Why not zero turns for hills?

[Parocket]

Why not zero turns on hills and what is a too big of a hill? Do the hydro's melt down?
I have a cub 3235 that is wearing old. Thinking of replacing with a mid range zero turn.
I mow about 2 acres, has some elevation changes with one hill section maybe 100x75 high. Its a farm so its not pretty yard. Would love the extra speed.

 

[Parocket]

Never mind found it through search

 

[dragoneggs]

As you probably have learned... really just a function of slope. If not too great, mowing the hill should be no issue.

 

[oldpilgrim]

mowing across a hill with a ZT can be difficult as it wants to steer downhill all the time.

 

[ruffdog]

I have a friend that has a very steep yard hill that he needed something stable to mow it with. He has a bigger Cub Cadet garden tractor that he just didn't feel safe with. Some dealers said he could use a zero turn and he told them to demonstrate the unit on HIS hill before he would buy. Some would not even unload the unit when they saw the hill. Others would try the hill only to take a trip through the rock garden below. He ended up with the high end Cub Cadet zero turn that has a steering wheel that controls the front wheels. It seems to be working for him.

 

[dragoneggs]

I should add that wet grass makes it more of an issue. Also I am not implying that I recommend Z turns over other mowers for hills. I have a z turn and some steep hills as well as not too steep hills to mow. Must learn the limits!

 

[namesray]

A zero turn going across a side hill suffers due to 2 things. 1. To go straight a zero turn rulies on both rear drive wheels to have the same speed and traction. On a side hill the upper drive wheel usually looses traction. This leads to number 2. The front wheels of most zero turns are castors and free rotate 360 degrees. Naturally they want to turn sideways with the weight and gravity of the machine and go downhill. Only the rear drive wheels keep them going straight. And when one drive wheel looses traction, the front castor wheels give and head downhill, then from this point it is difficult for the rear drive wheels to get traction and go up hill or straight across hill again, and the impending fun ride down off the hill.

A heavier zero turn will help with the rear drive wheels keeping traction. Heavier units will operate better on side hills.

The cub cadet style of steering wheel zero turns and your regular garden tractor mowers are more stable on side hills due to having fixed front steer wheels that greatly help hold going across a side hill. They actually help keep traction better on the rear drive wheels too.

 

[4570Man]

The drive train can handle it. They could probably climb straight up a 45 degree hill. Their downfall on hills is the front non locking swivel wheels drift down the hills, and then the back wheels loose traction. Another problem is if you loose traction on one wheel you can only only drive in circles. Most farm yards are rough as a cob. A zero turn might be the fastest mower, but they are also among the roughest riding.

 

[DK35vince]

A zero turn might be the fastest mower, but they are also among the roughest riding.

All the years I've been mowing. From garden tractors to Compact tractors with MMM and rear finish mowers.
I think my current zero turn ( Hustler Super Z with suspension seat and flex forks) has the best ride of any mower I have ever had.

 

[4570Man]

All the years I've been mowing. From garden tractors to Compact tractors with MMM and rear finish mowers. I think my current zero turn ( Hustler Super Z with suspension seat and flex forks) has the best ride of any mower I have ever had.

My Dixie chopper doesn't have either of those and rides horrible.