ALM EarthWise 60420 Manuel De L'utilisateur page 16


Place the new blade on the shaft against the fan
assembly. Make sure it is installed with the curved
ends pointing up toward the mower deck and not
down toward the ground.

Replace the blade insulator and spacer, then
thread the blade nut on the shaft and finger tighten.
NOTE: Make certain all parts are replaced in the exact
order in which they were removed.

Torque the blade nut down using a torque wrench
(not provided) to ensure the bolt is properly
tightened. The recommended torque for the blade
nut is 220-310 in. lbs.
SHARPENING THE BLADE
See Figure 14
For best mowing performance, the mower blade must
be kept sharp. A dull blade does not cut grass evenly
and overloads the motor. Under normal circumstances,
sharpening the blade twice during the mowing season
is usually sufficient. However, if your lawn has sandy
soil, more frequent sharpening's may be required.

Following the instructions in the Replacing the
Cutting Blade section, remove the mower blade.
DO NOT attempt to sharpen the blade while it is
attached to the mower.
WARNING:
When removing, inspect the blade carefully. If blade is bent
or damaged, replace immediately with a new blade. Failure
to replace a bent or damaged blade could cause an accident
resulting in possible serious injury.

Using a fine tooth file or stone, sharpen cutting
edges on both ends of the blade, removing equal
amounts of material from both ends.
BALANCING THE BLADE
See Figure 15
When sharpening, care should be taken to keep the
blade balanced. An unbalanced blade will cause
excessive vibration when the mower is running. This
vibration will eventually cause damage to the mower,
especially the motor.
To check blade balance:

Clamp a screwdriver horizontally in a vise as
shown.
NOTE: If a vise is not available, a straight nail can also
be used.

Place the center hole of blade on the screwdriver
(or nail) shank.

If blade is balanced, it will remain in a horizontal
position. If either end of the blade drops downward,
sharpen the heavy side until the blade is balanced.
MAINTENANCE
16
FAN ASSEMBLY
SHAFT
BLADE
BLADE
INSULATOR
SPACER
BLADE NUT
Fig.13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15