19
WARNING
POTENTIAL HAZARD
•
The blade is sharp.
WHAT CAN HAPPEN
•
Contact with a sharp blade can cause serious
personal injury.
HOW TO AVOID THE HAZARD
•
Wear gloves or wrap the sharp edges of the
blade with a rag.
1. Disconnect the wire from the spark plug (Fig. 12).
2. Drain the fuel; refer to steps 3 and 4 of Emptying the
Fuel Tank on page 21.
3. Tip the lawn mower onto its side.
Inspecting the Blade
Carefully examine the blade for sharpness and wear,
especially where the flat and the curved parts meet
(Fig. 22A). Because sand and abrasive material can wear
away the metal that connects the flat and curved parts of
the blade, check the blade before using the lawn mower. If
you notice a slot or wear (Figs. 22B and 22C), replace the
blade; refer to Removing the Blade on page 19.
151
Figure 22
Note:
For the best performance, install a new blade
before the cutting season begins. During the year, file
down any small nicks to maintain the cutting edge.
DANGER
POTENTIAL HAZARD
•
A worn or damaged blade can break and a
piece of the blade could be thrown into the
operator’s or bystander’s area.
WHAT CAN HAPPEN
•
A thrown piece of the blade could cause serious
personal injury or death to the operator or
bystanders.
HOW TO AVOID THE HAZARD
•
Inspect the blade periodically for wear or
damage.
•
Replace a worn or damaged blade.
Removing the Blade
1. Grasp the end of the blade using a rag or a thickly
padded glove.
2. Remove the blade nut, and the blade (Fig. 23).
1
2
3
Figure 23
1.
Blade
2.
Blade driver
3.
Blade nut
Sharpening the Blade
File the top side of the blade to maintain its original
cutting angle (Fig. 24A) and inner cutting edge radius
(Fig. 24B).
153
1
m-4783
2
A
B
Figure 24
1.
Sharpen at this angle only
2.
Maintain the original
radius here
