What's it like owning a zero turn?

[Gary Fowler]

When I use my ZTR, the first thing I do is cut me a turning row of at least two mower widths wide. Then when turning I either make a wide circle in the 8 feet of pre-cut turn area or follow the guys advise in the video, but stopping then reversing a bit then pushing about half way on one stick and pulling back a bit on the other. It is more of a feel for the turn than anything else and either way, I don't leave little holes in the grass. The biggest thing is to do it slow and not attempt a full speed sliding turn. Taking it slow is still much faster than a tractor type having to make a large circle or cutting in blocks where you overlap at each turn to get to the other side of the block.

I think the EXMARK chart that was posted is pretty accurate @ the 80% productivity for my cutting times. I can make the 80% mark or a bit higher.

 

[RG1]

Yep. Keep both wheels moving or stopped, but never one and not the other or you wind up with "pivot divots" .

 

[tcreeley]

Sears- on sale you can get a ztr for 2500. I did- replaced my GT500 sears riding mower. Glad I did. It cut my time by a 1/3. I can go faster, and I'm not losing time circling on the corners for another pass. It's always nice to have something even better built- but this ztr works just fine for me. - great if your legs are too stiff to sit on riding mower.

 

[Midniteoyl]

What are you talking about here? I mow for a living, so yea, I think I have seen commercial cutters mow. I was saying you must not have watched very many commercial cutters. My area is flooded heavily with them. I get to see all kinds of machines mowing. I never said anything about your manual or specific machine, however, I believe the OP is talking about a std ZTR with sticks. What I said is correct.

Like I said, go to Lawnsite and read or ask, and not in the HO forum. Go to the commercial forum and read or ask guys who do it every day.

Nothing.. disregard..

 

[knotweed]

Have a Gravely that works a lot with no effort. The first thing you should buy for any ZTR is Flat Free front tires. I bought mine at Northern Tool and mow anytime without having to pull out the compressor.

 

[mh2]

Hi
I was mowing my 6 acres with a 5 foot finishing mower behind my Kioti. I was putting lots of hours on the Kioti. My dealer dropped off a zero turn (Toro Timecutter) for me to try. I loved it. Cut the mowing time in half, and gives a good cut. Since my wife is an avid gardener with lots of trees and shrubs, the maneuverability of the zero turn is great. The only drawback as other posters have said are that it is a very bumpy ride (there is a beer holder on the mower, but you would have nothing but suds if you put a beer there while mowing!) and it kicks up a lot of dust and debris. Sometimes I wear ski goggles as regular eye protection doesn't cut it. Makes me look like Snoopy v the Red Baron but hey it works. I recommend them highly. Added bonus is now I can take the turf tires off my Kioti and put on ag tires for more serious work.
mh

 

[leveled]

yep nothing but suds left when you carry a beer. What i do now is set a goal and mow like a ninja till I can have my beer Nothing can beat a zero turn when it comes to mowing obstacles, its so maneuverable.

 

[SI2305]

Although I do not own a ZTR, I used to operate one when I worked for a mowing business. If you have never ridden one before, find a nice, flat spot on your yard and just try to go straight. It took me about a half hour of use before I was able to get used to the steering arrangement. After you get the hang of it, you can literally maneuver circles around any object, no matter how small. If you have a relatively flat yard with lots of obstacles, then a ZTR may be your machine. Personally, I love the front mount mower varieties as you can mow under bushes and the like without a face full of twigs and branches. At present, I have only seen Grasshopper models with front mount options and they are spendy items!

However, perhaps their biggest downside is their performance on hilly, rolling ground. The model I used was absolutely terrible in anything over a 10 degree slope!! The owners manual even testified not to operate on more than a 10 degree slope (honestly, I can barely even recognize a 10 degree slope by sight). Also, I dearly wish that these machines had foot brakes. It has been some time since I operated one of these machines, but it is kinda like riding a bicycle. Once you learn it, you have it for good and really, nothing maneuvers like them. I very nearly considered getting one myself when my L-120 tranny went out on me, but the price was too high and I now own a 5 foot RFM for my JD 2305. Still, unless these have changed markedly since I last used them, they are NOT for hilly ground--in fact they need almost perfectly flat ground for safety reasons. Might have changed since I last used one, but I would still be very wary of them if used on hills.

Good luck with your decision,

SI2305

JD 2305, 200cx, LandPride 60" RFM, LX4, Middlebuster, rear blade, Box Blade

 

[aczlan]

However, perhaps their biggest downside is their performance on hilly, rolling ground. The model I used was absolutely terrible in anything over a 10 degree slope!! The owners manual even testified not to operate on more than a 10 degree slope (honestly, I can barely even recognize a 10 degree slope by sight). Also, I dearly wish that these machines had foot brakes. It has been some time since I operated one of these machines, but it is kinda like riding a bicycle. Once you learn it, you have it for good and really, nothing maneuvers like them. I very nearly considered getting one myself when my L-120 tranny went out on me, but the price was too high and I now own a 5 foot RFM for my JD 2305. Still, unless these have changed markedly since I last used them, they are NOT for hilly ground--in fact they need almost perfectly flat ground for safety reasons. Might have changed since I last used one, but I would still be very wary of them if used on hills.

What make/model was the one you used?
For reference, both sides of this road get mowed across the slope with zero turns: https://www.google.com/maps?ll=42.9...SDeBW9FZmWMSbQ&cbp=12,24.13,,0,11.27&t=m&z=11
As does this berm: https://www.google.com/maps?ll=43.0...K3-uiSuBSpPxBFw&cbp=12,41.57,,0,19.5&t=m&z=11
And this hill: https://www.google.com/maps?ll=43.0...bp=,24.13,,0,11.269997&output=classic&dg=ntvo
With the hill, the part showing striping up and down gets mowed both ways with a ride on zero turn as do the next two levels up. The 3rd level and the top part of the slope are at least a 12/12 pitch (12" rise over a 12" run), so they get mowed with walk behind zero turns (eXmark Turn Tracers when I mowed there).
The lower parts got mowed with eXmark Lazer Z zero turns when I mowed there.

I have taken a eXmark Lazer Z on slopes where you couldn't comfortably stand upright facing uphill and it ran across them just fine, but the mowers we were using were commercial machines, IIRC they weighed 1200#-1500# each and had 23 x 9.5-12 tires.

Aaron Z

 

[RG1]

Although I do not own a ZTR, I used to operate one when I worked for a mowing business. If you have never ridden one before, find a nice, flat spot on your yard and just try to go straight. It took me about a half hour of use before I was able to get used to the steering arrangement. After you get the hang of it, you can literally maneuver circles around any object, no matter how small. If you have a relatively flat yard with lots of obstacles, then a ZTR may be your machine. Personally, I love the front mount mower varieties as you can mow under bushes and the like without a face full of twigs and branches. At present, I have only seen Grasshopper models with front mount options and they are spendy items!

However, perhaps their biggest downside is their performance on hilly, rolling ground. The model I used was absolutely terrible in anything over a 10 degree slope!! The owners manual even testified not to operate on more than a 10 degree slope (honestly, I can barely even recognize a 10 degree slope by sight). Also, I dearly wish that these machines had foot brakes. It has been some time since I operated one of these machines, but it is kinda like riding a bicycle. Once you learn it, you have it for good and really, nothing maneuvers like them. I very nearly considered getting one myself when my L-120 tranny went out on me, but the price was too high and I now own a 5 foot RFM for my JD 2305. Still, unless these have changed markedly since I last used them, they are NOT for hilly ground--in fact they need almost perfectly flat ground for safety reasons. Might have changed since I last used one, but I would still be very wary of them if used on hills.

Good luck with your decision,

SI2305

JD 2305, 200cx, LandPride 60" RFM, LX4, Middlebuster, rear blade, Box Blade

The current Deere 900 series and the previous A 900 series will hold hills as well as any ZTR made right now. My Z950A is rated for up to 20 degree slopes. That is a lot steeper than most guys realize. Over on one of the lawn forums I visit, there are guys constantly talking about mowing 30+ degree slopes, but that is going by their estimate. When a an angle finder is used on one of those slopes most are surprised to find they aren't as steep as they thought. I carry a magnetic angle finder with me sometimes for use on new properties just to check how steep a hill I am running on. It goes on the top of the deck, and gives me very accurate readings when viewed from the seat.

I was a rough carpenter for my entire main career. No one, on any brand of machine, is going to run across a 30 degree slope on a ZTR unless they are making the bottom one or two passes where they have the flatter ground not too far away to support them. That is the equivalent of a 7/12 pitch roof. If you ever walk on a roof with that pitch, you'll quickly realize you can't drive anything across that pitch without sliding down to the bottom.

Most commercial ZTR's these days use 24X12-12 rear tires, with some running 26X12-12 rears. The width of the rear track, and the weight distribution on the machine has a lot to do with where they will go.