Today I installed double blades on my Toro Z 62 SFS Deck. I have the high lift blades on the top and a set of Atomics on the bottom. I mowed for about four hours using the double blades. I stopped several times to make sure the blades were in a perfect + pattern. They were! The cut using the double blades is drastically improved and the striping is excellent considering my previous posts re Toro Striping kit. The only thing I dont like about the double blades is the Atomics really pulverize the grass blades, which creates more grass dust than I am use too. The other dislike is the increase in noise the double blade set-up makes. I give the double blade set-up a 98.
dhicks, did you do this by modifying the cradles? Please eamil me... im very intrested in what it took to use the double blade method now that the grass is growing so feircly. Evan528@aol.com [Edited by Evan528 on 08-15-2000 at 02:58 AM]
Andrews: No I did not check the belt and pulley temperature. However, thanks for reminding me. However I did grease the spindles prior to starting the double blades for the first time.
EVAN528: I cannot e-mail you. Your user profile does not allow me to send private mail. Contact me thru my web page. Believe me, it was no big deal to install the second pair of blades by just using a 5/8" lock washers between the two blades to take up some of the slack. Both blades are snug as a bug... and the blades remained in a perfect + pattern after four hours of mowing. However, Evan528 made a great point re: belt and pulley temp. This I will have to monitor.
I tried it on my Z's also I had to add a spacer in between the two blades to get the bottom blade to sit even with the bottom of the saddle. They seemed to stay in alignment ok but i only used it for awhile like this. You have to remmember that the blade is lower now so the height you set the deck at has to be higher. for example: set it at 3.25" - 3.5" to get an 3" cut
dhicks- No i've not tried it again. with all the rain up here(ny) i'm having enough problems just trying to stay caught up. that and the grass is so wet it didn't make much difference when I did try it. I used mulching blades on top and normal blades on the bottom, maybe i'll try some other set up next time. I used 2" flat stock 1/4" thick to make up spacers in between the blades that & seemed to work nice, Maybe I'll try having the blades next to each other next time & put the spacer on top.
I am not sure I understand the spacer. What is that needed for? I could understand a lock washer so the blades stay in the same position. I am interested in the idead behind this and any other info.
I am also in the soggy N.E. (MD) and all of this rain is making grass grow like wild. I put double blades on my Exmark 36 and it made a big difference especially on the crabgrass. I used the factory blades on the bottom and Gators on top.
You guys talking about Toro Z's - is that what might be called a Z Master? I told a competitor about the double blade trick (his Z Masters were not in front of us, so I don't know what brand they are). He mentioned his bolt set up is different and I am guessing this has to do with the cradle you guys are mentioning. He wants to try it & I wanted to pass along any hints & tricks dealing with the cradles that you guys have come up with, if that's the mower you're talking about. Thanks.
