toro timecutter74350 part below blade is moving when trying to change blade

so i just changed my blades and belt on this timecutter - the instructions on new blades (from home depot - have used them before) told me NOT to put back on the blade stiffener. so I didn't. replaced belt put all back together. cut 1/2 of lawn and it wasnt sounding right. when looked at blades and moved them they were a little loose. which they never were before when I changed them. I am now thinking that NOT putting the stiffeners back on did something. when I tried to loosen the nut holding on blade, and had a block of wood to keep blade from turning, the part underneath kept turning. which never happened before. did something get stripped maybe? I can only loosen it by holding nut on other side at pulley with adjustable wrench. thanks for any help. not sure which part is the issue. spindles? pulley? bearing?
here is diagram: http://www.ereplacementparts.com/to...awn-tractor-parts-c-121776_128672_131475.html

Who are you going to believe, aftermarket source or manufacturers directions? Toro put the blade stiffeners on for a reason, and you need to use them. Without the stiffener you bottomed out the bolt and made it much more difficult to remove. You also were not able to tighten the blade properly, creating a noisy loose blade and dangerous situation. Once again where the BB stores are just selling stuff, and not worried about the customer.

When you eventually get the blades off check carefully the spindle where the blades sit.
Good chance if they have been loose the blades have worn a little groove in the spindle in which case they should be replaced.
The pulleys should have 2 holes in them you will have to make up a tool with a pair of pins to go through those holes so you can hold it while you are undoing the blade bolt.

He who buys cheap pays thrice.

The blades you got from Home Depot for the timecutter is a toro blade sold by toro.
It is the high lift blade that you do not use the stiffener. Only reason I got a set from HD was they was close and I bent a blade.
A dealer is $15 cheaper.

With all 4 of my timecutters sometimes I have to hold the nut on top of the pulley when changing blades. Sometimes I don't.

bertsmobile1 said:

When you eventually get the blades off check carefully the spindle where the blades sit. Good chance if they have been loose the blades have worn a little groove in the spindle in which case they should be replaced. The pulleys should have 2 holes in them you will have to make up a tool with a pair of pins to go through those holes so you can hold it while you are undoing the blade bolt. He who buys cheap pays thrice.

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None of my timecutters have holes in the pulleys. And holding just the pulley does not work. The shaft will still turn. Makes it real hard to remove the nut holding the pulley on. When changing bearings.

Timecutter blades like to come loose. They really should have made the shaft different. Like with a nut rather then a bolt.
I have a guy owns a Machine shop that removes the broke bolt and taps the hole for $20.00 I break around 4 a year.

Must be a local variation.
All of the Toros I see here use the same style of pulley with 2 holes as used on the commercial mowers.
Welded a couple of old allen wrenchs to a few old worn out chain saw bars then cut a hole out to go over the pulley bolt.
Got to use the scrap for something.

Some of the after market blades are a lot thicker then the standard Toro blade which I would guess is the origin of the no stiffener plate directive.

These were toro blades from HD. Like someone else said, it was convenient and quick to get them there. Wasn't trying g to be cheap. I will check spindles carefully for grooves. From your comments it sounds like it should be ok to run even if I had to hold pulley on other side to tighten everything back up.

toroincoatesville said:

These were toro blades from HD. Like someone else said, it was convenient and quick to get them there. Wasn't trying g to be cheap. I will check spindles carefully for grooves. From your comments it sounds like it should be ok to run even if I had to hold pulley on other side to tighten everything back up.

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The blades you got are not cheap ones. That last longer then the gator blades.