24
BLADES WITH ROUND HOLE:
• To check blade balance, drive a nail into
a beam or wall. Leave about one inch of
the straight nail ex posed. Place center
hole of blade over the head of the nail.
If blade is balanced, it should remain in
a horizontal position. If either end of the
blade moves downward, sharpen the
heavy end until the blade is balanced.
BLADES WITH “STAR” HOLE:
• To check blade balance, you will need
a 5/8" diameter steel bolt, pin, or a cone
balancer. (When using a cone bal anc er,
follow the in struc tions supplied with
bal anc er.)
NOTE:
Do not use a nail for balancing
blade. The lobes of the center hole may
appear to be centered, but are not.
• Slide blade on to an unthreaded portion
of the steel bolt or pin and hold the
bolt or pin parallel with the ground. If
blade is bal anced, it should remain in a
horizontal po si tion. If either end of the
blade moves downward, sharpen the
heavy end until the blade is balanced.
4. If you remove the pinion gears, wipe
clean with dry cloth. Re as sem ble dry.
Do not lubricate. Do not use oil or
grease.
IMPORTANT:
The pinion gears (on both
sides of the mower) are the same, how-
ev er, they must be installed cor rect ly. If
in stalled in cor rect ly, the drive system will
not work.
5. There are arrows embossed on both
sides of the pinion gear. With the ar-
row at the top of the pinion, the arrow
must point towards the front of the
mower. If the arrow points to the rear
of the mower, turn the pinion around,
then assemble it to the mower.
6. Place wheels back on adjuster ax les.
7. Replace locknuts and hubcaps.
• If after cleaning, the drive wheels do not
turn freely, contact your nearest autho-
rized service center.
5/8" bolt or pin
Center
“star” hole
Blade
MAINTENANCE
DRIVE WHEELS
Check drive wheels each time before you
mow to be sure they move freely.
The wheels not turning freely means trash,
grass cuttings, etc. are in the drive wheel
area and must be cleaned to free drive
wheels.
If necessary to clean the drive wheels,
check both drive wheels.
• If after cleaning, the drive wheels do not
turn freely, contact your nearest autho-
rized service center.
18" (45cm) HI-VAC MODELS ONLY:
1. Remove hubcaps (if equipped) and
locknuts.
2. Remove wheels from wheel ad just er
axles.
3. Remove any trash or grass cut tings
from inside the dust cover, pinion gear
and drive wheel gear teeth.
FRONT OF
MOWER
COR RECT
IN COR RECT
Pinion
gear
E-ring
Locknut
Pawls
Dust
cover
Washer
Washer
GEAR CASE
• To keep your drive system working
properly, the gear case and area around
the drive should be kept clean and free
of trash build-up. Clean under the drive
cover twice a season.
• The gear case is filled with lubricant to
the proper level at the factory. The only
time the lubricant needs attention is if
service has been performed on the gear
case.
13
“SIDE DISCHARGE ONLY” MOWERS
MULCHER PLATE
To convert to bagging or discharging,
mulcher plate must be removed from
underside of lawn mower.
• Remove the four (4) screws and lock nuts
securing the mulcher plate to the mower.
• Store mulcher plate and hardware in a
safe place.
• Mower can now be used for side
discharging or op tion al grass catcher
accessory can be attached.
• To return to mulching operation, simply
reinstall mulcher plate and tighten hard-
ware securely.
MULCHER PLUG TYPE “A”
To convert to mulching operation, mulcher
plug must be installed into discharge
open ing of mower.
• Open discharge deflector.
• Insert tab of mulch plug into housing
opening.
• Align hooks of mulch plug over hinge
rod of discharge deflector. Push mulch
plug down until mulch plug is seat ed in
housing opening.
CAUTION:
Do not run your lawn mow-
er without discharge deflector, ap proved
grass catcher or mulcher plug in place.
Hooks
Housing
opening
Mulcher plug
Hinge rod
Tab
Discharge
deflector
MOWER IS NOW
READY FOR MULCHING
OPERATION
MULCHER PLUG TYPE “B”
To convert to bagging or dis charg ing:
• Lift discharge deflector and remove
mulcher plug.
• Mower can now be used for side dis-
charg ing or op tion al grass catcher can
be attached.
• To return to mulching operation, simply
reinstall mulcher plug as shown, making
sure tab is seated properly.
CAUTION:
Do not run your lawn mow-
er without discharge deflector, approved
grass catch er or mulcher plug in place.
Lift
discharge
deflector
Install
mulcher plug
Tab
OPERATION
Mulcher
plate
Screw and
lock nut
