The days of mowing your lawn are over until the early spring arrives. However, you can take steps to maintain your lawnmowers and tractors while you wait for the warm weather to rear its beautiful face. To change your mower’s blades, follow these easy tips:
Why Change Your Tractor’s Blades?
No matter the type (kitchen knife or lawn mower), blades will become more dull each time they are used. Eventually, when the blades become too dull they will be ineffective at doing their job. Dull blades on a tractor will add wear and tear on the engine by making it work harder than it needs to. Your grass will also become damaged, as the dull blades will tear your grass rather than cutting it cleanly.
Blade Changing Tips
- Never work underneath of the mower or tractor; remove the mower deck instead. To flip a mower over without it rolling away, lock one wheel with a clamp.
- Lock the blades in place with clamps to prevent them from breaking free as you work on removing them. Avoid wedging a block between blades as an alternative method.
- Find the corresponding socket to your tractor and begin loosening the blade bolts. Common tools to use for this job are a 25-inch breaker bar and a six-point socket.
- After removing the blades, scrape off any chunks of grass and other residue with a putty knife. A mower with too much residue can lower its efficiency.
- Rather than sharpening the blades and putting them back on, purchase a second set to install. This way you can sharpen the first set of blades whenever you have the time.
Making sure your tractor or lawn mower has sharp blades is one of the most important maintenance tasks you can perform in the offseason.
Turf Unlimited is a full-service lawn care provider, offering a wide variety of lawn care, fertilization, and pest and weed control services to the Massachusetts or New Hampshire area. For more information about our services call 888-649-9919 and schedule your free, in-home estimate today.
