Craftsman 247.28984 Lawn Mower User Manual


 
Slowdownbeforeturning.Operatethemachinesmoothly.Avoid
erraticoperationandexcessivespeed.
Disengageblade(s),setparkingbrake,stopengineandwaituntil
the blade(s)cometoa completestopbeforeremovinggrass
catcher,emptyinggrass,uncloggingchute,removinganygrassor
debris,or makinganyadjustments.
Neverleavea runningmachineunattended.Alwaysturnoff
blade(s),setparkingbrake,stopengineandremovekeybefore
dismounting.
Useextracare whenloadingorunloadingthe machineintoa
trailerortruck.Thismachineshouldnot bedrivenupor down
ramp(s),becausethe machinecouldtipover,causingserious
personalinjury.Themachinemustbe pushedmanuallyon
ramp(s)to loador unloadproperly.
Mufflerandenginebecomehotandcan causea burn.Donot
touch.
Checkoverheadclearancescarefullybeforedrivingunderlow
hangingtree branches,wires,dooropeningsetc.,wherethe
operatormaybestruckor pulledfromthe machine,whichcould
resultinseriousinjury.
Disengageallattachmentclutchesanddepressthe brakepedal
completelybeforeattemptingtostart engine.
Yourmachineisdesignedto cutnormalresidentialgrassof a
heightnomorethan 10".Donot attemptto mowthroughunusually
tall,dry grass(e.g.,pasture)orpiles of dryleaves.Drygrassor
leavesmaycontactthe engineexhaustand/or builduponthe
mowerdeckpresentinga potentialfire hazard.
Useonlyaccessoriesandattachmentsapprovedfor this machine
by themachinemanufacturer.Read,understandandfollowall
instructionsprovidedwiththe approvedaccessoryor attachment.
Fora list of approvedaccessoriesandattachments,call 1-800-
659-5917.
Dataindicatesthatoperators,age60yearsandabove,are
involvedin a largepercentageofridingmower-relatedinjuries.
Theseoperatorsshouldevaluatetheirabilityto operatetheriding
mowersafelyenoughto protectthemselvesandothersfrom
seriousinjury.
If situationsoccurwhicharenot coveredinthismanual,usecare
andgoodjudgment.Contact1-800-659-5917for informationand
assistance.
SLOPE OPERATION
Slopesarea majorfactorrelatedtolossof controlandtip-over
accidentswhichcan resultinsevereinjuryor death.Allslopesrequire
extracaution.Ifyoucannotbackupthe slopeor if youfeel uneasyon
it, do not mowit.
Foryoursafety,use theSlopeGuideincludedaspartofthis manual
to measureslopesbeforeoperatingthis machineona slopedor hilly
area. Ifthe slopeisgreaterthan15degreesas shownonthe Slope
Guide,do notoperatethis machineonthatareaor seriousinjurycould
result.
Do:
o
Mowupanddown slopes,notacross.Exerciseextremecaution
whenchangingdirectionon slopes.
Watchfor holes,ruts,bumps,rocks,orother hiddenobjects.
Uneventerraincouldoverturnthemachine.Tallgrasscan hide
obstacles.
Useslowspeed.Choosea lowenoughspeedsettingso that
you willnothavetostopor shiftwhileon the slope.Tiresmay
lose tractionon slopeseventhoughthe brakesarefunctioning
properly.Alwayskeepmachinein gearwhen goingdownslopes
to takeadvantageof enginebrakingaction.
Followthe manufacturer'srecommendationsforwheelweights
or counterweightstoimprovestability.Forrecommendations,call
1-800-659-5917.
Useextracarewithgrasscatchersor otherattachments.These
can changethestabilityof the machine.
Keepallmovementonthe slopesslowandgradual.Do notmake
suddenchangesinspeedor direction.Rapidengagementor
brakingcouldcausethe frontof themachineto lift andrapidlyflip
overbackwardswhichcouldcauseseriousinjury.
Avoidstartingorstoppingona slope.Iftireslosetraction,disen-
gagethe blade(s)andproceedslowlystraightdownthe slope.
DoNot:
Donotturnon slopesunlessnecessary;then,turnslowlyand
graduallydownhill,ifpossible.
Donotmowneardrop-offs,ditchesor embankments.The mower
could suddenlyturnoverif a wheelis overthe edgeof a cliff,
ditch,or if an edgecavesin.
Donottry to stabilizethe machinebyputtingyourfooton the
ground.
Donotusea grasscatcheron steepslopes.
Donotmowon wetgrass.Reducedtractioncouldcausesliding.
Donotattemptto coastdownhill.Over-speedingmaycausethe
operatortolose controlof themachineresultingin seriousinjury
or death.
Donottowheavypull behindattachments(e.g.loadeddumpcart,
lawn roller,etc.)on slopesgreaterthan5 degrees.Whengoing
down hill,theextraweighttendsto pushthetractorandmay
causeyou toloosecontrol.(e.g.tractormayspeedup,braking
and steeringabilityare reduced,attachmentmayjack-knifeand
causetractorto overturn).
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