Factors That Can Affect Quality Of Cut - Toro Greensmaster
Flex 18 04018 Service Manual

Factors That Can Affect Quality of Cut

There are a number of factors that can contribute to un-
satisfactory quality of cut, some of which may be turf
conditions. Turf conditions such as excessive thatch,
"sponginess," or attempting to cut off too much grass
height may not always be overcome by adjusting the
Factor
Governed engine speed.
Reel bearing condition.
Reel and bedknife sharpness.
Bedknife to reel adjustment.
Height–of–cut.
Proper bedknife for height–of–cut.
Stability of bedbar.
Number of reel blades.
Cutting Unit
cutting unit. It is important to remember that the lower
the height–of–cut, the more critical these factors are.
See Cutting Unit Operator's Manual and the Adjust-
ments section and Service and Repairs section of this
chapter for detailed adjustment and repair information.
Possible Problem/Correction
Check maximum governed engine speed. Adjust
engine to specifications if necessary (see Adjustments
section in Chapter 3 – Engine).
Check and replace reel bearings if necessary (see
Cutting Reel in the Service and Repairs section of this
chapter).
A reel and/or bedknife that has rounded cutting edges
or "rifling" (grooved or wavy appearance) cannot be
corrected by tightening the bedknife to reel contact.
Grind reel to remove taper and/or rifling. Grind
bedknife to sharpen and/or remove rifling.
The most common cause of rifling is bedknife to reel
contact that is too tight.
A new bedknife must be ground or backlapped
after installation to the bedbar.
Check bedknife to reel contact daily. The bedknife
must have light contact across the entire reel. No
contact will dull the cutting edges. Excessive contact
accelerates wear of both edges. Quality of cut is
adversely affected by both conditions.
Slightly dull cutting edges may be corrected by
backlapping (see Backlapping in the Service and
Repairs section of this chapter).
Excessively dull cutting edges must be corrected by
grinding the reel and bedknife (see Preparing Reel for
Grinding in the Service and Repairs section of this
chapter).
"Effective" or actual height–of–cut depends on the
mower weight and turf conditions. Effective
height–of–cut will be different than the bench set
height–of–cut.
If the bedknife is too thick for effective height–of–cut,
poor quality of cut will result.
Make sure bedbar pivot bolts are securely seated (see
Bedbar in Service and Repairs section of this chapter).
Use correct number of blades for clip frequency and
optimum height–of–cut range.
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