MAINTENANCE
Place the new blade on the shaft against the fan assembly. Make sure it is installed with the curved ends pointing up toward the mower deck and not down toward the
ground.
Replace the blade insulator and spacer, then thread the blade nut on the shaft and finger tighten.
NOTE: Make certain all parts are replaced in the exact order in which they were removed.
Torque the blade nut down using a torque wrench (not provided) to ensure the bolt is properly tightened. The recommended torque for the blade nut is 450- 600 in. lbs.
SHARPENING THE BLADE
See Figure 14.
For best mowing performance, the mower blade must be kept sharp. A dull blade does not cut grass evenly and over-
FAN ASSEMBLY
SHAFT
BLADE
SPACER | BLADE NUT |
|
loads the motor. Under normal circumstances, sharpening the blade twice during the mowing season is usually suf- ficient. However, if your lawn has sandy soil, more frequent sharpenings may be required.
Following the instructions in the Replacing the Cutting Blade section, remove the mower blade. DO NOT attempt to sharpen the blade while it is attached to the mower.
WARNING:
When removing, inspect the blade carefully. If blade is bent or damaged, replace immediately with a new blade. Failure to replace a bent or damaged blade could cause an accident resulting in possible serious injury.
Using a
BALANCING THE BLADE
See Figure 15.
When sharpening, care should be taken to keep the blade balanced. An unbalanced blade will cause excessive vibra- tion when the mower is running. This vibration will eventually cause damage to the mower, especially the motor.
To check the blade balance:
BLADE INSULATOR
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Clamp a screwdriver horizontally in a vise as shown.
NOTE: If a vise is not available, a straight nail can also be used.
Place the center hole of blade on the screwdriver (or nail) shank.
If blade is balanced, it will remain in a horizontal position. If either end of the blade drops downward, sharpen the heavy side until the blade is balanced.
Page 15
Fig. 15
