Finish Mower on steep terrain

[Bobrown14]

Zero turn has a pretty low center of gravity with a +50" deck hanging off the bottom of the frame. We have a few 25 degree banks I mow with my ZT - it's sketchy at first until I figured out the safest way to mow the banks and each one is a little different.

Most of the steep slopes its either up or down. I can do it side to side but that is done at SLOW speeds so for a larger lawn with a slope its way too time consuming. I have a Gravely HD 52 - its got plenty of power to go up the slopes full speed.

I RARELY ever cut grass when its wet. Just not a good thing for many reasons. Clogging up the mower deck is pretty high on that list not to mention safety on slopes and wet cut grass promotes mold on the deck and in the grass. Next grass cutting if I don't clean the deck out (which is a pain the ass) then I'm spreading mold all around AND the cut looks like crap.

Can get better tires for a ZT to cut on hills too instead of turf tires.

Another option is growing hay... which we do as well but mow around the house and driveway with the ZT.

 

[Thomas]

If the slopes as you said I would want good gripping rear tire for pulling 60" mower.

 

[bdhsfz6]

I've been mowing an acre of 15 degree sloped lawn for over 30 years. Tried everything from a 22" self propelled push mower to my current L6060 HSTC with 3pt finish mower.

ZT's just won't do the job any better than the 3pt. They won't hold a straight line mowing perpendicular to the slope and don't have enough traction mowing parallel. Mowing at a 45 degree angle to the slope is the only way it works but the mow quality isn't any better than the 3pt.

In my case, I see no reason to have a ZT and a tractor when the tractor does the job just as well.

YMMV.