ServicingtheCuttingBlades
Toensureasuperiorqualityofcut,keepthebladessharp.For
convenientsharpeningandreplacement,keepextrablades
onhand.
WARNING
Awornordamagedbladecanbreak,andapiece
ofthebladecouldbethrownatyouorbystanders,
resultinginseriouspersonalinjuryordeath.
•Inspectthebladesperiodicallyforwearor
damage.
•Replaceawornordamagedblade.
BeforeInspectingorServicingthe
Blades
1.Parkthemachineonalevelsurface,Disengagethe
blade-controlswitch(PTO),andsettheparkingbrake.
2.Turntheignitionkeytooff.Removethekey,and
disconnectthesparkplugwiresfromthesparkplugs.
InspectingtheBlades
ServiceInterval:Beforeeachuseordaily
1.Inspectthecuttingedges(Figure96).
2.Iftheedgesarenotsharporhavenicks,removeand
sharpentheblade;refertoRemovingtheBlades(page
64)andSharpeningtheBlades(page64).
3.Inspecttheblades,especiallyinthecurvedarea.
4.Ifyounoticeanycracks,wear,oraslotforminginthis
area,immediatelyinstallanewblade(Figure96).
Figure96
1.Cuttingedge3.Wear/slotforming
2.Curvedarea4.Crack
CheckingforBentBlades
1.Disengagetheblade-controlswitch(PTO),movethe
motion-controlleverstotheNEUTRAL-LOCKposition,
andsettheparkingbrake.
2.Shutofftheengine,removethekey,andwaitforall
movingpartstostopbeforeleavingtheoperating
position.
3.Rotatethebladesuntiltheendsfaceforwardand
backward(Figure97).
4.Measurefromalevelsurfacetothecuttingedge,
positionA,oftheblades(Figure97).
Figure97
1.Measureherefromblade
tohardsurface
2.PositionA
5.Rotatetheoppositeendsofthebladesforward.
6.Measurefromalevelsurfacetothecuttingedgeofthe
bladesatthesamepositionasinstep4.
Note:Thedifferencebetweenthedimensions
obtainedinsteps4and5mustnotexceed3mm
(1/8inch).
Note:Ifthisdimensionexceeds3mm(1/8inch),the
bladeisbentandmustbereplaced.
WARNING
Abladethatisbentordamagedcouldbreak
apartandcouldseriouslyinjureorkillyouor
bystanders.
•Alwaysreplacebentordamagedblade
withanewblade.
•Donotleorcreatesharpnotchesinthe
edgesorsurfacesoftheblade.
63