HRX217 or Timemaster 30

Good Day All.

So here I am thinking about mowing season 2019 and I am contemplating getting a new push mower to use instead of my zero turn. Without getting into the issues of time savings and how much I have to mow, I will just say that this is something that I want to do. I thoroughly enjoy walking behind a mower, and to be honest I have missed the much needed exercise.

So as of right now, here is what I do know. I have about an acre of grass that I wish to cut on the regular. I will only be bagging my back yard which is about 12,000 square feet. The rest of the yard (30,000 square feet) I will be mowing side/rear discharge and will try to keep it at about 3.5-4" tall. I do have enough time in my day or weekend to accomplish said mowing, so I am not so concerned with time savings between my two mowers of interest.

I have been looking at getting a 2019 model HRX217 with the new GCV200 engine. I have also been looking at the Toro Timemaster for the simple fact that I like that it side discharges and offers increased productivity (while not that important). As for the two machines or brands, I have known people with Toro machines that have lived and sworn by them, and I have personally loved the HRX217 that I had prior to moving to a bigger property. My only hesitation with the Timemaster is the transmission which I have read many complaints about replacements after only a year of use in commercial applications. I know this is not a commercial mower, and my single lot is not that big for it being used once a week, but the issue of having something with only 3 years of warranty that costs over $1000 and mowing a larger than normal sized "residential" lot with this piece of equipment, I just don't get that warm fuzzy feeling.

I do not know how well the new HRX would fair in my same situation, but in 7 years of mowing .25 acres almost twice a week with my old one, I did not have a single problem.

So, given my lot size, how often I would be mowing and the equipment in question, what mower do you all think would hold up best?

Also, I will not consider any other 21-22" or ~30" mowers as I do not like the controls, nor do I wish to spend over $1000.

Thanks you.

Mike

The Toro tranny problem you read about has been resolved with a different tranny and change inn the control cable. We have about a dozen landscapers who use them and most have purchased 2 or 3 more, after purchasing their original one. Only complaint I have heard is they are a little difficult to use on steep grades due to the weight.

That's encouraging to hear. I was not aware of the transmission changes but did know that the engine was updated recently. I have a relatively flat yard so I do not worry about the weight. I saw that the Turfmaster HDX got some beefy new trans and was hoping that Toro would pass that tech along. But then again in a residential mower it may not be necessary.

Still more to ponder.

Thank you for your input.

Mike

I have used both side by side. My HRX217 is 4 years old and it's been fine. I wanted to try the Timemaster because I've got a huge yard and it does take some time, LOL. When Home Depot had a returned Timemaster, (bad o-rings at dip stick tube) I thought what the heck perfect opportunity to give it a go. For my yard the Timemaster didn't work out. I have too many elevation changes and obstacles so I was always pulling on the blue boost handle to boost the personal pace system. If you have long straight runs then I'd have no problem recommending the Timemaster and I would have kept it. For me I'm getting something this spring, it might be a riding lawn mower or a zero turn mower. I'm really intrigued in the Toro 32" Timecutter.

gotomow said:

I have used both side by side. My HRX217 is 4 years old and it's been fine. I wanted to try the Timemaster because I've got a huge yard and it does take some time, LOL. When Home Depot had a returned Timemaster, (bad o-rings at dip stick tube) I thought what the heck perfect opportunity to give it a go. For my yard the Timemaster didn't work out. I have too many elevation changes and obstacles so I was always pulling on the blue boost handle to boost the personal pace system. If you have long straight runs then I'd have no problem recommending the Timemaster and I would have kept it. For me I'm getting something this spring, it might be a riding lawn mower or a zero turn mower. I'm really intrigued in the Toro 32" Timecutter.

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I can understand the issues with the elevation changes. Besides the ditch in front of my house that has a moderate slope but still gets mowed I don't have many obstacles. I have my Lazer z that if I sold it I would have money for something more substantial like the Turfmaster HDX or maybe a commercial type walk behind mower. I think that Ferris is bringing a 32" walk behind with a Honda engine and hydrostatic drives sometime this year. Sarlo also makes the BigMo34 with a nice setup for the controls but they are not available out by me. The small zero turns like the Toro are nice for small yards but they have single cylinder engines with little power. And for a couple hundred more you can jump into a v-twin 42" toro.

Yes, I've noticed that the Toro SS4225 (74726) is nicely powered and any riding mowers I look at are 42". The SS4225 would be overkill for sure but at some point I'll be interested in moving and selling the mower. This model would spark a lot of interest, maybe more so than the 32".

I am bringing this back to life as my first mow should be in the next 3 to 4 weeks. I was doing some research and found the Toro 22155/22156 that unfortunately were discontinued a couple of years ago. It's a shame because if that model was out now it would likely persuade me away from the HRX. Since I will not be getting a Timemaster due to the unsettling feeling I get from the weight and trans issues I have looked to other 21" mowers around the $600-800 mark. The Snappers just don't do it for me, the Husqvarnas I worry about quality and forget the MTD and it's rebrands. This leaves me with the Toro Super Recycler 20382. I don't know why but I want the ability to side discharge as opposed to rear discharge on the HRX. But what holds me back from the Toro is the GCV160 engine. At this point the HRX has the new GCV200 which considering overall performance of the mower, a more powerful engine is going to keep up with clippings better and again the Honda is an exceptionally well built machine. Should I even be considering the Toro over the Honda or should I just stick with the HRX?

If I go with the HRX I think I have talked myself into the hydrostatic for longevity.

Thanks in advance!

I'd have no problem with any of the Honda walk behinds of you don't have to back up or pull back on the mower a lot. I'm not sure if the Honda Hydro has real wheel bearings but the rest don't and in time the inexpensive bushings don't do the job when you have build up occur on the shafts. It does help to remove the assembly and clean it but real bearings would make these easier to pull back. I plan on doing complete cleaning of my shaft and bushings this spring. Since the Timemaster didn't work out for my yard layout I'm getting a John Deere riding lawn tractor and using the Honda for trimming.

cruzenmike said:

I am bringing this back to life as my first mow should be in the next 3 to 4 weeks. I was doing some research and found the Toro 22155/22156 that unfortunately were discontinued a couple of years ago. It's a shame because if that model was out now it would likely persuade me away from the HRX. Since I will not be getting a Timemaster due to the unsettling feeling I get from the weight and trans issues I have looked to other 21" mowers around the $600-800 mark. The Snappers just don't do it for me, the Husqvarnas I worry about quality and forget the MTD and it's rebrands. This leaves me with the Toro Super Recycler 20382. I don't know why but I want the ability to side discharge as opposed to rear discharge on the HRX. But what holds me back from the Toro is the GCV160 engine. At this point the HRX has the new GCV200 which considering overall performance of the mower, a more powerful engine is going to keep up with clippings better and again the Honda is an exceptionally well built machine. Should I even be considering the Toro over the Honda or should I just stick with the HRX
If I go with the HRX I think I have talked myself into the hydrostatic for longevity.

Thanks in advance!

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I am in a similar situation as you. As a matter of fact, I purchased one of the original Timemasters. I don't have an exceptionally large yard, but at the time I purchased it, I was working long hours, and wanted something that could get the job done in 20 minutes or so. I installed the high lift kit on it, and it did a nice job--just a bit underpowered. What I did not like, is that it was extremely loud, and the side deflector spring kept breaking. I have since retired, and extended my yard a bit, to include a steep slope, and the Timemaster proved to be a bit too much to handle on the hill. I was also disappointed that it started to rust around the belt housing.

As you can see in my post below, I now have the HRX. There is a night and day difference in the engine noise, and as I said, it starts right up on the first try. I find that I miss the Personal Pace feature of the Toro. The hydrostatic transmission on the Honda is either a tick too slow, or too fast. I also miss the lack of the side discharge, and the bag does not make a tight seal with the deck, so there are errant blades that leak out. When the bag starts to fill up, the mower becomes unbalanced and the front wheels want to pop up. I also do not like the Versa Mow feature. I never use the partial bag/mulch option--I either bag or mulch. I much prefer to insert/remove the plug that is used with the Toro. I like the plastic deck of the HRX, but there are too many places for grass to build up underneath, as opposed to the Toro.

So, I am seriously considering going back to a Toro-I just can't decide which one...

bs0755 said:

I am in a similar situation as you. As a matter of fact, I purchased one of the original Timemasters. I don't have an exceptionally large yard, but at the time I purchased it, I was working long hours, and wanted something that could get the job done in 20 minutes or so. I installed the high lift kit on it, and it did a nice job--just a bit underpowered. What I did not like, is that it was extremely loud, and the side deflector spring kept breaking. I have since retired, and extended my yard a bit, to include a steep slope, and the Timemaster proved to be a bit too much to handle on the hill. I was also disappointed that it started to rust around the belt housing.

As you can see in my post below, I now have the HRX. There is a night and day difference in the engine noise, and as I said, it starts right up on the first try. I find that I miss the Personal Pace feature of the Toro. The hydrostatic transmission on the Honda is either a tick too slow, or too fast. I also miss the lack of the side discharge, and the bag does not make a tight seal with the deck, so there are errant blades that leak out. When the bag starts to fill up, the mower becomes unbalanced and the front wheels want to pop up. I also do not like the Versa Mow feature. I never use the partial bag/mulch option--I either bag or mulch. I much prefer to insert/remove the plug that is used with the Toro. I like the plastic deck of the HRX, but there are too many places for grass to build up underneath, as opposed to the Toro.

So, I am seriously considering going back to a Toro-I just can't decide which one...

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I had the second iteration of the HRX with the "smart drive" which I always felt was moving exactly how it wanted it. I am not sure if the new "select drive" implemented on the K5 and newer models is just as good, but I am not a fan of the spin dial and handle setup, but then again I haven't tried it. This was my rational behind favoring the hydrostatic, plus I have a lot more lawn than I used to so I want something that will last. Then again, my K2 got 7 years of mowing .25 acres without a single issue. I would routinely go between mulching and bagging with mine so I ended up having a bit of an issue where the versamow chute would not open all the way but I knew it was an adjustment thing and it never really bothered me. What I did not like rear discharge. Sometimes when grass is tall and you cannot mulch you just need to move it out from under a deck. With just under 1 acre now, I do not want to be bagging and would rather have options for leaving the clippings behind. I have never cut with the personal pace system but I have used it on a demo model in the store. Not a huge fan but I could learn to love it.

A coworker of mine told me the other day that he has TWO walk behind mowers that run that he is willing to give me. One is a Toro that is self propelled and the other may be a Honda. He said the Toro might need a cable of some sort and the Honda some new wheels. I am very leery of used equipment and I have not seen or know what they are so I continue on my journey of finding the "perfect" walk behind mower for me. I will throw in that I may bag from time to time for purposes of composting, but I have not decided on that for sure. Regardless it shouldn't weigh heavily on my decision as side discharge and mulching are more important.

I saw your other post; it sounds like the Toro 20382 is the perfect mower for you so long as it doesn't have the same tendencies as the Honda to lift when the bag gets full. I, thankfully, do not have any hills or steep banks to mow so this would not be an issue for me.