Craftsman 917254630 Owner’s Manual

MODEL NO.

917.254630

Caution: Read and Follow

A, Safety RuBes And instructions

Before Operating This Equipment

LT 12 PIP ELECTRIC START

4 SPEED =38" WER

LAWN TRACTOR

o Assembly o Operation

e MaMtenance

o Repair and Adjustment o Repair Parts

Sears, Roebuck and Co,, Chicago, IL 60684 U,S.A.

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LOOK FOR THIS SYMBOL TO POINT OUT IMPORTANT SAFETY PRECAU- TIONS. IT MEANS - A'I-rENTION! BE-

ll=====l_l =,ul Hll ==l=

COME ALERT! YOUR SAFETY tS IN- VOLVED.

CAUTION: LOOK FOR THIS WORD TO POINT Oi

IMPORTANT EQUIPMENT PRECAUTION

RULES FOR SAFE OPERATfON

WARNING: This unit is equipped with an internal combustion engine and should not be used on or near any unimproved forest-covere brush-covered or grass covered land unless the engine s exhaust system is equipped with a spark arrestor meeting applicable local or art

laws (if any) If a spark arrestor is used, it should be maintained in effective working order be the operator. {See REPAIR PARTS for pz

number identification). Inthe State of California the above is required by taw (Section 4442 of the California Public Resources Code). Other States may have simit

laws. Federal laws apply on federal lands

1.1 Know the controls and how to stop quickly. READ THIS OPERATORS MANUAL and instructions furnished with

attachments.

2. Do not allow children to operate the machine Do not allow adults to operate it without proper instruction..

3 Do not carry passengers. Do not mow when children and

others are around.

4,. Always wear substantial footwear. Do not wear loose fitting

clothing that could get caught in moving parts

5. Keep your eyes and mind on your tractor, mower, and the area being cuL Do not let other interests distract you.

6. Do not attempt to operate your tractor or mower when not in

the drivers seat.

7. Always get on or off your tractor from the operator's left hand side°

8 Clear the work area of objects (wire, rocks, etc ) which might

be picked up and thrown°

9. Disengage allattachment clutches before attempting to start the engine.

10. Disengage power to attachments and stop the engine before leaving the operator's position..

11_ Disengage power to mower, stopthe engine, and disconnect

spark plug wire(s) from spark plug(s) before cleaning, making an adjustment, or repair. Be careful to avoid touching hot muffler or engine components.

12o Disengage power to attachments when transporting or not in

use,,

13o Take alt possible precautions when leaving the vehicle

unattended, Disengage the power4ake-off, lower the attach-

ments, shift into neutral, set the parking brake, stop the

engine, and remove the key_

14. Do not stop or start suddenly when going uphill or downhill.

Mow up and down the face of slopes (not greater than 15°); never across the face. Refer to page 37.

15. Reduce speed on slopes and make turns gradually to prevent tipping or loss of control. Exercise extreme caution when changing direction on slopes.

16, While going up or down slopes, ptace Gear Shift Control

Lever In 1st gear position to negotiate the slope without

stopping

17,. Never mow in wet or slippery grass, when traction is unsure,

or at a speed which could cause a skid.

18, Stay alert for holes in the terrain and other hidden hazards,

Keep away from drolmoffs,

19. Do not drive too close to creeks, ditches, and public high- ways.

20. Exercise special care when mowing around fixed objects in order to prevent the blades from striking them_ Never delib-

erately runtractor or mower intoor over any foreign objects

21. Never shift gears until tractor comes toa stop.

22_ Never place hands or feet under the mower, in discharge

chute, or near any moving parts while tractor or mower are

running. Always keep clear of discharge chute,.

23° Use care when pulling loads or using heavy equipment.

a. Use only approved drawbar hitch points°

b. Limit loads to those you can safely control.. c. Do not turn sharply Use care when backing. d_ Use counterweight orwheel weights when suggested

owner's manuals.

24. Watch out for traffic when crossing or neat roadways

25 When using any attachments, never direct discharge

material toward bystanders nor allow anyone near the v hlcle while in operation

26 Handle gasoline with care - it is highly flammable.

a. Use approved gasoline contatners. b. Never remove the fuel cap of the fuel tank or ac

gasoline to a runningor hot engine or an engine that h_ not been allowed to cool for several minutes after ru_

ning. Never fill tank indoors, aiways clean up spill_ gasoline.

c Open doors if the engine is run in the garage - exhau

fumes are dangerous_ Do not run the engine indoors

27 Keep the vehicle and attachments in good operating conc

tion, and keep safety devices in place and working

28. Keep all nuts, bolts, and screws tight to be sure the equiI ment is in safe working condition

29. Never store the equipment with gasoline in the tank inside buildir_g where fumes may reach an open frame or spar

Allow the engine to coot before storing in any enclosure

30. To reduce fire hazard, keep the engine free of grass, leave or excessive grease_ Do not clean product while engine

running

31.. Except for adjustments, DO NOT operate Engine if cleaner or cover directly over carburetor air intake is r_

moved.. Removal of such part could create a fire hazard.

32. Do not operate without a muffler, or tamper with exhau system Damaged mufflers or spark arresters coufd create fire hazard. Inspect periodically and replace if necessary.

33 The vehicle and attachments should be stopped and i_

spected for damage after striking a foreign object, and tl" damage should be repaired before restarting and operatin

the equipment.

34 Do not change the engine governor settings or overspeed th,

engine; severe damage or injury may result.

35. When using the vehicle with mower, proceed as follows: a. Mow only in daytight or in good artificial light.

b. Shut the Engine off when unclogging chute

c. Check the blade mounting bolts for proper tightness z

frequent intervals.

36. Do not operate the mower without either the entire gras catcher, on mowers so equipped, or the the deflector shiel

in place..

37. Disengage power to mower before backing UpoDo not mo_

in reverse unless absolutely necessary and then only aft_

careful observation of the entire area behind the mower.

38. Under normal usage the grass catcher bag material is subje_ to deterioration and wear. Itshould be checked frequently fc bag replacement Replacement bags should be checked t

ensure compliance with the original manufacturer's recorr mendations or specifications.

CONGRATULATIONS on your purchase of a Sears Lawn Tractor° it has been designed, engineered and manufactured to give you the best possible dependabili- ty and performance. Should you experience any pro-

blem you cannot easily remedy, please contact your nearest Sears Service Department. We have compe-

tent, well-trained technicians and the proper tools to service or repair this unit_

SERIAL

NUMBER

DATE OF PURCHASE

THE SERIAL NUMBER WILL BE FOUND ON THE MODEL PLATE UNDER THE SEAT°

MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT A Sears Maintenance Agreement is available on this

YOU SHOULD RECORD THESE NUMBERS AND KEEP FOR FUTURE REFERENCE°

product, See the nearest Sears store or service center

for details. CUSTOMER RES_NS/MLITIES

Read and retain this manual Study and observe the safety rules. Always use care when using your tractor

Always keep your tractor and mower clean, Follow a regular schedule in maintaining, caring for, and using

your tractor. A well cared for tractor will run better and last longer

A TTACHMENTS

This unit can use many attachments now available at your Sears store_ It cannot use attachments that engage

the ground like a plow, harrow, cultivator, or tiller See page 50 for a list of available attachments

LIMITED ONE YEAR WARRANTY

ON ELECTRIC START RIDING EQUIPMENT

For one year from date of purchase, when this riding equipment is maintained, lubricated, and tuned up accor_ ding to the operating and maintenance instruction in the owner's manual, Sears will repair free of charge any

defect in material or workmanship in this electric start riding equipment

This warranty excludes blade(s), blade adapter(s), spark plug(s) air cleaner and belt(s), which are expendable

and become worn during normal use

This warranty does not cover:

Tire replacement or repair caused by punctures from outside objects (such as nails, thorns, stumps, or glass); and

- repairs necessary because of operator abuse or negligence, including the failure to maintain the equip- ment according to instructions contained in the owner's manual; and

riding equipment used for commercial or rental purposes,

FULL 90-DAY WARRANTY ON BATTERY

For 90 days from the date of purchase, if any battery included with this riding equipment proves defective in material or workmanship and our testing determines the battery will not hotd a charge, Sears will replace the

battery at no charge°

WARRANTY SERVICE IS AVAILABLE BY CONTACTING THE NEAREST SEARS SERVICE CENTER/DEPARTMENT

IN THE UNITED STATES_ This warranty applies only while this product is in use in the United States

This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which may vary from state

to state_

SEARS, ROEBUCK and COo, Di731CR-W, Sears Tower, Chicago, II 60684

Adjustments:

Brake 74 Carburetor 78

Mower Drive Belt 22 Mower

Front-to-Rear 22

Side _to-Side 22

Throttle Control Cable 18 Engine Valves 78

Air Filter

Cleaning 76

Element __ 76

Air Intake Screen, Eng _ 16 Assembly 5-8

Attachments . 50

Battery:

Charging Cleaning

Installation Levels

Preparation Starting with Weak Battery

Storage

Terminals

Belt:

Motion Drive Replacement Mower Drive Adjustment Mower Drive,

Remove/Replace

Bla de:

Sharpening Replacement

Brake Adjustment

Carburetor Adjustment lB Controls, Tractor 9

Cutting Level, Mower 12

Engine:

Air Screen 16 Oil Change t 6

Oil Level t6 Oil Type t 6 Starting 10 Storage 23

Valve Adjustments 18

Filter:

Air ..............................................................16

Fuel ........................................................18

Fuel:

Type 10 Storage 23

Type 10

Storage 23

Fuse 20

Hood Removal 20

Levelling Mower Deck 22 Lubrication:

Chart 24

Tractor Pivot Points 17

Maintenance 13

Air Filter 16

7 Air Filter Element 16

15 Air Screen 16

8 Battery 15

t 5 Blade Sharpening 14

7 Brake Adjustment t4

17 Engine Off 16

23 Fuel Filter 18

t 5 Lubrication Chart 24

Spark Plug 18

t 9 Tire Care 14

22 Mower:

Adjustment, Front-to-Rear 23

21 Adjustment, Side-to-Side 22

Blade Sharpening 14 t4 Blade Replacement 14 14 Cutting Level 12

14 #)stallation 21

Operation 1 t

Removal 20

Muffler t 7

Spark Arrester 2

Oil:

Cold Weather Conditions 15

Engine 16

Storage 23

Operation 9- 12

Operating Your Mower 1!

Operating Your Tractor l l

Starting the Engine 11

Stopping Your Tractor 10

Tractor Operation on Hills 12

Options:

Attachments 50 Spark Attester 2

Parking Brake Parts Bag

Repair and Adjustments

Blade° , .

Carburetor

Fuse

Hood Removal Motion Drive Belt

Replacement

Mower Drive Belt

Replacement

Mower Adjustment

Side-to-Side

Mower Removal

Safety Rules Seat

Service Record Slope Guide Sheet Spark Plug

Speed Control Chart Starting the Engine Steering Wheel

Stopping the Tractor Storage

Throttle Control Cable

Adjustment

Tires Trouble Shoot#_g Chart

Valves Adjustments

Warranty Wiring (Schematic)

5-6

14-24

15 t8

20 20

20 22

t8 12

18 t4

Unpack Tractor

a, Take items out of box. The box contains the

items shown below.

b Cut down four corners of the carton with a utili-

ty knife and fold down sides.

c Disengage Parking Brake. d. Install Steering Wheel

I Slide upper steering shaft over lower steer _

ing shaft until bolt holes line up with slots in lower steering shaft (Fig 1),

2, Use two hex bolts 3/8- 16 x t- 1/4 and two

Iocknuts 3/8 - t6 to retain upper steering shaft to lower steering shaft Tighten

securely,, Bolts and nuts found in bag of

parts.

3 Position Steering Sleeve over steering shaft

assembly.

4 For easier assembly, tilt tube towards front

of tractor

5 Place bottom of Steering Sleeve over two

front prongs on steering bushing,

6 Squeeze the two steering sleeve retainers in-

ward to allow Steering Sleeve to pass over retainers

7, Push Steering Sleeve down aligning notch on

Steering Sleeve with tab on steering

bushing.

Bo Place steering wheel adapter on upper steer-

ing shaft.

9. With front wheels pointed straight ahead, place steering wheel on steering wheel adapter,, Bars of steering wheel should point straight across tractor°

I O. Place 2 - !/4" diameter washer on upper

steering shaft and install a I/2"" locknuZ

(washer and Iocknut found in bag of part_) Tighten securely.

11_ Snap insert into steering wheel.

Remove plastic on tractor hood

Raise attachment rift handle Rol! Tractor off skid Be careful of staples in skid

The operation of any

foreign objects thrown into the eyes, which can result in severe eye damage,

Always wear safety glasses or eye

shields before starting your tractor and

while moving,. We recommend Wide Vision Safety Mask for over the spec- tacles or standard safety glasses, avail-

able at Sears Retail or Catalog Stores

illl,llrl

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a. seat e owner's manua! b, Steering wheel f parts bag

c, battery g, steering sleeve d° battery acid h_ upper steering shaft

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Parts Bag Contents Not Shown Full Size:

(21 Battery Carriage Bolts _ 1/4-20 x 7-1/2

Terminal Guard

t 5 ° Slope Instruction (21 Keys

Battery Caps

And Instructions Steering Wheel Insert

BATTERY

TERMINALS

ASSEMBL Y

LOCATiON

BATTERY

PARTS BAG CONTENTS SHOWN FULL SIZE

....... i....

(2) Wing Nut, 1/4-20

(2) Hex Bolt, 1/4 - 20 x 3/4

t2) Lockwasher I/4 Q

{2) Washer 9/32 x 5/8 x 16 Ga (2) Hex Nut, 1/4 - 20

(1) Flex Bolt, 1/2 - 13 - x 1

p,...

{1) Shoulder bolt 5/16 _ 18

UPPER

s...,, ililllliltlilillltiiil]

SHAFT ...j

STEER,N_ 1 0 t

WHEEL

{2) Hex Bolt 3/8 - 16 x 1 1/4

(1) Lockwasher 1/2

(1) Washer 17/32 x 1

3/16 x 12 Gad

12) Hex Locknut 3/8 - 16

___ff) 21/4"' Ota. Washer

tl) LocknuL 1/2-20

To assemble tractor you wit! need:

(21 7/16" Wrenches Tire Pressure Gauge

(I) 1/2" Wrench Screwdriver (2) ! 1/16" Wrenches Utility Knife (I) 3/4" Wrench

NOTE: RIGHT HAND (R.H) AND LEFT HAND (L H,) ARE

DETERMINED FROM OPERATOR'S POSITION

WHILE SEATED ON THE TRACTOR

WEAR EYE AND FACE SHIELD.

WASH HANDS OR CLOTHING IM-

MEDIATELY IF ACCIDENTALLY IN CONTACT WITH BATTERY ACID

DO NOT SMOKE: FUMES FROM CHARGED BATTERY ACID ARE EXPL OSIVE,

READ THE INSTRUCTIONS INCLUD- ED WITH THE BATTERY VENT CAPS IN THE BAG OF PARTS. ALWAYS

WEAR GLOVES, CLOTHING AND GOGGLES TO PROTECT YOUR HANDS, SKIN AND EYES

OWER S_fEE R_NG

bHAFI

FIGURE

STEERING BUSHING

2_ Prepare Battery

Fill and charge battery (before instalfing) NOTE: SEE DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS PACKAGED WITH BATTERY

VENT CAPS FOUND IN BAG OF PARTS

Fill each cell with battery acid, Add the acid un- til it reaches the bottom of the vent tubes (Fig

3). Do not add the acid beyond this level or the additional acid can come out when the battery is charged,

After cells are rifled, titt battery from side to side to release air bubbles.

Allow battery to stand and settle for at least

thirty minutes. If the level of acid falls below the point described in step (a), add more acid

until the correct level is reached. Instafl the bat- tery caps, found in the bag of parts, to cover the vent tubes° Wash the top of the battery

with water to remove any acid, then wipe dry

Check battery case for leakage to make sure that no damage has occured in handling°

e.,

Neutralize excess battery acid for disposal by adding it to four inches of water in a five gallon

plastic container° Stir with a wooden or plastic paddle while adding baking soda until the ad-

dition of more soda causes no more foaming.

tt is recommended that the battery be charg- ed before use. Use a 12 volt battery charger°

Charge battery at a rate of 6 amperes for I hour, NOTE: OBSERVE SAFETY PRECAU-

TIONS, LISTED IN BOX ABOVE, REQUIRED FOR BATTERY CHARGING. Check the acid

level after the battery is charged, ff the acid has

fallen below the correct level, add distilled or

iron free water.

STEERING

V STEERING

SLEEVE

3. instal Seat.. SPRING

Seat position should be adjusted forward or backward so that the operator can comfortably reach Clutch/Brake

Pedal and safely operate tractor

RETAINER

RETAINER SPRING

Place seat on seat pan. Screw hex head machine screw, Iockwasher and flat washer into seat (Fig,

2). Screw shoulder bolt into seat (Fig. 2),,Machirfe screw, shoulder bolt and washers found in bag of parts (shown full size on page 6),

b. Tighten shoulder bolt using a I/2" wrench. NOTE:

THE SHOULDER BOL T WILL BE LOOSE IN THE

SEAT PAN SLOT

c Tighten machine screw, Iockwasher and flat

washer using a t/2" wrench,

Place seat in operating position_ Sit on the seat and press clutch/brake pedal al! the way down

If operating position is not comfortable, adjust seat,

e To adjust: Raise seat. Loosen machine screw,

Sfide seat to des#ed position. Tighten machine

screw securely.

WASHER ML;ST BE TIGHTENED SECURE-

MACH"E SC.EW: OC,WASHER.,,"AT!

LY TO PREVENT MOVEMENT OF SEAT. ,

ASSEMBL Y

4. Check Tires

Check the air pressure in the tires, Tires with too much

air pressure will cause the unit to ride rough, The wrong air pressure will also keep the mower from cutting level

The correct air pressure is shown on the side of the tires.

If the air pressure is not shown, set to pressures shown in the REPAIR AND ADJUSTMENT section (page 14).

5. Install Battery

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BEFORE INSTALLING BATTERY, REMOVE METAL BRACELETS,

WRISTWATCH BANDS, RINGS, ETC. FROM YOUR PERSON° TOUCHING

THESE ITEMS TO BATTERY TERMI- NALS COULD RESULT IN BURN&

a Lift seat (Fig 2)

b Lower battery into fender weft with battery ter-

minals toward front of tractor (Fig 4) Make sure battery rests in battery tray (Fig 4)

NOTE: BE SURE BATTERY DRAIN TUBE iS SECURELY

ATTACHED TO BATTERY TRAY DRAIN

" H,HH

B@.1

) C AD.tUS f _Nr

_ _MtNAL _AIIIR _

{t#t AWAY Vt{W BAIT{RY

FIGURE 2

CAP

POSITIVF'TERMINAL CO'N-

Must i

NECTED FIRST TO PREVENT _

SPARKS FROM ACCIDENTAL I GROUNDING, ,,,, J

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c Connect RED battery cable to positive ( + ) bat-

tery terminal with hex bolt, flat washer, tockwasher and hex nut (shown full size on pg

6) found in bag of parts. Tighten securely with two 7/16" wrenches (Fig. 4)

d Connect BLACK ground cable to negative (-) bat_

tery terminal with remaining hex bolt, flat

washer, tockwasher and hex nut (shown full size

on pg. 6) found in bag of parts Tighten secure- ly (Fig, 4)

e To prevent corrosion, apply grease to the bat-

tery terminals after installing cables,

f Using the key hole on one side of the battery

support (Fig. 5) slide battery bolt into frame key hole (head of bolt down). Fasten the battery bolt to the terminal guard using wing nut,(shown full size on pg, 6) as shown in Fig, 5,

g_ Assemble the remaining battery bolt to other

side of battery support and fasten terminal guard

to it with remaining wing nut, (shown full size on pgo 6) as shown in Fig. 5.

FIGURE 4

NOTE: KEEP TERMINAL ACCESS DOORS CLOSED

WHEN NOT IN USE.

CAUTION: DO NOT START ENGINE UNTIL YOU HAVE

REVIEWED THE OPERATION SECTION OF

THIS MANUAL

FIGURE 5

6. Maintenance After First 2 Hour_ {Two

Mow/ng )

Changing oil after the first two hours (or two mowings) will help eliminate break-in residue which might be

damaging to your engine°

+ 18 hidden pages