art
Super Member
We sell four brands of Zero turns at this time. On steep slope it is just amazing where the Cadet will go with a steering wheel! It has gone where others can't, we have even gone to more aggressive tires.
Why not zero turns for hills?
- Thread starter Parocket
- Start date
- Views: 38324
JerryK
Elite Member
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2004
- Messages
- 3,240
- Location
- Vanderbilt, Michigan, USeh?
- Tractor
- Mahindra (2011)5035 HST TLB & (2016)2555 HST Cab & (2017)1526 HST(2018)Cub Cadet Pro Z 154L (1991) Caterpillar E70B
I just acquired an old 2001 Toro commercial ZTR from my son, and it seems to work OK on my hilly property. It does not have a roll bar, and the operator seat seems to sit down lower than some I see now days. More you get the center of gravity up, probably has a little to do with weight transfer off the uphill drive wheel. So, maybe look into something that you are not sitting way up like a Dixie Chopper... 
I have a couple of those Husqvarna R322T AWD, and I use them on some 15 degree and one 19 degree slope.
I use to have traction lose issues with all my previous riding mowers and even some flip overs.
The R322t has no traction lose, you still need to be careful, raising the deck up while on a slope will cause the front end to get tippy, so I never raise the deck while on a slope. I never use the brake on my slopes, just letting off the forward or reverse pedal will automatically slow the machine to a stop.
In the following link (see pictures on post #74) the guy uses a R322T to mow a really steep slope.
I've corresponded with the guy and he said most of the slope is around 24* one area it's about 32* (which he only mows going downhill.)
He very happy to have AWD and claims one thing that's most beneficial for him is that all four wheels do the braking, making for a much safer machine on his slope.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/general-lawn-garden/250220-husqvarna-r322t-awd-mower-any-8.html
I use to have traction lose issues with all my previous riding mowers and even some flip overs.
The R322t has no traction lose, you still need to be careful, raising the deck up while on a slope will cause the front end to get tippy, so I never raise the deck while on a slope. I never use the brake on my slopes, just letting off the forward or reverse pedal will automatically slow the machine to a stop.
In the following link (see pictures on post #74) the guy uses a R322T to mow a really steep slope.
I've corresponded with the guy and he said most of the slope is around 24* one area it's about 32* (which he only mows going downhill.)
He very happy to have AWD and claims one thing that's most beneficial for him is that all four wheels do the braking, making for a much safer machine on his slope.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/general-lawn-garden/250220-husqvarna-r322t-awd-mower-any-8.html
Ken45101
Elite Member
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2009
- Messages
- 3,669
- Location
- southern Ohio
- Tractor
- Kubota M5040, M9540, B21 TLB, B2710, RTV900, JD 325 Skid steer, KX-121-3 mini excavator
A lot depends on "how steep" and what is at the bottom of the hill!
I have two hillsides to mow. Alongside the driveway it levels out into the yard. If the ZT brakes loose, it's no big problem. OTOH, I have a much longer hill that ends with a dropoff into the woods. I don't want to lose control there.
The ZT does fine going UP the hill, but going down, there is no control and no stopping. Even the small tractor (Kubota B2710) must be in 4wd going down the hill or it will slide.
I have two hillsides to mow. Alongside the driveway it levels out into the yard. If the ZT brakes loose, it's no big problem. OTOH, I have a much longer hill that ends with a dropoff into the woods. I don't want to lose control there.
The ZT does fine going UP the hill, but going down, there is no control and no stopping. Even the small tractor (Kubota B2710) must be in 4wd going down the hill or it will slide.
Creamer
Elite Member
Again it depends on several factors - what type of ZT (my front mount has more weight on drive tires going downhill and will stop), what kind of tires are on it (turfs are not good), and how much in control you are of the machine.