Craftsman 917.270512 - 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 glass­
es or eye shields while operating your tractor or performing.an^djust-
ments or repairs. We recommend a wide vision safety mask owr the
spectacles, or standard safety glasses.
HOW TO USE YOUR TRACTOR
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.
TO SET PARKING BRAKE
• Depress clutch/brake pedal Into full
“BRAKE” position and hold.
• Place parking brake lever in
“ENGAGED” position and release pres­
sure from clutch/brake pedal. Pedal
should remain In “BRAKE” position.
Make sure parking brake will hold trac­
tor secure.
Throttle/Choke
Control lever
Attachment Clutch Lever
Engaged' Position
'Disengaged*
Position
Ciutch/Brake
Pedal 'Drive*
Position
Parking
Brake
'Engaged*
Position
'Disengaged*
Position
Brake*
_ Gearshift
Lever
Position
STOPPING
MOWER BLADES -
• To stop mower blades, move attach­
ment clutch lever to “DISENGAGED”
position.
GROUND DRIVE -
• To stop ground drive, depress
clutch^rake pedal into full “BRAKE”
position.
• Move gearshift lever to neutral (N) posi­
tion.
ENGINE -
• Move throttle control to slow position.
NOTE: Failure to move throttle control to
slow position and allowing engine to idle
before stopping may cause engine to
“backfire”.
• Turn ignition key to “OFF 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 “OFF will cause
the battery to be discharged (dead).
NOTE: Under certain conditions when
tractor is standing idle with the engine run­
ning, hot engine exhaust gases may
cause “browning” of grass. To eliminate
this possibility, always stop engine when
stopping tractor on grass areas.
i^CAUTiON: Always stop tractor com­
pletely, as described above, before leaving-
the operator’s position; to empty grass
catcher, etc.
THROTTLE CONTROL
Always operate engine at full throttle.
• Operating engine at less than full throt­
tle 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 gearshift lever.
• Start tractor with clutch/brake pedal
depressed and gearshift lever in neutral
(N) position.
• Move gearshift lever to desired posi­
tion.
• 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.
• Grasp lift lever.
• Press plunger with thumb and move
lever to desired position.
The cutting height range is approximate­
ly 1-1/2 to 4". The heights are measured
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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