Craftsman 247.270250 - Manual (Page 12)

NOTE: Do not hold the key in the START position for
longer than ten seconds at a time. Doing so may cause
damage to your vehicie engine’s electhc starter.
7. After the engine starts, press choke control inward,
thus closing the choke. See Figure 8.
NOTE: Do not ieave the choke controi on white
operating the unit. Doing so witi resuit in a “rich" fuel
mixture and cause the engine to mn poorly.
Choke Corrtrol
Figure 8
Operating the Vehicle
1. Follow instructions to start the engine.
2. Put the deck at the highest cutting position by
sliding the deck lift lever to the appropriate position.
3. Move the blade control leverto ON position.
4. If mowing grass, adjust the deck to the cutting
height desired.
5. Depress brake pedal to disengage parking brake.
6. Place shift lever In either (F) or (R) position as you
desire. Look to the rear and check before
reversing the vehicle.
IMPORTANT: Do not move the shift lever when the
vehicle is tn motion. Always use brake pedal to bring
the vehicle to a complete stop before moving shift lever.
7. Release the brake pedal and gradually depress the
drive pedal.
WARNING: Do not leave the seat of the
vehicle without first placing ttie blade control
lever in the disengaged (OFF) position,
depressing the brake pedal and engaging the
parking brake. If leaving the unit unattended,
also turn the ignition key off and remove key.
WARNING:
Avoid sudden starts, high speed
and sudden stops.
To move forward: Place the shift lever in tfie (F)
position, then slowly depress the drive pedal until
the desired speed is achieved.
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• To move in reverse: Place blade control lever in
OFF position. Place shift lever in the (R) position,
check that the area behind is clear and then siowly
depress the drive pedal.
• To drive on slopes: Refer to Slope Gauge on
page 6 to determine slopes or inclines where you
can operate your unit safely. Do not operate the
vehicle if the gauge indicates a steep incline.
Stopping the Vehicle
1. Release drive pedal and depress brake pedal.
2. When the mower comes to a complete stop, place
the shift lever in neutral.
3. Continue to depress the brake pedai while you
push the parking brake. Take you r foot off the brake
pedal when the parking brake is locked.
4. Tum ignition key to OFF position and remove key.
NOTE: Do not leave key in fhe ON position when you
are not operating the mower. Such action wiii drain the
battery dead.
Emergency Stopping
To stop the vehicle immediately in an emergency, raise
your body up and off the seat.
Using as Mower
• Do not mow at high ground speed, especially if a
mulch kit cr grass collector is installed.
• For best results, it is recommended that the first two
laps be cut with the discharge thrown towards the
center. Then reverse the direction to throw rest of
the discharge to the outside. This will give a better
appearance to the lawn.
• Do not cut grass too short. Short grass invites weed
growth and yellows quickly in dry weather.
• Do not attempt to mow heavy brush and weeds and
extremely tall grass. Your mower is designed to
mow lawns, not clear brush.
• Keep the blades sharp and replace blades when
worn. Refer to page 14 for blade care instruction.
WARNING:
Plan your mowing pattern to
avoid discharge of materials toward roads,
sidewalks, by-standers and the like. Also, avoid
discharging material against a wall or
obstruction which may cause discharged
material to ricochet back toward the operator.
To Empty Grass Catcher
1. Stop the mower completely, set parking brake and
take ignition key out. Get off the seat.
Unhook bag straps from the mower frame. Pull up
the grass catcher bag by the two handles and carry
it to the proper disposal site.
Hold bag away from your body while emptying it.
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