A strip of uncut grass left in the middle of mowing rows could signal that your lawnmower’s blades are unbalanced or that one or both of them was installed the wrong way Lawnmower blades are beveled and specifically designed to attach in a certain fashion
Why is my mower leaving stragglers?
Driving faster than the mower blades and deck can process overwhelms the deck and leaves behind stragglers and clumping Slowing down the drive speed of a mower allows the blades enough time to lift, cut and discharge grass clippings evenly
Why does my lawn mower not cut grass?
If your lawn mower is not cutting grass properly, check the deck, wheel adjustor, and blades The blade on your mower should be inspected at least once a year and sharpened or replaced as needed Your lawn will actually tell you when your blade needs to be sharpened if you know what to look for
Why is my mower not cutting evenly?
If your riding lawn mower is cutting the grass unevenly, start by checking the pattern of the cut Blade vibration also causes an uneven cut To eliminate vibration, replace unbalanced blades and worn mandrels Replace a worn blade belt because a worn belt won’t spin the blades correctly
What happens if mower blades are not balanced?
A blade typically becomes unbalanced in the sharpening process when you grind more metal off one side than the other Mower blades are spinning 4000 RPMs An unbalanced blade spinning that fast will cause a significant amount of vibration, which will put stress on yout blade shaft, spindle, and even the engine
Why is my riding mower scalping?
Lawn scalping could be caused by going on vacation and missing mowing days, a week of rain that makes mowing impossible while the grass shoots up quickly, or possibly just uneven spots in your lawn Scalping is mowing the grass so low that you cut the blade off at the growing point or crown
How often should mower blades be sharpened?
This keeps your mower in good shape and helps to maintain a healthy lawn However, if you mow more often, the blades will need more attention On average, a mower blade should be sharpened after every 20 to 25 hours of use time
Do mower blades need to be timed?
Premium Member The blades are not timed and if you try to “time” them, they will move around on their own the tips miss each other no matter how you orient them, so there is no need to worry about it
Why is one side of my mower deck lower than the other?
If the deck on your lawn tractor is lower on one side than the other, the result is an uneven cut Leveling your tractor’s deck periodically smooths out your lawn It only takes a few minutes and just a couple of common tools to level your lawn tractor deck
How do you align a lawn mower blade?
Turn the mower blades slowly until one points forward and one points backward Leave this as is and place a wood block inside the deck next to the edge of a blade that has to be aligned Turn this blade just a bit to wedge it tight Using an adjustable wrench, remove the blade’s screw, spline washer and spring washer
How do you balance a lawn mower blade at home?
To Balance Lawnmower Blades you have to follow these steps: Assemble all your work equipment Disconnect the spark plug Tilt mower on its side Remove the blade Remove dust and debris Sharpen blade Mark the new blade Check blade balance
What causes a lawn mower to shake?
This is usually a sign that the mower blade is damaged or out of balance This can be caused by a damaged blade, or one that has been sharpened incorrectly and is out of balance If you suspect your mower is vibrating excessively due to an issue with the blade, inspect the blade for damaged and test for balance
Do new lawn mower blades need sharpening?
As mentioned above, brand new lawn mower blades do not need to be sharpened because they are always sharpened during manufacturing However, lawn mower blades do generally need to be sharpened at the beginning of each new season
Do you have to balance a new lawn mower blade?
After sharpening, make sure the blades are balanced and you’re ready to put them back on To make the process even easier, we recommend keeping an extra set of blades around If one set is dull, put the new blades on and you can sharpen the dull set one rainy afternoon
How do you fix the scalping on a riding lawn mower?
There are a few steps you can try to remedy the problem Step 1 – Slow Down It is possible you are simply going too fast Step 2 – Raise Mower Deck Cutting Height Step 3 – Check Your Tire Pressure Step 4 – Inflate Your Tires Step 5 – Level Your Deck Step 6 – Level Your Lawn
Should mower deck wheels touch the ground?
Mower deck gauge wheels should be properly adjusted to prevent scalping grass on uneven terrain The bottom of the wheels should sit approximately 1/8-1/2 of an inch from the ground, depending on your cutting height
How should a mower deck be adjusted?
Turn the adjusting lock nut clockwise to raise the mower and counterclockwise to lower it Measure from the blade to the ground again on both sides and adjust until the difference between the blade tip heights are within ⅛ -inch Rotate the blades so that their direction is now front to back
How sharp should lawn mower blades be?
Mower blades should be aggressively sharp, but not as sharp as a razor’s edge You should be able to touch the blade with your hand without getting cut Contrary to popular belief, a lawn mower blade with a razor sharp edge will not cut grass better
Are mulching blades better?
Mulching blades feature more curves and an increased cutting edge The curved surface and increased cutting edge allows the blade to cut the grass and bring it into the deck where it is cut several more times before falling back onto the lawn in much smaller pieces
Should you sharpen mulching blades?
Your lawn mower blade is dull Sharpen the blade twice each season to help maintain a green, healthy lawn A sharp blade not only cuts blades clean so grass plants recover quickly, it helps reduce your lawn mowing time
How long do mower blades last?
Well as indicated earlier, most mower blades will last about 20-25 hours until they should be sharpened But in terms of overall lifetime, most blades last at least 100-200 hours total, and some higher quality ones can last even longer, as much as 400 hours