To Move Forward And Backward - Craftsman 917.273490 Owner's Manual

The operation of any tractor can result in foreign objects thrown into
the eyes, which can result in severe eye damage. Always wear safety
glasses or eye shields while operating your tractor or performing any
adjustments or repairs. We recommend a wide vision safety mask over
spectacles or standard safety glasses.
HOW TO USE YOUR TRACTOR
TO SET PARKING BRAKE
Your tractor is equipped with an operator
presence sensing switch. When engine
is running, any attempt by the operator
to leave the seat without first setting the
parking brake will shut off the engine.
1. Depress clutch/brake pedat all the way
down and hold.
2. Pull parking brake lever up and release
pressure from clutch/brake pedal.
Pedal should remain in brake position.
Make sure parking brake will hold trac-
tor secure.
Attachment Clutch Lever
"Enc ed" Position
Choke
Control
Throttle
Clutch/
Brake
Pedal
ignition Key
,"Disengaged"
Position
Parking Brake
"Engaged"
Position
J Gearshift
Lever
"Disengaged" "Brake"
Position Position
STOPPING
MOWER BLADES -
o To stop mower blades, move attachment
clutch lever to disengaged position.
GROUND DRIVE -
o To stop ground drive, depress clutch/
brake pedal all the way down.
o Move gearshift lever to neutral (N)
position.
ENGINE
o Move throttle control to slow position.
NOTE: Failure to move throttle control to
slow position to allow engine to idle before
stopping may cause engine to "backfire".
o Turn ignition key to "STOP" position and
remove key. Always remove key when
leaving tractor to prevent unauthorized
use.
o Never use choke to stop engine.
iMPORTANT: Leaving the ignition switch
in any position other than "STOP" will
cause the battery to discharge and go
dead.
NOTE: Under certain conditions when
tractor is standing idle with the engine
running, hot engine exhaust gases may
cause "browning" of grass. To eJiminate
this possibility, always stop engine when
stopping tractor on grass areas.
_CAUTJON: Always stop tractor com-
pletely, as described above, before leaving
the operator's position.
TO USE THROTTLE CONTROL
Always operate engine at full throttle.
o Operating engine at less than full throttle
reduces the battery charging rate.
o Full throttle offers the best bagging and
mower performance.
TO USE CHOKE CONTROL
Use choke control whenever you are start-
ing a cold engine. Do not use to start a
warm engine.
o To engage choke control, pull knob out.
Slowly push knob in to disengage.
TO MOVE FORWARD AND BACKWARD
The direction and speed of movement is
controlled by the gearshift lever.
1. Start tractor with clutch/brake pedal de-
pressed and gearshift lever in neutral
(N) position.
2. Move gearshift lever to desired position.
3. Slowly release clutch/brake pedal to
start movement.
iMPORTANT: Bring tractor to a complete
stop before shifting or changing gears.
Failure to do so will shorten the useful life
of your transaxle.
TO ADJUST MOWER CUTTING HEIGHT
The position of the attachment lift lever
determines the cutting height.
o Grasp lift lever.
o Press plunger with thumb and move
lever to desired position.
The cutting height range is approxi-
mately 1-t/2 to 4". The heights are mea-
sured from the ground to the blade tip with
the engine not running. These heights
are approximate and may vary depending
upon soil conditions, height of grass and
types of grass being mowed.
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