Figure 39
1.
Blade
2.
Balancer
Installing the Blades
1. Install the blade onto the spindle shaft (Figure 37).
Important:
The curved part of the blade must
be pointing upward toward the inside of the
mower to ensure proper cutting.
2. Install the blade stiffener, the curved washer (cupped
side toward the blade) and the blade bolt (Figure 37).
3. Torque the blade bolt to 35-65 ft-lb (47-88 N
⋅
m).
Leveling the Mower from
Side-to-Side
The mower blades must be level from side to side.
Check the side-to-side level any time you install the
mower or when you see an uneven cut on your lawn.
1. Park the machine on a level surface and disengage
the blade control switch.
2. Move the motion control levers to the brake position,
stop the engine, remove the key, and wait for all
moving parts to stop before leaving the operating
position.
3. Check the air pressure of all four tires. If needed,
adjust to the recommended inflation; refer to
Checking the Tire Pressure in Drive System
Maintenance , page 30.
4. Set the height-of-cut lever to position
3
[3 inch (76 mm)].
5. Carefully rotate the blade(s) side to side (Figure 40).
Measure between the outside cutting edges and
the flat surface (Figure 40). If both measurements
are not within 3/16 inch (5 mm), an adjustment is
required; continue with this procedure.
G005278
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
Figure 40
1.
Blades side to side
3.
Outside cutting edges
2.
Sail area of blade
4.
Measure here
6. Measure between the outside cutting edges and
the flat surface (Figure 40). If both measurements
are not within 3/16 inch (5 mm), an adjustment is
required; continue with this procedure.
7. At the left side of the machine. Loosen, but do not
remove, the rear locking nut on the hanger bracket
(Figure 41).
8. Loosen the side locking nut on the hanger bracket
just enough to allow the centric plate to be adjusted
(Figure 41). Use a 3/8 inch socket wrench to
manipulate the centric plate by snapping the socket
head into the square slot. Use the wrench to
reposition the height of the mower deck and adjust
to the desired height.
9. Stop the deck at the adjusted position and tighten
the side locking nut on the hanger bracket to hold
the new position (Figure 41).
10. Continue leveling the deck by checking the
front-to-rear blade slope; refer to Adjusting the
Front-to-Rear Blade Slope.
32