The Minnesota-based Toro Company began operations in 1914 and today is one of the most well-known lawn mower manufacturers in the U.S. In 1993, Toro came out with its 455-D Groundsmaster, which is a commercial, tractor-style riding lawn mower with a distinctive three-section cutting deck. Toro made consecutive 455-D models in 1996, 1998, 2002 and 2003 before discontinuing the lawn mower.
Cutting Width
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As the Service Manual for the Toro 455-D Groundsmaster notes, the 455-D mower has a total cutting width of 126 inches. While the front, central cutting deck of the mower has a width of 54 inches, the two side -- or wing -- cutting decks each have widths of 36 inches across. You can operate the 455-D using one, two or no wing sections, which fold up when not in use. When you keep one wing up, the total cutting width of the mower becomes 90 inches.
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Blade Height Adjustment
The Toro 455-D allows you to trim grass to a height of between 1 and 5 inches. You can adjust the blade heights of the 455-D in half-inch increments.
Engine Type
At the core of the Toro 455-D is a four-cylinder, four-cycle Peugeot XUD9AI engine. The engine uses a vertical in-line configuration for its cylinders, which means the cylinders are all upright and in a straight line. In addition, the engine is naturally aspirated, which means it does not utilize a turbocharger or supercharger to draw in air for combustion. The engine uses a single overhead camshaft to open and close the valves responsible for bringing air in.
Cooling System
To keep the engine from overheating, the Toro 455-D relies on a centrifugal water pump. This pump, which is mounted on the front of the cylinder block, circulates water through the engine's cylinder block and cylinder head. The pump operates at 1.05 times the speed at which the engine operates. When the engine is running at 2500 RPMs, water flows from the pump at a rate of 92 liters per minute.
Fuel
The Toro 455-D runs on diesel fuel, specifically Number 2-D diesel fuel, as classified by the American Standard for Testing and Materials (ASTM). The mower supplies the fuel to its engine using indirect injection, which means the fuel first enters a prechamber before entering the primary combustion chamber.
Crankshaft
Five main bearings make up the Toro 455-D's crankshaft, all of which consist of induction-hardened forged steel. The front end of the crankshaft drives the water pump, fuel injector and camshaft.
Tire Pressure
Both the front and rear tires of the Toro 455-D should have tire pressures of 20 PSI.