# Floating or Sump'n Else?



## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

I experienced the weirdest thing today during my mow. I'd never had this happen.
I'm guessing it may be the thing everyone calls "floating."

My mower felt like it was sliding over the turf in my front yard. Easiest way to explain it is that it was tough mowing a straight stripe, because it kept wanting veer off to one side. I'd try to steer it back on to the stripe, but I'd end up over compensating and go too far.

Is this what "floating" is?

(my mower weighs only 120-ish pounds.)


----------



## rjw0283 (May 11, 2020)

YUP! You've explained my every mow in the late summer. I am on a hill so once the grass really thickens up it aids in the floating, because of hills and gravity, and science :lol:


----------



## rjw0283 (May 11, 2020)

also check your mower to ensure belts aren't slipping and whatnot etc etc etc, mine has a split drive drum that I speculate spins better on one side. It's probably my stupid hill though


----------



## Austinite (Oct 4, 2018)

My Allett does that sometimes when grass is super thick, usually on very level spots. The Allett is a lot lighter than the swardman, I did not have that issue with Swardman. So I think the weight has something to do with it.


----------



## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

rjw0283 said:


> ....and science :lol:




By my standards, I did a super aggressive scalp before I leveled in mid-July. The turf isn't as thick as it normally is. But checking the drive belt is not a bad idea. Haven't had to do that before.
Yep @Austinite, I expected the weight to be an issue earlier. Just hadn't dealt with this until now. 🤷🏽‍♂️


----------



## JustinWheat (Feb 4, 2018)

OK I've been having this issue as well on my Meyer Zoysia. I recently acquired a Toro Greensmaster 1000 and was still floating at .5" cut on Sunday. Would dethatching help with this issue?


----------



## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

I've noticed verticutting helps a lot on my Tifway 419 but I would wait until the spring.


----------



## DFWdude (Aug 28, 2020)

Im glad you posted this because I've been fighting the same thing. 
I am going to verticut more next season, and toss in a midseason scalp to hopefully avoid it from happening again.


----------



## AlaTex (Mar 27, 2019)

Other than not over fertilizing and not over watering what can be done to keep this build up to a minimum? I don't have the floating issue because I keep my HOC at about 1 1/8" but that debris starts to become noticeable beginning in late July/early August.


----------



## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

AlaTex said:


> Other than not over fertilizing and not over watering what can be done to keep this build up to a minimum? I don't have the floating issue because I keep my HOC at about 1 1/8" but that debris starts to become noticeable beginning in late July/early August.


Regular verticutting. Anything you can do to thin out any horizontal growth. Power rake, scarify, verticut, etc.


----------



## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

MasterMech said:


> Regular verticutting. Anything you can do to thin out any horizontal growth. Power rake, scarify, verticut, etc.


Interesting you mention scarifying, @MasterMech. In previous seasons,, I normally did a light scarify every 6-ish weeks. I actually haven't done that since I scalped and leveled this past July, because last year when I scalped, I wound up getting a lot of sand in my catcher. I wanted to avoid that this year, so I've skipped out on scarifying.

This is probably the reason I'm seeing this for the first time in my lawn. Can't believe my dumb @ss hadn't thought of that.


----------



## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

I did a lot of verticutting late in the season last year and it made a serious difference in the after-cut appearance. My 419 has been on the struggle bus all year so I have not had the issues with floating this season.


----------



## swilly (Oct 14, 2021)

I have Zoysia mowed at 1" and have been "floating" for the last month. I currently have a smooth roller on the front of my Cali trimmer but have been reading that a grooved roller can help to stop this from happening. There are a couple of discussions about this in the forums. I think I will give that a try next year and if it doesn't help, I will do a mid season scalp / scarify to see if that solves the problem.


----------



## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

swilly said:


> I have Zoysia mowed at 1" and have been "floating" for the last month. I currently have a smooth roller on the front of my Cali trimmer but have been reading that a grooved roller can help to stop this from happening. There are a couple of discussions about this in the forums. I think I will give that a try next year and if it doesn't help, I will do a mid season scalp / scarify to see if that solves the problem.


On a Trimmer, I can see that helping. On a greensmower, we have the full width traction drum (which is weight-bearing) to contend with as well. Installing a grooved roller can help prevent the floating or "mower bob" by preventing the lighter front-end of the cutting unit from floating on the turf canopy and effectively raising HoC which only exacerbates the issue if the turf is growing and thickening actively. But swapping to a grooved roller after the problem is apparent rarely mitigates the issue. Installing a grooved roller in combination with doing a verticut on the other hand....


----------



## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

I'd like to try out a grooved roller, but no one makes them for Allett mowers (at least for homeowner models). There was a guy on here who offered to possibly machine one, but he ghosted me. &#128123;
I've only used the smooth roller that came with my mower.


----------



## FATC1TY (Jul 12, 2017)

AlaTex said:


> Other than not over fertilizing and not over watering what can be done to keep this build up to a minimum? I don't have the floating issue because I keep my HOC at about 1 1/8" but that debris starts to become noticeable beginning in late July/early August.


As mentioned, add in a verticut, aeration, scarification, etc.

If you have a mower with a groomer this can really help to engage periodically during the mid summer to thin out and prevent a grain to form. Ensure you change up the direction of your cut.


----------



## JustinWheat (Feb 4, 2018)

This is a result of cut I get with all the floating. Top dressing and power raking are due in the spring for sure. Is that going to help??


----------



## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

Are you putting weight on the handles or allowing them to float in the middle of their travel? A little forward pressure?


----------



## JustinWheat (Feb 4, 2018)

No weights just a tradition toro greensmaster 1000.


----------



## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

I will hold the handle up on my GM1000 so that it doesn't take weight off the front. I'm not pushing up against the stops but just lifting it a little.


----------



## harold56 (Nov 13, 2017)

This happens to me as well. I classify it as different than what most people call floating. The "wiggling" around while mowing corresponds strongly with the cross mowed lines. This has always led me to believe this was a result of grain. The same forces that steer a golf ball due to grain are also steering the mower. Only fix I have ever found was to verticut. Its very important to never mow in the same direction in order to keep this from happening as well.


----------



## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

@harold56, that's a pretty good theory. In my case, I mow in a new direction every time I mow. I also scarify in different directions when I do that.
Something I thought of since I posted this is that I am mowing a little higher than I have in the past 2 years. It may be that the added height may be a factor in keeping my mower "skating" over the turf.

But grainy very well also be a factor in some cases.


----------



## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

You could also try to pickup the back of the mower kinda like a wheelbarrow and see if it cuts better. But be prepared for a workout


----------



## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

ABC123 said:


> You could also try to pickup the back of the mower kinda like a wheelbarrow and see if it cuts better. But be prepared for a workout


If you do that to a greens mower it will just sit there. The rear drum is what propels it.


----------



## itsmejson (Aug 20, 2020)

It's funny your brought this up. This past Sunday when I was cutting with my Mclane I ran into this.

How often do you verticut or scarify? Do you guys use the sun joe that everyone raves about?


----------



## cglarsen (Dec 28, 2018)

I have this problem even with my triplex the last couple months - even after a midseason scalp - problem came back within a few weeks. The turf gets thick quickly and the yellow under-canopy develops. Mine happens on the side of the cutting unit that the drive motor resides. @MasterMech anything like this happen for you?


----------



## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

Redtwin said:


> ABC123 said:
> 
> 
> > You could also try to pickup the back of the mower kinda like a wheelbarrow and see if it cuts better. But be prepared for a workout
> ...


Obviously, its more so to get some pressure onto the front roller :lol:


----------



## rjw0283 (May 11, 2020)

ABC123 said:


> Redtwin said:
> 
> 
> > ABC123 said:
> ...


I do this going up my hill, it helps a little. I guess you could *** a little weight to the grass catcher as well. I may try this with mine. I get grain like crazy, I never verticut though. May start next season. I did a scalp/level in late may. The grass didn't start getting super thick till Aug.


----------



## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

ABC123 said:


> Redtwin said:
> 
> 
> > ABC123 said:
> ...


:lol: I guess I was Captain Obvious on that one. I was talking about only taking the weight off the handle so it has less lift on the cutting unit. If I apply any lifting pressure to the handle on the GM1000, it will start acting like a drift car.


----------



## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

cglarsen said:


> I have this problem even with my triplex the last couple months - even after a midseason scalp - problem came back within a few weeks. The turf gets thick quickly and the yellow under-canopy develops. Mine happens on the side of the cutting unit that the drive motor resides. @MasterMech anything like this happen for you?


That's why I like my verticutter. I can pull everything up and it will leave the lawn looking "puffy". Then I can cut it back down with the mower. I don't always do it often enough.


----------

