Toro presented three new models from its growing line of turf renovation equipment at the Rental Show in New Orleans last week. The new units were an 18-inch mechanical aerator, an 18-inch slit seeder and an 18-inch power rake.
“These units were specifically designed for rental stores and landscapers,” said Greg Lawrence, marketing product manager for Toro compact utility equipment. “We’ve adopted the same user-friendly controls and drives as in Toro’s commercial walk-behind mowers. Simply squeeze the handle to propel the unit forward and release to stop.”
The Toro 18-inch aerator comes with a Honda GSV 190 engine, and features a variable-speed drive system that allows the operator to adjust machine speed to varying turf conditions. A wide unibody frame with 10-gauge steel construction and outboard drive wheels gives the machine a low center of gravity for hillside stability.
The 18-inch mechanical slit seeder is designed for power-seeding, dethatching and verticutting to deposit seed for germination of lawns. The 1600-cubic-inch seed box and a large seed mixer prevents the seed delivery system from clogging and regulates seed delivery based on ground speed for an even application. The unit comes with a Honda GX200 engine, and is constructed of solid 11-gauge steel and equipped with nine verticutting blades made of high-carbon steel.
The 18-inch power rake has a dethatching width of 18 inches, and has 22 flail blades on a 1.5-inch spacing that are automatically engaged by the unit’s centrifugal clutch. The machine is equipped with a Honda GX160 engine.
