It can be frustrating to have to grapple with a stuck blade bolt as you tripping over your lawnmower. Over-tightening and corrosion can cause lawnmower blade bolts to get stuck. This can render your normal releasing methods useless. So, before you pull a muscle or break something struggling with your stuck bolt, let’s see how you can remove it without running into any more trouble.
How to Remove a Stuck Lawnmower Blade Bolt (The Short Answer).
A lawnmower blade bolt stuck in its tightened position will require you to take extra measures. When removing a stuck bolt from your lawnmower, be careful. Overstressing it could cause it to snap, or weaken. These are the steps that can be taken to release the stuck beltbolt.
- Penetrating oil and Lubrication spray
- 6 Point Wrench
- Extended Wrench
- Impact Wrench
Safety Tips Before You Begin (Safety Tips).
Follow the safety precautions below before you start making any repairs or services to your lawn mower blade to ensure your and the lawn mower’s safety.
The Spark Plug is available for you
Whenever you work on parts that are controlled by the engine, it’s essential that you remove the ignition cable from the spark plug and tuck it out of the way. This will prevent the engine’s accidental start-up. Locate your sparkplug, and remove it.
Tilting the Lawn Mower
Proper tilting your lawnmower will stop oil from getting in the carburetor and air filter. The mower may not turn correctly and cause the engine to stop working. How to properly tilt your lawnmower.
Plug the Filler cap
You may need to shut off a full tank of gas. The gas can leak from the top of the mower because it has a tiny leaker hole. It is possible for gas to leak if the mower is left on its side. This could cause a fire hazard.
Get your protective equipment
I always recommend wearing a pair of protective gloves when working with the lawn mower’s blade. Even though the blade might seem dull, it could still have chips or dings that could cause injury.
A Blade Brace
Blade braces serve two purposes. The first is so that you don’t need to hold on to a potentially sharp blade, and the second is to give you the ability to use additional force to remove the bolt. Blade braces can be in the form of a purposely manufactured brace, a simple 4×2 timber, or anything that will safely hold the blade in a secure position.
How to Get Rid Of a Lawn Mower Blade That is Broken (Easiest Method).
Now that you have safety taken care of, let’s look at the different stages of removing a mower blade bolt that’s stuck.
Step 1. Step 1.
A fast-acting penetrating spray or penetrating oil may be the answer to your rust problems. Because blade bolts are exposed to moist conditions under the deck, it’s very common for them to get rusty. These types of penetrating oils and sprays work their way into the bolt’s threads and loosen things up just enough to free up the bolt. Apply the product as directed on the label to loosen the bolt.
Step 2. Step 2.
Next, you will need a six-point socket/wrench. If you’re trying to remove the bolt with an open wrench or a pair of grips, then you only have very limited contact with the bolt. As a result, the limited contact can lead to rounding off the sides of the bolts, and you’re probably using a lot of effort to keep the tool in place.
Grab a socket wrench or 6-point wrench and grab the bolt using both your hands. If the liquid penetrates the thread, a 6-point wrench might be enough to release the lawn mower blade bolt.
Step 3. Step 3.
The torque required to remove a bolt is increased by using a breaker bar or an extended wrench. The longer the bar, the more torque you will get without needing to exert extra effort. So, if you struggle with a 12-inch wrench/breaker, move up to a 24-inch. The only thing to remember is that if you apply too much torque and the bolt gets stuck, it will cause the bolt’s to snap. You have superpowers with the breaker bars, but be careful.
Another way is to use a Hammer to strike the bolt/wrenchtop. This will produce a similar action as an Impact wrench. Sometimes, an additional shock can be enough for the bolt to be released.
Other Things to Try If You Still Can’t Get Your Mower Blade Off
If steps 1-3 didn’t work, then you really do have a stuck bolt. This means you will need to get serious about using the big tools. So, let’s have a look at how to remove a lawn mower blade that is stuck, really stuck.
Step 4. Step 4.
Impact wrenches these days are sitting in a lot of people’s garages in battery or compressed air versions. An impact driver is powerful, similar to a breaker bar. So, if the previous tools didn’t have the power, then an impact wrench might be the answer.
If your impact wrench has different strength settings, then I’d recommend using the lowest setting first and progressing to the strongest. Don’t forget to use the penetrating oil/spray and all the safety precautions we covered earlier.
How to Prevent Your Blade Bolt from Getting Stuck Again
As mentioned before, it’s probably down to overtightening and rust if you can’t get your mower blade off. So let’s take a look at how you can avoid these causes in the future.
Overtightening Your Lawn Mower Blade Bolt
Most people believe the blade bolt should only be tightened to the maximum. This is incorrect. If you read through your lawn mower’s manual, you’ll find that the torque is actually pretty low. A torque wrench will be required to achieve the correct tightening torque. They are less expensive than buying a new mower, and they eliminate the guesswork.
You will only need a small wrench to tighten the bolt. Bolts should not be tightened with a breaker bar or impact wrench. Overtightening can cause a stuck bolt.
Rust Prevention of Your Lawn Mower Blade Bolt
Spray lubricant can also help prevent the lawn mower blade bolts from getting stuck. Spray the entire area where you will place the bolt before you insert it in your lawn mower. The next time you try to loosen the bolt, corrosion shouldn’t be a problem, and the bolt will loosen without much effort.
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