54
Maintenance Instructions
CHECKING/SERVICING
4. If the blade cutting edge is
dull or nicked,
it
should be sharpened. Remove blades for sharp-
ening by grasping the end of the blade using a
rag or a thick, padded glove, while loos ening and
removing the bolt and washer that mounts the
blade.
5. Grind cutting edge at the same bevel as the orig-
inal. Sharpen only the top of the cutting edge to
maintain sharpness.
NOTE:
Blades can be sharpened with an electric
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.
Sharpen at Original
30° Angle
Intersection
Wear Area
Do Not Grind or
Sharpen on Underside
30°
Wing Tip
Mower Blade Profile for Sharpening
Blade Balancer
Blade Balanced on Magnetic
Wall-Mounted Balancer
7. Mount the blade with wing tips pointing up into
the housing. Reinstall the blade, washer, and
bolt.
Tighten the bolt to 64 ft-lb (86.8 N
·
m).
Drive Belts
Raise the body and inspect the condition of the four
(4) drive belts
after every 25 hours
of operation --
engine/PTO drive and ground drive. If the belts show
signs of cracking or deteriorating,
the belts should
be
replaced.
Refer to
REPLACING/REPAIR ING
the
Drive Belts
in this section.
Spark Plugs
Every 200 hours,
remove the spark plugs, inspect,
clean, and reset the gap (or replace with a
new plug
).
Clean spark plug with a wire brush. If the electrodes
are burned short or pitted, replace the plug (refer to
Specifications
for the proper type of replacement
plug). Check the spark plug gap with a wire-type
feeler gauge and set the gap to 0.030 in. (0.76 mm).
Reinstall and tighten to 18 ft-lb (24.4 N
·
m). Both
spark plugs should be replaced yearly.
Fuel Lines and Clamps
NOTE:
The MBS26 system is pressurized and should
be serviced by a Walker dealer or Authorized Kohler
engine service outlet.
Every year,
inspect the fuel lines from the tanks to
engine for deterioration or damage. Also, inspect the
fuel line
clamps for tightness.
Good preventive
maintenance calls for complete
replacement
of fuel
lines and clamps
every two (2) years.
