Walker MBK23 Operator's Manual

Contents

53Maintenance Instructions CHECKING/SERVICINGCleaning the TerminalsIf battery terminals are corroded, remove batteryfrom the mower. Using a wire brush, remove corro-sion with a solution of one part baking soda andfour parts water. Rinse with clean water. Coat theterminals with petroleum jelly or terminal protectorspray to retard further corrosion.Charging the BatteryDANGERBATTERIES PRODUCE EXPLOSIVEGASES• Charge the battery in a well-ventilatedarea, so that gases produced while charg-ing can dissipate.• Keep sparks, flames, and smoking ma-terials away from the battery at all times.• Make sure the battery cap vents areopen (check manifold vent on each cap).• Make sure the battery charger is un-plugged before connecting or discon-necting cables to the battery.Check the battery charge by measuring the specificgravity of electrolyte; if specific gravity is less than1.225, the battery will need to be charged as follows:IMPORTANT: Always disconnect the negative (-)battery terminal before charging. Failure to do socan result in damage to the ECU.1. Charge the battery at 15 amps for 10 minutes.DO NOT exceed 20 amps maximum recom-mended charging rate. Charge until specificgravity is at least 1.250. Total charging timeshould not exceed one (1) hour.2. After charging the battery, use distilled water toadjust the electrolyte level to the bottom of thevent wells [1/4 to 1/2 in. (6 to 13 mm) above theplates].Tire PressureInflate tires to pressures shown below:Deck Caster Wheel = 20 PSI (137 kPa)Drive = 15 PSI (103 kPa)Rear = 20 PSI (137 kPa)Wheel Nut TorqueCheck the eight (8) Drive Tire mounting nuts. Every100 hours they should each be torqued to75 to 85 lb·ft (102 to 115 N·m).Sharpen Mower BladesCheck mower blade(s) for straightness, sharp-ness, condition of the cutting edge, and balanceevery 10 hours of operation (or more often whenmowing abrasive type grass or operating on sandysoils). Replace blades if worn, bent, cracked, orotherwise damaged (refer to REPLACING/RE-PAIRING the Mower Blades in this section). Usethe following procedure to check and sharpen blades:NOTE: Keep blades sharp - cutting with dullblades not only yields a poor mowing job but slowsthe cutting speed of the mower and causes extrawear on the engine and blade drive by pulling hard.1. Stop the engine, remove ignition key, and dis-connect the spark plug wires before raising themower deck to service blades.2. Raise the deck and secure it in the TILT-UPposition (refer to Deck Secured in TILT-UPPosition photo in CLEANING of Grass Buildupin Mower Housing in this section).DANGERNEVER operate cutter blades with thedeck in the raised position.NOTE: PTO shaft must be disconnected be-fore checking blades for straightness.3. Check the blades for straightness by markingthe blade tip position inside the deck housing,and then rotating the opposite end of the bladeto the same position and comparing. If the dif-ference in blade tip track is more than 1/8 in.(3 mm), the blade is bent and should be re-placed.