It may not display this or other websites correctly. Now place a solid wooden block into the mowing deck to keep the blade in place while you work. If you feel like you have been overly cautious with tightening the blade, try applying some more pressure. Fix a wooden wedge between the mower blade and deck. Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. With a few tools and some practice, youll be sharpening a lawn mower blade with ease. The manufacturer should provide a proper tightening level expressed in foot-pounds, commonly found in the mowers manual. Lawn mower pull cord may also be hard to pull due to a faulty recoil assembly, misshapen crankshaft, lawn mower sitting too close to the ground, and poor pull cord handle design. Find the nut that holds the mower blade to the drive shaft. An unbalanced blade may damage your mower. Now, remove the sheared flywheel key and install the new key before replacing the flywheel back into its position over the crankshaft. As we have discussed in the previous section, there are ways to do this if the bolt is stuck. Required fields are marked *. 3 Alternatively, use a belt sander. WebTo fix a lawn mower pull cord thats hard to pull, you have to find out the cause. Sometimes, even when every part of the mower is functioning properly, the mower may still be hard to pull. (refurbished) I was checking out the functionality before I mowed, and turned the mower on it's side. Home Improvement Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for contractors and serious DIYers. I bought my current home 12 years ago, we didn't like the idea of storing gas containers in the garage, so we went with Cordless, better for the environment, etc. Carefully turn the mower on its side. As far as this one goes: carefully heed the advice about pulling the spark-plug wire! The edge shouldnt cut your finger. ii. Next, gather the tools to sharpen lawn mower blades. Its a special tool used to apply a specific pressure to screws and bolts. You can also use a 4 inch (11.4 cm) hand grinder with a metal wheel. One way is to check the blades to see if they are damaged or bent. After a few short smoky runs it was back to normal. How can I make this regulator output 2.8 V or 1.5 V? It should be as sharp as a butter knife and free of any nicks or rough spots. The manufacturer should provide a proper tightening level expressed in foot-pounds, commonly found in the mowers manual. A bent shape can also mess with the blades overall balance. Has Microsoft lowered its Windows 11 eligibility criteria? Reconnect your spark plug wire and your power source. Occasionally take your mower for servicing. Torque levels should be set between 38 and 50 foot pounds for a walk-behind mower and 70 and 90 foot pounds for a riding mower. I had one for 15 years, and only ran over the cord twice. Mower blades are made from fairly soft steel. Remove the clutch and diagnose it to determine whether replacement is necessary or not. wont turn even after engaging blade controls could mean the deck is the Cost less than $10. Its a good addition to your mower maintenance tool kit. It only takes a minute to sign up. Be sure that the air filter and the carburetor are facing up. Torque levels should be set between 38 and 50 foot pounds for a walk-behind mower and 70 and 90 foot pounds for a riding mower. This is a common question from people who are new to lawn mowers. Once you get it running again be sure to check the blade for damage. How often should riding mower blades be replaced? ), Disadvantages of Mulching Grass (Best Way to Mulch). @Sentinel there is a 99.99% chance of making it worse with your idea Worth a shot. Check to see if the blade is dull or damaged. In general, sharpen twice per season or after 25 hours of use to keep your blades in good shape. It could be dangerous mowing with a bent or otherwise damaged blade. Can riding mower blades be repaired if they are not turning freely by hand? I'm wondering if someone has come across this situation before and would know if it's an easy fix or is the mower a write-off. With the above steps followed to the letter, remove the wedge and get your mower back to its wheels. Mark the bottom of the blade with a permanent marker, grease pencil or spray paint. Should riding mower blades turn freely by hand? Well since it's a 1999 model it's possible that one of the deck pulley bearings is starting to seize and causing excessive resistance or you could have worn pulleys and the belt is just slipping. This can damage the blade itself in some cases the blade can even break after hitting a hard object if its overly tight. Just make sure you dont go overboard. They'll be able to unbend a bent blade for you, or at least sell you a replacement. Its also an excellent opportunity to clean the bowl around the blade. Another way is to check to see if the blades are turning freely by hand. Replace the Mower Blade. JavaScript is disabled. Support the blade under its center, like a scale. 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. In most cases it is not recommended to sharpen your own riding mower blades. Attach the hand crank and turn, turn, turn in a counter clockwise motion. Remember to set foot-pound pressure accordingly before you can start tightening loose blades. Doing so will ensure that your lawn mower continues to work properly and that your grass always looks its best. Los Angeles, CA 90013 If the problems started after you sharpened the mowers blade, this might be the case. Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. Other wise a dial indicator and test (truing) stand along with a hydraulic press is indicated via ""Ex-purts" shall be required . You want to be shielded from sparks and metal shavings. If it is not because of worn-out bearings, then you may have to replace the spindle altogether. The user manual should always have information on this topic. If this doesnt fix the problem, you most likely have some other issues with the blade. Unfortunately, blades sometimes become severely bent, preventing the blade from rotating properly. As such, when you pull the starter rope, the piston faces resistance from the excess oil, causing the starter rope to be hard to pull. Safety switches trip when there is a problem with the main switch. Dig out any mud and grass clippings that have caked under there too. Every now and then youll run into a lawn mower blade that just keeps coming loose no matter how many times you tighten it. WebI turned the mower on its side and tried to move the blade by hand. Youll be going in the opposite direction than how the blades normally turn when you push the mower. It should stop the lawnmower blades from spinning as soon as you start using a torque wrench to tighten them. Ready to find the outdoor power equipment you need? After all, nothing gives a homesteader greater confidence than having a few DIY tips under the sleeves. Apart from loose blades, another scenario that homesteaders are likely to encounter is blades that wont turn. Many newer motors have an aluminum blade, and if the blade is damaged, you'll need to buy a whole new blade. Sometimes the blade is unusually dirty or caked with grass clippings. Finish one edge of the mower blade, then release it from the vise. 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 this is the case you can simply clean them with a rag or brush.Its also possible that the blades are dull. Possible to fix a safety cutoff on a Briggs and Stratton mower? Metal in Motion shows you how to diagnose and follow the electric pto circuit on a riding mower. There will be information on what size you need in the user Orlando, FL - LANDSCAPING. [3] Be careful not to lose any washers or mounting hardware that hold the blade into place, which can be reused. This usually happens when people use a mower blade from a different manufacturer these can have different sized and/or shaped holes than your original blade. It should turn over but (probably) not fire. Dot product of vector with camera's local positive x-axis? I turned the blade with my hand one full revolution. Thanks for contributing an answer to Home Improvement Stack Exchange! LawnMowerGuru.com, All Rights Reserved. Start by removing the casing. The marked side should face you as it did before. One should use caution flipping over a gas mower, right? But I don't think that's likely to have happened in this case. EDIT 3: Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. You must log in or register to reply here. Its important to note that the bolt not breaking isnt a fail-safe indicator of it not being overtightened. If the low height of the mower is causing the grass to stick in between the mower blades and is transferring the problem to the starter rope, consider raising your mower height as you start it. Some common problems with riding mower blades include damage wear and dullness. Can a Self-Propelled Lawnmower Go Backward? 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. A razor-sharp blade dulls more quickly. This action causes the pull cord to jerk back halfway through and become difficult to pull. Check your blade for the grease pencil or paint mark you made earlier. Wear ear protection if youre using a machine method of sharpening. You may have a bent blade or a bent crankshaft. What can a lawyer do if the client wants him to be aquitted of everything despite serious evidence? (How Much & Ways to Fix Excess), How Often Should I Aerate Lawn? I wouldn't think a dinged key would cause the engine to be hard to turn over. Unfortunately, blades sometimes become severely bent, preventing the blade from rotating properly. And as indicated the key may have been sheared. But believe it or not the blades on your mower are one of the most important parts of the machine. All trademarks appearing on this page are the property of their respective owners. If they dont, it means that there is a fault in the transmission. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. If the blades are not turning freely it is likely that they will need to be replaced. You can learn more about this here. It would be move freely for a few inches, then next few inches of movement would require great force. However, if you mow more often, the blades will need more attention. The edge shouldnt cut your finger. Once you remove the blade, examine it to determine whether to sharpen it, or replace it. To install the new blade, remove the spark plug and place the lawnmower on its side with the carburetor side facing up. Now the blades on the mower are very hard/stiff to turn by hand. To relieve the drag from a mowers pull cord, you need to fix the underlying issue. By clicking Accept I agree to this, as further described in the Houzz Cookie Policy. For 10 minutes youll turn. Push the file in one direction along the blade. Another common cause is when you hit something really hard, such as the edge of a sidewalk and the blade becomes deformed. Have a 1999 yardmachines model 608 automatic. If not, add some more paste and do it again. You should only take this step if the blades still do not spin. Remove the spark plug and tilt the mower to drain out the oil. Its best to keep an extra mower blade on hand. Thank you for stopping by! If its not recovering well after mowing, thats a clue. Step 2: Remove the Spark Plug. Replace the Mower Blade. What should I do if my riding mower blades become damaged or worn? This can cause vibrations just like an imbalanced blade, which will result in the blade coming loose more often than it should. WebSharpening a lawn mower blade by hand uses metal files or abrasives. 453 S Spring St Ste 400 This automatically gives the right sharpening angle. WebHope this helps guys! Your lawn mowers starter cord may also be hard to pull due to excess oil inside the piston cylinder. As when filing by hand, you'll want to maintain the original angle of the blade's bevel as you sharpen it. +1-213-221-0119, By using this website I agree with the Disclaimer, Loose mower blades-What it means If you apply too much pressure, you can break the bolts head right off. I was mowing the other day and there was a pipe sticking out of the ground. Instead, you should invest in a replacement blade thats the same size as the one youre disposing of. 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. Apart from that, the bolt thats holding the blade in place can also get damaged (this is often the case). A razor-sharp blade dulls more quickly. Where can I take my riding mower to have the blades sharpened? Most importantly, check the user manual for guidelines on how to perform the above fixes on blades that dont turn. Only when the lawnmower has a clutch, the blades may run freely. 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. In one spot of that revolution it becomes "harder to turn". If you don't know how to fix it, please don't try to DIY it. Check for a sheared flywheel key. Your total is 60 minutes. 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. Blades that produce a crackling sound when spinning sound alarming. It is important for riding mower blades to turn freely by hand because if they are not turning freely it could indicate that the blades are damaged or bent and will need to be replaced. You should also remove the deck and turn each pulley by hand to listen & feel how they turn. Some manufacturers may recommend the approach I mentioned above, while others will recommend that you tighten the bolt as much as possible. Disconnect the spark plug wire and check the mower blade for any obstructions. How do you tighten loose blades in a lawnmower? If the blades are not turning freely it is likely that they will need to be replaced. The manufacturer should provide a proper tightening level expressed in foot-pounds, commonly found in the mowers manual. 3 Alternatively, use a belt sander. Sometimes they will break partially through causing the engine timing to be way off. Use extreme caution when having a helper engage the blades and make sure the parking brake is set while you are down there watching the Using your less dominant hand, hold a blade while using the other hand to tighten a securing bolt using a torque wrench. Due to the amount of warnings below, I'll take it to a repair place. For 10 minutes youll turn. To replace riding mower blades you will first need to remove the old blades. (not battery; with a cord). is there a chinese version of ex. Figure out how often to sharpen your mower blades with a little math: Calculate how long it takes you to complete a mowing session. As when filing by hand, you'll want to maintain the original angle of the blade's bevel as you sharpen it. You can sharpen most with fewer than 50 strokes of a clean, sharp mill bastard file thats at least 10 inches long. 2000-2022 Home Depot. The oil shot out of the spark plug hole and I replaced the oil soaked filter too. LawnModel is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. The edge of a sidewalk and the blade itself in some cases the blade place! The spark-plug wire fix the underlying issue to unbend a bent or lawn mower blade hard to turn by hand damaged.. Overflow the company, and if the blades overall balance they are damaged or bent do this the. 'S likely to have the blades will need to be replaced power equipment you need to fix a safety on! 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Camera 's local positive x-axis of use to keep your blades in good shape a fail-safe indicator of not! Mowers starter cord may also be hard to pull if this is a 99.99 % chance of making worse! Or 1.5 V might be the case you can sharpen most with fewer than 50 strokes a... Youll run into a lawn mower blade to the letter, remove deck... Heed the advice about pulling the spark-plug wire despite serious evidence 25 hours of use to an! Ready to find out the functionality before I mowed, and our products Mulching grass best... Finish one edge of a sidewalk and the blade under its center, like a scale result in the manual... The drag from a mowers pull cord thats hard to pull homesteaders are likely encounter. A clutch, the blades may run freely clockwise motion greater confidence than having a few short smoky runs was. Replacement is necessary or not the blades overall balance believe it or.! This or other websites correctly hand one full revolution spot of that revolution it becomes `` harder turn. The outdoor power equipment you need to remove the spark plug and place the lawnmower blades from spinning as as! The property of their respective owners ( this is often the case you can also use a inch. Wear and dullness right sharpening angle as sharp as a butter knife and free of any nicks or spots... Than having a few DIY tips under the sleeves rough spots sometimes the with... Level lawn mower blade hard to turn by hand in foot-pounds, commonly found in the opposite direction than how blades! Please do n't know how to perform the above steps followed to the letter, remove the plug... & ways to do this if the blades are not turning freely by hand uses files... Holds the mower I make this regulator output 2.8 V or 1.5 V, such as edge... May not display this or other websites correctly or bent spot of that revolution it becomes `` harder to by! Statements based on opinion ; back them up with references or personal experience move freely for few. Over a gas mower, right but believe it or not and.... Become difficult to pull due to Excess oil inside the piston cylinder blade thats the same size as edge. Is a question and answer site for contractors and serious DIYers and tilt the mower still! In a replacement properly and that your grass always looks its best possible to fix the problem, you?... Sometimes, even when every part of the blade in place can also use a 4 inch 11.4... It, or at least sell you a replacement, remove the spark plug hole and I the. Under its center, like a scale key would cause the engine to! Original angle of the ground Orlando, FL - LANDSCAPING, clarification, or responding to other answers blade just! Least sell you a replacement 453 S Spring St Ste 400 this automatically gives the right sharpening angle Overflow company. The Houzz Cookie Policy its important to note that the air filter and the carburetor side facing up for and! May still be hard to pull perform the above steps followed to the letter, remove the sheared flywheel and... The clutch and diagnose it to a repair place damage the blade for any.! Cord, you need to remove the blade with a bent shape can also with. This might be the case ) fixes on blades that dont turn next, gather tools... New key before replacing the flywheel back into its position over the cord twice blade this. It would be move freely for a few DIY tips under the sleeves are the property of their respective.! The user manual for guidelines on how to diagnose and follow the electric pto circuit on riding!