Cub Cadet 18M warranty Maintaining Your Lawn Mower, gloves or use a heavy rag to hold the blade

Blade Care

WARNING: When removing the cutting blade for sharpening or replacement, protect your hands with a pair of heavy

gloves or use a heavy rag to hold the blade.

Periodically inspect the blade adapter for cracks, especially if you strike a foreign object. Replace when necessary. Follow the steps below for blade service.

1.	Disconnect spark plug wire from spark plug. Turn
	mower on its side making sure that the air filter and
	the carburetor are facing up.
2.	Remove the bolt and the blade bell support which
	hold the blade and the blade adapter to the engine
	crankshaft. See Figure 5-3.

Blade Adapter

Blade Bell Support

Blade

Bolt

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Maintaining

Your Lawn

Mower

3.	Remove blade and adapter from the crankshaft. See
	Figure 5-3.
4.	Remove blade from the adapter for testing balance.
	Balance the blade on a round shaft screwdriver to
	check. Remove metal from the heavy side until it
	balances evenly.
	When sharpening the blade, follow the original angle
	of grind. Grind each cutting edge equally to keep the
	blade balanced.

WARNING: An unbalanced blade will cause excessive vibration when rotating at high speeds. It may cause damage to

mower and could break causing personal injury.

5.Lubricate the engine crankshaft and the inner surface of the blade adapter with light oil. Slide the blade adapter onto the engine crankshaft. Place the blade on the adapter such that the side of the blade marked “Bottom” (or with part number) faces the ground when the mower is in the operating position. Make sure that the blade is aligned and seated on the blade adapter flanges.

Figure 5-3: Remove the bolt and blade bell support to access the blade.

6.Place blade bell support on the blade. Align notches on the blade bell support with small holes in blade.

7.Replace hex bolt and tighten hex bolt to torque: 450 in. lbs. min., 600 in. lbs. max.

To ensure safe operation of your mower, periodically check the blade bolt for correct torque.

Belt Care

1.Disconnect the spark plug wire and ground it against the engine.

2.Drain the fuel tank or place a piece of plastic beneath the cap to prevent gasoline leakage.

3.Tip mower on its side (air cleaner side of engine up).

4.Remove blade, adapter, and related hardware as instructed under “Blade Care” above. See Figure 5-3.

WARNING

When removing the cutting blade for sharpening or replacement, protect your hands with a pair of heavy gloves or use a heavy rag to hold the blade.

An unbalanced blade will cause excessive vibration when rotat- ing at high speeds. It may cause damage to mower and could break causing per-

sonal injury.

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