Craftsman 247.203753 Operator's Manual page 23

Charging
WARNING
Batteries give off an explosive gas while charging. Charge the battery in a
well ventilated area and keep away from an open flame or pilot light as on a
water heater, space heater, furnace, clothes dryer or other gas appliances.
CAUTION
When charging your tractor's battery, use only a charger designed for 12V lead-
acid batteries. Read your battery charger's Owner's Manual prior to charging
your tractor's battery. Always follow its instructions and heed its warnings.
If your tractor has not been put into use for an extended period of time, charge the
battery as follows:
1. Set your battery charger to deliver a max of 10 amperes.
2. If your battery charger is automatic, charge the battery until the charger
indicates that charging is complete. If the charger is not automatic, charge
for no fewer than eight hours.
Fuse
One 20 AMP fuse is installed in your tractor's wiring harness to protect the tractor's
electrical system from damage caused by excessive amperage.
If the electrical system does not function, or your tractor's engine will not crank,
first check to be certain that the fuse has not blown. It can be found at the rear of
the unit, underneath the fender located by the battery.
WARNING
Always use a fuse with the same amperage capacity for replacement.
Cutting Blades
WARNING
Shut the engine off and remove ignition key before removing the cutting
blade(s) for sharpening or replacement. Protect your hands by using heavy
gloves when grasping the blade.
WARNING
Periodically inspect the blade and/or spindle for cracks or damage,
especially after you've struck a foreign object. Do not operate the machine
until damaged components are replaced.
To remove the blades, proceed as follows:
1. Remove the deck from beneath the tractor, (refer to Cutting Deck Removal
earlier in this section) then gently flip the deck over to expose its underside.
2. Place a block of wood between the center deck housing baffle and the
cutting blade to act as a stabilizer. See Figure 20.
3. Remove the hex flange nut that secures the blade to the spindle assembly.
4. To properly sharpen the cutting blades, remove equal amounts of metal
from both ends of the blades along the cutting edges, parallel to the trailing
edge, at a 25°- to 30° angle. Always grind each cutting blade edge equally to
maintain proper blade balance. See Figure 21.
SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE
Hex Flange Nut
If the cutting edge of the blade has previously been sharpened, or if any
metal separation is present, replace the blades with new ones.
A poorly balanced blade will cause excessive vibration, may cause damage to
the tractor and/or result in personal injury.
5. Test the blade's balance using a blade balancer. Grind metal from the
heavy side until it balances evenly.
NOTE: When replacing the blade, be sure to install the blade with the side of the
blade marked ''Bottom'' (or with a part number stamped in it) facing the ground
when the mower is in the operating position.
Use a torque wrench to tighten the blade spindle hex flange nut to between
70 lbs-ft and 90 lbs-ft.
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Figure 20
Figure 21
CAUTION
WARNING
CAUTION