Knowing how to balance lawn mower blades couldn’t be as important as it is right now. That’s because lawnmowers have grown in importance over the years to occupy a prominent place among gardening tools.
They help keep lawns tidy and more appealing resulting in attractive well-manicured lawns. Before using the lawnmower, however, there are various settings that you need to put in place.
Chief among these settings is balancing the blades. A lawnmower with unbalanced blades will vibrate a lot in addition to not cutting grass well.
While most users understand this could be a problem, they don’t know how to fix it. With our guide, that will be a problem that won’t give you much trouble.
It is relatively straightforward to do that since it only involves ensuring the blades’ weight is evenly distributed across the blades from one side to the other.
How to Balance Lawn Mower Blades an Expert Guide
There are several steps involved in balancing unbalanced mower blades. They are pretty easy to follow and will enable you to have the mower working in good condition in no time.
What You Will Need
- Gloves
- A pair of safety goggles
- A screwdriver
- A blade holder
- A File (Flat)
- A Socket Wrench
Step 1
Disconnect the mower’s power cable from the battery and put the lawnmower on a flat surface. It will make it easier for you to open it up since there will be fewer chances of it suddenly turning on.
Step 2
Turn the mower upside down and find the blades on the lower part of the mower. Hold the blade and use the wrench to unscrew the screws that hold the blades in place.
Ensure you store the screws someplace safe since you will need them when you are reinstalling the blades. After removing the screws, you will now be ready to remove the blades.
Step 3
Inspect the blades for any damage. If the blades are blunt, use the flat file to sharpen the edges. A blade holder should come in handy here since it will hold the blade in place as you sharpen it.
While sharpening, don’t sharpen the bottom of the blade. Remember to do it carefully and in tandem with all the other sides so that the blade balances.
Step 4
After sharpening the blades to your satisfaction, you can now remove the blades from the holder.
Step 5
Next will be to check for the balance. You check for this by placing the screwdriver into the blade’s centre hole. If the blade is balanced, then the screwdriver should even out at a 180-degree angle.
The screwdriver will lean on the heavier side if the blades aren’t balanced. For more accurate results, you can get a blade balancer. In the absence of both the screwdriver and the blade balancer, a nail will work just fine.
Step 6
If the blades are unbalanced, you will have to balance them. Use the flat file to file the heavier side till it is the same level of sharpness as the other side.
You can also use a grinder that will cut off the thickness from the heavier side to make the sides level and correct the imbalance. Check for balance each time you grind the heavier side.
Keep doing this till you are sure the weight is evenly distributed from all the blades’ sides.
Step 7
After confirming that the blades are now balanced, you can use the tools to reinstall them onto the mower. Ensure you screw the screws tight to avoid the blades falling off when in operation.
Why is it Important to Balance Lawn Mower Blades?
It Will Increase the Quality of the Cut
From the onset, we told you that a mower with unbalanced blades would tend to vibrate. The vibrations will affect the quality of your cut since the blade won’t be steady.
That is why you will need to ensure the blades are well balanced to achieve that clean, crisp cut you admire.
It Will Reduce Wear and Tear
A lawnmower’s blades spin at a very high speed (up to 400rpm) to better cut grass. That means if they are even slightly out of shape, the vibrations will have far-reaching implications for the body of the mower.
That will cause the inner parts closest to the blades to wear and tear faster. Therefore, correcting this imbalance in the blades will enable you to prolong the lifespan of the mower.
It Will Increase Cutting Efficiency
A lawnmower with balanced blades will also reduce the time you will spend trimming your grass. Like any other equipment, a mower with unbalanced blades will struggle to replicate the crisp cuts at a faster rate.
That will mean you having to repeatedly make the cuts to achieve the same efficient results a regular mower would do effortlessly. That will not only make the exercise time-wasting, but it will also become labour intensive.
Things to Remember While Balancing your Lawnmower Blades
- Remember to wear your gloves. The blades might be sharp or might even press your fingers if you have them exposed. Hand gloves will help prevent such accidents.
- Be careful when moving the lawnmower to avoid any accidents. When sharpening or grinding to balance the blades, ensure your hands are in a safe position to prevent any injury.
- If you aren’t sure how to sharpen the blades, please get a professional to do it for you to avoid any accidents.
Final Thoughts
We hope with our insight, the problem of how to balance lawn mower blades has become easier to solve. It isn’t that complicated as most people would have you believe.
All you need are a few common tools, and you are good to go. Balancing your lawnmower will enable you to replicate the crisp lawns typical of most golf courses.
Although sharpening the blades can be quite tricky for newbies, it gets much easier with time. In case you deem it too complicated, then there is no shame in getting a professional to do it for you.
Happy mowing.
Also coy can visit
- How to Remove a Stuck Lawn Mower Wheel?
- How to Fix Steering on John Deere Riding Mower?
- The Reviews of 6 Best LED Light Kits for Lawn Mowers
- The 5 Best Carburetor Cleaner For Lawn Mower in 2024
- How Do You Adjust A Reel Mower? Expert Opinion for Best
