Troy-Bilt 31/2 HP - Manual (Page 34)

MAINTENANCE
Cutter Bar Drive Adjustment (General)
If you have replaced any of the cutter bar drive
system components (belt, control cable, control lever,
idler arm spring, etc.) you will need to perform the
Initial Setting prior to performing the Cutter Bar Drive
Check.
If you have not replaced any of the cutter bar drive
system components and the cutter bar drive system
is not operating properly, perform the Cutter Bar Drive
Check prior to making the Main Adjustment.
Cutter Bar Drive Check
A warning
You are about to perform an operational check.
Be sure that:
• You remove the plastic blade protector before
starting the engine.
• No children or other bystanders are nearby.
• You start the engine and perform this check
outdoors.
• The mower is pointed is a safe direction.
Failure to follow these instructions could result in
personal injury or property damage.
1. Start the engine and allow it to warm up.
2. Quickly squeeze and release the Blade Drive Lever.
The cutter bar should begin to oscillate when you
squeeze the lever. It should stop oscillation when you
release the lever.
ADANGER
If the cutter bar does not stop oscillating when
you release the Blade Drive Lever, or if it oscillates
before you squeeze this lever, shut the mower’s
engine off, wait until it cools, disconnect the spark
plug wire and prevent it from touching the spark
plug. Do not use the mower until the cutter bar
drive mechanism is repaired so that the cutter
bar stops oscillating when the Blade Drive Lever
is released. See “Cutter Bar Drive Adjustment
(General)” in Section 5 of this Manual.
Failure to follow this instruction could result in
personal injury or property damage.
32
3 . If the cutter blade doesn’t oscillate, the cable ten­
sion is too low. If the cutter blade oscillates before
you squeeze the Blade Drive Lever, or if it continues
to oscillate after you release this lever, the cable
tension is too high.
4. If the mower fails this check, proceed to the Cutter
Bar Drive Main Adjustment.
Cutter Bar Drive Initial Setting
NOTE
You must perform this procedure after replacing
any of the cutter bar drive components (belt,
control lever, cable, idler arm spring, etc.).
1. Use two %-inch open-end wrenches to loosen the
jam nut on the adjuster that is in the middle of the
cutter bar drive control cable. Turn the jam nut all the
way up the threaded barrel on the adjuster. Then turn
the barrel up the threaded barrel until it is approxi­
mately Vs-inch from the jam nut as shown in Photo
5-32. This decreases tension on the cutter bar drive
cable.
JAM NUT
THREADED
ÍARRÉÍT
Photo 5-32: Setting the upper adjuster.
2. Use a V 2 -inch wrench to remove the eleven bolts
that secure the cutter bar belt cover and cable pro­
tector beneath the engine deck. Take the cutter bar
belt cover off the mower.
3. Use a V 2 -inch open-end wrench to loosen the
forward jam nut on the lower cutter bar drive cable
adjuster. (This forward jam nut is located in front of
the cable holder that is welded to the bottom of the
right-hand side of the engine deck.)
Photo 5-33: Loosening the forward jant nut.