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The operation of any lawn 
mower can result in foreign 
objects thrown into the 
eyes, which can result in 
severe eye damage. Always 

wear safety glasses or eye shields while 
operating your lawn mower or performing 
any ad just ments or repairs. We recom-
mend standard safety glasses or a wide 
vision safety mask worn over spectacles.

HOW TO USE YOUR LAWN MOWER

ENGINE SPEED 

The engine speed was set at the factory for op-
timum performance. Speed is not adjustable.

ENGINE ZONE CONTROL

 

CAUTION:

  Federal regulations re quire 

an engine control to be installed on this 
lawn mower in order to minimize the 
risk of blade contact injury. Do not un der 
any circumstances attempt to de feat the 
func tion of the operator con trol. The blade 
turns when the engine is running.
•   Your lawn mower is equipped with an 

operator pres ence control bar which 
requires the operator to be positioned 
behind the lawn mower handle to start 
and operate the lawn mower.

DRIVE CONTROL 

•   Self-propelling is controlled by hold-

 ing the operator presence control bar 
down to the handle and pulling the drive 
control lever rearward to the handle.  
The farther toward the handle the lever 
is pulled, the faster the unit will travel.

•   Forward motion will stop when either 

the operator presence control bar or 
drive control lever are released. To stop 
forward motion without stop ping engine, 
re lease the drive control lever only. Hold 
op er a tor presence control bar down 
against handle to con tin ue mowing 
without self-propelling.

NOTE:

 If after releasing the drive control the 

mower will not roll backwards, push the mow-
er forward slightly to disengage drive wheels.

DRIVE CONTROL ADJUSTMENT

Over time, the drive control system may be-
come “loose”, resulting in decreased speed.  
There is a turnbuckle on the un der side of the 
drive control housing to increase tension on 
the drive cable.  Pro ceed as follows:
1.   Turn unit off and disconnect spark plug 

wire from spark plug.

2.   Turn nut on underside of drive control 

to increase drive speed.

3.   Operate mower to test drive speed.  

Readjust as required.

4.

  

If condition fails to improve after the 
above steps (forward speed remains 
the same), your drive belt is worn and 
should be re placed.

TO 
ENGAGE 
DRIVE 
CONTROL

Drive
control 
lever

DRIVE

CONTROL 

DISENGAGED

Operator presence control bar

Adjustment
turnbuckle
(on underside)

LEVER BACKWARD 
TO LOWER MOWER

LEVER FORWARD TO RAISE MOWER

Plate tab

Lever

TO ATTACH GRASS CATCH ER  

1.   Lift the rear door of the lawn mower 

and place the grass catcher frame side 
hooks onto the door pivot pins.

2.   The grass catcher is secured to the lawn 

mower housing when the rear door is 
lowered onto the grass catch er frame.

 

CAUTION:

  Do not run your lawn mower 

with out mulcher plug or approved grass 
catch er in place. Never at tempt to op-
 er ate the lawn mower with the rear door 
re moved or propped open.

Pivot pins

Rear 
door

Grass 

catcher 

handle

Catcher frame hook

TO ADJUST CUTTING HEIGHT

Raise wheels for low cut and lower wheels 
for high cut, adjust cutting height to suit 
your requirements. Me di um position is 
best for most lawns.
•    To change cutting height, squeeze ad-

juster lever to ward wheel. Move wheel 
up or down to suit your re quire ments. Be 
sure all wheels are in the same setting.

NOTE: 

Adjuster is properly positioned when 

plate tab inserts into hole in lever. Also, 9-
position adjusters (if so equipped) allow lever 
to be positioned between the plate tabs.

Summary of Contents for 917.37707

Page 1: ...ll Safety Rules and Instructions before operating this equipment Owner s Manual ROTARY LAWN MOWER 6 5 Horsepower Power Propelled 21 Multi Cut Sears Roebuck and Co Hoffman Estates IL 60179 U S A Visit our Craftsman website www sears com craftsman ...

Page 2: ...Wash hands after handling CAUTION Muffler and other engine parts become extremely hot during operation and remain hot after engine has stopped To avoid severe burns on contact stay away from these areas LIMITED TWO YEAR WARRANTY ON CRAFTSMAN POWER MOWER For two years from date of purchase when this Craftsman Lawn Mower is maintained lubricated and tuned up according to the operating and maintenanc...

Page 3: ...ch anism or drive clutch on mowers so equipped before starting the engine If the equipment should start to vibrate abnormally stop the engine motor and check immediately for the cause Vibra tion is generally a warning of trouble Always wear safety goggles or safety glasses with side shields when oper ating mower II SLOPE OPERATION Slopes are a major factor related to slip fall accidents which can ...

Page 4: ...subject to wear damage and deterioration which could expose moving parts or allow objects to be thrown Frequently check components and replace with manufacturer s recommended parts when necessary Mower blades are sharp and can cut Wrap the blade s or wear gloves and use extra caution when servicing them Do not change the engine governor set ting or overspeed the engine Maintain or replace safety a...

Page 5: ...be fixed Discount of 10 from regular price of service and service related parts not covered by the agreement also 10 off regular price of preventive mainte nance check Fast help by phone phone support from a Sears technician on products requiring in home repair plus conve nient repair scheduling Once you purchase the Agreement a simple phone call is all that it takes for you to schedule service Yo...

Page 6: ...TON 1 Remove loose parts included with mower 2 Cut down two end corners of carton and lay end panel down flat 3 Remove all packing materials except padding between upper and lower handle and padding holding operator presence control bar to upper handle 4 Roll mower out of carton and check carton thoroughly for additional loose parts HOW TO SET UP YOUR MOWER TO UNFOLD HANDLE IMPORTANT Unfold handle...

Page 7: ...charging disconnect harness connector female from battery char ger connector male Connect your battery charger to charge battery after each use IMPORTANT The engine will not re charge your battery At the end of the mowing season the battery should be charged for 48 hours to protect the battery during winter storage CAUTION Always disconnect the engine connector male from the battery connector fema...

Page 8: ...op the engine Drive control bar used to engage power propelled forward motion of mower Auxiliary starter handle used for start ing engine These symbols may appear on your lawn mower or in literature supplied with the product Learn and understand their meaning IMPORTANT This lawn mower is shipped WITHOUT OIL OR GASOLINE in the engine Key start switch used for starting engine Mulcher door allows con...

Page 9: ...disengagedrivewheels DRIVE CONTROL ADJUSTMENT Over time the drive control system may be come loose resulting in decreased speed There is a turnbuckle on the underside of the drive control housing to increase tension on the drive cable Proceed as follows 1 Turn unit off and disconnect spark plug wire from spark plug 2 Turn nut on underside of drive control to increase drive speed 3 Operate mower to...

Page 10: ...NVERTING YOUR LAWN MOWER FOR MULCHING 1 Rear mulcher plug installed 2 Mulcher door closed FOR REAR BAGGING 1 Rear mulcher plug removed 2 Grass catcher installed 3 Mulcher door closed FOR SIDE DISCHARGING 1 Rear mulcher plug installed 2 Discharge deflector installed CAUTION Do not run your lawn mower without mulcher plug or approved grass catcher in place Never attempt to operate the lawn mower wit...

Page 11: ...o separation and formation of acids during storage Acidic gas can damage the fuel system of an engine while in storage To avoid engine problems the fuel system should be emptied before storage of 30 days or longer Empty the gas tank start the engine and let it run until the fuel lines and carburetor are empty Use fresh fuel next season See Storage Instructions for additional information Never use ...

Page 12: ...and mow slowly Certain types of grass and grass conditions may require that an area be mulched a second time to completely hide the clippings When doing a sec ond cut mow across perpendicular to the first cut path Change your cutting pattern from week to week Mow north to south one week then change to east to west the next week This will help prevent matting and graining of the lawn MAX 1 3 MOWING...

Page 13: ...erator abuse or negligence To receive full value from the warranty operator must maintain unit as instructed in this manual Some adjustments will need to be made periodically to properly maintain your unit At least once a season check to see if you should make any of the adjustments described in the Service and Adjustments section of this manual At least once a year replace the spark plug clean or...

Page 14: ... Be sure the trailing edge of blade oppo site sharp edge is up toward the engine 4 Install the blade bolt with the lock washer and hardened washer into blade adapter and crankshaft 5 Use block of wood between blade and lawn mower housing and tighten the blade bolt turning clockwise The recommended tightening torque is 35 40 ft lbs 47 54 N m IMPORTANT Blade bolt is heat treated If bolt needs replac...

Page 15: ...tabs are aligned with the slots in the back plate Fasten screw securely NOTE Although multi viscosity oils 5W30 10W30 etc improve starting in cold weather these multi viscosity oils will result in increased oil consumption when used above 32 F Check your engine oil level more frequently to avoid possible engine damage from running low on oil Change the oil after every 25 hours of operation or at l...

Page 16: ... shortens engine life Keep finished surfaces and wheels free of all gasoline oil etc We do not recommend using a garden hose to clean lawn mower unless the electrical system muffler air filter and carburetor are covered to keep water out Water in engine can result in short ened engine life CLEAN UNDER DRIVE COVER Clean under drive cover at least twice a sea son Scrape underside of cover with putty...

Page 17: ...bolt with the lock washer and hardened washer into blade adapter and crankshaft 11 Use block of wood between blade and lawn mower housing and tighten the blade bolt turning clockwise The recommended tightening torque is 35 40 ft lbs IMPORTANT Blade bolt is heat treated If bolt needs replacing replace only with approved bolt shown in the Repair Parts section of this manual 12 Return mower to uprigh...

Page 18: ...of acids during storage Acidic gas can damage the fuel system of an engine while in storage Empty the fuel tank by starting the en gine and letting it run until the fuel lines and carburetor are empty Never use engine or carburetor cleaner products in the fuel tank or permanent damage may occur Use fresh fuel next season NOTE Fuel stabilizer is an acceptable alternative in minimizing the formation...

Page 19: ... Control bar in released 8 Depress control bar to position handle 9 Control bar defective 9 Replace control bar 10 Fuel valve lever if so 10 Turn fuel valve lever equipped in OFF position to the ON position 11 Weak battery if equipped 11 Charge battery 12 Disconnected battery 12 Connect battery to engine connector if equipped PROBLEM CAUSE CORRECTION TROUBLESHOOTING See appropriate section in manu...

Page 20: ... before pulling starter rope 2 Bent engine crankshaft 2 Contact a Sears or other qualified service center 3 Blade adapter broken 3 Replace blade adapter 4 Blade dragging in grass 4 Move lawn mower to cut grass or to hard surface Grass catcher 1 Cutting height too low 1 Raise cutting height not filling 2 Lift on blade worn off 2 Replace blade If so equipped 3 Catcher not venting air 3 Clean grass c...

Page 21: ...21 ...

Page 22: ...ht U S A only www sears com Your Home For repair in your home of all major brand appliances lawn and garden equipment or heating and cooling systems no matter who made it no matter who sold it For the replacement parts accessories and owner s manuals that you need to do it yourself For Sears professional installation of home appliances and items like garage door openers and water heaters 1 800 4 M...

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