Snapper SW20 Series Operator's Manual page 28

Regular Maintenance
Sharpening the Mower Blade
CAUTION
Avoid injury! Mower blades are
sharp.
• Always wear gloves when handling mower blades or
working near blades.
• Always wear safety eye protection when grinding.
1. Sharpen the mower blades with grinder, hand file, or
electric blade sharpener.
2. Sharpen the mower blade by removing an equal amount
of material from each end of the mower blade.
3. Keep the original bevel (A, Figure 20) when grinding.
DO NOT change the mower blade bevel.
4. The mower blade should have a maximum 1/64" (0,40
mm) cutting edge (B) or less.
5. Balance the mower blades before installing.
Balancing the Mower Blades
CAUTION
Avoid injury! Keep mower blades
balanced.
An unbalanced mower blade can create excessive
vibration and damage the unit or cause mower
blade failure.
1. Clean the mower blade to remove any dried grass or
other debris.
2. See Figure 21. Put the mower blade on a nail in a vise
and turn the mower blade to the horizontal position.
3. Check the balance of the mower blade. If either end
of the mower blade moves downward, sharpen the
heavy end until the mower blade is balanced. See
Sharpening the Mower Blades for proper sharpening
instructions.
4. Repeat the process until the mower blade remains in the
horizontal position.
Reinstalling the Mower Blades
1. Reinstall each mower blade with the air lifts pointing up
towards the mower deck as shown in Figure 22. Secure
with the mower blade mounting bolt and flat washer (A
& B, Figure 22) and torque to 70 ft. lbs (94 Nm).
2. If there are no flats on the spindle shaft, wedge a
wooden block between the mower blade and the mower
deck housing to keep the mower blade from turning.
26
Figure 20. Sharpening the Mower Blade
A. Mower Blade Bevel
B. Mower Blade Cutting Edge
Figure 21. Balancing the Mower Blade
A. Nail
D
Figure 22. Tightening the Mower Blade for
Installation
A. Mower Blade Mounting Bolt
B. Flat Washer
C. Mower Blade Air Lift (Points Up For Installation)
D. 4 X 4 Wooden Block
A
B
A
B
A