Murray 20-inch Maintenance, Blade Service, How To Remove The Blade, How To Sharpen The Blade

MAINTENANCE
BLADE SERVICE	6. Mount the blade with the curved edges to-
WARNING: Before you inspect	ward the housing. If the blade is upside
	down, the blade will not cut correctly and
the blade or the blade adapter,
	can cause an accident.
disconnect the wire to the spark
	7. Fasten the blade with the original wash-
plug. If the blade hits an object,
stop the engine. Disconnect the	ers and bolt. Make sure the outside rims
wire to the spark plug. Check the	of the Belleville washers are toward the
unit for damage.	blade (Figure 13).
Frequently check the blade for wear or dam-	8. Tighten the bolt that holds the blade to a
	torque of 30 foot pounds.
age such as cracks. Frequently check the bolt
that holds the blade. Keep the bolt tight. If the	WARNING: Always keep the bolt
blade hits an object, stop the engine. Discon-	that holds the blade tight. A loose
nect the wire to the spark plug. Check the	bolt or blade can cause an acci-
blade adapter for damage. Check for a bent or
	dent.
damaged blade, a badly worn blade, or other
damage. Before you operate the unit, dam-
aged parts must be replaced with factory re-
placement parts. For safety, replace the blade
every two years. Keep a sharp edge on the
blade. A blade that is not sharp will cause the
ends of the grass to become brown. Remove
the blade as follows.
HOW TO REMOVE THE BLADE	Blade Adapter
WARNING: Before you remove			Blade
the blade, disconnect the wire to
the spark plug. The blade has		Belleville
sharp edges. When you hold the
blade, use gloves or cloth materi-		Washer
al to protect your hands.		Washer
1. Drain the fuel tank.	Blade Adapter
2. Lift the side of the mower that has the		Bolt
muffler or spark plug.
3. Use a piece of wood to keep the blade
from rotating.		Mulching Blade
4. Remove the bolt that holds the blade.
5. Check the blade according to the ”Blade		Belleville Washer
Service” instructions. Replace a badly
worn or damaged blade with a factory re-		Flat Washer	Figure 13
placement blade.		Bolt

HOW TO SHARPEN THE BLADE

WARNING: Vibration is the result if the blade is not correctly bal- anced. A blade that is damaged with cracks can break and cause an accident.

1.Sharpen the blade two times a year or ev- ery 25 hours.

2.If the blade is on the unit, do not sharpen. Remove the blade according to the in- structions in ”How To Remove The Blade”.

3.Clean the blade with a brush, soap, and water. Check the blade. Look for cracks, nicks, or other damage. Replace a blade that is badly worn, bent, or damaged with a factory replacement blade.

4.Sharpen the blade with a file. Make sure you keep the original beveled cutting edge (Figure 14).

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