Figure 38
1. Sharpen at original angle
2. Chec k the balance of the blade b y putting it on
a blade balancer ( Figure 39 ). If the blade sta ys
in a horizontal position, the blade is balanced
and can be used. If the blade is not balanced,
file some metal off the end of the sail area only
( Figure 38 ). R e peat this procedure until the
blade is balanced.
Figure 39
1. Blade 2. Balancer
Installing the Blades
1. Install the blade onto the spindle shaft
( Figure 37 ).
Important: T he cur v ed par t of the blade
must be pointing up w ard to w ard the inside
of the mo w er to ensur e pr oper cutting .
2. Install the blade stiffener , the cur v ed w asher
(cupped side to w ard the blade) and the blade
bolt ( Figure 37 ).
3. T or que the blade bolt to 35-65 ft-lb
(47-88 N ⋅ m).
Leveling the Mower from
Side-to-Side
T he mo w er blades m ust be lev el from side to side .
Chec k the side-to-side lev el any time y ou install
the mo w er or when y ou see an unev en cut on y our
la wn.
1. P ark the mac hine on a lev el surface and
diseng ag e the blade control switc h.
2. Mo v e the motion control lev ers to the brak e
position, stop the engine , remo v e the k ey , and
w ait for all mo ving par ts to stop before lea ving
the operating position.
3. Chec k the air pressure of all four tires . If
needed, adjust to the recommended inflation;
refer to Chec king the Tire Pressure in
Dri v e System Maintenance , pag e 29 .
4. Set the height-of-cut lev er to position D
[3 inc h (76 mm)].
5. Carefully rotate the blade(s) side to side
( Figure 40 ). Measure betw een the outside
cutting edg es and the flat surface ( Figure 40 ).
If both measurements are not within 3/16 inc h
(5 mm), an adjustment is required; contin ue
with this procedure .
Figure 40
1. Blades side to side 3. Measure here
2. Outside cutting edges
6. R emo v e the hair pin cotter and w asher from
the lev eling brac k et ( Figure 41 ).
7. T o lev el the blade(s), re position the lev eling
brac k et(s) in a different hole and install the
w asher and hair pin cotter . ( Figure 41 and
Figure 42 ). A front hole lo w ers the blade
height and a rear hole raises its height. Adjust
both sides as required.
31