Maintenance Instructions | CHECKING/SERVICING |
Check the battery charge by measuring the specific gravity of electrolyte; if specific gravity is less than 1.225, the battery will need to be charged as follows:
•Charge the battery at 15 amps for 10 minutes. DO NOT exceed 20 amps maximum recommended charging rate. Charge until specific gravity is at least 1.250. Total charging time should not exceed one (1) hour.
Tire Pressure
Inflate tires to pressures shown below:
Deck Caster Wheel = 20 PSI (137 kPa)
Drive | = | 15 PSI (103 kPa) |
Rear | = | 20 PSI (137 kPa) |
Sharpen Mower Blades
Check mower blade(s) for straightness, sharp- ness, condition of the cutting edge, and balance every 10 hours of operation (or more often when mowing abrasive type grass or operating on sandy soils). Replace blades if worn, bent, cracked, or otherwise damaged (refer to REPLACING/ REPAIRING the Mower Blades in this section). Use the following procedure to check and sharpen blades:
NOTE: Keep blades sharp - cutting with dull blades not only yields a poor mowing job but slows the cutting speed of the mower and causes extra wear on the engine and blade drive by pulling hard.
1.Stop the engine, remove ignition key, and dis- connect the spark plug wires before raising the mower deck to service blades.
2.Raise the deck and secure it in the
DANGER
NEVER operate cutter blades with the deck in the raised position.
3.Check the blades for straightness by marking the blade tip position inside the deck housing, and then rotating the opposite end of the blade to the same position and comparing. If the dif- ference in blade tip track is more than 1/8 in. (3 mm), the blade is bent and should be re- placed.
WARNING
DO NOT try to straighten a blade that is bent. NEVER weld a broken or cracked blade. ALWAYS replace with a new blade to assure safety.
4.If the blade cutting edge is dull or nicked, it should be sharpened. Remove blades for sharpening by grasping the end of the blade using a rag or a thick, padded glove, while loos- ening and removing the nut, lock washer, and flat washer that mounts the blade.
5.Grind cutting edge at the same bevel as the original. Sharpen only the top of the cutting edge to maintain sharpness.
NOTE: Blades can be sharpened with an elec- tric blade sharpener, conventional electric grinder, or a hand file.
CAUTION
ALWAYS wear eye protection and gloves when sharpening a blade.
6.Check blade balance by positioning the blade horizontally on a blade balancer or use a nail or shaft through the center hole. If either end of the blade rotates downward, grind (remove) metal on that end until the blade will balance. The blade is properly balanced when neither end drops. Balance of a blade is generally main- tained by removing an equal amount of material from each end of the blade when sharpening.
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