Mower Blade Care

Warning! Before performing any maintenance, place the PTO switch in the “OFF” position, engage the parking brake lever, turn the ignition key to the “OFF” position and remove the key from the switch. Protect your hands by using heavy gloves when handling the blades. When servicing the mower deck, be careful not to cut yourself on the sharpened blades.

The cutting blades must be kept sharp at all times. Sharpen the cutting edges of the blades evenly so that the blades remain balanced and the same angle of sharpness is maintained.

If the cutting edge of a blade has already been sharpened many times, or if any metal separation is present, it is recommended that new blades be installed. New blades are available at your authorized dealer.

The blades may be removed as follows.

1.Remove the deck from beneath the tractor, (refer to Deck

Removal on page 26) then gently flip the deck over to expose its underside.

2.Use a 15⁄16” wrench to hold the hex nut on top of the spindle assembly when loosening the hex nut securing the blade. A block of wood may be placed between the deck housing and the cutting edge of the blade to help in breaking loose the hex nut securing the blade. See Fig. 7-7.

Wood Block

Hex Flange Nut

Spindle Assembly

Figure 7-7

3.When reinstalling the blades, be sure they are installed so that the wind wings are pointing upward toward the top of the deck.

4.Tighten the blade nuts to 70-90 ft. lbs.

5.Reinstall the deck (refer to Deck Installation on page 28).

Transmission Drive Belt

If the transmission drive belt becomes worn and causes the drive transmissions to slip, the drive belt must be replaced. To replace the drive belt, proceed as follows:

1.Remove the deck drive belt from the PTO clutch on the bottom of the engine following the instructions in Deck Removal.

2.From beneath the rear of the tractor, insert a 3⁄8” drive ratchet into the square hole of the drive idler bracket. See Fig. 7-8.

Transmission

Drive Pulley

Idler

Pulley

Square Hole

Drive

Belt

Idler

 

 

PTO

 

 

Pulley

Bracket

 

 

Idler Bracket

Engine

 

 

Pulley

 

Spring

 

 

 

Figure 7-8

3.Using the ratchet for leverage, pivot the idler bracket and idler pulley away from the backside of the ‘V” belt; then lift the belt off and above the engine pulley and off the idler pulley.

4.With the belt loose, lift the belt off, up and over the two transmission drive pulleys. Remove the belt from the engine and idler pulleys.

5.Loop the new belt and slide over and onto the two transmission pulleys.

6.Route the belt above the idler bracket back to the engine drive pulley. Lift the belt over the PTO pulley and above the engine drive pulley.

7.Using the ratchet for leverage, pivot the idler bracket and idler pulley against the spring tension; then slip the belt down into the engine drive pulley and onto the idler pulley.

8.Release the idler bracket so that the idler pulley tightens against the back side of the belt and tensions the drive belt.

9.Reinstall the deck drive belt.

Section 7 — Service

 

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