Bigdog Mower Co. ALPHA MPX, General Service Manual, Page: 30 / 40

REV A 6-4 125277
5. Inspect the blade for damage. If the blade is damaged,
replace it. If the blade is not damaged, either sharpen
it or replace it with a new blade or another sharpened
used blade.
6. If sharpening the blade, refer to the Mower blade
maintenance section for proper sharpening
procedures.
7. When attaching the blade to the spindle shaft do not
re-use spindle bolts which have stripped, worn or
undercut threads. Torque bolts on spindles to 118
foot-pounds (160 N•m) when reinstalling blades.
IMPORTANT: The blade sail (curved part) must be
pointing upward toward the inside of the deck to
ensure proper cutting.
8. Remove the blade lock.
9. Raise the front of the mower and remove the jack
stands.
10. Lower the mower.
11. Re-attach the negative battery cable.
Deck Belt
Inspect belts frequently for wear and serviceability.
Replace a belt that shows signs of:
• severe cuts
• tears
• separation
• weather checking
• cracking
• burns caused by slipping.
Slight raveling of belt covering does not indicate failure,
trim ravelings with a sharp knife.
Inspect the belt pulley grooves and flanges for wear. A new
belt, or one in good condition, should never run against the
bottom of the groove. Replace the pulley when this is the
case, otherwise, the belt will lose power and slip excessively.
Never pry a belt to get it on a pulley as this will cut or
damage the fibers of the belt covering.
Keep oil and grease away from belts, and never use belt
dressings. Any of these will destroy the belt composition in a
very short time.
Deck belt adjustment
The spindle belt tension remains constant by means of a
tension idler and spring. There is no tension adjustment of
this belt. Figure
6-8
Deck belt replacement
1. Park the mower on a flat surface and stop the engine.
• Make sure deck clutch switch is in the down
(OFF) position.
• Place the steering control levers in the park brake
position.
• Remove ignition key. Make sure the blades are
stopped before leaving seat.
• Disconnect the negative battery cable.
2. Lower the deck to the lowest setting.
3. Remove the deck covers. Figure
6-8
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.
Always check for blade damage if mower strikes a
rock, branch or other foreign object during mowing!
Rotate the blades after installation to ensure blade
tips do not touch each other or sides of the mower.
WARNING
WARNING
WARNING
Allow the engine and muffler to cool before
proceeding with the following procedure.
Exercise caution when releasing spring tension from
the belt idler.
WARNING
WARNING