Craftsman 247.889981 Operator's Manual

perator s

PROFESSIONAL

33-inch Wide Cut Mower

Model No. 247.889981

CAUTION: Before using this product, read this manual and

follow all safety rules and operating

instructions.

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

Visit our website: www.craftsman.com FormNo.769-06544B

o SAFETY

ASSEMBLY OPERATION

MAINTENANCE PARTS LIST ESPANOL R 49

(January13,2012)

Warranty Statement .......................................................... 2

Safety instructions ........................................................ 3-6

Slope Guide ....................................................................... 7

Assembly ...................................................................... 8-12

Operation ................................................................... 13-15

Off-Season Storage ........................................................ 26

Trou bleshooting .............................................................. 27

Parts List ................................................................... 28-42

Espa_ol ............................................................................ 49

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

Service and Maintenance ......................................... 16-25

CRAFTSMAN PROFESSIONAL TWO YEAR FULL WARRANTY

FORTWOYEARSfromthe dateofpurchase,this productiswarrantedagainstanydefectsin materialorworkmanship.Defectiveproductwill receivefreerepairorfree replacementifrepairis unavailable.

Thiswarrantyappliesforonlyone yearfromthedateof purchaseifthis productiseverusedwhileprovidingcommercialservicesorif rentedto anotherperson.

Forwarranty coveragedetails to obtain repairor replacement,visit the website: www.craftsman.com. This warranty covers ONLYdefects in material andworkmanship. Warranty coveragedoes NOTinclude:

• Expendableitemsthatbecomewornduringnormaluse,includingbutnotlimitedto blades,sparkplugs,aircleaners,belts,andoil filters.

• Standardmaintenanceservicing,oilchanges,ortune-ups.

• Tirereplacementor repaircausedbypuncturesfromoutsideobjects,suchas nails,thorns,stumps,orglass.

• Tireor wheelreplacementor repairresultingfromnormalwear,accident,orimproperoperationor maintenance.

• Repairsnecessarybecauseof operatorabuse,includingbutnot limitedtodamagecausedbyimpactingobjectsthatbendtheframeor crankshaft,orover-speedingtheengine.

• Repairsnecessarybecauseof operatornegligence,includingbutnot limitedto,electricalandmechanicaldamagecausedbyimproper storage,failureto usethe propergradeandamountof engineoil,failuretokeepthedeckclearofflammabledebris,orfailuretomaintainthe equipmentaccordingtothe instructionscontainedinthe operator'smanual.

• Engine(fuelsystem)cleaningorrepairscausedbyfuel determinedto becontaminatedoroxidized(stale).In general,fuelshouldbeused within30 daysof itspurchasedate.

• Normaldeteriorationandwearof theexteriorfinishes,orproductlabelreplacement.

Thiswarrantygivesyouspecificlegalrights,andyou mayalsohaveotherrightswhichvaryfromstatetostate.

Sears BrandsManagementCorporation, Hoffman Estates,IL 60179

GrossHP: 12.5 EngineOil: SAE30

Fuel: UnleadedGasoline SparkPlug: Champion®RC12YC Engine: Briggs& StrattonPowerBuiltTM

ModelNumber Serial Number

Dateof Purchase

Recordthemodelnumber,serialnumber,

anddateof purchaseabove.

Thissymbolpointsout importantsafetyinstructionswhich,if not followed,couldendangerthepersonalsafetyand/orpropertyof yourselfandothers. Readandfollowall instructionsinthismanual

beforeattemptingto operatethismachine.Failuretocomplywith

theseinstructionsmayresultin personalinjury.Whenyouseethis

symbol,HEEDITSWARNING!

Thismachinewasbuiltto beoperatedaccordingtothesafeopera- tionpracticesinthis manual.Aswithanytypeof powerequipment, carelessnessorerroron thepartofthe operatorcanresultin serious injury.Thismachineiscapableofamputatingfingers,hands,toes andfeetandthrowingdebris.Failuretoobservethefollowingsafety instructionscouldresultin seriousinjuryor death.

CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65

EngineExhaust,someof itsconstituents,andcertainvehicle componentscontainoremitchemicalsknowntoStateof California tocausecancerandbirthdefectsorotherreproductiveharm.

Batteryposts,terminals,and relatedaccessoriescontainleadand

leadcompounds,chemicalsknowntothe Stateof Californiato causecancerandreproductiveharm.Washhandsafterhandling.

GENERAL OPERATION

* Readthisoperator'smanualcarefullyin itsentiretybefore

attemptingtoassemblethis machine.Read,understand,and followall instructionsonthemachineandinthemanualsbefore

operation.Keepthismanualina safeplaceforfutureand regular referenceandfororderingreplacementparts

, Becompletelyfamiliarwiththe controlsandtheproperuseofthis

machinebeforeoperatingit.

, Thismachineisa precisionpieceofpowerequipment,not a

plaything.Therefore,exerciseextremecautionat alltimes.This machinehasbeendesignedto performonejob: to mowgrass. Donot useitforanyotherpurpose.

, Neverallowchildrenunder14yearsof agetooperatethis

machine.Children14andovershouldreadandunderstandthe instructionsandsafeoperationpracticesin thismanualandon

themachineandshouldbetrainedandsupervisedbyan adult.

, Only responsibleindividualswhoarefamiliarwiththeserulesof

safeoperationshouldbe allowedtousethis machine.

, Thoroughlyinspecttheareawheretheequipmentistobe used.

Removeallstones,sticks,wire,bones,toysandotherforeign objects,whichcouldbetrippedoverorpickedupandthrownby theblade.Thrownobjectscancauseseriouspersonalinjury.

, Planyour mowingpatterntoavoiddischargeof materialtoward

roads,sidewalks,bystandersandthe like.Also,avoiddischarg- ingmaterialagainstawallorobstruction,whichmaycause dischargedmaterialto ricochetbacktowardtheoperator.

, Tohelpavoidbladecontactor a thrownobjectinjury,stayin

operatorzonebehindhandlesandkeepchildren,bystanders, helpersandpetsat least75feetfrommowerwhileit is inopera- tion.Stopmachineif anyoneentersarea.

Your Responsibility--Restricttheuseofthispowermachineto personswhoread,understandandfollowthewarningsandinstruc-

tionsin thismanualandon themachine.

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS!

• Alwayswearsafetyglassesorsafetygogglesduringoperation andwhileperformingan adjustmentor repairto protectyoureyes. Thrownobjectswhichricochetcancauseseriousinjurytothe eyes.

Wearsturdy,rough-soledworkshoesandclose-fittingslacks and shirts.Shirtsand pantsthatcoverthearmsandlegsand

steel-toedshoesare recommended.Neveroperatethismachine inbarefeet,sandals,slipperyor light-weight(e.g.canvas)shoes.

Donot puthandsorfeetnearrotatingpartsor underthe cutting

deck.Contactwithbladecan amputatefingers,hands,toesand feet.

A missingordamageddischargecovercancausebladecontact or thrownobjectinjuries.

Manyinjuriesoccuras a resultofthemowerbeingpulledoverthe footduringafallcausedby slippingortripping.Do notholdon to themowerif youarefalling:releasethehandleimmediately.

Neverpullthemowerbacktowardyouwhileyou arewalking.If youmustbackthemowerawayfroma wallor obstructionfirst

lookdownandbehindtoavoidtrippingandthenfollowthese

steps:

1. Stepbackfrommowerto fullyextendyourarmsforward.

2. Besureyouare wellbalancedwithsurefooting.

3. Pullthemowerbackslowly,nomorethanhalf waytoward

you.

4. Repeatthesestepsas needed.

Donot operatethemowerwhileunderthe influenceofalcoholor drugs.

Donot engagetheself-propelledmechanismonmachinesso equippedwhilestartingengine.

• Thebladecontrolhandleis a safetydevice.Neverattemptto bypassitsoperation.Doingsomakesthesafetydeviceinopera- tiveandmayresultin personalinjurythroughcontactwiththe rotatingblade.Thebladecontrolhandlemustoperateeasily in bothdirectionsandautomaticallyreturntothe disengaged positionwhenreleased.

• Neveroperatethemowerinwetgrass.Alwaysbe sureof your footing.A slipandfall cancauseseriouspersonalinjury.Ifyou feelyou arelosingyourfooting,releasethebladecontrolhandle immediatelyandthebladewill stop rotatingwithinthreeseconds.

• Mowonlyin daylightor goodartificiallight.Walk,neverrun.

• Stopthe bladewhencrossinggraveldrives,walksorroads.

• Iftheequipmentshouldstartto vibrateabnormally,stopthe engineandcheckimmediatelyfor thecause.Vibrationis gener- allya warningoftrouble.

• Shutthe engineoff andwaituntilthebladecomestoa complete stopbeforeremovingthe grasscatcheroruncloggingthechute. Thecuttingbladecontinuesto rotatefor afewsecondsafterthe bladecontrolisreleased.Neverplaceanypartofthebodyinthe bladeareauntilyou aresurethe bladehasstoppedrotating.

• Neveroperatemowerwithoutpropertrailshield,dischargecover, grasscatcher,bladecontrolhandleor othersafetyprotectivede- vicesin placeandworking.Neveroperatemowerwithdamaged safetydevices.Failuretodo socan resultinpersonalinjury.

Mufflerandenginebecomehotandcancausea burn.Donot touch.

• Neverattempttomakea wheelorcuttingheightadjustmentwhile theengineis running.

• Onlyuse partsand accessoriesmadeforthismachinebythe manufactureraslistedin thePartspagesofthisOperator's Manual.Failuretodosocan resultin personalinjury.

• Whenstartingengine,pullcordslowlyuntil resistanceisfelt,then pullrapidly.Rapidretractionof startercord(kickback)willpull handandarmtowardenginefasterthanyoucanletgo.Broken bones,fractures,bruisesor sprainscouldresult.

• If situationsoccurwhicharenotcoveredinthismanual,usecare andgoodjudgement.Contact1-800-4MY-HOME®forinformation

andassistance.

SLOPE OPERATION

Slopesareamajorfactorrelatedto slipandfallaccidents,whichcan resultinsevereinjury.Operationon slopesrequiresextracaution.If youfeel uneasyona slope,do not mowit. Foryoursafety,usethe SlopeGuideincludedaspartof thismanualto measureslopesbefore operatingthis machineon a slopedorhillyarea. Iftheslopeis greater than15degrees,donot mowit.

Do:

Mowacrossthefaced slopes;neverupanddown.Exercise

extremecautionwhenchangingdirectiononslopes.

• Watchfor holes,ruts,rocks,hiddenobjects,orbumpswhichcan causeyouto sliportrip.Tallgrasscanhideobstacles.

• Alwaysbesureofyourfooting.A slipandfallcan causeserious personalinjury.Ifyou feelyou arelosingyourbalance,release thebladecontrolhandleimmediatelyandthe bladewillstop

rotatingwithinthree(3) seconds.

DoNot:

• Donotmowneardrop-offs,ditchesorembankments,because youcouldloseyourfootingorbalance.

• Donotmowslopesgreaterthan15degreesas shownonthe slopeguide.

• Donotmowon wetgrass.Unstablefootingcouldcauseslipping.

CHILDREN

Tragicaccidentscanoccurif theoperatorisnot alerttothepresence ofchildren.Childrenareoftenattractedto themowerandthemowing activity.Theydonotunderstandthe dangers.Neverassumethat childrenwill remainwhereyoulastsawthem.

Keepchildrenoutofthe mowingareaandunderwatchfulcareof

a responsibleadultotherthantheoperator.

• Bealertandturnmoweroffif achildentersthearea.

• Beforeandwhilemovingbackwards,lookbehindanddownfor smallchildren.

• Useextremecarewhenapproachingblindcorners,doorways, shrubs,trees,orotherobjectsthatmayobscureyourvisionofa childwhomayrunintothe mower.

• Keepchildrenawayfromhotor runningengines.Theycan suffer burnsfroma hotmuffler.

• Neverallowchildrenunder14yearsofagetooperatethis machine.Children14andovershouldreadand understandthe

instructionsandsafeoperationpracticesinthis manualandon themachineandbetrainedandsupervisedby an adult.

SERVICE

SafeHandlingOf Gasoline:

• Toavoid personalinjuryor propertydamageuseextremecare in handlinggasoline.Gasolineisextremelyflammableandthe vaporsareexplosive.Seriouspersonalinjurycanoccurwhen gasolineis spilledonyourselforyourclothes,whichcanignite. Washyourskinandchangeclothesimmediately.

• Useonlyanapprovedgasolinecontainer.

• Neverfill containersinsidea vehicleoron atruck ortrailerbed witha plasticliner.Alwaysplacecontainersonthegroundaway

fromyourvehiclebeforefilling.

• Removegas-poweredequipmentfromthetruckortrailerand

refueliton theground.Ifthisis notpossible,thenrefuelsuch equipmenton atrailerwitha portablecontainer,ratherthanfrom a gasolinedispensernozzle.

• Keepthenozzleincontactwiththe rimofthe fueltankor containeropeningatall timesuntilfuelingiscomplete.Donotuse a nozzlelock-opendevice.

• Extinguishall cigarettes,cigars,pipesandothersources ofignition.

• Neverfuelmachineindoorsbecauseflammablevaporswill accumulateinthearea.

• Neverremovegascap oraddfuelwhileengineis hotor running. Allowengineto coolat leasttwo minutesbeforerefueling.

• Neverover-fillfueltank.Toallowforexpansionofthefuel,donot fillabovethebottomofthe fueltankneck.

• Replacegasolinecapandtightensecurely.

• If gasolineisspilled,wipeit offtheengineandequipment.Move machinetoanotherarea.Wait5 minutesbeforestartingengine.

• Neverstorethemachineorfuel containernearanopenflame, sparkor pilotlightasona waterheater,spaceheater,furnace, clothesdryerorothergas appliances.

• Toreducefirehazard,keepmachinefreeof grass,leaves,or otherdebrisbuild-up.Cleanupoil orfuelspillageand removeany

fuel-soakeddebris. Allowmachinetocoolat least5 minutesbeforestoring.

GeneralService:

• Neverrunanengineindoorsor ina poorlyventilatedarea.Engine exhaustcontainscarbonmonoxide,anodorlessanddeadlygas.

• Beforecleaning,repairing,or inspecting,makecertainthe bladeandall movingpartshavestopped.Disconnectthe spark plugwireandgroundagainstthe enginetopreventunintended starting.

Checkthebladeandenginemountingboltsatfrequentintervals forpropertightness.Also,visuallyinspectbladefordamage(e.g., bent,cracked,worn).Replacebladewiththeoriginalequipment manufacture's(O.E.M.)bladeonly,listedinthePartspagesofthis manual.Useofpartswhichdonotmeetthe originalequipment specificationsmayleadto improperperformanceandcompro- misesafety!

• Mowerbladesaresharpandcancut. Wrapthe bladeor wear gloves,anduse extracautionwhenservicingthem.

Keepall nuts,bolts,andscrewstighttobe suretheequipmentis insafeworkingcondition.

Nevertamperwithsafetydevices.Checktheirproperoperation regularly.

Afterstrikingaforeignobject,stopthe engine,disconnectthe sparkplugwireand groundagainsttheengine.Thoroughly inspectthemowerforanydamage.Repairthedamagebefore startingandoperatingthemower.

Neverattempttomakea wheelorcuttingheightadjustmentwhile theengineisrunning.

• Grasscatchercomponents,dischargecover,andtrailshieldare subjectto wearanddamagewhichcouldexposemovingpartsor allowobjectstobethrown.Forsafetyprotection,frequentlycheck componentsand replaceimmediatelywithoriginalequipment manufacturer's(O.E.M.)partsonly,listedinthePartspages ofthismanual.Useof partswhichdo notmeettheoriginal equipmentspecificationsmayleadto improperperformanceand compromisesafety!

Donot changetheengine'sgovernorsettingorover-speedthe engine.Thegovernorcontrolsthemaximumsafeoperatingspeed ofthe engine.

Checkfuelline,tank,cap,andfittingsfrequentlyfor cracksor

leaks.Replaceifnecessary.

Donot crankenginewith sparkplugremoved.

• Maintainor replacesafetyandinstructionlabels,asnecessary.

• Observeproperdisposallawsand regulations.Improperdisposal offluidsandmaterialscanharmtheenvironment.

Accordingto theConsumerProductsSafetyCommission(CPSC) andthe U.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency(EPA),this product

hasanAverageUsefulLifeof seven(7)years,or 140hoursof

operation.Atthe endoftheAverageUsefulLifehavethemachine

inspectedannuallybya Searsorotherqualifiedservicedealer

toensurethatallmechanicalandsafetysystemsareworking

properlyand notwornexcessively.Failuretodoso canresultin

accidents,injuriesor death.

DO NOT MODIFY ENGINE

Toavoidseriousinjuryor death,do notmodifyengineinany way. Tamperingwiththegovernorsettingcanleadtoa runawayengineand causeitto operateat unsafespeeds.Nevertamperwithfactorysetting ofenginegovernor.Doingsowill voidthe productwarranty.

NOTICE REGARDING EMISSIONS

EngineswhicharecertifiedtocomplywithCaliforniaandfederal

EPAemissionregulationsfor SORE(SmallOff RoadEquipment)are certifiedto operateonregularunleadedgasoline,and mayinclude thefollowingemissioncontrolsystems:EngineModification(EM) and ThreeWayCatalyst(TWC)ifsoequipped.

SPARK ARRESTOR

Thismachineisequippedwithaninternalcombustionengineand shouldnotbe usedonor nearanyunimprovedforest-covered, brush-coveredorgrass-coveredlandunlessthe engine'sexhaust systemisequippedwitha sparkarrestormeetingapplicablelocalor statelaws(if any).

Ifa sparkarrestorisused,itshouldbe maintainedineffectiveworking orderbytheoperator.Inthe StateofCaliforniatheaboveisrequired

bylaw(Section4442ofthe CaliforniaPublicResourcesCode).Other

statesmayhavesimilarlaws. Federallawsapplyonfederallands. A sparkarrestor(PartNo.398067)forthemufflerisavailablethrough

yournearestSearsPartsandRepairServiceCenter.

SAFETY SYMBOLS

Thispagedepictsanddescribessafetysymbolsthatmayappearonthisproduct. Read,understand,andfollowall instructionsonthemachine beforeattemptingto assembleandoperate.

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

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.

DANGER -- BYSTANDERS Do not mow when children or others are around.

DANGER-- HAND/FOOT CUT Keep hands and feet away from rotating parts.

DANGER -- THROWN DEBRIS Remove objects that can be thrown by the blade in any direction. Wear safety glasses.

DANGER -- SLOPES Use extra caution on slopes. Do not mow slopes greater than 150.

WARNING--GASOLINE ISFLAMMABLE Allow the engine to cool at least two minutes before refueling.

WARNING-- CARBON MONOXIDE

Never run an engine indoors or in a poorly ventilated area. Engine exhaust contains carbon monoxide, an odorless and deadly gas.

WARNING-- HOT SURFACE

Engine parts, especially the muffler, become extremely hot during operation. Allow engine and muffler to cool before touching.

(OK)

15° Slope

(TOO STEEP)

15° Slope

_- _. Figure1

USETHiSSLOPEGAUGETODETERMINE

iFASLOPEiSTOOSTEEPFORSAFEOPERATION!

Tochecktheslope,proceedasfollows:

1. Removethispageandfold alongthe dashedline.

2. Locateaverticalobjectonor behindthe slope(e.g.a pole,building,fence, tree, etc.)

3. Aligneithersideofthe slope gaugewith the object(SeeFigure1 andFigure2).

4. Adjust gaugeup or downuntil the left cornertouchestheslope(SeeFigure1andFigure2).

_O._daShed._fine

If there is agapbelowthe gauge,theslopeistoo steepfor safeoperation(SeeFigure2 above).

Figure2

Slopes area majorfactor relatedtotip-over and roll-over accidents which can result in severe injury or death. Do not operate machineon slopes in excessof 15degrees. Allslopes requireextra caution.Always mowacross the face of slopes, nevermow up and down slopes.

IMPORTANT:Thisunitis shippedwithoil intheengine.After assembly,see page13forfuelandoil details.

IMPORTANT:Referencetorightor leftsideofthemowerisobserved fromtheoperatingposition.

Disconnectthe sparkplugwireandgrounditagainsttheengineto preventunintendedstarting.

LOOSE PARTS IN CARTON

Thefollowingitemsare packagedina bag: Operator'sManual,Oildrainhose,Waterhosecoupler,EngineManual

TOOLS NEEDED FOR ASSEMBLY

A setofadjustablewrenchesandtiregauge

MOWER SET-UP

Shipping Brace Removal

Makesurethe lawnmower'sengineisoff.Removetheignitionkey beforeremovingthe shippingbrace.

1. Locatetheshippingbrace,if present,foundon therightside of thecuttingdeck.SeeFigure1.

Attaching the Battery Cables NOTE:ThepositivebatteryterminalismarkedPos.(+).Thenegative

batteryterminalis markedNeg.(-). Thepositivecable(heavyredwire)issecuredto thepositivebattery

terminal(+)withahexboltandhexnutat thefactory. Thenegativecable(heavyblackwire)maybe securedtothenegative

batteryterminalat thefactory.If ithasn'tbeenattached,proceedas follows:

Removethe carriageboltandhexnutfromthepositivecable

(heavyredwire).

Removethe redplasticcover,ifpresent,fromthe positivebattery terminalandattachthe positivecabletothe positivebattery terminal(+)withtheboltandhexnut.See Figure2.

Figure1

Whileholdingthe dischargechutewithyourlefthand,removethe shippingbracewithyourright handbygraspingit betweenyour thumbandindexfingerandrotatingitclockwise.

Theshippingbraceis usedfor packagingpurposesonly.Remove anddiscardtheshippingbracebeforeoperatingyourlawnmower.

Themowingdeckis capableofthrowingobjects.Failuretooperate

Ithe mowerwithoutthedischargecoverin theproperoperatingposi- ltion couldresultin seriouspersonalinjuryand/orpropertydamage.

Figure2

3. Removethe carriageboltandhexnutfromthenegativecable (heavyblackwirel

4. Removethe blackplasticcover,ifpresent,fromthenegativebat- tery terminalandattachthenegativecableto thenegativebattery terminal(-) withtheboltand hexnut.SeeFigure2.

5. Makecertainthehold-downrodisin positionoverthebattery, securingit inplaceandmakecertainthatthe redrubberbootcov- ersthe positivebatteryterminaltohelpprotectit fromcorrosion.

NOTE:Ifthe batteryis putintoserviceafterthedateshown on top/sided battery,chargethebatteryas instructedinthe

Maintenancesectionof thismanualpriorto operatingthemower.

Unfolding the Handle

1. Removethestar knobsandcarriagescrewsfromthelower handle.SeeFigure3.

Attaching the Shift Lever

1. Removethescrewandthe locknutthatsecurestheshiftleverto theshift leverplate.SeeFigure5.

Figure3

Pivottheupperhandleintooperatingposition.Becarefulnotto crimpcables.SeeFigure4.

Figure4

3. Reinstallthecarriagescrewsandknobsremovedearlier.

4. Tightentheupperandlowerstarknobsandcarriagescrewsto securetheupperhandleto thelowerhandle,SeeFigure4.

5. Thehandleheightcanbeadjustedto anyofthreepositions. Forinstructions,refertoHandleHeightin theMaintenanceand Adjustmentssectionofthis manual.

Figure5

2. Removethe remainingscrewandnutfromthelowershiftlever plate.SeeFigure5.

3. Positiontheuppershift leverintoa verticalpositionaligningthe holesinthe leverwiththe holesintheshiftplate.SeeFigure6.

Figure6

4. Securethelevertothe plateusingthe two screwsandtwo nuts removedearlier.SeeFigure6.

Checking Tire Pressure

Maximumtirepressureunderanycircumstancesis 30 psi.Equaltire

pressureshouldbemaintainedat all times.

Thereartireson yourunit maybeover-inflatedforshippingpurposes.

Reducethetire pressurebeforeoperatingthemower.Recommended operatingtirepressureisapproximately20p.s.i.Checkthesidewallof tirefor maximump.s.i.

Fuel Tank Ca

oil Dipstick

Deck Height

Lever ===='_

Air

-- Cleaner

Handle

ignition Switch

Systems indicator Monitor

Drive Control

Gear Shift Lever

Figure7

Spark Plug

Referto theMaintenancesectionfor instructionsonsparkplug

replacement.

Oil Cap/Dipstick

Referto theMaintenancesectionfor instructionsoncheckingtheoil.

MOWER CONTROLS

_,, J

Figure8

ENGINE CONTROLS

Referto Figure8for locationsoftheenginecontrols.

Oil Drain Valve Usetheoil drainvalvetodrainoilfromthe engine.Refertothe

Maintenancesectionforinstructions. Air Cleaner Handle

Theair cleanerhandleis usedto gainaccesstotheaircleaner.Theair cleanercartridgecanbe removedandcleanedor replaced.Referto

theMaintenancesectionfor details.

Referto Figure7for locationsofthemowercontrols.

Throttle/Choke Control

NOTE:Whenoperatingthe mowerwiththe cuttingdeckengaged,becertainthatthe throttle/chokecontrolis inthefast position.

THEthrottle/chokecontrolisusedtoadjust enginespeeds,toactivatetheenginechoke andto stoptheengine.Alwaysrunengine

withthethrottle/chokecontrolleverinthe fastpositionfor bestmowerperformance.

CHOKE:Usewhenstartingacold engine.

FAST:Useduringmoweroperation.

SLOW:Usewhenidlingengine.

STOP:Stopstheengine.

REFERtoStartingTheEngineinthe

Operationsectionofthismanualfordetailed

startinginstructions.

Choke==_

Fast

Slow ==_

Stop

Deck Height Lever Usethisleverto adjustthemowingdeck'scuttingheight.Touse,move

thelevertothe left,then placetheleverinthenotchbestsuitedfor yourapplication.

ignition Switch

Neverleavea runningmachineunattended.Alwaysdisengage blades,stopengineandremovekeytopreventunintendedstarting.

The four-position switch is used to start and stop the engine on electric-start models, To start the engine, insert the key into the

ignition position, Release key into the RUN ((_") position once the engine has started, Move the key nto the RUN/LIGHT_ ,_-',)_post on to run the mower

with the headlight on, Turn the key (()) to stop the engine, See Figure 9,

switch and turn clockwise to the START (PZ%_

to'STOP

F'_

Run/Light

Drive Control

Thedrivecontrolisusedtoengageand disengagedrivetothe wheels.Toengage

this control,squeezethedrivecontrol againstthehandlebargrip.Tostopthe drive,

releasethedrivecontrol.

Alwaysreleasethedrivecontrolbeforechangingspeeds.Failureto do somayresultinseriousdamageto yourtransmission.

Blade Control Locatedonthe right-handhandle,theblade

controlisusedtoengagethe mowingdeck.

,ik

Tooperate,pressand holdthe leveragainst thehandlebargrip.Tostopthe blades,

releasethebladecontrol.

Stop 1

Position _ Run

Figure9

NevermovethekeyintotheStartpositionwhiletheengineisrunning; doingsomaycausedamagetothe engine'sstarter.

Neverattempttostart theenginewiththe bladecontrolengaged.

Alwaysreleasethebladecontrolwhenstartingtheengine.Failureto do somayresultinprematureweartoyourengine'selectricstarter.

GEAR SHIFT LEVER

Usethisleverto selectanyoffour forwardgroundspeeds,neutral,or reverse.

Forward Fourforwardspeedsareavailable.Positionone (1)isthe slowestand

positionfour(4) isthefastest. Reverse

Toselectreverse,puttheleverin theReverse(R)position.

Lookbehindthe mowerbeforeandduringreverseoperation.Stopthe

mowerbladesbeforeoperatinginreverse. Neutral Placethe leverinneutral(N)beforestartingthemowerandwhenthe

mowerisnot inuse.Inaddition,the mowercanbe manuallypushed orpulledbyplacingthegearshiftleverinto N(neutral)positionand pressingthedrivecontrolagainstthehandlebargrip.

Alwaysreleasethedrivecontrolbeforechangingspeeds.Failureto dosomayresultin seriousdamagetoyourtransmission.

SYSTEMS INDICATOR MONITOR/HOUR METER

BATTERY

j j/

42.0

/// HOURS 1/10 \\\

Figure10

LCD

Whenthe ignitionkeyisrotatedoutofthe STOPpositionbut not

intothe STARTposition,thesystemsindicatormonitordisplaysthe battery'soutput,involts,onitsLCDforapproximatelyfiveseconds,

afterwhichitdisplaysan hourglassandthehoursofmoweroperation.

Oncetheengineis started,the monitorcontinuallydisplaysan hour

glassandthehoursofmoweroperationon its LCD.SeeFigure10.

NOTE:Hoursof moweroperationarerecordedanytimethe ignition keyis rotatedoutof theSTOP_i _position,regardlessofwhetherthe

engineisstarted. TheIndicatorMonitorwillalso remindtheoperatorofmaintenance

intervalsfor changingtheengineoil.TheLCDwillalternatelyflashthe recordedhours,"CHG"and"OIL'forfive minutes,afterevery50 hours

of recordedoperationelapse.Themaintenanceintervallastsfor two

hours(from50-52, 100-102,150-152,etc.).TheLeD willalsoflash

asdescribedaboveforfiveminuteseverytimethemower'sengine

hasbeenstartedduringthismaintenanceinterval.Beforetheinterval expires,changetheengineoilas instructedintheMaintenancesection ofthis Operator'sManual.

Battery

Itis normalfortheBatterylightto illuminatewhilethe engineis crankingduringstart-up,butif it illuminatesduringoperation,whilethe engineisrunning,thebatteryisin needof a chargeor theengine's chargingsystemisnot generatingsufficientamperage.Chargethe

batteryasinstructedin theServicesectionof thismanualorhavethe chargingsystemcheckedby Searsoranotherqualifiedservicedealer.

GAS AND OiL FILL-UP

IMPORTANT:Thisunitis shippedwithoutgasolinebutwithoil inthe engine.Becertainto serviceenginewithgasolineandcheckthe oilas instructedin thissectionbeforestartingor runningyourmachine.

Oil Use4-strokemotoroilthatmeetsor exceedstherequirementsforAPI

servicecategorySF,SG,SH,SJ or later.AlwayschecktheAPIservice labelontheoilcontainerto besureit includesthelettersSF,SG,SH,

SJorlater.

* Below40°F(4°C)theuseof SAE30willresultinhardstarting. ** Above80°F(27°C)theuseof 10W-30maycauseincreasedoil

consumption.Checkoil levelmorefrequently.

1. Checktheoil withtheenginestoppedandlevel.

2. Removetheoil filldipstickandwipeit clean.

3. Insertandtightenthe oilfilldipstick.Removeitto checktheoil level.See Figure11.

4. If theoillevelis nearor belowthelowerlimitmarkonthedipstick, removetheoil filldipstick,andfillwiththe recommendedoiltothe upperlimitmark(J). Donotoverfill.

5. Reinstalltheoilfilldipstick.

Gasoline

Donotuseunapprovedgasolines,suchas E85.Do notmixoilin gasolineormodifyengineto runonalternatefuels.Thiswilldamage theenginecomponentsandvoid the engine warranty.

Figure11

Refuelina well-ventilatedareawiththeenginestopped.Iftheengine hasbeenrunning,allowit tocool first.Neverrefueltheengineinsidea buildingwheregasolinefumesmayreachflamesorsparks.

Gasolineis highlyflammableandexplosive,andyoucanbe burnedor seriouslyinjuredwhenrdueling.Stopengineandkeep heat,sparks,andflameaway.Refuelonlyoutdoors.Wipeupspills immediately.

ifyour equipmentwillbe usedonan infrequentorintermittentbasis, pleaserefertothe Off SeasonStoragesectionforadditionalinforma- tionregardingfuel deterioration.

NOTE:Fuelcandamagepaintandsometypes ofplastic.Becareful notto spillfuelwhenfillingyour fueltank.

Neverusestaleorcontaminatedgasolineor oil/gasolinemixture. Avoidgettingdirtor waterin thefueltank.

1. Removethefueltankcap.

2. Fillthefueltankwith fuel.Toallowforexpansionofthefuel,do notfill abovethebottomofthefuel tankneck.Donotoverfill.

Wipeupspilledfuelbeforestartingtheengine.

3. Installthefueltankcapandtightenituntil itclicks.

4. Movelawnmowerat least10feetawayfromthefuelcontainer/ sourceandsitebeforestartingtheengine.

Fuelmustmeetthese requirements:

• Clean,fresh,unleadedgasoline.

• A minimumof87 octane/87AKI(91RON).

• Gasolinewithupto 10%ethanol(gasohol)isacceptable.

Besurenooneotherthanthe operatorisstandingnearthelawn mowerwhilestartingengineoroperatingmower.Neverrunengine indoorsor inenclosed,poorlyventilatedareas.Engineexhaust containscarbonmonoxide,anodorlessanddeadlygas.Keephands, feet,hairand looseclothingawayfromanymovingpartson engine

andlawnmower.

STARTING THE ENGINE

Disengageallcontrolsonthe mower.

Movethegearshiftleverinto theneutral(N)position.

Insertthe keyintothe ignitionswitch.

If startingacoldengine,placethethrottle/chokecontrolallthe wayforward,intotheCHOKE1_.1position.Ifrestartinga warm

engine,placethethrottle/chokecontrolintotheFast_ position.

Turntheignitionkeyclockwisetothe START_ position.After theenginestarts,releasethekey.it will returntotheRUN(_

position.

MovethekeytotheRUN/LGNT positiontooperatethe

mowerusingthe headlight.

DoNOTholdthe keyintheSTARTpositionforlongerthan five secondsata time.Doingsomaycausedamagetoyourengine's

electricstarter.

7. Movethethrottle/chokecontrolintotheFAST'_ position. NOTE:Neverleavethethrottle/chokecontrolinthe CHOKEI'_!

positionwhileoperatingthemower.Doingsowillresultin a "rich"fuel mixtureandcausetheengineto runpoorly.

Stopping the Engine

Totravelin REVERSE,

a. Checkthatthe areabehindisclear. b. PlacethegearshiftleverinReverse(R).

c. Slowlysqueezethe DriveControlagainstthelefthandlegrip

andthemowerwillmove.Releaseitanddrivemotionwillstop.

DoNOTattempttochangethe directionoftravelwhenthemoweris in motion.Alwaysreleasethedrivecontrolandbringthe mowertoa completestopbeforerepositioningthegearshift leverfromaforward gearintoReverse.Failuretodo so mayresultin seriousdamageto

rourtransmission.

Donot leavetheoperator'spositionwithoutfirstreleasingtheBlade Control.Ifleavingthe mowerunattended,alsoturntheengineoffand

removetheignitionkey.

ENGAGING THE BLADES

Tohelpavoidbladecontactora thrownobjectinjury,keepbystand-

lets,helpers,childrenandpetsat least75feetfromthe machinewhile lit isinoperation.Stopmachineifanyoneentersthearea.

1. Movethethrottle/chokecontroltothe FAST_ position.

e beforerestartingandoperating.

1. Ifthe bladesareengaged,releasethe BladeControl.

2. Movethethrottle/chokecontrolintotheSTOPlI_ position.

3. TurntheignitionkeycounterclockwisetotheSTOPO position.

4. Removethe keyfromtheignitionswitchto preventunintended starting.

ENGAGING THE DRIVE

Avoidsuddenstarts,excessivespeedandsuddenstops.

Starttheengineas instructedearlierin thissectionandmovethe throttle/chokecontrolintothe FAST'_ position.

TotravelFORWARD:

a. Placethegearshiftleverin anyofthefourforwardground

speeds.Selecta speedappropriatefortheconditionsanda paceyou'recomfortablewith.

b. SlowlysqueezetheDriveControlagainstthelefthandlegrip

andthemowerwillmove.Releaseit anddrivemotionwillstop.

2. SlowlysqueezetheBladeControlagainstthe righthandlegrip andthebladeswillengage.Releaseit andthe bladeswillstop.

OPERATING ON SLOPES

Refertothe SLOPEGUIDEonpage7 tohelpdetermineslopeswhere

youmayoperatethemowersafely.

Donot mowon inclineswitha slopeinexcessof 15degrees(a rise ofapproximately2-1/2feetevery 10feet).Themowercouldoverturn andcauseseriousinjury.

• Mowacrossthefaceof slopes;neverupanddown.

• Exerciseextremecautionwhenchangingdirectiononslopes.

• Watchfor holes,ruts,rocks,hiddenobjects,orbumpswhichcan

causeyouto sliportrip.Tallgrasscanhideobstacles.

• Alwaysbesureofyourfooting.A slipandfallcan causeserious personalinjury.Ifyou feelyou arelosingyourbalance,release thebladecontrolhandleimmediatelyandthe bladewillstop

rotatingwithinthree(3) seconds.

• Donotmowneardrop-offs,ditchesorembankments,youcould loseyourfootingor balance.

• Donotmowslopesgreaterthan15degreesas shownonthe slopegauge.

• Donotmowon wetgrass.Unstablefootingcouldcauseslipping.

USING THE DECK HEIGHT LEVER

Toraiseor lowerthecuttingdeck, movethedeckheightlevertothe left,then placeit inthenotchbestsuitedforyour application.

MOWING

Thefollowinginformationwillbehelpfulwhenoperatingyourmower.

Planyourmowingpatterntoavoiddischargeof materialstoward roads,sidewalks,bystanders.Also,avoiddischargingmaterial againstawallorobstructionwhichmaycausedischargedmaterialto ricochetbacktowardtheoperator.

• Donot mowatfastgroundspeeds,especiallyifa mulchkitor grasscollectoris installed.

• Donotcut thegrasstoo short.Shortgrassispronetoweed growthandyellowsquicklyin dryweather.

• Alwaysoperatethemowerwiththethrottle/chokecontrolinthe FAST_ positionwhilemowing.

• Forbestresultsitis recommendedthatthefirsttwolapsbecut withthedischargethrowntowardsthecenter.Afterthefirst two laps,reversethedirectionto throwthedischargetotheoutside forthe balanceofcutting.Thiswillgivea betterappearancetothe

lawn.

INSTALLING/REMOVING MULCH BAFFLE

Beforeinstallingor removingthemulchbaffle,disengageblades,sto

theengineand removekeyto preventunintendedstarting.

Stoptheengineandwaitforall partsto stopmoving. Installing the Mulch Baffle

1. Insertthe right-sidetab(A)ofthebaffleintothe bracketonthe deck.SeeFigure12.

2. Insertthe mulchbaffleintothedischargeopening(B).See Figure12.

3. Onceit'spositionedin thedeckopening,pushthebaffletowards

therearof themower(C) tosecureit inplace.

SeeFigure12.

DoNOTattemptto mowheavybrushandweedsor extremelytall grass.Yourmoweris designedtomowlawns,NOTclear brush.

Keepthebladessharpandreplacethebladeswhenworn.

Afterstrikingaforeignobject,stopthe engine,disconnectthe spark plugwireandgroundagainstthe engine.Thoroughlyinspectthe mowerforany damage.AlwaysInspectthebladetimingbeltas instructedin theMaintenancesectionof thismanual.Repairthe damagebeforestartingandoperatingthemower.

MULCHING

TheCraftsmanProWideCutmoweris equippedwitha mulchkit(sup- pliedwiththemower),whichusesspecialbladesto recirculategrass clippingsrepeatedlybeneaththecuttingdeck.Theultra-fineclippings arethenforcedbackinto thelawnwheretheyact asa naturalfertilizer. Observethefollowingpointsfor thebestresultswhenmulching.

• Neverattempttomulchif the lawnis damp.Wetgrasstends tostickto theundersideof thecuttingdeckpreventingproper mulchingofthe clippings.

DoNOTattemptto mulchmorethan1/3the totalheightofthe grass.Doingsowill causetheclippingsto clumpupbeneaththe deckandnotbemulchedeffectively.

• Maintaina slowgroundspeedto allowthegrassclippingsmore timetoeffectivelybemulched.

• Alwayskeepthethrottlecontrolleverinthe FAST,_ position whilemowing.Failingtokeepthe engineatfull throttleplaces strainon themower'sengineanddoes notallowthebladesto properlymulchthegrassclippings.

Figure12

Removing the Mulch Baffle Slidethebaffleto the right(towardthefrontofthe mower)todisen-

gagetheslotfromthe mowerdeckandthen prythe left-sideofthe

baffleoutward.

MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE

1st5 hours Every8 hoursorDaily

25 hours

50 hours

Annually

BeforeStorage

1. Engineoil

1. Mowerblades

2. Looseormissinghardware

3. Belts

4. Engineoillevel

5. Controls

6. Mulchplug(iffitted)

1. Airfilter/pre-cleanerf

2. Mowerblades

3. Controllinkagesand pivots

1. EngineOil

2. FrontWheelBearings

1. Sparkplug

2. Air Filter

3. Pre-cleanerf

4. RearWheels

1. Fuelsystem

1. Change

1. As required

2. Tightenor replace

3. Check

4. Check

5. Checkfor properoperation

6. Checkfor properpluginstallation

1. Clean*

2. Sharpenandbalance

3. Lubewithlightoil

1. Change

2. Grease

1. Replace

2. Replace

3. Replace

4. Grease

1. Runengineuntilit stopsfromlackof fueloradda gasolineadditivetothe gasin thetank.

1-IfEquipped * Industyconditionsorwhenairbornedebrisis present,cleanmoreoften

MAINTENANCE

Beforeperformingany maintenanceorrepairs,disengageblades, stopengineandremovekeytopreventunintendedstarting.

GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS

Alwaysobservesafetyruleswhenperforminganytype of maintenanceon themower.

Thewarrantyon thislawnmowerdoesnotcoveritemsthathave beensubjectedto operatorabuseor negligence.Toreceivefull valuefromwarranty,operatormustmaintainthe lawnmoweras

instructedinthismanual.

• Changingof engine-governedspeedwillvoidenginewarranty.

• Alladjustmentsshouldbecheckedat leastonceeach season.

• Periodicallycheckall fastenersandmakesuretheyare tight.

ENGINE MAINTENANCE

Checking the Engine Oil Checkoillevelbeforeeachuse.Stopengineandwaitseveralminutes

beforecheckingoil level.Withengineon levelground, theoilmust betoFULLmarkondipstick.

1. RemovetheOil Cap/Dipstickandwipe witha cleancloth.

2. ReplaceandtightenOilCap/Dipstick.Remove OilCap/Dipstickandcheckoil level.Level

shouldbeat FULLmark.

3. If needed,addoilslowlyintotheengineoilfill. Recheckoil level. Donotoverfill.

Togainaccessto theoil drainvalveontheengine,pivottheright

handlebracetubeforward.

a. Removethe upperstarknobandcarriagescrewonthe right

sideof thehandle,Figure13.

b. Pivotthebracetubetowardsthefrontof themowertoallow

roomto connecttheoildrainhoseto theoildrainvalve, Figure13.

Figure13

Popoff theprotectivecapon theendoftheoil drainvalveto

exposethedrainport.SeeFigure14.

Oil Fiil Cap/Dipstick

4. ReinsertOilCap/Dipstickandtighten.

Donotoverfill.Overfillingwithoilmaymakethe enginehardtostart,

or nottostart.If overtheFULLmarkonthe dipstick,drainoillevelto

FULLmarkondipstick.

Changing the Engine Oil

Iftheenginehas beenrecentlyrun,theengine,mufflerandsur- roundingmetalsurfaceswillbe hotandcan causeburnsto theskin.

Exercisecautiontoavoidburns.

Theoil intheengineshouldbe changedafterthefirstfivehoursof operationandevery50 hoursofoperation.

1. Runthe enginefora fewminutestoallowtheoil in the crankcase towarmup. Warmoilwillflowmorefreelyand carryawaymoreof theenginesedimentwhichmayhavesettledatthebottomof the

crankcase.Usecaretoavoidburnsfromhotoil.

_\ j,J"

....."",,, iij ...............................................

Figure14

Removethe oilfillcap/dipstickfromtheoil fill tube,Figure14.

Pushtheoildrainhose(packedwiththismanual)ontotheoildrain port.Routetheoppositeendd thehoseintoanappropriateoilcollec-

tioncontainerwithat leasta 2.5quartcapacity,to collecttheusedoil.

6, Releasethevalvebypressingthetwotabsinwardwhilepulling

thevalveout,Theoil willbeginto drainoutofthe engine,

7. Aftertheoil hasfinisheddraining,pressthetwotabsinwardand pushthe oildrainvalvebackin tolockthevalveclosed,Remove thehose,andre-captheendof theoildrainvalveto keepdebris fromenteringthedrainport.

8. Refilltheenginewithnew motoroil untiltheoillevelon the dipstickreadsFULL.Replacetheoilfill cap/dipstick.

9. Pivottheright handlebracetubebackintoposition.Alignthe middleholeinthe bracetubewiththeholein thehandle.Secure

withthestarknobandcarriagescrewremovedearlier.

Checking the Spark Plug Cleansparkplugandresettheelectrodegapto0.030"atleastoncea

season;replaceannually.

1. Cleanareaaroundthe sparkplugbase.Donotsandblastspark plug.Sparkplugshouldbecleanedbyscrapingorwirebrushing andwashingwitha commercialsolvent

Removeand inspectthesparkplug.Checkgapto makesureit is setat .030".SeeFigure15.

Electrode Porcelain

Servicing the Air Filter

Iffilters,or coversarenotinstalledcorrectlyseriousinjuryordeath

couldresultfrombackfire.Donotattemptto starttheenginewith themremoved.

Donot usepressurizedairor solventsto cleantheair filtercartridge.

Cleanor replacetheairfilterevery25hoursof operation.

1. Pulluponthecoverhandle.Rotatethecoverhandletowardthe engineand removethecover.SeeFigure16.

f -,,

Air FilterCover AirFilterCartridge

CoverHandle _

.030inch(26 ram)gap

Figure15

Replacethesparkplugif electrodesarepitted,burned,orthe porcelainiscracked.Usea Champion®RC12YCsparkplug.

Figure16

2. Carefullyremoveaircleanercartridgeandpre-cleaner(if equipped)fromtheblowerhousing.

3. Toloosendebris,gentlytapthe filteron a hardsurface.If thefilter is excessivelydirty,replacewitha newfilter.

4. Washthepre-cleanerinliquiddetergentandwaterandallowit to thoroughlydry. DONOToilthepre-cleaner.

5. Placethedrypre-cleaner,if equipped,andcartridgebackinto theblowerhousing.Thecartridgemustbeplacedsecurelyinto position.

6. Aligntabsoncoverwithslotsin blowerhousing.Rotatethecover handlebackandpushdownto lockinplace.

BATTERY

Batteryposts,terminals,andrelatedaccessoriescontainleadand leadcompounds,chemicalsknowntothe StateofCaliforniatocause

cancerandreproductiveharm.Washhandsafterhandling.

1. Positionthemowerona level,clearspoton yourlawn,near enoughforyourgardenhoseto reach.

Makecertainthemower'sdischargechuteisdirectedAWAYfrom

yourhouse,garage,parkedcars,etc.

Thebatteryissealedandis maintenance-free.Acid levelscannotbe checkedandfluidcannot beadded.

• Alwayskeepthebatterycablesandterminalscleanandfreeof corrosivebuild-up.

Aftercleaningthebatteryandterminals,applyalightcoatof petroleumjellyor greaseto bothterminals.

If removingthebatteryforcleaning,disconnecttheNEGATIVE(Black)

wirefromit'sterminalfirst,followedbythePOSITIVE(Red)wire.When

re-installingthebattery,alwaysconnectthe POSITIVE(Red)wireits terminalfirst,followedbytheNEGATIVE(Black)wire.Becertainthat thewiresareconnectedtothecorrectterminals;reversingthemcould

resultinseriousdamageto yourengine'salternatingsystem.

TIRE PRESSURE

Maximumtirepressureunderanycircumstancesis 30 psi.Equaltire

pressureshouldbemaintainedatalltimes.

Periodicallycheckthe pressureonbothyourmower'sreartires. Uneventirepressurewillcausethecuttingdecktomowunevenly andmayresultin mowertoveeringtoeithertheleftor rightduring operation.Recommendedoperatingtirepressureisapproximately20 p.s.i.Checkthe sidewalloftireformaximump.s.i.

CLEANING THE MOWER

Anyfuel oroil spilledonthemachineshouldbewipedoffpromptly.Do NOTallowdebristoaccumulatearoundthecoolingfinsof theengine, thetransmission'scoolingfanoronanyotherpartof themachine, especiallythebeltsandpulleys.

Smart Jet Yourmower'sdeckis equippedwitha waterport onits surfaceas part

ofits deckwashsystem. UsetheSmartJetto rinsegrassclippingsfromthedeck'sunderside

andpreventthebuildupof corrosivechemicals.Completethefollowing stepsAFTEREACHMOWING:

Beforeusingthedeckwashsystem,alwaysdisengagethe Blade

Control,stopengineandremovekeyto preventunintendedstarting.

2. Threadthe hosecoupler(packagedwithyourmower'sOperator's Manual)onto theendofyourgardenhose.

3. Attachthe hosecouplertothewaterporton thedeck surface. SeeFigure17.

Figure17

4. Turnthewateron.

5. Starttheengineandplacethethrottleleverinthe FAST,_ position.

6. Whileinthe operator'spositionbehindthe mower,movethe BladeControlintothe ONposition.

7. Remainin theoperator'spositionwiththecuttingdeckengaged fora minimumoftwominutes,allowingtheundersideofthe cuttingdeckto thoroughlyrinse.

8. Movethe BladeControlintothe OFFposition.

9. Turnthe ignitionkeytotheSTOP(_ positionto turnthe mower's engineoff.

10. Turnthewateroffanddetachthehose couplerfromthewater portonyour deck'ssurface.

AftercleaningyourdeckwiththeSmartJet system,startthemower's engine,returntothe operator'spositionandengagetheblades.Keep thecuttingdeckrunningfora minimumoftwo minutes,allowingthe

undersideof thecuttingdecktothoroughlydry.

LUBRICATION

Beforelubricating,repairing,orinspecting,alwaysdisengagePTO, set parkingbrake,stopengineandremovekeyto preventunintended starting.

Pivot Points & Linkage Lubricateall thepivotpointsonthe drivesystemandlift linkageat

leastoncea seasonwithlightoil. Rear Wheels Therearwheelsshouldbe removedfromtheaxlesoncea season.

Lubricatetheaxlesandrim hubswellwithanall-purposegrease beforereinstallingthem.

Front Wheels Eachof thefrontwheelaxlesandcastersisequippedwitha grease

fitting.See Figure18.Lubricatewitha No.2multi-purposegrease appliedwitha greasegunafterevery50hoursofmoweroperation.

f -,

BLADE TIMING BELT

Thecuttingdeckspindlesaredrivenby a timing(cogged)belt, assuringthatthedeckbladesarealwaysperpendiculartoeachother. At leastoncea season,orafterstrikinganyforeignobject,checkthe timingbeltas follows:

1. Removethebeltcoverby removingthethreescrewsandwashers whichsecureitto theframe.SeeFigure19.

Donot operatemowerwithoutthebelt coverinstalled.Failuretofol-

lowthisinstructioncouldresultin personalinjuryorpropertydamage.

Figure18

Figure19

2. Thetopof eachspindlepulleyis markedwithan arrow.See Figure20.Thearrowsshouldbeperpendicular(ata 90°angle)to

eachother.

Figure20

3. If thearrowsonthesurfaceofeach spindlepulleyarenot perpendicular(ata 90°angle)to eachother,seeyourSearsor otherqualifiedservicedealerto havethe timingbeltreset.

Donotoperatethemachinewithoutthedeck'stimingbeltproperly set.Failureto followthisinstructioncouldresultin personalinjuryor propertydamage.

ADJUSTMENTS

CUTTING DECK REMOVAL

Beforeperforminganymaintenanceorrepairs,disengageblades,

stopengineand removekeytopreventunintendedstarting.

Toremovethecuttingdeck,proceedasfollows:

1. Removethebeltcoverby removingthethreescrewsandwashers whichsecureitto theframe.SeeFigure22.

Shutthe engineoffand removetheignitionkeybeforemaking

adjustments.

Handle Height Theupperhandleis securedtotwosupportbarsthatcanbeadjusted

toraiseor lowerthe handleheight.Adjustifnecessaryasfollows:

1. Removetheupperstarknobandcarriagescrewonthe rightside ofthe handleandtheleftside ofthehandle.

SeeFigure21.

Donot operatemowerwithoutthebelt coverinstalled.Failuretofol-

lowthisinstructioncouldresultin personalinjuryor propertydamage.

Figure22

2. Placethedeckheightleverinits highestposition.

3. Positionwoodblocksatvariousplacesunderthedeck'sedge. Thesewilltemporarilysupportthedeckinthe processofremovingit.

4. Usethedeckheightleverto lowerthedeck,sothat itrestsonthe woodblocks.

Figure21

2. Pivotthehandleforwardor rearwardto alignoneofthethree holesoneach supportbarwiththeholesonthehandle.

3. Reinstalltheupperstarknobandcarriagescrewonthe rightside ofthe handleandtheleftside ofthehandlewhenacomfortable

heightis achieved.

5. Removethe screwandflangenutwhichsecuresthebeltkeeper rodtothe left sideofthemower'sframe.SeeFigure23.

Figure23

Removethe beltkeeperrodand removethedeckbeltfrom aroundthemower'senginepulley.

Lookingatthecuttingdeckfromtheleft side,locateandcarefully removethehairpinclipsthatsecurethe decksupportsonthe rear leftsideandfrontleftsideof the deck.SeeFigure24.

Lift Arm

10. Carefullyunhookthemower'slift assemblyfromthe reardeck supports.

11. Usethedeckheightleverto raisetheliftassemblytoits highest position.

12. Removethewoodenblocksfromunderthedeckandgentlyslide thecuttingdecktowardtherearof themachine.

13. Pulltheclick pinoutandunhookthedrivespringcablefromthe idlerarmassembly.SeeFigure25.

Figure25

14. Gentlyslidethecuttingdeckto theright,outfrombeneaththemower.

Toinstallthe cuttingdeck,followtheabovestepsinthe oppositeorder and mannerofremoval.

... J

Figure24

Repeattheprevioussteponthe mower'srightside.

Carefullyremovethe frontdeck supportsfromthedecklift arms, Figure25.

CUTTING BLADES

Shutthe engineoffand removeignitionkeybeforeremovingthe

cuttingblade(s)forsharpeningor replacement.Protectyourhandsb

usingheavygloveswhengraspingtheblade.

Periodicallyinspectthe bladeand/orspindleforcracksordamage,

especiallyafter you'vestrucka foreignobject.Do notoperatethe

machineuntil damagedcomponentsare replaced.

Toremovetheblades,proceedasfollows.

1. Removethedeckfrombeneaththemower,(referto CuttingDeck Removalearlierinthis section)thengentlyflipthedeckoverto exposeitsunderside.

2. Placea blockofwoodbetweenthecenterdeckhousingbaffle andthecuttingbladetoactas a stabilizer.SeeFigure26.

Toproperlysharpenthecuttingblades,removeequalamounts of metalfrombothendsofthe bladesalongthe cuttingedges,

paralleltothe trailingedge,ata250.to 300angle.Alwaysgrind

eachcutting bladeedgeequallytomaintainproperbladebalance.

SeeFigure27.

Ifthecuttingedgeofthe bladehaspreviouslybeensharpened,or if

anymetalseparationispresent,replacethebladeswithnewones.

A poorlybalancedbladewillcauseexcessivevibration,maydamage tothe mowerand/orresultin personalinjury.

Figure26

3. Removethehexflangenutthat securesthe bladetothespindle assembly.SeeFigure26.

Figure27

5. Testthe blade'sbalanceusinga bladebalancer.Grindmetalfrom theheavyend untilthebladebalancesevenly.

NOTE:Whenreplacingthe blade,be suretoinstallthebladewiththe sideof theblademarked"Bottom"(orwitha partnumberstampedin it)facingthe groundwhenthe mowerisintheoperatingposition.

Usea torquewrenchto tightenthebladespindlehexflangenutto

between70Ibs-ftand 90Ibs-ft.

Thecutting bladesmust be installedperpendicularto eachother.If thebladescannotbeinstalledperpendicularto eachother,theblade timingbeltmustbe reset.SeeyourSearsorotherqualifiedservice dealerto havethedecktimingbeltreset.

TRAIL SHIELD Jump Starting

Neveroperatethemowerwithoutthe trailshieldin placeandworking. Failuretodo socanresultinpersonalinjury.

Toreplacethetrail shield,proceedasfollows:

1. Removethe screwwhichsecuresthetrailshieldtotherightside ofthe mower.SeeFigure28.

Figure28

Bowthe trailshieldinwardoneachsidetoreleaseitfromthe mowerframe.

Installthe replacementtrailshieldbyfollowingthestepsabovein theoppositeorderandmannerof removal.

BATTERY

Neverjumpstart a damagedorfrozenbattery.Becertainthevehicles

do nottouch,andignitionsareoff.Do notallowcableclampsto touch.

1. Connectpositive(+)cabletopositivepost(+)of yourmower's dischargedbattery.

2. Connecttheotherendof thecableto the (positive+)postof the jumperbattery.

3. Connectthesecondcable(negative-) tothe otherpostof the jumperbattery.

4. Makethefinal connectiononthe engineblockofthe mower,away fromthebattery.Attachtoan unpaintedpartto assurea good

connection.

Ifthejumper batteryis installedona vehicle(i.e.car,truck),do NOT

startthevehicle'senginewhenjumpstartingyourmower.

5. Startthemower(as instructedin the Operationsectionofthis manual).

6. Removethejumpercablesin reverseorderofconnection.

Charging

Batteries

giveoff anexplosivegaswhilecharging.Chargethe batteryI in a wellventilatedareaandkeepawayfromanopenflameorpilot lightas ona waterheater,spaceheater,furnace,clothesdryeror othergas app ances, j

Batteryposts,terminals,andrelatedaccessoriescontainleadand leadcompounds,chemicalsknowntothe StateofCaliforniatocause cancerandreproductiveharm.Washhandsafterhandling.

If removingthebattery,disconnecttheNEGATIVE(Black)wire fromits terminalfirst,followedbythe POSITIVE(Red)wire.When

re-installingthebattery,alwaysconnectthe POSITIVE(Red)wireits

_termna f rst,fo owedbythe NEGATVE(B ack)w re.

When

chargingyourmower'sbattery,useonlyachargerdesignedforI

12Vlead-acidbatteries.Readyourbatterycharger'sOwner'sManualI priortochargingyourmowers battery.Alwaysfollowits instructions I andheeditswarnings, j

Ifyourmowerhas notbeenput intouseforanextendedperiodoftime,

chargethe batteryasfollows:

1. Setyourbatterychargertodeliveramaxof10amperes.

2. Ifyourbatterychargeris automatic,chargethebatteryuntilthe chargerindicatesthat chargingiscomplete.If thechargerisnot automatic,chargeforat leasteighthours.

+ 56 hidden pages

Craftsman 247.889981 Operator's Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual