Service - 18
Cleaning and General Maintenance
For best results, and to maintain the finish of the
MJ840, clean or wash the mower to remove accu-
mulated clippings, leaves, and dirt when the job is
finished. Refer to the “Deck Flip-up procedure” in the
service section to access the underside of the deck.
If washing the deck, do not spray directly into bearings
or seals. After washing, it is important to run the mower
so that water does not reside on seals of bearings for
the drive system. When washing is complete, return
the deck to the operating position and activate the PTO
for 30 seconds to remove any standing water.
Deck Flip-Up Procedure (Service Position)
1. Park tractor on a smooth level surface.
2. Raise tractor front hitch to its highest position.
3.
Set parking brake, shut off engine, and remove
the key.
4. Move the deck pivot latch toward the front of the
deck to disengage and lift the mower deck up to
a near vertical position.
5. Release the deck pivot latch to lock the deck in
the upright position.
6. To return the deck to the operating position,
lift up on the front of the deck, unlock the pivot
latch, and lower the deck.
7. Engage the gearbox drive belt tensioning spring.
Mower Blade Inspection/Replacement
1.
Mower blades may be sharp. Always wear gloves
when working with mower blades.
Rotate the mower deck up to the service position
following the deck flip-up procedure.
2. Inspect the mower blades to ensure cutting edges
are sharp. If blades are dull or damaged, they
must be removed and sharpened or replaced.
3. Place a short piece of 2 x 4 wood between the
end of the blade and an appropriate structural
part of the underside of the deck to prevent the
blade from rotating.
4. For the 3) right hand blades, loosen the blade
bolt counterclockwise and remove the blade for
sharpening or replacement.
5. For the 3) left hand blades, loosen the blade bolt
clockwise and remove the blade for sharpening
or replacement.
6. When installing a blade, the wood block must be
placed on the opposite side to prevent rotation
for tightening the blade bolt.
7. Tighten the blade bolt to 75-80 ft-lbs. (102-108 Nm).
Mower Blade Sharpening
Blades should be sharpened and balanced by a pro-
fessional. Maintain balance, same bevel, and length
of sharpened surface
.
Drive Belt Inspection/Replacement
Always set the parking brake, shut off the tractor
engine, remove the ignition key, and ensure all
moving parts have stopped before checking
mower deck or blade condition, or attempting
any repair or adjustment.
Inspecting the drive belts of the mower can prevent
sudden belt failure by finding problems before the belts
break. Typical wear on a drive belt may result in the
conditions shown in the diagram. If any of these condi-
tions occur, the drive belt will require replacement.
SERVICE
Always set the parking brake, shut off power
unit engine, remove the ignition key, and ensure
all moving parts have come to a complete stop
before inspecting components or attempting any
repair or adjustment.
Attention
If any component requires replacement, use only
original Ventrac replacement parts.
