Off-Season Storage - MTD 020 Series Operator's Manual

3. Scrape and clean the underside of the deck with a suitable tool. Do not spray with water.
4. Put the mower back on its wheels on the ground. If you had put plastic under the gas cap earlier, make sure to
remove it now.
BladeCare
_ ARNING: 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.
• Periodically inspect the blade adapter for cracks, especially if you
strike a foreign object. Replace when necessary. Follow the steps
below for blade service.
1. Disconnect spark plug wire from spark plug. Turn mower on its side
making sure that the air filter and the carburetor are up.
2. Remove the bolt and the blade bell support. See Figure 16.
3. Remove blade and adapter from the crankshaft.
4. 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.
5. When sharpening the blade, follow the original angle of grind. Grind
each cutting edge equally to keep the blade balanced.
NOTE: Always remove blade from the adapter for testing balance.
6. Balance the blade on a round shaft screwdriver to check. Remove
metal from the heavy side until it balances evenly.
HexB01t / Blade BellSupport
Figure 16: Mower blade and hardware
_ ARNING: An unbalanced blade will cause excessive vibration when rotating at high speeds. It may cause damage to the mower and could break causing personal injury.
7. Lubricate the engine crankshaft and the inner surface of the blade adapter with light oil. Slide the blade adapter
onto the engine crankshaft.
8. Place blade on the blade adapter, Figure 16. Check that the blade is aligned and seated on the blade adapter
flanges.
NOTE: Place the blade on the adapter such that the side of the blade marked "Bottom" (or with part number) faces
ground when the mower is in the operating position.
9. Place blade bell support on the blade. Align notches on the blade bell support with small holes in the blade.
10. Replace hex bolt and tighten hex bolt to torque: 450 in. Ibs. min., 600 in. Ibs. max.
IMPORTANT: To ensure safe operation of your mower, periodically check the blade bolt for correct torque.
Off-Season Storage
The following steps should be taken to prepare your lawn mower for storage.
1. Clean and lubricate mower thoroughly as described in the lubrication instructions.
IMPORTANT:We do not recommend the use of a pressure washer or garden hose to clean your unit.
2. Refer to engine manual for correct engine storage instructions.
3. Coat mower's cutting blade with chassis grease to prevent rusting.
4. Store mower in a dry, clean area. Do not store next to corrosive materials, such as fertilizer.
NOTE: When storing any type of power equipment in a poorly ventilated or metal storage shed, care should be
taken to rust-proof the equipment. Using a light oil or silicone, coat the equipment, especially cables and all moving
parts of your lawn mower before storage.
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