Operator's Manual

23
1
2
Figure 31
1. Blade bolt 2. Anti-scalp cup
3. Install the blade, anti-scalp cup, and blade bolt. Tighten
the blade bolt to 85–110 ft.-lb. (115–149 N⋅m).
Important The curved part of the blade must be
pointing toward the inside of the cutting unit to ensure
proper cutting.
Inspecting and Sharpening the
Cutter Blade(s)
Danger
A worn or damaged blade can break, and a piece
of the blade could be thrown into the operator’s or
bystander’s area, resulting in serious personal
injury or death. Trying to repair a damaged blade
may result in discontinued safety certification of
the product.
• Inspect the blade periodically for wear or
damage.
• Never try to straighten a blade that is bent or
weld a broken or cracked blade.
• Replace a worn or damaged blade.
Two areas must be considered when checking and servicing
the cutter blade—the sail and the cutting edge. Both cutting
edges and the sail, which is the turned up portion opposite
the cutting edge, contribute to a good quality-of-cut. The
sail is important because it lifts the grass up straight,
thereby producing an even cut. However, the sail will
gradually wear down during operation, and this condition is
normal. As the sail wears down, the quality-of-cut will
degrade somewhat, although the cutting edges are sharp.
The cutting edge of the blade must be sharp so that the
grass is cut rather than torn. A dull cutting edge is evident
when the tips of the grass appear brown and shredded.
Sharpen the cutting edges to correct this condition.
1. Position the machine on a level surface. Raise the
cutting unit, engage the parking brake, put the traction
pedal in neutral, put the PTO lever in the Off position,
stop the engine, and remove the ignition key.
2. Examine the cutting ends of the blade carefully,
especially where the flat and curved parts of the blade
meet (Fig. 32-A). Since sand and abrasive material can
wear away the metal that connects the flat and curved
parts of the blade, check the blade before using the
mower. If wear is noticed (Fig. 32-B), replace the blade.
A
B
C
FLAT PART
OF BLADE
SAIL
SAIL
SAIL
WEAR
SLOT
FORMED
Figure 32
3. Examine the cutting edges of all of the blades. Sharpen
the cutting edges if they are dull or nicked. Sharpen
only the top of the cutting edge and maintain the
original cutting angle to make sure of sharpness
(Fig. 33). The blade will remain balanced if the same
amount of metal is removed from both cutting edges.
Note: Remove the blades and sharpen them on a grinder.
After sharpening the cutting edges, install the blade with
the anti-scalp cup and blade bolt; refer to Removing and
Installing the Cutter Blade(s), page 22.