Having your blades sharpened is very important for achieving optimum performance when cutting and caring for the chipper long term.
In this guide, you will learn how to quickly and effectively change the blades or swap the edges on your chipper using just a few tools. Before starting this guide, please make sure the engine is turned OFF and the engine is COOL.
Replacing the Blade
Tools to be used:
Piece of woodblock
Torque-Meter Wrench
9/16" Hex Wrench
15/16" Hex Socket
3/8" Allen Keys
Ratchet Wrench
Piece of Cloth
STEP 1
Open the top half of the chipper by loosening the two black knobs that secure it. If the chipper was recently used, allow sufficient cooling time to avoid getting burned by the hot exhaust mufflers. We highly suggest utilizing working-grade gloves.
STEP 2
Carefully open the top half and position at rest. Don't let go of the cover until it reaches the end.
STEP 3
Inspect the rotor and clear away any debris lodged inside the chamber.
STEP 4
Position the wood block between the rotor and the chipper on the engine side to prevent the rotor from moving when loosening the blade fasteners.
STEP 5
Pre-loosen the hex nuts with a sufficiently long wrench. Do not loosen completely or remove the fasteners just yet.
STEP 6
Insert the Allen Key and on the rear, apply torque with a small ratchet wrench in a clockwise manner.
STEP 7
Loosen the hex nuts while holding the blade with your hand on the other side. Remove the hex nut and lock washers before removing the blade.
STEP 8
Remove the blade carefully with the bolts still on. Remove the blade with two hands as it is a little on the heavier side.
STEP 9
Clean the blade sitting area with a dry piece of cloth to remove unwanted debris.
STEP 10
If swapping the edge of the blade, it is always good practice to check the blade structural integrity and that no cracks are visible on both faces of the blade.
STEP 11
Ready to place the new blade or the swapped edge back into the rotor? Ok, let's begin by inserting each bolt into their respective blade holes. Make sure to have pressure washers and hex nuts within reach.
STEP 12
While holding the blade, place one hex nut to secure the blade in place, it will give you a chance to put the other hex nuts and pressure washers in place.
STEP 13
Make sure that each bolt is provided of its respective hex nuts and lock washers before adjusting.
STEP 14
Move the wooden block to the other side of the rotor before attempting to tighten the fasteners.
STEP 15
Preload the bolts until they are tight enough. It is very important to start the preloading by adjusting the inner bolt first, then the middle bolt, and the outer bolt (closest to outside circumference)
STEP 16
Finish off adjusting the bolts with long torque wrench. The torque should be adjusted to 150 ft-lb. We don't recommend adjusting the bolts without a torque meter.
STEP 17
Never adjust only one bolt to full torque. You need to alternate between each one and give each bolt a little torque until they reach full torque adjustment...
The bolts that hold the blades in place are grade 5 bolts that need to be replaced every 3 adjustments. When replacing the bolts, it is best practice to just replace the entire set (including hex nuts and lock washers).
If the bolts have been subjected to an extreme amount of torque, beyond their proof load, then a bolt must be replaced immediately. A rule of thumb to test each bolt is to take out the bolt and test it by running the hex nut around the threads by hand, if you are unable to thread the hex nut to the end of the thread, the the bolt (and the nut) must be replaced.
END OF THE GUIDE
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