Need Help!!

[The Sodfather]

I'm a little embarrassed to ask this but... Can anyone tell me why my lawn mower blade keeps falling off when I attempt to start it?? Its a 21" Snapper self propelled push mower. I had someone using it that managed to hit a curb somehow and bent the blade. I took the blade of to replace it with a new one and ever since then it just falls off if I try to start it. Anyone ever had this problem?? It tightens all the way down and doesn't wiggle at all but as soon as I pull the cord it spins and falls right off.. parts and all...

[Sprinkler Buddy]

Lawn care business tips

Sounds like the bolt threads may be stripped.

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[dpld]

what about the washer? did you put that back on with the new blade and bolt?
if that is not the issue then your bolt's threads are shot or worse, the threads in the hole on the crankshaft that the blade bolts on to are shot.

[The Sodfather]

I put all the parts back that are suppose to be there. It tightens down and wont move at all by hand but as soon as I pull the cord BAM!! Falls off. I did notice just now though that the old blade had a small lip in the middle that kind of wrapped up onto the piece connected the the shaft and the new blade doesn't have that. Could that possibly matter so much that it makes the blade fall off??

[The Sodfather]

Forgot to ask... If the bolt threads were stripped..would it still tighten??

[jrayb39667]

Originally Posted by The Sodfather

Forgot to ask... If the bolt threads were stripped..would it still tighten??

No it wouldn't. What's strange is that the bolt is a right hand thread and the mower spins clock wise, which means that it should spin the blade/shaft in the direction that would keep bolt tight. You said the blade falls off. Is the bolt coming out too? if the blade is falling off and the bolt is staying in then the hole in the blade is bigger than the bolt holding it on. I would check that 1st.

[The Sodfather]

The bolt falls out of the shaft and the blade and washers fall with it...

[wat5150]

Duct tape.

[Steve]

You should take some video of this and put it on youtube so we can see.

[CHEESE2009]

Something may be on backwards/upside-down, when it spins it's probably loosening something.