To Operate On Hills; To Transport; Towing Carts And Other Attachments; Before Starting The Engine/Check Engine Oil Level - Craftsman 917.20383 Operator's Manual

USING THE REVERSE OPERATION
SYSTEM -
Only use if you are certain no children or other
bystanders will enter the mowing area.
1. Move motion control lever to neutral
position.
2. With engine running, turn ignition key
counterclockwise to ROS "ON" position.
3. Look down and behind before and while
backing.
4. Slowly move motion control lever to
reverse (R) position to start movement.
5. When use ofthe ROS is no longer needed,
turn the ignition key clockwise to engine
"ON" position.
ROS "ON" Engine "ON" Position
Position (Normal Operating)
TO OPERATE ON HILLS
,_k,WARNING: Do not drive up or down
hills with slopes greater than 15° and do not
drive across any slope. Use the slope guide
provided at the back of this manual.
• Choose the slowest speed before starting
up or down hills.
• Avoid stopping or changing speed on
hills.
• If stopping is absolutely necessary, push
clutch/brake pedal quicklyto brake position
and engage parking brake.
• Move motion control lever to neutral posi-
tion.
IMPORTANT: The motion control lever does
not return to neutral position when the clutch/
brake pedal is depressed.
• To restart movement, slowly release park-
ing brake and clutch/brake pedal.
• Slowly move motion control lever to
slowest setting.
• Make all turns slowly.
TO TRANSPORT
When pushing or towing your tractor, be
sure to disengage transmission by placing
freewheel control in freewheeling position.
Free wheel control is located at the rear
drawbar of tractor.
1. Raise attachment lift to highest position
with attachment lift control.
2. Pull freewheel control out and into the slot
and release so it is held in the disengaged
position.
®
®
Do not push or tow tractor at more than
two (2) mph (3,2 km/h).
To reengage transmission, reverse above
procedure.
Transmission Engaged
Transmission Disengaged
NOTE: To protect hood from damage when
transporting your tractor on atruck or atrailer,
be sure hood is closed and secured to tractor.
Use an appropriate means of tying hood to
tractor (rope, cord, etc.).
TOWING CARTS AND OTHER ATTACH-
MENTS
Tow only the attachments that are recom-
mended by and comply with specifications
of the manufacturer of your tractor. Use
common sense when towing. Too heavy of
a load, while on a slope, is dangerous. Tires
can lose traction with the ground and cause
you to lose control of your tractor.
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE
CHECK ENGINE OIL LEVEL
The engine in your tractor has been shipped
from the factory already filled with summer
weight oil.
1. Check engine oil with tractor on level
ground.
2. Remove oil fill cap/dipstick and wipe
clean, reinsertthe dipstick and screw cap
tight, wait for a few seconds, remove and
read oil level. If necessary, add oil until
"FULL:' mark on dipstick is reached. Do
not overfill.
For cold weather operation you should
change oil for easier starting (See the oil
viscosity chart in the Maintenance section
of this manual).
To change engine oil, seethe Maintenance
section in this manual.
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