Removing the mulching blade from the mower and even sharpening it for the first time is easy. Do you know what’s the hardest? Well, it is installing the mulching blades back on. The mulching blades may appear like a simple piece of metal but it can be “really” confusing to put on. Most lawnmowers do not understand which way the mulching blades go on. They end up installing it all wrong or getting it damaged.
For the mulching blade to cut grass evenly, it must be sharpened every 10 hours of use. Therefore, if you do the same, you pretty much have to remove and install the mulching blade back on every other month. Therefore, it’s high time to know which way the blade goes on as that’s the only trickiest part.
In this brief post, you will find out which way the mulching blade goes on and how it is installed properly.
Which Way Do Mulching Blades Go On?
The mulching blade should go on in such a way that the cutting edge faces the ground or in simple words it should face you when you are tightening it to the shaft.
Now, let’s get into details for the newbies to understand. To know which way the mulching blade would go on you have to examine a few things.
- Shape & design
- Stamp, model number, sticker, or etched words
- Metal flaps
- Cutting edge
Now let’s examine the above-mentioned things and figure out which way the mulching blade is supposed to go on.
Shape & design – The first thing you need to do is examine the shape and design of the mulching blade. That’s a bit tricky to understand for a newbie but you have to try it. Take the mulching blade in your hand and see the middle part is flat and it is gradually curving up to the edges. Now, the flat part of the mulching usually goes up in the mover in a way that the curved edges face down.
Stamp, model number, sticker, or etched words – Luckily, you can examine the stamp, model number, sticker, and etched words to figure out which way the mulching blade goes. A mulching blade doesn’t need to have it all; stamp, model number, sticker, and etched word. There can be just a model number or stamp as well, so you have to figure it out by examining it alone.
You would find the stamp, model number, sticker, or etched words in the middle of the blade. You have to put on the mulching blade in a way that these details face the ground when the mower is in the normal upright position.
Metal flaps – Metal flaps are the part of the mulching blade that should be up. It is because it’s the cutting edges that cut the grass, not the metal flaps. When the metal flaps go up, the cutting edges face the ground.
Cutting edge – Though, cutting edge is quite easy to find. However, if you are still new to it, consult the manual guide to know what the cutting-edge feels like. The cutting edge would always be sharper and shinier than the rest of the parts. You can examine or feel it by placing your thump on it. Since the cutting edge cuts the grass it has to face the ground.
By following the above-mentioned guidelines, I’m pretty sure you have figured out which way mulching blades go up and it will work just fine. That’s not all, you still have to get done with the trickiest part; installing the blades.
How to Install the Mulching Blades?
To install the mulching blades to perfection, you have to follow the following step-by-step guide.
- Consult the user manual – Even though I’m going to explain things pretty well down, consult the user manual. The user manual is always specific and the best guide to follow. Give it a read first to put the blade on properly.
- Have all the necessities – Now that you are ready, bring leather gloves, a wrench, a 2×4 wooden block, and reducing washers.
- Wear gloves – Now that you are about to install your mulching blade, wear leather gloves to protect your hands.
- Do a wobble test – Even if you are confident that you are putting the right side of the blade up, yet do a wobble test. Mount the blade on the mover as you are about to do and check if it’s firm or loose. If the blade is firm, you are good to go. Otherwise, you have to reverse the side as you have turned the wrong side up.
- Empty the mower – Drain out the fuel to avoid spills and be able to install the blade easily.
- Shift the mower to some high place – Place the mower to some high place now as if it’s on the ground, you would not see the bottom part of the mower properly. If you can not shift the mower to some high place, lay it down on the side making sure the air filter is facing upward. Moreover, the carburetor must also be high.
- Place the wooden block and identify the side of the blade to go up – Now place the wooden block in the deck and turn the sharp of the blade side down towards the ground. Now put the hole of the mulching blade on the shaft of the mower and use the wooden box to restrict its movement.
- Tighten the blade with nuts – Now place the washers and nuts and tighten them to 80 pounds of torque with the help of a wrench.
- Remove the wooden block – Now carefully remove the wooden block that you used to restrict the movement. We do not need it anymore.
- Clean the deck and close the discharge chute – You are almost done, clean the deck using silicon spray and close the discharge chute.
- Plug the wire and check – Shift the mower back to the ground, plug the wire, and run it on the grass. If you have followed all the instructions properly, it would run smoothly and do its job satisfactorily.
Tips to Follow While Installing the Mulching Blade
- The mulching blade can easily bend or get damaged, handle it with care.
- Do not forget to disconnect the spark plug before installing the mulching blade.
- Clean the mounting area first so you can install the blade properly.
- Make sure the mower is secure to its position as it must not shake while tightening the nuts.
- Double-check the blade balance before running it on the ground.
- Do follow the manufacturer’s instructions while securing the blade.
- Have a human aid to be able to perform the job well.