any toro groundsmaster fans on here?

[shipstylin]

Congratulations!! :thumbsup:

The first digit of the serial number is the year, so the 322D is:

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And the 325D is:

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Is this also true for the Toro 345? I am trying to determine what year. Looks like the engine is stamped with 1993, but the serial number start with 4 so would that say that my unit is a 1994? Full serial # is 40185 Model is 30789. When going to the toro site the description doesn't even show the year.

I just picked up this 345 with an enclosed cab, 53" erskine 2 stage snowblower, the Toro Debri Blower, and a 72" side discharge deck.

Looks like someone modified the traction pedal or it broke and they made a quick fix. We are going to get new parts to replace that mess. Also looks like the left front axle seal is bad as oil is leaking out of there which looks like a quick fix. But other than that the machine starts right up, no smoke or anything. We got this mainly to use the snowblower enclosed with heat on our new blacktop driveway that is about 275 feet long.

Anything I should check or keep an eye on? We went over all the grease points, we need to fix or adjust the brakes as they don't really work. We are worried about the traction pedal modification messing with the hydraulics since it is changing the throw of the pedal. Any thoughts on that, looks like I can just get a new pedal? Hard to determine based off the parts diagram, does anyone have a pic of the stock components that make up from the pedal to that linkage rod that would be helpful in knowing what we need to get.

Picked everything up for $4500, think I got a decent deal, hopefully I won't have any issues snowblowing my driveway with it being it is 2WD, but the tires are filled with radiator fluid and it has the counterweights on the other end and the ATV type tires so should be good I hope.

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[Xfaxman]

Yes, it would be a 1994. I happened to save a screen shot for the 325D that showed the year before they removed the year from the list:

So I think it would be the same for the whole 300 Series.


Your pictures didn't upload, try again.

 

[shipstylin]

Yes, it would be a 1994. I happened to save a screen shot for the 325D that showed the year before they removed the year from the list:

View attachment 671370

So I think it would be the same for the whole 300 Series.


Your pictures didn't upload, try again.

Xfaxman I added them as attachments. Sounds like you are one of the resident experts here. I would appreciate any knowledge you could provide on what you think about this traction pedal that was welded and if I can just order a new piece or not. The Erskine snowblower I looked up by the serial # and it says it is for a Groundsmaster 345, so there shouldn't be any modifications due to that. I am thinking it broke or they ran into something and ripped it and then made a quick bush fix.

Thanks in advance

-Mike

 

[shipstylin]

Got an error saying I can not post links until I had 3 posts

 

[shipstylin]

 

[shipstylin]

ignore the rubber roofing and hard drive magnets covering some parts, we just wanted to keep the rain off of those parts and the engine bay until we can get a shed or something for it to keep it under cover.

 

[Xfaxman]

Xfaxman I added them as attachments. Sounds like you are one of the resident experts here. I would appreciate any knowledge you could provide on what you think about this traction pedal that was welded and if I can just order a new piece or not. The Erskine snowblower I looked up by the serial # and it says it is for a Groundsmaster 345, so there shouldn't be any modifications due to that. I am thinking it broke or they ran into something and ripped it and then made a quick bush fix.

Thanks in advance

-Mike

Not an expert, just have some experience .

If the traction pedal is working I wouldn't worry about it.

Have pictures of a 325D that show it:

 

[Asymair95]

Was trying to find videos on YouTube of someone using a model 150 Snowblower and came across this one plowing. Looks like it does a good job, plenty of traction, which was surprising to me.

Toro Groundsmaster 345 Overview & Snow Plowing Farm! Drone Footage Ultimate Snow Plow Machine - YouTube


Does anyone have any real world experience using the model 150 Snowblower on a 325? Been looking for one, but wasn’t sure how well they worked.

 

[Asymair95]

Wanted to show the latest addition to the stable. It is a 322d with buffalo turbine I’m going to use for leaf removal. I believe it was used for clearing sidewalks of snow in a previous life. Can’t wait to use it. Some pics of the machine, which is getting a complete inspection/tune up.





Data plate, looks like a 1989 model.



This machine has a factory shield over the fuel tank, I’ve never seen this before on any of the other ones.



The factory 322 air filter housing was replaced with this 328 looking housing. Can anyone confirm it is from a 328? It is missing the filter and front cover and I need to find replacements.

 

[Xfaxman]

on the latest addition to the stable.

Don't have any pictures that show the shield over the fuel tank, I will check tomorrow to see if my 328D has it.

The air cleaner is from a 328D:

 

[Asymair95]

Thank you for the pictures, definitely looks to be a 328 housing.

Can you confirm it is a 1989 model?

I found out what the fuel tank cover is from. It appears in the cozy cab installation manual. I’m guessing to cut down on the Venturi effect the radiator fan causes through the cab.



Last night I changed the oil/filter, adjusted the valves, prepped for cab removal, and inspected the pto. Looks like I’m going to have to pull the pto out of this thing and change the hanger bushings.

 

[Xfaxman]

Thank you for the pictures, definitely looks to be a 328 housing.

Can you confirm it is a 1989 model?

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Yep, 1989, hope it runs as good as my 1990 that I added the loader to.

 

[shipstylin]

Just found out that the Erskine T1600 Snowblower attachment on my groundsmaster 345 is supposed to have an adapter (which seems like is just a set of pulleys to move the blowers pto connection to the right). It is model # 315-773 pulley kit from Erskine. Asked our closest commercial Toro dealer and they said $2500 for it. So that is not happening, I mean it works, but it is on a major angle and looks like it rubbed against the pedal at one point. I just want to get it close to where it should be. Was thinking of just getting some heavy duty pulleys and making our own. Any thoughts or suggestions?

You can see the PTO from the 345 looks like it lines right up with the frame of the blower where the two holes are. The reduction gearbox on the blower has the option to turn it to the left, but not the right.



You can see on this picture of one that has the adapter kit that the PTO connects to the right side of the center of the blower


And the top part of this diagram shows the pulley kit:

 

[Asymair95]

Maybe check out surplus center, and McMaster carr for two pulleys, some pillow block bearings, and steel shaft. Doesn’t look too bad to fab up. I have a similar set up on my buffalo blower. I can take a pic of it if you like.

 

[shipstylin]

Maybe check out surplus center, and McMaster carr for two pulleys, some pillow block bearings, and steel shaft. Doesn稚 look too bad to fab up. I have a similar set up on my buffalo blower. I can take a pic of it if you like.

I am going to see what they want for part #10 and then buy the rest elsewhere and fab it. That will give a good starting point. Sure if you could share that picture that would be great.

 

[Xfaxman]

Just found out that the Erskine T1600 Snowblower attachment on my groundsmaster 345 is supposed to have an adapter (which seems like is just a set of pulleys to move the blowers pto connection to the right). It is model # 315-773 pulley kit from Erskine. Asked our closest commercial Toro dealer and they said $2500 for it. So that is not happening,------------------------. Any thoughts or suggestions? ----------------------------------------------------

$2500 sounds too high. Check here: https://www.torodealer.com/en-US/Pages/partslookup.aspx

 

[shipstylin]

@xfaxman it is an Erskine branded part not toro. Our closest commercial toro dealer just also happens to be a erskine dealer as well. I am thinking they don't have any and are planning to fabricate the whole thing based on that price.

 

[Asymair95]

Pics of the offset set up of the buffalo Turbine Blower.

 

[Asymair95]

Replaced the frozen u-joint in the pto driveshaft today with a good used one I had.





Before pressing the old one out be sure to remove the C clip from the bearing cup inside the yoke.

 

[Asymair95]

Pulled the cozy cab off of the 322 today and will put it on the other machine with the broom for snow removal duty.



Once the cab was off I took the buffalo turbine blower out for its first run. I was expecting it to be better than the toro blower I had before, but I wasn’t sure how much better. This thing is an animal! Absolutely stunning how much more air it moves than the toro blower...no comparison.