Misc maint questions

Trev · Jun 14, 2002

I have never hhhad aa ppproblem(excuse me I have the shakes,just got off my tractor) /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Trev · Jun 14, 2002

I'll take mine off, sharpen them on the bench grinder and make sure they are balanced at the beginning and in the middle of the mowing season. Every 4 weeks in between I'll touch them up with a hand help angle grinder.

Now that sounds like a good system! Not to mention an excuse to get another little toy for my air compressor. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Thanks for the ideas!

BTW, speaking of air compressors, has anyone else had the opportunity to discover just how little air a kid's bicycle tire/tube can hold? /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif I told Frank (foster son) to come on in the garage after he mentioned his tire was really soft. Hooked up the compressor, hiss, hiss, hiss, KABOOM!!!!!! Our ears rang for a few minutes! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

Is it possible that I'm simply not sufficiently evolved in the chain of primates to do things like owning tractors and tools? /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Bob

MikePA · Jun 14, 2002

BTW, speaking of air compressors, has anyone else had the opportunity to discover just how little air a kid's bicycle tire/tube can hold? 

When I was a kid, a friend of mine and I went to the local service station to get a soda. While there, my friend decided to fill his bicycle tires. He was kneeling down filling them, when one burst, the pressure of the air coming out actually cut his leg. He hobbled, while crying, into the station office to call his parents. While on the phone, the other tire blew.

Molerj · Jun 14, 2002

I do lawn mower repair as a side job. As for sharpening the blades; it is pretty hard to
sharpen the blades while they are still attached to the mower. The beveled edge of the
blade is facing upwards & that is the side that you sharpen at a 45 deg. angle. Pretty hard
to do that with the blades attached. For a finish mower, sharper the better. If the ding is
deep, I don't go all the way down to the end of the nick, because you have to remove alot
of the metal reducing the life of the blade. Balancing with the nail is what I do also. There
are some expensive magnet balancing tools out there, but they are quite pricey & I don't
see the need to be that precise. A bent blade is more of an issue and should be replaced.
I use a 1/2 inch IR impact wrench to remove the bolts & use never sieze when putting them back on.

centex · Jun 15, 2002

cowboydoc,

Now you have me worried.

I just put in Rotella 15W-40 and be done with it. Rotella has been specially formulated
for diesels especially with soot removal. This is absolutely imperative if you don't use off
road diesel.

I run regular auto diesel and use JD multigrade oil. Does this mean I am hurting my engine. It is still new with only 120 hours so if I am doing something wrong I want to fix it before it becomes a problem.

MikePA · Jun 15, 2002

As for sharpening the blades; it is pretty hard to sharpen the blades while they are still attached to the mower.

Attached is a (blurry) picture of the blade sharpener I bought for my electric drill. As you can see, it's beveled on the top and bottom of the stone, with the nylon guide on the bottom. It would appear that you could take the deck off, tilt it up, let the nylon guide ride along the bottom of the blade as the stone sharpens.

zenmek · Jun 15, 2002

CENTEX;
Take a look in your owners manual, I know mine (91 770) reccomends low sulfer fuel, which would be on road fuel. I do use an additive to help with injector lubrication.

Bird · Jun 16, 2002

anyone else had the opportunity to discover just how little air a kid's bicycle tire/tube can hold?

My dad bought a service station when I was 16 and when a kid came in to air up bicycle tires we always tried to get out there quick to help, but sometimes didn't make it in time; don't know how many bicycle tires I've seen exploded, although there were more exploded by grown men than by the kids./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

As for sharpening the blades, looks like others have pretty well covered it. Personally, I've used air impact wrenches for so long, that I did as you first stated; raised the mower on the 3-point, put jack stands under it, removed the blades with the impact wrench, sharpened them on the bench grinder, checked balance with a small steel rod through the center hole, and put them back on with my impact wrench (but unless you are thoroughly familiar with your impact wrench, I'd certainly recommend a torque wrench).