indicate failure, trim ravelings with a sharp knife.
WARNING:
If the pump belt fails, loss of
control may occur when operating on a slope.
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 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.
Mower blade maintenance
Check the mower blades daily, they are the key to power
efficiency and well groomed turf. Keep them sharp, a dull
blade will tear rather than cut the grass, leaving a brown
ragged top on the grass within a few hours. A dull blade
also requires more power from the engine.
Replace any blade which is bent, cracked or broken.
WARNING:
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.
DANGER:
Never work with blades while
engine is running or deck clutch is engaged.
Always place deck clutch in the disengaged
position, engage parking brake and neutral lock
levers and turn engine off. Block up mower
when you must work under it. Wear gloves
when handling blades. Always check for blade
damage if mower strikes rock, branch or other
foreign object during mowing!
Mower blade removal
On spindles with blade saddles, use a 3/4" wrench to
remove the 1/2" cap screw holding the blade to the spindle
saddle from underneath. On spindles without blade saddles,
use a 15/16" wrench to remove the 5/8" cap screw holding
the blade to the spindle shaft from underneath.
Sharpen the blades on a grinder following pattern as
shown (Fig. 4-14). Touch-up sharpening can be done with
a file.
Check the blades for balance following grinding. A
commercial balancing tool is available through most
hardware supply stores, or balancing can be done by placing
the blade on an inverted line punch or 1/2" or 5/8”bolt.
Blade should not lean or tilt. Spin the blade slowly, blade
should not wobble. If blade is out of balance, true it up
before reinstalling.
Lay the blade on a flat surface and check for distortion
(Fig. 4-15 and 4-16). Replace any distorted blade.
Do not re-use spindle bolts which have stripped, worn or
undercut threads. Torque bolts on spindles with blade
saddles to 65-75 foot-pounds when reinstalling blades.
Torque bolts on spindles without blade saddles to 118 foot-
pounds when reinstalling blades.
WARNING:
When mounting blades, rotate
them after installation to ensure blade tips do not
touch each other or sides of the mower.
4-7
350157 Rev 11/02
Figure 4-14
Resharpening Pattern
Do not sharpen to original pattern (below).
It is easier to get a straight cutting edge following
the resharpening pattern shown above.
Original Edge
Warped Blade (Replace)
Straight Blade
Comparison of Warped and Straight Blades
Cutting
Plane
Figure 4-15
Figure 4-16
Twisted Blade Edge
(Replace)
Cutting Edge
Straight Blade Edge
End view of blades, comparing
twisted and straighten blades.
Cutting Plane
Cutting Edge