Service And Adjustments; Clean Under Drive Cover; Rear Deflector; To Remove Drive Belt - Craftsman 917.377942 Owner's Manual

• Clean the undersideof your lawn mower
by scrapingto removebuild-upof grass
and trash.
• Clean engineoften to keeptrash from
accumulating. A cloggedengine runs
hotter and shortensenginelife.
• Keepfinished surfacesand wheelsfree
of all gasoline,oil, etc.
• We do not recommendusing a garden
hose to clean lawn mower unlessthe
electrical system, muffler,air filter and
carburetor are coveredto keep water
out. Waterin enginecan result in short-
ened enginelife.
CLEAN UNDER DRIVECOVER
Clean under drive cover at least twice a
season.Scrapeundersideof cover with
putty knifeor similar tool to removeany
build-upof trash or grass on undersideof
drive cover.
AWARNING: Toavoidseriousinjury,before
performingany serviceand adjustments:
1. Releasecontrolbar and stop engine.
2. Makesure the blade and all moving
parts havecompletelystopped.
3. Disconnectspark 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 section 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. If deflector
becomes damaged, it should be replaced.
TO REMOVE DRIVE BELT
1. Disconnect spark plug wire from spark
plug and place wire where it cannot
come in contact with plug.
2. Remove screws retaining drive cover
and remove drive cover from lawn
mower housing (See Figure A).
3. Remove drive cable from anchor, then
detach it and return spring from the
idler arm assembly (See Figure B).
Return spring 3rive cable anchor
/ Drive belt
Housing
hole
pulley Idler arm
Belt keeper -- PIVOT \ assembly
Figure B
4. Pivot idler arm assembly to slacken
drive belt, then remove drive belt from
drive pulley, belt keepers and idler arm.
5. Turn lawn mower on its side. Make
sure air filter and carburetor are up.
6. Remove screw securing debris shield.
Note that the debris shield has a tab
which fits into a gap in the housing
(See Figure C).
Crankshaft Tab Blade
Housing adapter
hole \ (pulley
end)
Hardened
washer
Drive
cover
Lawn
mower
housing
.%_._ _- Screw
Figure A 15
Blade
shield bolt
Trailing edge
Figure C
Lock-washer