Snapper 400Z Operater's Manual - Page 28

Regular Maintenance Servicing The Mower Blades Removing the Mower Blade CAUTION Avoid injury! Mower blades are sharp. • Always wear gloves when handling mower blades or working near blades. 1. To remove the mower blade, use a 1" wrench on the flats of the spindle shaft and remove the mower blade mounting bolt with a 15/16" wrench (Figure 26). 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. Figure 26. Loosening the Mower Blade for Removal Inspecting the Mower Blades DANGER B A Avoid injury! A worn or damaged blade can break, and a piece of the mower blade could be thrown into the operator's or bystander's area, resulting in serious personal injury or death. r n • Inspect the mower blade every 25 hours or at least once a year. fo tio • If the mower blade hits a solid object, stop the engine immediately and inspect the mower blade. t c • Never weld or straighten bent mower blades. o u 1. Remove the mower blade from the unit. See Removing the Blade. N d 2. Inspect the mower blade (Figures 27 & 28). Discard o the mower blade if it has any of the below r conditions. A.) Has more than .5" (12,7 mm) of the mower blade p metal removed from previous sharpening or wear (D, e Figure 27). B.) The air lifts are excessively eroded (B & C, Figure R 28) and the notch (C) is .25" (6,35 mm) deep or greater. C A D C Figure 27. Inspecting the Mower Blade Tips A. Mower Blade Cutting Edge B. Square Corner C. Air Lift C.) Mower blade is bent or broken. D. Wear Measurement - DISCARD Mower Blade If 3. If the cutting edges are not sharp or have nicks, sharpen greater than .5" (12,7 mm) the blades. See Sharpening the Mower Blades. C A B Figure 28. inspecting the Mower Blade Air Lifts A. New Mower Blade B. Mower Blade at Wear Limit (A notch begins to form) C. Mower Blade in Dangerous Condition (Notch measures .25" (6,35 mm) or greater DO NOT USE. Replace with new mower blade.) 26 www.snapper.com