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Thread: TPE TN011 Self Propelled 3 Speed Mower: any hope for better mulching??

  1. #1
    Senior Member conrad's Avatar
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    Default TPE TN011 Self Propelled 3 Speed Mower: any hope for better mulching??

    Hey all,

    I won't go into the details now - but last week I found myself in need of a mower so I picked up one of the TPE self propelled 3 speed ones with the Honda GXV160 engine. I didn't have much choice as I needed a mower right then and there... so I just asked the guy at the shop "does it do a good mulch cut". "Yep" he says.

    Well yes it's got plenty of power, but quality of cut and especially mulching capability is pretty much crap compared to my electric mower!! Instead of leaving really small size grass leaves, it smashes it all into something like a grass paste and then the rubber flap hanging down at the rear of the mower kind of smears these clumps all over the lawn rather than just letting them fall and disperse naturally & evenly.

    Smeared dark green mess (right side of lawn). In a few days it would have really stood out after it turned into light brown mess:


    Confirmed excellent cut:


    The same lawn mulched: (not the best angle or time of day to show it off, but you can see how clean the lawn looks)


    Is this a known problem with these type of mowers? Is there any way to fix it, or am I best off getting rid of this and getting another one that just mulches better?

    If any of the Husqvarna shops had them in stock I would have gone for the 53cm BioClip dedicated mulcher. Right now I am thinking that I'll sell the TPE and get the Husky. For the last ~2 years I've been doing mulch (some side discharge for heavier stuff) exclusively and plan to keep doing so. The Husky will be a spare/backup machine.

    I mentioned the Husky to the guy at the shop and he was like "yeah but the TPE will cut down to 20mm". I checked the Mean Green, on concrete set to the lowest cut height I can slip a piece of 70x35mm timber under there so it's lowest cut height is definitely no lower than 35mm, even higher as there was a bit of wiggle room. So being able to cut at 20mm is a non-issue, I don't see myself using that kind of cut height ever. The Husky will go down to 30mm so thats fine with me. As it is I still have to watch it on the lowest cut as that will easily scalp on some uneven sections. And I'd say that having ~35mm as the "lowest" cut height has saved me from the Australian epidemic of cutting grass way too low.

    This TPE has been an absolute pig to use, feels like it weighs twice as much as the Mean Green. The weight leaves wheel tracks in the lawn, plus the weight of clippings in the catcher changes the cut height slightly (lower) as it gets full. At least this experience has made me realise that I haven't missed much by not having a catching mower (although I'm going to make up a catcher for the green machine as I've got to admit it does come in handy in certain situations). It is easier to push and manoeuvre the Mean Green than it is to use the TPE, even though it's self propelled! The extra 1" cut width (TPE 21", Mean Green 20") is nice to have, but 20" is good. Today I actually nearly got stuck at a gate with the TPE! (Yes it is smaller than the average gate...)

    Anyway - I guess my mind is made up that the TPE has to go (anyone looking for a near-new low hours mower?), unless anyone can suggest how to make it mulch much, much better?

    And does anyone have experience with the Husqvarna BioClip dedicated mulching mower?


    Cheers!

  2. #2
    Senior Member BeetleJuice's Avatar
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    Default Re: TPE TN011 Self Propelled 3 Speed Mower: any hope for better mulching??

    I had a mulching plug with the honda and hopeless,got a mulching plug with the rover and never bothered as they are hopeless.
    I use my toro recycler as a mulcher as they were designed to do the job.Most youtube vids show a toro being able to do the job

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi1sckK0Jrk

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    Member Macka's Avatar
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    Default Re: TPE TN011 Self Propelled 3 Speed Mower: any hope for better mulching??

    lift the height and try mulching, i mulch all the time with my hondas and there great but you need to adjust your heights, if it is doing that lift it a notch until it clears, your trying to mulch to much grass.

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    Senior Member imoww's Avatar
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    Default Re: TPE TN011 Self Propelled 3 Speed Mower: any hope for better mulching??

    Sounds like you need to buy a victa toe cutter mower.
    They call them utility mower.
    2 stroke
    Everything looks good with a haircut.... ɐuıɥɔ ɯoɹɟ pɹɐoqʎǝʞ ɐ ʎnq ı ǝɯıʇ ʇsɐl ǝɥʇ sʇɐɥʇ

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    Member Greenie's Avatar
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    Default Re: TPE TN011 Self Propelled 3 Speed Mower: any hope for better mulching??

    I bought the Toro 21 Commercial, fantastic mower Mulches alot better than the honda, but catching ability is very similar to the honda, In the wet dont even bother...Rover for the wet

  6. #6
    Member Victoria PhilG's Avatar
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    Default Re: TPE TN011 Self Propelled 3 Speed Mower: any hope for better mulching??

    Just bought one on Sunday. The other one had done a gearbox, it was about six years old so for about $800 can't complain. I only mulch when the conditions are right for mulching. Mostly it does a good job.

  7. #7
    Senior Member conrad's Avatar
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    Default Re: TPE TN011 Self Propelled 3 Speed Mower: any hope for better mulching??

    I did look at all the utility mowers on offer (Victa, Rover, Briggs etc.) but they all seemed to be only side discharge? And with such a small flat deck I wouldn't have thought it would be a good idea to block the side & try mulching with them? But now that I look at the Honda utility mower I see that it does have a mulch blockoff plate... although it's a domestic grade machine it may do as a spare?

    I do remember seeing a "best mulching mowers" thread around here somewhere, I'll have to search it up and have a look...

    Another gripe - what is with these swingback blades? I know they are probably better if you're doing lots of rough stuff with sticks & stones etc. but when you can't sharpen them (at least that's what the guy at the mower shop told me) and they are tearing grass after less than a week that makes replacement blades a fairly big expense! With the bar blade I just swap them every week, keep the spares sharpened and no worries. Cuts awesome, still not a bad cut after a week, definitely not tearing the grass leaves but I change blades anyway just to make sure I keep a consistently good cut.

    Ok I'm going to search out this other mulching mowers thread, will either come back here or post there with mulching questions.

  8. #8
    Senior Member BeetleJuice's Avatar
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    Default Re: TPE TN011 Self Propelled 3 Speed Mower: any hope for better mulching??

    You need to pick the right lawns to recycle the clipping back into the lawn and have the correct mower in doing it.I'm only able to recycle it all back in with 10% of lawns i have.
    Problems encountered is being to wet,wrong type of lawn or the customer wants it cut low which recycling is not about.

  9. #9
    Senior Member EVAN86's Avatar
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    Default Re: TPE TN011 Self Propelled 3 Speed Mower: any hope for better mulching??

    You can definitely sharpen swing back blades, when sharp they generally cut better then a bar blade as they are thinner. The only downside with swing backs is they cant be balanced when sharpened like a bar blade can on a magnetic balancer. You will find that the best mulching mowers all run bar blades and wont turn mulched grass into paste like a 4 blade swing back setup will. I have found Toro mowers to be the best mulching mowers but would choose a Rover mower if wanting a slightly better cut where catching is a must.

    Quote Originally Posted by conrad View Post
    I did look at all the utility mowers on offer (Victa, Rover, Briggs etc.) but they all seemed to be only side discharge? And with such a small flat deck I wouldn't have thought it would be a good idea to block the side & try mulching with them? But now that I look at the Honda utility mower I see that it does have a mulch blockoff plate... although it's a domestic grade machine it may do as a spare?

    I do remember seeing a "best mulching mowers" thread around here somewhere, I'll have to search it up and have a look...

    Another gripe - what is with these swingback blades? I know they are probably better if you're doing lots of rough stuff with sticks & stones etc. but when you can't sharpen them (at least that's what the guy at the mower shop told me) and they are tearing grass after less than a week that makes replacement blades a fairly big expense! With the bar blade I just swap them every week, keep the spares sharpened and no worries. Cuts awesome, still not a bad cut after a week, definitely not tearing the grass leaves but I change blades anyway just to make sure I keep a consistently good cut.

    Ok I'm going to search out this other mulching mowers thread, will either come back here or post there with mulching questions.

  10. #10
    Senior Member imoww's Avatar
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    Default Re: TPE TN011 Self Propelled 3 Speed Mower: any hope for better mulching??

    Maybe get a ride on mower with gator blades? They all mulch
    Everything looks good with a haircut.... ɐuıɥɔ ɯoɹɟ pɹɐoqʎǝʞ ɐ ʎnq ı ǝɯıʇ ʇsɐl ǝɥʇ sʇɐɥʇ

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    Member Redeye's Avatar
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    Default Re: TPE TN011 Self Propelled 3 Speed Mower: any hope for better mulching??

    I'll sell you this.... fertilises while it mows too

    12241013_1034513106569768_9052341731010828558_o.jpg




    http://curraronggardening.com/

    "All sin is washed away in the Holy goodness of Beer"
    Book of Redeye, Psalm 69

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    Member bellarinelawns's Avatar
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    Default Re: TPE TN011 Self Propelled 3 Speed Mower: any hope for better mulching??

    I a bit bemused by this poster/posting. Appears to be an advert for husqvarna mowers. I've seen the tpe mower and others like it. They are copies of the old honda chassis. Bsically a rebadged honda of sorts. Experienced mow contractors know when and how to mulch lawns. Long wet and dense lawns are no no for mulching because the deck clogs up meaning no air space and wet clumps of grass clippings. Pull the mower back over clumps will tidy it up and it is usually 24hrs before the lawn looks good. A blow job over the lawn usually helps.

  13. #13
    Senior Member BeetleJuice's Avatar
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    Default Re: TPE TN011 Self Propelled 3 Speed Mower: any hope for better mulching??

    Quote Originally Posted by bellarinelawns View Post
    I a bit bemused by this poster/posting. Appears to be an advert for husqvarna mowers. I've seen the tpe mower and others like it. They are copies of the old honda chassis. Bsically a rebadged honda of sorts. Experienced mow contractors know when and how to mulch lawns. Long wet and dense lawns are no no for mulching because the deck clogs up meaning no air space and wet clumps of grass clippings. Pull the mower back over clumps will tidy it up and it is usually 24hrs before the lawn looks good. A blow job over the lawn usually helps.
    Yeah, i bett it does help making it a memorable day

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