Outdoor Power Equipment and Small Engines - Easiest way to change blades on 42" Craftsman mower...

I need to change the blades on my lawn tractor and was wondering what the easiest way to do this would be....any suggestions/advice? ;)

The absolute easiest way is to get someone else to do it for you. The method I use is to have a spare set of already sharpened blades ready, a small wire brush, the proper size 1/2" drive 6 point socket, a 1/2" drive breaker bar, good leather work gloves, and a couple of shortish pieces of wood 2"x4". I use the wire bruch to clean off the bolt heads or nuts that hold the blades in place so the socket fits correctly. I use the wood to jam the blade tip against the mower housing to prevent the blade from rotating when I loosen the bolts. I grab the presharpened blades and reattach with the hardware I had just removed, making sure I put a drop of oil or two on the threads and again using the wood blocks to jam the blade in place. An air wrench would make removal of stubborn bolts a definite plus.

Along with the other suggestions, I put two wheels on a set of car ramps to get the deck well off the ground.

The easiest way to change the blades is to trade it in for a different one. When you reinstall the blades, keep the rolled up edge on the back of the blade close to the deck and the sharp edge down. I get more of these units in with them upside down and they were just sharpened.