Belts; Deck Belt Adjustment - HUSTLER FasTrak SD Service Manual

Figure 6-7
top on the grass within a few hours. A dull blade also requires
more power from the engine.
Replace any blade which is bent, cracked or broken.
WARNING
Never attempt to straighten a bent blade by heating, or
weld a cracked or broken blade as the blade may break
and cause serious injury. Replace worn or damaged
blades.
WARNING
Never work with blades while engine is running or deck
clutch switch is engaged (on). Always place deck clutch
switch in the disengaged position, place steering control
levers in the park brake position and turn engine off and
disconnect negative battery cable. Block up mower when
you must work under it. Wear gloves when handling
blades. Always check for blade damage if mower
strikes a rock, branch or other foreign object during mow-
ing!
WARNING
Always wear adequate eye protection when grinding
mower blades.
Mower blade removal
Use a 15/16" wrench to remove the 5/8" cap screw holding
the blade to the spindle shaft from underneath. NOTE: A blade
holding tool (part number 381442) is available from Hustler
Turf Equipment. It is designed to prevent the blades from rotat-
ing when they are being removed or installed on the spindle.
®
Contact your Hustler dealer for more information.
Sharpen the blades on a grinder following pattern as shown
(Figure 6-8). Touch-up sharpening can be done with a file
114242
Jam Nut
1/2" (12.7mm)
®
6-3
Check the blades for balance following grinding. A commer-
cial balancing tool is available through most hardware supply
stores, or balancing can be done by placing the blade on an
inverted line punch or 5/8" bolt. Blade should not lean or tilt.
Spin the blade slowly, blade should not wobble. If blade is out
of balance, true it up before reinstalling.
Lay the blade on a flat surface and check for distortion (Fig-
ure 6-9 & Figure 6-10). Replace any distorted blade.
Do not re-use spindle bolts which have stripped, worn or
undercut threads. Torque bolts on spindles to 118 foot-pounds
(160.0 N-m) when reinstalling blades.
Properly compressed cup washers maintain the correct com-
pression load on the blades. Replace the cup washers if they are
cracked or flattened.
IMPORTANT: The blade sail (curved part) must be point-
ing upward toward the inside of the deck to ensure proper cut-
ting.
IMPORTANT: When mounting blades, rotate them after
installation to ensure blade tips do not touch each other or sides
of the mower.
WARNING
Failure to correctly torque the bolt may result in the loss
of the blade which can cause serious injury.
WARNING
Mower blades are sharp and can cut. Wrap the blade(s) or
wear gloves and use extra caution when servicing them.

Belts

Inspect belts frequently for wear and serviceability. Replace a
belt that shows signs of severe cuts, tears, separation, weather
checking and cracking, or burns caused by slipping. Slight rav-
eling of belt covering does not indicate failure; trim ravelings
with a sharp knife.
Inspect the belt pulley grooves and flanges for wear. A new
belt, or one in good condition, should never run against the bot-
tom of the groove. Replace the pulley when this is the case, oth-
erwise, the belt will lose power and slip excessively.
Never pry a belt to get it on a pulley as this will cut or damage
the fibers of the belt covering.
Keep oil and grease away from belts, and never use belt dress-
ings. Any of these will destroy the belt composition in a very
short time.

Deck Belt Adjustment

The spindle belt tension remains constant by means of a ten-
sion idler and spring. The spring tension should be such that the
belt does not slip under normal operating load conditions,
assuming the belt is not excessively worn or damaged. As the
belt stretches and wears in, adjustment may become necessary.
To increase belt tension, move the spring chain one (or more)
link(s) at the anchor point on the deck frame. Figure 6-11, Fig-
ure 6-12, Figure 6-13, Figure 6-14 & Figure 6-15 & Figure 6-16
REV B