Pros to having a riding mower over a zero-turn

[oosik]

I have a JD 750 riding mower. ZT or riding mower - neither will make my mowed meadows any smoother. And speed will require a seat belt to keep me on either type.

My riding mower cuts just fine and was considerably less expensive than a ZT.

 

[aesanders]

Only thing I can think of is that some of the better garden tractors could take some add ons like snowblowers, tillers etc. Then you might as well get the subcompact.

For dedicated mower, zero turn all the way. I had a nice Simplicty mower before I got my Gravely zero turn. I raved about my Simplicity. Once I got the Gravely, the Simplicty sat in the shed.

 

[mikester]

Less turf tear up than ZTR's
Smaller MMM seem to scalp less on undulating terrain and leave a better finish
Tractor mowers go slower and are safer as we get older with slower reaction times

 

[dadohead]

ZT's are tractively steered so conventional tractors accel on hilly terrain and don't 'break traction'. Depending on the operator, can be easier on the turf. Tractors usually has a shorter learning curve that is more inviting to us geezers.... ;<)

 

[dj1701]

I went to town last week and on my way, I saw a guy getting his ZTM pulled out of low spot with a pickup. On my way back I saw the same guy getting the same mower pulled out of another area by a pickup. It appears that they get stuck much easier than tractors. That area was a church lawn and not something a tractor would have had a problem with.

I know there are guys that claim that they can go dune hopping in the Sahara Desert, or mow a path through the Amazon jungle, or climb MT. Everest with their ZTM's. Fact of the matter is they are great at what they were designed to do and not good at the rest. It's kind of like a sex change. You can put a plow on one and pull a wagon, but if you look under the skirt, it's still a ZTM.

Dave

 

[newkiotiguy]

I went to town last week and on my way, I saw a guy getting his ZTM pulled out of low spot with a pickup. On my way back I saw the same guy getting the same mower pulled out of another area by a pickup. It appears that they get stuck much easier than tractors. That area was a church lawn and not something a tractor would have had a problem with.

I know there are guys that claim that they can go dune hopping in the Sahara Desert, or mow a path through the Amazon jungle, or climb MT. Everest with their ZTM's. Fact of the matter is they are great at what they were designed to do and not good at the rest. It's kind of like a sex change. You can put a plow on one and pull a wagon, but if you look under the skirt, it's still a ZTM.

Dave

That guy had turf tires. Change to bar tread and never get stuck or slide again. Most people don't know any better

 

[JeepHead]

I bought my first ZT last summer when I bought my new home. I have roughly 4 acres of yard to mow. I can honestly say I absolutely hate my ZT and hate mowing my yard now, when I use to love to mow yards. The absolute game changer for me is that I can no longer drink beer and mow. That is the single biggest downfall to owning a ZT.

 

[Hay Dude]

Traditional riding mower is usually about $1,000 less than a ZTR.

How? What brand?

If someone is mowing an open field with no obstructions, a ZTR won't be any faster cutting than a riding mower of the same cutting width and ground speed.

Really? I can mow way faster with a ZT than a garden tractor. It’s not even close. I just sold my Kubota F3680 and my ZD-1211 is 2-3 times faster. We actually have timed it. I have a place we cut that takes 4 -4.5 hours with a F-3680 and a ZD-1211. Now with (2) ZD-1211’s we just cut the same place in 3-3.5 hours.

A riding mower with normal steering is easier to control on a steep slope than a ZTR with front caster wheels. But my own experience is I nearly always go right back to my ZTR, and my riding mower just sits.

Agree with that.

 

[Runner]

NOTE: This opinion post is based on the "Zero Turn" being a Cub Cadet ZTXS model with STEERABLE front wheels. It has a steering wheel, but is still a true zero turn mower.

Lawn Tractor Pros

• Holds cross-slope better (than traditional ZT but same as ZTXS)
• Better for doing things other than mowing (plowing snow, towing, pulling spreader, etc.)
• Cheaper
• Better going up hills due to front weight bias
• Handles a bagger better than ZT due to front weight bias (also, when using the bagger on the lawn tractor, you can reach back to feel the bags to see how full they are - on the ZT with bagger, it is too far back so you can't tell how full the bags are without stopping and getting off to check)
• Has one less hydro tranny to worry about
• Can be had with 4WD and 4 wheel steering, if you want to spend the money
• Can be steered with one hand (compared to regular ZT)

Cub Cadet ZTXS zero turn mower pros

• Holds cross-slope same as lawn tractor (but reportedly better than regular ZT's)
• Makes turns (especially around trees) on slopes better than lawn tractor (i.e., doesn't lose traction on rear wheels/effectively has 4 wheel steering)
• Can make true "zero turns" (because the ZTXS has coordinated control between the front and rear wheels for steering, it doesn't tear up the grass when making zero turns)
• Faster
• Better traction due to more weight over drive wheels

 

[Runner]

I bought my first ZT last summer when I bought my new home. I have roughly 4 acres of yard to mow. I can honestly say I absolutely hate my ZT and hate mowing my yard now, when I use to love to mow yards. The absolute game changer for me is that I can no longer drink beer and mow. That is the single biggest downfall to owning a ZT.

You just got the wrong kind.