10
MULCHING MOWING TIPS
IMPORT
ANT
: For best performance,
keep mower housing free of built-up
grass and trash. See “CLEANING” in the
Maintenance section of this manual.
•
The special mulching blade will recut
the grass clip
pings many times and
reduce them in size so that as they fall
onto the lawn they will disperse into
the grass and not be noticed.
Also, the
mulched grass will bio
de
grade quick
ly to
provide nu
tri
ents for the lawn.
Always
mulch with your highest engine (blade)
speed as this will provide the best recut-
ting action of the blades.
•
A
v
oid cutting your lawn when it is wet.
W
e
t grass tends to form clumps and
in
ter
feres with the mulch
ing action. The
best time to mow your lawn is the early
afternoon.
At this time the grass has
dried, yet the newly cut area will not be
exposed to direct sunlight.
•
For best results, adjust the lawn mower
cutting height so that the lawn mower
cuts off only the top one-third of the
grass blades. If the lawn is over
grown
it will be nec
es
sary to raise the height of
cut to reduce pushing effort and to keep
from over
load
ing the engine and leaving
clumps of mulched grass. For ex
tremely
heavy grass, reduce your width of cut
by overlapping previously cut path and
mow slowly
.
•
Certain types of grass and grass
con
di
tions may re
quire that an area be
mulched a second time to com
pletely
hide the clip
pings. When doing a sec-
ond cut, mow across (perpendicular) to
the fi
rst 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
T
O
ST
ART ENGINE
NOTE:
Due to protective coatings on the
engine, a small amount of smoke may be
present during the initial use of the product
and should be considered normal.
NOTE:
Y
o
ur engine is equipped with an
automatic choke system. No priming or
choking is required before starting.
•
T
o
start engine, hold operator presence
control bar down to the han
dle and pull
starter handle quickly
. Do not allow
starter rope to snap back.
MOWING TIPS
CAUTION:
Do not use de-thatcher
blade attachments on your mower
. Such
attachments are hazardous, will damage
your mower and could void your warranty
.
•
Under certain conditions, such as very
tall grass, it may be nec
es
sary to raise
the height of cut to reduce pushing effort
and to keep from overloading the engine
and leaving clumps of grass clippings.
It may also be necessary to re
duce
ground speed and/or run the lawn
mower over the area a sec
ond time.
•
For extremely heavy cutting, re
duce the
width of cut by over
lap
ping previously
cut path and mow slowly
.
•
For better grass bagging and most cut-
ting conditions, the engine speed should
be set in the F
A
ST po
si
tion.
•
Pores in cloth grass catchers can
become fi
lled with dirt and dust with use
and catchers will collect less grass. T
o
prevent this, reg
u
lar
ly hose catcher off
with water and let dry before using.
•
Keep top of engine around starter clear
and clean of grass clippings and chaff.
This will help engine air fl
ow and extend
engine life.
23
CRAFTSMAN ROTARY LAWN MOWER - - MODEL NUMBER
944.369610
NOTE: All component dimensions given in U.S. inches. 1 inch = 25.4 mm.
IMPORTANT: Use only Original Equipment Manufacturer (O.E.M.) replacement parts. Failure to do so could be hazardous, damage your lawn mower and void your warranty.
KEY PART
NO. NO. DESCRIPTION
KEY PART
NO. NO. DESCRIPTION
1 428156 Drive Control Assembly
(Includes Cable)
2 428234 Cover, Top
3 420378 Cam
4 420380X615 Lever, Drive Control, RH
5 420381 Spring, Return
6 181698 Screw
7 420377X428 Cover, Bottom
8 178848 Screw #10-16 x 5/8
9 427426 Cable, Drive
10 420379X615 Lever, Drive Control, LH
11 194231X460 Wheel & Tire Assembly, Front
12 12000058 E-Ring
13 403849 Pinion
14 189403 Dust Cover
15 404845 Pawl, Drive
16 67725 Washer, Flat 3/8
25 404843X004 Belt Guide Bracket
26 163409 Screw, Hi-Lo Thread #12 x 5/8
27 175262 Screw, Pan Head #10-24 x 2-3/4
28 428165 Drive Cover
29 409148 Locknut, Hex
32 194018 Drive Pulley
33 426609 V-Belt
35 424524 Kit, Wheel Adjuster, Front, LH
(Includes Red Knob and Pushnut)
36 424657 Gear Case Assembly, Complete
38 191730 Locknut, Hex 1/4-20
40 406558 Spring
41 424522 Kit, Wheel Adjuster, Front, RH
(Includes Red Knob and Pushnut)
54 427265 Grassbag
57 419951 Frame, Grassbag
80 421114
Kit, Water Washout Assembly
(Includes Key Numbers 81 thru 83)
81 419735
Fitting, Water Washout
82 415585
Washer, Lock, Internal Tooth
83 415586
Locknut, Hex, with O-Ring