Craftsman 247.889980 - Manual (Page 15)

OPERATION
USING THE DECK HEIGHT LEVER
To raise or lower the cutting deck, move the deck height lever to the
left, then place It in the notch best suited for your application.
MOWING
The following information will be helpful when operating your mower.
AWARNING
Plan your mowing pattern to avoid discharge of materials toward
roads, sidewalks, bystanders. Also, avoid discharging material
against a wall or obstruction which may cause discharged material to
ricochet back toward the operator.
MULCHING
The Craftsman Pro Wide Cut mower is equipped with a mulch kit (sup­
plied with the mower), which uses special blades to recirculate grass
clippings repeatedly beneath the cutting deck. The ultra-fine clippings
are then forced back into the lawn where they act as a natural fertilizer.
Observe the following points for the best results when mulching.
• Never attempt to mulch it the lawn is damp. Wet grass tends
to stick to the underside of the cutting deck preventing proper
mulching of the clippings.
• Do NOT attempt to mulch more than 1/3 the total height of the
grass. Doing so will cause the clippings to clump up beneath the
deck and not be mulched effectively.
• Maintain a slow ground speed to allow the grass clippings more
time to effectively be mulched.
• Always keep the throttle control lever In the FAST ^ position
while mowing. Failing to keep the engine at full throttle places
strain on the mower's engine and does not allow the blades to
properly mulch the grass clippings.
INSTALLING/REMOVING MULCH BAFFLE
AWARNING
Before installing or removing the mulch baffle, disengage blades, stop
the engine and remove key to prevent unintended starting.
Do not mow at fast ground speeds, especially it a mulch kit or
grass collector is installed.
Do not cut the grass too short. Short grass is prone to weed
growth and yellows quickly in dry weather.
Always operate the mower with the throttle/choke control in the
FAST ^ position while mowing.
For best results It is recommended that the first two laps be cut
with the discharge thrown towards the center. After the first two
laps, reverse the direction to throw the discharge to the outside
for the balance of cutting. This will give a better appearance to the
lawn.
Do NOT attempt to mow heavy brush and weeds or extremely tall
grass. Your mower is designed to mow lawns, NOT clear brush.
Keep the blades sharp and replace the blades when worn.
AWARNING
After striking a foreign object, stop the engine, disconnect the spark
plug wire and ground against the engine. Thoroughly inspect the
mower for any damage. Always Inspect the blade timing belt as
instructed in the Maintenance section of this manual. Repair the
damage before starting and operating the mower.
Stop the engine and wait for all parts to stop moving.
Installing the Mulch Baffle
1. Insert the right-side tab (A) of the baffle into the bracket on the
deck. See Figure 11.
2. Insert the mulch baffle into the discharge opening (B). See
Figure 11.
3. Once it's positioned in the deck opening, push the baffle towards
the rear of the mower (C) to secure it in place.
See Figure 11.
Removing the Mulch Baffle
Slide the baffle to the right (toward the front of the mower) to disen­
gage the slot from the mower deck and then pry the left-side of the
baffle outward.
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