Section 5: Maintenance
23
Before inspecting, cleaning or servicing the machine, shut off engine, wait for all moving parts to
come to a complete stop, disconnect spark plug wire and move wire away from spark plug. Remove
the key from the keyswitch on units so equipped.
Failure to follow these instructions can result in serious personal injury or property damage.
WARNING
CUTTER BAR DISASSEMBLY
• Put plastic blade guard on cutter bar
assembly. Wear heavy leather gloves
and wrap blades in rags when handling
the cutter bar assembly.
•
When removing or replacing
blades/sections, always wear safety
goggles or a face guard.
Failure to follow these instructions may
result in serious personal injury or prop-
erty damage.
If the blades are worn and need replace-
ment, the entire cutter bar assembly can
be removed and individual blades/sections
can be replaced.
1. Remove the knife head (see “Cutter Bar
Removal” instructions earlier in this Sec-
tion).
2. Loosen screws (D, Fig 5-11).
Scissor action of cutter bar can easily
amputate fingers and toes. Be extremely
careful when sliding blade assembly out
of cutter bar assembly.
3. Slide the blade assembly (E, Fig. 5-11)
out one end of the cutter bar assembly. If
the blade assembly does not slide readily,
tap each end of the blade assembly using
a rubber mallet or hammer and block of
wood (Fig. 5-11).
4. Inspect the blade assembly to deter-
mine if sharpening or replacement of
blade sections is necessary. If blades are
dull, contain nicks, or have pieces
missing, the blades must be sharpened or
replaced.
BLADE SHARPENING
NOTE: For best safety and performance,
We recommend the blades be sharpened
by a professional sharpening service.
Sharpen the blades with a grinder or hand
file.
To sharpen with a hand file:
1. Clamp the blade assembly in a vise,
with the blade points facing away from
you.
2. Push the file away from you while
maintaining the same cutting angle as the
original sharpened edge. File or grind only
the top (angled) surface of the blade. The
bottom edge of the blade must remain flat
to provide good shearing action.
BLADE SECTION OR LEDGER
PLATE REMOVAL
NOTE: Blade sections are riveted to the
cutter blade assembly (E, Fig. 5-11).
Ledger plates (G) are blades riveted to the
cutter bar assembly (F).
1. File the rivet heads off the blade rein-
forcement bar. See Fig. 5-12.
2. Place the blade or ledger plate
assembly on a sturdy surface such as a
workbench. Position so the part of the
blade from which rivets will be driven is
over the edge.
When driving rivets from the middle of the
bar, place the bar on top of two supports,
such as jackstands, or wood blocks. Posi-
tion so the part of the blade from which
rivets will be driven between the objects or
blocks.
3. Use a flat punch to clean out the rivet
holes (Fig. 5-13).
BLADE OR LEDGER PLATE
REPLACEMENT
The underside of the blade sections have
countersunk holes to accept flush-type
rivets. See the parts catalog for rivet sizes
and an exploded view of the assembly.
1. Align the holes in the new blade, blade
section, or ledger plate, with the corre-
sponding holes in the cutter blade
assembly or cutter bar.
2. Insert two rivets into the countersunk
holes. Place the rivet heads flush against
the blade.
NOTE: When installing a blade section
(not an individual blade), install four rivets
in each blade section.
3. Place the cutter blade or bar assembly
(with the new blade and rivets in place) on
a sturdy support, with the rivet heads
positioned between the support and the
blade.
4. Strike the protruding rivet sharply with
a hammer until satisfactory heads are
formed (Fig. 5-14) and the rivets are tight.
NOTE: Longer rivets are needed for the
blade sections at wear plate locations. See
the parts catalog for rivet sizes and an
exploded view of the assembly.
5. After installing new blades or ledger
plates, grind or file all rivet heads on the
lower edge of the cutter bar flush with the
bar surface.
DANGER
DANGER
D
B
F
A
C
E
Fig. 5-10
G
Fig. 5-11
D
E
F
G
Fig. 5-12
Fig. 5-13
