Craftsman 247.28911 - Manual (Page 25)

SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE
If your tractor has not been put into use for an extended period of time,
charge the battery as follows:
1. Set your battery charger to deliver a max of 10 amperes.
If your battery charger is automatic, charge the battery until the
charger indicates that charging is complete. If the charger is not
automatic, charge for no fewer than eight hours.
FUSE
One 20 AMP fuse is installed in your tractor's wiring harness to protect
the tractor’s electrical system from damage caused by excessive
amperage.
If the electrical system does not function, or your tractor's engine will
not crank, first check to be certain that the fuse has not blown. It can
be found at the rear of the unit, underneath the fender located by the
battery.
AWARNING
Always use a fuse with the same amperage capacity for replacement.
CUTTING BLADES
AWARNING
Shut the engine off and remove ignition key before removing the
cutting blade(s) for sharpening or replacement. Protect your hands
by using heavy gloves when grasping the blade.
AWARNING
Periodically inspect the blade and/or spindle for cracks or damage,
especially after you've struck a foreign object. Do not operate the
machine until damaged components are replaced.
To remove the blades, proceed as follows.
1. Remove the deck from beneath the tractor, (refer to Cutting Deck
Removal earlier in this section) then gently flip the deck over to
expose its underside.
2. Place a block of wood between the center deck housing baffle
and the cutting blade to act as a stabilizer.
See Fig. 20.
V
Remove the hex flange nut that secures the blade to the spindle
assembly. See Fig. 20.
To properly sharpen the cutting blades, remove equal amounts
of metal from both ends of the blades along the cutting edges,
parallel to the trailing edge, at a 25“- to 30“ angle. Always grind
each cutting blade edge equally to maintain proper blade balance.
See Fig. 21.
A CAUTION
If the cutting edge of the blade has previously been sharpened, or it
any metal separation is present, replace the blades with new ones.
AWARNING
A poorly balanced blade will cause excessive vibration, may cause
damage to the tractor and/or result in personal injury.
5. Test the blade’s balance using a blade balancer. Grind metal from
the heavy side until it balances evenly.
NOTE: When replacing the blade, be sure to install the blade with the
side of the blade marked “Bottom” (or with a part number stamped in
it) facing the ground when the mower is in the operating position.
A CAUTION
Use a torque wrench to tighten the blade spindle hex flange nut to
between 70 Ibs-ft and 90 Ibs-ft.
CHANGING THE DECK BELT
AWARNING
Be sure to shut the engine off, remove ignition key, disconnect the
spark plug wire(s) and ground against the engine to prevent unin­
tended starting before removing the belt.
Figure 20
A CAUTION
All belts on your tractor are subject to wear and should be replaced it
any signs of wear are present.
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