Craftsman 486.24222, Owner'S Manual

13

SPROCKET, CHAIN AND PAWL SERVICE

IMPORTANT: Do not remove both wheels at the same 
time to avoid mixing of parts. (The R.H. and L.H. ratchet 
sprockets are not interchangeable.) 

Make notes on the 

position of washers and snap rings during disassembly.

•  Remove the dust cover by removing the two rivets 

which fasten it to the wheel housing. (It is not 
necessary to remove the dust cover if you are only 
cleaning and lubricating the chain and sprockets.)

•  Remove the retaining rings and washers which hold 

the sprockets onto the shafts.

•  Remove the chain and both sprockets, holding them in 

position and sliding them off both of the shafts. (Look 
for the drive pin, which may fall out of the brush shaft 
when the ratchet sprocket is removed.) See fi gure 24.

•  To reassemble, insert the drive pin through the hole 

at the end of the brush shaft. Make sure the pin slides 
back and forth easily in the shaft.

•  Lightly grease both shafts and the chain, and fi ll the 

ratchet sprocket with grease. Assemble the chain with 
both sprockets back onto the shafts.

•  Lightly grease the axle and then reassemble the wheel.  

The brushes should rotate 

only during forward rotation 

of the wheel. If the brushes are driven (rotated) by both 
forward and reverse rotation of the wheel, the drive pin 
is jamming in the ratchet gear. Disassemble and clean 
and lubricate the drive pin and ratchet gear.

BRUSH REPLACEMENT

NOTE:  Brush replacement should be done one brush at  

a time.

•  Remove the hopper bag from the sweeper.
•  Loosen the hex bolts and lock nuts on two single 

brush retainers which clamp one brush to the double 
brush retainers. 

Do Not loosen or remove the bolts 

which fasten the double brush retainers to the brush 
shaft. See fi gure 23.

•  Slide the brush out of the retainers, noting on which 

side of the brush the bristles overlap. See fi gure 23.

•  Install new brush, making sure the bristles overlap on 

the same side of the brush as before. See fi gure 23.

GEAR SPROCKET

CHAIN

RATCHET
SPROCKET

DRIVE PIN

DUST COVER

BRUSH ROTATION      

BRUSH ROTATION

OVERLAP
BRISTLES

OVERLAP
BRISTLES

SINGLE
BRUSH
RETAINERS

DOUBLE BRUSH RETAINER

BRUSH
 SHAFT

FIGURE 23

•  Brushes set too low.

•  Brushes are jammed
•  Wheels are jammed.

Wheels skid when sweeping.

•  Adjust  height  till  brushes  are  1/2" 

down into grass.

•  Stop sweeper. Remove obstruction.
•  Remove one wheel at a time to check 

for obstruction or damage. Refer  to 
Service and Adjustments section.

SERVICE AND ADJUSTMENTS

TROUBLESHOOTING