Maintenance - Craftsman . 316.792440 Operator's Manual

WARNING:
To prevent serious injury, never perform
maintenance or repairs while the unit is running. Always
allow the unit to cool before servicing or repairing the unit.
Disconnect the spark plug wire to prevent the unit from
starting accidentally.
NOTE: Some maintenance procedures may require special tools or
skills. If unsure about these procedures, take the unit to a Sears
or other qualified service dealer. Call 1-800-4-MY-HOME for
more information.
REPLACING THE CUTTING BLADE
Replace the cutting blade when it becomes dull. Never sharpen a
dull blade. Follow the instructions in this section to successfully
replace the blade.
WARNING:
To avoid serious personal injury, always
wear gloves while handling or installing the blade.
Remove the Cutting Blade
WARNING:
The gear housing gets hot with use. It can
result in injury to the operator. The housing remains hot for
a short time even after the unit is turned off. Do not touch
the gear housing until it has cooled.
NOTE: To make cutting blade removal and installation easier,
place the unit on the ground or on a work bench.
1. Align the shaft bushing hole with the locking rod slot and insert
the locking rod into the bushing hole (Fig. 13).
2. Hold the locking rod in place by grasping it next to the boom of
the unit (Fig. 14).
3. While holding the locking rod, loosen the nut on the blade by
turning it clockwise with a 13 mm closed-end or socket wrench
(Fig. 14).
4. Remove the nut, blade retainer, and blade.
Install the New Cutting Blade
WARNING:
To avoid serious personal injury, always
wear gloves while handling or installing the blade.
1. Place the cutting blade on the output shaft bushing (Fig. 15).
2. Make sure that the cutting blade is centered on the pilot step
and sitting flat against the output shaft bushing (Fig. 16).
WARNING:
If the cutting blade is off-center, the unit will
vibrate and the blade may fly off, causing possible serious
personal injury.

MAINTENANCE

Shaft Bushing Hole
Locking Rod Slot
Locking Rod
Nut
Blade Retainer
Pilot Hole
Square Bolt
10
Output Shaft
Fig. 13
Clockwise
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Shaft Bushing