Which blades cut the best??

[fireman1000]

I bought a new z400 mower with a 48" turboforce deck with standard blades I suppose. The grass doesn't seem to be sucked up as it did with my old John Deere tractor it replaced. The cut is not as pretty and the grass was really not that bad to begin with. I had gator blades on the JD. I've researched Toro blades and see low flow, mid flow and atomic. Which would suck the grass better for the best cut. I live in southern TN and we have a lot of fescue grass.
Thanks,
Ken

[The Toro Company]

Originally Posted by fireman1000

I bought a new z400 mower with a 48" turboforce deck with standard blades I suppose. The grass doesn't seem to be sucked up as it did with my old John Deere tractor it replaced. The cut is not as pretty and the grass was really not that bad to begin with. I had gator blades on the JD. I've researched Toro blades and see low flow, mid flow and atomic. Which would suck the grass better for the best cut. I live in southern TN and we have a lot of fescue grass.
Thanks,
Ken

Ken - The standard blade configuration for TURBO FORCE decks is a high-lift blade. These blades have been found to deliver very good vacuum in most conditions, however, this can vary by region, turf type/conditions and time of year. Not knowing what type of fescue you are mowing we would recommend trying the Atomic blade (similar design to Gator) to perform the same mowing operation as the Gator blade. We would also suggest that you check the engine RPM (3,650 +/- 50 rpm for high idle) to ensure proper power is being directed to the mowing deck.

Thanks - The Toro Company

[fireman1000]

Thanks for your response. I opened the baffle all of the way and now I am getting beautiful results. Better than ever with my old John Deere. Prior to my posting and during the first two cuts, the deck was set for dry grass and though the grass was really not that bad at all, the results were bad. Any suggestions as to why you think it doesn't cut well with the baffle closed, especially on very short and dry grass as the deck decal states?? I thought this setting would be beneficial in the early spring and late fall for chopping leaves and mulching.
Thanks,
Ken

[The Toro Company]

Originally Posted by fireman1000

Thanks for your response. I opened the baffle all of the way and now I am getting beautiful results. Better than ever with my old John Deere. Prior to my posting and during the first two cuts, the deck was set for dry grass and though the grass was really not that bad at all, the results were bad. Any suggestions as to why you think it doesn't cut well with the baffle closed, especially on very short and dry grass as the deck decal states?? I thought this setting would be beneficial in the early spring and late fall for chopping leaves and mulching.
Thanks,
Ken

Fireman1000 -
The proper baffle placement is dependant upon things like grass conditions, height-of-cut, variety of grass being cut, ground speed, and the type of blade being used. Although the decal provides suggestions for “common” settings, there is no substitute for the operator fine-tuning the baffle setting to match actual field conditions. (It sounds like you did a great job in that regard.) As grass conditions change, so can the air flow beneath the deck. During the course of the mowing season, you should continue to adjust your baffle and ground speed to adapt to changes in grass conditions.

In general, the “A” setting on the adjustable baffle will allow grass to be thrown further out from the mower, while the “C” setting will conserve power and allow for a higher ground speed. The early and late growing season will typically be your most challenging times to cut. During this time, the grass will be growing at a fast rate and drawing in moisture and nutrients for its root system.

Thanks - The Toro Company