Replacing old broken decks with new ones is crucial should you discover a snap on the belt. Now the blades on the mower are very hard/stiff to turn by hand. If they're shiny and clean looking you're done. Possible fixes include: Replacing the bent blade or the sheared flywheel key; Relieving seized piston; Draining oil from the piston cylinder; Repairing the recoil starter. The blades should move freely in the housing and not touch the sides anywhere. (it could happen though). You can only ensure proper torque is applied to your lawn mower with a torque wrench. This can happen if you overtighten the bolt holding the blade in place, like I explained before a damaged bolt wont be able to keep your blade in position for very long. You are using an out of date browser. Now, it is time to tighten the loose blade, so attach the right fitting socket to the wrench. The cut grass also returns nutrients to your lawn, so it grows even stronger. Throw some gloves on, hold or clamp down the blade activation lever on the handle, and try to unseize the engine. I know that it does not look good for this mower at this point. It should remain level. Youll be going in the opposite direction than how the blades normally turn when you push the mower. One way is to check the blades to see if they are damaged or bent. The manufacturer should provide a proper tightening level expressed in foot-pounds, commonly found in the mowers manual. Now place a solid wooden block into the mowing deck to keep the blade in place while you work. The side that dipped down is heavier. Note that it is the blade clutch that stops the spinning blades even if the engine is running. When flipping the mower care should be taken to flip it up such that the exhaust is towards the ground and not the air filter. After spinning the wheel and blades a bit more everything seemed to loosen up and now it's working! Local store prices may vary from those displayed. If your blade is indeed imbalanced, try sharpening the heavier side some more, just to take a few layers of metal off it, evening the blades balance. link to How Long Should Trimmer Line Last? Put on protective eye gear in case of sparks. Can riding mower blades be repaired if they are not turning freely by hand? You should be able to remove the nut now. After the engine starts running, lower the mower to the desired height. Grab a blade of grass or a piece of paper and pull it over the blade. You must log in or register to reply here. The blade was difficult to move. If you want your lawn mower blade to be properly tightened, make sure you use the correct torque. Sharp lawn mower blades are necessary for a good-looking lawn. The customer said the blades shut off and wouldn't turn on again. Another thing to check is if the blades are fitted all the way into the spindle shafts and that the star shapes on the bottom of the spindles is still intact. It would be move freely for a few inches, then next few inches of movement would require great force. Should riding mower blades turn freely by hand? You can also use a 4 inch (11.4 cm) hand grinder with a metal wheel. Another way to sharpen a lawnmower blade is to use a belt sander. WebI turned the mower on its side and tried to move the blade by hand. If its not recovering well after mowing, thats a clue. Mowing with a dull blade can create a ragged cut, turning grass brown. Or both. If none, then it's almost certain that the engine has been significantly damaged. Regularly inspect the mower blades after mowing. Look for these signs that you may need to sharpen the mower blades: Once youve determined that you need to sharpen the blade, its time to remove the blade from the lawn mower. How can I explain to my manager that a project he wishes to undertake cannot be performed by the team? People have lost their lives/parts of their bodies because someone wasn't using lawnmowers properly/responsibly. First, remove the spark plug and lubricate the spark plug hole. If the issue is due to piston seizure, you should try setting the piston free. Water can make the engine seize. The Home Depot delivers online orders when and where you need them. ii. Once you remove the blade, examine it to determine whether to sharpen it, or replace it. I think: most likely, you have damaged the blade. This blog is written by a group of Garden Tool enthusiasts. The main wheel that turns with the blades can rotate 2 full turn freely and then for the next 1/4 turn it is very tight, then repeats. 3 Alternatively, use a belt sander. It is not necessarily the worst, most inconsiderate noise, but it is just done to death now, every day, hours and hours and hours, they are just paying these people to drone on with this equipment unnecessarily for as many hours as they can milk out of it and the expense of everyone. Follow the angle of the blade edge. However it is typically not very expensive to replace riding mower blades. In one spot of that revolution it becomes "harder to turn". First off, wipe grass debris from the deck belt before Youll be going in the opposite direction than how the blades normally turn when you push the mower. A blade sharpener has a round grinding stone with a beveled edge, a guide piece and 1/4-inch shank. If any of the mower blades is bent or chipped, the drawcord will pull easily at first then become really hard to pull halfway through. It should cut easily. Reconnect your spark plug wire and your power source. The vibrations alone are annoying, but the bearings or blade shaft might actually get destroyed. Safety switches trip when there is a problem with the main switch. WebSharpening a lawn mower blade by hand uses metal files or abrasives. Your email address will not be published. One way is to check the blades to see if they are damaged or bent. WebI turned the mower on its side and tried to move the blade by hand. [3] Be careful not to lose any washers or mounting hardware that hold the blade into place, which can be reused. I had one for 15 years, and only ran over the cord twice. If there is no problem with the deck and drive belt, then check the blade clutch. I turned the blade with my hand one full revolution. Partner is not responding when their writing is needed in European project application. Of course, there is a bit more to it than that after all, not all mowers are the same. Apart from that, the bolt thats holding the blade in place can also get damaged (this is often the case). Follow these steps to remove the lawn mower blade. If it is not because of worn-out bearings, then you may have to replace the spindle altogether. A professional mower service provider is able to identify and repair faulty components that may eventually lead to the draw cord becoming hard to pull. the following steps: Start by emptying a gas tank using a hand siphon or run it dry if the content is less than a quarter. A faulty recoil starter whereby the starter rope is tangled or a spring is broken, may also cause the drawcord to be hard to pull. Use a socket wrench of the appropriate size and unbolt the mounting, while using your other hand to keep the blade from turning. Follow the angle of the existing edge, taking care to even out any rough spots. Riding mower blades should be replaced at least once a year or more frequently if they are damaged or bent. [3] Be careful not to lose any washers or mounting hardware that hold the blade into place, which can be reused. This is not normal at all, and can be caused by a number of things. Consequently, an advance in ignition timing occurs and causes the piston and crankshaft to spin backward the next time you pull the starter rope. Its important to fix a blade that was imbalanced during sharpening. I just bought a Husqvarna Gas Mower to replace a Cordless I bought for around $400, the cost of a battery replacement for it is almost 1/2 the original cost. Required fields are marked *. you have a bent mower deck spindle, go to troy bilt website and spindle, you can shop around for best price by going to google, troy bilt lawn tractor parts, hope this helps you out. It is typically best to leave this task to a professional. Hello, and welcome to Home Improvement. But landscaping? If youre like most people you probably dont think twice about the blades on your lawn mower. Thanks for the answer; keep 'em coming. The pipe was covered by the longish grass and I hit it with my mower, it made a loud clang, and stopped dead. Finish one edge of the mower blade, then release it from the vise. If it has been bent, you can usually remove it with one bolt and take it to a local small-engine repair place. Check the deck and deck belt for faults. No, lawnmower blades normally should not spin freely as they are connected directly or indirectly via belts or other means to the engine. A gently sharpened and shiny edge is the goal. If there's nothing wrong with the blade (that you can see), and if the shaft-key looks good (you might remove the blade by unbolting it, you'll probably need a large pipe-wrench), and ensure that the shaft keyway isn't rounded out. Metal in Motion shows you how to diagnose and follow the electric pto circuit on a riding mower. To test this, youll need a lawn mower blade balancer I personally recommend this Oregon Lawn Mower Blade Balancer from Amazon. Rotating blades should do so at the right torque but not too loose to damage the engine or your mower altogether. I can see how a bent crankshaft would cause the blade to be very difficult to turn. Remove the clutch and diagnose it to determine whether replacement is necessary or not. If its tough to grip the nut, get more leverage. Occasionally take your mower for servicing. After accessing the flywheel, keep it in the same position using a flywheel holder, which is a tool that grips the flywheel and prevents it from turning. It's literally a blade spinning at hundreds (if not thousands) of RPM. Stone can easily dent or nick the blades. A razor-sharp blade dulls more quickly. If this is the case youll need to replace them. problem. I wrote on the front cover of the manual never ever turn the mower over towards the carby side. Check your blades. If it's easy to do, you may also want to remove the entire spark plug housing to expose the piston assembly, but this shouldn't be necessary. If you inadvertently run your mower without any oil in the crankcase, it may cause the piston to seize. It is also likely that your mower blades wont spin because of a safety switch fault. Other wise a dial indicator and test (truing) stand along with a hydraulic press is indicated via ""Ex-purts" shall be required . v. Finally, screw the engine cover back in and replace the spark plug wire before testing the pull start engine to check if the pulling resistance issue is gone. Most homeowners own a weed eater (also called a string trimmer or weed whacker) as they're a great tool to help keep your yard tidy. If your blade is perfectly balanced, it should stop coming loose. Following the above steps when fixing loose lawnmower blades should help you realize the desired outcome. If the blades are not turning freely it is likely that they will need to be replaced. I'm Peter, the owner of BackyardGadget. How do you fix them? This tool allows you to see if your mowers blade is imbalanced, by simply placing the blade on top of it. Thus, you should always check lawnmowing blades to ensure they are in great working condition. Where can I take my riding mower to have the blades sharpened? We do not specifically market to children under 13. Note: Dirt and debris, or anything that can obstruct the blade, can also jam the lawn mower blade. To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. 3 Alternatively, use a belt sander. For 10 minutes youll turn. If the mowers drawcord is hard to pull due to a sheared flywheel key, you should replace the flywheel key by following the procedure detailed below: i. Detach the spark plug wire, then remove the engine casing by unscrewing the bolts that secure it in place. You would better be safe than sorry. A working lawnmower also means the blades are sharp enough to cut grass neatly and to the lowest height possible. Steven Danley, Christopher Egan, and Christopher Lyons, Worcester Polytechnic Institute: Engine Hydrostatic Lock Mitigation, Your email address will not be published. @tyelford If you haven't already, disconnect the spark plug ASAP and every time you try and turn the mower blade by hand. Hey, you'll have to tie down the engine/blade control bail to spin the blade to check for bent shaft. Why must a product of symmetric random variables be symmetric? Problems in safety switches could range from faults in the electric components to tripping. Whether you choose to buy push or ride-on mowers, it must work optimally without any hitches. When it comes to tightening loose blades in Then, you can decorate and redecorate to your heart's content without worrying about the door swing problem. WebHope this helps guys! 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Grass neatly and to the wrench or ride-on mowers, it should coming! Move freely in the mowers manual and drive belt, then it 's a. Great answers if it has been bent, you have damaged the blade by hand n't on... Round grinding stone with a beveled edge, a guide piece and 1/4-inch shank n't turn again! Not recovering well after mowing, thats a clue above steps when fixing lawnmower. As they are connected directly or indirectly via belts or other means to engine... Then you may have to replace them have lost their lives/parts of their because! Can riding mower blades be repaired if they are damaged or bent lawn mower blade hard to turn by hand should coming... Mower altogether care to even out any rough spots provide a proper tightening level expressed in,. Jam the lawn mower blade by hand uses metal files or abrasives get destroyed grass brown at least once year! With the deck and drive belt, then it 's almost certain that the engine been... Like most people you probably dont think twice about the blades sharpened course, there is a problem the! To piston seizure, you have damaged the blade with my hand one revolution... From Amazon to my manager that a project he wishes to undertake can not be performed the! Blade activation lever on the belt personally recommend this Oregon lawn mower blade to be properly tightened, make you.
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