Verticutter

This product is capable of amputating hands and feet. Always follow all safety instructions to avoid serious personal injury.

• Read and understand the contents of this Operator’s Manual before starting the machine.

• Use your full attention while operating the machine. Do not engage in any activity that causes distractions; otherwise, injury or property damage may occur.

• Do not put your hands or feet near moving components of the machine.

• Do not operate the machine without all guards and other safety protective devices in place and functioning properly on the machine.

• Inspect the area where you will use the verticutter and remove all objects that the verticutter could strike.

• Keep clear of any discharge opening.

• Keep bystanders and children out of the operating area. Never allow children to operate the machine.

• Before you leave the operator’s position, do the following:

  • Park the machine on a level surface.

  • Lower the cutting unit(s).

  • Disengage the drives.

  • Engage the parking brake (if equipped).

  • Shut off the engine and remove the key (if equipped).

  • Wait for all movement to stop.

Improperly using or maintaining this machine can result in injury. To reduce the potential for injury, comply with these safety instructions and always pay attention to the safety-alert symbol, which means Caution, Warning, or Danger—personal safety instruction. Failure to comply with these instructions may result in personal injury or death.

• The cutting unit is only a complete machine when installed on a traction unit. Read the traction unit Operator’s Manual carefully for complete instructions on the safe use of the machine.

• Stop the machine, remove the key (if equipped), and wait for all movement to stop before inspecting the attachment after striking an object or if there is an abnormal vibration in the machine. Make all necessary repairs before resuming operation.

• Keep all parts in good working condition and all hardware tightened. Replace all worn or damaged decals.

• Use only accessories, attachments, and replacement parts approved by Toro.

A worn or damaged blade can break, and a piece of the blade could be thrown toward you or bystanders, resulting in serious personal injury or death.

• Inspect the blade periodically for wear or damage.

• Use care when checking the blades. Wrap the blades or wear gloves, and use caution when servicing the blades. Only replace or sharpen the blades; never straighten or weld them.

• On multi-bladed machines, take care as rotating 1 blade can cause other blades to rotate.

Parts needed for this procedure:

After the verticutter is removed from the box, inspect the following:

1. Check each end of the reel for grease. Grease should be visibly evident in the internal splines of the reel shaft.

2. Ensure that all nuts and bolts are securely tightened.

3. Make sure that the carrier frame suspension operates freely and does not bind when moved back and forth.

Parts needed for this procedure:

Secure a transport roller bracket to each side plate pin with a cotter pin (Figure 4).

Figure 4

1. Cotter pin
2. Transport roller assembly

Note: The roller should be positioned to the rear of the verticutter.

Parts needed for this procedure:

Install the grease fitting on the reel-motor side of the verticutter. Refer to Figure 5 to determine the position of each reel motor based on the position of each verticutter.

Figure 5

1. Verticutter 1
2. Verticutter 2
3. Verticutter 3
4. Verticutter 4
5. Verticutter 5
6. Reel motor
7. Weight or other accessory (sold separately)

1. Remove and discard the setscrew on the reel-motor side-plate (Figure 6).

   

   Figure 6

   1. Cap screws
   2. Straight grease fitting (install)
   3. Setscrew (remove and discard)

2. Install the straight grease fitting (Figure 6).

3. If there are no bolts on the reel-motor side-plate, install them (Figure 6).

4. Install the O-ring on the reel motor (Figure 7).

   Note: The electric motor is shown; this step also applies to the hydraulic motor.

   

   Figure 7

   1. O-ring

Parts needed for this procedure:

For verticutters being mounted on a Reelmaster 5010-H, replace the shoulder bolt on the reel-motor side-plate (Figure 8) with the new shoulder bolt; otherwise, the electric reel will contact the existing bolt.

Figure 8

1. Old bolt
2. New shoulder bolt

Parts needed for this procedure:

Buy and install the end weight kit appropriate for the configuration of your machine (Figure 9).

• Weight Kit Model 03411 for electric reel motors

• Weight Kit Model 03412 for hydraulic reel motors

Figure 9

1. End weight (large weight shown)

The verticutters can be installed at any of the 5 locations on the traction unit. Figure 5 shows the orientation of the drive motor for each of the locations. For any of the locations requiring the motor to be mounted on the right end of the verticutter, install a counterweight on the left end of the verticutter. For the locations requiring the motor to be mounted on the left end, install a counterweight on the right end of the verticutter.

Note: For Model 03619, counterweights are shipped installed to the right end of the verticutters. The bolts on the left end are to be used for securing the motor.

Refer to .

Verticutter reels are mounted to the traction unit the same way reel cutting units are. Refer to the traction unit Operator's Manual for mounting instructions.

Install the reel motor and grease the side plate until excess grease oozes out of the relief valve; refer to Lubricating the Verticutter.

Before operating the verticutter reels, evaluate the performance of the reel at the desired setting. Operate in a clear, unused area to determine if the desired results will be achieved. Adjust as desired.

• Operate the traction unit at full throttle, full reel speed (setting 9) and at the desired traction speed.

• The maximum recommended blade penetration depths are as follows:

  • Model 03618 is 3 mm (1/8 inch).

  • Model 03619 is 6 mm (1/4 inch).

• Power requirements to operate the verticutter reels will vary with turf and soil conditions. Travel speed may need to be reduced in some conditions.

• When operating in turf conditions where there is excessive debris or thatch, open the front and rear discharge shields to help allow the debris to discharge from the reel.

  Caution

  Thrown debris could cause personal injury.

  Do not open the rear shield so that it is higher than level to the ground.

Each verticutter has 5 grease fittings (Figure 13) that must be lubricated weekly with No. 2 lithium grease.

The lubrication points are the front roller (2), the rear roller (2), and the reel motor splines (1).

Important: Lubricating the cutting units immediately after washing helps purge water out of the bearings and increases bearing life.

1. Wipe each grease fitting with a clean rag.

2. Apply grease until you see clean grease coming out of the roller seals and the bearing relief valve (Figure 13).

   

   Figure 13

   1. Relief valve

3. Wipe any excess grease away.

1. Secure the end of the verticutter shaft, which has only one washer and nut, in a vise.

2. On other end of shaft, rotate the nut counter-clockwise and remove the nut.

   Caution

   The blades are extremely sharp and may have burrs that will cut your hands.

   Wear gloves and use caution when removing the blades from the shaft.

3. Remove the small spacer, the washer, the blades, and the large spacers. Clean and lubricate the square shaft with a light coating of grease to simplify the assembly (Figure 14).

   

   Figure 14

   1. Shaft
   2. Nut
   3. Washer
   4. Small spacer
   5. Blade (25 for model 03618; 16 for model 03619)
   6. Large spacer (24 for model 03618; 15 for model 03619)

   Important: The order of disassembly is extremely important. Do not invert the verticutter reel blades when disassembling or reverse the order when assembling them. Note the index hole in each verticutter blade. The index hole is provided for assembly in order to obtain the proper helix for the verticutter reel.

1. Assemble a blade (Figure 15).

2. Assemble a large spacer.

3. Do not invert the reel blades when assembling them on the reel shaft.

   Note: If you invert the blades, the blades in use (rounded) will mix with the sharp ends of the previously unused blades, resulting in unsatisfactory cutting performance.

4. Install the next blade clockwise so that the index reference hole (Figure 15) is not aligned with the first blade hole by one flat of the shaft.

   

   Figure 15

   1. Index reference hole

5. Continue to install spacers and blades in this manner until the full complement of blades have been installed.

   Note: When properly assembled, the blades will be staggered in such a manner as to appear like a helix.

6. Install the small spacer to the shaft.

7. Apply Blue Loctite 242 to the nut. Install the nut onto the shaft (machined side of the nut toward the spacer), and tighten it to 109 to 135 N-m (80 to 100 ft-lb).

The Roller Rebuild Kit (Part No. 114-5430) and the Roller Rebuild Tool Kit (Part No. 115-0803) (Figure 18) are available for servicing the roller. The Roller Rebuild Kit includes all the bearings, bearing nuts, inner seals, and outer seals to rebuild a roller. The Roller Rebuild Tool Kit includes all the tools and the installation instructions required to rebuild a roller with the roller rebuild kit. Refer to your parts catalog or contact your authorized Toro distributor for assistance.

Figure 18

1. Roller Rebuild Kit (Part No. 114-5430)
2. Roller Rebuild Tool kit (Part No. 115-0803)
3. Inner seal
4. Bearing
5. Outer seal
6. Bearing nut
7. Inner seal tool
8. Washer
9. Bearing/outer-seal tool