Export thread

I have a new set of blades, but have never replaced mine before. Should have many times, but I don't know how and am worried I'll do it wrong and send it flying through the neighbors window.

Thanks for any good tutorials or tools needed lists etc.

Just a matter of removing a bolt or nut, impact wrench works best here, and replacing the blade. Do torque the new blade to factory specs, don't use a crescent wrench or pipe slipped over an HF open end and ensure the sail faces up. I've lost count of the number of blades I have seen installed upside down, the don't cut worth a darn.

Thanks for the help.

Is there a 'right' impact wrench to get? I don't own one yet.

If I buy one of those, will I be able to figure out how to get the correct torque? I'm not even sure what that means, being that I don't own an impact wrench.

Thanks again.

Just watched some videos. Looks like I need some of the same stuff I use at a friend's house to switch over to winter tires. That about right?

Torque wrench an option? If so, I imagine I need to find a spec in the owner's manual and then I can buy a torque wrench to match?

check that video out, watch if from start to finish

able43 said:

check that video out, watch if from start to finish

Click to expand...

This guy is great!

Hustler27 said:

Torque wrench an option? If so, I imagine I need to find a spec in the owner's manual and then I can buy a torque wrench to match?

Click to expand...

I change the blades on my mower every Spring (regardless of what amount of hours the mower shows).

Yes....good idea... "always" refer to the Owners/User Manual that is specific to your model mower first and foremost. The torque specification(s) is there just search for it.

First make sure you have the right size "socket" for those particular bolts/large nuts before you start (because you don't want to chance stripping/damaging the bolt/large nut!

Using a impact is the best for removing the bolt/large nut but if you don't have one you can always use a breaker bar, just make sure you secure the other blade(s) first before removing the bolt/large nut, when removing the old blade(s).

Definitely use a torque wrench and apply a bit of "anti-seize" to the threads prior, when installing the bolt back on with the new blade. Recommend to first use your hand to thread and tighten the bolt/large nut then apply the torque wrench.

Some may say that it really does not matter about applying torque, etc. but this is a very import feature that is often overlooked or ignored and could have damaging consequences later on, so keep that in mind.

Over all you can do it. It's an easy-peasy process, just take your time.

Just my $0.02

If I try to run out and buy a torque wrench right now, is there a standar amount I need to look for for all mower blades or is that mower specific too?

You are making a mountain out of a mole hill.
Get a good impact driver with several different torques and a reverse .
Take the bolt off with the highest undo setting and install with the lowest do up setting.
Do it up till it stops turning then give it a couple of extra blasts .
If you are new to this stuff, mark the socket with some thing so you can see when it has stopped rotating
Blade bolts self tighten in use on any mower that has a round blade hole so just as long as the blade is tight enough not to slip on the spindle when you push it you will be fine .
Most blades actually have "this side up" or "grass side" stamped into the blade and as previously mentioned the flute goes towards the deck .

Too tight is actually far more dangerous than too loose as they self tighten in use.
All of the round hole blades are clamped and designed to slip a little when you hit something really hard, like a star picket, man hole cover, tree stump etc .
If they can not slip and the belt can not slip then the blade will bend or fracture and that is a problem.

If you decide that you really want a tension wrench the a standard 0-80 or 0-100 ft lbs will cover everything you will ever need to do on a lawn mower.
The deflecting beam type are far more accurate over time than the spring loaded ones and if you get a spring loaded one it is vital that your reset it to 0 after every use of the spring will collapse and it will read incorrectly .
For a mower, the cheap deflecting bar type, with a pointer than goes from the socket all the way down the handle to a scale that is across the handle will be good enough .
Next step up and a big step in price are the ones with the scale along the bar and some sort of clicking mechanism .
These are the ones I use & I have 5 of them, some better than 50 years old and the last time I got a calibration check all were within 5% which is a lot better than most spring loaded wratchet ones are from new.
Mind you this was a free check done at a tool stall at a trade show so not quite a NASA certificate.

You are not working on an Elton Musk project to send people to Mars, it is a lawn mower

You will see a ton of people using an "impact wrench" while changing their blades but this is NOT advised. A torque wrench should always be used to tighten the blades back down. Follow your manual for the torque spec and whether or not anti-seize on the bolt threads is needed. ALWAYS start your bolts by hand; once started you can switch to the torque wrench.

Why not use an impact wrench? Even a low voltage cordless impact wrench can exceed the torque rating and risk stripping the threads on your spindle shaft. A pneumatic impact wrench typically exceeds the torque of cordless ones.

While changing blades without an impact wrench is certainly more difficult and time consuming, it still can be done and done safely if directions are followed and precautions are taken.

able43 said:

check that video out, watch if from start to finish

Click to expand...

i just wanna see how fast that man can eat an ear of corn!

cruzenmike said:

You will see a ton of people using an "impact wrench" while changing their blades but this is NOT advised. A torque wrench should always be used to tighten the blades back down. Follow your manual for the torque spec and whether or not anti-seize on the bolt threads is needed. ALWAYS start your bolts by hand; once started you can switch to the torque wrench.

Why not use an impact wrench? Even a low voltage cordless impact wrench can exceed the torque rating and risk stripping the threads on your spindle shaft. A pneumatic impact wrench typically exceeds the torque of cordless ones.

While changing blades without an impact wrench is certainly more difficult and time consuming, it still can be done and done safely if directions are followed and precautions are taken.

Click to expand...

Yes, he is completely correct, I once changed the blades on my mower, and I didnt know any better, so i borrowed my dads corded impact ( the REALLY powerful ones that weigh like five pounds. I put the impact on the bolt, and it came out in about a second XD. i then replaced my blade, hand tightened the bolt, put the impact on it, and held the trigger for about 2-3 seconds i wanna say, the all of a sudden the blade fell.
I also noticed the bolt fell to, i examined the bolt, and turns out the bolt stripped! Half of the bolt was completely flat be cause of all the impact power!
luckily it didnt strip the crankshaft. i then went to my local small engine shop, and asked it they had a bolt like mine, ( i showed them the stripped bolt )
he said,
"impact do this?"

i said, "yep"

and i guess he could read my mind cause he said, "have you learned your lesson?"

"Learned my lesson on what?" i said.

"using an impact" he said.

i then said, " oh yes sir."

"You going to do it again?"

"No sir" i said

"3.27$" he said

i pulled out my wallet

he said, " oh, no need to pay i got it."

"no sir its fine, you dont have to do that." i said

he then said, " you want that bolt or not?"

"yes sir, i need that bolt." i said

he said, " then take it so you can go cut your grass."

"thank you, have a nice day." i said

"you to bud." he said

then right before i walked out the door, i looked back at him and he smiled then winked at me.
still cant really figure out why he gave it to me.

cruzenmike said:

You will see a ton of people using an "impact wrench" while changing their blades but this is NOT advised. A torque wrench should always be used to tighten the blades back down. Follow your manual for the torque spec and whether or not anti-seize on the bolt threads is needed. ALWAYS start your bolts by hand; once started you can switch to the torque wrench.

Why not use an impact wrench? Even a low voltage cordless impact wrench can exceed the torque rating and risk stripping the threads on your spindle shaft. A pneumatic impact wrench typically exceeds the torque of cordless ones.

While changing blades without an impact wrench is certainly more difficult and time consuming, it still can be done and done safely if directions are followed and precautions are taken.

Click to expand...

Which is exactly why I advised getting an impact gun with multiple torque settings and installing on the lowest setting .
When fitting swing backs I always use a torque wrench because it is way too easy to overtighten them as they all have different torques from 10 ft lbs to 30 ft lbs.
However with bar blase the exact tension is not all that important

Hustler27 said:

If I try to run out and buy a torque wrench right now, is there a standar amount I need to look for for all mower blades or is that mower specific too?

Click to expand...

Any basic type of torque wrench that can be found in a hardware or auto parts store is fine to use just as long as it has the ability to meet the specific torque value ratings such as 10-80 foot pounds or 20-110 foot pounds, etc.

I'm giving in guys. Thanks for trying to help. I managed to get a 5/8's around one of the three nuts and I can't get it to budge. I'm dragging the mowever off the of the car stands wrenching on it. Thanks.

are you saying that the socket is stuck to the head of the bolt?
or is the bolt just not coming out?

Hustler27 said:

I'm giving in guys. Thanks for trying to help. I managed to get a 5/8's around one of the three nuts and I can't get it to budge. I'm dragging the mowever off the of the car stands wrenching on it. Thanks.

Click to expand...

This is why we use impact guns to remove them. About 2 or 3 times a year I need to cut a head off because my impact can not shift them .
When you asked about tension wrenches it was drawn to your attention that these nuts & bolts self tighten in use .
For replacing them in the field I have a 8' length of hollow rectangular steel tube that I slop over the blades then a 3/4" drive breaker bar than is 5' long and another 4' of steam pipe.
The socket goes on the bolt with a jack under it to hold it on then I go the the ends of the tubes hold one with my arms the use my legs to push the other.
Good thing is being a big bolt they never break off and once loosened a single turn always come out with fingers .
Once you get yours off make it a habit to remove them at least once if not twice a season.
I always suggest customers buy at least one spare pair of blades to have on the shelf nice & sharp ready to fit and change them over every couple of months.
Not only do you get a better cut cause the blades are sharp you also can keep an eye on the wear so don't have a blade suddenly break apart .
You also get the check the spindle bearings ( if you slipped the belt off ) so again don't get caught out with a collapsed bearing that can do a lot of damage to the deck and housing.

How do I make 100% I'm wrenching the correct direction?

Yeah I don't have pipe or a breaker bar and this thing has been on here forever. Maybe this is why I have good intentions every year and then end up losing the battle. I've spent hours wrenching on it now.

Hustler27 said:

How do I make 100% I'm wrenching the correct direction?

Click to expand...

Read the manual. 99% are right hand thread, righty tighty lefty loosy, but I have seen mower blades that rotate in the opposite direction.

Go down to your DIY shop & rent the biggest impact gun they have o get a cut off wheel on your angle grinder and chop the head off .
If it is a bolt, cut an X in the head then try your wrench again if no joy put a cold chisel in the groves and give it a good smack.
Be careful if using a thin wheel as the head will tend to bend in from the pressure on it and pinch the blade .
Then down to your friendly Nut & bolt man for new grade 8 bolts.

NOTE: For each blades large nut/bolt....to un-thread (take off) turn each large nut/bolt LEFT (counter clock wise)......to thread (back on) turn the large nut/bolt RIGHT (clock wise).

1.) Use an impact drill (setting in Reverse) to "only remove" the large nut/bolt for each blade one at a time.

2.) One at a time, once each blade is removed and replaced with the new blade "hand thread" the large nut/bolt back on hand tight only (if you want, apply a bit of "anti-seize" to the threads. This helps when removing the bolt/large nut the next time).

3.) Once the large nut/bolt is hand tighten, then use a torque wrench to apply the specific torque value as listed in your manual, for each blade's large nut/bolt/

4.) Then your done and that's it.

you could try one of your local auto parts stores "loan a tool system" where they loan you a tool, and you must give it back or else you pay for it.
i did it once, but i frogot wich one it was, it was either autozone, o'reileys, or pep boys.

I had purchased the combo package deal, Impact drill and regular drill set with batteries, that Ridgid had offered a few years ago. Really have got my money's worth from it.





I was so impressed with it that later on I also ended up buying Ridgid's Octane High Impact Drill as well!



Also Lowe's has a pretty good beam style torque wrench for $30.00 bucks!

Mr. Mower said:

I had purchased the combo package deal, Impact drill and regular drill set with batteries, that Ridgid had offered a few years ago. Really have got my money's worth from it.

View attachment 52049

RIDGID 18V Lithium-Ion Cordless Drill/Driver and Impact Driver 2-Tool Combo Kit with (2) 2.0 Ah Batteries, Charger and Bag R96021 - The Home Depot

RIDGID introduces the 18V Lithium-Ion Cordless Drill/Driver and Impact Driver 2-Tool Combo Kit with (2) 2.0 Ah Batteries, Charger and Bag. This kit provides the power to tackle the most demanding jobsite

www.homedepot.com

I was so impressed with it that later on I also ended up buying Ridgid's Octane High Impact Drill as well!
View attachment 52050

RIDGID 18V Brushless Cordless 1/4 in. 3-Speed Impact Driver with Belt Clip (Tool Only) R86037N - The Home Depot

RIDGID introduces the 18V Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless 1/4 in. Impact Driver with Belt Clip (Tool Only). With a powerful 2,250 in./lbs. of torque there is no job that this impact driver cannot handle.

www.homedepot.com

Also Lowe's has a pretty good beam style torque wrench for $30.00 bucks!

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Presa-3-8-in-Drive-Beam-Torque-Wrench-10-ft-lb-to-80-ft-lb/1002330568?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-tol-_-bing-_-pla-_--_-soshandtools-_-1002330568-_-0&kpid&placeholder=null&msclkid=dc9946ff060a125e4b3a184f2c504402&gclid=CL7bg5a5mukCFfyUxQIdTQQPlw&gclsrc=ds

View attachment 52051

Click to expand...

aaaaa, yes, my dad has that same drill set, a very powerful and torquey drill, i dont use his very often cause i have my own, but when i do i love that thing

Hustler27 said:

How do I make 100% I'm wrenching the correct direction?

Click to expand...

I haven't seen any blade bolts that weren't right hand threads, meaning you tighten them by turning clockwise as you face the bolt. To loosen, turn them counter clockwise.

How many young people even know what clockwise and counter clockwise mean? They have never seen a sweep hand clock lol

Romore said:

How many young people even know what clockwise and counter clockwise mean? They have never seen a sweep hand clock lol

Click to expand...

countercheck wise is a spinning circle spinning to the left, clockwise is a spinning circle going to the right
btw im 14yr XD

Take it off, sharpen or replace, put it on, snug it up, go.

I remove and install my blades with a Ryobi rechargeable 1/2" impact wrench. I love it. I also put a small dab of anti-seize on the bottom three threads of each bolt. Spent 30 years of my life as an auto-technician. You really don't need a torque wrench for this.

cpurvis said:

I haven't seen any blade bolts that weren't right hand threads, meaning you tighten them by turning clockwise as you face the bolt. To loosen, turn them counter clockwise.

Click to expand...

The rear discharge decks have a counter rotating blade and it will be left thread or it would loosen in use .
The Husky CHT series all have one LHT bolt.

Snug isn't good enough, it has to be tightened to spec. Ever seen what happens when a blade spinning at 3,000 rpm departs?

Romore said:

Ever seen what happens when a blade spinning at 3,000 rpm departs?

Click to expand...

I have to admit to never seeing this happen. I guess my "snug" is good enough. That little Ryobi 1/2" impact does a sweet job.

If you have trouble breaking the nuts loose try the Blade Removal Tool (Hustler pn# 381442). Those bolts are torqued to 118 ft lbs (per my owners manual). This tool slips over the ends of two blades and keeps them from turning while you break the nuts loose, but I still needed a breaker bar. Perhaps if anti-seize had been used a chunk of 2x4 would have been enough. Anyway, this tool was one of the best ~$25 I've spent.... available on eBay or I'm sure your dealer stocks them. Good luck!

To each their own and whatever works for you when removing , installing mower blades, etc. then go for it.

I have that same exact blade removal assistant tool that I had purchased from Hustler.

I quickly found out that I did not like it. i found using it to be cumbersome and not real helpful at that.



Instead I went back to using my original blade removal assistant tool. I have a few of these and they have always worked great when removing blades from mowers, regardless of what type of mower. These can be purchased from Home Depot, Lowe's, Walmart, etc.

I bought one of the Arnold/generic clamps and it works fine. My experience has been that a clamp isn't needed when using an impact wrench to remove and I can hold the blade to get it tight enough.

wrldtvlr said:

I bought one of the Arnold/generic clamps and it works fine. My experience has been that a clamp isn't needed when using an impact wrench to remove and I can hold the blade to get it tight enough.

Click to expand...

Yes that is true, when using an impact drill for nut and blade removal.....but not everyone may have an impact drill and for those that use conventional tools for nut and blade removal...that Arnold tool comes in very handy....works even better than the tool Hustler offers.

Not really sure how one could find the Hustler tool cumbersome or not very helpful. It just slips over the end of two blades and keeps them from moving when breaking the nut. If that other clamp is cheaper and works on all three blades then that would be the better buy.

I couldn't get my mower high enough to use my impact gun. I got my air ratchet on them but it didn't have enough guts to break the nuts.

I saw the Hustler tool part number in the owners manual.... guess I should have looked on here first, but I already have it and find it pretty easy to use.

It works fine on nice new blades
It does not work on old ground back blades or blades where the flute has broken off.
I have a 8' length of hollow steel rectangle that works a lot better.
For the hustler tool to work it needs to be made from heavier steel and be about twice as long.

Thank you bertsmobile for clarifying that!