
1. Once the engine is running, sq ueeze the drive control a gainst the upper
handle to propel mower.
WARNI NG
The operation o f any lawn mower can resu lt in foreign o bjects b eing
thrown into the eyes, w hich can damag e your eyes severely. Always
wear safety glasses while operating the mower , or while performing any
adjustments or repairs on it.
Figure 13
Using as Mulcher
For mulching grass, remove the gr ass catcher or side disc harge chute from the
mower. When you remove the grass catcher from t he mower, the rear discharge
door will close. When you remove the sid e discharge chute, the mulchin g cover will
close. For ef fective mulch ing, do not cut wet grass. If th e grass has been allowed to
grow in excess of four inche s, mulching is not recommende d. Use the grass catcher
to bag clippings instead.
Using Grass Catcher
You can use the grass catcher to collec t clippings while you are op erating the
mo wer.
1. Attach grass catcher following instruc tions in the “Assembly” section. Grass
clippings will automatic ally collect in bag as you r un mower. Operate mower
until grass bag is full.
2. Stop engine completely by releasing the blade control. Make sure that the
unit has come to a complete stop.
3. Lift discharge door an d pull grass bag up and away from t he mower to
remove the bag. Dispose of the gr ass clippings and reins tall the bag when
comple te.
WARNI NG
If you strike a fore ign objec t, stop the engi ne. Disconnec t the spark plu g
wire, thoroughly inspect mower for any dam age, and repair damage
before restarting and operating. Extensive vibration of mower during
operation is an indication of damage. The unit should be promptly
inspected and repaired.