Craftsman 917.370716 Owner's Manual page 8

The operationof any lawn
mowercan resultin foreign
objectsthrown intothe
eyes, which can result in
severeeye damage.Always
wear safetyglassesor eye shieldswhile
operatingyour lawn moweror performing
any adjustmentsor repairs.We recom-
mendstandardsafetyglassesor a wide
vision safety maskworn over spectacles.
HOW TO USE YOUR LAWN MOWER
ENGINESPEED
Enginespeedwas set at the factoryfor
optimumperformance.It is not adjustable.
ENGINEZONECONTROL
_I:_CAUTION: Federal regulations require
an engine control to be installed on this
lawn mower in order to minimize the
risk of blade contact injury. Do not under
any circumstances attempt to defeat the
function of the operator control. The blade
turns when the engine is running.
• Your lawn mower is equipped with an
operator presence control bar which
requires the operator to be positioned
behind the lawn mower handle to start
and operate the lawn mower.
DRIVE CONTROL
• Self-propelling is controlled by hold-
ing the operator presence control bar
down to the handle and pulling the drive
control bar up to the handle. The closer
to the handle the bar is pulled, the faster
the unit will travel.
• Forward motion will stop when either
the operator presence control bar or
drive control bar are released. To stop
forward motion without stopping engine,
release the drive control bar only. Hold
operator presence control bar down
against handle to continue mowing
without self-propelling
NOTE: If after releasing the drive control
the mower will not roll backwards, push
the mower forward slightly to disengage
drive wheels.
• To keep drive control engaged when
turning corners, push down on the
handle to lift the front wheels off the
ground while turning lawn mower.
DRIVE CONTROL ADJUSTMENT
Over time, the drive control system may
become "loose", resulting in decreased
speed. There are holes in the drive
control housing to increase tension on the
drive cable. Proceed as follows:
1. Turn unit off and disconnect spark plug
wire from spark plug.
2. Loosen nut, move drive control hous-
ing down handle to the next hole and
retighten nut.
3. Operate mower to test drive speed.
4. If condition fails to improve after the
above steps (forward speed remains
the same), your drive belt is worn and
should be replaced.
O 3resence control bar
DRIVE Drive
CONTROL control bar
ENGAGED
DRIVE
CONTROL
DISENGAGED
TO ADJUST,
MOVE DOWN
TO NEXT HOLE
TO ADJUST CUTTING HEIGHT
Raise wheels for low cut and lower wheels
for high cut, adjust cutting height to suit
your requirements. Medium position is
best for most lawns.
• To change cutting height, squeeze ad-
juster lever toward wheel. Move wheel
up or down to suit your requirements. Be
sure all wheels are in the same setting.
NOTE: Adjuster is properly positioned when
plate tab inserts into hole in lever. Also, 9-
position adjusters (if so equipped) allow lever
to be positioned between the plate tabs.
LEVER BACKWARD
TO LOWER MOWER
Plate tab
LEVER FORWARD TO RAISE MOWER Lever
TO ATTACH GRASS CATCHER
1. Lift the rear door of the lawn mower
and place the grass catcher frame side
hooks onto the door pivot pins.
2. The grass catcher is secured to the lawn
mower housing when the rear door is
lowered onto the grass catcher frame.
ACAUTION: Do not run your lawn mower
without mulcher plug or approved grass
catcher in place. Never attempt to op-
erate the lawn mower with the rear door
removed or propped open.