zero turn for sloping land

[Mad Mackie]

A ZTR steers with the rear wheels by one turning faster or slower than the other. When either of the rear wheels looses traction even for a short period, then steering control is also lost during that same period of time. Granted that the CG is lower, however no benefit to the situation when steering control is lost.
With a ZTR, I have reduced mowing time by 50% over mowing the same places with a GT, however, I have lost control of a ZTR three times due to it sliding sideways uncontrollably, two times out into the street and one time into the woods on the down side of a hill lawn. Never did this on my GTs.
When the ZTR slides it reminds me of when I was taking flying lessons and letting the aircraft go into a stall and recovering from it. During that period, both the aircraft and a ZTR will do as gravity dictates regardless of the operators control input!!!
I'm going out to do the hilly customers place shortly, knowing that I will have to back down the hill and mow up, it will take me longer to do this place, 20 to 25 degrees in several spots and I need to use my collection system this time.

 

[Ric]

There are 4 wheels helping it hold the hill instead of 2. 4 wheels get better traction than 2. Simple math. Not to mention the weight is distributed much different than on a ztr mower. With a lawn tractor the engine is over the front wheels and the rider is over the back wheels. Weight is distributed better.

I can't see where weight distribution will or would make a difference if you have a lower center of gravity and wider wheel track. You have less chances of turning over a ztr than a lawn tractor.

As said before ztr mowers can mow slopes up to 10 to 15%. If commercial lawn care companies have a lot of slopes to mow most will either have a stand on or a walk behind for those jobs.

I mow in one sub-division where the homes are built on tiered lots and there are 20% slopes between lots and I mow them with the ztr all the time and never have an issue and I wouldn't dare try those on a lawn Tractor. The Grandstand which in reality is a ztr difference is your standing instead of sitting is rated for 20 degree slopes and the Kawasaki engine is rated for 25 degrees in any direction.

 

[KrashnKraka]

[...]
*One question I do have: Why aren't more companies making the s. wheel models in a commercial grade? Is it that commercial lawns are usually flat and the need isn't there?

Buy one, any.... and find out.
Mowers aint motorcars friend, which is the mentality some showrooms cater to
and some riders after "Church on Sunday" pride themselves displaying.

OTOH.. us ZTR heathens have mowed the grass, cut the short shrub around Venus,
AND had a ballgame with the kids,, to go chew the fat with the Brothers down
the shed (garage) before wandering back to the bedroom for another launch at Venus!
All this while your s/wheel types are uttering "Holy Marys" and praying a likeminded
bored bud on a lawn forum will pull your ego up and lash yer back on the s/wheel..cos
yer bogged down with a bent arm (idler).

No amount of text beats suckin' down lost hours on riders, ZTR enabled or whatever.
More than 6 acres the story changes. That area of mow...?..the best advice comes from
examples of utility services ,,, not online forums.

Now..done. Enuph time wasted on this thread.

 

[Shughes717]

I can't see where weight distribution will or would make a difference if you have a lower center of gravity and wider wheel track. You have less chances of turning over a ztr than a lawn tractor.



I mow in one sub-division where the homes are built on tiered lots and there are 20% slopes between lots and I mow them with the ztr all the time and never have an issue and I wouldn't dare try those on a lawn Tractor. The Grandstand which in reality is a ztr difference is your standing instead of sitting is rated for 20 degree slopes and the Kawasaki engine is rated for 25 degrees in any direction.

The reason you wouldn't dare try it on a lawn tractor is that you probably haven't tried using a lawn tractor on slopes like that. I, like mad Mackie have had a ztr mower slide down hills on me that I was able to stay on with a lawn tractor. Don't get me wrong, I am a big fan of ztr mowers. I will never own another lawn tractor, but it doesn't change the fact that they are a little better on hills. I realize that ztr mowers have a wider wheel base and the center of gravity is lower, but as I said before, having 4 wheels with traction on the side of a hill is better than 2.

As for weight distribution making a difference, just look at the stand on as an example. Yes, it is also a ztr mower, but it's much more compact with the engine, and rider over the drive tires. Where as a regular ztr mower has the engine behind the tires. The change in weight distribution makes a difference on slopes. Also, with a stand on mower the rider has more freedom of motion to shift his/her weight to assist the side that is losing traction which changes weight distribution.

 

[tuckler]

Check out this video if your liking the CC I think you'll like it.:wink:


https://youtu.be/Ub5zhteH73Y

Thats got to be a 15 or 20 % grade and the cub seems to handle it great. I've got one small area like that thats about 60' deep. sideways with the Kabota or the GT was not an option, unless with the GT I was sitting on the fender. I take all the safeties off and if I flip, that blades going to keep on spinning. Not a pretty picture

 

[Carscw]

My reason for liking a lt over a ZTR on very steep hills. Is not because of flipping or rolling over.
It's sliding.
When mowing side to side the rider for me does not slide.

As I have said before what works for one does not work for everyone.

For me I just fell more comfortable on the rider.

 

[gainestruk]

My reason for liking a lt over a ZTR on very steep hills. Is not because of flipping or rolling over.
It's sliding.
When mowing side to side the rider for me does not slide.

As I have said before what works for one does not work for everyone.

For me I just fell more comfortable on the rider.

I do somewhat agree, I've never had lawn tractor slide like I've had z-turn slide on my slope, but now that I've been using my z-turn for 2 years I'm getting much better and haven't slid this year.

I have 2 road signs and telephone service box on slope and it was easer to use lawn tractor to turn and cut around all three, with z-turn it works better to go from down slope and cut up, with tractor I could mow down slope or up slope the same.

As earlier posted once rear tires on zero turn start to slide you are pretty much along for the ride, on steep grades I would still feel more comfortable on lawn tractor.

With the slope and ditch I have my zero turn works fine and I don't think I would ever go back to lawn tractor.

 

[RaptorSDer]

This is a joke. We all know that the rider can mow that hill with no problems.

Sorry, I didn't realize you were so passionate and defensive about this. I simply found the video interesting and didn't think you'd object to me sharing it.

You may be right, though, it's possible that entire video is photoshopped.

 

[Shughes717]

Sorry, I didn't realize you were so passionate and defensive about this. I simply found the video interesting and didn't think you'd object to me sharing it.

You may be right, though, it's possible that entire video is photoshopped.

I, for one, didn't have a problem with the video. At least you were trying to show some proof to the contrary. The only issue I had with it was that it was produced by a company who makes only ztr mowers. There is incentive for them to try to make them look better than a lawn tractor. I chose the consumer reports article because they don't sell mowers, so there would be no reason to give one or the other an advantage when testing them.

 

[Carscw]

Sorry, I didn't realize you were so passionate and defensive about this. I simply found the video interesting and didn't think you'd object to me sharing it. You may be right, though, it's possible that entire video is photoshopped.

Sorry did not mean to come off like that.
I will say the same thing I said a couple years ago when he his came out.

Do they really think no one has used a rider?
They made it look stuck on a bump.

Was not getting on to you for posting it.