Be gentle... its my first time.... ZTR's again.

[wushaw]

Re: Be gentle... its my first time.... ZTR\'s again.

These ZTRs bring the fun back to mowing and make more time for other things...like more cold beer /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
I put a screen door type handle on my discharge chute so I can lift it when needed without turning off the deck.

 

[HP_guy]

Re: Be gentle... its my first time.... ZTR\'s again.

Guys, I am new to the ZTR field, but I have been warned about some smaller ZTR's not being able to handle inclines in my yard. These are not steep slopes, so I am not too concerned. I was told this is attributed to the weight (or lack of) for the ZTR's as compared to a larger Lawn Tractor. Can anyone comment on this with the mini-fastrak's. I am considering the 42" model. Thanks. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Re: Be gentle... its my first time.... ZTR\'s again.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( These ZTRs bring the fun back to mowing and make more time for other things...like more cold beer )</font>

How do you ZTR guys hold a beer while you cut???

(I have seen the joystick models so I know how you guys do it)

 

[Spiffy]

Re: Be gentle... its my first time.... ZTR\'s again.

<font color="blue">How do you ZTR guys hold a beer while you cut???
</font>

It's a bit of a learning curve, but you can control both sticks with one hand fairly well once you get the hang of it. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Spiffy]

Re: Be gentle... its my first time.... ZTR\'s again.

If mowing across a slope, a midmount's front end can be drawn into the slope regardless of size or weight, but since you have independant rear control it's still not bad.

I haven't noticed any trouble going up and down, but on a 1050lb machine, it doesn't really answer your question.

I would say that if you have quite a few obstacles, you'll have so many positives to the ZTR, that a new mowing strategy on your slopes will seem meaningless<font color="red"> as in painless not unimportant</font>.

Should ask though, how much yard do you have? Also, since you talk about "yard" instead of "lawn"; you'll find all sorts of areas you just didn't think were that aggresive while creeping along on a LT. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Will the dealer let you test one?

<font color="red"> edit </font>

 

[Nasty135]

Re: Be gentle... its my first time.... ZTR\'s again.

HP, I have found that when traversing a slope it is impossible to turn up hill , down hill is fine but up hill you have to stop and start a backward movement while making a twist toward up hill then go forward up the hill (slope).

When going straight across a slope you will actually be driving with the down hill wheel , the up hill wheel will have to be driven at a slower speed to keep on your line. I have actually stopped the high side wheel on a slope and when this happens it actually takes a more direct down hill track(due to traction loss), so when you want to maintain a line you must always (on a slope) keep the high side wheel turning just to maintain traction for some sort of managable line . Doing this I find you can manage to go toward an up hill line if neccessary .

Now all this info has been MY experience with my Lesco/Cubcadet (tank) 60" ZTR that weighs in at 1050 lbs.
"your mileage may vary" /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[rfawkes]

Re: Be gentle... its my first time.... ZTR\'s again.

My Swisher 50 inch cut 22 HP Briggs and Stratton ZTR cuts up hill and down on my 8 1/2 acres, and it costs under $3000. Check out their website. Residential mowers work just fine, you certainly don't need a professional mower on less than an acre. You are throwing away your money.

 

[MrCJ]

Re: Be gentle... its my first time.... ZTR\'s again.

Tire size is something you may want to look into. Depending on the amount of area and slope you have this can be a very important factor. I have 4+ acres and only moderate slopes, but couldn't keep a Woods Mow'n'machine on the hills. It was a front mount deck and had 21" drive tires. Any moisture and it would sit and spin. I just purchased an eXmark Lazer XS gas 31hp with 60" deck. It has 26" drive tires and is a mid mount design. I can't believe the difference!
I have not had any issues with traction even in a rain storm. I was cutting my father in laws 10 acres between (and in) rain showers. The field area was around 6" high and this thing never bogged down, grunted, or slipped.
Most important was the time savings over a conventional tractor. More time for some frosty cold ones!
This unit also has a full suspension seat, available hopper style grass catcher, and standard ROPS.
They make smaller models, but I question if I shouldn't have bought the 72" deck????? Only $300 more with initial purchase.
Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[Moon]

Re: Be gentle... its my first time.... ZTR\'s again.

Like MrCJ, I have a commercial model ZTR. Scag Wildcat 27hp w/61" deck. It has rather large tires (but I don't know the size offhand). It can do circles on my slopes with no problems. I have a pine or two on one slope in particular, I do a circle around it every time I mow. So my hills / slopes have not been an issue.
One spot in particular I used to have to put my Kubota in 4wd to get up the hill, the ZTR climbs it with ease. It must be the weight difference (1100 vs 4500) and the Kubota was pulling a 6' RFM.
Since all slopes are different, you might try to get a on site demo of whichever ZTR's your interested in buying.

 

[cphilip]

Re: Be gentle... its my first time.... ZTR\'s again.

</font><font color="blueclass=small">( Guys, I am new to the ZTR field, but I have been warned about some smaller ZTR's not being able to handle inclines in my yard. These are not steep slopes, so I am not too concerned. I was told this is attributed to the weight (or lack of) for the ZTR's as compared to a larger Lawn Tractor. Can anyone comment on this with the mini-fastrak's. I am considering the 42" model. Thanks. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif )</font>

I got slopes. Some fairly good ones. And like the guys have said... you relearn your whole approach. And manage them differently. But I am not having any difficulty with this machine doing them. Its not all that light if you look into it. Not as heavy overall as a commercial one but all things are relative are they not? Size of tires verses weight on them I would suspect is similar in ratio. Not that I can say with any certainty that it makes any real difference. Sure I have spun in wet grass making a fast 180 turn. But ya can slow down if you want too and the conditions are unfavorable for cutting and you just have to for a spin. Or you can cut downhill because you can now care less what line you take because you have the quck manuverability you didn't have before. And still end up cutting in less time.

The size of the machine is predicated more on what size of lawn and howm many obsticles and how wide those are. Not anything else. I tell ya what.... ask your dealer why there would even be a smaller unit if this was so? I can tell you that "some" of these smaller units will be in the hands of a few Professionals for those tight small inner city lawns were they cannot get their big rig into. Like places with 40 or so inch clearances and such. I would predict a big service might even have one for those situations whereas he might give up his other walk behinds if he had one. And there are several out there that are built to the beefyness and thickness of their bigger Cousins the commercial models. Just downsized. The Mini, in my opinion, is just that. A scaled down version. And its just one option that I know of. Its the one I chose for my yard. I have a large back with some slopes.... and a tight small obsticle course front yard. Not much more than 40" will get me around every nook and cranny. So I was sort of having to compromise on deck size to do it all. I am still happy with my choice. Obviously it would be better to have a nice big 50" Ferris to cut the back... and the Mini 36" for the front. But who can afford that. I am cutting a half acre in an hour as it is. And another small yard next to me and my hour meter is at 1.4 hours. Probably a tad over 3/4 acres with numerous obsticles (Dam trees and wifes concrete animal fetish!) Used to take me almost 3 hours with the 41" Snapper tractor. And as I get pretty good around trees I am doing less string trimming. And so.... I can live with what I had to chose to deal with this.