Who wouldn’t want to enjoy a day off by sitting on the porch and sipping coffee? But, such satisfaction can be completely ruined when you notice the unevenly cut grass on your lawn. Like many cutting devices or machines, a Lawn mower’s blades do wear off as well. The worn-out blade is the cause of the unevenly mowed patches of grass. Also, mower blades must be replaced now and then.
It is a good habit to change lawn mower blades in a particular period, which will ensure that your lawnmower will remain in tiptop condition. In this, How To Change Lawn Mower Blade easy guide, we have provided a detailed guide with all the steps for you to efficiently replace the blade. And all the other necessary details.
When to Replace Lawn Mower Blade?
In a single day, a mower blade can be used for almost 100 or above sessions, but a whole lifetime. It can last for about 100 hours to 200 hours.
Though it varies with the amount of usage and the type of mowers. Check & remove the blade is always a wise decision. If you use your mower for like 15 minutes, you’d need to sharpen the lawnmower blade or change the blade after 3 or 4 years.
Apart from time, other tangible and visible facts could say that you need to work on the blade. One is the sight of unevenly mowed grass, and the other is big dents or nicks that are visible on the blade. When these signs show up, it is high time for you to work on your blade. Even if there are no signs at all, your mower blades can be damaged badly at any time.
Hence, it is best to change it every once in two years. You can buy a spare one beforehand, which will keep you prepared for any unfortunate incident. This will ensure that your mower is always in top-notch condition and will allow you to have satisfactory results at an efficient rate.
Easy Way – How to Change Mower Blades in Videos:
(In 6 Steps) How to Change a Lawn Mower Blades?
Changing the blade of a lawnmower is an easy task once you know all the steps. And in this section, we will be providing you with all the steps with details for an efficient and smooth blade-changing experience.
Step 1: Buy the Replacement Blades
The replacement kit for a normal lawnmower is very cheap, about 10-20 dollars, along with sharpened and weighted blades along with bolts. Also, these can be found very easily in any nearby hardware shop or on Amazon.com.
Nowadays, most mowers have different types of blades. Some have a long ruler-like blade while some have shorter separated blades. It is good to check the shape of your machine before purchasing the kit. You could do this by manually tilting it for a quick look or using the manual provided with the machine.
You could even sharpen the old one, for reused or purchase an old one at a cheaper price. And easily get sharpen lawn mower blade.
Step 2: Examine the Old Blade
Tilt your mower but not the mower on its side or base of the mower. The carburetors and components that contain oil are here. If you tilt from the sides or base, there is a high chance that oil might leak out and fall on your grass or your clothes.
To avoid that you simply have to title the mower towards the handle and ensure to support it. With some kind of weight or ask another person for help.
We suggest that you carry out the changing process when your machine is out of fuel. As it automatically erases the chances of oil or any unwanted fluid being spilled.
Step 3: Ensure Safety
It is wise to disconnect the spark plugs. Oil, as well as other flammable fuel, is being used inside a mower. This oil or fluid might come in contact with the electrical wiring of the machine which could cause unwanted sparks from spark plugs or accidents. So, disconnecting the spark plug wire from the mower will ensure safety every time.
“Pro Tips: Be sure you are wearing safety gloves before doing any types of machinery-related work.”
Step 4: Detach the Blade
Take a socket wrench of the correct size and loosen the mounting so that you can un tight the bolt and remove the blade. When you are unbolting the hex nut ensure you’re holding the blade enough tightens. Mounting the blade, it is essential to ensure that you keep the blade stationary and remember the orientation of the blade. Before doing all these tasks put back safety gloves first.
Remembering the orientation is as essential as removing or attaching the blade itself. This is because when the new blade is installed it should be installed with the same orientation and should spin counter-clockwise when used. If that doesn’t happen, you would have to do it all over again.
Step 5: Install the New Blade
To installing lawn mower blades, make sure you have the new blade and fill it in the proper place. Now attach those bolts and washers that previously unbolt. Here, keep in your mind missing any bolt and forgetting to make enough tighten, the blade may not work properly in a grass cutting job.
However, It doesn’t matter if you are using the old blade’s washer and bolt or a new one. But it is very important to make sure that you haven’t over-tightened them.
Tightening them too much will cause the mowers to bobble while it is being used. There should be a torque spec to aid this. If your lawnmower doesn’t have this, then just make sure that the nut is loose enough to rotate freely.
When installing the new blade, it must be of the same size as the previous blades. Also, the gap between the blade and the lawnmower. The mower deck is good enough to ensure that the blades don’t strike the deck.
Also, when installing, it is risk-free to wear thick protective gloves that are appropriate for this work and prevent any unwanted events. Another way of restricting accidents is to use a thick block of wood. Jam it between the blade and mower deck, which should stop the blade from rotating.
Step 6: Final Step
After the blade has been firmly mounted and all the other things are done, start your machine. Make sure that your machine does not wobble when you move the blade up or down.
Remove all the jacks or props that were used to support the mower in place and wait for about 30 minutes to 60 minutes. This ensures that the oil returns to the motor to prevent any further issues or motor damage. Check the oil before use to ensure it is within the proper limits.
Re-attach the spark plug wire, you may look and examine the air filter. Sometimes fuel can reach the foam filter and cause unwanted problems for your mower.
So, all you know now is about replacing the blade on riding lawn mowers.
Wait a minute! Maybe you miss something. We just called it the riding lawnmower blade removing process but before we called it only the lawnmower blade changing step.
You know! There are no major differences in steps in Blade changing whether it is Riding/ Zero-turn/ Double or single blade’s lawnmower, etc.
Quick Video – Lawn Mower Blade Removal Direction
Things to Consider Before Change Blade On Lawn Mower
Here are the things you need to consider before replacing a lawnmower blade:
Condition of the Blade
It is a good idea to wait for the blade to get dull. A sharp blade will cut perfectly. Usually, a lawn mower’s blade goes bad when it reaches the 2-year mark.
Type of Blades
Usually, there are two types of blades. mulching blade and standard blade. Both blades have different cutting principles and you have to be sure which is supposed to be used on your lawnmower.
The standard blade rotates beneath and allows grass to stand straight, which allows a cleaner cut. And the mulching blade’s notches on the top allow a finer cut. So, ensure you first which suits your lawn mower the most.
Can It Be Sharpen?
Sometimes you don’t have to change the blades but need only sharpening. The blades were out over time, but it takes them a while before the whole blade is worthy of being used. If you see that almost 80% of the blade is still fully functioning then what you should do; is got it to sharpening.
This way you spend less money and make temporary adjustments but still get the job done.
Other Factors
Not always it is necessary to change the blades of the lawnmower every time there is a dent or a nick. There are times when the mower’s blade is still capable of doing a good job, but it is some other parts that are causing the problem. So you need to be sure what is stopping your mower from achieving perfection.
Final Word
Changing the blade of a lawnmower can be a messy business and also a lengthy process. But an uneven lawn is very distracting and ruins the beauty of your house and especially if you have OCD.
We hope all the information has enhanced your knowledge and the steps discussed on how to change lawn mower blades professionally. We highly recommend that you use thick mechanical gloves, and a working apron, and work in a spot away from kids.
And most importantly, remember that you are working with blades. Even if the blade is dull, it can still inflict damage and cause infection. We suggest that you do the work carefully and safely.
Hope you’ll enjoy our “How to remove riding mower blades”-article and it may never conflict in changing a lawnmower blade.