How do i dis engage the safety device?

SOURCE: lawn mower will not hold charge with new battery

Check your battery water level if it's not a sealed battery. Some small batteries require you to fill them with both acid and water, some with water only when new.

If that is not a issue then you are most likely running on your battery alone. You need to check your charging system. Check your battery voltage when the unit has not run for at least an half an hour. Then check it when it's running. The voltage should be higher. It should be 12.5 to 14vac. Lower means your alternator is not working or a fuse is blown in your charging system. Higher means your voltage regulator went bad and the higher voltage will cook your battery in time. The voltage regulator is usually in the alternator and can not be changed without replacing the alternator. Check your parts diagram. If it lists a voltage regulator then you are in luck.

SOURCE: I have a 15.5 HP Sears Craftsman 42

I'm betting that you need a new safety kill switch - probably the one underneath the seat (the spring-loaded plunger switch that won't let you use the machine without your *** in the seat). Could also be the one behind the "dash" that is associated with the blade engagement mechanism.

I know that the under-seat-switch cannot be bypassed or it will disable the machine in the exact way that you described. Why do I say this? Because I just tried to bypass my own "***-in-the-seat-safety-switch" on my very own 15.5 HP, 42" Sears tractor, and it responded by punishing me - the absense of the switch caused the motor to cut out when I tried to put the machine in gear AND/OR engage the blade. It seems to have some measured capacitance - the absense of same seeming to interrupt the ignition timing enough to shut the motor down when you attempt to get anywhere past neutral or engage the blade. These "safety" switches may be needed by a very few who prefer to be drunk while they mow lawns on steep slopes that their tractor mowers were not designed for, but I find these items to be troublesome and enfuriating. My trees shed a lot of sticks in high winds, and I can't stand shutting the machine down and restarting it EVERY SINGLE TIME I have to dismount to clear sticks or other obstructions out of my mowing path. This is an obnoxious, "nanny-design" feature that desparately needs to be discontinued. It also makes both jump-starting the tractor and electrical troubleshooting much more difficult than they should be. The tractor should let you dismount without shutting down, as long as you have disengaged the blade and shifted into neutral. It should also let you jump start with jumper cables - impossible to do with your rear end in the seat. By the way, call Manufacturer's Supply, Inc. at 1-800-826-8563. They may have a replacement - their item number 31-9664 might do it, but talk to them first. I'm calling them tomorrow. Good luck.

Testimonial: "VERY THOROUGH - THANKS"

SOURCE: starter gear doesn't move up to engage flywheel gear when started

The solenoid does two things -- it closes an electrical contact to run the starter motor, and also pulls a lever to slide the motor gear up to engage the flywheel. Since the contact is closing, the solenoid itself must be OK, but the lever could be broken, or the sliding gear could be binding or stripped. Since you're looking at a probable replacement, try cleaning with compressed air, then squirting some WD-40 into the starter gear area - you could get lucky! Otherwise, you can replace the starter/solenoid assembly -- you can find replacements on eBay for about $80. Less expensive but more time consuming is to remove the assembly, disassemble, and replace just the defective parts if you can find them. Good luck! Please rate my answer if helpful, thanks.

SOURCE: Mower starts, but when I let off clutch, it dies.

when the seat goes out of adjustment due to the crappy adjustment bolt design, the bolt inadvertantly engages the safety switch under the seat.

SOURCE: lawn mower belt is rubbing on something. its a craftsman 42

check the idler pulley