We were WRONG about the TORO TIMEMASTER
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 เม.ย. 2021
- Freddy Zahn Owner of Lawn Thumbs discusses how his thoughts on the Toro Timemaster have been changed with his latest review.
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I just bought a TimeMaster, 10 ft-lb Briggs engine. Fantastic mower! Super easy to start, tons of power/torque. Hydraulic drive works super smooth as does the rear wheel drive. 30" deck adjusts height VERY easily. Grass chute, mulch or bag. Got for $1100 at Loews, it was a "warranty return" from orig buyer, but a great deal for me.
I use a Turfmaster HDX 200cc! I am a residential owner! Before, I used a Greenworks zero turn 60v riding mower. Getting no exercise, added 30 lbs. of weight.😊
Great video I have a small lawn care Business here in Utah as well and have the same push mower I some times use and it does go through a lot of gas but i think you are getting so far on 1 tank just because grass is not long when it is longer in the middle of the year that plays a big factor but I do now want to ad a bigger tank on mine
I mow (side discharge) my parents lawn with the TM and it's 13.7 Sq' and still have gas in the tank. There are times when I go over the lawn twice and can get another 4k Sq' or so before having to refuel. I can cut their lawn in less than 30 minutes. I just mowed (side discharge) the lawn and it was at least 8" and more in some areas and damp to wet. I double cut the front, side and did nearly one pass in the rear for a total of about 13k Sq'. I did the first cut on the B setting and the 2nd cut on the C setting. It comes down to how fast you can walk when it comes to how far you can go on a tank of gas; you walk slow, you get less out of a tank, you walk fast you get more out of a tank of gas. I have over 120 hours on the mower and I am cutting my lawn (just over 7K Sq') and my parents lawn and both lawns are thick and dense TTTF/bluegrass.
Not letting go of my Honda Electric Start HRX217 anytime soon... That's the Rolls Royce of Residential Mowers and built to last a lifetime.
Thanks so much for sharing this information I really appreciate it. My concern will be the gasoline cap that eventually come off because I have problems with other mowers with the gasoline cap. Like the husqvarna
Yes, when the gasoline cap wears off it sucks I actually ordered some from Amazon that look identical to the original but it doesn’t close right, so I have to put plastic in between the cap and mower for it to shut looks ghetto but it’s the only way.
Great video thanks for sharing...how long did your pulleys last before blowing out my only lasted about 2 years and every other year until the warranty ran out I'm going to upgrade them and the belts too
I am not a professional, just a homeowner. I have a corner lot, the city says 10,500 sqft. I bought my TimeMaster in April, 2020. I had heard stories right from the start about it needing lots of gas.
And after the first 3 times I mowed my yard, I would have agreed. I could rarely make it the full way. But as summer wore on, and I got more and more used to it, I think I only ran out once. I'm pretty sure I couldn't do 16,000 feet. But I'm older and don't do it for a living, so there is no way I have the pace that you guys and other professionals would have. I'm going from memory here, the thing that was the most impressive was that I would take over an hour to mow with my old 21" mower. There were other reasons as to why it took that long. But with the Time Master, I could do mine in 40-45 mins, depending on the pattern I used to mow. I was amazed at how much faster it was. Again, there are reasons why the difference, including a Quad Tendon Tear nearly 4 years, a scope on the other knee about 3.5 years ago, etc. I know I'm in a little better shape now then before. But the TimeMaster, as a home owner, you learn your pace with it, it definitely allowed me to finish much more quickly. When its in the rainy season in the spring, and it feels like we have to mow every 4-5 days, cutting off 15-25 minutes each time works out to saving full mowing once every 3-4 times I mowed. I would add the quality of the cut made a huge difference, in my humble opinion. But I was coming from the stone age, cheap mower before, so that should be expected. The only other issue is I think everyone in my neighborhood, who walks by when I'm mowing, is wondering why the heck I have what is basically a commercial mower for my private yard. And I don't care. :)
Thanks for your video, loved it, and loved seeing the guys hustling, tho I hated seeing the dry grass. But that comes with the season. Thanks!
Thanks for your review of your experience. So far everyone is getting used to it but there is still some concerns of when the grass starts growing thicker, since it bogs down. But maybe we need to raise the deck, not sure. Thanks again!
I have five of these machines. Like you, I loved them when I purchased the first one. So much so that I kept buying them. Then I started having problems with them. Broken handles. The clips that hold the front axle on wear out and the wheels fall off. The height adjusters are made out of stamped metal and wear out about the one year mark, the self propelled system is hokey as you noticed and needs constant adjustment. I don't care that it is not rated for commercial use, there are way too many problems for a machine that costs $1,000. The engines never had a problem and gas really wasn't either. I tell the guys to gas the equipment before they start mowing. We always had one in the shop and the average repair bill was at least $200. I realized that I could buy a 36" V Ride for what I was spending to keep the Timemasters running so that is what I did.
You forgot to mention the belt issues. Haha.
@@LawnThumbs pulley issues too, and you can replace the pulleys with beefier commercial grade pulleys. The video on the commercial pulley replacement is here on TH-cam.
The honda HR 190 cc,, and the new 200 cc are much better, mine Is 2019 model, and never had problems👍👍
It’s your fault. Homeowner machines are not designed for commercial use.
Yeah 16,000 sounds about right. My yard is 20,000 and I can’t mow it all in one tank
Great content, could it be that the grass still being somewhat dormant and the timemaster not under load allow for the 16k. Where if it was a month later and taller grass . Maybe retest in late May or June.
In your previous video towards the end there is a 20 second clip that discusses that the Timemaster is basically useless on hills. Unfortunately, I didn’t see that video before buying mine. All of the other reviewers have small flat lawns so I thought it was a learning curve issue. I have an approximate 150 foot long 15 foot wide 30 degree incline berm in my backyard with green giants on top and the personal pace offers no assistance. I really liked the cut and speed but I had to return mine yesterday now looking at the Honda HRX for my 1/3 acre.
I went on pretty good detail on this video th-cam.com/video/_4kvnByKtGM/w-d-xo.html
But Yes its wimpy on hills, we even tried tightening the drive cables and it wasn’t any help its also wimpy on tall grass. But for the price its a great its a great addition since it cuts nice on flat areas.But sorry to hear it didn’t work out for you.
Can you drop a link to the video where you talk about how you pay your guys? I’ve been looking for it… I like how you was explaining how you do the p4p
So, I purchased a TM this spring mowing season 2021. Grass is growing so much I have to cut it twice a week. I use the bag because I dont want Poa Annua seeds making their way back into my yard. Total sq ft is 6800. It has run out of gas on me twice. Just put a gas can in the area where you finish up mowing and it's not so bad. I think if not bagging, it should last about 9300 sq ft. Also, I walk at a normal pace (turning 53 this summer), not super fast. Do I like the mower? Yes. Should it be about 200.00 dollars cheaper? Yes.
Yes it’s a gas bummer. But compared to $8-900 mowers it’s so much durable. And 2 blades. My 2 newest mow crews who are experienced love them and they probably think it’s a regular commercial mower and it’s cheap if you think about it that way.
Yea I got the turfmaster just for the added fuel. I know thus sounds bad but I bought it for one property basically. Lots of landscapes and a steep hill that I can't mow with my 36 stander. Well worth the money. Timemaster just doesn't have enough deck height for this st.augustine down in Florida
Is this partially because the lawns are still fairly dormant right now? Doesn't look like there was a lot of grass actually being cut right now so less resistance aka less gas being used.
Those mountains in the background are beautiful.
They are amazing.
Run time would be a better indicator of fuel usage than sq ft because the amount of turf varies greatly from one yard to another
Great video I am considering getting one. One thing I noticed was the handle in this video. Did it loosen? Like at the 1:57 Timemark
Sorry for the late reply! No I didn’t notice and I don’t think it’s an issue.
Yeah, I watched the video again at the slowest speed and I agree with you. While the entire handlebar has a tiny bit of play at the bottom, where the pin fits into the notch, I'm seeing the handle pivot at the midway point where the top section of the handle attaches to the lower section. The knobs just need to be tightened up! Good eye!
i have my real first job tomorrow the door hanger method you mentioned in another video worked for me, i distributed 150 of them took me 2 1/2 hours of walking in 100+ degrees. but worth it got a call later in the day, if all goes well ill be making $525, I'm removing 4 medium sized shroubs, also a 5 headed looking palm tree/yucca tree not sure what it is but once its gone ill make $150 on its removal :). they also want two large trees removed but that later maybe another 400, i dont have a ladder or chain saw and they look heavy. and after all that the want sod installed. need to get me some sleep this is going to hurt.
Awesome 👊🏼 congratulations! Hanging door hangers should be something you do while working at jobs putting them on all the neighbors. Do good work but get as much done in one day, that’s how you get stronger.
How have they been holding up so far?
Looking to upgrade all my personal equipment and start doing yards part tine. Exmark 30 and the turf master are pretty expensive to jump into.
It's worth it
@@whatisthis9495 which one does your company use?
thanks for information! :-)
Any idea how this kower compares to the 28” craftsman m430?
Mine has been a maintenance nightmare. I've had it about 4 years and would not buy again. From an engine replacement [warranty] in the first season to pulleys and belts, the thing needs constant repairs. If I weren't able to handle them myself I'd probably have spent more on maintenance than I did on the mower over the years.
How is it up a slope? Say a septic tank mound vs a 21” personal pace? I hear this is an issue, that the operator feels like it doesn’t gave any help from the personal pace because it’s too heavy
There a fabulous mower mine is a year old and has been extremely reliable we use it in 5 properties and in a big shopping center weekly where our big mowers don't fit best purchase i have made in our company we did take out the sponge out of the gas tank its useless and we can put more gas in it.
Thanks for the video man. A coworker had one of these and love it. I am deciding on this or may e a small rider for our lawn. Total property is 1/2 acre but only about half that is mowed.
I put the swivels front caster wheels on my time master. Best mod ever!!!!
Buy the turf master version with bigger tank
Hello Freddy, I've heard this mower struggles getting up hills. Have you experienced this?
Thanks for your time.
Yes it’s true
@@LawnThumbs - This just seems weird. A 200cc scooter will happily haul itself and a 200 lb rider uphill at 45, maybe 50 miles an hour.
These mowers are geared much lower than that, and should be able to climb almost vertically. Either the spring on the front of the transmission is not keeping the belt adequately tight, or the clutch inside the transmission is slipping.
Toro apparently feels that mowing directly up and down hills is potentially dangerous. I wonder if there's a little bit of nannyism going on, in an attempt to compel folks to do contour mowing across the slope. Living near the mountains of Central Florida I don't get to test this easily. Maybe I could find a highway overpass and run it up and down the concrete.
I just got my first time master and I’m having this problem. It starts out so slow it doesn’t climb and hills. I have to push it up any incline at all. I guess this is normal.
How heavy is the mower? I'm thinking of getting one to replace my 21 but I need to be able to pick it up and throw it in the bed of my truck like I do with the 21. Thanks!
I’m thinking the weight is similar.
My son is 21 and lifts it(30" Timemaster) into the truck, but not sure how long you would be able to do that, I think it's pretty heavy.
Just get a set of ramps. That is what I use to get mine in my pickup. I can lift it into my pickup, but why do that when set of ramps will keep you out of the emergency room.
130 lb
Toro lists the Timemaster model 21199 at 144 pounds, they list the 21200 (Electric start) at 150 lbs. Most self-propelled 21-in mowers weigh somewhere in the 80 to 90 lb range.
And The Timemaster is a featherweight compared to the new Scag SFC 30, at 220 lb.
Why dont you get the commercial 30 esmark? I'm I missing something?
Probably because of cost and the extra weight.
I saw most of the lawns had very little growth/length of grass. As such, I'd guess the mower wasn't working very hard and likely had good fuel efficiency as a result. Just my observation.
Exactly!
I disagree. I just mowed my parents lawn (side discharge) and it was at least 8" and more in some areas and damp-wet. I double cut the front, side and nearly one pass in the rear for a total of about 13k Sq' on one tank. I did the first cut on the B setting and the 2nd cut on the C setting. I had not cut the lawn in about 3 weeks and it had just rained one or 2 days before the cut. I have over 120 hours on the mower. I am cutting thick, dense grass (TTTF/Bluegrass), not that thin stuff and I am usually cutting good amount off, too. I cut their lawn typically once every two weeks and it's always tall, so the low growth is not a factor, at least in my case. I agree with the poster above that you will get about 16k Sq' per tank, which can vary. If you mow slow, you get less. If you mow fast, you get more. The small gas tank is a known factor (it's a dead horse), so either you are going to buy it and deal with it or not. The TM gets the job done.
These were designed for homeowners to use ONCE a week, not lawn pros all week long and on and off their trailers. You all are aware of the heavier duty version by Exmark, yeah, it cost way more but buy something that will last, these now are about 1500, and still supposed to be used for residential cuts once a week..........
Did u remove blue sponge from tank?
No. We have three Timemasters for our business and like the Blue sponge. Helps keep particles out of the carb (seeds, dirt etc.). We get about 45 minutes of runtime on the engines per fill up.
I have one. It's underpowered, heavy, horrible self-propelled function, I replaced the cheap belt tensioners with the Ex Mark commercial ones so that problem is solved, $200 later. Overall, I'll buy a used 36" stander to replace this piece of crap next year.
I just bought one lol
Nice!
I have one have you had any problems with it
At first no. But they cannot handle mowing day by all the different mow guys. Some will take real good care while but these machines are not built for commercial use they break a lot.
That deck setting is so low… fired
Probably because there in Utah..
Not going to use much fuel on those dried up lawns other than the odd patch of long grass from dog piss 🤔
Does it really cut out after 45 min? I’ve heard people say that...I’m thinking about getting one
It depends. Some people mow slower than others. What size lawn you have and how long does it take you to cut?
@@Methodical2 I mow yards around the neighborhood so I use it all day
@@gerrybrown2552 It's still hard to say because everyone's different, but I have not heard anyone say it cut out 45 minutes...maybe they meant it cut their time down to 45 minutes from the previous. My lawn is just over 7k Sq' and it knocked off 15 minutes, but it still depends on how I am mowing that day; sometimes I just take it easy and sometimes a I roll and can do it even faster.
Yes.let cool for ten minutes and your back in action
@@birdborninroughdays7797 Oh, perhaps I misread the Gerry's question. I thought he was asking if the TM cut out 45 minutes mowing time. Gerry are you asking if the mower cuts off after 45 minutes?
Why you don't use big mowers?
For me it’s to retain customers long term. My residential customers prefer a push mower.
The real question is why would you use big mowers if you don't need to? Yeah, you might get the job done marginally faster, but I try to stay to properties that I know can be knocked out easily with a 21" mower. Larger suburban properties I can still do them with a small mower, it just takes longer, and thus, my bid goes up to compensate for my time.
I can buy about 6 Honda HRC216s for the price of one 48" Grandstand (new vs. new obv). Add to that, it's extremely hard to screw things up with a small mower. I can still mow wet grass without having to worry about ruts or tearing anything up. I also have to do a lot less trimming since I can get into hard-to-reach areas with the mower.
Plus, I can just toss the 21 (along with a trimmer and blower) into the bed of my pickup and go to work without a trailer if I want to. And I can service the thing myself extremely easily and quickly. The small mowers don't make sense for everybody, but they certainly do for me.
I mow several million-dollar-plus properties and I've never had a single customer complain because I wasn't using a giant zero turn on their grass. In fact, it's just the opposite, many feel the smaller mower means I'm paying better attention to detail. I'm almost looked on as a boutique service. Whereas they associate those giant machines with more of a commercial setting.
@@supadoopa926 what you said is so true. For sure that’s the case for me but some guys doing bigger yards like 10k average per yard may be better off with a grandstand. But not me.
Freddy you have to patten that!
Yeah someday I may get 350 views 😂
Im not the only one that has done it haha 😂
Freddy: You mentioned that your 3 man crew had 40 lawns. They do 40 lawns a day??
Yes, for now. I’m hoping to hire another crew before they get burnt out.
@@LawnThumbs Wow. So how many per crew do you normally shoot for?
@@lowballerlawncare7961
I’m happy at $500 per person on a crew. Right now we are at about $650-$750.
As far as houses I like to keep them at 25 houses per 2 man crews. I don’t like 3 man crews unless I need to stack a route and we need to get through them.
40 a day is burn out central! Specially when it gets warm! Nice earning without burning days are around 30 lawns... unless your running temp agencies and or crack heads.... lol
@@LawnThumbs What's the average sq ft per property? And I'm assuming you all mow, trim(string trimming around house and objects), edge and blow off?
Ok this a bogus add. Have you seen the lawns? They look like they have a ton of dead spots. I can barely see the grooves in the yard. I have the same mower I bought April 3 last yr (2020). Its been in the shop 3 times. I loved it at first but now for $1100.00+ I wish I could return it.
Its not a commercial mower
Looks like your mowing grass that doesn't need mowed?
You got to be kidding. Those lawns are so dry which makes it easier.I have same mower . here in the windy city grass is thicker.plus I've had to many issues.for 2yrs now.
I get it. But that’s when we used them. But yes, when the grass started growing we started to have problems.
Do you still use it
Not a chance. They fall apart too easy
This mower will not hold up. It will fallapart from commercial use. I've had 4 of them its a disposable mower you have to keep that in mine. Good luck with it. I hate it and love it. Lol. It needs to be beefed up from the factory I think.
You need to buy a commercial mower instead. All of you commercial guys keep giving this residential mower a bad rap.
@@pagodad2036 Amazing how they continue to do that isn't? I've seen other videos comparing it's cutting capabilities to a 10k machine...wow. But, hey I think that says something about the TM. Also, if you need a more rugged/beefier 30", just get the commercial version.
I’m curious if your crew notices the bag clippings pouring out of the bag. I have a few spots in my lawn where it is uneven/bumpy and when the mower bounces my bag bounces up and clippings fall out of the bag. Let me know what they think of they have a similar issue.
Thanks for the content. 😬
Why not the Turfmaster for your Res. properties, Timemaster is a homeowners model I use at home? I don’t find the Timemaster having the same powerful engine and ruggedness as the Turfmaster.
Early February I made an attempt to buy 4 TurfMasters but was told I needed to wait until March then March came and I needed to make decision. My commercial dealer couldn’t get them either so I went to Home Depot. Part of my decision was that I have a really good friend that went with TurfMasters and it was not very maneuverable as the TimeM. So that’s why but I’m glad it’s working out. The cost saving is awesome!
Its a homeowner mower being used commercially. They are not built for commercial multi-user(or employee) applications.
My 2018 model used in a semi pro application has not had any of these issues. (Side business llc ) I paid $1100 for electric start model
I've replaced the pulleys and loc tite the handles as preventive measures.
I've replaced the trailing shield(reinforced it) the blade belt once, and I snapped the spindle bolt when changing the blades once(ez outted it)(had my Makita on forward instead of reverse lol)
One must stay on top of cable tensions, air filter cleaning, rpm settings and routine maintenance.
These are not Honda's or Recycler's. Maintenance is a MUST or they will beat you up.
I own a HRX and keep it at the house. FANTASTIC mower
If I could only have one push mower for my application(home & side business) I would go with the Timemaster.
If I didnt mow on the side I would only keep the HRX. My yard is small, no advantage to having the extra width.
If I mowed professionally as a business i would go with the Turfmaster or Scag and let the young hands push those beasts around...LOL And have the Timemaster on my truck. I definitely would not let an hourly employee use a Timemaster, they didnt pay for it and will handle it ruff, loading and unloading, slammimg blade engagement, lifting with personal pace handle instead on main handles, racking the height adjustments etc etc.
Bottom line....If your a homeowner and have $1500 to spend on a push mower with a average size yard. I would go with the Commercial Toro 21" with a Honda GXV 160 (22296) or a Commercial Honda HRC216HXA.
If you want to save a few bucks and spend under a grand get you a Honda HRX(HRX217VYA my mower) or a Super Recycler(21563)
I would say that is the biggest disappoment is the gas tank. Toro really puss'd out on that gas tank & is a poor design. Not sure what they were thinking or not at all. It's hard to maneuver with the 30" lawn striper on the turns as well. Great results, but it takes away from the enjoyment of the mow. You really grind the wheels into the grass on turns & is clunky with the striper on. Otherwise, I love this mower.
Pull the foam out of the gas tank
I predict this video breaks 300 views. :D
So you have regular gas tank im your timemaster
Yeah I did have the regular tanks, but actually had to stop using the time masters a while ago because they just kept breaking.
@@LawnThumbs o cause i been watching videos cause i see the gas tank is 1.2quarts in i dont know if they made big so are they the same size as the 22 inche the size the gas tanks cause i want buy me a timemaster cause im from texas in most of the yards i do with the 22 inch it takes me like 2 hour in half so i want like the timemaster
But now you don't use them anymore
They are good mowers but not if your mowing 30 a day.
@@LawnThumbs Right. I see alot of guys using them. I'm starting a solo gig that will probably have me doing 6 a day maybe. I don't want to buy something I will regret. What should i get? Probably 7,000 sg ft grandma lawns
Your complaining about a residential mower. Get the turfmaster it is a commercial mower
I use my walker zero turn mower and get everything done way faster then you and all of your goons lol
And you probably fuck up everyones yards while you're at it
@@jjsrt8 yeah totally I wonder how I’m still in business after 10 years of owning my own landscaping company LOL get the fuck outta here kid
@@snipezilla69 awesome, what's your company name?
@@Picklemedia none of your business that’s like giving out my home address!
@@snipezilla69 I'm sure that's exactly what's happening.. snipe Zilla 69 LOL