How to Replace Riding Lawn Mower’s Blades

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Are you not able to cut grass properly? Is your grass not cutting in the same proportion. 

It may be due to your blunt Lawn Mowers blade.

No matter how hard you try, you won’t be able to cut grass according to your needs unless you solve your blade’s problem.

Now you must be curious to know, “How to change Blades of your Riding Lawn Mower”

Don’t worry we’ve got you covered with all the answers to questions like, How do I if my mower’s blade is dull? How often should blades be replaced? How to sharpen a Lawn Mower’s blade? Now, let’s get started.

Replacing Lawn mower blades

How Do I Know if My Mower Blade Is Dull?

Your blades are definitely dull if your grass looks irregular after mowing one round all the way around. 

Examining the grass blades is another technique to tell if it’s time to sharpen your blades. It’s probably time for sharpening if the grass blade tips are ripped and not cleanly sliced.

How Often Should Lawn Mower Blades Be Replaced?

For the average homeowner, replacing your mower blades once a year is a decent thumb rule.

If they become damaged, you may want to consider replacing them. If you need a more definitive answer, consult the product handbook.

How to Change Blades on Riding Lawn Mower?

This riding mower repair tutorial will show you how to change a blade on a riding lawn mower in step-by-step instructions.

Do you know the procedure to the blades would be different for types of mulching blades so make sure to follow the process accordingly.

Lawn mower blades replacement

Pull the Spark Plug

  • Set the parking brake and park the tractor on a level surface.
  •  
  • To safeguard your hands, put on work gloves.
  • Remove the spark plug wire by lifting the tractor bonnet.

Remove The Mower Deck

  • Reduce the mower deck’s height to the lowest setting.
  • The cutting blades must be disengaged.
  • Remove the blade belt from the engine pulley and the belt keepers by rolling it off.
  • Remove the retaining pin and washer from the front lift link support, then separate the support from the deck.
  • Detach the left suspension arm from the tractor frame by removing the holding clip and washer.
  • Remove the retaining clip and washer from the left rear deck bracket, then detach the bracket from the deck.
  • To disconnect the right suspension arm and right rear deck bracket, repeat the operation on the other side of the deck.
  • To reach the blade cable attached to the deck, pull the deck out far enough.
  • Take the blade cord out from the deck bracket by releasing the locking tabs.
  • Move the blade cord spring away from the idler arm by disconnecting it from the blade cable spring.
  • Flip the deck over by pulling it out from under the tractor frame.

Take Out the Old Blade

  • As to keep the cutting blade from sliding, place a wood block between it and the mower deck.
  • Remove the cutting blade by removing the blade attachment bolt.

Replace the Blade

  • Connect the blade to the blade shaft with the right side of the blade facing up and manually tighten the blade bolt.
  • Replace the Wood Block and firmly tighten the blade bolt.
  • Flip the deck over and remove the Wood Block.

Reinstall the Mower’s Deck

  • Close the distance between the deck and the tractor frame.
  • Connect the idler arm to the blade clutch cable spring.
  • The blade clutch cable retainer should be pushed into the deck bracket and the locking tabs should be engaged.
  • Place the deck beneath the tractor frame.
  • Using the washer and retaining clip, reattach the front lift link support to the deck.
  • Using the washers and retaining clips, reattach the left suspension arm and deck bracket.
  • Attach the right suspension arm and deck bracket using the same procedure.
  • Slide the blade belt onto the engine pulley after passing it through the belt keepers.
  • Examine the blade belt routing on the mower deck and make any necessary adjustments to ensure that the belt passes over all pulleys and through all belt keepers.

Reattach the Spark Plug

  • Lower the tractor hood and reattach the spark plug wire.

How Do You Sharpen a Lawnmower Blade?

  • Clamp the blade in a vise and use a mill file to sharpen the cutting edge.
  • File the blade until it is “butter-knife” sharp.
  • Using a hand file, sharpen your blade. The blades on lawn mowers are constructed of relatively soft steel. You can also prefer specific sharpening tools for Lawn mowers to make sharpen the blades easily.

Most can be sharpened in less than 50 strokes with a clean, sharp mill file of at least 10 inches in length.

  • Grinders also work, and they do so much faster. However, they are more difficult to handle, and you risk overheating the blade.
  • File in the same direction as the cutting angle.
  • Sharpening from the upper side of the cutting edge will give you the blade’s longest-lasting edge.
  • On the push stroke, the file only cuts in one direction; you’ll sense it bite into the blade’s steel.
  • If you don’t feel any cutting motion, either your file is worn or you’re not pushing firmly enough.
  • It can be more difficult to sharpen mulching blades. Mulching blades may have extended or curved cutting edges, and sharpening them may require various different types of files.
  • Hang the blade on a hook to verify the balance before reinstalling it.
  • If one side of the blade dips, file a little more off that end until the blade is level.
  • Vibration from an imbalanced blade might damage the blade shaft or bearings.

How to Effectively Raise the Mower for a Change of a Blade?

With a chain hoist, lift the rear end, place jack stands under it, and lower it so that portion of the weight is supported by the jack stands.

Conclusion

It’s not difficult to change the blades on your riding mower.

You’ll get your machine back up and running in no time with the information supplied in the manufacturer’s handbook and our advice on how to accomplish it.

You should change the blades annually and rest of the year you can sharpen your blades.

Preferring the best kind of blades for a Lawnmower may reduce the effort to sharpen the blades. So, spare the required amount of time to choose the blades for the lawn mower.

About Tom Reynolds

My name is Tom Reynolds, and I like lawn mowing. When I was a kid, I used to help my dad in cutting grass using a reel mower, now, I have my own 6 different lawn mowers. Keeping my lawn healthy and beautiful gives me satisfaction, and I still enjoy working in my lawn.