Craftsman 917.273481 - Manual (Page 13)

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 standard safety glasses or a wide vision safety
mask worn over spectacles.
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 brake pedal all the way down
and hold.
Pull parking brake lever up and release
pressure from brake pedal. Pedal
should remain in brake position. Make
sure parking brake will hold tractor
secure.
2
.
Attachment Clutch Lever
“Engaged” Position
Throttle/Choke
Contro!
Brake
Pedal
Ignition
“Disengaged”
.Position
Forward
Drive Pedal
Reverse
Drive
Pedal
Parking Brake
“Engaged” Position
“Disengaged"
Position “Brake”
Position
STOPPING
MOWER BLADES -
• To stop mower blades, push attachment
clutch switch in to disengaged position.
GROUND DRIVE -
• To stop ground drive, depress brake
pedal all the way down.
IMPORTANT: Forward and reverse drive
pedals return to neutral position when not
depressed.
ENGINE -
• Move throttle control between half and
full speed (fast) position.
NOTE: Failure to move throttle control
between half and full speed (fast) posi­
tion, before stopping, may cause engine to
“backfire”.
• Turn ignition key to “STOP” position and
remove key. Always remove key when
leaving tractor to prevent unauthorized
use.
• 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 eliminate
this possibility, always stop engine when
stopping tractor on grass areas.
^CAUTION: Always stop tractor com­
pletely, as described above, before leaving
the operator's position.
TO USE THROTTLE CONTROL
Always operate engine at full throttle.
• Operating engine at less than full
throttle reduces the battery charging
rate.
• Full throttle offers the best bagging and
mower performance.
TO MOVE FORWARD AND
BACKWARD
The direction and speed of movement is
controlled by the forward and reverse drive
pedals.
1. Start tractor and release parking brake.
2. Slowly depress forward or reverse
drive pedal to begin movement.
Ground speed increases the further
down the pedal is depressed.
TO ADJUST MOWER CUTTING HEIGHT
The position of the attachment lift lever
determines the cutting height.
• Grasp lift lever.
• Press plunger with thumb and move
lever to desired position.
The cutting height range is approxi­
mately 1-1/2 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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