Over-tightening is merely one of the causes of a lawn mower blade jam. When a lawnmower blade collides with an object, it is intended to slide, protecting both the engine and the edge.
If the bolt is put backward, the lawnmower blade may get stuck. Single-blade walk-behind mower bolts are right-hand threaded, so spin them to the left to loosen them.
The blades of some twin-blade stroll mowers or lawn tractor mowers may have both left- and right-hand threading. The thread travels clockwise on blades that turn left and anticlockwise on blades that turn right.
To identify the model, look at the direction in which the blade cuts the grass. The bolt may be rounded if it is old and rusted, if the tool is old or damaged, or if it is the incorrect size or device for a jammed bolt.
Over-tightening and corrosion may make a lawnmower blade bolt impossible to remove using standard tools.
It’s frustrating, to say the least, to have to keep your lawn mower from toppling over as you struggle to loosen a jammed blade bolt. Let’s figure out how to get rid of that trapped bolt without causing any further damage to the fixture or yourself.
How to Remove a Stuck Nut or Bolt?
Is the Lawnmower blade bolt stuck? Don’t panic! Before trying to remove the bolt, ensure that it can be done without causing harm. Remove the wire from the plug and store it someplace secure.
If the lawnmower has a tap, the gas should be turned off. Turn the lawnmower on its side with the carburetor pointing up to prevent gas from escaping.
Check to see whether the bolt is still tight. You should use a wire brush to remove as much rust as possible from the region around the bolt. The bolt should be sprayed with WD40 or similar penetrating oil, getting it below and above the blade and letting it soak in. You may attempt removing the bolt with a socket wrench again after spraying it with the oil solution, or you can try one of the alternative methods below.
Also Read:- Do You Need To Sharpen New Mower Blades | A Complete Guide
1. Making use of Leverage to Free a Stuck Blade
A breaker bar is a tool that increases the user’s leverage when used with a socket wrench. A breaker bar may be used as a lever to loosen difficult fasteners.
Stop the blade from spinning by inserting a piece of wood between the blade and the mower’s deck. The bolt may be tightened further with a socket wrench before attaching the breaker rod to the socket.
Use the breaker bar as a socket wrench to loosen the nut. The bolt may then be unscrewed by hand and the blade removed.
2. Removing Rounded-off Bolt
If the wrench cannot secure the bolt, spray penetrating oil on its head before tapping it with a hammer. Take care not to snap the bolt.
If the wrench continues to slide, other oil should be given to the bolt. Then, place a vice grip (also known as locking pliers) over your head and rotate it freely.
How to Remove Your Stuck Lawn Mower Blade?
When a lawn mower blade bolt gets stuck in the tightening-up position, you will need extra steps and tools to get it out. Be careful when removing a belt bolt stuck so you don’t overstretch it and cause it to break.
If the blade on your lawnmower is stuck, please read the steps below. Doing this might teach you to take apart a lawn mower blade without spending much money.
Also Read:- How To Sharpen Lawn Mower Blades Without Removing Them?
Step 1: Lubricant Spray or Oil for Penetrating Joints
Blade bolts rust because they sit in damp environments beneath the deck. A penetrating oil or fast-acting brilliant spray may solve a problem caused by rust.
These sprays and oils may penetrate the bolt’s threads and provide enough lubrication to liberate the bolt. Please follow the directions on the label and attempt to loosen the bolt.
Step 2: a 6-Pointed Wrench
The use of a six-point wrench or socket is next on the agenda. You won’t get a good hold on the bolt with an open twist or a set of grips, making it difficult to loosen.
Thus, the bolts’ sides may be rounded off due to insufficient contact, and you may exert undue force to hold the tool in place.
First, secure a firm hold on the bolt using a six-point or socket wrench. A 6-point wrench may be needed to free the jammed bolt on the lawnmower blade if the penetrating spray has penetrated the thread.
Step 3: Ratcheting Wrench
The torque required to loosen the bolt is maximized when using an extended wrench or breaker bar.
The greater the length of the bar, the less effort is needed to generate the same amount of torque. If a 12-inch wrench/breaker is too little for the job, try a 24-inch one.
One major thing to watch out for is that if the torque is too high and the bolt is jammed beyond its limits, it will be snapped. Be wary of breaker bars since they bestow incredible abilities onto their possessors.
Step 4: An Impact-Type Wrench
Battery or compressed air versions of impact wrenches are commonplace in many modern garages.
An impact driver’s power is comparable to that of a breaker bar. Therefore, an impact wrench might be the solution if the prior tools were insufficient.
If your impact wrench has adjustable torque, start with the weakest setting and work up. Use the penetrating oil or spray and observe all the safety measures we discussed.
Step 5: Prevention
Wearing work gloves is a must before tightening the bolt. Put the wooden block back in, but this time on the other side of the mower deck, and tighten the bolt with a combination wrench.
Overtightening a Bolt Might Cause it to Ohatter
In addition to maintaining your lawn in pristine shape, a sharpened blade may also reduce the mower’s energy consumption.
Take a few moments to wipe off the bottom of the deck and apply a little silicone spray coating (if you have some) before setting the mower back upright.
If you do this, you won’t have to worry about the clippings piling up and obstructing the airflow.
Also Read: How to Make a Hydrostatic Lawn Mower Faster? (7 Tips)
How to Make Sure Your Blade Bolt Never Gets Stuck Again?
If you can’t take your mower blade off, it’s likely because you tightened it too much or that rust has built up. So, let’s look at ways to stop these causes from happening again.
1. Too Much Tightening of the Blade Bolt on Your Lawnmower
People think the blade bolt needs to be very tight to work right. Quite the opposite, this is not true. If you look at the owner’s manual for your lawn mower, you’ll see that the torque isn’t very strong.
That’s why you need a torque wrench to fasten things accurately. They make it, so you don’t have to guess, and they are probably cheaper than buying a new mower.
A very small wrench can be used to tighten the bolt. It could get stuck if you use a breaker bar or impact wrench to tighten the bolt too much.
2. Preventing Rust in Your Lawnmower Blade Bolt
Another good way to keep the bolt on your lawnmower blade from getting stuck is to use a spray lubricant.
Before putting the bolt into the lawn mower, spray it and the hole where it screws in. Now that the rust is gone, you shouldn’t work too hard to get the bolt off the next time you want to.
FAQ’s
Removing the blade holding bolt requires a wrench or socket tool with a 15/16 inch opening. It is a typical socket size. However, it varies by manufacturer and lawnmower type.
The bolt is removed by turning it counterclockwise with a wrench or socket tool.
Apply penetrating oil to the connection and try to loosen the nut or bolt again. Let the oil soak in, then attempt to loosen it with a wrench. Slip a length of metal tubing over the wrench’s handle for more leverage while tightening nuts and bolts.
If a bolt is tough to loosen, you may heat it, remove the flame and spray WD-40 directly over the threads. The threads become slick as the wax melts and pull into them. Fuel and brake lines, rubber fittings, and other combustible components should be kept from open fires.
A little screwdriver or flat blade may quickly and easily move the bolt back to the good section of the threads when it becomes wedged between the component and the bolt, nut, or screw head. Strive to force the bolt out of its lines. The results are miraculous. The hole itself is sometimes stripped.
Conclusion
Lawn maintenance may be quite rewarding until it isn’t. However, most house owners need to know more about taking out a lawn mower blade.
You may need to replace and remove the blade if you see unmowed stretches of grass. But have no fear; you will find assistance in this manual.