And into the water I went, (with the ztr)

PTmowerMech

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Seriously, I went into a pond on my landlords zero turn.

I'll post pics when I get a chance. I was mowing in places that weren't too wet. The top of the ponds dam was dry. My front wheels were dry. I went to turn around, when suddenly the drive tires started to slide towards the water. It was sloped towards the water, but the slope wasn't real steep. None the less, once it lost traction, it was a goner. From where I lost traction to the water was at least 10 ft.
About 1/2 way, I was facing land, both levers pushed all the way forward (scared out of my witz). That didn't work, still sliding backwards. So I kill it, and pull the E brake. Still slid backwards into the pond.
Only thing out of the water was the front wheels. In like 2 or 3 minutes, I was out of the water. Another 5 minutes was draining the oil, removing the spark plugs and oil filter. Turned the machine around so that the drain was at the lowest point.
Had to drain the carburetor, push out the water in the cylinders by turning it over, and a few other things. But It's back to running. Everything seems fine. keeping a close check on the hydro's reservoir.

Luckily, my landlord didn't see it happened. I told them what happened, and they were cool about it. They're such nice people.
 

StarTech

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You ought been with me on my JD 650 when the rotary mower slipped off the bank edge. I was head for a 12 ft drop off into the freshly dug pond. I manage to drop the mower in time to stop. But the tractor was teetering. If I try to move the front wheel came off the ground. Luckily I have a 70 foot block and tackle so I was able snatch it back from the brink of a pending disaster. And I have been in my current pond twice in the last 6 years. One time was to put out a front axle fire and one time as steering tie rod broke as I was making a turn.
 

PTmowerMech

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You ought been with me on my JD 650 when the rotary mower slipped off the bank edge. I was head for a 12 ft drop off into the freshly dug pond. I manage to drop the mower in time to stop. But the tractor was teetering. If I try to move the front wheel came off the ground. Luckily I have a 70 foot block and tackle so I was able snatch it back from the brink of a pending disaster. And I have been in my current pond twice in the last 6 years. One time was to put out a front axle fire and one time as steering tie rod broke as I was making a turn.

You got lucky. I was lucky the drop off in the pond was a few feet from the bank. Had the back tires got to that point, I would've had to go scuba diving. (according to the landlord)
 

MowManWV

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Well that's a funny story! Sorry it happened to you.

Thursday I mowed for a lady whose yard is on such an incline I could hardly believe it when she said "the previous mower got his zero turn up there." I mowed it with a push mower and I'm seriously considering calling her and quitting.

But given how fat most everyone in my country and state are and how fat most of the local landscapers are, I can see them taking a zero turn everywhere.

Glad you got the water out and prevented damage.
 

sgkent

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so y'all think zero-turn snorkels might sell?
 

PTmowerMech

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Well that's a funny story! Sorry it happened to you.

Thursday I mowed for a lady whose yard is on such an incline I could hardly believe it when she said "the previous mower got his zero turn up there." I mowed it with a push mower and I'm seriously considering calling her and quitting.

But given how fat most everyone in my country and state are and how fat most of the local landscapers are, I can see them taking a zero turn everywhere.

Glad you got the water out and prevented damage.

Yesterday I was finishing up and getting the places that were too wet from before. I found a small Pecan tree growing close to the bank on the other side of the pond. I knew the owners would want to keep it, so I got close enough to it mow a little on the sides of it. Sort of make it stand out, so the guys who take care of the stuff growing in the pond, wouldn't cut it down. Well, about the time I got in position, the back end of the mower started sliding. Note, there's like almost no incline there.

I'm starting to think the mower just likes water. I got out without getting stuck or wet. But It did make my butt pucker when it slide a few inches.
I ended up using my Trimmer. LMAO..
 

hlw49

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We had a guy buy a brand new Dixie Chopper and lived on the lake. First time out he ran it off a bluff right into Old Hickory Lake. Lucky for him after buying the mower on the way taking it home he called and insured the mower.
 
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