Craftsman 247.203721 - Engaging Cutting Blades; Mowing Best Practices

Engagingthe Blades
Engagingthe PTO(BladeEngage)transferspowertothecuttingdeckorother
(separatelyavailable)attachments.Toengagetheblades,proceedasfollows:
I. Movethethrottle/chokecontrolleverto theFAST(rabbit)position.
2. GraspthePTO(BladeEngage)leverandpivotit allthewayforwardintothe
engaged(ON)position.
3. Keepthethrottleleverinthe FAST(rabbit)positionfor themostefficientuse
ofthecuttingdeckorother(separatelyavailable)attachments.
NOTE:Theenginewill automaticallyshutoff if thePTOisengagedwith
theshiftleverin positionfor reversetravelwith theignitionkeyintheON
position.
Mulching
Amulchkitisavailableasanattachment.Mulchingisa processof recirculating
grassclippingsrepeatedlybeneaththecuttingdeck.Theultra-fineclippingsare
thenforcedbackintothe lawnwheretheyactasanaturalfertilizer.
Amulchkitcanbepurchasedthroughtheretaillocationinwhichyoupurchased
thistractor.Formoreinformation,simplycontactSearsat 1-800-659-5917.
Usingthe DeckLift Lever
Toraisethecuttingdeck,movethedecklift levertotheleft,then placeit inthe
notchbestsuitedfor yourapplication.Referto SettingTheCuttingHeightearlierin
thissection.
Mowing
Tohelpavoid bladecontactorathrown object injury,keepbystanders,
helpers,childrenandpetsat least75feet from the machinewhile it is in
operation. Stopmachineif anyoneentersthearea.
Thefollowinginformationwill behelpfulwhenusingthecuttingdeckwith your
tractor:
Planyourmowing pattern to avoiddischargeof materialstoward roads,
sidewalks,bystandersandthe like.Also,avoiddischargingmaterial against
awall or obstructionwhich maycausedischargedmaterialto ricochetback
towardthe operator.
Donotmowat highgroundspeed,especiallyira mulchkitorgrasscollector
isinstalled.
Forbestresultsit isrecommendedthatthefirsttwo lapsbecutwith the
dischargethrowntowardsthecenter.Afterthefirst two laps,reversethe
directiontothrowthedischargetotheoutsideforthebalanceofcutting.
Thiswill giveabetterappearanceto thelawn.
Donotcutthegrasstooshort.Shortgrassinvitesweedgrowthandyellows
quicklyindryweather.
Mowingshouldalwaysbedonewith theengineatfull throttle.
Underheavierconditionsit maybenecessaryto gobackoverthecutareaa
secondtimetogetacleancut.
DoNOTattemptto mowheavybrushandweedsandextremelytall grass.
Yourtractorisdesignedto mowlawns,NOTclearbrush.
Keepthebladessharpandreplacethebladeswhenworn.Referto Cutting
Bladesin theServicesectionof thismanualforproperbladesharpening
instructions.
Headlights
ThelampsareONwheneverthetractor'sengineisrunning.
Thelampsturn OFFwhentheignitionkeyismovedtotheSTOPposition.
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