How To Troubleshoot Lawn Mower Blade Problems (Explained)
Have you ever encountered a situation where your lawn mower blade stopped working properly, and you noticed that it started to cut the grass unevenly or poorly?
If yes, you might have wondered if it is possible to troubleshoot such a blade problem and if possible, how to troubleshoot a lawn mower blade problem.
Firstly, gather up all the necessary tools and materials. Then, look for uneven wheel adjuster or mower deck and replace the deck if necessary. After that, check whether the blade is installed properly or not and if required, install it accordingly. Next, check whether the blade is bent, dull or loose and replace it if required.
Keep reading this following article and learn the detailed way of troubleshooting lawn mower blade problems.
What Causes the Problem?
Often lawn mower users complain that sometimes they notice that their mower blade won’t engage or they could see rows of uncut grass while mowing with their lawn mower.
When your lawn mower’s internal battery is weak, not charged enough, or dead, you will encounter a blade, not engaging issues.
If you have not maintained the lawn mower blade sharpening or scheduled servicing properly, it’s obvious that your mower blade will turn dull or bent and if that’s the case, you will notice uneven cuts or rows of uncut grass like I mentioned earlier.
Lawn mower users have also mentioned noticing loose blades while they were having cutting issues and it can occur either due to overuse or lack of regular maintenance.
Such normal wear or tear issues of lawn mower blades mostly occur when the mower is getting older.
5 Steps to troubleshoot lawn mower blade problems:
If you suddenly notice that your lawn mower is not cutting the grass evenly or the cutting looks weakly done, it most probably happening due to a dull, bent, or loose blade that your mower has. In that case, you need an immediate, easy but effective fixing solution.
That’s why I have enlisted an easy and quick troubleshooting method in today’s article.
So, let’s learn together-
Things required to troubleshoot lawn mower blade problems:
Have a proper glance at the checklist of the necessary tools and materials for this task:
| Tools | Materials |
| Standard Mechanical toolkit | New Mower Deck (if needed) |
| Ratchet Wrench | New Blade (if needed) |
| Piece of Scrap Wood | |
| File or table Grinder | |
| Safety Gloves & Glasses |
Step 1- Look for an Uneven Wheel adjuster or Mower Deck:
If your wheel adjusters are not all set to the same level, you won’t have a consistent mowing height.
Therefore, you need to check them accordingly, and in case of severe damage or wear issues, replace the defective parts as required.
Otherwise, clean them thoroughly and use WD-40 on them. Remember, a little amount of WD-40 can go a long way.
Also, inspect your lawn mower for damaged or bent mower deck, including any signs of excess rust.
While you are at it, remove any build-up grass from around and underneath the mower deck.
Step 2- Replace the Damaged Mower Deck:
If the mower deck looks damaged, you should replace it and before the replacement task, remove the fuel from the gas tank as well as oil from the engine.
Next, remove the control cable from the engine.
Then, remove the pull rope from the handle.
After that, remove the rear portion of the mower from the deck (including the rear housing, wheels, and handle).
Now pull the side of the deck out a little to remove these tabs from your mower.
Then, tip the mower up on its back and remove the front portion by removing the bolts.
Next, use a 2×4 through the side door on the mower to prevent the blade from spinning while removing the bolt.
Remove the engine from the deck by releasing these bolts.
Set the deck in the motor back down flat on your workbench to remove the rest of the bolts and take out the engine to put aside.
Lastly, remove the sight discard door.
Now, assemble the new deck on your mower by using the same steps but in reverse motion.
Step 3- Inspect whether the Blade is installed improperly:
It is not uncommon for people to accidentally install their cutting blade upside-down, but doing this will tear your grass rather than cut it.
Most mowers spin the blade clockwise that’s why you need to make sure your cutting edge is facing the same direction.
Thus, have a look at the blade to confirm it’s installed properly and if not flip it.
Step 4- Check whether the Blade quality is poor or not:
Inspect the sharpness of the blade and give it a quick sharpen if it is dull because a dull blade will also tear your grass rather than cut it properly.
A simple file can help you to get the job done, but a grinder will make it quicker.
A table grinder will help restore your blade but if you don’t have access to one, simply replacing the damaged blade with a new one is a smart idea.
Be sure to sharpen the blade a few times per season to keep cut quality at its best.
You should also take this opportunity to inspect the blade for damage or wear like nicks or damaged or chips caused by rocks.
To learn the sharpening procedure in more detail, watch this video.
Step 5- Replacing the Mulching Blade:
If your mower seems underpowered or cuts the grass poorly, it might be the right time to replace the mulching blade.
First, tip the mower on its side to have clear access to the blade.
Then, bind up the blade with a piece of scrap wood and use a ratchet wrench to remove the single nut that’s holding the blade.
You can also see a metal spacer and the insulator, so remove them too.
Next, pull away the blade from the fan and install the new blade now.
While installing the new one, confirm you are pointing it in the right direction. Thus, look at the blade, you will see the “Grass side” mentioned, and this side should be towards the grass.
Now, install the blade onto the hub on the fan and then, reinsert the metal spacer as well as the insulator.
Warning:
Performing such repairing tasks can be hazardous. Thus, make sure you have enough knowledge and expertise to perform them. Remember to first read all the instructions manual before operating, servicing, or troubleshooting it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I inspect and sharpen or replace the Mulching blade of my lawn mower?
The blade should be inspected regularly and sharpened or replaced at least once per year for better mowing and mulching performance.
What causes the lawn mower Mulching blade to vibrate during use?
When the mower blade strikes larger debris, it nicks the blade and larger nick can cause such vibration during operation.
How to determine if my lawn mower blade needs to be replaced?
If you see sizable dents or if the lawn mower blade is bent, you can confirm that it needs to be either sharpened or completely replaced.
Final Verdict
If your lawn mower is also failing to deliver a perfect cutting finish and ruining your grass texture, take a moment to look deeper into the issue.
In today’s article, I already provided the easiest way to troubleshoot the mower blade problems. Initially, the entire troubleshooting process might seem a bit complicated, but eventually, you will be able to fix the issue in no time.
Thoroughly follow all the instructions to troubleshoot Lawn mower blade problems to get the best outcome.
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