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Cub Cadet with steering wheel

#1

S

SamB

My wife has a lady friend that has a ztr that she just can't get the hang of controlling it with the twin levers. Her neighbor comes over and does the manly thing and mows her yard for her. She would like to do this herself and commented to my wife that she sure wished there was a ztr with a steering wheel.
Does the steering wheel Cub only turn the front(former caster) wheels? Open differential? No place here other than big box stores have Cub mowers, so no help there. Anyone with some experience with these mowers? TIA


#2

ILENGINE

ILENGINE

The steering wheel turns the front wheels but also controls modified input for direction both forward and backwards for the 2 Z turn style hydrostats. So basically turning the wheel hard to the right or left will put one of the hydro's in reverse for that Z turn pivot.


#3

R

Rivets

I always instruct new Z-turn customers to position their hands so their thumbs are touching when in neutral. Moving straight, forward or reverse, means their hands are moving as one, turning means the hand opposite the direction you want to turn goes ahead of the other hand, thumbs no longer touching. Neighbor has a new Cub steering wheel model and has had no problem with it.


#4

StarTech

StarTech

Just a note here some of these steering wheel models has the wrong return to neutral springs on the hydros or at least the one my customer just recently purchased. He was complaining how much force was needed to keep the mower moving as his leg was giving out. When I looked the hydros on Hydro Gear they indicated 44 lb spring rate springs use but the Cub Cadet part IPL indicates 34 lb spring rate springs used. Changed them and I haven't heard any more complaints about his leg giving out. Otherwords on straight full forward speeds his was having to apply an additional 20 lbs of pressure on the hydros via the foot pedal.


#5

B

bertsmobile1

For women I tell them to pretend the lap bars are a shopping trolley and move them the same way and amount that you would in a supermarket .
For men I tell them to only try & steer with one hand , whichever is their dominant side .
So for a right handed person they steer with the right and control the speed with the left .
It is all about muscle memory and after a while it becomes natural.
The problem most people have is always moving the levers to the limit of the travel and that turns the mower into a show jumping rodeo mount .


#6

StarTech

StarTech

It just takes time to learn. It like when I started driving automatic vehicles I found myself on numerous times trying to hit the clutch pedal when stopping but now it is like second nature to operate both manual and automatic vehicles.

What has to be overcome is the "I can't" attitude. They must be willing to learn something new. It like a guy saying "I can't cook an egg" because he has someone else that will do it for him. Yes they going to mess up a few times as long you learn from those mistakes is what counts.


#7

S

SamB

Thanks for all this knowledge input. I believe she'd had the lever control mower for some time now, but still doesn't like it to the point of not using it. ILengine's post was what I was wondering about, with the drive wheels control input. As for me, Bertsmobile1's post fits me to a T. No thinking about what I'm doing, I just do/go where where I want with no "I need to do this to go there."


#8

A

Auto Doc's

Some people are just accustomed to a steering wheel. They don't jerk an operator around like the lever models do.

I saved a Cub Cadet RZT-S 50" cut zero turn with a steering wheel last year. I had a blown engine. I replaced the engine with a spare that I had. The guy wanted to junk it, and I added it to my small fleet of mowers. They are nice machines.

The hydro motors are what actually steers it with input from the steering wheel and long linkage rods going back to the hydraulic drive motors.

The only problem I found later was one of the front steering bell cranks had loosened up a shoulder bolt and would bind. I removed the front footrest area and tightened everything back up and it has been good to go since.


#9

G

GearHead36

Why not go with a lawn tractor? I have a Cub Cadet steering wheel ZTR. It's main advantage over lap-bar ZTR's is it's slope handling ability. Lap bar ZTR's don't work well on slopes. So since she has such a ZTR, I'm guessing her yard is fairly flat. If I were mowing nothing but flat areas, I would consider a lawn tractor. Unless she has lots of obstacles. The steering wheel CC's are almost as good at handling obstacles as lap-bar ZTR's.


#10

S

SamB

StarTech said:
It just takes time to learn. It like when I started driving automatic vehicles I found myself on numerous times trying to hit the clutch pedal when stopping but now it is like second nature to operate both manual and automatic vehicles.

What has to be overcome is the "I can't" attitude. They must be willing to learn something new. It like a guy saying "I can't cook an egg" because he has someone else that will do it for him. Yes they going to mess up a few times as long you learn from those mistakes is what counts.
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I know , but she old and all. I can't tell her she just needs to learn to drive it. I know I'm a coward, but I'm keeping my head down! :-D


#11

Craftsman Garage

Craftsman Garage

GearHead36 said:
@
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#12

Craftsman Garage

Craftsman Garage

@GearHead36 It's lawn tractors all day for me. They are much easier to work on and small GTs like my husky GT48XLSi with a ✨servicable✨K66 are a Beast on my hills. The hills at my house are so steep, I'll have to upload a pic sometime, but cheap hydros don't last long on my slopes.


#13

StarTech

StarTech

SamB said:
I know , but she old and all. I can't tell her she just needs to learn to drive it. I know I'm a coward, but I'm keeping my head down! :-D
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Now don't be afraid of those cast iron skillets...They only hurt for a little while...Though you might lobe side afterwards...


#14

Tiger Small Engine

Tiger Small Engine

GearHead36 said:
Why not go with a lawn tractor? I have a Cub Cadet steering wheel ZTR. It's main advantage over lap-bar ZTR's is it's slope handling ability. Lap bar ZTR's don't work well on slopes. So since she has such a ZTR, I'm guessing her yard is fairly flat. If I were mowing nothing but flat areas, I would consider a lawn tractor. Unless she has lots of obstacles. The steering wheel CC's are almost as good at handling obstacles as lap-bar ZTR's.
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Zero turn mowers work great on hills versus a riding mower or zero turn with steering wheel.

When using a zero turn there is obviously a learning curve to get good at it. The farther apart your hands are on steering arms, the more control you have.

I do not like the Cub Cadet steering wheel zero turns. They are for people who don’t like a real zero turn, but want more maneuverability. Just finished working on one with blown head gasket and mouse eaten ignition coils that I will sell for nice profit.


#15

StarTech

StarTech

At least the Cub Cadet system works a lot better than the old JD Spin Steer system. Those old mowers you had to crab them on hillsides.


#16

G

GearHead36

Tiger Small Engine said:
Zero turn mowers work great on hills versus a riding mower or zero turn with steering wheel.

When using a zero turn there is obviously a learning curve to get good at it. The farther apart your hands are on steering arms, the more control you have.

I do not like the Cub Cadet steering wheel zero turns. They are for people who don’t like a real zero turn, but want more maneuverability. Just finished working on one with blown head gasket and mouse eaten ignition coils that I will sell for nice profit.
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While you're certainly entitled to your opinion, I strongly disagree. I have a steering wheel ZTR and a "real" ZTR, i.e. one with lap bars. The slope holding ability of the two are not even close. The one with the steering wheel is much better. The lap-bar machine wants to slide down a hill if going across it. I am not someone who doesn't like a "real zero turn". In fact, I wish I didn't have to mow slopes so that I didn't need the steering wheel ZTR. The lap-bar ZTR is more maneuverable around obstacles, and I have a lot of those, too.


#17

Tiger Small Engine

Tiger Small Engine

GearHead36 said:
While you're certainly entitled to your opinion, I strongly disagree. I have a steering wheel ZTR and a "real" ZTR, i.e. one with lap bars. The slope holding ability of the two are not even close. The one with the steering wheel is much better. The lap-bar machine wants to slide down a hill if going across it. I am not someone who doesn't like a "real zero turn". In fact, I wish I didn't have to mow slopes so that I didn't need the steering wheel ZTR. The lap-bar ZTR is more maneuverable around obstacles, and I have a lot of those, too.
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I mowed commercially for 10 years running and owning a lawn care business, so it isn’t my opinion, it is personal experience and talking with many other people in the field. It is true that some zero turn mowers do not do as well on hills as others. Ferris and Scag hold a hill very well.


#18

A

Auto Doc's

It really is not a matter of zero turn with or without steering wheel vs conventional lawn tractor.

It's a matter of machine weight, operator weight, wheelbase, tire size & tread design and ground contour.

With that said, there are always benefits versus hinderances with every ride on mowing machine.


#19

G

GearHead36

Tiger Small Engine said:
Ferris and Scag hold a hill very well.
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I may have to keep an eye out for a good deal on one of those. I really would prefer a lap-bar ZTR, but my steering wheel ZTR just works SO much better on slopes and hills.


#20

S

SamB

Tiger Small Engine said:
Zero turn mowers work great on hills versus a riding mower or zero turn with steering wheel.

When using a zero turn there is obviously a learning curve to get good at it. The farther apart your hands are on steering arms, the more control you have.

I do not like the Cub Cadet steering wheel zero turns. They are for people who don’t like a real zero turn, but want more maneuverability. Just finished working on one with blown head gasket and mouse eaten ignition coils that I will sell for nice profit.
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I don't know that the woman in discussion has any hills to contend with, she just doesn't like her lap bar mower. I'm not getting in the middle of the mower selection, she can have a dealer demo her one and she can go from there. My lap bar ztr does well on my highway shoulder slope when father in law's tractor would spin the uphill side tire and then be stuck. The selectable power to individual drive tires works well for me.


#21

G

Gord Baker

SamB said:
My wife has a lady friend that has a ztr that she just can't get the hang of controlling it with the twin levers. Her neighbor comes over and does the manly thing and mows her yard for her. She would like to do this herself and commented to my wife that she sure wished there was a ztr with a steering wheel.
Does the steering wheel Cub only turn the front(former caster) wheels? Open differential? No place here other than big box stores have Cub mowers, so no help there. Anyone with some experience with these mowers? TIA
Click to expand...
Suggest to your friend that she holds one lever still and steers with the other.


#22

F

Freddie21

I agre with GearHead. If the yard is flat and few obstructions to go around, then a tractor or smaller SW ZT would be better. I have 2 Cub ZTR-S's and and a Toro SW4200 and love them all. Thank God, no repairs on any of them. 3 acres of decent sized hills. I would recommend going larger than the 42" as going around objects, you'll hit the rear tires pretty easily.


#23

A

AChrome

I spent 5 minutes explaining my Cub zero to my 6 year old grandson, me sitting on it and then him sitting on it. Cranked it and set speed control on low and he took off. I had him follow me as I walked all directions and circles in our open and flat yard. He doesn't mow, just drives. My wife won't step within 20 yards of it or even sit on it she's so afraid of it. Go figure.


#24

B

blacktruck

My little bit of experience in running a CC ZT with a steering wheel would make me think it would be a good fit for almost anyone. The set up of the steering linkage and hydro controls is pretty unique to be sure and it seemed to work well on the demo drive I did. It was easier than a conventional ZT run and did very well on the hills.


#25

packy51

packy51

The Z turn mowers do take time to learn how to steer. It's not intuative at all. I almost took my head off with on a low tree branch because I zigged when I should have zagged. I would tell her to take the mower into the middle of her yard or driveway with the blades off and just keep practicing. She should become accustomed to how to move the evers. I'm old too, so that's not an excuse.


#26

M

Mrmahovy

I have a CC 54” steering wheel mower. Cuts well, Has a “cruise control” pedal. However have had to get both front spindles rewelded when they broke off during turns. The original welds were just small spot welds instead of completely welded. Fortunately have a local master welder who was able to reattach and rewelded both. No problems since. I think it is an inherent understeer or oversteer of the front wheels which are geared with steering wheel/drive wheel actuator movement. On my tenth year of use with this mower.


#27

G

GrumpyCat

There are ZTRs with single joystick control. Country Clipper comes to mind, I have one. Joystick or twinstick were no-cost options on most models. Have seen electric ZTRs with joystick but don't remember which. An electric mower would be a very good option for a woman.


#28

F

farmerdave1954

I have a nephew who bought one of these kits when he broke his hand and had to mow one-handed. He liked it so much he just left it on and continued using it after his hand healed. A little expensive IMO, depending on which model you need, but probably cheaper than buying a new Cub steering wheel model. A local farm supply store sells Cub Cadet steering wheel ZTR mowers, or at least tries to. They have half a dozen on the lot each spring, and maybe sell one a year. They don't appear to be very popular around here. Probably because of the $10,000 price tag.

ezturnbar.com

EZ-Turn Bar accessory for zero turn mowers

If you have a zero turn lawn mower, you probably love it EXCEPT for when you have to stop mowing to pick something up or get a sip of your favorite beverage. With EZ-Turn, you can operate your mower with one hand. Just do a simple search for your mower and find out which one fits best.
ezturnbar.com


#29

R

Robert II

You can decrease the Hydro pressure output so that WOT takes more movement of the levers, I found that helping customers by giving more distance to top speed helps them a lot, most Zero turns reach top speed in 2inches of movement, if you make that four they can do a better job of controlling their piece of equipment.


#30

Craftsman Garage

Craftsman Garage

How do you adjust it to be like that?


#31

VirginiaIron

VirginiaIron

SamB said:
My wife has a lady friend that has a ztr that she just can't get the hang of controlling it with the twin levers. Her neighbor comes over and does the manly thing and mows her yard for her. She would like to do this herself and commented to my wife that she sure wished there was a ztr with a steering wheel.
Does the steering wheel Cub only turn the front(former caster) wheels? Open differential? No place here other than big box stores have Cub mowers, so no help there. Anyone with some experience with these mowers? TIA
Click to expand...
I just test drove one of these ZTS
Screenshot_20241113-075756~2.png
yesterday and I was very impressed. I had my heart set on a a riding tractor and the salesman showed me how much better the ZTS is on steep slopes these are than zero turns and riding tractors. As far as steering you turn the wheel like a car and it is incredibly smooth and responsive. When I turned it to hard right I did a circle with the right rear wheel turning backwards (same for left turn and LR Wheel). It was very comfortable, responsive and sturdy. I'm leary of the steering technology of the ZTS as I have only seen these models on the market for the last few years. The salesman said the patent has been out for decades. But to me, the real world use has only been out maybe three years. For me, I would have to wait and see how long the reliability of the ZTS lasts or if it cost thousands to repair. For me, the ZTS with steering wheel is also easier to get on and off than a "stick" zero turn because I needed the steering wheel and the seat to maintain my balance. I ended up with the GX54D riding tractor due to the spring assist hand operated deck lift, open platform (steering wheel and seat used for support) super tight -zero-turn-like turning radius, and presumed reliability.


#32

G

GearHead36

VirginiaIron said:
I'm leary of the steering technology of the ZTS as I have only seen these models on the market for the last few years.
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I have a Pro Z 100S. I think it's a 2017 model. I bought it used. It had been used commercially, and used hard. It had several problems when I bought it, but steering wasn't one of them.


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