Craftsman 917.386121 User manual

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MODEL NUMBER 917.386121 OWNER'SMANUAL
• Assembly
°Operation
•Customer
Responsibilities
•Service
° Adjustments
oRepair Parts
Caution;
Read and Follow
all Safety Rules
and Instructions
Before Operating
This Equipment
153943 01,22,96 JJ Printed in U.S,A
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SAFETY RULES
4_lb Safe Operation Practices for Walk-Behind Mowers
IMPORTANT: THIS CUTTING MACHINE iS CAPABLE OF AMPUTATING HANDS AND FEET AND THROWING OBJECTS,
FAILURE TO OBSERVE THE FOLLOWING SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS COULD RESULT tN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH,
SAFETY STANDARDS REQUIRE OPERATOR PRESENCE CONTROLS TO MINIMIZE THE RISK OF INJURY. YOUR UNIT IS
EQUIPPED WITH SUCH CONTROLS, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DEFEAT THE FUNCTION OF THE OPERATOR PRESENCE
CONTROLS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES
TRAINING:
•Read ihis operator's manual carafully Become familiarwtth
theoonlrolsand know how to operateyour mswer properly.
Learnhow to quickly stop mower
,Do notatlow chltdrento use your mower Never allowadMitS
to usemower without proper fnslruclisns
,, Keep the area o! opera!ionclear of el! persons, especially
smallchildrenand pets
• Use mower only as the manulacturer intended and as de.
scribed in this manuel
,, Do notoperate mower if it has been droppedor damaged in
any manner Always have damage repaired before using
your mower
• Donotuseaccessoryettachmenlsthalarenotracommended
by the manuiacturar Use of such attachments may be
hazardous
• The blade lures when the angina ts running
PREPARATION:
.Always thorsughly checkthe areato bemowed andoleaMtof
all stsnes, sticks, wires, bones, and other foreign objects,
These ob}ecls wi!l be thrown by Ihe blade and can cause
severe injury
Always wear safety glasses oreye shields when starting and
whileusingyour mower.
Dress properly, Do not operate mower when barelool or
wearing open sandals Wear only solid shoes wlth good
tracllon whenmowing
ChecI<fuel lank before starting engtne. Do not fill gas tank
Indoors,whenthe engine isrunningorwhenthe engineIs hot.
Altow the engine to cool forseveral minutes before ltllingthe
gas tank. Clean oil any spilled gasoline before stadlng the
engine.
,, A_waysmake wheel heightadjuelments before etad_ngyour
mower Never attempt todo th}swhiletheengine Is running
• Mow only tn daylight or good adfficfaElight
OPERATION:
•Keep youreyes and mindon yourmower endIhe area being
cut. Do not let other Interests distract you
Do notmow wetorsUpper'/grass, Never runwhtteoperating
yourmower. Always besura ofyourfooting- keep afirm hold
on the handles end watk
Do not put hands or feet near or under rotating pads Keep
ciearof the dischargeopening at alf times,
•Aiways stopthe engine wheneveryou leave orare not using
yourmower, orbefore crossingdriveways,weika,made, and
any graveI..coveradareas
•Never direcl discharge of materiel toward byslandets nor
allow anyone near the mower whileyou are operatingtL
•Beforecleaning, Inspecting, orrepairingyour mower,stop the
engine and make absolutely sure the blade and all moving
padshavestopped. Then disconnectthe sparkplug wire and
keep It away from the spark plug to prevent accidental
starling
• Do notconllnuetorunyour mowerifyou hita foreignobject
Followthe procedure outfinadabove, thenrepair any dam-
age befora rostad_ngand operatingyou mower_
• Do nol change the governor setUngs or overspend the
engine Enginedamage or personalfn}ury may result
•Do not operate your mowerif itvibratesabnormally Exses-
sivevibration isan indicationof damage; stopIhe engine,
safefycheckfor thecauseofvibrationand repairasrequired
• Do nottun the engtne indoors Exhaust fumes are dangeP
ous
•Never cut grass by pulIingthe mower towards you Mow
acrossthe faceof slopes, never up and down or you might
ioseyourfaettng. Donolmowexcessivalysteepslopss Uae
cautionwhenoperatingthe mower onuneven terrainorwhen
changingdirections- maintain goodfooting
• Never operate your mower withoutproper guards, plates,
grass catcher orother safetydevices In place
MAINTENANCE AND STORAGE:
• Check the blade and the engine mounling bolts oltan to be
sure theyare tightenedproperly.
•Check all bofts, nuis and screws at frequent intervals Ior
propertightnessto be suremower Is in safe workingcondt_
lion
•Keepelf safetydevices In placeand working
• To reduce fire hazard, keepthe engine free sf grass, leaves
or excessive grease end oil
•Check grass catcheroften for deterioration end wear and
replace wornbags Usa ontyreplacement bags that are
recommended by and comply wiih speolncaltonsof the
manufacturer of your mower
•AIwayskeepasharpMade on your mower
• Allow engine tocootbefore etodngIn any enclosure,
,, Never stere mower with fuel In the tank Inside a building
wheretumes may reach anopen flame oran ignitionsource
such as ehotwaterheater,spacehearNr, clothesdryer, elc
Look for this symbol to point out im-
portant safety precautions. It means
CAUT!ONII1 BECOMEALERTltl YOUR
SAFETY IS INVOLVED.
_CAUTION: Always disconnect spark
plug wire and place wire where it can-
notcontactspark plug tn orderto pre_
vent accidental starting when setting
up, transporting, adjusting or making
repairs.
WARNING
t'l'heengine exhaust from this product con-
ns chemicals Known to the State of Cslhor-
nia to cause cancer, birth defects, or other
reproductive harm.

CONGRATULATIONS on your purchase of aSears Lawn
Mower, it has been designed, engineered and manufac-
tureci.tQ.gtve you the best possible dependability and
performance,
Should'y0uexperlence any problem you cannot easily
remedy, please contact your nearest Sears Authorized
Servic e CentedDepartment We have competent, well-
trained technicians and the p roper tools to service or repair
this lawn mower
please read.arid retain this manual The instructions wttl
enable you to assemble and maintain your lawn mower
properly, Always observe the "SAFETY RULES",
MODEL
NUMBER 91_7,386t21
SERIAL
NUMBER
DATEOFPURCHASE
THE MODEL AND SERIALNUMBERSWILLBE FOUND
ON A DECAL ATTACHED "TO THE REAR OF THE
LAWN MOWI_R HOUSING
YOU SHOULD RECORD BOTH SERIAL NUMBER AND
DATE OF PURCHASE AND KEEP tN A SAFE PLACE
FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.
PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS
I-!ORSEPOWER: 4.0
DISPLACEMENT; 1"1,5CU_IN
GASOLINE CAPACITY 1.5QUARTS
AND TYPE:. UNLEADED REGULAR
O!L TYPE (API-SoF_'_G): SAE 30 {ABOVE 32=F}
s.a_5w.3o(BELOW32°F)
OiL CAPAciTY: 20 OZS
SPARK PLUG:
(GAP: _030=)
VALVE CLF__RANCE:
CHAMPION J19LM, RJ19LM
STD36t458
INTAKE; .OOB
EXHAUST._o00B
SOLID STATE IGNITION
AIR GAP." ,0125 lN.
BLADE BOLT TORQUE: 35,40 FT,LBS
MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT
ASears Maintenance Agreement is available on this pmducL contact your nearest sears store for details,
CUSTOMER RESPONSIBILITIES
• Read and observe the safety rifles.
,, Follow a regular schedule in maintaining, caring for and using your lawn mower.
• Foliow the instructions under "Cuslomer Responsibilities" and "Storage" Sectlor_s of this owner's manual
LIMITED TWO YEAR WARRANTY ON CRAFTSMAN POWER MOWER
For two years from date of purchase, when this Craftsman Lawn Mower Is maintained, lubricated, and iuned up
according to the operating and maietenance instructions in the owner's manual, Sears wilt repair free Ofcharge any
defect tn material pr workmanshfp
If this Craftsman Lawn Mower isused for cammercial or rental purposes, this warranty appfte_ for on!y 90 days from
the date of purchase
This Warranty does not cover,
• Exl'_endabte items which becomewom during normal use such &s rotary mower blades, blade adapters, bells,
air cleaners and spark plug..
• Repatrs necessary because of operaterabuse or negligence, including bent crankshafts and the failure to maintain
the equipment according to the lnstructlqns c_ntained tn' the owner's manual ,
WARRANTY SERVICE IS AVAILABLE BY RETURNING THE CRAFTSMAN POWER MOWER TO THE NEAREST
SEARS SERVICE CENTER/DEPARTMENT tN THE UNITED STATES,, THIS WARRANTY APPLIES ONLY WHILE
THiS PRODUCT IS iN USE IN THE UNITED STATES
This Warran_ gives you specific legal rights0 and you may also have other rights whtch very from state to state.
SEARS, ROEBUCK AND CO., D/817 WA, HOFFMAN ESTATES, ILLINOIS 60179

SAFETY RULES.. :.................................. ;............. ;....;...2
PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS ............. .-"-:..:;o._;:;;"_. 3
CUSTOMER RESPONSIBILITIES o_...._.,..:..._. 3, 11-13
WARRANTY ..._,_o.....:_._,: ..................... L:;......;.............. :3
ASSEMBLY ..;......:......... ;......... _............ ._.............. :........ 6
OPERATION ..................................................... ;......;...... 8
MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE .....; ....... ;;;...;o;_;........... tl
TABLE..... OF CONTENTS::
SERVICE AND ADJUSTMENTS ....;..; ........................ 14
STORAGE .......................... _._;.'.,_L,,._.,,_.............. _...... 15
TRO UBLESHOOTIN G .,.,,;._.':..;.;:L..o.o._....................... 21
REPAIR PARTS -LAWN MOWER ...... :.,...:: ......... 16-17
REPAIR PARTS- ENG!NE o.,i..,'._=; ............ ;o_........ tB-20
PARTS ORDERING/SERVICE ._;.._7.;_".::.............. ""r""* 24
INDEX A
Accessories ...........r............................. 5
Adjustments:
Carburetor ................. ;.............. 14
Engine Speed ........................... 14
Handle Height .......;.,,o: ............. 14
Helght of Cut .............................. 9
Air Filter:
Replacement ........................... 13
Ser.,ice ..................................... t 3
Assembly ............................................. 6
B
Blade:
Sharpening ..................................... t2
Replacement......;,_.: ........,,........t2
C
Controls:
Engine Zone Coqtrol ................. 9
Engine Speed Control .............. 8
Operate[ Presence
Control Bar ........................ .o,o_...B
Customer Responsibilities ,.. 3, 1t -t3
Air Ftffer .........................:.LoJ..... t_3
E
Engine:
Air Filter ..,,_....................................13
.Oi) Change .................. ;........... 13
OIt Level ...........................,....;....... 13
Oil Type ........................................13
•Starting ............................................ 10
Stopplng ...............................................10
-Storage, .....................................:, 15
F
Fuel:
Capacity .............................................;.. 3
Storage ,,.._ ................_........._...... 15
Type ......:.......................................... 9
H
Handle Adjustment:
Assembly..........................._........6
Cutting Height ........................ 14
Blade CaxotReplaceh_ent.:..,.o !2
L
,_ Lubdeatfoh:
Engine .................... _.................. 13
Lawn Mower .--._......................11
M
Engtr_e............... _.......... ,.......... :. I3 _, Maintenance Agreement ..,,,:.................3
Lubrication. ................... ;o t3
Spark Plug ......:,.........::..,..:.:.:, t3 : Maintenance Schedule.,,,,; ....................1_
Cutting Levels ................................. 9Mowing Tips ......... ..............................10
O
011:
Engine..............,.,,,o._..................................13
Sloraga ..............................................15
Operallon:
Englne Control............:..............9
Grass Catcher _......_........ _.......... 9
Mower .........._...........,............_......... g
Operator Presence
Centre Bar ........>. .....• •9
Options:;
Accessodes .;, ,°. ............ 5
a
Repair Pads: :
Engine ................ :,,1...; ............ 18"20
Lawn Mower ;.,;..,...;............. 16-17
Respei'isibllities, Customer., 3, 1!-13
S
Safety Rules., ....................._.o:................ 2
Serviqe:and Adjustments _:._;,,,,.:..... !4
Ca_uretor o,o,(.;'o....................... t4
,Eng!ne Speei:l o,°..........................14
Hart'die ;,:........ :,o,,:,J...................t4
Spark Plug.:;.....- ............._..,.;...............t3
Spaclflcat!0na _;;........:..........................:.,,.3
SpeedCaStrOh :,
Engii_e ..,._;.:;;,o;,,.o.;.......................:f4
Siaillhg tile Er_glne ...... -...........;:,..,:. 10
Sio.ppln_ ihe Engtne r.°:,,,..,,:...........r" io
T
TroubleShoollflg Chart o-..,...........21
W

....... LAWN MOWER ACCESSORIES
These accessories were ava abe when ths awn mower was produeed_ Theyare _i_6_v_liable at,most Sears tetal!outlets
and service centers, Most Sears stores can a so order repa rpads foryou whe n YOUpray de the model number of yourlawn
mower, SOme oi these accessories may not apply to y0ur lawn mower, '
LAWN MOWER PERFORMANCE
CLIPPING DEFLECTOR
FOR REAR DISCHARGE LAWN MOWERS MULCHER KITS i
GRASS CATCHERS
FOR
REAR DISCHARGE
LAWN MOWERS _t GRASS' CATCHERS
FOR
SiDE DISCHARGE
LAWN MOWER S
STABILIZER
GAS CANS
LAWN MOWER. MAINTENANCE
BELTS BLADE ADAPTERS
MUFFLERS
BLADES
AIR FILTERS
111111,1111,111 i1,,1
WHEELS
SPARK pLUGS
•ENGNEolk ........

Read these Inst_ct_ons ant! thts manual tn its entirety
before you attempt to assemble or operate your new lawn
mower. Your new lawn mower has been assen_bled at the
factory with the exception of those pads left unassembfed
for shipping purposes. All parts such as nuts. washers,
boils, etc, necessary to complete the assembly have been
placed {n the parts bag To ensure sate end proper
operation of your tawd mower, all parts and hardware you
assemble must be {ightened securely ;Use tbe correct
tools as necessary to ensure proper t gh!ness
TO REMOVE LAWN MOWER FROM
CARTON
•Re_0ve loose parts included with mower
•Cui down two end corners of cartOn and lay end pane
down flat_
•Removeaflpackingmelerialsexceptpaddin_jbetweeh
upper and lower handle and padding holding operator
presence control bar to upper handle
.Ro_ fawn mower out of Cartoh and ch_ck Carton thor.
oughly for additional loose patter
HOWTO SET UPYOUR LAWN MOWER
TO UNFOLD HANDLE (see Fig, f1)'
IMPORTANT: UNFOLD HANDLES CAREFULLY SO _.S
NOT TO PINCH OR DAMAGE CONTROL CABLES
"Raise handles until lower handle section locks into
pfa_e in moWing pesition
•Raise upper handle secUon intoplace on lower handle,
remove protective padd ng and tghtbn both hand e
knobs
•Remove handle paddtng hoiding 01_erator presence
con{Pot bar to Upper handle
• Your lawn mower handle can be adlusted for your
m0wtng comfort Refei tc_ =Adjust Randie _ in the
Service and Ad.tustmenl ,section of this manual
TO INSTALL ATTACHMENTS,
(See Fig. 2)
'(our lawn mower was shipped ready 'to be i]sed as a
mulcher To convert to bagging or discilarg[ng:
• Open rear door and remove mulcher pEug, Store
mulcher plug In a safe place
• _You can now Lnstaflcatcher or optional ciiPp_:ngdeflec-
tore
• To return to mulching operation, install mulcher plug
into discharge ol_ening of mower Be sure aft tabs are
seated propedy
H • ii i HHHIHHIIIII I N I I
ASSEMBLY
:
OPERATORPRESENCE
COHTROLBAR
UPPER HANDLE
LI_ UP
LOWERHANDLE,
FIG_I
MULCHERPLUG
FtG_2
CAUTION: Do not run your lawn mower
wfthout mulcher plug in plaoe or ap-
proved ,clipping deflector,or grass.
catcher In place. Ne_/er attempt to op-
erate the learn mowerwffh the Pear door
removed or propped Open.

ASSEMBLY
i rill iiiii ,,ll,ll lllll i
TO ASSEMBLE AND ATTACH GRASS
CATCHER (See Figs, 3A thru 4)
• insert leg of tubular frame through trent Opening of
glass catcher and thread frame Into sewn hem of bag..
NOTE:. Keep bag hem gathered on he straight leg of the
tubular frame.
•When frame comes out the other end of sewn hem,
immediately work the end of frame down Instde the bag
as Shown in InseL
• Stile sewn hem evenly around the tubular frame until
both ends of frame are exposed out of the front open-
tng,,
• Assemble Iower frame to tubular frame as shown. Be
sure handle is outside of bag and frames are fully
seated as shown in Inset.
• Slip viny_ bindings over frame.
NOTE: tf vinyl bindings are too st}if, hold them in warm
water for a few minutes, if bag gets wet, let It dry before "-_.
using,,
• Closet_efllpiid FlipIidmustbeclosedwhfteoperating
lawn mower
• Lift the rear door on the mower housing and place the
grass catcher lrame onto the formed tabs oh the rear
door hinge bracket,
• The grass catcher is secured to the lawn mower
housing when the rear door {slowered onto the grass
catcher Irame.
cAuTION: Donotrunyourlawn mower
without clipping deflector or approved
grass catcher in placer Never attempt
tooperate thelawn mowerwith therear
door removed or propped open.
SEWN HE_ FLIP LID
LowER
(Frams_must
TUBULAR !'
FiG, 3B
LOWERFRAMEHANDLE
.:FIG. 3C
BRACKET GRASS
CATCHER
FRAME
FORMED
TABS
FIG. 4
FIG. 3A
7

OPERATION
KNOW YOUR LAWN MOWER
READ THiS OWNER'S MANUAL AND SAFETY RULES BEFORE OPERATING YOUR f_NN MOWER; Compare the
illustrations with yoLJt lawnmower to familiarize yourseif with the Ioeatton of various controls and_adjOstments, Save this
manual !or future reference,, ,.......
These symbols may appear on your lawn mower or in literature supped wlth the pr0dudL Lba_rnand understand
their meaning. .... "''''
CAUTION ENGINE ENGINE ' FAST SLOW CHOKE FUEL O_tr ,DANGER;KEENHANDS
ORWARNING., ON OFF ! • ._. ANDFEETAWAY
GASOLINE FJLLER dAB
MULCHERPLUG
ENG|NE OIL CAP
"WRU D_PST!CK LAWN:MOWERHOUSING
MEETS CPSC SAFETY REQUIREMENTS.
Sears rotary walk-behind power fawn mowers conform to the safety standards of lhe American'National Standards Institute
and the U,S. Consumer Product Safety Cdmmfssian° .........
The blade turns when the engine ts.i_nn}ng_
i, , " ' ' ,J ,,, i,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,, ,,,,, ,,, i, ,11 ''
OPERATOR PREsENcE CONTROL BAR - must be held
down t0 the hahdfe to start the englne, Reiease to stopthe
englne•
PRIMER - pumps addillonal fuel from the carburetor to the
cylinder tor use when starting a cold engine
STARTER HANDLE -used for stad}ng the engine.
ENGINE SPEED CONTROL -locatedon the stde of the
engine which allows you to select e!lher re.st (_) or Blow
(.,_h) enginespeed,
MULCHER PLUG -located at tlie discharge,opeding must
be removed when converting to bagging ordtscharglng
operation,

OPERATION
Th ope atonofa yawnmowe c nresu,t,',of',gno ,0Ctsthr0Wn,n o,ho yes,wh,chc n
= result in severe aye damager Always wear safety glasses or eye sh aids whe operat ng your
lawn mower or performing any adjustments or repairs. We recommend awide vision §afety
i mask over the spectacles or standard safety glasses, ' :; ........... "
HOW TO USE YOUR LAWN MOWER
ENGINE SPEED CONTROL (See Fig. 5)
The engine speed Is controlled by alever toceled on the
Side of the engine, Fast (,t_) posllion ts for starting the OO!'_ROLLEVE_
engine, normal cutting, and better grass bagging S!ow
(.0=,) POSitionisforllghi cuffing, trimming and fuel economy, _'
ENGINE ZONE CONTROL
CAUTION: Federal regulations iequlre
an engine control to be installed on this
lawn mower in order to minimize the J'_ PRIMER
risk of blade contact injury, Do not . . '_ :"
under any circumstances attempt to FIG, 5
defeat the function of the operator con*
troI.The blade turns when the engine is LOWERWHEELS
running. FORHIGHcLrr RAISEWHEELS
FORLOWCUT
•Your lawn mower Is equipped with an operator pres- _ _"
once control bar which requires the operator to be _ .,._'
positioned behind the lawn mower handle to start and
operate the ,own mower,r _.._.__._._,,.,i
TO ADJUST CUTFING HEIGHT (See Fig. 6) _r,_r,
• Raisewheelsforlowculandlowerwheeisforhlghcut, _ ___
,, Wheels are set In low cut for shtppfng, AdjuSt cultlng
height to suit your requirements Medium pos_tlon is ' _-
best for most lawns
• To change Cutting height, squeeze adjuster lever to-
Ward wheel Move wheef up or down to suit your
requirements Be sure all wheels are tn the same
setting FIG. 6
TO EMPTY GRASS CATCHER (See Fig, 7)
•Lift up on grass calcher using Ihe fiame handle, : • t"_"
•Empty clippings from bag uslng both lrame handre and
bag handle.
NOTE: Do not drag the bag when emptying it will cause
unnecessary wearo_ _i-_.:-"
BEFORE' STARTING ENGINE
OIL
Your lawn mower Is sh_pped without oil in the engine, ,_ F!G; 7
" Besuramoweristevelandareaaroundotiti]_isclean, • Checkbil_ievelbefor_eachuse_ Addolltfneeded. Fill
•Remove engine oil cap w/dipstick and fill to the fuji line to full tire on dips!tck.
on the dipstick • To read proper leve]i _ighten engine oil cap each tithe
• Use2Oozs_of oil. Fortypeandgradeofoiltouse,see . Retnstaltenglneoflcapandtighten '
"ENGINE" In Customer Responstbitiltes section of this • - -
manual, • After the ttrst two (2) hours of m0wtng, change the oit,
and every 25 hours thereafter, You may need to
• Pour otl slowly, Do not over tll! changetheotlmorebftenunderdusty, dirtycohdltions
9

r I _ :
OPERATION
GAS
,, Fill fuel tank. Use fresh, clean, regular unteaded
gesdiine With a minimum of 87 octan& (Use of leaded
gasoline Wit ncreaee carbon and lead oxide deposits
and reduce valve life),, Do not mix oil with gasoline.
Purchase fuel Fnquantities that can be used w thin 30
days tO assure flJel freshness. ",
WARNING: Experience indicates that alcohol blended
fuels (called gasohel or using ethanol or methanol) can
attract moisture which Jeads to separation and format!on ot
acids during storage. Acidic gas can damage the fuel
system of an erigtne while in storage. T_oavoid engine
problems, the ,fUel system should be emptied before stor-
age of 30 days o1:longer. Drain 'the fue! tank, start the
engine and et itrun 'unit fuel nes and carburetor are
empty. Use fresh fuel next season. Sea Storagei!nstruc-
lions for additional information, Never use engine or
carburetor cleaner products tn fue_ tank or permanent
damage may occur.
TO START ENGINE
•To start acold engine push pdmer_t_e (5) times berets
trying to'start. Use a firm push, This _tep is not usua!ly
necessary when starting an engine which has already
run for ate wmtnu es_
Push eng'lne speed control lever to fast [._) position.
•Hold operator presence contro! bar down to the handle
and putl starter handle quickly. Do not aflow starter
rope to snap back°
.To stop engine, release operat0r pre.sence control bar.
NOTE: In cooler weather It may be necessary to repeat
priming steps, In warmerweather over priming maycause
flooding and engine will not start, If you do flood engine,
wait a few minutes before attempting to start and do not
repeat pdmlng step&
MOWING TIPS
•Under certain conditions, such as very tallgrass, itmay
be necessary to raise the height of c;ut to reduce
push ng effort and to keep from overloading the engine
and leav ng clumps of grass clippings.
• For extremely heavy cutting, reduce the wtdih of cut
and raise the rear of the lawn mower housing one (1)
wh'eet adjL=stersetting higher than the front for better
discharge of grass.
•For belier grass bagging and mbst Cutting _onditlons,
the engine speed should be set in the fast (.€_) posi-
tion.
• When using a rear discharge lawn mower in moist,
heavy grass, clumps of out grass may not enter the
grass catcher: Reduce ground speed (pushing speed)
and/or tun the lawn mows rover the area a second lime.,
• If atrailer grass cllpplngsls left on ti:teright side of a rear
discharge lawn mower, mow in acl0ckwfse dlrecUon
with asmall oved&p to collect the clippings on the next
pass; " L, ; "_ ;
K_ep 'top of engine around Starter, dear and clean of
grass clippings and chaff. This wii! help engine air flow
and extend engine life
I
• Pores In cloth grass catche(_banbecome filled with dirt
and dust with use and c'atchers wttl col!ect less gi'ess,
Toprevent lhfs, regu ally hose catchers off wilh water
andfet dry before using. ," _=
MULCHING MOWING 'TIPS
IMPORTANT: FOR BEST"PERFORM_NCE, KEEP
MOWER HOUSING FREE OF BUIL,T-UFt GRASS AND
TRASH CLEAN UNDERSIDE OF,MOWER HOUSING
AFTER EACH USE. SEE ."CLEANING" IN'CUSTOMER
RESPONSIBILITIES SECT ON OFTHIS MANUAL ''
•The spec!al mutchlng blade wtti recut'_h§ grass Cllp-
pings many times and redqce them in size So that as
they fal! onto the lawn Ihe_,iwjfl disperse into'the grass
and not be noticed, Also, the mu!ched grass will
blodegrads quickly to provide nutrients for the lawn.
Afways muloh with your highestengine' (blade) speed
as this wilt provide lhe :best recuttlng action of the
Medea . !,
° AvoidcuttJngyourlawnwhen Hswet, Wetgraastends
to form clumps and interferes with the mulching action,
The best time to mow your lawn iSthe eady Afternoon,
At this time the grass hasdded and the newly cut area
will notes exposed to the direct s0ri.
• For best re,_utts, adjust the IeWli mower cu_Jng height
so that the lawn mowe_ cuts elf only the top one;third
of the grass blades (See EJg. 8), :If the lawn is
overgrown it willbe necessary to'rais_the height of cut
to reduce pushing effort and to keep from byerloading
the engine and leaytngelumps of _ulPhedgrass, For
extremely heavy mulching, red,Jce yoi4t width of cut,
mow slowly andTals_ the rea_"of the lawn mower one
wheel adjuster setting hlghe,r thari th=efront.
" Certain types of gras_ ahd grass conditions may re;
quire that an area be mulched a rsecond time to
comp etely hide lhe clippings When :doing a second
cut, mew across or perpend!cular to the first cut path.
•Change yourcutttng pattern from week to week, Mow
north to soulh one _eek then change tOeast to west the
next week. This will help prevent matt ng And grain ng
of the lawn.
10