Blades Sharpening Blades on Husqvarna Garden Tractor
- Thread starter Jaylyn
- Start date
Snag a torque wrench if your manual for the deck dictates the desired torque needed to attach the blade to the "star looking puzzle piece". It sounds like you have a nice array of tools, but other wise just smack a breaker bar with a hammer to tighten it. I love being in middle of nature, those animals do not mind when I swear like a sailor and talk to myself.
reynoldston
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You might want to invest into a air compressor. Very handy to have like just blowing the old cut grass off the mower, installing air into the tires, etc. You can buy a cheep air compressor from Harbor Freight for around 100 dollars.
There are volumes in this site on sharpening and many opinions. Balance is important as these air cooled (Vs especially) need all the smoothness they can get. I am using the original blades on my 2004 Craftsman. Always sharpened by hand. The blades are quite thick (around .200") so as you progress with sharpening you must keep thinning the cutting edge. Know as "backing off," or "secondary clearance" or "bevel." I guess smaller rigs have thinner blades, but same technique. The lift blades have a twist to them so they cannot be sharpened on a flat bed grinding table and must therefore either be hand sharpened or done with a special jig which has a "finger" to follow the twist. Try the search function.
try putting a creeper or cardboard to slide the deck into position. Use a long wrench, torque wrench, or extend the wrench length with a pipe, or just hit the end of the wrench with a hammer, you are good. usually about 50 foot/lbs. of torque.
:confused2:
:confused2:
Kenneth
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After reading this old thread, I just felt compelled to say to the op that YOU are AWESOME! I love how you just get in there and get your hands on this stuff! With a learn as you go attitude. Doing what's gotta get done. Wow!
But to the fellas that have responded to this, I have to say that I'm a bit disappointed. The responses were all over the road. You guys need to think about how this information ( or mis-information) is used. It lives on the internet, forever.
It's likely too late to help this brave woman, who has had to pick up the slack, that's left behind when a significant other passes. She's likely worked it out by now.
But I'll say this for all the other folks out there, that may not know this.
I didn't know that sharpening a mower blade on these things were that complicated, until you guys explained it.
See, all this time, I've just been using a cheap dremel tool. There's a Dremel blade sharpening kit. It's very inexpensive, although I can't link the info, I got mine at Lowe's. This tool takes off a minimum of material, and sharpens quite nicely. There are many other ways of sharpening, but for me this is the best for diy. The local mower shop will also do it for very little money, if you take off the blades, and take them to the shop. As far as balance goes, this is mostly for the single blade, direct drive, push mowers. Our mowers are belt driven, and not as sensitive to blade balance. Common sense applies here. Blades don't have to be knife sharp, but evenly sharp is good. Take the blades off the mower, for sharpening. Car ramps, or a jack can be very helpful, and highly recommended. I use a mower lift. Harbor freight is a good source for a cheap lift. I use a vise to hold the blade, while sharpening. Take the blades off one at a time, if you're concerned about correctly replacing them. Torque specs, aren't critical, but a long handle wrench, or ratchet, should provide plenty of tightening ability, with normal strength.
Penetrating lubricant, applied hours beforehand will help loosen the bolts. And greasing the spindles is definitely recommended. Put it back together, and you're ready to go!
Just please remember, that this size of mower is heavy. If it falls, it can hurt you. So be careful, and take your time, be safe, those you love are counting on you! Happy Mowing!
But to the fellas that have responded to this, I have to say that I'm a bit disappointed. The responses were all over the road. You guys need to think about how this information ( or mis-information) is used. It lives on the internet, forever.
It's likely too late to help this brave woman, who has had to pick up the slack, that's left behind when a significant other passes. She's likely worked it out by now.
But I'll say this for all the other folks out there, that may not know this.
I didn't know that sharpening a mower blade on these things were that complicated, until you guys explained it.
See, all this time, I've just been using a cheap dremel tool. There's a Dremel blade sharpening kit. It's very inexpensive, although I can't link the info, I got mine at Lowe's. This tool takes off a minimum of material, and sharpens quite nicely. There are many other ways of sharpening, but for me this is the best for diy. The local mower shop will also do it for very little money, if you take off the blades, and take them to the shop. As far as balance goes, this is mostly for the single blade, direct drive, push mowers. Our mowers are belt driven, and not as sensitive to blade balance. Common sense applies here. Blades don't have to be knife sharp, but evenly sharp is good. Take the blades off the mower, for sharpening. Car ramps, or a jack can be very helpful, and highly recommended. I use a mower lift. Harbor freight is a good source for a cheap lift. I use a vise to hold the blade, while sharpening. Take the blades off one at a time, if you're concerned about correctly replacing them. Torque specs, aren't critical, but a long handle wrench, or ratchet, should provide plenty of tightening ability, with normal strength.
Penetrating lubricant, applied hours beforehand will help loosen the bolts. And greasing the spindles is definitely recommended. Put it back together, and you're ready to go!
Just please remember, that this size of mower is heavy. If it falls, it can hurt you. So be careful, and take your time, be safe, those you love are counting on you! Happy Mowing!
Due respect. Hammer blows can apply over or under torque. Use a torque wrench . Another frequent discussion is lubrication of the blade retaining bolts. I can only speak of the experience with the Craftsman DYT 4000 , ? about grade 6 alloy bolts, but I clean the threads and sometimes spray them with WD 40 and WIPE THEM DRY.
To put grease or aniti seize on such a fastener you should know to reduce the apparent torque (measured on torque wrench, unknown by hand or hammer) or risk over stretching the fastener beyond yield strength and necking/breaking it. Think of your car wheel studs. Lubricating them is no-no unless you want to see your wheel accelerate by your car on the road.
The only mystery I have encountered on this site and was never really answered (for me) is the torque required and applied to some commercial rigs where owner/mechanics use high powered air hammers to remove (somewhat understood), AND to tighten (not understood if it is just judgement). But the people who discussed this technique are professionals and so deserve respect which I have. BLAZ..can't we renew an old and favorite topic? :laughing:
To put grease or aniti seize on such a fastener you should know to reduce the apparent torque (measured on torque wrench, unknown by hand or hammer) or risk over stretching the fastener beyond yield strength and necking/breaking it. Think of your car wheel studs. Lubricating them is no-no unless you want to see your wheel accelerate by your car on the road.
The only mystery I have encountered on this site and was never really answered (for me) is the torque required and applied to some commercial rigs where owner/mechanics use high powered air hammers to remove (somewhat understood), AND to tighten (not understood if it is just judgement). But the people who discussed this technique are professionals and so deserve respect which I have. BLAZ..can't we renew an old and favorite topic? :laughing: