better grandstand

[Toro 44]

Just saw you have a 48" 24hp.

I know what you mean about the belt drive in "reverse". Not much help.

If are in an open area with the mower running, if you put both controls all the way back to the index bar, what happens?

Does it turn a little at first and then sort of straighten out? This could be just the split second timing difference between when both handles hit the bar.

Or does it go in circles? How big are the circles? Does it go in circles if you do the same thing in the forward direction?

Just curious.

[mysteryman]

Originally Posted by Toro 44

I wouldn't right off the toro just yet. It sounds like there is a repairable issue. In the back of my mind, i wish toro had come out with the GS sooner, i might have bought it instead. Seems like the grass is always greener on the other side.

Can you look at your machine when it's not running and verify that the linkage on the side of your pumps is moving equal amounts on the right and on the left? If it is, you might have a pump problem and a pressure test might show it up.

I know how it is when you know there is a problem but the dealer says its fine. It is extremely frustrating. Warranties have limited value.

How many hours are on your machine? What size and HP? I have read your threads but cannot recall what you have.

I have a 2010 24hp 48" unit. I believe that I have equal travel as I recall, I did lower the heat shield and looked at it a while back. I have (from memory) approximately twenty hours on my machine, I am a homeowner mowing my own lawn, I have experienced this issue from the beginning. At first I gave it some time to get a bit used to the controls, but even with only these low hours it became obvious that something is not right. Thanks again for your input. Regarding the mention you made of the pump pressure, that sounds promising, but would it affect only the reverse motion? I suppose I could be experiencing it in forward, I do have to 'jog' the levers, but I am attributing any unevenness to the ground. There is quite a difference between the way ths unit acts in reverse vs forward.

[mysteryman]

Originally Posted by Toro 44

Just saw you have a 48" 24hp.

I know what you mean about the belt drive in "reverse". Not much help.

If are in an open area with the mower running, if you put both controls all the way back to the index bar, what happens?

Does it turn a little at first and then sort of straighten out? This could be just the split second timing difference between when both handles hit the bar.

Or does it go in circles? How big are the circles? Does it go in circles if you do the same thing in the forward direction?

Just curious.

I don't want to answer this one from memory (although I did go through this execise in May) I will have to run through it again and will report back. Weather permitting, it will take a few days. thanks.

[Toro 44]

Regarding the mention you made of the pump pressure, that sounds promising, but would it affect only the reverse motion?

It shouldn't but if there are no linkage issues, something is wrong. I'm guessing its a linkage issue though.

[Toro 44]

Originally Posted by mysteryman

I don't want to answer this one from memory (although I did go through this execise in May) I will have to run through it again and will report back. Weather permitting, it will take a few days. thanks.

I would take it out and try it. And drive a good distance, not just a couple feet, with the controls firmly against the index bar, both forward and both in reverse. See what happens. If you go in circles in forward or reverse or both, note what direction the circles are in, right or left. Determine all directions from the operators position facing forward.

[Southern Elegance]

yes i used a wright zk 61" 31hp while my grandstand was in the shop.. there is no comparrision. the wright is built like a tank, holds much more fuel, much much much faster..But the grandstand does hold the steepest hills a little better, and is more comfortable to operate.. but the price is up there

[mysteryman]

Originally Posted by Toro 44

I would take it out and try it. And drive a good distance, not just a couple feet, with the controls firmly against the index bar, both forward and both in reverse. See what happens. If you go in circles in forward or reverse or both, note what direction the circles are in, right or left. Determine all directions from the operators position facing forward.

TORO44, Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, I backed-up with the two control levers pressed against the index bar. I moved them simultaneously, there's a slight (maybe a foot) straight reverse motion, then it wants to back up to the right forming an approximate twenty-foot circle (counter clockwise as viewed from above). Performing the same test in forward results in a pretty straight line (the surface is not absolutely perfectly flat so there is some slight adjustment required after several feet...but it does not want to drive in a circle) There is a marked difference between operating forward and reverse, the reverse motion definitely does not operate equally between left and right.

[LCPullman]

I have a Grandstand with the same problem. As far as I can tell, the right hand lever, being the operator presence control, has a bit of play in it. If you have the levers in the neutral position and just lightly wiggle the levers back and forth, you will see that the right lever has noticeably more play in it. Thus, when you pull the lever back, it does not make the wheel go as fast.
This is actually a problem not confined to the Grandstand. The commercial walk-behinds with the same control system suffer from the same problem, although it is mitigated by several factors and on the walk-behinds we generally don't use full reverse power so we don't notice it.
It hasn't been problematic enough for me to attempt to find a solution though.
I suppose you could replace the left handle with one just like the right side so they have the same amount of play, but the problem there is that you really would need more travel on the controls to get the full speed range.

The reason it doesn't do it in forward has to do with how the controls are adjusted. If you adjust it so it drives straight forward and its real bad in reverse. if you adjusted it so it went straight in reverse, it would be bad going forward.

[mysteryman]

Originally Posted by LCPullman

I have a Grandstand with the same problem. As far as I can tell, the right hand lever, being the operator presence control, has a bit of play in it. If you have the levers in the neutral position and just lightly wiggle the levers back and forth, you will see that the right lever has noticeably more play in it. Thus, when you pull the lever back, it does not make the wheel go as fast.
This is actually a problem not confined to the Grandstand. The commercial walk-behinds with the same control system suffer from the same problem, although it is mitigated by several factors and on the walk-behinds we generally don't use full reverse power so we don't notice it.
It hasn't been problematic enough for me to attempt to find a solution though.
I suppose you could replace the left handle with one just like the right side so they have the same amount of play, but the problem there is that you really would need more travel on the controls to get the full speed range.

The reason it doesn't do it in forward has to do with how the controls are adjusted. If you adjust it so it drives straight forward and its real bad in reverse. if you adjusted it so it went straight in reverse, it would be bad going forward.

LCPullman, thanks for your input...why Toro or my dealer can't take the time and effort to explain this is beyond me. I am getting used to dealing with this shortcoming, maybe that's what they're planning-on. Anyway, thanks again for taking the time to share your experience with your machine(s).

[LCPullman]

Just remembered something else, If you have a problem with reverse not being fast enough, you could check the first file listed in the following link.
http://www.lawnsite.com/showpost.php...&postcount=108
It won't make the two wheels go the same speed but it can speed up the reverse if that is a problem.