Craftsman 917.386410 User Manual

_L_E,/__ Owner's Manual

@

24 VOLT DC
20" Cordless Rechargeabie

REAR DISCHARGE
MULCHING MOWER

Model No.

917.386410

Safety

o Assembly
o Operation

o Maintenance
° Espafiol

• Repair Parts

CAUTION:

Read and follow all
Safety Rules and Instructions

before operating this equipment

Sears, Roebuck andCo., Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

Safety Rules ' 2 Maintenance Schedule 10
Product Specifications 11 Service and Adjustments 12

Maintenance ;7 Storage 14

Warranty 2 Troubleshooting 15-16

Assembly 5 Illustrated Parts List 28-30
Operation 6 Palls Ordering Back Cover

................. ,__..... - .... ± ,i i

LIMITED TWO YEAR WARRANTY ON CRAFTSMAN POWER MOWER

For two years from date of purchase, wllen this Craftsman Lawn Mower is main-
tained, lubricated, and tuned up according to the operating and maintenance

instructions in the owner's manual, Sears will repair free ol charge any defect in

material or workmanship.

If this Craftsman Lawn Mower is used for commercial o1 rental purposes, this

warranty applies for only 90 days from the date of purchase.
This Warranty does not cover:

o Expendable items which become worn during normal use, such as rotary mower

blades, blade adapters, and belts

o Repairs necessary because of operator abuse or negligence, including bent

crankshafts and the failure to maintain the equipment according to the instruc-
tions contained in the owner's manual.

WARRANTY SERVICE IS AVAILABLE by returning the Craftsman power mower to
[he 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 vary from state to state.
Sears, Roebuck and Co.,D/817 WA, Hoffman Estates, IL 60179 USA

CAUTION: Do no{ attempt to operate this mower until you have read thoroughly

and understand completely all instructions, safety rules, etc, contained in this
manual Failure to comply can result in accidents involving fire, electric shock, or
serious personal injury, Save Owner's Manual and review frequently for continuing

safe operation and instructing others who may use this mulching mower,
Safety standards require an Operator mower without proper instructions

Presence Control Bar to minimize the risk ° Keep ttle area of operation ctearof all

of injuPi. Your unit is equipped with such a
Control Bar. Do not attempt to defeat its

function under any cilcumstances.

TRAINING:

• Read this operator's manual carefully,
Become familiar with the controls and

know how to operate your mower
properly. Learn how to quicldy slop

mower.

,, Do not allow children to use your

mower. Never allow adults to use

persons, especially small children and pets.

• Use mower only as the manufacturer
intended and as described in this manual,

o Do nat operate mower if it has been

dropped or damaged in any manner,

Always have damage repaired before using

your mower.

• Do not use accessory atfachments that are
not recommended by the manufacturer.

Use of such atlachments may be hazard-

OUS.

2

IER143,970002

o The blade rums when the motor is running.
. Avoid accidental starting Do not play with the

switch button and Operator Presence Control

Bar when not in use.

PREPARATION:

o Always thoroughly check the area to be

mowed and clear it of all stones, sticks, wires,

bones, and other foreign objects. These
objects will be thrown by the blade and can

cause severe injury.

o Always wear safety glasses or eye shields

when Stading and while using your mower.

• Dress properly. Do not operate mower when
barefoot orweafing open sandals. Wear

only solid shoes with good traction when
mowing.

o Always make wheel height adjustments

before starting your mower. Never attempt to

do this while the mower is running
o Mow only in daylight or good artificial light
o Do Net insert fuse into mower until it is ready

to be used or charged.

o Protect your lungs. Wear a face or dust mask

if mowing operation is dusty.
° Remove adjusting wrenches. Form habit of

checking to see that adjusting wrenches are

removed from mower before turning it on
OPERATION:

o Keep your eyes and mind on your mower

and the area being cut. Do not let other

interests distract you

° Do not mow wet or slippery grass Never run

while operating your mower Always be sure

of your footing - keep a firm hold on the

handles and walk.

o Do not put hands or feet near or under

rotating parts. Keep clear of the discharge

opening at all times

° Always stop the motor wheneve_ you leave

or are not using your mower, or before
crossing driveways, walks, roads, and any
gravel-covered areas.

• Never direct discharge el material toward
bystanders nor allow anyone near the mower
while you are
operating it

- Before cleaning, inspecting, or re*
pairing your mower, stop the motor

and make absolutely sure the blade
and all moving pads have stopped Then

remove the fuse to prevent accidental
starting_

,, Do not continue to run your mower

ifyou hit a foreign object. Follow
the procedure outlined above_ then repair
any damage before restarting and operating

your mower.

• Do not operate your mower if it
vibrates abnormally. Excessive

vibration is an indication of damage;
stop the motor and safely check for
the cause of vibration. Repair as

required.

• Do not run the motor indoors.
. Never cut grass by pulling the mower

towards you. Mow across the face of

slopes, never up and down or you

might lose your footing Do nol mow

excessively steep slopes Use caution
when operating the mower on uneven

terrain or when changing directions -
maintain good footing.

o Never operate your mower without

proper guards, plates, grass catcher
or other safety devices in place.

° Don't force the mower. It will do the

job better and safer at the rate of
which it is designed. When mowing

on rough sulfeces or in high grass,
select a higher cutting posilien.

° Don't overreach Keep proper footing

and balance at all time.

o Stay alert Watch what you are doing

and use common sense Do not
operate mower when you are tired

Do not run or rush when mowing.

• Drugs, alcohol, medication Do not
operate mower while under the

inlluence of drugs, alcohol, or any
medication

o Danger: Keep away from blade area

Be aware of the risk of injury Keep
hands and feet away from the blade

DQ NOT attempt to remove cut
material or unclog debris from under

mower deck while blade is moving
If mower stalls, release operator
presence control bar and wait for
blade to stop rotalingo Remove fuse

before attempting Io remove anything

from under mower deck. Thor-

oughly inspect and have any damage
repaired before restarting and
operating mower.

MAINTENANCE AND STORAGE:
° Check the blade and the motor

mounting bolts often to be sure they
are tightened properly

- Check all bolts, nuts and screws at
frequent inlervals for proper tightness

to be sure mower is in safe working
condition.

3

', Keepallsafetydevicesinplaceand

working.

, To reduce fire hazard, keep the mot6[

free of grass, leaves or excessive
grease and oil

• Check grass catcher bag often for
deterioration and wear. Replace worn

bags+ Use only replacement bags that

are recommended by and comply

with specifications of the manufac-
turer of your mower,

• Always keep the blade on your

mower sharp

. Allow motor to cool before storing in

any enclosure.

• Keep mower dry and clean. Always
use a clean damp cloth when

cleaning Never use brake fluids,
gasoline, petroleumbased products,
solvents, or water to clean mower.

o Do not mow if switch does not turn it

on and off. Have defective switch

replaced by a qualified sewice

technician at an authorized service
centeddepartment.

• Check damaged parts Before further
use of the mower, a guard or other
pad that is damaged should be

carefully checked to determine that it
will operate propedy and pedorm its

intended function. Check for align-
ment of moving pads, binding of

moving paris, breakage of pads,
mounting, and any other conditions

that may affect its operation. A guard

or other part that is damaged should
be properly repaired or replaced by a

qualified service technician at an
authorized service center/department.

• When servicing use only identical
Craftsman replacement pads.

Servicing of this mower should be

performed only by a qualified service
technician. For repair service we

suggest you return mower to your
nearest authorized service center/

department for repair.

• When replacing blade, use manufac-

turers recomrnended parts only Use of any
o!her blade may result in serious personal

injury or damage to your mower

• Store mower inside+ When not in use, mower
should be stored indoors in a garage,

basement, etc. Storage area should be a dry,
locked+up place - out of reach of children

° Maintain mower with care Keep blade sharp

and clean for best and safest peffon-nance.
Follow instructions for lubricating and

changing accessories.

CHARGER SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS:

. DOUBLE INSULATION+ The charger for

your mower is double insulated, This means
you are separated from the electrical system

of the chaiger by two complete sets of
electrical insulation. This extra layer of

insulation is intended to protect the user from
electrical sl_eck due to a break in the wiring
insulalion All exposed metal pails are

isolated from rive intemai metal components
with protecting insulation, Double insulated

chargers do not need to be grounded.
Servicing of a charger with double insulation
requires extreme care and knowledge of the
system and should be performed only by a

qualified service technician.

. Before charging battery, read all instructions

and cautionary maridngs in this manual and
on your mower,

. Do not expose mower to rain or snow

• To reduce risk of damage to charger plug,
pull cord by the cord plug rather than cord

when disconnecting from charger port or AC

outtet

o Make sure cord is located so that itwill not be

stepped on, tripped over, or otherwise
subjected to damage or stress.

• Do not operate mower if charger has
received a sharp blow, been dropped, or
otherwise damaged in any way; take it to a

qualified serviceman,

• Do not disassemble mower; take itto a
qualified serviceman when service or repair

is required. Incorrect reassembty may result

in a risk of electric shock or fire.

. To reduce risk of electric shock, remove fuse

before attempting any maintenance cleaning,

Turning off control will not reduce this risk.

WARNING: Always rernove fuse to prevent
accidental starting when setting up, transport-

ing, adjusting or making repairs.

4

These accessories were available when and service centers. Most Sears

this lawn mower was produced, They are stores can also order repair parts for

also available at most Sears retail outlets you, when you provide the model

number of your lawn mower.

LAWN MOWER PERFORMANCE

I:_AWN MOWER MAINTENANCE

9

Blades Blade adapters

TO REMOVE LAWN MOWER FROM

CARTON

• Remove loose parts included with
mower,

. Cut down two end corners of carton and

lay end panel down flat,

• Remove all packing materials except
padding between upper and lower
handle and padding holding operator
presence control bar to upper handle.

o Roll lawn mower out of carton and check

carton thoroughly for additional loose
paris,

• DQ NOT insert fuse at this time,

HOW TO SET UP YOUR LAWN
MOWER

TO UNFOLD HANDLE
IMPORTANT: Unfold handle carefully so as

not to pinch or damage control cables
o Raise handles until lower handie section

locks into place in mowing position,

,' Raise upper handte section into place

on lower handle, remove protective
padding and tighten both handle knobs

• Remove handle padding holding
operator presence control bar to upper

handle_

• Your lawn mower handle can be
adjusted for your mowing comfort, Refer

to "Adjust Handle" in the Service and

Adjustment section of this manual.

Wheels

Operator Presence
Control Bar

Lift Up

Lower Handle

• DO NOT insert fuse at this time

• Plug switch box cord connector
into motor connector_ Plug is
located on right side of motor_

Connector

Upper Handle

Mowing
Positian

Motor Connector

5

KNOWYOUR LAWN MOWER
READTHISOWNER'SMANUALANDSAFETYRULESBEFOREOPERATING
YOURLAWNMOWER.Comparetheillustrationswithyourlawnmowertofamiliar-

izeyourselfwiththelocationofvadd_uscontrolsandadjustments.Savethismanual

for futurereference°

Thesesymbolsmayappearonyourlawnmoweror in literaturesuppliedwiththe
product,Learnandunderstandtheirmeaning.

WARNING AND FEET AWAY

CAUTION OR _ DANGER. KEEP HANDS

Operator Presence Control Bar
Start Switch Button

Load Indicator

Handle

Light Knob

Battery Status
Light

Mulcher Plug

Wheel adjuster

Charger (on each wheel)

)

Fuse 40 amp

Automotive
Type

Housing

MEETS CPSC SAFETY REQUIREMENTS
Sears rotary walk-behind power lawn mowers conform to the safety standards of

the American National Standards Institute and the US. Consumer Product Safety

Commission. The blade turns when the motor is running,
Operator Presence Control Bar - must be held down to the handle to start an_J---

run the motor, Release to stop the motor.
Battery Status Light - alerts operator when battery capacity is approaching 80%

discharge (approximately 10 to 15 minutes left -- depending on grass conditions),
Load Indicator Light - informs the operator that the mower is experiencing a

heavy load,
Mulcher Plug - allows conversion to discharge or bagging operation.

Fuse - must be plugged in to operate and recharge mower,

6

CHARGING
Thebatteryhasbeenchargedatthefactory

However,itwillbenecessarytorecharge
batteryandmakesureithasafullcharge

beforeinitialuse.

• Always charge mower indoors in a garage,
carport, etc, where it is dry and protected
from the weather. DO NOT expose to rain or

SNOW,

• Do not charge mower in extreme hot or cold
temperatures.

NOTE: Extreme heat is mere harmful than cold,
especially when storing mower. Charge mower

in a location where the temperature is more
than 50"F (10°C) but less than 100°F (37°C).
o Keep mower away from water, heaters,

stoves, radiators, flames, chemicals,
corrosives, etc.

TO CHARGE

• Mower is disabled while charging. Plugging

the charger into the mower intern.Jpts the
switching circuit.

• The fuse must be plugged in while

charging battery.

• Open charging port door to expose charging

port.

° Plug charger lead into charging port

• Connect charger power cord to power

supply.

Door Charger Lead

Charging

NOTE: Always plug charger into mower FIRST.
Then into wall receptacle Reversing this
procedure will result in the battery not being fully

charged.
° Make sure power supply is normaJ house

voltage, 120 volts, 60 Hz, AC only

• The red LED light on the charger will turn on,
indicating "on charge" status of mower.

NOTE: If mower does not charge, see trouble-

shooting chart

• Make sure fuse is plugged in

• When the battery becomes fully charged, the

red light will turn off and the green light wilt

turn on.

• It takes 16 hours to fully recharge a corn-
pletely discharged battery. Your mower may

be used with a padially charged battery if you
need to finish a job.

• Your mower has been designed so
that it is safe to continuously leave it
on charge for extended periods of

time. You can even leave it on

_ harge during lhe off season if

desired

The operation of any lawn

mower can result in foreign objects

thrown into the eyes, which can

result in severe eye damage, Always

wear safety glasses or eye st_ields
while operating your lawn mower or

performing any adjustments or

repairs. We recommend a wise

vision safety mask over the
spectacles or standard safety

glasses

MOTOR ZONE CONTROL
CAUTION: Federal regulations re-

quire a motor control to be installed
on this lawn mower in order to

minimize the risk of blade contact
injury. DO NOT under any circum-

stances attempt to defeat the
function of the operator control. The

blade turns when the motor is
running.

• Your lawn mower is equipped with

• an operator presence control bar

which requires the operator to be
positioned behind the lawn mower

handle to start and operate the lawn

mower.

TO ADJUST CUTTING I'tEIGHT

" Raise wheels for low cut and lower

wheels for high cut.

, Adjust cutting height to suit your

requirements Medium position is
best for most lawns.

• To change cutting height, squeeze

adjuster lever toward wheel Move
wheel up or down to suit your

requirements. Be sure all wheels

are in the same setting.

NOTE: Adjuster is properly positioned
when plate tab insells into hole in lever.
Also, 9-position adjusters (if so

equipped) allow lever to be positioned
between the plate tabs

Lower Wheels for High Cut

Raise Wheels for Low Cut

Plate Tab

--

TOATTACHGRASSCATCHER
" Closetheflip lid.Fliplidrnustbe

closedwhileoperatinglawn
mower.

6 Liftthereardooron thernower

housingandplacethe grass
catcherframeontotheformed

tabsonthe reardoorhinge
bracket.

o Thegrasscatcheris securedto

thelawnmowerhousingwhenthe

reardooris loweredontothe

grasscatcherframe.

Rear

7.".._--"_ door

,,1 catcher

/ ,,,_'_'_ Grass

.,ec.e,y-Y >:: I

Formed = , :. l

tabs ............. I

TO EMPTY GRASS CATCHER
" To remove grass catcher, release

operator presence control bar to
stop engine,

o Lift up rear door and remove tile

grass catcher by the handle.

* Do not drag the bag when

emptying; it will cause unneces-

sary wear

TO INSTALL ATTACHMENTS

t

Yeur lawn mower was shipped ready to be
used as a mulcher. To convert to bagging

or discharging:

• Open rear door and remove mulcher
plate Store mulcher plate in a safe

place.

• You can now install catcher or optional
clipping deflector

• To return to mulching operation, install

mulcher plate into discharge opening of
mower,

CAUTION; Do not run _our lawn mower

without rnulcher plate in place or approved

clipping deflector or grass catcher in place

Never attempt to operate the lawn mower

@ith the rear door removed or propped
open.

BEFORE STARTING MOTOR

° Mower will not run with battery charger

plugged in.

• Unplug charger from outlet, then remove
charger from rnotor

• Close charging port door.

TO START MOWER
° Insert fuse

• Hold operator presence control bar
down to lhe handte and press switch

button to start mower.

• 7o STOP motor, release operator
presence control bar.

8

MOWING TIPS

• Under certain conditions, such as very
tail grass, it may be necessary to raise

the height of cut to reduce pushing effort
and to keep from overloading the engine
and leaving clumps of grass clippings. It

may also be necessary to reduce

ground speed and/or run the lawn

mower over the area a second time.

o For extremely heavy cutting, reduce the

width of cut by overlapping previously
cut path and mow slowly.

, When using a rear discharge lawn

mower in moist, heavy grass, clumps of
cut grass may not enter the grass

catcher. Reduce ground speed (push-
ing speed) and/or run the lawn mower

over the area a second time

= If a trail of clippings is left on the right

side of a rear discharge mower, mow in
a clockwise direction with a small

overlap to collect the clippings on the
next pass.

o Pores in cloth grass catchers can

become filled with dirt and dust with use
and catchers will collect less grass. To
prevent this, regularly hose catcher off

with water and let dry before using

• Keep top of engine around starter clear
and clean of grass clippings and chaff.

This will help engine air flow and extend

engine life.

MULCHING MOWING TIPS
IMPORTANT: For best performance,

keep mower housing free of built-up

grass and trash. See CLEANING in
Maintenance section of this maeuaJ

= The special mulching blade will

recut the grass clippings many

times and reduce them in size so
that as they fall onto the lawn they

wilt disperse into the grass and not

be noticed.Also, the mulched

grass will biodegrade quickly to
provide nutrients for the lawn

', Avoid cutting your lawn when it is

wet. Wet grass tends to form
clumps and interferes with the

mulching aclion The best time Io
mow your lawn is the early
afternoon, At this time the grass
has dried and the newly cut area

will not be exposed to the direct

sun

° For best results, adjust ti_e lawn

mower' cutting height so that the
lawn mower cuts off only the top
one-third of the grass blades If the
lawn is overgrown it will be

necessary to raise the height of

cut to reduce pushing effort and to
keep from overloading the motor

and leaving clumps of mulched
grass° For extremely heavy

mulching, reduce your width of cut,
mow slowly and raise the rear of

the lawn mower one wheel
adjuster setting higher than the

front.

,, Certain types of grass and grass

conditions may require that an
area be mulched a second time to

completely hide the clippings.

When doing a second cut, mow
across or perpendicular to the first

cut path.

° Change your cutting pattern from

week to week. Mow north to south
one week then change to east to

west the next week, This will help

prevent matting and graining of the
lawn_

9

CUSTOMER RESPONSIBILITIES

SERVICE DATES

1 , Replaco blades more olten when mowing in 5_I]d¥ soil

GENERAL
RECOMMENDATIONS

o Always observe safety rules when

performing any maintenance..

• "The warranty on this lawn mower
does not cover items that have

been subjected to operator abuse
or negligence. To receive full

value from the warranty, operator
must maintain mower as in-

structed in this manual.

,, Some adjustments will need to be,

made periodically to properly
maintain your unit

o All adjustments in the Sewice and

Adjustments section of this
manual should be checked at

least once each season.

" Once a year check blade for

wear,

o Follow {he maintenance schedule

in this manual

• Before each use:
" Be sure battery is fully charged.

o Check for loose fasteners.

LUBRICATION

Keep unil well lubricaled (See

"LUBRICATION CHART")

LUBRICATION CHART

( ) Wheel

Adjusters

@ Spray Lubricant

IMPOR'fANT: Do not oil or grease
plastic wheel bearings. Viscous

lubricants will attract dust and dirt
and will shorten the life of the self-.

lubricating bearings. If you feel they
must be lubricated, use only a dry,

powered graphite tube lubricant

sparingly.

10

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

MODEL NUMBER 917o3864!0

POWER 24V DC BATTERY / 17 AMP-HOUR

40 AMP FUSE

BLADE SPEED 3200 RPM

CUTTING WIDTH 20"

CHARGER 12-16 HOUR RECHARGE

BLADE BOLT TORQUE: 35-40 FT LBS

TIRES

o Keep tires free of gasoline, oil, or insect

control chemicals which can harm rubber.

,' Avoid stumps, stones, deep ruts, sharp

objects and other hazards that may

cause tire damage.

BLADE CARE

For best results, mower blade must be kept
sharp Replace bent or damaged blades.

TO REMOVE BLADE
o Remove fuse and keep in a safe place

away from mower.

• Use a wood block between blade and
mower housing to prevent blade from

turning when removing blade bolt

• Protect your hands with gloves and/or
wrap blade with heavy cloth.

o Remove blade bolt by turning counter-

clockwise. Use a box or open-end
wrench.

• Remove blade and attaching hardware

(bolt, lock washer and hardened washer)

, Remove the blade adapter and check the

key inside hub of blade adapter The key
must be in good condition to work

properly. Replace adapter if damaged

TO REPLACE BLADE
o Position the blade adapter on the

motorshaft. Be sure key in adapter and

motorshaft keyway are aligned.

• Position blade on the blade adapter

aligning the two (2) holes in the blade

with the raised lugs on the adapter.

• Be sure the trailing edge of blade

(opposite sharp edge) is up toward the
motor.

° Install the blade bolt with the lock washer

and hardened washer into blade adapter

and motorshaft

• Use block of wood between blade and,

lawn mower housing arid tighten the

blade bolt, turning clockwise.

• The recommended tightening
torque is 35-40 ft. Ibs

IMPORTANT: Blade bolt is grade 8
heat treated

NOTE: We do not recommend

sharpening blade, butif you do, be
sure the blade is balanced

TO SHARPEN BLADE

Care should be taken to keep the blade
balanced, An unbalanced blade will

' cause eventual damage to lawn mower

or motor.

Blade Adapter

Blade Key \f .... Keyway

Molorshaft

Bait 'X"

/ Bt,=de .',

......,.-.. t;; oor.

\I;- i%

t ",qx, =,ade

Lockwasher\ . _- "i Adapter

• The blade can be sharpened with a
file or on a grinding wheel. Do not

• To check blade balance, drive a nail

• head of the nail, If blade is balanced,

,moves downward, sharpen the heaW

end until the blade is balanced

11

Hardened ral ng

Washer Edge

attempt to sharpen while on the
mower,

into a beam or wall. Leave about one
inch of the straight nail exposed,

Place center hole of blade over the

it should remain in a horizontal
position If either end of the blade