# Reels that mow at least 1.5in



## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

Trying to find a powered reel and it's a bit overwhelming. Most seem to stop around 1in. Could we possibly make a sticky in this forum that could have sections and short descriptions of types of reels? Like post the manufactures and model #s with pros and cons of each?


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

ABC123 said:


> Trying to find a powered reel and it's a bit overwhelming. Most seem to stop around 1in. Could we possibly make a sticky in this forum that could have sections and short descriptions of types of reels? Like post the manufactures and model #s with pros and cons of each?


I think most of your TruCut's, McClane's and maybe the California Trimmers will cut in that HOC range you are looking for. Most of the greens mowers will MAX out around 1".


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## Pete1313 (May 3, 2017)

The John Deere 220SL and 260SL can go as high as 1.125" with the front roller in the position closest to the reel. The QA5 cutting head on the JD 220E can go up to 1.5".


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## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

Awesome, thank you!

Qa5 means 5 blade?

220c maxes out at 1in? There's a few local for sale.


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## Pete1313 (May 3, 2017)

QA - Quick Adjust
5 - Diameter of the reel

JD also makes a QA7 that is found on their larger triplex and fairway mowers. The QA5 and QA7 are JD's current cutting unit design.

I'm not sure on the 220c max HOC but believe you are correct at ~1.0". If you need to go higher you should be able to change out the front roller to the larger 3" one.


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## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

There's a greensmaster flex21 for sale local with a crommer blade? Is this mower still limited to .98 or does it have options to raise HOC?

Is a groomer needed if I own a bluebird dethatcher?


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## Pete1313 (May 3, 2017)

A groomer is a nice feature to have and will help leave a slightly cleaner cut on KBG but is not needed or required. I have no experience with the Toro's, but others will chime in.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

ABC123 said:


> There's a greensmaster flex21 for sale local with a crommer blade? Is this mower still limited to .98 or does it have options to raise HOC?
> 
> Is a groomer needed if I own a bluebird dethatcher?


I don't think the Toro Flex mowers go that high, but I could be wrong. I thought they topped out around 1/2".


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## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

Ware said:


> ABC123 said:
> 
> 
> > There's a greensmaster flex21 for sale local with a crommer blade? Is this mower still limited to .98 or does it have options to raise HOC?
> ...


Correct. Found a spec sheet that said 3/4in with larger roller


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

I'm going to move this over to the Equipment subforum. This subforum is really just for stuff that is for sale.


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## TC2 (Sep 15, 2017)

The standard Toro GM1600 is suppose to go up to 1.25".


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

TC2 said:


> The standard Toro GM1600 is suppose to go up to 1.25".


Correct. It looks like the adjustment mechanism is pretty much the same as a GM1000, but the front roller diameter is 1/2" larger - so you get half that (1/4") in additional HOC.


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## kur1j (Jul 2, 2017)

John Deere 220c with groomer will max out around .95". Without the groomer it will get to 1.1"z


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## 95mmrenegade (Jul 31, 2017)

You need to stick with the tru cut, mcclane, cal trimmer for 1.5" -2.5" cut height. I have a tru cut c27 and toro gm1600. There is no perfect mower out there. The trucut does a decent job at a reasonable price. Backlapping is easy, just wished it had more adjustment and a solid rear drive roller


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## gatormac2112 (Sep 14, 2017)

It looks like the JD 220E might only go as high as 3/4". There was some confusion as a chart showed that the QA5 cutting unit could go to 1.42", but there was a note above the chart that said:

_NOTE: Height of cut range for the 180 E-Cut™ Hybrid and 220 E-Cut™ Hybrid mowers is 0-19 mm (0.00-0.75 in.)._​
I guess its a good thing thats about where i want it :?


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## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

Looks like I'm in the market for the cali trimmer or a used gm1600. Thanks all.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

gatormac2112 said:


> It looks like the JD 220E might only go as high as 3/4". There was some confusion as a chart showed that the QA5 cutting unit could go to 1.42", but there was a note above the chart that said:
> 
> _NOTE: Height of cut range for the 180 E-Cut™ Hybrid and 220 E-Cut™ Hybrid mowers is 0-19 mm (0.00-0.75 in.)._​
> I guess its a good thing thats about where i want it :?


The 220E can definitely be adjusted above 0.75" - I would guess up to the 1.42" stated in the manual (with a GTC and the front roller in position 7). I suspect that note is there because the clip rate cannot be adjusted beyond 0.75" - despite the cutting unit having a much wider HOC adjustment range. See the _Adjusting Frequency of Clip (FOC)_ section of the manual.

They say that because ideal reel mowing exists when the FOC = HOC. The textbooks will say that you technically do not get an ideal cut when HOC ≠ FOC. To learn more about how clip rate affects the cut, this is a good read.

If you look at the clip specs for some other greens mowers, you will notice the 220E has a very generous FOC adjustment range, so it is actually very well suited for mowing at the HOC's most of us here are dealing with:


GM1000/1600 = 0.16" with 11-blade reel (0.25" w/optional clip kit), 0.23" with 8-blade reel (0.34" w/clip kit)
JD 220/260SL = 0.18" with 11-blade reel (0.29" with 7-blade reel)
JD 220E = 0.16-0.48" with 11-blade reel, 0.25-0.75" with 7-blade reel

For those that don't know, the JD 220E hybrid has an adjustable FOC because the reel is driven with an electric motor. The reel is geared with the drum drive on a traditional greens mower.


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## Pete1313 (May 3, 2017)

Excellent post Ware! :thumbsup: 
The QA5 cutting unit on the 220E is the same unit on my 2500B triplex. The only difference is the way the yoke mounts to the machine. They will go up to about 1.5. Here they are set at 1 7/16"


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## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

Trying to figure out where to buy a used gm1600 from, anybody have any pointers or places online that are reasonable?

I live in Minnesota so I'd probably have to purchase from eBay or an auction site and have it shipped.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

ABC123 said:


> Trying to figure out where to buy a used gm1600 from, anybody have any pointers or places online that are reasonable?
> 
> I live in Minnesota so I'd probably have to purchase from eBay or an auction site and have it shipped.


I would start here.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Would the 220E be an overkill for a 5k lawn?


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

g-man said:


> Would the 220E be an overkill for a 5k lawn?


I don't think so. I had one for 7k.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

So why you switched to the Toro? Lower hoc?


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

g-man said:


> So why you switched to the Toro? Lower hoc?


Went to the GM1600 mostly because I had the opportunity to buy a 3yo machine. Also, the added width is nice, and I was more familiar with the Toro machines.


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## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

Ware said:


> ABC123 said:
> 
> 
> > Trying to figure out where to buy a used gm1600 from, anybody have any pointers or places online that are reasonable?
> ...


Thank you :thumbup: know anything about this place? http://cuttinggreenllc.com/current-inventory


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## Pete1313 (May 3, 2017)

ABC123 said:


> Trying to figure out where to buy a used gm1600 from, anybody have any pointers or places online that are reasonable?
> 
> I live in Minnesota so I'd probably have to purchase from eBay or an auction site and have it shipped.


ABC123, how close are you to Hastings, MN? Frontier AG & Turf has a few of These in stock. Price seems alittle high, but they look to be in top shape and you would have dealer support. If close, it would be worth poking around and see what else they have in inventory and try and haggle the price down a bit. Maybe you can get a deal on 2 of them and I'll take one!


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## Pete1313 (May 3, 2017)

g-man said:


> Would the 220E be an overkill for a 5k lawn?


A 220E would be perfect for 5k. I mowed 4k with a 220SL at my last home.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

^ thanks. I've been debating what to buy. The 220e, Tru cut h-27 or h-20, Toro gm1600. I like the idea of a wider cut. I dropped to 1.5 in the rotary, but I need a reel for it to look even.


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## Spammage (Apr 30, 2017)

From what I've seen, only the tee & collar 26" greens mowers will cut to 1.5", with the gm1600 being the exception as I think they will always allow it. A TruCut will cut up to 2.75", so that would provide you a little more flexibility. If you know you can manage the 1.5" height, go greens mower.


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## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

Pete1313 said:


> ABC123 said:
> 
> 
> > Trying to figure out where to buy a used gm1600 from, anybody have any pointers or places online that are reasonable?
> ...


I'm about a hour and a half from them. Awesome, Thank you!


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## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

Is this a 220b? https://stcloud.craigslist.org/grd/d/john-deere-22r-walk-greens/6320307571.html


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## Pete1313 (May 3, 2017)

No, that is a 22R and is older than a 220A. That mower is a '87-'94 model year and is not worth it in my opinion. The A,B,C, and SL are all very similar but are the evolution of the JD greens mower. They have small upgrades that have been done over the years. JD models and years built


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## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

Thank you for the break down on models.

I sent them a email about the 220c's.

Thenad thing is they all need reels replaced and will sell them as is for $1295 or 2k with new reels. They also had 3 220e's but didn't mention a price.

Is a reel swap a huge case of worms? Or are they charging way too much for a simple job?


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## Pete1313 (May 3, 2017)

Reel replacement on a 220c can be alittle tricky depending on your mechanical ability. Reel replacement on a 220e is cake and feel anyone with a couple sockets can do it. Curious if you can find out the price on the 220e's and the condition and if they have groomers. Of the John Deere lineup, I really think the 220e is the best fit for the cool-season user. It can go up to almost 1.5" HOC, and although I know the SL can go almost that high, one advantage to the 220e is since it is a floating head you can keep the bedknife attitude aggressive and get a cleaner cut at the higher HOCs. With a fixed head reel at the higher HOC you can get a few stragglers (missed cut blades) when you set it really high as the bedknife looses its angle and won't gather the grass as well to be cut. That being said, I cut my last lawn with a fixed head 220SL and really enjoyed it, but now that I have the QA5 heads on the triplex (same head that is on the 220e) I can see some difference in the cut quality. The other advantage to the 220e is you can fit it with a 7 blade reel and slow the clip rate down as ideally you want to get the clip rate to equal HOC.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

Pete1313 said:


> Reel replacement on a 220c can be alittle tricky depending on your mechanical ability. Reel replacement on a 220e is cake and feel anyone with a couple sockets can do it. Curious if you can find out the price on the 220e's and the condition and if they have groomers. Of the John Deere lineup, I really think the 220e is the best fit for the cool-season user. It can go up to almost 1.5" HOC, and although I know the SL can go almost that high, one advantage to the 220e is since it is a floating head you can keep the bedknife attitude aggressive and get a cleaner cut at the higher HOCs. With a fixed head reel at the higher HOC you can get a few stragglers (missed cut blades) when you set it really high as the bedknife looses its angle and won't gather the grass as well to be cut. That being said, I cut my last lawn with a fixed head 220SL and really enjoyed it, but now that I have the QA5 heads on the triplex (same head that is on the 220e) I can see some difference in the cut quality. The other advantage to the 220e is you can fit it with a 7 blade reel and slow the clip rate down as ideally you want to get the clip rate to equal HOC.


Excellent analysis. :thumbup: :thumbup:


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## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

Talked to them about the 220e. They want almost 4K for it so that's probably out of the question.


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## Pete1313 (May 3, 2017)

ABC123 said:


> Talked to them about the 220e. They want almost 4K for it...


 :shocked: that is pricey!


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## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

Pete1313 said:


> ABC123 said:
> 
> 
> > Talked to them about the 220e. They want almost 4K for it...
> ...


Yeah I wasn't expecting that much. The best option I've found so far is a GM1600 for about $1200 with 60%+ reel life left. Does this sound decent?


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## Pete1313 (May 3, 2017)

Depends. I'm not too familiar with Toro's, but others here are and will chime in, but I suppose it would depend on the condition, year, and how far you need to go to get it.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

I've seen 220e for 3k online, but the distance to go get it is far.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

ABC123 said:


> Yeah I wasn't expecting that much. The best option I've found so far is a GM1600 for about $1200 with 60%+ reel life left. Does this sound decent?


Like Pete said, it really depends on the condition. Do you have any photos of it?


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## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

Ware said:


> ABC123 said:
> 
> 
> > Yeah I wasn't expecting that much. The best option I've found so far is a GM1600 for about $1200 with 60%+ reel life left. Does this sound decent?
> ...


It's the ones from eBay. Said he has like 12 of them

https://m.ebay.com/itm/Toro-GM1600-Greensmaster-Greens-Reel-Lawn-Mower-/263011909438?hash=item3d3cbb3f3e%3Ag%3AS18AAOSwjL5ZLeY9&_trkparms=pageci%253A05234f29-b7ab-11e7-b9a6-74dbd1808ba1%257Cparentrq%253A477fd62215f0ab6b033aef49fffe8ea0%257Ciid%253A3


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

ABC123 said:


> It's the ones from eBay. Said he has like 12 of them
> 
> https://m.ebay.com/itm/Toro-GM1600-Greensmaster-Greens-Reel-Lawn-Mower-/263011909438?hash=item3d3cbb3f3e%3Ag%3AS18AAOSwjL5ZLeY9&_trkparms=pageci%253A05234f29-b7ab-11e7-b9a6-74dbd1808ba1%257Cparentrq%253A477fd62215f0ab6b033aef49fffe8ea0%257Ciid%253A3


Sounds a little high to me for the 2003-2006 year model range. I think I gave $1750 for a 2014 model with 400'ish hours earlier this year. That said, a GM1600 is not something you just go buy anywhere, so pricing varies.


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## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

It's hard being in the north shopping for them. They also have some newer ones for about 1600.

Would it be better to buy the 220c local at a dealer with new reel for 2k just so I know what I'll be getting?


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

ABC123 said:


> It's hard being in the north shopping for them...


Keep an eye on Prairie Turf Equipment in Winnipeg. That's where I bought my GM1600. They seem to get newer equipment, and they ship units across the border every week.


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## jha4aamu (Oct 16, 2017)

Anyone have any experience with the JD 260C? I'm trying to maintain my kbg around 1.5" next spring down from 2.5" this year. Will the 260c be serviceable for a first time reel mower user?

Disclaimer: I'm brand new to TLF and this is my first post. Sorry if this has already been answered


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

jha4aamu said:


> Anyone have any experience with the JD 260C? I'm trying to maintain my kbg around 1.5" next spring down from 2.5" this year. Will the 260c be serviceable for a first time reel mower user?
> 
> Disclaimer: I'm brand new to TLF and this is my first post. Sorry if this has already been answered


Welcome to TLF! Glad you're here! :thumbup:

I think the 260C would probably be an excellent choice for your application, but I'm not 100% sure what the max HOC is on those. This document indicates that it may only be 1-3/8" with a 3" front roller. Pete may know.


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## Pete1313 (May 3, 2017)

Ware said:


> jha4aamu said:
> 
> 
> > Anyone have any experience with the JD 260C? I'm trying to maintain my kbg around 1.5" next spring down from 2.5" this year. Will the 260c be serviceable for a first time reel mower user?
> ...


Welcome to the lawn forum!
1.375" sounds about right with a 3" roller as they go up to about 1" with the 2" roller.



kur1j said:


> John Deere 220c with groomer will max out around .95". Without the groomer it will get to 1.1"z


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## SwardmanGuy (Oct 30, 2017)

There is also one more possibility. Swardman Edwin 2.0. With 5-reel or 6-reel blade you supposed to cut cicra till 5cm (2inch)...


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

SwardmanGuy said:


> There is also one more possibility. Swardman Edwin 2.0. With 5-reel or 6-reel blade you supposed to cut cicra till 5cm (2inch)...


Those look neat! I haven't seen any in the U.S.


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## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

Very interesting. Look at the different reels you can use.

https://www.swardman.com/us/edwin-special-55/?p=2


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## Jeep4life (Jun 19, 2019)

Ran across this chain and was hoping someone with JD experience could let me know if it's a good deal to get a JD 220E from 2010 for $1,800 that only has 77 hours on it (looks excellent condition). I just started looking at greens mowers to cut zoysia about 3/4 in at a new house i'm moving to, but want something that has a flexible with HOC to adjust as necessary. This seems like a really good deal, but wanted to see opinions from someone who has one or much more knowledge than me. Thanks so much!


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

Jeep4life said:


> Ran across this chain and was hoping someone with JD experience could take a look at this posting to see if it was a good deal. I just started looking at greens mowers to cut zoysia about 3/4 in at a new house i'm moving to, but want something that has a flexible with HOC to adjust as necessary. This seems like a really good deal, but wanted to see opinions from someone who has one or much more knowledge than me. Thanks so much!


Looks nice!


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## Jeep4life (Jun 19, 2019)

Am I correct in understanding the prior posts that the HOC should be able to adjust up to 1.5 in, but the FOC wouldn't match the HOC after .75"? The result of that would be blades here and there that wouldn't get cut? I'm assuming at higher heights like that it wouldn't be very noticeable compared to a putting green? Really appreciate the quick response!


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

That machine looks very new. A new one from a dealer is +$11k. The 220E can go to 1.42in with that setup (no GTC). With a 3in roller it can go higher, but I'm not sure you will want to keep zoysia at those hoc.

The FOC will not match the HOC after 0.75in with a 7 blade reel. It looks like it has an 11 blade reel. Yes, you might have some stranglers, but it wont be a huge deal at 1in. A double pass, will get the few missing ones if you want a very even look.


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## psider25 (May 4, 2020)

Digging up this old thread ....  It was a good one for me ...lots of answers to questions I had!

So ...I am going to pick up (hopefully) a JD220B tomorrow morning. From pics it looks in good condition. I have never reel mowed before, used a reel mower or greens mower, or_ even seen a greens mower in person_. Is there anything that even the novice could look at before I hand over a bag of cash? Should I try to cut paper with it (is that a common sense thing to do or does it take experience to learn how to properly do that test?). How do I tell if the reel is at the end of its life?

I reno'd my lawn last fall, ran a harley rake across the entire thing then used a landscapers rake to touch it up ...it definitely is *not* perfectly flat or sand leveled but there are not any big holes or mounds anywhere. It does have some undulations and slopes though. I'm not sure I would be able to mow any lower than 1 inch. I have been mowing as low as the Toro Rotary Super Recycler will go but don't love the cut from it. From what I have been reading the JD220E would be perfect for me but I don't really have any budget set aside for that. The 220B I found is listed for $450 so I thought I would jump on it thinking if it doesn't work out I could sell it and not loose my shirt.

@Pete1313 @g-man @Ware if you aren't too busy would love you opinions...


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

psider25 said:


> Digging up this old thread ....  It was a good one for me ...lots of answers to questions I had!
> 
> So ...I am going to pick up (hopefully) a JD220B tomorrow morning. From pics it looks in good condition. I have never reel mowed before, used a reel mower or greens mower, or_ even seen a greens mower in person_. Is there anything that even the novice could look at before I hand over a bag of cash? Should I try to cut paper with it (is that a common sense thing to do or does it take experience to learn how to properly do that test?). How do I tell if the reel is at the end of its life?
> 
> ...


I think you will find you'll be able to mow much lower with a reel than you are able to with the rotary - without sacrificing quality.

Here are some tips in a guide that I unfortunately got too busy to finish.


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## psider25 (May 4, 2020)

Thanks @Ware

Confused about below ....what does measure the perimeter of a polygon mean? What is the easiest way to measure the real to decide if there is much life left in it?

<<<<<<Many new reels are 5" diameter (ie 100% life). TORO states a reel is unserviceable when the diameter is 4.5" (ie 0% life). When measuring a reel, you wouldn't calculate the circumference of a circle, but the perimeter of a polygon. 1/8" reduction of perimeter is roughly 8% reduction of life.

8 Blade, 5" reel:
15.307" = 100% life
13.777" = 0% life

11 Blade, 5" reel:
15.495" = 100%
13.946" = 0%
>>>>>>


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## Chuuurles (Nov 23, 2020)

Does anyone know what the max HOC is for the QA5 head on the 180 e cut ? Same as 220e?


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