Toro Groundsmaster
3500-D Operator's Manual page 27

Mowing Techniques
To begin cutting, engage the decks, then approach the
mowing area slowly. Once the front decks are over the
mowing area, lower the cutting units.
To achieve the professional straight-line cut and striping
that is desirable for some applications, find a tree or other
object in the distance and drive straight toward it.
As soon as the front decks reach the edge of the mowing
area, lift the cutting units and perform a tear drop shaped
turn to quickly line you up for your next pass.
To mow around bunkers, ponds, or other contours easily,
use the Sidewinder and move the control lever left or right,
depending on your mowing application. The cutting units
can also be shifted to vary tire tracking.
The decks tend to throw grass to the left side of the
machine. If trimming around bunkers, it is best to mow in a
clockwise direction to prevent throwing clippings into the
bunker.
The cutting decks can be equipped with bolt-in mulching
baffles. The mulching baffles perform well when turf is
maintained on a regular schedule to avoid removing more
than 1 inch (25 mm) of growth per cutting. When too much
growth is cut with the mulching baffles installed, after-cut
appearance may deteriorate and the observed power to cut
the turf increases. The mulching baffles also perform well
for shredding leaves in the fall of the year.
Mow When Grass is Dry
Mow either in the late morning to avoid the dew, which
causes grass clumping, or in late afternoon to avoid the
damage that can be caused by direct sunlight on the
sensitive, freshly mowed grass.
Select the Proper Height-of-Cut Setting to
Suit Conditions
Remove approximately one inch or no more than 1/3 of the
grass blade when cutting. In exceptionally lush and dense
grass you may have to raise your height–of–cut setting
another notch.
Always Start Mowing with Sharp Blades
A sharp blade cuts cleanly and without tearing or shredding
the grass blades like a dull blade. Tearing and shredding
causes the grass to turn brown at the edges which impairs
growth and increases susceptibility to diseases. Make sure
blade is in good condition and a full sail is present.
Check Condition of Deck
Make sure cutting chambers are in good condition.
Straighten any bends in chamber components to assure
correct blade tip/chamber clearance.
After Mowing
At the completion of mowing operation, thoroughly wash
the machine with a garden hose without a nozzle so that
excessive water pressure will not cause contamination and
damage to the seals and bearings. Make sure that the
radiator and oil cooler are kept free of dirt or grass
clippings. After cleaning, it is recommended that the
machine be inspected for possible hydraulic fluid leaks,
damage or wear to the hydraulic and mechanical
components, and the cutting unit blades checked for
sharpness.
Important After washing the machine, move the
Sidewinder mechanism from left to right several times to
remove water between the bearing blocks and cross tube.
27