Buying Advice Advice on mowing sloped, rough terrain ("ride on brushcutters")

[rScotty]

A friend bought a remote controlled mower called an Evatech Goat 22T. Interesting machine, and it does the job with zero pucker factor.
EVATECH OFFICIAL WEBSITE

I don't know what degree the slope is at his place, but it is difficult to walk on it. I don't even try. The 22T Goat mows it easily and pretty quickly.
rScotty

 

[plowhog]

That has to be one of the weirdest web sites I have seen in a long time.

I agree the machine is interesting. For under $10k I would buy one if I knew it worked and would be supported, or supportable. But the web site impression is that the company is run by a mad scientist type who like to tinker. Hmm what would happen if I needed parts for my EVA mower while he was off tinkering with his electric car?

 

[Chris616]

I did a bit of investigating of Evatech's products when I was researching the viability of RC mowers. As Plowhog alludes to their website is somewhat lacking. When I went looking elsewhere on the web for information about Evatech the search returns made me uncomfortable about the company.

A few months ago I had an email conversation with one of Evatech's sales engineers to get some more technical info, since they don't put important data like engine size on their website. He wrote that the Goat 22T uses a B&S Professional Series 875 engine. I know that lots of people use splash lubricated engines like this one on slopes without damaging them from oil starvation, but designing a slope mower that doesn't use a pressurized lube system seems like a bad choice. The torque curve on this engine converts to 6 hp. That's comparable to the push mower that I brought from the city, which did fine on my lawn there, but is challenged on the length of grass that I'm cutting here. Considering that the Goat's engine is also propelling the machine means that there'd be even less power for the blade. The 22 inch cutting width is less than on the machine I use now, so it would be tedious to operate this machine on a large area. I've considered buying a smaller RC mower like this for the steep slopes and something to ride on for the less steep ground as an option, but I'm still hopeful for a single tool solution.

Does Evatech have a machine big enough to use as one solution for all my mowing? Well, they have the TREX mower, which has a 44 inch cutting width and 20 hp pressure lubricated engine (and looks surprisingly like the RC mower that I linked to in my original post in this thread). This looks like it would cut on all my terrain and save me time, since the cutting width is about twice what I use now. But for US$25,000 I could pretty much buy any of the other safe ride-on solutions that I've been looking at. I suppose that once the big manufacturers move into this market that prices will drop, but for now...

 

[AxleHub]

While I'm not an "old school" kinda guy - I just would be very uncertain about remote control equipment on uncertain terrain and distance between operator and conditions right in front of the mower. Technology is a wonderful thing but with steep slopes - a unit in those prices could be an expensive loss - if operator controls failed or jammed and it started a down hill direction from misguided signals.

Shucks we don't even have a Rhumba for the carpets yet

 

[Chris616]

While I'm not an "old school" kinda guy - I just would be very uncertain about remote control equipment on uncertain terrain and distance between operator and conditions right in front of the mower. Technology is a wonderful thing but with steep slopes - a unit in those prices could be an expensive loss - if operator controls failed or jammed and it started a down hill direction from misguided signals.

Shucks we don't even have a Rhumba for the carpets yet

You make a valid point, AxleHub. Dust, heat, vibration and water are all things to avoid with electronics, so I am also concerned about their longevity in a mower. There are ways to "harden" electronics against those threats, but I'm guessing that that the inexpensive RC mower manufacturers aren't doing that, yet.

I believe that sometime in the not-to-distant future we'll have autonomous vehicles that will cruise around and do whatever mowing that we define without the need to walk behind and control them (which isn't really saving any effort over driving the thing - it just makes it safer). I want to just set the machine going and watch it do the mowing while I have a coffee on my balcony! That isn't the situation right now, which is why a ride-on mower will be the solution for me (probably).

Chris

 

[rScotty]

That has to be one of the weirdest web sites I have seen in a long time.

I agree the machine is interesting. For under $10k I would buy one if I knew it worked and would be supported, or supportable. But the web site impression is that the company is run by a mad scientist type who like to tinker. Hmm what would happen if I needed parts for my EVA mower while he was off tinkering with his electric car?

I agree. It's clearly a group of tinkers doing a prototype production run. It is way clever, and it dows work remarkably well. BTW, I was concerned about range, but the radio control range seems to be greater than needed. I had to use binoculars to see where he had cut the day before from his armchair on the front porch. But it is obvious that EvaTech pays scant homage to marketing. The sheet metal is clearly laser-cut and machine bent, but after that concession to mass production almost every component is bolted into place. As I looked it over I was struck by the total absence of welded or cast components. Everything is well thought out and seems good quality - even very good - but it is a bolt-together assembly that has clearly traded ease of maintenance and modification for marketing sales appeal. On the plus side, that modular concept makes repair and upgrades easy.

On the negative side, even though they've sold quite a few over the last few years, the future of what they are building is completely uncertain....That is in complete contrast to well-known companies I've purchased from in the last few years. Purchases like the Ford PU with the 7.3 diesel (no longer produced), or my Kubota M59 TLB (no longer produced), or my Yanmar tractor (sold out to JD), or my LandCruiser (no longer produced), my Milwaukee Power tool set (no longer produced or parts or serviced) or even my Snap-On tools whose lifetime warranty has expired into laughter.

So the Goat 22T is the sort of thing that appeals more to do-i-yourself guys, tinkerers, and fixits. The sort of guys who value quality sub-assembly over production smooth finish. And who think that the potential for personal contact with the design team is a big plus. And who fully expect that future repairs are likely to involve the owner.

That would describe my buddy who bought one. He is an R&D type and enjoys that kind of toy. Come to think of it, that description probably fits quite a few guys on this forum. Myself included........
enjoy! rScotty

 

[SpringHollow]

Chris, There is what looks to be a real good deal on Ebay right now

DEWEZE ATM 72 Hill & Slope mower all terrain

Ken

 

[Chris616]

Chris, There is what looks to be a real good deal on Ebay right now

DEWEZE ATM 72 Hill & Slope mower all terrain

Ken

Thanks for the "heads-up", Ken.

I had looked at the new equipment sold by Harper (Deweze) and discounted them because the least expensive was still really expensive (more than a Ventrac plus mowing deck). This smaller machine doesn't appear on their website now, so it must no longer be in production. It's an interesting option. I'm not sure how well it would work as a mower on flatter areas and on high grass, but a low priced (used) dedicated slope mower plus a less expensive "non-slope" mower for the lesser sloped areas might be a viable solution.

BTW - I was reading the operator's manuals on the Harper website to learn a bit more about these units and I think that the Ebay vendor has made an error on the model number. The Ebay item appears to be a smaller (and presumably less expensive) model than the advertised ATM 72. I think that it's an ATM 725 or ATM 70C.

 

[SpringHollow]

You could always try it first and by a second machine only if necessary.

 

[droptop]

I found this remote controlled mower family which looks rugged. Some will mow up to 50 degree slopes. Kinda cool, but I think it would take a lot of getting used to running it, but it looks like it would be fun.....217 Remote Mowers, LLC. Slope Mowers