Craftsman 247.25000 Operator's Manual page 27

2. If changing the deck belt with the cutting deck still installed on the
unit, lower the cutting deck to the lowest cutting position. Remove
the deck belt from around the unit's PTO drive pulley as shown in
Fig. 31. Simply roll one side of the belt off of the pulley and then
work it off the pulley by continuing around the pulley until the belt
is off of the pulley.
3. Pull the belt towards the rear of the unit, pulling it through and out
of the belt keeper bracket, shown in Fig. 31.
4. Remove the deck belt cover by removing the three hex bolts that
secure it. See Fig. 35.
5. Remove the idler pulley by removing the hex bolt on the bottom
side of the pulley. See Fig. 36.
Remove hex bolt to remove pulley allowing
belt to move past the belt keeper.
6. Change the belt, then reinstall the all the components removed
in the reverse order beginning with the idler pulley, and lastly the
belt cover.
7. Feed the deck belt through the belt keeper bracket and work it
around and onto the PTO drive pulley as shown in Fig. 31.
SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE
Figure 35
Figure 36
TIRES
Never exceed the maximum inflation pressure shown on the sidewall
of tire.
The recommended operating tire pressure is:
• Approximately 10 psi for the rear tires
• Approximately 14 psi for the front tires
IMPORTANT: Refer to the tire sidewall for exact tire manufacturer's
recommended or maximum psi. Do not overinflate. Uneven tire pres-
sure could cause the cutting deck to mow unevenly.
CUTTING BLADE
Shut the engine off and remove ignition key before removing the
cutting blade for sharpening or replacement. Protect your hands by
using heavy gloves when grasping the blade.
Periodically inspect the blade and/or spindle for cracks or damage,
especially after you've struck a foreign object. Do not operate the
machine until damaged components are replaced.
To remove the blade, proceed as follows.
NOTE: It may be easier to change the blade by first removing
the deck from beneath the tractor, (refer to Cutting Deck Removal
earlier in this section) then gently flip the deck over to expose its
underside. It is possible to change the blade, however, with the
deck still attached to the tractor. If attempting to change the blade
with the deck still installed on the tractor, first move the deck lift
lever to its highest cutting position.
1. Remove the mulch plug, deck chute or bagging chute, if
equipped, exposing the deck chute opening.
2. Using a block of wood or 2 x 4, insert it into the deck opening and
rotate the blade around until it wedges the wood between the
deck opening and the cutting blade, as shown in Fig. 37.
3. Remove the hex flange nut that secures the blade to the spindle
assembly, and remove the blade. See the Inset of Fig. 37.
NOTE: The deck spindle has a normal thread. To loosen, rotate
the flange lock nut counterclockwise.
27
WARNING
WARNING
WARNING