Service Bulletin

Customer Service Bulletin

Commercial Business Group

Greensmaster

Flex 21 & DPA Cutting Unit Date: April 7, 2004

Model/Serial Range: Model Number: Serial Numbers:

04200 210000101-240001000

04610 230000101-230009999

04611 230000101-230009999

Subject: Rollers slide instead of Roll.

Seal protection on these cutting unit rollers is maximized to protect the sealed bearings

against the entry of moisture and debris, the primary reasons for bearing failure. This

added protection helps to prolong life; however it also results in a naturally higher rolling

resistance when compared to traditional rollers that are purged through greasing. The

higher resistance combined with a number of other influences may contribute to a roller

sliding instead of turning as expected. These influences include bedknife

misapplication, seal damage, height of cut setting that is too low for the turf conditions,

and perceptions based upon comparison to previous cutting unit models.

It is important to determine whether the rollers turn at the specified value (see step 7 of

the seal installation procedure). Rollers that have higher resistance than specified will

have trouble turning. If the roller is at specification, inspect the bedknife for signs that it

is running in contact with the turf. A highly polished bedknife for example would indicate

heavy contact with the turf. It is always desirable to maintain some clearance between

the turf and the bedknife to prevent performance issues. If in doubt, the height can be

raised .100 inch (2.5 mm) or more as a test to determine if the roller action is corrected

by creating more clearance between the turf and the bedknife.

Note: Micro-Cut Bedknife (93-4262) is recommended below 1/8 inch (3.2 mm) height

of cut and may also be need at higher height settings in some conditions.

If the roller functions properly at the higher setting, the issue is a result of the turf

affecting the performance of the roller. The proper action is to raise the height, if Micro-

cut Bedknife (93-4262) is already installed. If raising the height is not an option, a lower

resistance design roller from later products or traditional greased rollers are options

available to overcome this outside influence (see below). Contact your Toro

Commercial Products Distributor if assistance with this issue is needed.

Sealed Bearing Rollers from later products

107-9036 Rear Roller - Flex 21

106-6945 Rear Roller - DPA

107-9037 Front Roller (close spaced Wiehle) - Both Flex 21 and DPA

107-9038 Front Roller (wide spaced Wiehle) - Both Flex 21 and DPA

107-9039 Smooth Front Roller - Both Flex 21 and DPA

Greased Bearings available

52-3170 Rear Roller (grease fittings on ends) - Both Flex 21 and DPA

104-2642 Rear Roller (grease fitting on outer diameter) - Both Flex 21 and DPA

94-8171 Front Roller (wide spaced Wiehle) - Both Flex 21 and DPA

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Customer Service Bulletin Commercial Business Group Greensmaster® Flex 21 & DPA Cutting Unit Model/Serial Range: Model Number: 04200 04610 04611 Subject: Date: April 7, 2004 Serial Numbers: 210000101-240001000 230000101-230009999 230000101-230009999 Rollers slide instead of Roll. Seal protection on these cutting unit rollers is maximized to protect the sealed bearings against the entry of moisture and debris, the primary reasons for bearing failure.
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SEAL INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS For Greensmaster® Flex 21 and DPA Cutting Unit Rollers Roller and seal performance can be checked with a spring scale or a torque wrench with the ability to read 6 in-lb (0.68 Nm) near mid-scale on the dial. If the rolling resistance exceeds this value, the roller will need to be corrected. Seal installation procedures. 1) Use grease on the ID of the seal and shaft to ease installation. Grease on the OD of the seal is not required.