Lawn mowers, like any technology, do not last forever. There are times when some parts wear out and require the user's attention. In such cases, it is important not to ignore the features of the device and perform all quality maintenance operations.

Of course, you can contact the service specialists, but many operations can be easily carried out by the owners themselves, the main thing is to know how to carry out repairs and clearly follow the instructions.

How to tidy up a lawn mower knife?

A person can purchase replacement blades immediately after purchasing the device, or he can sharpen an existing knife. In any case, after dulling the part, it must be removed.

First you need to disconnect the electrical device from the power supply and put it on its side. As for the gasoline unit, everything is somewhat more complicated here.

• Remove the grass collection tank;
• Drain oil and gasoline carefully into separate containers;
• Disconnect spark plugs;
• Place the mower sideways.

The following steps relate directly to changing the knife.

• It is necessary to fix the blade with a log or board so as not to cut yourself in the process;
• Often, the blades are mounted on two bolts or one, but large, located in the center. Socket or box wrench will be an excellent helper;
• Unscrew the bolts counterclockwise as the right-hand thread is standard;
• If the factory tightening is stuck and is holding on very tightly, you can use a special WD-40 liquid wrench.

There are times when the knife adapters that connect the cutting element to the motor need to be replaced. It is important to understand here that each manufacturer complements the product with certain features, therefore, for example, the specified part from the Alco mower cannot be used for MTD.

Using the tips indicated in the video below, each owner of the "garden assistant" can learn methods to create an adapter with your own hands using basic parts and tools.

Knife sharpening

After removal, the blades are often either replaced with new ones, or the existing ones are sharpened. Quality products can be “renewed” several times and should only be replaced when the plate itself becomes thinner or the corners of the knife are rounded.

For the process itself, you can use a grinding bench and do not forget about a protective mask and gloves. When using the grinder, it is necessary to hold the blade itself in a vice. A file is also considered an option, but it takes a lot of effort and time to work with.

Upon completion of sharpening

After the above procedures, do not rush to install the blade, because you should check its balance. To do this, you need to place a nail in the hole of the blade and make sure that the work done is correct.

If the desired effect is not, the installation of such a cutting part can lead to vibration and damage to the device itself. Therefore, it is necessary to correct the situation with a file or a machine. Then you need to put the blade in place and tighten the bolts.

Next step in lawn mower maintenance: cleaning

High-quality care of the lawn mower is impossible without basic cleaning of the deck and engine from grass.

Removing vegetation from the deck

The grass itself has an incredible corrosive effect on the unit, therefore it is necessary to periodically clean the deco. It is important to understand that a wet lawn should not be mowed under any circumstances, because then the negative impact will double.

Dry vegetation itself will fall away from the object, and it will be possible to clean it as efficiently as possible with an air compressor or blower. Some models are equipped with a dedicated flush nipple, which saves the hassle of the user.

Removing vegetation from the motor

Since the motors on the mowers are air-cooled, the entire system will only perform well if the fins are not dirty. Otherwise, you should expect the device to overheat and fail quickly.

The fins can be cleaned by removing additional engine parts and using compressed air. Even a small, soft brush will work perfectly and will demonstrate excellent performance in this case.

Changing the lawn mower oil

The oil should be changed according to the information specified in the operating instructions for the device. The procedure itself involves draining the old composition into a separate container and pouring a fresh one.

An important point: the new oil must have the appropriate API class and the required viscosity level. The process of draining itself should be carried out with a warm engine, because then the tank is emptied as much as possible. Do not let dirt get into the container.

Features of oils for 2-stroke engines and 4-stroke engines

Each manufacturer has its own recommendations regarding this issue, so the answer to it should be sought in the operating instructions. The choice of oil should not be based on its cost, because the adaptability of the ingredients of the substance is influenced by the class of technology and the degree of grinding of the mating units.

• protects against corrosion of metal objects;
• guarantees heat resistance;
• prevents oxidation;
• stabilizes viscosity.

As for the oil for a 4-stroke engine, it differs in other additives and viscosity. With its help, the elements are washed, and this despite the fact that the oil does not mix with the fuel. It must be replaced after every 50 hours of operation.

Among the options offered for two-stroke engines, the most common are:

• Semi-synthetic oil Premium Inforce;
• Oil HP, Husqvarna 5878085-12;
• API TC CARVER oil;
• Mineral oil POWER ACTIVE 2T dispensing;
• Semi-synthetic oil DDE SS-2T.

For the operation of four-stroke models, it is better to give preference to oil:

• Husqvarna Universal SAE 30;
• Champion Snowthrower 5W30;
• MaxCut 4THDSAE 30;
• ELITECH 4TDUltraSAE 5W30;
• Encore SAE 10W40.

In any case, the choice should be based on the recommendations in the manual for the unit.

Further tips for lawn mower maintenance

• The elements are lubricated by means of a special grease gun;
• It is advisable to clean the air filter periodically, but at the end of the working season it is worth buying a new one;
• A burnt or rusted spark plug must be replaced;
• At the end of the season, you should drain the gasoline from the mower to avoid unpleasant consequences in the form of deposits in the tank.

In principle, if you figure it out, taking care of the mower is not so difficult, the main thing is to adhere to the basic rules and use only high-quality elements, oils and fuels.

How to unscrew a knife from a lawn mower At the moment 04/26/2018 11:34:00 PM Sharpening knives at the lawn mower So there was such a problem. 🙁 Tell me - and you yourself

How to unscrew a knife from a lawn mower

At the moment 04/26/2018 11:34:00 PM

Sharpening knives at a lawn mower

So such a discrepancy arose. 🙁 Tell me - do you sharpen your knives yourself? Something intimidated me - they need not only to sharpen, but also to do balancing. How? No, at a theoretical level, I figured it out, but in fact - by no means 🙁 Or, in general, is it better to hand over to a metal repair shop and there will be excellent sharpening and balancing? Or is it better to go to a service workshop? How are you doing?

The spouse could not even unscrew knife.

Tatiana. The self-propelled mowing lawn mower does not work. The clamping screw must be unscrewed counterclockwise: 99.9% of lawn mowers (German, Italian, American, Swedish) have a right-hand thread. Only it is better to turn it not with pliers, but with an adjustable wrench, and even better with a socket head.

Tatyana65. Or rather, to the workshop. A small imbalance will only increase the load on the bearings of the support, accelerate wear, and a strong one will "spread".

larix, thanks for the advice. Electronic self-propelled lawn mowers popularity rating. And just in time Tatiana asked her own question 🙂 Thank you! You can't drag the mower to the service 🙂

And I'm not sharpening at all, once a season I buy a new knife and no hassle.

Rom165, I would also do this, but I have already climbed the entire Internet, but I have not found the knives 🙁 Where do you buy? And they probably differ depending on the brand and office? What kind of mower do you have? If this cannot be written in the subject, please write to me in a personal, if it does not make you more difficult.

Tatyana65. In general, there is no need to sharpen a kitchen knife to the sharpness. In practice, it is enough to carefully remove the burrs with a ratfil or an abrasive bar, without touching the metal of the entire blade, so that the surface of the blade is even and does not tear the grass. The choice of a gasoline lawn mower for a summer residence. After all, the imbalance may seem due to the difference in the mass of the "wings" acquired from too much and unevenly removed when sharpening metal. Therefore, who does not know how, it is better not to approach the electric grinder. But if you are careful and not in a hurry, you can remove the burrs with ratfil without even removing the knife from the mower.

larix, thanks! It never even crossed my mind! 🙂 You need to first So experience. It won't help - then go to the workshop.

Sharpening a lawn mower knife from Lenfilm film studio

We tried our best. If you are not very happy, then take a look at our website. There we made out the "flights" in detail.

Bosch Rotak 37 LI how to change the knife on a lawn mower

Bosch Rotak 37 LI how to change knife on lawn mower.

Tatyana65, I have a "Honda" lawn mower, it went to the fourth year. It comes with detailed instructions for sharpening the knife. larix wrote everything correctly. Partner gasoline lawn mower device. Although it is safer and more convenient to remove the knife, which, by the way, is fastened with two bolts. We check the balance by "hanging" it on a screwdriver.

Of course, you should not, if possible, run into stones and other objects - this greatly spoils the knife.

MTD from me, I bought a knife at Novoryazanskaya in a garden equipment store.

I always sharpen knives myself - the service centers are far away, and the sharpener is nearby. The previous relatively low-power electric mower had to be sharpened often, otherwise the edges of the grass were shaggy. American self-propelled gasoline lawn mowers rating. The more powerful petrol one was sharpened once a season - it can be seen that it takes "pressure". The first time it was very difficult to remove the knife - it sticks or something, but the husband only from the third call of the special. unscrewed with a key. Remove the impeller on an electric lawn mower. And on electric, I coped with pliers without problems.

I bought a spare knife at the Lawnmower, but my husband took off the old one and sharpened it, worked with it for a while, secretly hoping that the mower would be unbalanced and I would buy a new one - nothing noticeable happened, I still use the old one, and it’s at least 4 years old - it’s already boring.

To a certain extent, the danger of a slight imbalance is a myth. Look at the knife, there is not so much news of which the film sticks to it, and not evenly. And nothing harmful will happen.

But if you remove it and sharpen it on a sharpener, then you will definitely get an imbalance, the sharpener removes the metal shamelessly.

Personally, I sharpen or use a diamond file (very good for tool steel and removes a minimum). Or, if I run hard, that is, a mini-drill like Dremel, it can also be sharpened very carefully. It is absolutely not necessary to sharpen to the sharpness of the knife, the main thing is that there is a clear angle, and not roundness.

What prevents you from checking the balance by putting the knife on the stick by the central hole - if it hangs evenly - balanced, if one side pulls down - it is unbalanced and you need to remove it a little. Of course, with this method, the knives grind faster - but it seems to me that buying a couple of spare ones and replacing them as you grind them off is more economical than dragging each time to the service to the other end of the city and paying for sharpening (the only time I did this, I was charged 300 rubles, it was about 5 years ago). You just need to calculate how much a knife costs and how much - a trip to the workshop.

And I don't like sharpening with a file or a bar - it's long and boring - I really feel sorry for the time. Gardenlux lawn mower carburetor cleaning video. You can also meditate during other work - weeding, for example. 🙂 IMHO

Vaska, I don’t sharpen knives either, but change them, but I’ll still say about the imbalance. Putting a knife on a stick and aligning it, you get only a static balance, dynamic at home cannot be checked, namely, it gives the most unfavorable consequences for the engine.

Rom165, I want to clarify - I just sharpen knives - but myself, with an electric sharpener. For the rest, I agree - they used the electric mower for 6 years, its body began to wear off (plastic) - but it worked properly and was given "into good hands" after purchasing a gasoline mower in working order. Over the years, 2 knives have been used interchangeably, and did not have time grind off with a sharpener before discarding. And they mowed a lot - 12 acres of grass. Gasoline lawn mowers are their device. There was an imbalance - there was not - I don't know. 🙂

I report - our craftsmen sharpened a knife at work, checked for imbalance, gave it back and said - use it 🙂 I carefully watched how they sharpen, in order to then sharpen the knives myself. I know how to use an electric grinder. And it turned out to be so easy to sharpen knives that I won't even bother my husband 🙂

When the mower has a dull knife, you can sharpen it yourself or take it to a service. You can buy a new replacement knife. In any case, the blade will have to be removed. In this article, we'll take a look at how to remove a knife from an electric or gas powered lawn mower.

How to remove a knife from a lawn mower

First you need to prepare your mower. If the model is with an electric motor, simply unplug it and put it on its side. If the model is gasoline, you need to perform a number of actions:

• Remove the grass catcher.
• Drain fuel and oil carefully into separate containers (oil leakage may cause starting problems).
• Disconnect spark plugs to avoid accidental contact.
• Lay the mower on its side.

• Using a log or cutting a board, we fix the blade so that it does not rotate. Be careful not to get cut off.
• The blade can be secured with 2 bolts or 1 large bolt in the middle. For unscrewing, we use a box or socket wrench (it is easier to tear off the edges with pliers). The thread is usually right-handed, that is, it must be unscrewed counterclockwise.

The question regularly arises of how to remove a knife from an Al-ko or Bosch Rotak lawn mower. There are no fundamental differences between these models. It's just that the "native" factory tightening is very tight. Sometimes the bolts have time to stick. In such cases, the WD-40 liquid wrench helps.

Push lawn mowers are a thing of the past. To facilitate the work, the knives were driven by an electric motor. The device of an electric lawn mower is still simple, but some nuances have appeared.

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With electrical devices, the area around the cottage or country house can be easily brought into a well-groomed area, emphasizing a certain level that the owner managed to achieve in landscape design. With the help of a scythe and even a trimmer, such a result cannot be obtained, since it will not be possible to cut the grass, maintaining the same height.

All electric lawn mowers are designed in the same way. They have a platform for mounting a motor, the shaft of which is parallel to the ground. A knife (or two) is fixed on the shaft of the electrical device, with which weeds are mowed. For a good bevel, the speed of the electric cutting tool must be high.

For convenience, the platform itself is equipped with four wheels and a handle with elements attached to it that control the engine. It is designed to push the device forward and operate the electric mower.

The wheel attachment can be rigid and swivel. In the first case, you will have to lift two wheels when cornering. Swivel ones involve the use of less physical force.

In addition, they "spoil" the lawn less. Therefore, if flowers are planted on the lawn, there are swings, gazebos, etc., then it is recommended to use swivel wheels. Electric lawn mowers with such wheels are convenient for caring for areas under bushes and trees.

The engine is enclosed by a housing, which at the same time protects the operator from injury by accidental objects when working with the electric lawn mower. The material used for its manufacture is more often plastic and less often metal. As you can see, the device of an electric lawn mower is quite simple.

The grass cut and left on the lawn turns the area into a non-aesthetic one, and besides, when it dries up, it will require cleaning the lawn with a rake, for example. If the weeds do not have time to remove before the rain, the grass rots and leads to the appearance of bald spots on the lawn. Therefore, it will be more correct if the electric mower is equipped with a grass catcher.

Structurally, they are divided into:

• tough;
• soft;
• combined, i.e. they themselves are soft (made of fabric, and the top is hard).

Air circulation holes are provided in the grass catcher container. The collectors are located at the rear of the electrical device. Their device should be such that it makes it easy to remove the container for cleaning.

The larger the volume of the collection box, the less often it will have to be cleaned, which means less time will be spent.

This part performs mowing of weeds, therefore it must be reliable. The knife must be made of high quality special steel. The mower can be equipped with one or more blades, depending on the model.

Do not mow areas with stones, so as not to break the knife and damage the device.

After removing the knife from the electric lawnmower, it can be replaced with a new one or sharpened. To do this, you will have to remove the old one, for which the mower is prepared - disconnected from the power supply. Next, the blade is fixed so that it does not rotate.

The blade is fastened with one bolt in the center or two. To unscrew them, you need a socket or box wrench. It is better not to use the pliers so as not to "lick" the edges.

If you cannot remove the bolt because it has become stuck, you can use the WD-40 liquid wrench.

Video: Replacing the Cutting Blade on a Lawn Mower

A pen

This part serves to control the device: pushing forward and turning. A button is installed on it that turns on the motor. Therefore, the main requirements for the handle are convenience, strength, the ability to adjust for the growth of the worker.

Major malfunctions

There are not so many of them, but it is necessary to identify and correctly eliminate them:

• does not cut weeds. This may mean that the knives are dull and broken. It is recommended to buy a new knife for each season and, moreover, only the one that is necessary for a particular model. If the knife is dull, it is carefully removed for sharpening. If there is no sharpening experience, it is more correct to entrust the operation to specialists. Having sharpened the knife on both sides at 30 degrees, it is installed in its original place without disturbing the balance. Otherwise, vibration and noise will occur, leading to destruction of the bearings. Check the balance by putting a knife on a screwdriver. If one of the sides turns out to be heavier, you will need to grind off the metal from this side;

• the device is difficult to move on the lawn. The weeds may be mowing too high and the mowing heights need to be adjusted. It is also worth checking whether the wheels or the roller are jammed (rotate freely). They may be clogged with debris or grass. Parts need to be inspected and cleaned;

• the motor overheats. The reason may lie in the blocked air intake, i.e. reduced air intake. It is necessary to clean the accumulated grass from the air intake grilles;
• the electrical device does not work at all (does not show signs of life). If such a breakdown is found, start by checking the knives by turning off the device and, if they are clogged with grass, then clean them by rotating the cylinder in the opposite direction until it starts to rotate freely.

If everything is in order with the knives, check the drive belts for breaks. They may have pulled out, broke, worn out, or simply jumped off the pulley.

To check this, the cover is removed from the belts, the fastening screws are loosened and the pulleys - small and large - are brought closer to each other.

A new belt is put on a pulley of a smaller diameter, then it is gradually "wound" onto a large one, smoothly rotating the latter.

After installing both pulleys in place, tighten the belts and tighten the screws.

Check the belt tension (the deflection should not exceed 4 mm), put the cover in its original place;

• breakage of the power cord. During operation, the cord rolls and unfolds and moves across the lawn, so eventually its inner conductors break. Therefore, it should be checked for an open circuit, upon detection of which, the wire must be replaced, after turning off the mower and removing the switch cover.

To disconnect the cord, you need a 1 mm hexagon, which is inserted into the holes for the conductors, loosening the clamps. After removing and checking the wire for an open circuit, install it or a new one, observing the polarity;

• the switch is out of order. It is better to diagnose it at a service center. In the same place, if necessary, make its replacement;
• no power supply.

The simplest cause might be an electric mower that is not plugged into a power outlet. If other devices included in the same circuit do not work, check the circuit breakers on the panel or fuses.

How to change the oil

For everyone who is periodically faced with mowing weeds, a lawn mower is an indispensable item. A simple device, however, sometimes requires maintenance, which includes changing the oil used to cool the mechanism, which allows the motor to operate at high rpm.

In addition, the oil protects parts of an electrical device stored at low temperatures.

The frequency of oil change is determined by the technical condition of the engine. In new devices, it is necessary to change the oil in the lawn mowers immediately after the break-in is completed, i.e. after 5-6 hours of continuous operation.

Subsequently, the replacement is carried out after another 5-10 hours. This prevents debris from accumulating in the motor. In an engine that is not new, the period between oil changes increases to 25-50 hours, which corresponds to 2-3 months.

It is possible to determine that the oil needs to be replaced by its color: as soon as a black tint appears, it is necessary to replace it so that the motor does not jam.

The entire process for replacing fluid is divided into stages:

• draining old oil;
• turning the electric lawn mower with the drain hole down;
• installation of the device in a horizontal position;
• pouring new oil through the filler neck up to the mark on the crankcase.

What kind of oil to put in the mower depends on the ambient temperature in which the garden tool is used. It is correct to use SAE-30 fluid if it is 5-30 degrees outside. An oil with a viscosity of 10W-30 is suitable for the off-season, while the 5W-30 series is most preferred in winter.

We cannot ignore Synthetic 5W-30 - a reliable tool that ensures the operation of the device at low negative temperatures.

The fishing line is used as a cutting tool. It is advisable to select it of the diameter that is intended for this type of mower. If it is taken with a larger diameter, this can cause overheating and failure of the motor and bushings.

When choosing a fishing line with a smaller diameter, the efficiency of the work decreases, and the consumption of the line itself increases.

There are two ways to replace the line:

• winding it on a bobbin;
• by installing the bobbin with the line already wound (new).

If the first method is chosen, it is important to correctly wind the line on the lawn mower, for which they hold the bobbin with one hand, and with the other unscrew the pressure head rotating in the clockwise direction.

Then they check if the bolt moves freely inside.

Next, remove the bobbin and the spring located in it. Wipe them with a rag. They also clean the shaft and the inner surface of the housing. After that, the line is folded in half, and the ends are passed into two retaining grooves.

Pulling it down, the loop is minimized. The length of the line should be 7.5 meters, and the turns should lie tightly to each other. The line is wound in the direction indicated on the bobbin with both ends at once, placing the index finger between them to avoid overlap.

Having installed the spring in the bobbin, the latter is placed in the body. Then, by pulling sharply on both ends at the same time, it is removed from the grooves.

Important: the spring is placed in the bobbin before the spool is assembled. A pressure head is installed in the assembled coil, then, it is twisted counterclockwise.

They also change the fishing line on the lawn mower, replacing the bobbin with a new one, onto which the fishing line is already wound: the spring is taken out of the bobbin reel removed from the body, wiped, as indicated above, the spring is reinstalled into a new bobbin with a fishing line, the ends of the fishing line are threaded into the body bushings.

It remains to put the bobbin in place, install the pressure head correctly and tighten it by turning it counterclockwise.

It is even easier to replace a lawn mower cable: you need to buy a new one and install it in place of the damaged one.

A common reason for lawn mower recoil starter breakdowns is the spring, which anyone can replace. It is enough to unscrew the starter, remove the pulley by unscrewing the screw and releasing the spring. It can be bought separately, like the entire starter, but you can repair it yourself.

Replacing the spring with a new one, install a pulley on it and perform the steps in the reverse order. Then the cable is wound so that the spring is tight.

Video: Maintenance / Partner Lawnmower / Video instruction

A lawn mower is a complex tool that requires maintenance. It is necessary to clean it of debris, blow out the air intake grilles, change the oil in a timely manner if you use a gasoline model. It is also very important to change the blades on time, because the cutting tool is the main working part of this technique. The sickle-shaped knife, which is part of the structure, does not actually cut, but cuts. Therefore, if it becomes blunt, the lawnmower will pull out the grass, giving the lawn an awful look.

This article will help you to replace the blade on the lawn mower, returning it to its previous functional features.

Knife replacement instructions

As a standard, the knife is changed once a season. This is done at the end of spring, before the first mowing.

Main steps:

• Switch off the mower before starting work. It is enough to de-energize the electric model, but if you use a gasoline model, make sure that there is no fuel in the gas tank.
• Turn the tool to one side and pull out the grass catcher.
• Free the knife and the surrounding area from the ground and grass.
• Unscrew the fixing bolt with a wrench. Make sure the blade does not rotate. It is better to perform this operation in work gloves - this will protect you from possible cuts.
• Replace the knife with a new one and tighten the bolt.
• You need to tighten it tight enough. If the fasteners are loose, the mower will vibrate or the blade may come off.

As you can see replacing the knife on the lawn mower is a fairly easy procedure. Any gardener can cope with it.

Knife sharpening

It happens that from intensive use the blade becomes dull, but there is no significant damage to it. It is not necessary to change it, it is enough to sharpen it.

Sharpening is best done with a grinder or grinder. You need to sharpen carefully, as the knife is hardened. Do not overheat the blade. To do this, immerse it in cold water while sharpening.

Then check the balance. To do this, insert a knife into a metal rod. It should hang parallel to the ground without bending over. If one of the sides outweighs, undermine it.

Knives and accessories in the "Gardener" online store

In our online store there is a large selection of replacement knives and