Craftsman 247.240800 Operator's Manual

Contents

3SAFETY INSTRUCTIONSGENERAL OPERATION• Read, understand, and follow all instructions on your equipment and in theirmanuals before attempting to assemble and operate. Keep this manual ina safe place for future and regular reference and for ordering replacementparts.• To help avoid blade contact or a thrown object injury, keep bystanders,helpers, children and pets at least 75 feet from the mower while it is inoperation. Stop machine if anyone enters the area.• Thoroughly inspect the area where the equipment is to be used. Removeall stones, sticks, wire, bones, toys, and other foreign objects which couldbe picked up and thrown by the blade(s). Thrown objects can cause seriouspersonal injury.• Always wear safety glasses or safety goggles during operation and whileperforming an adjustment or repair to protect your eyes. Thrown objectswhich ricochet can cause serious injury to the eyes.• Do not operate the mower without the discharge cover or entire grasscatcher in its proper place. A missing or damaged discharge cover or grassbag attachment component may result in thrown objects or blade contactinjuries.• Do not put hands or feet near rotating parts or under the cutting deck.Contact with the blade(s) can amputate hands and feet.• Shut off mower’s engine and wait for blades to come to a complete stopbefore unclogging mower’s discharge opening or bagger parts.• Slow down before turning. Operate the machine smoothly. Avoid erraticoperation and excessive speed. Be aware that a grass catcher attachment canaffect the handling characteristics of your mower.• Disengage blade(s), set parking brake, stop engine and wait until theblade(s) come to a complete stop before opening bagger attachment’s topcover, removing grass catcher, emptying grass, unclogging chute, removingany grass or debris, or making any adjustments.• Never leave a running machine unattended. Always turn off blade(s), placetransmission in neutral, set parking brake, stop engine and remove keybefore dismounting.• Your machine is designed to cut normal residential grass of a height no morethan 10”. Do not attempt to mow through unusually tall, dry grass (e.g.,pasture) or piles of dry leaves. Dry grass or leaves may contact the engineexhaust and/or build up on the mower deck presenting a potential firehazard.• If situations occur which are not covered in this manual, use care and goodjudgment.SLOPE OPERATIONSlopes are a major factor related to loss of control and tip-over accidents which canresult in severe injury or death. All slopes require extra caution. If you cannot backup the slope or if you feel uneasy on it, do not mow it.For your safety, use the Slope Guide included as part of this manual to measureslopes before operating this machine on a sloped or hilly area. If the slope is greaterthan 10 degrees as shown on the Slope Guide, do not operate this machine on thatarea or serious injury could result.Do:• Mow up and down slopes, not across. Exercise extreme caution whenchanging direction on slopes.• Watch for holes, ruts, bumps, rocks, or other hidden objects. Uneven terraincould overturn the machine. Tall grass can hide obstacles.• Use slow speed. Choose a low enough speed setting so that you will not haveto stop or shift while on the slope. Tires may lose traction on slopes eventhough the brakes are functioning properly. Always keep machine in gearwhen going down slopes to take advantage of engine braking action.• Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for wheel weights orcounterweights to improve stability.WARNINGThis symbol points out important safety instructions which, if notfollowed, could endanger the personal safety and/or property ofyourself and others. Read and follow all instructions in this manualbefore attempting to operate this machine. Failure to comply with theseinstructions may result in personal injury. When you see this symbol, HEEDITS WARNING!WARNINGCALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65Engine Exhaust, some of its constituents, and certain vehicle componentscontain or emit chemicals known to State of California to cause cancer andbirth defects or other reproductive harm.Battery posts, terminals, and related accessories contain lead and leadcompounds, chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer andreproductive harm. Wash hands after handling.DANGERThis machine was built to be operated according to the safe operationpractices in this manual. As with any type of power equipment,carelessness or error on the part of the operator can result in serious injury.This machine is capable of amputating fingers, hands, toes and feet andthrowing debris. Failure to observe the following safety instructions couldresult in serious injury or death.WARNINGYour Responsibility—Restrict the use of this power machine topersons who read, understand and follow the warnings and instructions inthis manual and on the machine.SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS!