I have a Toro 22" recycler with the automatic pace yourself drive
system. I sent this email to Toro.

The above model Toro starts fine, runs fine, but doesn't cut worth a
damn. It is the worst cutting of the mowers I've owned (two Lawnboys,
and another Toro 2 cycle Suzuki engine.) This new mower is fine as long
as you go forward, but if you stop, or ESPECIALLY put the mower
backwards, it leaves large clumps of grass. And never pulling it
backwards is not possible. I keep the underside clean. I was wondering
if there was an upgrade on the blade or something that would prevent
this problem. To be honest with you, I wish I had never purchased this
mower. Just because of its poor cutting.

Among the answers from Toro was this one:

-Set the cutting height on the front wheels one notch lower than the
rear wheels. (i.e., set the front wheels at 2 inches and the rear
wheels at 2 3/8 inches.)

What's the logic behind this suggestion??

Pete E. Kruzer wrote:
I have a Toro 22" recycler with the automatic pace yourself drive
system. I sent this email to Toro.

The above model Toro starts fine, runs fine, but doesn't cut worth a
damn. It is the worst cutting of the mowers I've owned (two
Lawnboys,
and another Toro 2 cycle Suzuki engine.) This new mower is fine as
long as you go forward, but if you stop, or ESPECIALLY put the mower
backwards, it leaves large clumps of grass. And never pulling it
backwards is not possible. I keep the underside clean. I was
wondering
if there was an upgrade on the blade or something that would prevent
this problem. To be honest with you, I wish I had never purchased
this
mower. Just because of its poor cutting.

Among the answers from Toro was this one:

-Set the cutting height on the front wheels one notch lower than the
rear wheels. (i.e., set the front wheels at 2 inches and the rear
wheels at 2 3/8 inches.)

What's the logic behind this suggestion??

I've done that for years, except I have more like an inch higher in
the rear. It keeps the blade cutting only at the leading edge in the
direction you are going MOST of the time, and keeps it from trying to
keep cutting and throwing those chunks of grass when backing up. Try
it. You may like the results.

Tom J

Tom J wrote:

I've done that for years, except I have more like an inch higher in
the rear. It keeps the blade cutting only at the leading edge in the
direction you are going MOST of the time, and keeps it from trying to
keep cutting and throwing those chunks of grass when backing up. Try
it. You may like the results.

Tom J

____Reply Separator_____

Thanks for the suggestion! I take it by doing this it doesn't have any
effect on the mulching feature. The reason I asked this question was
due to the fact that the answers from Toro seemed to be generic for all
their mowers. For instance:

-Operate the machine at full throttle.

____Reply Separator_____

My Toro doesn't have a throttle. It has one speed, that being full
speed.

-Alternate mowing direction to keep the grass standing straight - this
helps disperse clippings, which enhances decomposition and
fertilization.

____Reply Separator_____

I don't disperse the clippings, I want to mulch them. If I wanted to
disperse them, I wouldn't have bought a mulching mower.

Pete E. Kruzer wrote:
Tom J wrote:

I've done that for years, except I have more like an inch higher in
the rear. It keeps the blade cutting only at the leading edge in
the
direction you are going MOST of the time, and keeps it from trying
to
keep cutting and throwing those chunks of grass when backing up.
Try
it. You may like the results.

Tom J

____Reply Separator_____

Thanks for the suggestion! I take it by doing this it doesn't have
any
effect on the mulching feature.

Can't say, but it won't hurt to give it a try. I bag, but it did stop
the clumps from dropping when I changed.

Tom J

"Pete E. Kruzer" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have a Toro 22" recycler with the automatic pace yourself drive
system. I sent this email to Toro.

The above model Toro starts fine, runs fine, but doesn't cut worth a
damn. It is the worst cutting of the mowers I've owned (two Lawnboys,
and another Toro 2 cycle Suzuki engine.) This new mower is fine as long
as you go forward, but if you stop, or ESPECIALLY put the mower
backwards, it leaves large clumps of grass. And never pulling it
backwards is not possible.


1) Are you actually going over uncut grass going backwards, or are you just
moving it backwards over just-cut grass in order to move the mower over to
make a forward-moving cut?

2) Is it cutting grass, or is it cutting clover? Mulch or bagged? The fine
choppings created in mulching don't disperse in clover and weeds anywhere
near as well as they do in grasses. Grass mulch is drier than chopped up
clover, plaintain, and ground ivy.

3) is the blade on right side up? (pull plug wire, tip back mower, and pull
the starter while watching the blade. Is it going cut edge first?)

4) Is the blade bent or warped? (Like, when the kid who took it off the
truck dropped it on the blade dragging it off the truck.) One side up and
one side down on the blade will mess up the airflow in the chamber.

2) Is it side discharge or rear discharge?

3) is the throttle wide open? (carb adjustment may give too low an RPM to
mulch properly)

4) Does the manual show a second short blade crosswise to the cutting blade
(the "mulch blade" used to swirl air to force the clippings back through the
blade on many mowers) - and is it on upside down?

5) don't clean it so much. More crud (within reason - a fine layer) means a
rougher smaller chamber means more air turbulence.

background -

If the cutting chamber is non-symmetrical front to rear, it won't cut
grass the same pulling it back into uncut grass as it does moving it
forward - no matter who made the mower. (Some older push power mowers had a
round metal plate on the back inside of the chamber to make the chamber
round.)

If you must mow pulling the mower backwards into uncut grass, then you will
need to find a round chamber mower.

------
pc -

Toro bought Lawnboy some time ago.

I swear my Gold Lawnboy doesn't have the "lift" of my older lawnboy. decks
looked the same outside, but they stand the grass up differently.

It's not much better than a Sears or the old Toro.


FWIW



I keep the underside clean. I was wondering
if there was an upgrade on the blade or something that would prevent
this problem. To be honest with you, I wish I had never purchased this
mower. Just because of its poor cutting.

Among the answers from Toro was this one:

-Set the cutting height on the front wheels one notch lower than the
rear wheels. (i.e., set the front wheels at 2 inches and the rear
wheels at 2 3/8 inches.)

What's the logic behind this suggestion??

"Pete E. Kruzer" wrote in message
ups.com...

I don't disperse the clippings, I want to mulch them. If I wanted to
disperse them, I wouldn't have bought a mulching mower.


Dispersing....mulching....same thing, when you're talking about mowers. They
should really be called "pulverizing mowers". Oh well. The mower's supposed
to keep the clipping briefly suspended under the deck for further chopping,
and then disperse them. If they weren't dispersed, the deck would fill with
grass after about 30 feet of mowing. And, the word "mulching" does not apply
to the mower chopping up the grass. It means to apply any substance to soil
or lawn for better growth.

On 31 May 2006 10:00:19 -0700, "Pete E. Kruzer"
wrote:

I have a Toro 22" recycler with the automatic pace yourself drive
system. I sent this email to Toro.

The above model Toro starts fine, runs fine, but doesn't cut worth a
damn. It is the worst cutting of the mowers I've owned (two Lawnboys,
and another Toro 2 cycle Suzuki engine.) This new mower is fine as long
as you go forward, but if you stop, or ESPECIALLY put the mower
backwards, it leaves large clumps of grass. And never pulling it
backwards is not possible. I keep the underside clean. I was wondering
if there was an upgrade on the blade or something that would prevent
this problem. To be honest with you, I wish I had never purchased this
mower. Just because of its poor cutting.

Among the answers from Toro was this one:

-Set the cutting height on the front wheels one notch lower than the
rear wheels. (i.e., set the front wheels at 2 inches and the rear
wheels at 2 3/8 inches.)

What's the logic behind this suggestion??

Forget this suggestion. Keep all the wheels at the same height, as
stated in the owner's manual. Make sure the grass is dry. I walk
around the yard before mowing to pick up branches or other debris--if
my shoes get wet it's too wet to mow. If the mower clogs up when
mowing dry grass, then install the side chute. Also, you may be
cutting off too much at any given time--no more than 1/3 of the grass
blade should be cut.

BTW, the plastic gears on the rear wheels tend to break--this is a
manufacture design defect that Toro won't admit. Watch for any wobble
in the wheels.

Pete,

I own a Honda with a replaced blade for mulching. It too clogs up with wet
grass. You have not told us whether the 'stop' or 'reverse' mode stops the
blade
from rotating. If that were to happen, the grass would certainly fall, since
there is
no air currents generated to keep the grass pressed upwards. Also, have you
checked the sharpness of the mower blade? A dull blade can cause all kinds of
problems.

Sherwin D.

"Pete E. Kruzer" wrote:

I have a Toro 22" recycler with the automatic pace yourself drive
system. I sent this email to Toro.

The above model Toro starts fine, runs fine, but doesn't cut worth a
damn. It is the worst cutting of the mowers I've owned (two Lawnboys,
and another Toro 2 cycle Suzuki engine.) This new mower is fine as long
as you go forward, but if you stop, or ESPECIALLY put the mower
backwards, it leaves large clumps of grass. And never pulling it
backwards is not possible. I keep the underside clean. I was wondering
if there was an upgrade on the blade or something that would prevent
this problem. To be honest with you, I wish I had never purchased this
mower. Just because of its poor cutting.

Among the answers from Toro was this one:

-Set the cutting height on the front wheels one notch lower than the
rear wheels. (i.e., set the front wheels at 2 inches and the rear
wheels at 2 3/8 inches.)

What's the logic behind this suggestion??