Inspecting And Sharpening The Blade - Toro 30555 Operator's Manual

1. Blade bolt
3. Install the blade-sail facing toward the cutting unit-with
the anti-scalp cup and blade bolt. Tighten the blade
bolt to 85-110 ft-lb (115-149 N-m).
Inspecting and Sharpening the
Blade
Two areas must be considered when checking and servicing
the cutting blade: the sail and the cutting edge. Both cutting
edges and the sail, which is the turned up portion opposite
the cutting edge, contribute to a good quality-of-cut. The
sail is important because it pulls grass up straight, thereby
producing an even cut. However, the sail will gradually wear
down during operation, and this condition is normal. As the
sail wears down, the quality-of-cut will degrade somewhat,
although the cutting edges are sharp. The cutting edge of
the blade must be sharp so that the grass is cut rather than
torn. A dull cutting edge is evident when the tips of the grass
appear brown and shredded. Sharpen the cutting edges to
correct this condition.
1. Position the machine on a level surface, raise the
cutting unit, engage the parking brake, put the traction
pedal in neutral, the PTO lever in the Off position,
shut the engine off, and remove the ignition key. Block
the cutting unit to prevent it from accidentally falling.
2. Examine the cutting ends of the blade carefully,
especially where the flat and curved parts of the blade
meet (Figure 22). Since sand and abrasive material can
wear away the metal that connects the flat and curved
parts of the blade, check the blade before using the
machine. If wear is noticed (Figure 22), replace the
blade; refer to Removing the Cutting Blade.
2
1
G010555
Figure 21
2. Anti-scalp cup
1. Cutting edge
2. Curved area/sail
WARNING
If the blade is allowed to wear, a slot will form
between the sail and flat part of the blade
(Figure 22). Eventually, a piece of the blade
may break off and be thrown from under the
housing, possibly resulting in serious injury to
yourself or bystanders.
• Inspect the blade periodically for wear or
damage.
• Replace a worn or damaged blade with a
new Toro blade to ensure continued safety
certification of the product.
3. Examine the cutting edges of all blades. Sharpen the
cutting edges if they are dull or nicked. Sharpen only
the top side of the cutting edge and maintain the
original cutting angle to ensure sharpness (Figure 23).
The blade will remain balanced if the same amount of
metal is removed from both cutting edges.
1. Sharpen at original angle
Note: Remove the blades and sharpen them on a
grinder; refer to Removing the Cutting Blades. After
sharpening the cutting edges, install the blade with the
anti-scalp cup and blade bolt. The blade sails must be
on top of the blade. Tighten the blade bolt to 115-149
N-m (85-110 ft-lb).
17
Figure 22
3. Wear/slot forming
4. Crack
Figure 23