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Thread: Toro Turfmaster 30" walkbehind

  1. #1
    Senior Member EVAN86's Avatar
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    Default Toro Turfmaster 30" walkbehind

    Here is a review of the Toro Turfmaster I have now owned for the past 8 months:

    Pro's:
    *I have found the 30" cut to be the perfect size for doing average sized yards up to 1000m2. It can fit through most gates and down the sides of sheds and garden beds without having to get a smaller mower off the ute to finish the
    job.
    *The price. At less than $400 more than a genuine honda it is a lot more mower for the price.
    *Maneuverability. With two 15" cutting blades the length of the mower is the same as a rover 22" but with a 50% wider cut.
    *Blade/clutch setup. Only one lever is required to activate both the forward control and blade engagement.
    *Speed. The speed of this mower is faster than a Rover. I'm about 6 foot tall and have never needed it to go any faster.
    *Catcher size. Approximately 40% larger than most self propelled mower catchers.
    *Commercial construction. Very solidly built in all areas of the mower.

    Con's:
    *Pain to use on uneven ground. With the wide deck and blades mounted up inside the deck the mower will come to a complete stop if the front wheels drop into any small holes as the deck will catch on any higher ground. The rear
    wheels then loose traction and can cause your nuts to smack into the stationary handlebars.
    * This is not a problem if the lawn is relatively even or you are not trying to cut on the lowest setting.
    *There is a 1/2 inch reinforcing bar welded to an anti wear plate mounted to either side of the deck. I have ground this off to help with the deck catching on the lowest setting.
    *Poor performance in long grass. The mower struggles in long grass with the 6 hp motor if trying to catch long grass. The power is adequate in long grass if slashing with the side discharge in place.

    Summary:
    Even though this mower is frustrating to use in some situations it has enabled me to reduce my equipment overheads of my business while still being able to achieve a similar hourly rate on average sized lawns, compared to using a
    42" walker and push mower.
    I would rate this mower 6 1/2 out of 10 for overall performance in a commercial environment.

  2. #2
    Senior Member BeetleJuice's Avatar
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    Default Re: Toro Turfmaster 30" walkbehind

    The rear wheels then loose traction and can cause your nuts to smack into the stationary handlebars.

    That wouldn't worry me..mine fell off years ago

  3. #3
    Senior Member Mow And Go's Avatar
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    Default Re: Toro Turfmaster 30" walkbehind

    Quote Originally Posted by BeetleJuice View Post
    The rear wheels then loose traction and can cause your nuts to smack into the stationary handlebars.

    That wouldn't worry me..mine fell off years ago
    wheels or nuts?
    I dont break things ...I just use them beyond their operational limitations
    www.mowandgogardening.com.au

  4. #4
    Senior Member BeetleJuice's Avatar
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    Default Re: Toro Turfmaster 30" walkbehind

    Quote Originally Posted by Mow And Go View Post
    wheels or nuts?

    All the above..

  5. #5
    Senior Member Arfa Brayne's Avatar
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    Default Re: Toro Turfmaster 30" walkbehind

    Nice write up - thanks.
    Well done !

    Nuts on the handlebars - ow.
    at least the hondas only give you the bruise on the upper left leg where the clutch lever arm pokes down.
    "Can't" is a dirty 4 letter word.
    If someone says "Can't" , take the "T" off the end and brew it.
    Sip on a mugfull, relax, and take a look at what you've got left to work with.

  6. #6
    Senior Member EVAN86's Avatar
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    Default Re: Toro Turfmaster 30" walkbehind

    evans pics 1602.jpg

    Photo of Toro catcher next to Rover 560 catcher.

  7. #7
    Senior Member BeetleJuice's Avatar
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    Default Re: Toro Turfmaster 30" walkbehind

    I'd guess they can't go making them too big otherwise lifting a full catcher with wet or dry grass would be a PITA

  8. #8
    Senior Member EVAN86's Avatar
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    Default Re: Toro Turfmaster 30" walkbehind

    Another disadvantage this mower has is with hills. When traveling up an incline the mower will at times require assistance to continue its momentum. I believe this is due to the weight of the mower trying to be moved by a belt drive. Living in Bundaberg this is rarely a problem as it is one of the flattest town I know.

  9. #9
    Senior Member EVAN86's Avatar
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    Default Re: Toro Turfmaster 30" walkbehind

    Quote Originally Posted by EVAN86 View Post
    evans pics 1602.jpg

    Photo of Toro catcher next to Rover 560 catcher.
    Size comparison next to Rover 560rover mower 007.jpg

  10. #10
    Senior Member EVAN86's Avatar
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    Default Re: Toro Turfmaster 30" walkbehind

    And anotherrover mower 006.jpg

  11. #11
    Member Of Forum TassieXJ's Avatar
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    Default Re: Toro Turfmaster 30" walkbehind

    I'm looking at getting one myself. You said not much on banks. Is that going up and down or cross. I do a couple of banks cross ways.

  12. #12
    Senior Member AJD Mowing's Avatar
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    Default Re: Toro Turfmaster 30" walkbehind

    Good review Evan thanks..
    AJD Mowing Giving Back Your Life

    http://www.ajdmowing.com.au/

  13. #13
    Senior Member EVAN86's Avatar
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    Default Re: Toro Turfmaster 30" walkbehind

    Quote Originally Posted by TassieXJ View Post
    I'm looking at getting one myself. You said not much on banks. Is that going up and down or cross. I do a couple of banks cross ways.
    The problem it has with banks is not the traction or stability but more so the self propelled system not being able to cope with the extra weight. I normally have to push the mower slightly to keep it up to speed when going up an incline.
    This mower is belt driven which I assume is why it struggles on inclines. On flat ground it is far easier to operate the clutch/ self propelled than a genuine honda with two separate levers.

    This mower has been valuable to own so far, but after owning it for close to 9 months I am now considering replacing it with a small deck sized stand on mower to run along side my rover 560.

    One mod I have done to this mower recently is lower the blades by 6mm as the blades sit up inside the deck. This causes long grass to be pushed over by the front of the deck instead of cutting it cleanly. This mod has made the mower more versatile but wasn't easy to do as each blade runs a thick washer above them with shear pins/lugs on either side of washers that have to be incorporated into the new washer.

  14. #14
    Member bellarinelawns's Avatar
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    Default Re: Toro Turfmaster 30" walkbehind

    This thread is a bit old but I am thinking about getting one of these mowers. I.the one discussed in this thread is the domestic model, the commercial model is about $900 dearer. Has anyone used both and what is their opinion. I mow a retirement village and if it saves me 40% mowing time I think I could be onto a winner. The commercial model has a better engine , stronger deck and individual wheel height adjustment. The one thing I don't like about toro is that they don't mow low but I could probably get around that problem by spacing the blades lower to achieve lower cutting and reduce chassis drag. Any opinions.

  15. #15
    Senior Member EVAN86's Avatar
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    Default Re: Toro Turfmaster 30" walkbehind

    Hi bellarinelawns. Since originally reviewing this mower I have since sold my business and now work as a mechanic at a local mower store where I purchased the Toro turfmaster from.Having now worked on both the commercial and residential models I can say they are very similar machines. Besides the engine option they both run identical transmissions, timed blade set up and decks (commercial model has an anti wear bar added to deck skirt)

    My opinion is these are efficient mowers to use but only if you don't mow below 2 inches and don't use it in long grass.

    Lowering the blades will help but at the expense of it only 3/4 filling the catcher

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