Zero Turn Tires

[LD1]

Another vote for AT101's. Been running them for 15 years.

All other tires are a compromise and IMO might as well just be a standard turf tire.

 

[Ford850]

15 years using AT101 for me too. I also had a set of 22 MAG tires on one of my Grasshoppers. They are a little more aggressive than the Carlisle bar tires, and slightly larger diameter. As someone else said, the bar tires provide much better traction but if care isn't taken they can dig fast and deep.

 

[BigBlue1]

Just some other options:
Spartan Mowers and Bad Boy Mowers both come with "special" tires that are supposedly only made for them, but Kenda makes the ones for Bad Boy (called "Reaper", bias-ply, Kenda K3012). If you check ebay and search for something like "Bad Boy tires" with your size you can find them. Here is just 1 example:

(2) Reaper K3012 HD Tire Assemblies 24x12.00-12 Bad Boy Outlaw 54" 022-4050-00 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for (2) Reaper K3012 HD Tire Assemblies 24x12.00-12 Bad Boy Outlaw 54" 022-4050-00 at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

The Spartan tire tread is radial and looks like this:

Tires - Rear - Page 1 - Spartan Zero Turn Parts

spartanzeroturnparts.com

I haven't found the manufacturer but you can buy the tires online at the above link or at your local Spartan dealership.

I have the Reaper tires on my BB Rogue. I find them to cause quite a bit of skidding and turf damage. Even for things like just turning around a small diameter object like a 8" tree the inside tire will usually skid a circle as I go around. And I try to not be very aggressive. Similar thing when I'm coming to the end of a rectangle and do a 90* turn. I typically go a little beyond the uncut grass, stop, start backing up evenly, then begin sticks in opposite directions to turn 90*. I was thinking that standard turf tires may resolve these issues, being less aggressive, but after reading this thread maybe not.

I do really like the traction of the Reaper tires when I mow the sloped sides of my driveway and the county road ditch bank. The mower is very stable in those situations. Much better than a Deere 930R I tested out a while back that had turf tires.

Rob

 

[LD1]

I have the Reaper tires on my BB Rogue. I find them to cause quite a bit of skidding and turf damage. Even for things like just turning around a small diameter object like a 8" tree the inside tire will usually skid a circle as I go around. And I try to not be very aggressive. Similar thing when I'm coming to the end of a rectangle and do a 90* turn. I typically go a little beyond the uncut grass, stop, start backing up evenly, then begin sticks in opposite directions to turn 90*. I was thinking that standard turf tires may resolve these issues, being less aggressive, but after reading this thread maybe not.

I do really like the traction of the Reaper tires when I mow the sloped sides of my driveway and the county road ditch bank. The mower is very stable in those situations. Much better than a Deere 930R I tested out a while back that had turf tires.

Rob

AT101 tires I have found out, as have most, they actually do less turf damage.

Most of the damage you describe, like going around a tree....is because you arent holding the sticks at the speed the wheel wants to spin. So it just skids along for the ride and you are none the wiser until you see turf damage and wonder why.

The AT101's bite. Its almost impossible to skid them unless you do a true zero-turn....and that rips turf with any tire. But what they do is force you to control the levers to the correct speed and they dont actually skid

 

[Buggs67]

Has anyone loaded their rear tires for more traction?

My Hustler Raptor is at the dealer because there seems to be an issue with the hydrodrives and he loaded the fires in response to my dissatisfaction with the traction (he said it helped a lot). Now he's getting pushback from Hustler because of the ballast in the tires.

My ZTM goes out of warranty next May and with only 107 hrs the drives are acting up. I suspect Hustler is stalling hoping they breakdown after the warranty period.

 

[4570Man]

That size tire isn’t going to hold enough to make any considerable difference.

 

[DK35vince]

Has anyone loaded their rear tires for more traction?

No, but I replaced the crappy stock turf tires with Carlisle AT 101's.
Problem solved

 

[LD1]

That size tire isn’t going to hold enough to make any considerable difference.

Agreed

According to rimgaurd, a 24x12x12 tire like on my ZTR only holds 7 gallons.

A 150# person vs a 200# person.. and whether I'm full (10 gallons) or on fumes makes more difference than tire loading

 

[4570Man]

Agreed

According to rimgaurd, a 24x12x12 tire like on my ZTR only holds 7 gallons.

A 150# person vs a 200# person.. and whether I'm full (10 gallons) or on fumes makes more difference than tire loading

Just put AT-101s on and never look back.

 

[LD1]

Just put AT-101s on and never look back.

Yup. Love mine

 

[RjCorazza]

My zero turn 26x12-12 tires take just over 9 gallons each, for a total weight of 140 lbs of antifreeze. That makes a difference on slopes.

 

[Buggs67]

My zero turn 26x12-12 tires take just over 9 gallons each, for a total weight of 140 lbs of antifreeze. That makes a difference on slopes.

I agree. An additional 140 lbs is an increase of 17%. Since I don't like these tires and I have a tire groover I am going to groove the heck out of them Before dropping $200 on the AT101 or similiar.

 

[RjCorazza]

I agree. An additional 140 lbs is an increase of 17%. Since I don't like these tires and I have a tire groover I am going to groove the heck out of them Before dropping $200 on the AT101 or similiar.

I have grooved my last 2 R4 tractor tires, which made a big difference in snow. I was tempted to groove the ZT turf tires, but put some chevron type tread tires on my backup diesel mower for banks instead.
Good luck with the grooving… report back!

 

[Buggs67]

I also grooved my R4s. I don't have pavement but I think it helps.

 

[ruffdog]

If I had R4s, I think there would be black rubber worms all over the place by now.

 

[tradosaurus]

Bar Lug Tire

 

[Buggs67]

Bar Lug Tire

I think that's what I need. These flat profile turf tread tires spin all the time. I was also wondering if I should add some weight to the rear; steel plates or something.


Are those Carlisle??

 

[tradosaurus]

I think that's what I need. These flat profile turf tread tires spin all the time. I was also wondering if I should add some weight to the rear; steel plates or something.


Are those Carlisle??

I didn't add any weights. Tires have been working great.

 

[Buggs67]

Considering these as Carlisle doesn't make 22x11-10

or these

 

[Buggs67]

And my local tire dealer can get these. $118 mounted.