Getting Toro replacement parts just got easier for The Grounds Guys.

As the landscaping season begins its important to inspect your equipment and identify equipment problems before they happen. Air filters, blades, and trimmer line all wear at a predictable rate – so stocking up early saves time – and prevents unneeded breakdowns mid-season. Another place to investigate is the lawnmower’s repair history. Are you nearing the end of life on your belts, cables, or hoses? Keep detailed notes and keep a copy of this information with you in the truck.

This list will make it easy to call in a replacement part order from the field, as soon as it breaks. If you don’t have this list, you should keep a copy of the ProParts Direct catalog handy. Pricing, parts, and Dingo breakdowns alone make it invaluable, but for The Grounds Guys who receive 4% off all orders – it’s a no-brainer!

Unfortunately, ProParts Direct can’t prevent your equipment from unforeseen breakdowns, but we can get you replacement parts faster!  This summer, we are offering The Grounds Guys landscapers factory direct, drop shipments from Toro! When you order from ProParts Direct before 2pm (EST), you receive your Toro order in 48 hours. 

In addition to the best pricing around, we are excited to deliver Toro and Toro Dingo parts with the speed The Grounds Guys demand!  In addition to Toro, ProParts Direct is an OEM and aftermarket dealer for all commercial lawnmower parts.

Order online at ProPartsDirect.net or call our dedicated commercial parts team at 800-305-9255.

The Snowblower Parts Crunch

The 2013/2014 winter has been brutal. The weather pattern has been delivering storms nearly back to back. Coupled with extended bouts of bitter cold, it seems the only way to cope with the conditions are to give it a name(Polar Vortex), so we can really get mad at it!

The conditions don’t just test our patience, they challenge the machines that contractors and homeowners use to manage all the snow.  Increased use and heavier snow will cause snowblowers to fail. When snowstorms span the entire country, from Texas to Bangor, Maine, the number of people using snowblowers is insane!  Belts and bolts give way on the machines driving demand on replacement parts.

Again, consider the size of the storms – cities in the southern half of the country don’t have a fleet of snowplows to handle the snow. The locations that do have snow removal equipment probably haven’t used or serviced the machine in over a year, so a major snow event is when issues first arise.  

When the entire country needs a new auger housing on a random Tuesday following a 4 day storm, it’s easy to see how parts quickly become unavailable or backordered. Manufacturers who build the parts have nothing to provide small engine shops to sell to customers.  Back to back storms slow everything from airline travel to parts deliveries.  

It’s frustrating to tell a customer a part is on “national backorder.” National backorder means there is no estimate when a part will be available and that stores nationwide can’t access the item. A $10 snowblower belt in July is practically an afterthought. However, in February, that belt is absolutely critical to clearing snow and keeping walkways safe.

TIP:  In most cases it is more effective to keep your original order with your parts vendor than cancel and check elsewhere!  Parts vendors all pick from the same inventory. Think of it like standing in line and deciding to leave your spot; if you change your mind and return, you go to the back of the line.

The ProParts Advantage allows our company to be in the top tier for all major suppliers. This means we are the first to receive backordered parts.

In the era of Amazon providing next day service – and exploring “drone” deliveries, it’s frustrating that the nature of our industry can’t even come close to that speed. We offset the demand by keeping a massive inventory of fast moving parts like belts, sheer pins, and bearings.  – but when it rains, it pours….or snows in this case.    

While it’s impossible to predict when or what will break on your machine, it’s a good practice to keep the usual suspects on hand. Having an extra belt or sheer bolt on hand is invaluable.  

The Top 10 Commercial Mowers of All Time

One of the most common questions we receive is “what is the best lawnmower?” “What should I buy?” Well, the best mower is the one you are sitting on – if it’s running and earning money for your company, chances are it’s better than the dream model that isn’t cutting lawns….right?
Reality aside, we will take a stab in a no holds barred, Top 10, Hall of Mower Fame. Although ProParts Direct is a leading parts retailer, our parent company, Turf Depot has nearly 75 years of retail experience in the lawn and garden industry. We didn’t take this assignment lightly, in fact, it’s become a hot topic in the office!
It’s important to note that our unofficial lineup is based on our experience and not scientific study. Our Top 10 Commercial Mowers are the mowers that have helped shape our industry.( Literally)
Here we go...
10. Toro 48 T-bar (30197 I think) The Toro T-Bar is a classic. Before hydros you had belt drive and before belt drive, well you get the point. The T bar gave you the steering control of a hydro but at the belt drive price. Many landscapers would die for this machine. The machine could take a beating and with minimal adjustment, be back in the field. In its heyday, the T-Bar was the go-to mower for many landscape crews.


9. Walker GHS48 – Walker loyalists are probably upset that the beloved GHS48 only made the nine spot. Walkers are great machines, offering one of the best cuts money can buy. They helped put the Kohler EFI engine on the map. Only down side you have to pull engine to replace spark plugs.
8. Stc52a-23Ka – If you’re a Scag fan, the Tiger Cub is the machine. Scag, showing its true colors, built a solid machine. At the time, it had a high price tag compared to other machines. The bottom line is that Tiger Cub was a professional machine for professional landscapers. What more can be said?

Scag Tiger Cub 52" Rider

7. Toro52 Grandstand with 19hp"- Join the revolution! Innovation, innovation, and more Innovation! The Grandstand is the newest mower on our list. The warranty on the grandstand alone makes it a worthy contender. First fold up platform. Toro nailed it!


6.TT5217KAC – Exmark had some golden years. This walk behind offered the finest from Exmark with ECS handles, Floating deck, electric start and the Famed Ultra-Cut deck. Exmark must have been drafting engineers out of MIT early these years. The equipment in this time period established Exmark as a leader in the mowing industry.
5. Wright Stander fixed deck 52 (mid 2000's) – Wright stander hit a niche market hard and well. This fixed deck 52 was the answer for hills and maneuverability. Moving weight over the drive tires allows this machine to grip hills like a new set of Goodyear tires. Some may say this machine put the nail in the coffin for Great Dane.


4.Snapper SW 30 – Most will scoff at this pick if they have had a Snapper Pro for a while. Although the Snapper Pro walk behind was known to have some issues with the bearing in the transmission. This mower ranks at #4 because of its great price point! Hydro drive, floating deck, electric start, and horsepower make it a must have. At a time when walk behinds are pricier than some riders this is a great mower.
Now for the TOP 3...
3. M48-15Ka – Exmark’s metro line of walk behind mowers offered the ECS handle system that basically said to every other brand put up or shut up. At a 48” cut this walk behind was comfortable to use and you didn’t have the shakes after a full day of operation. Good design, great mower.

2.Swz52A-17Ka – This is Scag’s offering in the walk behind arena. This machine was virtually bullet proof. Extremely well built with 10 gauge steel through its frame and a Kawasaki Engine. This was a cold hard commercial mower. It is not uncommon to see these beasts roaming the CT and NJ Area.


1.LHP5223KA – This classic from Exmark set the standard on commercial riders. The first machine to have a catching system that worked. It was a nimble machine that had the right power and offered an excellent cut. It helped put Exmark on the map so much it had a 10 year run.
Do you think your mower should be on the list? Agree or disagree? Why not join our conversation online? (Links to facebook) … Follow us for our “Top 10 Snow blowers of all time”

The opinions and views expressed at or through this website are the opinions of the designated authors and do not reflect the opinions or views of Turf Depot or clients,divisions or companies. or the opinions or views of any other individual.