Craftsman lawn mower manual 247.39767 247.37787 247.37705 247.37747 247.37441 247.37744

Operator’s Manual  
21” LAWN MOWER  
Model Nos. 247.39767*  
*
-- Last digit of model number varies  
2
1” LAWN MOWER  
Model Nos. 247.37787*  
2
2
2
2
47. 37705*  
47.37747*  
47. 37441*  
47. 37744*  
*
-- Last digit of model number varies  
TABLE OF CONTENTS  
Safety Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pages 2-5 Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pages 11-13  
Slope Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 6 Service and Maintenance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pages 14-17  
Unpacking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 7 Off-Season Storage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 18  
Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pages 7-9 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 19-20  
Adjustments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Español. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 22  
To order parts or schedule service for this  
product, call:  
CAUTION  
Before using this equipment, read the  
manual and follow all safety rules and  
operating instructions.  
1-888-331-4569  
Customer Care Hot Line  
Sears Brands Management Corporation, Hoffman Estates, IL 60179, U.S.A.  
Used under license  
Visit our website: www.craftsman.com  
Form No. 769-12930  
November 17, 2017)  
(
©
Sears Brands, LLC  
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS  
WARNING  
DANGER  
This symbol points out important safety instructions which, if not  
followed, could endanger the personal safety and/or property of  
yourself and others. Read and follow all instructions in this manual  
before attempting to operate this machine. Failure to comply with these  
instructions may result in personal injury. When you see this symbol, HEED  
ITS WARNING!  
This machine was built to be operated according to the safe operation  
practices 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 and  
throwing debris. Failure to observe the following safety instructions could  
result in serious injury or death.  
WARNING  
CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65  
Engine Exhaust, some of its constituents, and certain vehicle components  
contain or emit chemicals known to State of California to cause cancer and  
birth defects or other reproductive harm.  
WARNING  
Your Responsibility—Restrict the use of this power machine to  
persons who read, understand and follow the warnings and instructions in  
this manual and on the machine.  
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS!  
GENERAL OPERATION  
Wear sturdy, rough-soled work shoes and close-fitting slacks and shirts.  
Shirts and pants that cover the arms and legs and steel-toed shoes are  
recommended. Never operate this machine in bare feet, sandals, slippery or  
light-weight (e.g. canvas) shoes.  
Read this operator’s manual carefully in its entirety before attempting to  
assemble this machine. Read, understand, and follow all instructions on the  
machine and in the manuals before operation. Keep this manual in a safe  
place for future and regular reference and for ordering replacement parts  
Do not put hands or feet near rotating parts or under the cutting deck.  
Contact with blade can amputate fingers, hands, toes and feet.  
Be completely familiar with the controls and the proper use of this machine  
before operating it.  
A missing or damaged discharge cover can cause blade contact or thrown  
object injuries.  
This machine is a precision piece of power equipment, not a plaything.  
Therefore, exercise extreme caution at all times. This machine has been  
designed to perform one job: to mow grass. Do not use it for any other  
purpose.  
Many injuries occur as a result of the mower being pulled over the foot  
during a fall caused by slipping or tripping. Do not hold on to the mower if  
you are falling: release the handle immediately.  
Never allow children under 14 years of age to operate this machine. Children  
Never pull the mower back toward you while you are walking. If you must  
back the mower away from a wall or obstruction first look down and behind  
to avoid tripping and then follow these steps:  
14 and over should read and understand the instructions and safe operation  
practices in this manual and on the machine and should be trained and  
supervised by an adult.  
a. Step back from mower to fully extend your arms forward.  
b. Be sure you are well balanced with sure footing.  
Only responsible individuals who are familiar with these rules of safe  
operation should be allowed to use this machine.  
c. Pull the mower back slowly, no more than half way toward you.  
d. Repeat these steps as needed.  
Thoroughly inspect the area where the equipment is to be used. Remove all  
stones, sticks, wire, bones, toys and other foreign objects, which could be  
tripped over or picked up and thrown by the blade. Thrown objects can cause  
serious personal injury.  
Do not operate the mower while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.  
Do not engage the self-propelled mechanism on machines so equipped  
while starting engine.  
Plan your mowing pattern to avoid discharge of material toward roads,  
sidewalks, bystanders and the like. Also, avoid discharging material against  
a wall or obstruction, which may cause discharged material to ricochet back  
toward the operator.  
The blade control handle is a safety device. Never attempt to bypass its  
operation. Doing so makes the safety device inoperative and may result in  
personal injury through contact with the rotating blade. The blade control  
handle must operate easily in both directions and automatically return to the  
disengaged position when released.  
To help avoid blade contact or a thrown object injury, stay in operator zone  
behind handles and keep children, bystanders, helpers and pets at least 75  
feet from mower while it is in operation. Stop machine if anyone enters area.  
Never operate the mower in wet grass. Always be sure of your footing. A  
slip and fall can cause serious personal injury. If you feel you are losing your  
footing, release the blade control handle immediately and the blade will  
stop rotating within three seconds.  
Always wear safety glasses or safety goggles during operation and while  
performing an adjustment or repair to protect your eyes. Thrown objects  
which ricochet can cause serious injury to the eyes.  
Mow only in daylight or good artificial light. Walk, never run.  
Stop the blade when crossing gravel drives, walks or roads.  
2
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS  
If the equipment should start to vibrate abnormally, stop the engine and  
check immediately for the cause. Vibration is generally a warning of trouble.  
CHILDREN  
Tragic accidents can occur if the operator is not alert to the presence of children.  
Shut the engine off and wait until the blade comes to a complete stop before Children are often attracted to the mower and the mowing activity. They do not  
removing the grass Bagger or unclogging the chute. The cutting blade  
continues to rotate for a few seconds after the blade control is released.  
Never place any part of the body in the blade area until you are sure the  
blade has stopped rotating.  
understand the dangers. Never assume that children will remain where you last saw  
them.  
Keep children out of the mowing area and under watchful care of a  
responsible adult other than the operator.  
Never operate mower without proper trail shield, discharge cover, grass  
Bagger, blade control handle or other safety protective devices in place and  
working. Never operate mower with damaged safety devices. Failure to do so  
can result in personal injury.  
Be alert and turn mower off if a child enters the area.  
Before and while moving backwards, look behind and down for small  
children.  
Use extreme care when approaching blind corners, doorways, shrubs, trees,  
or other objects that may obscure your vision of a child who may run into the  
mower.  
Muffler and engine become hot and can cause a burn. Do not touch.  
Never attempt to make a wheel or cutting height adjustment while the  
engine is running.  
Keep children away from hot or running engines. They can suffer burns from  
a hot muffler.  
Only use parts and accessories made for this machine by the manufacturer as  
listed in the Parts pages of this Operator’s Manual. Failure to do so can result  
in personal injury.  
Never allow children under 14 years of age to operate this machine. Children  
14 and over should read and understand the instructions and safe operation  
When starting engine, pull cord slowly until resistance is felt, then pull  
rapidly. Rapid retraction of starter cord (kickback) will pull hand and arm  
toward engine faster than you can let go. Broken bones, fractures, bruises or  
sprains could result.  
practices in this manual and on the machine and be trained and supervised  
by an adult.  
SERVICE  
Safe Handling of Gasoline:  
If situations occur which are not covered in this manual, use care and good  
judgement.  
To avoid personal injury or property damage use extreme care in handling  
gasoline. Gasoline is extremely flammable and the vapors are explosive.  
Serious personal injury can occur when gasoline is spilled on yourself or your  
SLOPE OPERATION  
Slopes are a major factor related to slip and fall accidents, which can result in severe clothes which can ignite. Wash your skin and change clothes immediately.  
injury. Operation on slopes requires extra caution. The machine is heavy and can  
Use only an approved gasoline container.  
speed up when going downhill. Be prepared to maintain control of the machine.  
If you feel uneasy on a slope, do not mow it. For your safety, use the slope gauge  
included as part of this manual to measure slopes before operating this machine on  
a sloped or hilly area. If the slope is greater than 15 degrees, do not mow it.  
Never fill containers inside a vehicle or on a truck or trailer bed with a plastic  
liner. Always place containers on the ground away from your vehicle before  
filling.  
Remove gas-powered equipment from the truck or trailer and refuel it on  
the ground. If this is not possible, then refuel such equipment on a trailer  
with a portable container, rather than from a gasoline dispenser nozzle.  
Do:  
Mow across the face of slopes; never up and down to avoid loss of control.  
Exercise extreme caution when changing direction on slopes; turn uphill not  
down.  
Keep the nozzle in contact with the rim of the fuel tank or container opening  
at all times until fueling is complete. Do not use a nozzle lock-open device.  
Watch for holes, ruts, rocks, hidden objects, or bumps which can cause you  
to slip or trip. Tall grass can hide obstacles.  
Extinguish all cigarettes, cigars, pipes and other sources  
of ignition.  
Always be sure of your footing. A slip and fall can cause serious personal  
injury. If you feel you are losing your balance, release the blade control  
handle immediately and the blade will stop rotating within three (3)  
seconds.  
Never fuel machine indoors because flammable vapors will accumulate in  
the area.  
Never remove gas cap or add fuel while engine is hot or running. Allow  
engine to cool at least two minutes before refueling.  
Do Not:  
Never over-fill fuel tank. To allow for expansion of the fuel, do not fill above  
the bottom of the fuel tank neck.  
Do not mow near drop-offs, ditches or embankments, because you could  
lose your footing or balance.  
Replace gasoline cap and tighten securely.  
Do not mow slopes greater than 15 degrees as shown on the slope guide.  
Do not mow on wet grass. Unstable footing could cause slipping.  
If gasoline is spilled, wipe it off the engine and equipment. Move machine to  
another area. Wait 5 minutes before starting engine.  
3
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS  
Never store the machine or fuel container near an open flame, spark or pilot  
According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) and the U.S.  
light as on a water heater, space heater, furnace, clothes dryer or other gas  
appliances.  
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this product has an Average Useful  
Life of seven (7) years, or 140 hours of operation. At the end of the Average  
Useful Life have the machine inspected annually by a Sears or other qualified  
service dealer to ensure that all mechanical and safety systems are working  
properly and not worn excessively. Failure to do so can result in accidents,  
injuries or death.  
To reduce fire hazard, keep machine free of grass, leaves, or other debris  
build-up. Clean up oil or fuel spillage and remove any fuel-soaked debris.  
Allow machine to cool at least 5 minutes before storing.  
General Service:  
DO NOT MODIFY ENGINE  
Never run an engine indoors or in a poorly ventilated area. Engine exhaust  
To avoid serious injury or death, do not modify engine in any way. Tampering  
with the governor setting can lead to a runaway engine and cause it to  
operate at unsafe speeds. Never tamper with factory setting of engine  
governor.  
contains carbon monoxide, an odorless and deadly gas.  
Before cleaning, repairing, or inspecting, make certain the blade and all  
moving parts have stopped. Disconnect the spark plug wire and ground  
against the engine to prevent unintended starting.  
NOTICE REGARDING EMISSIONS  
Check the blade and engine mounting bolts at frequent intervals for proper  
tightness. Also, visually inspect blade for damage (e.g., bent, cracked, worn).  
Replace blade with the original equipment manufacture’s (O.E.M.) blade  
only, listed in the Parts pages of this manual. Use of parts which do not meet  
the original equipment specifications may lead to improper performance  
and compromise safety!  
Engines which are certified to comply with California and federal EPA  
emission regulations for SORE (Small Off Road Equipment) are certified  
to operate on regular unleaded gasoline, and may include the following  
emission control systems: Engine Modification (EM), Oxidizing Catalyst (OC),  
Secondary Air Injection (SAI) and Three Way Catalyst (TWC) if so equipped.  
SPARK ARRESTOR  
Mower blades are sharp and can cut. Wrap the blade or wear gloves, and use  
extra caution when servicing them.  
WARNING  
Keep all nuts, bolts, and screws tight to be sure the equipment is in safe  
working condition.  
This machine is equipped with an internal combustion engine and should  
not be used on or near any unimproved forest-covered, brushcovered or  
grass-covered land unless the engine’s exhaust system is equipped with a  
spark arrestor meeting applicable local or state laws (if any).  
Never tamper with safety devices. Check their proper operation regularly.  
After striking a foreign object, stop the engine, disconnect the spark plug  
wire and ground against the engine. Thoroughly inspect the mower for any  
damage. Repair the damage before starting and operating the mower.  
If a spark arrestor is used, it should be maintained in effective working order  
by the operator. In the State of California the above is required by law (Section  
4
442 of the California Public Resources Code). Other states may have similar  
Never attempt to make a wheel or cutting height adjustment while the  
engine is running.  
laws. Federal laws apply on federal lands.  
A spark arrestor for the muffler is available through your nearest Sears Parts  
and Repair Service Center. For location and purchase information call  
Grass Bagger components, discharge cover, and trail shield are subject to  
wear and damage which could expose moving parts or allow objects to be  
thrown. For safety protection, frequently check components and replace  
immediately with original equipment manufacturer’s (O.E.M.) parts only,  
listed in the Parts pages of this manual. Use of parts which do not meet the  
original equipment specifications may lead to improper performance and  
compromise safety!  
1-888-331-4569.  
Do not change the engine’s governor setting or over-speed the engine. The  
governor controls the maximum safe operating speed of the engine.  
Check fuel line, tank, cap, and fittings frequently for cracks or leaks. Replace  
if necessary.  
Do not crank engine with spark plug removed.  
Maintain or replace safety and instruction labels, as necessary.  
Observe proper disposal laws and regulations. Improper disposal of fluids  
and materials can harm the environment.  
4
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS  
SAFETY SYMBOLS  
This page depicts and describes safety symbols that may appear on this product. Read, understand, and follow all instructions on the machine before  
attempting to assemble and operate.  
Symbol  
Description  
READ THE OPERATOR’S MANUAL(S)  
Read, understand, and follow all instructions in the manual(s) before attempting to assemble and  
operate  
DANGER — ROTATING BLADES  
To reduce the risk of injury, keep hands and feet away. Do not operate unless discharge cover or grass  
bagger is in its proper place. If damaged, replace immediately.  
DANGER — BYSTANDERS  
Do not mow when children or others are around.  
DANGER — HAND/ FOOT CUT  
Keep hands and feet away from rotating parts.  
DANGER — THROWN DEBRIS  
Remove objects that can be thrown by the blade in any direction. Wear safety glasses.  
DANGER — SLOPES  
Use extra caution on slopes. The machine is heavy and can speed up when going downhill. Be  
prepared to maintain control of the machine. To avoid loss of control, operate across slopes, not up  
and down. When turning, turn uphill, not down. Do not operate on slopes greater than 15°.  
WARNING—GASOLINE IS FLAMMABLE  
Allow the engine to cool at least two minutes before refueling.  
WARNING— CARBON MONOXIDE  
Never run an engine indoors or in a poorly ventilated area. Engine exhaust contains carbon  
monoxide, an odorless and deadly gas.  
WARNING— HOT SURFACE  
Engine parts, especially the muffler, become extremely hot during operation. Allow engine and  
muffler to cool before touching.  
WARNING: Your Responsibility—Restrict the use of this power machine to persons who read, understand and follow  
the warnings and instructions in this manual and on the machine.  
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS!  
5
SLOPE GAUGE  
6
ASSEMBLY  
IMPORTANT: This unit is shipped without gasoline or oil in the engine. Be certain  
to service engine with gasoline and oil as instructed in the Operation section of the  
Engine Manual before starting or running your machine.  
b. While stabilizing mower so it doesn’t move, pivot upper handle up as  
shown in Figure 2. Do not crimp cable while lifting the handle up.  
NOTE: Reference to right and left hand side of the Lawn Mower is observed from the  
operating position.  
Unpacking  
b
Opening Carton  
1.  
Cut each corner of the carton vertically from top to bottom.  
2.  
Remove all loose parts.  
3.  
Remove loose packing material.  
Removing Unit From Carton  
1.  
Lift unit from the rear to detach it from underlying carton material and roll  
unit out of carton.  
2.  
Check carton thoroughly for any other loose parts.  
Loose Parts In Carton  
Figure 2  
Grass Catcher  
Side Discharge Cover  
Engine Oil  
2.  
Remove T-bolts from the handle brackets as shown in Figure 3.  
Assembly  
Attaching The Handle  
1.  
Remove any packing material which may be between upper and lower  
handles.  
a. Remove wing nuts and carriage bolts handle as shown in Figure 1.  
Do not loosen or remove adjacent hex head screws.  
a
a
Figure 3  
Figure 1  
7