Craftsman 987.889000 - Manual (Page 32)

SERVICE AND ADJUSTMENTS
MOWER BLADES
Examine mower blades before op­
eration. For efficient mowing, cut­
ting edges of blades should al­
ways be kept sharp. Check for
blade wear or damage. See Fig- '
ure 5-16. Replace a severely worn
or damaged blade with a new one.
WARNING
Mower blades are sharp.
• When working near blades,
wear heavy leather gloves or
wrap blades in thick rags to
protect yourself from the
sharp edges.
• Wear eye protection when
sharpening blades.
To Inspect Blades
1.
Stop engine, wait for all parts
to stop moving, and disconnect
spark plug wire.
2. Tip mower on rear wheels by
following instructions “Tipping
Mower For Service" in this Section
of Manual.
To Remove Blade
Remove bolt (Figure 5-18) and
washer(s). Remove mower blade.
Blade Sharpening
Grind or file the same amount
from each blade end to maintain
blade balance. An unbalanced
mower blade produces excessive
vibration and may damage spindle
bearings. Sharpen cutting edge
straight across, parallel to rear
edge of mower blade. See Figure
5-16. After sharpening, blade bal­
ance must be checked.
Figure 5-1S: Transmission neutral (N) adjustment.
32