[Howard Roark]

We use all 21" mowers with great success, sans a few flaws. Quite a few of my customers have very thick St. Augustine, and the Toro Proline cutting height only goes to 3 1/4. Even on the highest setting, and actually out of the setting resting under the bracket this isn't high enough for these lawns.

Therefore, despite my love of Toro's drive system I'm on the hunt for another set of 21's, ones that we can outfit 3 trucks with next year. (9 mowers total).

I demo'd a Honda, didn't like the handlebar design.
Looking into Snapper and Ariens/Gravely. Does anyone have any experience with these, and any idea of their top cutting heights? I need a good 21 with a 4" cutting height and 4mph speeds that will be cutting 25-20 lawns per day.

Thanks!

 

[Envy Lawn Service]

You might have to build your own over the winter.

I've been kicking this idea around myself.
A real commercial hand mower.
But so far my moonlit ideas are not self propeled.
Just doesn't quite 'mesh' so far.
But I've really settled on little so far either.

But I do want it to cut taller as you do.

 

[S man]

Try snapper pros. Their hi vac commercials are a waste to bag with in my opinion. It fills instantly in st. aug and have to keep emptying. I have one and love it for mulching.

 

[drmiller100]

will bigger wheels fit?

 

[Howard Roark]

will bigger wheels fit?

That just may be a damn good idea! Question is where do I get em'. They need to be commercial quality.

 

[Howard Roark]

Try snapper pros. Their hi vac commercials are a waste to bag with in my opinion. It fills instantly in st. aug and have to keep emptying. I have one and love it for mulching.

Scott,

All I do is mulch, never bag. What's the cutting height on your snapper...commercial model that is?

 

[YardPro]

we have had good success with snappers.

last year we retired two 7 year old snappers, and replaced them with a honda and a JD jx75....what a piece of crap......

we just ordered two more commercial snappers.. the ones with the rear discharge and the one lever wheel adjustment

 

[Steve9]

Have you tried talking to Toro? If enough commercial people did maybe they would engineer something on the newer ones and sell something to retrofit on the older ones.
Hey maybe you could put 4 wheels off one of those HD models of Toro with the high back wheels! Put them on all four corners so it looks like bike wheels on there!! HAAHAH That would be hilarious looking!!
Amazing that my HD Toro jacks sky high but the proline doesnt. I can cut grass 1.5 ft high if I side discharge. Ive made a lot of money off a lot of overgrown s#it holes with that $350 beauty!!

 

[Howard Roark]

Have you tried talking to Toro? If enough commercial people did maybe they would engineer something on the newer ones and sell something to retrofit on the older ones.
Hey maybe you could put 4 wheels off one of those HD models of Toro with the high back wheels! Put them on all four corners so it looks like bike wheels on there!! HAAHAH That would be hilarious looking!!
Amazing that my HD Toro jacks sky high but the proline doesnt. I can cut grass 1.5 ft high if I side discharge. Ive made a lot of money off a lot of overgrown s#it holes with that $350 beauty!!

I think I'll call them this week to see what they have to say. I have one of those recyclers from HD, and I love it. I use it on my own lawn because I grow my St. Aug very thick, highest setting. My lawn is green in December.
Not sure why the commercial model would be less than the resi.
I could try your "Monster Truck" lawnmower idea!

 

[Fareway Lawncare]

21" Mowers do Not Leave a Good Cut above 3" due to blade designs. If you must cut 4", which I doubt small res. cutomers will accept anyway, use a 32" or 36" hydro Walk.

 

[MTR]

I don't get it how you cut St. Augustine lawn with 21er? That grass has standard height @ 4" in order to make them look like carpet and neat, anything less than 4" will weaken their root system thus causing weeds, and insects popping up besides never turning deep green.
Also, how do you cut with 90-100 degree by walking those 21er? Fill me in. It is okay by homeowner to use them but to make a living cutting grass?
To each own I think.
regards.

 

[BigChaz]

Also, how do you cut with 90-100 degree by walking those 21er? Fill me in. It is okay by homeowner to use them but to make a living cutting grass?
To each own I think.
regards.

Price accordingly
There is money to be had with 21s

 

[Howard Roark]

Price accordingly
There is money to be had with 21s

Exactly. 21s are fast and props are relatively small along with overhead. We just hit the occasional very thick St. Aug where the Toro doesn't go high enough. And regarding the ones cut at 3 1/4, perhaps it's a bit different in Texas than Fla. but none of the lawns, including my own, are insect/disease ridden and are all weed free.

So what is the grand solution Mr Fareway with your rainbow socks, if you're running a low overhead tight operation with 21s which you seem to always recommend and need a higher cutting height? Bring along a 32 that day? Not too practical...whadya say?

 

[S man]

Cutting st. aug needs to be high. Snappers have a decent range but I cut on the second highest for my st. aug lawns for good mulching.