Blade Care; Blade Installation; Blade Sharpening - MTD 18A-212B Operator's Manual

Service
7
Blade Care
WARNING:
When removing the cutting blade for
sharpening or replacement, protect your hands with
a pair of heavy gloves or use a heavy rag to hold the
blade. Be certain to disconnect the power supply.
Periodically inspect the blade assembly for cracks, especially if
you strike a foreign object. Replace when necessary. Follow the
steps below for blade service.
1. Stop the motor and remove the safety key from the battery.
2. With the battery handle locked or with the battery
removed, turn the mower on its side.
3. Usea block of wood between blade and mower deckto
prevent the blade from turning when the bolt is removed.
4. Loosen and remove the blade nut, locking plates, and
blade. See Fig. 7-1.
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Figure 7-1
5. The blade can be sharpened with a file or on a grinding
wheel. Do not attempt to sharpen the blade while it is still
on the mower. When sharpening the blade, follow the
original angle of grind and grind each cutting edge equally
to keep the blade balanced. Balance the blade on a round
shaft screwdriver. Remove metal from the heavy side until
it balances evenly.
_ WARNING: An unbalanced blade will cause
excessive vibration when rotating at high speeds. It
may cause damage to mower, and could break
causing personal injury.
Blade Installation
1. Place the cutting blade, locking plates, and blade nut on
the motor shaft and thread the blade bolt in finger tight.
See Fig. 7-1.
NOTE:Make certain to replace the parts in the exact order
in which they were removed. When installing the cutting
blade, be sure it is installed with the curved ends pointing
towards the mower deck and not towards the ground.
2. Torque the blade bolt down using a torque wrench to
assure the bolt is tightened properly. The recommended
torque for the blade bolt is 240-280 in. Ibs.
_ ARNING: The blade hardware is not only used to
attach the blade assembly, but is also an insulated
safety device and should never be altered in any
way. If replacement is necessary, use original
equipment parts as shown in the parts list.
To insure safe operation of your unit, all nuts and bolts must be
checked periodically for correct tightness.
Blade Sharpening
To properly sharpen the cutting blades, remove equal amounts
of metal from both ends of the blades along the cutting edges,
parallel to the trailing edge, at a 25 ° to 30 ° angle. See Fig. 7-2.
NOTE: It is important that each cutting blade edge be ground
equally to maintain proper blade balance. A poorly balanced
blade will cause excessive vibration and may cause damage to
the mower and result in personal injury. The blade can be tested
by balancing it on a round shaft screwdriver. Grind metal from
the heavy side until it balances evenly.
L. .J
Figure 7-2
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