Ok, all you lawn tractor operators, it’s time to deal with the one task you’ve put off since the start of summer, get down to some serious sucking on bloody scraped knuckle sucking fun and change the blades on your deck.
But first let’s talk tools and false assumptions:
1. Because you bought an American branded lawn tractor at a store with a nationwide presence don’t assume it uses SAE standard bolts and nuts.
2. If you’re reusing blades from previous seasons, do not grind them razor sharp. Over heating blades weakens the steel making it susceptible to breaking or chipping if you run over objects such as rocks, metal sprinklers, or even metal water lines. The best way to sharpen old blades is to sharpen the cutting edge using a shoulder pattern—just like an ax blade.
3. You may be strong, but the two most important tools for replacing blades may be a container of fine penetrating oil and a three to four-foot length of one-half inch (inside diameter ) galvanized or iron pipe.
Required tools:
A selection of metric or SAE standard sockets
A 10 to 12-inch long breaker bar
Hammer
Ratchet wrench
Six, eight or ten-inch extension for ratchet wrench/breaker bar.
Container of penetrating oil such as Liquid wrench or gun oil. WD 40 will work in most cases and it comes with the vitally important ten-inch spray tube.
Cold beverage
Car ramp, ATV/motor cycle loading ramps or steps around outside of house or patio.
Drive lawn tractor up ramps or partway up steps. Lock brakes on mower and chock back wheels.
Lower mowing deck to gain access to top of blade mounting bolt holes. Drench top of holes and face of mounting bolts with penetrating oil. Do this to both set of blades. Let set five minutes. Now take stout hammer and tap both sides of the bladeset to help penetrating oil seep into threads. If possible, also tap the top and bottom of the blade-mounting bracket with the hammer.
Repeat process on other blade.
While you’re down there, determine if the mounting bolts are either SAE standard or metric. Connect correct socket to the extension, mount it all on the. breaker bar and seat the socket squarely on the bolt’s face.
Now, wish on star, click heels together, take deep cleansing breath and gently apply pressure to the handle of the breaker bar in the right direction. Increase pressure on breaker bar, exhale, curse loudly when socket slips off the bolt face because it wasn’t mounted squarely and suck blood off your scraped knuckles. Repeat process on other blade.
If the mounting bolt is still stuck, use more penetrating oil and gently wang mounting bar with hammer to get oil to penetrate into the thread grooves.
Do not beat the living shit out of the blade mounting bar since you can easily damage the blade spindle in its housing. Strike it sharply several times on both sides of the blade and if possible on top of the mounting bar.
Now go back and try to get the bold loose using the breaker bar. Again, gently apply more pressure until the bolt begins to turn or you realize its frozen in place. If bolt is frozen, go on to the next step.
Slip one end of a three or foot of sturdy pipe over the end of the breaker bar, find something you can brace against and use the leverage of the lengthy piece of pipe to break the nut loose. Loosen all the nuts on both blades. Take deep breath, drink the remainder of your refreshing beverage and use your ratchet wrench to remove bolts.
Place cruddy looking bolts in significant other’s good crystal or Tupperware or small jar with lid and let them soak in WD 40 or penetrating oil. Hide Tupperware or other sacred female domestic vessel where significant other is unlikely to detect your fragrant misuse of a special container.
Take a hammer and firmly tap one end of blade until it falls off the mounting bar. Now take a putty knife and clean the face of the mounting bar so the new blades will go on easily. While you’re down there and the blades are off, use the putty knife or other scraper to remove caked on grass sludge on the inside of the deck.
Compare old blades to new blades, wondering aloud how you managed to cut anything. Gaze in wonderment at the old blades, which appear to be one-half inch shorter than the new blades. I’ve seen blades with one-inch of wear on both ends..
Clean threads on mounting bolts and attach new blades by running in and tightening the bolts with your ratchet wrench. Uncouple the extension and socket from the wrench and reattach it to the breaker bar. Firmly tighten the bolt down but first make sure the socket is squarely on the face of the bolt.
Admire work and then hide and clean significant other’s sacred special container taking great care to remove all evidence of rust, grease or yard crud.
After you’ve changed the blades, take a moment to clean the contacts on your tractor’s battery connection.
Save and sharpen old blades for future use, unless they’re missing one or two inches of metal on their ends.
Put tools away, apply bandages to skinned knuckles, unchock rear wheels, release parking break and, with refreshing libation in cup holder of tractor, cut lawn.—Jim Forbes 07/13/2008
(the management of ForbesonTech does not endorse or suggest the consumption of alcoholic beverages while replacing mower blades or operating power equipment such as riding mowers or small wheeled or track layer tractors.)
Thanks Jim,
Wish I read it before struggling with mine last weekend. I'll be putting the the post to use Saturday AM - since I didn't get the blades off last weekend.
BTW, I was going to sharpen them - now I will just replace.
Mak, I forgot to mention that to loosenb the boilts on the blades you need to use your third hnd to hold the blade still while wrenching. See, it helps to be freakishly deformed.
Best, JimF
Posted by: Mark Cahill | July 17, 2008 at 06:48 AM
As luck would have it, I have worked in the Nuclear Power industry and am suitably equipped with a prehensile third 5th limb
And the bright blue light emanating from your thorax means that you can change blades at night, when it's not hot. See, there is value in catastrophe!
stay radioactive, Mark.
Jim
Posted by: Mark Cahill | July 18, 2008 at 11:24 AM