To Check Brake; To Replace Motion Drive Belt; Transaxle Gear Shift Lever Neutral Adjustment; Belt Installation - Craftsman 917.28701 Operator's Manual

BELT INSTALLATION-
1. Work belt around both mandrel pulleys
and idler pulleys
2. Make sure belt is in all pulley grooves
and inside all belt guides.
3. Install mower (See "To Install Mower"
in this section of this manual).
Mandrel
Idler Pulleys
Pulley
TO CHECK BRAKE
If tractor requires more than five (5) feet to
stop at highest speed in highest gear on a
level, dry concrete or paved surface, then
brake must be serviced.
You may also check brake by:
1. Park tractor on a level, dry concrete or
paved surface, depress clutch/brake
pedal all the way down and engage
parking brake.
2. Place gear shift lever in neutral position.
The rear wheels must lock and skid when
you try to manually push the tractor forward.
If the rear wheels rotate, then the brake
needs to be serviced. Contact a Sears or
other qualified service center.
TO REPLACE MOTION DRIVE BELT
Park the tractor on level surface. Engage
parking brake. For assistance, there is a
belt installation guide decal on bottom side
of left footrest.
BELT REMOVAL-
1. Remove mower (See "TO REMOVE
MOWER" in this section of manual).
NOTE: Observe entire motion drive belt and
position of all belt guides and keepers.
2. Remove belt from stationary idler and
clutching idler.
3. Remove belt downward from around
engine pulley.
4. Pull belt slack toward rear of tractor.
Remove belt upwards from transaxle
pulley by deflecting belt keepers.
5. Remove belt from center span keeper
and pull belt away from tractor.
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BELT INSTALLATION -
1. Carefully work new belt down between
transaxle belt keepers and onto the input
pulley.
2. Slide belt into the center span keeper.
3. Pull belt toward front of tractor and roll
around the top groove of engine pulley.
4. Install belt through stationary idler and
clutching idler.
5. Make sure belt is in all pulley grooves
and inside all belt guides and keepers.
6. Install mower (See "TO INSTALL MOW-
ER" in this section of manual).
Engine Pulley
Clutching
Center
_Span
Keeper
Stationary Idler
Transaxle
TRANSAXLE GEAR SHIFT LEVER NEU-
TRAL ADJUSTMENT
The transaxle should be in neutral when
the gear shift lever is in neutral (lock gate)
position. The adjustment is preset at the
factory; however, if adjustment is needed,
proceed as follows:
1. Make sure transaxle is in neutral.
NOTE: When the tractor rear wheels
move freely, the transaxle is in neutral.
2. Loosen adjustment bolt in front of the
right rear wheel.
3. Position the gear shift lever in the neu-
tral position.
4. Tighten adjustment bolt securely.
NOTE: If additional clearance is needed
to get to adjustment bolt, move mower
deck height to the lowest position.