Zero turn mower questions.

[JSUnlimited]

How do they handle hilly areas? Going up or down, or go across?

Anyone know anything about the Cub Cadet "M60 Tank" zero-turn mower?

 

[tallyho8]

My Ariens ZTR is very difficult to manuver sideways on a slope such as the sides of my small ditches. It handles well on flat land which is all I have here except for my ditches.

 

[deereguy]

Really depends on the degree of slope, moisture of the grass, and most importantly- what's at the bottom of the slope (just kidding). I owned a landscape maint business and would run "Z"'s across on some and ONLY up (foward) and SLOWLY back down on a few others. I knew the equipment had a low center of gravity and felt comfortable doing it, I would only allow a few employees who i knew could handle the slopes mow them. If you mow across- I started at the bottom and worked my way up (striping), always turning so my "dolly" wheels were up hill, again working to the top of the hill, I didn't mow in squares, etc.

It all depends on what YOU feel safe with!!

 

[Jagmandave]

I have an Exmark ZTR and pretty hilly property, and the reason I use the ZTR instead of the tractor to mow is the increased manuverablity and stability on hills. I do try to mow up and down rather than across, but I have yet to feel the least bit "tippy" even when mowing across the worst slopes I have, especially as compared to my tractor. I can mow my 3 acres in about an hour and a half, it used to take about 3 hours on the tractor - because of the hills and all the trees I have to go around. The only place I'm not completely happy with the ZTR is mowing around my pond, I'm afraid I'll slide into the pond if the grass is a little wet......so I still use the weed whacker there......

 

[jcmseven]

I think it depends on how hilly and how abrupt the hills are. My dad's 757 JD, which I bought for him, does as well or better than a standard garden tractor on most hills--where he lives. Where I live, where it is not uncommon to encounter a 30 plus degree hill, one has to be careful. If a ZTR slips, it is curtains, because they are so difficult to steer through a controlled slide. My advice, if it looks too steep for a garden tractor, it is probably too steep for a ZTR. Moderate hills are fine and most commercial (not homeowner--commercial) grade ZTR's will handle them well. I would say 90% plus of us do not have anything that a ZTR cannot handle gradewise, but one must be as careful on hills as with a conventional tractor. I mow diagonally mostly on hills, and as for your question about the TANK--it is a good machine--but it is tough to beat a JD. My local dealer sells Grasshopper, CC, Exmark, Scag, Great Dane and JD, and for ZTR's, he says, "I like the green ones the best." Not to say the others are not excellent, but he sells a lot of ZTR professional mowing equipment and his reasoning seemed sound to me.

John M

 

[QRTRHRS]

I have one of those Woods Mow'n'Machines with the front mount 60" deck.

I chose that one because at the time, my wife was doing the yard and being hearing impaired, she has a tendency to make gravel out of rocks. I figured the flip up front deck would be easy to maintain.

This machine has good points and bad. The bad is that the cut is uneven and nothing I have done will fix it. The dealer was supposed to pick it up last spring but somehow forgot and I blew it off and suffered through the grass season. (Just to much other things going on.) I have to be careful about turning as it will dig up the yard if I turn to fast. My property is all sloped so I have to be careful how I maneuver so I don't just sit and spin. I really should put chains or wheel weights on it. Overall, it has been relatively maintenance free.

I did look at the Cub Cadet Tank which my dealer also sells. Seemed like a nice stout mower. The seat was more comfortable than my Woods.