Grading Lost a mower blade :(

tillboy2001 · Aug 3, 2005

Well, I went to mow a small area yesterday and I immediately noticed a patch in the center not being cut. I raised the rear mounted finish mower and sure enough, NO BLADE in the center. It's just gone! I didn't notice any strange sounds the last time I mowed this past weekend and I looked at where I mowed last....everything was cut smooth - so the blade must have been there when I finished. My guess is that when I stopped the mower deck the last time, the blade was already a little loose and so it spun the bolt out and fell off without making any noise. That's just a guess though. But again, it mowed fine the last time...so it must have come off after mowing. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif I tried to trace my route and areas I might have driven the tractor after that and I can't find it /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif I just hope I don't find it later, the hard way!

Thomas · Aug 3, 2005

I would think if the blade had come loose during mowing you would have heard it,but maybe after you were done mowing w/the deck up and no PTO power heading back in thats when the blade came loose..??..did you notiice any thing shear off which holds the blade in place.

tillboy2001 · Aug 3, 2005

Nope. It's just a bolt that screws in from the bottom of the blade, like on a traditional push mower or riding mower. Looks like someone took the bolt off and removed the balde. There's no sign of damage or scrapes...nothing. It's as if I crawled under there and unbolted it.

MikeFromVA · Aug 3, 2005

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( It's as if I crawled under there and unbolted it. )</font>

Sounds like a case of sleep sharpening... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Check your workbench. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

RWEST · Aug 3, 2005

Now THAT's a strange one!! /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

How big an area do you mow? Hard to believe a blade would just disappear like that. Do you have any neighbors that maybe needed a blade? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

tillboy2001 · Aug 3, 2005

I have about 12 acres that I'm able to mow. In this case, I had been mowing maybe 5 of them...but I had to drive across several different areas that day. I can't remember everwhere I went. I know the last spot I mowed...sort of. but I can't remember if I mowed a patch of the 'road' on my way back to the house. If I did, then it could have come off there. I checked all the areas that I could have gone...but of course I can't check it all. We're just going to buy a new blade, bolt and washer. Total cost is about $20. No big loss, but like I said...I don't want to find the blade the hard way /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

I'll keep looking as I work out there and mow the next go round. I hope I find it.