Help for a first time blade replacer?
- Thread starter Hustler27
- Start date
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.
This guy is great!
Mr. Mower
Well-Known Member
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
Last edited:
bertsmobile1
Lawn Royalty
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
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