Troy-Bilt 31/2 HP - Manual (Page 38)

MAINTENANCE
Blade Guide Adjustment
The object of adjusting the cutter bar assembly’s
four blade guides is to make the cutter blade assem­
bly as snug as possible in the blade guides without
having it bind when it moves from side to side.
A CAUTION
• Before adjusting the blade guides, shut the
engine off, disconnect the spark plug wire and
prevent it from touching the spark plug. Also,
on electric start models, remove the Engine
Ignition key.
• When working on or near the cutter bar, wear
heavy leather gloves to protect hands and
fingers.
Failure to do this could result in personal injury
or property damage.
1.
Remove the cutter bar assembly from the mower.
Refer to Page 34 for instructions.
2. Lift the drive socket off the cutter blade drive pin.
3.
Move the cutter blade assembly sideways until its
four wear plates are centered beneath the four blade
guide assemblies. See Photo 5-40.
4.
Loosen the rear adjustment bolt on each of the
four blade guide assemblies. Then loosen the two
clamp nuts on each of the four blade guide assemblies.
NOTE
For best results, remove the two clamp nuts, lift
the blade guide and blade guide support up, off
the bolts, and brush or scrape off any dried
grass or other debris. When you reinstall the
blade guide support, make certain that the bev­
eled edge on its front is facing up.
Thoroughly oil the blade.
Begin the adjustment with the inner right-hand
blade guide assembly. Push forward on the blade
guide support and rearward on the blade guide while
you evenly and securely tighten the two clamp nuts.
7. Slide the cutter blade back and forth to make sure
that the cutter blade assembly doesn’t bind. If it binds,
tap the blade guide forward slightly until you can just
slide the cutter blade assembly from side to side.
PUSH FORWARD ON BACK OF SUPPORT
5.
6 .
WEAR PLATES
CENTERED BENEATH
BLADE GUIDES PUSH REARWARDTREREI
36 Photo 5-40: Tightening the clamp nuts.
8. Repeat Steps 6 and 7 on the left-hand inner, the
right-hand outer, and finally on the left-hand outer
blade guide assembly.
9.
Move the cutter blade assembly from side to side
until its four wear plates are again centered beneath
the four blade guide assemblies.
10.
Slowly tighten the rear adjustment bolt on the
right-hand inner biade guide until you can no longer
move the cutter blade assembly from side to side.
Then slowly loosen the rear adjustment bolt until you
can just move the cutter blade assembly from side to
side.
11.
Repeat Steps 9 and 10 for the left-hand inner, the
right-hand outer, and the left-hand outer blade guide
assemblies.
Photo 5-41: Adjusting the rear adjustment bolt.
12.
Place the drive socket on the drive pin and reinstall
the cutter bar assembly on the mower. See Page 34
for instructions.
Removing and Installing the Cutter Blade
Assembly
A CAUTION
Before removing or installing the cutter blade
assembly, shut the engine off, disconnect the
spark plug wire and prevent it from touching
the spark plug. On electric start models, also
remove the Engine Ignition key from the key-
switch.
When removing or installing the cutter bar
blade assembly, wear heavy leather gloves to
help preventthe blades from accidentally pinch­
ing or cutting your fingers or hands.
Failure to do so could result in personal injury.
To remove the cutter blade assembly from the cutter
bar assembly:
1.
Use a 13 MM (or a V 2 -inch) wrench to remove the two
bolts that secure the cutter bar drive pin to the top of the
cutter blade assembly.