Craftsman 247.290000 Operator's Manual page 127

Driving TheTractor
Avoidsudden starts,excessive speedandsudden stops.
Donot leavethe seat of the tractor without first placingthe PTO(Blade
Engage) l everinthe disengaged(OFF) p osition, depressingthe brake pedal
andengagingthe parkingbrake.Ifleavingthe tractor unattended,also
turn the ignitionkeyoff andremovethe key.
Alwayslookdown andbehindbeforeandwhile backing up to avoid aback-
overaccident.
1. Depress t he brakepedal a ndmovethe speed controlleverout of the parking
brakeposition,then letthe pedalrelease.
2. Movethe throttle leverintothe FAST ( rabbit)position.
3. Place the shift leverineitherthe FORWARD or REVERSE position.
IMPORTA#_ DoNOT usethe shift levertochange the directionof travelwhenthe
tractorisinmotion.Alwaysusethe brakepedalto bringthe tractorto acomplete
stopbeforeshifting.
4. Release t he parkingbrakebydepressing t he clutch-brake pedaland
positioning the speed controlleverindesiredposition.
IMPOR@N_ First-timeoperators shouldusespeed positions1or 2. Become
completely familiarwith the tractor'soperationandcontrolsbefore operatingthe
tractorinhigherspeed positions.
5. Release c lutch-brake pedal s lowlyto put unit into motion.
6. Thelawntractorisbroughtto astopbydepressing theclutch-brake pedal.
NOTE: When operatingthe unit initially,therewill belittle differencebetweenthe
highesttwo speeds untilafter the beltshaveseated themselves i nto the pulleys
duringthe break-inperiod.
Beforeleavingthe operator's positionforanyreason, d isengage the blades, p lace
theshift leverin neutral, e ngage the parkingbrake,shutengineoffand remove
the key.
5. Depress c lutch-brake pedal.
6. Place speed controlleverin desired position.
7. Place shift leverineitherFORWARD or REVERSE, andfollow normal o perating
procedures.
Driving On Slopes
Refer t o the SLOPE G AUGE in the Safety Instructions sectionof the manual t o help
determineslopes whereyoumayoperate thistractorsafely.
Donot mow on inclineswith aslope in excess of 12degrees(a riseof
approximately 2feet every10feet). Thetractor could overturn andcause
seriousinjury.
Mow upanddownslopes, N EVER a cross.
Exercise e xtreme cautionwhenchangingdirectiononslopes.
Watchforholes,ruts,bumps,rocks, o r otherhiddenobjects.Uneven terrain
couldoverturnthe machine. T allgrasscanhide obstacles.
Avoidturnswhendrivingonaslope.Ifa turn mustbemade,turndown the
slope.Turningupaslopegreatlyincreases t hechance of a rollover.
Avoidstoppingwhendrivingupa slope.If it isnecessary t o stopwhile
drivingupa slope, s tart upsmoothlyandcarefully to reduce the possibility
of flippingthe tractoroverbackward.
IMPORTAN_ W henstoppingthe tractorfor anyreason whileon agrasssurface,
always:
1. Place the shift leverin neutral,
2. Engage the parkingbrake,
3. Shutengineoff andremove the key.Doingsowill minimizethe possibility
of havingyourlawn"browned"byhot exhaust f rom yourtractor'srunning
engine.
If unit stallswith speed controlinhigh speed, o r if unit will notoperatewith speed
control l everina low speed position, p roceed asfollows:
1. Place shift leverin NEUTRAL.
2. Restart e ngine.
3. Place speed controlleverinhighestspeed position.
4. Release c lutch-brake pedal f ully.
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