Get More From Your Greensmower With the Right Accessories
How a greensmower performs depends largely on how it is equipped. The right accessories can make all the difference to achieve the best putting surface when it comes to avoiding or solving cutting issues.
Toro offers the industry’s largest array of greensmower accessories, allowing users around the world to customize their mowers for the best performance in the conditions they face every day. Here’s a look at some of the most popular options and their recommended applications.
Rollers
Varying turf conditions react differently to the setup of a cutting unit. The type of cultivar, density, thatch layer, time of season, and softness or firmness of a green can all impact cutting unit performance. It’s a good idea to have several types of rollers on hand to manage changing conditions on the greens, including stress periods due to high heat and humidity and seasonal growth periods. Common roller types include:
- Full Roller (front) – Provides more support to the front of the cutting unit, so the cutting height is slightly raised and does not penetrate as deep into the turf. This roller type is recommended for soft turf and during high stress periods.
- Narrow Wiehle Roller (front) – Allows the cutting unit to penetrate deeper into the turf surface to prevent thatch buildup. As a result, the cutting height is slightly lower. The penetration level and performance depend on the number and width of the roller’s “ribs.”
- Wide Wiehle Roller (front) – Provides less support than the Narrow Wiehle roller, so the cutting unit penetrates even deeper into the turf, resulting in an even lower cutting height. This type of roller is mainly used on tees and higher heights of cut in areas off the green.
- Long Narrow Wiehle Roller (front) – A slightly longer design that provides slightly more support, due to the additional length extending beyond the length of the bedknife. It’s mainly used to solve cutting problems, for example, when turf is extremely soft, has harsh concave undulations or has excessive thatch. This type of roller helps mitigate the marking stripe that the end of the cutting unit may leave when the cutting unit is set too aggressively.
- Long Split Full/Wiehle Rollers (front) – Both rollers are split in the middle, allowing each half to turn individually. As a result, the rollers scrub less in turns and are gentler on the turf. This type of roller is recommended for the perimeter cut to protect turf from being scrubbed. It also makes the cutting unit easier to steer.
- Paspalum Roller (front) – Designed for cutting Paspalum greens, which are very sensitive to abrasion. Although similar to the Narrow Wiehle Roller, this roller’s ribs have a flat crown instead of a rounded crown, which provides more contact area on the turf. It’s also gentler and allows some penetration.
- Steel Roller Kit (front and rear) – Consists of a front Narrow Wiehle roller and a smooth rear roller, both machined out of a full stock material to add extra weight and balance the cutting unit. This kit is recommended to help eliminate bobbing issues when regular cutting units are too light for the conditions (such as on thatchy greens).
Off-Greens Rollers (Anti-Bobbing) & Accessories
Bobbing conditions occur mainly on soft turf and are caused by bad drainage, poor soil conditions, overwatering or excessive thatch. These kits are recommended to help solve bobbing problems.
- Greensmaster® 3120/3150/3250 Off-Greens Rollers (Anti-Bobbing) Kit – Engineered for use on Greensmaster® 3120/3150/3250 models, this patented kit includes both front and rear anti-bobbing rollers that feature a spring-suspended counterweight inside the roller tube, which counters the natural frequencies induced by the turf during the mowing process.
- TriFlex™ Off-Greens (Anti-Bobbing) Kit – A special patent-pending kit engineered to fit on the upper suspension arm of all Greensmaster TriFlex mowers. The rubber-mounted weight mass counters the natural frequencies induced by the turf during the mowing process, eliminating bobbing tendencies. This kit is recommended for off-greens applications.
DPA Kits
Several kits are available to adjust the roller position for optimal performance with DPA cutting units. The Rear Roller Extension Kit moves the rear roller 3/16 inch rearward from the bedbar to avoid grass buildup between the bedbar and the rear roller, as well as prevent grass clump dropping. A Rear Roller Adjustment Kit is also available to adjust the bedbar level to the rollers for precision cutting.
Roller Scrapers
Toro offers a variety of roller scrapers for front and rear rollers. Some are designed for specific roller types and some are equipped with a brush/comb. Roller scrapers help prevent clipping buildup and keep rollers clean to maintain a consistent cutting height. They also help prevent debris buildup on rear rollers to avoid dropping clumps on greens.
Rotating Rear Roller Brush
Like a roller scraper, this spiral rotating brush keeps rear rollers clear of clipping buildup to maintain a consistent cutting height and prevent clumps from dropping on the green. This brush is available for all riding greensmowers with or without a groomer.
Grooming Brushes
- Rotating brushes – These brushes have rows of tufts arranged in a wavy pattern. They can rotate in a forward or counter-rotating motion, depending on preference. The soft grooming brush is recommended for Northern grass cultivars and the stiff grooming brush is recommended for Southern/Transition grass cultivars.
- Push broom brush – This broom-type brush engages in front of the cutting unit to condition the turf before it reaches the cutting unit. It’s mainly used on Southern cultivars and is often used in combination with a groomer.
For recommendations and demonstrations of these and many other greensmower accessories, contact your local Toro distributor. You can also visit toro.com/greensmaster and click your model for information about available accessories.