Service And Adjustments - Craftsman 917.378910 Owner's Manual

WARNING: To avoid serious injury, before performing any service and adjustments:
1. Release control bar and stop engine.
2. Make sure the blade and all moving parts have completely stopped.
3. Disconnect spark plug wire from spark plug and place wire where it cannot come in
contact with plug.
LAWN MOWER
TO ADJUST CUTTING HEIGHT
See "TO ADJUST CUTTING HEIGHT" in
the Operation sec tion of this manual.
REAR DEFLECTOR
The rear deflector, attached between the
rear wheels of your mower, is provided to
minimize the possibility that objects will
be thrown out of the rear of the mower
into the operator mowing position. Re-
place the rear deflector if dam aged.
TO REMOVE DRIVE BELT
1. Remove screws securing rear baffle.
NOTE: Before tipping lawn mower to
remove drive belt, empty fuel tank by run-
ning engine until fuel tank is empty.
2. Turn lawn mower on its side with air
filter and car bu re tor up.
3. Remove rear baffle from mower.
4. Disconnect return spring from rear baffle
/ rear gearcase belt keeper.
Rear
baffle
Gearcase
pulley
Idler pulley
Belt retainer
Debris shield
Hardened washer
Blade
Lockwasher

SERVICE AND ADJUSTMENTS

Gearcase
belt keeper
Return spring
Blade
adapter
Blade
bolt
16
5. Remove blade bolt, lockwasher, hard-
ened washer and blade.
6. Remove debris shield.
7. Remove gearcase belt keeper.
8. Remove drive belt.
TO REPLACE DRIVE BELT
1. Place new drive belt on gearcase pul-
ley.
NOTE: Always use factory approved belt
to assure proper fit and long life.
2. Reinstall gearcase belt keeper. Be
sure the new drive belt is inside the
tabs of the gearcase belt keeper.
3. Position the blade adapter on the
engine crank shaft. Be sure key in
adapter and crankshaft keyway are
aligned; and that the new drive belt is
inside the tabs of the belt retainer.
4. Reattach return spring to rear baffle /
rear gearcase belt keeper.
5. Place rear baffle in mower housing.
6. Reinstall debris shield.
7. Reinstall blade. The recommended
tightening torque is 35–40 ft. lbs.
8. Return mower to upright po si tion.
9. Reinstall rear baffle screws.
TO ADJUST HANDLE
The handle on your lawn mower has
multiple height positions - adjust to height
that suits you.
1. Remove knob and carriage bolt on
one side of the lower handle.
2. While holding handle assembly,
remove knob and car riage bolt from
opposite side, align hole in handle with
desired hole in handle bracket and
reassemble bolt and knob and tighten
securely.
3. Align opposite side of handle with
same positioning hole and secure with
bolt and knob.
Handle Knob Bolt
bracket
High
Medium
Low