Help for a first time blade replacer?

[The Chairman]

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.

 

[bertsmobile1]

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.

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.

 

[Romore]

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?

 

[The Chairman]

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

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.

 

[Eliot Ness]

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!

 

[Mr. Mower]

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.

 

[wrldtvlr]

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.

 

[Mr. Mower]

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.

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.

 

[Eliot Ness]

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.

 

[bertsmobile1]

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.