Advice on steering technique for articulation in tight spaces

m5040 · Jul 2, 2019

Now I have operated machines from large loaders to small Steiners but not in the tight spaces I use the PT for. My problem is when going forward and trimming grass next to a tree or some object, I can drive in really close which is great if you can drive on through. I get into trouble when I try and back out, it seems every movement I make gets the mower deck closer to what I was trimming to. If I steer away, as one might think, the arc of travel then brings the deck in tighter. If I steer the other direction, the machine moves the deck toward the object, am I clear with this? Anybody else experience this? Best advice to increase distance?

cqaigy2 · Jul 2, 2019

Sometimes, i'll push down on the deck, which pushes the front of the tractor up, then steer left or right, which will move the front of tractor away from the object.

m5040 · Jul 2, 2019

That sounds like it would work, I will give it a try.

MossRoad · Jul 2, 2019

How wide is your deck?

m5040 · Jul 3, 2019

I believe the deck is 45" and 42" on tractor (due 23x8.50- 12 tires vs 23x10.50-12 on the 422/425, the published specs contradict each other)

MossRoad · Jul 3, 2019

I've never gotten too close to anything with my 60" mower deck to not be able to just reverse direction and/or use the steering to get away from it. I do get the tires very close to things, though, and I could see how it could happen with a narrower deck. A 45" deck on a 42" machine only gives you 3" / 2 = 1.5" extension on each side, while I have about 9" extension on each side.

I'm guessing that as you build hours of seat time, you'll get accustomed to approaching things at different angles to plan your escape path. It'll come naturally with operation time.

With that said, if you only have 1.5" of extension, and, say, you're driving along a fence on your left, if you turn the wheel to the right sharply, the rears are gonna track into the fence almost immediately. It would be very hard, I'd think, to get out of that situation. You could stop immediately, put enough down-pressure on the deck to lift your front tires, then turn the wheel back towards the fence. That would scoot your front wheels over to your right and at the same time it would point your rear wheels away from the fence.

I'm just guessing that you're gonna have to leave a couple/three inch wide strip along fences and obstacles with that little of side overlap or you're gonna get into that situation often.

m5040 · Jul 3, 2019

Makes sense on how a wider deck wouldn't experience the same situation (which I will consider if I ever by a finish mower as the PT180 goes to a 48" 3-blade finish mower). And yes it maybe good to try using the deck to walk over the tractor in a worse case scenario. I don't think I can stop using it close as that is a really nice feature of the PT in never having to walk behind a trimming mower again with the ultra controllable slow speed and steering that moves the deck right/left. I love the seat-time! WHERE HAS THIS TRACTOR BEEN ALL MY LIFE!???

MossRoad · Jul 3, 2019

Yes, I do like the front mounted mower. You can see it right there along the fence. Have you mowed any 90 degree inside corners yet? I have one in my yard with a wood fence and wood flower boxes along the ground. I can get along both legs of the 90 and all but maybe a 6" arc of grass right in the corner. Couldn't get anywhere near that with a mid mount mower. You'd be stuck the distance from the front of the deck to the front of the tires. Very little weed eating needed with these things. :thumbsup:

m5040 · Jul 3, 2019

No 90 deg. corners yet, but a lot of overgrown brush that tended to grow right next to something good, so very hard to get at it. But it grows away at the top and with the PT you can raise it over and cut from top down!!!