Craftsman ROTARY LAWN MOWER 917.38841 Owner's Manual page 3

sandals. Wear only solid shoes with
good traction when mowing.
• Check fuel tank before starting engine.
Do not fill gas tank indoors, when the
engine is running or when the engine is
hot. Allow the engine to cool for several
minutes before filling the gas tank.
Clean off any spilled gasoline before
starting the engine.
• Always make wheel height adjustments
before starting your mower. Never
attempt to do this while the engine is
running.
• Mow only in daylight or good artificial
light.
OPERATION:
• Keep your eyes and mind on your
mower and the area being cut. Do not
let other interests distract you.
• Do not mow wet or slippery grass.
Never run while operating your mower.
Always be sure of your footing - keep a
firm hold on the handles and walk.
• Do not put hands or feet near or under
rotating parts. Keep clear of the
discharge opening at all times.
• Always stop the engine whenever you
leave or are not using your mower, or
before crossing driveways, walks,
roads, and any gravel-covered areas.
• Never direct discharge of material
toward bystanders nor allow anyone
near the mower while you are operating
it.
• Before cleaning, inspecting, or repair-
ing your mower, stop the engine and
make absolutely sure the blade and all
moving parts have stopped. Then
disconnect the spark plug wire and
keep it away from the spark plug to
prevent accidental starting.
• Do not continue to run your mower if
you hit a foreign object. Follow the
procedure outlined above, then repair
any damage before restarting and
operating your mower.
• Do not change the governor settings or
overspeed the engine. Engine damage
or personal injury may result.
• Do not operate your mower if it vibrates
abnormally. Excessive vibration is an
indication of damage; stop the engine,
safely check for the cause of vibration
and repair as required.
• Do not run the engine indoors. Exhaust
fumes are dangerous.
• Never cut grass by pulling the mower
towards you. Mow across the face of
slopes, never up and down or you
might lose your footing. Do not mow
excessively steep slopes. Use caution
when operating the mower on uneven
terrain or when changing directions -
maintain good footing.
• Never operate your mower without
proper guards, plates, grass catcher or
other safety devices in place.
MAINTENANCE AND STORAGE:
• Check the blade and the engine
mounting bolts often to be sure they are
tightened properly.
• Check all bolts, nuts and screws at
frequent intervals for proper tightness to
be sure mower is in safe working
condition.
• Keep all safety devices in place and
working.
• To reduce fire hazard, keep the engine
free of grass, leaves or excessive
grease and oil.
• Check grass catcher often for deteriora-
tion and wear and replace worn bags.
Use only replacement bags that are
recommended by and comply with
specifications of the manufacturer of
your mower.
• Always keep a sharp blade on your
mower.
• Allow engine to cool before storing in
any enclosure.
• Never store mower with fuel in the tank
inside a building where fumes may
reach an open flame or an ignition
source such as a hot water heater,
space heater, clothes dryer, etc.
ALook for this symbol to point out
important safety precautions. It means
CAUTIONH! BECOMEALERT!H YOUR
SAFETY IS INVOLVED.
_I,CAUTION: Always disconnect spark
plug wire and place wire where it cannot
contact spark plug in order to prevent
accidental starting when setting up,
transporting, adjusting or making repairs.
_WARNING: The engine exhaust from
this product contains chemicals known to
the State of California to cause cancer,
birth defects, or other reproductive harm.
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