Servicing The Cutting Blades - Toro 74280TE Operator's Manual

Figure 74
1. 11–1/2 inch (29.2 cm)
between the large washers
2. Front nut
3. Spring jam nut
4. Front swivel

Servicing the Cutting Blades

Maintain sharp blades throughout the cutting
season because sharp blades cut cleanly without
tearing or shredding the grass blades. Tearing and
shredding turns grass brown at the edges, which
slows growth and increases the chance of disease.
Check the cutter blades daily for sharpness, and
for any wear or damage. File down any nicks
and sharpen the blades as necessary. If a blade is
damaged or worn, replace it immediately with a
genuine Toro replacement blade. For convenient
sharpening and replacement, you may want to
keep extra blades on hand.
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.
• Inspect the blade periodically for wear
or damage.
• Replace a worn or damaged blade.
Inspect and check the blades every 8 hours.
5. Swivel jam nut
6. Lift nut
7. Front support arm
8. Large washer
Before Inspecting or Servicing the
Blades
Park the machine on a level surface, disengage the
blade control (PTO), and set the parking brake.
Turn the ignition key to Off. Remove the key.
Inspecting the Blades
1. Inspect the cutting edges (Figure 75). If the
edges are not sharp or have nicks, remove and
sharpen the blades. Refer to Sharpening the
Blades.
2. Inspect the blades, especially the curved area
(Figure 75). If you notice any damage, wear,
or a slot forming in this area (Figure 75),
immediately install a new blade.
Figure 75
1. Cutting Edge
2. Curved Area
Checking for Bent Blades
1. Disengage the PTO, move the motion control
levers to the neutral locked position and set
the parking brake.
2. Stop the engine, remove the key, and wait for
all moving parts to stop before leaving the
operating position.
3. Rotate the blades until the ends face forward
and backward (Figure 76). Measure from a
level surface to the cutting edge, position A, of
the blades (Figure 76). Note this dimension.
57
3. Wear/slot Forming