Toro 20487, Operator'S Manual

Page: 21 / 32

21
the blade, check the blade before using the lawn mower. If
you notice a slot or wear (Figs. 25B and 25C), replace the
blade; refer to Removing the Blade on page 21.
A
B
C
1
2
2
2
3
4
1712
Figure 25
1. Flat part of the blade
2. Sail
3. Wear
4. Slot formed
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 could 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 two blade nuts, the anti-scalp cup, the
accelerator, and the blade (Fig. 23).
Sharpening the Blade
File the top side of the blade to maintain its original
cutting angle (Fig. 26A) and inner cutting edge radius
(Fig. 26B).
153
1
m-4783
2
A B
Figure 26
1. Sharpen at this angle only 2. Maintain the original
radius here
Note: The blade will remain balanced if you remove the
same amount of material from both cutting edges.
Balancing the Blade
1. Check the balance of the blade by placing the center
hole of the blade over a nail or screwdriver shank
clamped horizontally in a vise (Fig. 27).
1007
Figure 27
Note: You can also check the balance using a
commercially manufactured blade balancer.
2. If either end of the blade rotates downward, file that
end (not the cutting edge or the end near the cutting
edge). The blade is properly balanced when neither
end drops.
Installing the Blade
1. Install the blade, the accelerator, the anti-scalp cup,
and the two blade nuts (Fig. 23).
IMPORTANT: The sail part of the blade must point
toward the top of the mower housing.