Hustler Turf 927053 manual Mower blade maintenance, Mower blade removal, Control lever adjustment

Mower blade maintenance

Check the mower blades daily, they are the key to power efficiency and well groomed turf. Keep them sharp, a dull blade will tear rather than cut the grass, leaving a brown ragged top on the grass within a few hours. A dull blade also requires more power from the engine.

Replace any blade which is bent, cracked or broken.

WARNING: Never attempt to straighten a bent blade by heating, or weld a cracked or broken blade as the blade may break and cause serious injury. Replace worn or damaged blades.

DANGER: Never work with blades while engine is running or deck clutch switch is engaged (on). Always place deck clutch switch in the disengaged position, place control levers in the park brake position and turn engine off and disconnect negative battery cable. Block up mower when you must work under it. Wear gloves when handling blades. Always check for blade damage if mower strikes rock, branch or other foreign object during mowing!

WARNING: Always wear adequate eye protection when grinding mower blades.

Mower blade removal

Use a 15/16" wrench to remove the 5/8" cap screw holding the blade to the spindle shaft from underneath. NOTE: A blade holding tool (part number 381442) is available from Hustler Turf Equipment. It is designed to prevent the blades from rotating when they are being removed or installed on the spindle. Contact your Hustler dealer for more information.

Sharpen the blades on a grinder following pattern as shown (Fig. 4-12). Touch-up sharpening can be done with a file.

Check the blades for balance following grinding. A commercial balancing tool is available through most hardware supply stores, or balancing can be done by placing the blade on an inverted line punch or 1/2" bolt. Blade should not lean or tilt. Spin the blade slowly, blade should not wobble. If blade is out of balance, true it up before reinstalling.

Lay the blade on a flat surface and check for distortion (Fig. 4-13 and 4-14). Replace any distorted blade.

Do not re-use spindle bolts which have stripped, worn or undercut threads. Torque bolts on spindles to 118 foot-pounds (160.0 Nm) when reinstalling blades.

IMPORTANT: When mounting blades, rotate them after installation to ensure blade tips do not touch each other or sides of the mower.

WARNING: Failure to correctly torque the bolt may result in the loss of the blade which can cause serious injury.

WARNING: Mower blades are sharp and can cut. Wrap the blade(s) or wear gloves and use extra caution when servicing them.

Control lever adjustment

The steering control levers can be adjusted for operator comfort. By loosening the cap screws that attaches the upper control lever to the lower lever (Fig. 4-15), the upper control lever can be pivoted to fit the operator’s personal preference.

The steering control levers should be adjusted so that they align with each other when in the neutral position.

Warped Blade (Replace)

Cutting

Plane

Straight Blade

Comparison of Warped and Straight Blades

Figure 4-13

Cutting Edge

Twisted Blade Edge

Cutting Plane

(Replace)

Resharpening Pattern

Do not sharpen to original pattern (below).

It is easier to get a straight cutting edge following the resharpening pattern shown above.

Original Edge

Figure 4-12

Cutting Edge

Straight Blade Edge

End view of blades, comparing twisted and straighten blades.

Figure 4-14

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