57
Maintenance Instructions
CHECKING/SERVICING
Sharpen Mower Blades
Check mower blade(s) for
straightness, sharp-
ness, condition of the cutting edge, and balance
every 10 hours
of operation (or more often when
mowing abrasive type grass or operating on sandy
soils).
Replace blades if worn, bent, cracked, or
otherwise damaged
(refer to
REPLACING/RE-
PAIRING
the
Mower Blades
in this section). Use the
following procedure to check and sharpen blades:
NOTE: Keep blades sharp
- cutting with dull blades
not only yields a poor mowing job but slows the cut-
ting speed of the mower and causes extra wear on
the engine and blade drive by pulling hard.
1. Stop the engine, remove ignition key, and dis-
connect
the electrical plug on the fuel shut-off
solenoid
before
raising the mower deck to ser-
vice blades.
2. Raise the deck and
secure it
in the
TILT-UP
posi tion (refer to
Deck Secured in Tilt-Up Posi-
tion
photo in
CLEANING
of
Grass Buildup in
Mower Housing
in this section).
DANGER
NEVER operate cutter blades with the deck
in the raised position.
NOTE:
PTO shaft must be
disconnected
before
checking blades for straightness.
3. Check the blades for
straightness
by marking
the blade tip position inside the deck housing,
and then rotating the opposite end of the blade to
the same position and comparing. If the dif-
ference in blade tip track is
more than 1/8 in.
(3 mm),
the blade is bent and
should be re-
placed.
WARNING
DO NOT try to straighten a blade that is
bent. NEVER weld a broken or cracked
blade. ALWAYS replace with a new blade
to assure safety.
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.
Sharpen at Original
30° Angle
Intersection
Wear Area
Do Not Grind or
Sharpen on Underside
30°
Wing Tip
Mower Blade Profile for Sharpening
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.
