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Good afternoon everyone! Really dumb question that I'm sure everyone is tired of hearing, but here I am asking what every noob asks. HOW DO YOU KEEP YOUR MOW LINES SO STRAIGHT?! Now, I am relatively new to the lawn care, however not new to the business completely. I will get to my full time job later, but I have recently started helping a friend out in his lawn care business part time since his main guy bailed on him. First time being on an exmark, however not the first time on a ZT. Boy, are those controls touchy! I understand on the first pass to keep your sight on a fixed object and keep her straight as possible (easier said than done on this property since it is SO BUMPY) my question is after every pass after that. Do you guys keeps your outer wheel yoke on the side of the grass that has been cut, or riding along the side that hasn't been cut? Want to know what makes this an embarrassing question? Anybody ever hear of the Lastec Articulators? I makes those for a living an prefer mowing with those lol. On the rig im used to its 120" of cut. I have to look out 5 foot in either direction to see my outer wheel yoke so I just run it in the side that's already been cut just for an easy reference. This exmark is a 60" and I want to utilize as much deck as possible because I hate the way it looks when my rear tires overlap too much of the previous pass making it look like I used a 40" lol. I realize there is a learning curve to every machine, but dang this is hard getting used to. Hopefully that's not too vague of a question, and will take any other words of advice anyone can throw my way. Thanks everyone!

Jeremy

Keep your wheel on the cut side for over lapping. And watch where your going not where you've been. Slow down and let the speed come naturally.

That being said I found when driving a zero that the faster I went the easier it was to keep straight lines

exotion said:

Keep your wheel on the cut side for over lapping. And watch where your going not where you've been. Slow down and let the speed come naturally.

That being said I found when driving a zero that the faster I went the easier it was to keep straight lines

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Thanks so much for the reply. Just so I know we're on the same page, when I say wheel yokes, I'm referring to the two bigger wheels attached to the front of the machine by a collar. Keep the bigger wheel in the cut, or the smaller wheel on the deck itself in the cut? Sorry for the dumb questions. Just want to be clear. I really thought I could mow....until I got "told" to mow haha.

I've always kept the front wheel on the cut side. Except with exceptionly large decks. It's good to keep a little overlap

exotion said:

I've always kept the front wheel on the cut side. Except with exceptionly large decks. It's good to keep a little overlap

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That's what I was always taught. I just don't want to leave so much overlap it looks like I'm only using half of the deck. It's crazy how different it is going from 100"+ of cut down to 60". Just feels totally different. Thanks again for the reply. Helped alot!

100" deck is a whole new set of rules. That takes practice you'd need to maybe mark the spot where it over laps apx the width of your drivewheel. Somewhere you can see from the deck

BendIt13 said:

That's what I was always taught. I just don't want to leave so much overlap it looks like I'm only using half of the deck. It's crazy how different it is going from 100"+ of cut down to 60". Just feels totally different. Thanks again for the reply. Helped alot!

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are the lastec mowers still made in the wood mizer factory in Westport, IN? I worked there in 1998 when they where still in the R&D phases. I've started my own business since then, anyway I start in the corner and follow the cut side with my passes gradually getting longer back down to short if going diagonally on a property.

TaskForceLawnCare said:

are the lastec mowers still made in the wood mizer factory in Westport, IN? I worked there in 1998 when they where still in the R&D phases. I've started my own business since then, anyway I start in the corner and follow the cut side with my passes gradually getting longer back down to short if going diagonally on a property.

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We now have our own facility just west of Indy, however we are still a division of Wood-Mizer

that's cool, I'm glad they're doing well. I'm an Indiana boy and like to see Indiana companies doing good.

TaskForceLawnCare said:

that's cool, I'm glad they're doing well. I'm an Indiana boy and like to see Indiana companies doing good.

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Yes sir! 20+ years and stronger than ever. Glad to see a fellow hoosier on here!

BendIt13 said:

Yes sir! 20+ years and stronger than ever. Glad to see a fellow hoosier on here!

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What is a Hoosier?

haha I have no idea what the origin is. all I know is that's what we call each other in Indiana.