Assembly - Craftsman C459.60310 Operator's Manual

IMPORTANT: Your tractor is shipped with motor oil in the engine.
However, you MUST check the oil level before operating. Refer to the
Service & Maintenance section for instructions on checking the oil
level.
Attaching the Battery Cables
WARNING
CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65
Battery posts, terminals, and related accessories contain lead and
lead compounds, chemicals known to the State of California to
cause cancer and reproductive harm. Wash hands after handling.
CAUTION
When attaching battery cables, always connect the POSITIVE (Red)
wire to its terminal first, followed by the NEGATIVE (Black) wire.
For shipping reasons, both battery cables on your equipment have
been left disconnected from the terminals at the factory. To connect
the battery cables, proceed as follows:
NOTE: The positive battery terminal is marked Pos. (+). The negative
battery terminal is marked Neg. (-).
1. Remove the plastic cover, if present, from the positive battery
terminal and attach the red cable to the positive battery terminal
(+) with the bolt and hex nut. See Figure 1.
2. Remove the plastic cover, if present, from the negative battery
terminal and attach the black cable to the negative battery
terminal (–) with the bolt and hex nut. See Figure 1.
3. Position the red rubber boot over the positive battery terminal to
help protect it from corrosion.
NOTE: If the battery is put into service after the date shown on top of
battery, charge the battery as instructed in the Service & Maintenance
section of this manual prior to operating the tractor.

ASSEMBLY

Figure 1
Shipping Brace Removal
WARNING
Make sure the riding mower's engine is off, remove the ignition key,
and set the parking brake before removing the shipping brace. Refer
to the Operation section for instructions on how to set the parking
brake.
• Locate the shipping brace, if present, and accompanying warning
tag found on the right side of the mower, between the discharge
chute deflector and the cutting deck. See Fig. 2.
• Place the deck lift lever in the highest cutting position. Refer to
Setting the Cutting Height in the Operation section of this manual.
• While pushing the discharge chute deflector towards the machine with
your left hand, remove the shipping brace with your right hand by grasp-
ing it between your thumb and index finger and rotating it clockwise.
WARNING
The shipping brace, used for packaging purposes only, must be
removed and discarded before operating your riding mower.
WARNING
The mowing deck is capable of throwing objects. Failure to operate
the riding mower without the discharge cover in the proper operating
position could result in serious personal injury and/or property
damage.
Attaching The Steering Wheel
If the steering wheel for your tractor did not come attached, the
hardware for attaching it has been packed within the steering wheel,
beneath the steering wheel cap. Carefully pry off the steering wheel
cap and remove the hardware.
1. With the wheels of the tractor pointing straight forward, place the
steering wheel over the steering shaft.
2. Place the washer (with the cupped side down) over the steering wheel
and secure with the hex bolt. See Fig. 3.
9
Figure 2