MAINTENANCE |
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BLADE SERVICE |
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WARNING: Before you inspect |
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the blade or the blade adapter, |
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disconnect the wire to the spark |
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plug. If the blade hits an object, |
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stop the engine. Disconnect the |
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wire to the spark plug. Check the |
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unit for damage. | Blade Adapter |
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Frequently check the blade for wear or dam- |
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age such as cracks. Frequently check the bolt |
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that holds the blade. Keep the bolt tight. If the |
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| Belleville |
blade hits an object, stop the engine. Discon- |
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| Washer |
nect the wire to the spark plug. Check the |
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blade adapter for damage. Check for a bent or |
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| Washer |
damaged blade, a badly worn blade, or other | Blade Adapter |
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damage. Before you operate the unit, dam- |
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aged parts must be replaced with factory re- |
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placement parts. For safety, replace the blade |
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every two years. Keep a sharp edge on the |
| Mulching Blade | |
blade. A blade that is not sharp will cause the |
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ends of the grass to become brown. Remove |
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the blade as follows. |
| Belleville Washer | |
HOW TO REMOVE THE BLADE | Flat Washer | Figure 21 | |
Bolt |
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WARNING: Before you remove the blade, disconnect the wire to the spark plug. The blade has sharp edges. When you hold the blade, use gloves or cloth materi- al to protect your hands.
1.Drain the fuel tank.
2.Lift the side of the mower that has the muffler or spark plug.
3.Use a piece of wood to keep the blade from rotating.
4.Remove the bolt that holds the blade.
5.Check the blade according to the “Blade Service” instructions. Replace a badly worn or damaged blade with a factory re- placement blade.
6.Mount the blade with the curved edges to- ward the housing. If the blade is upside down, the blade will not cut correctly and can cause an accident.
7.Fasten the blade with the original wash- ers and bolt. Make sure the outside rims of the Belleville washers are toward the blade (Figure 21).
8.Tighten the bolt that holds the blade to a torque of 30 foot pounds.
WARNING: Always keep the bolt that holds the blade tight. A loose bolt or blade can cause an acci- dent.
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 22).
5.Make sure the blade is balanced. Use a screwdriver and hold the blade parallel to the ground as shown. A blade that is bal- anced will stay parallel to the ground. If the blade is not balanced, the heavy end will rotate toward the ground. Sharpen the heavy end until the blade is balanced.
6.A new blade will cut better than a badly worn blade. Every two years replace the old blade with a factory replacement blade.
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