Mowing mowing patterns

Soundguy · Aug 27, 2003

I mow 10ac of my pasture in that spiral out fashoin, and then cut the corners.. when cutting the corners i sometimes do the reverse cut thing.. not as smooth with the gear tractor.. but not bad.. especially since I adjusted my clutch this weekend!

Soundguy

zuiko · Aug 27, 2003

I have a GPS, and want to give that a try by holding a certain bearing. This should even be a better way of doing it, for when I start a second section, I will be able to run my lines at the same heading.

That is a great idea... you could do all kinds of fancy mowing patterns that way... Wonder if it is accurate enough to put in line posts on a fence with it. I know there is no guarantee on the accurancy of consumer GPS, but I think I read that somebody has to flip a switch somewhere to introduce the error now, rather than it just being there all the time.

GSS · Aug 28, 2003

Mine's a shuttle shift, so switching to reverse is pretty easy.

chrisjbell · Aug 28, 2003

mowing backwards is a lot easier to maneuver. I'll go straight across, then back up and then forward again and so on. 

I have tried it but I can't stay as straight going backwards, regardless whether I'm using my brush hog or my lawn tractor with mower deck. In the pasture where I have a bunch of trees I go forward past each tree and then back it up to get the strip I miss - does that count? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

GSS · Aug 28, 2003

I'm a bit wobbly too, but find it a lot easier to aim for what I want to cut than going forward.

shady1701 · Aug 28, 2003

When i use my finishing mower on a hill it seems to have a mind of it's own i mow at an angle to keep mine straight... we all need one of those deere automated tractors with gps hookup.. something to remember come christmas /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

MossRoad · Aug 29, 2003

When I start a new row -- I pick a point (like a tree, post, etc.) directly in front of my tractor at the far end of where I am going to head -- and keep that point locked in front of my tractor.

Me too.

Trev · Aug 29, 2003

( While mowing a smaller area of yard last night, I realized that mowing backwards is a lot easier to maneuver. I'll go straight across, then back up and then forward again and so on. Seems to keep it neater and cuts down on the ag tires tossing sod on the turnarounds. Do any of you do this?

- Gerald )

I've found the same thing over time. I'll sometimes do the entire yard this way. Just forward, stop, throw shuttle lever in reverse, back up for next pass, etc.

Only one thing I don't get... in REALLY heavy stuff, mowing backwards seems to take more power than going forward. Is it because the tires have packed the grass down a bit on the forward pass?

Anyway, it works for me.

Bob

GSS · Aug 29, 2003

Is that a finish mower of brush hog? I could see why a rear discharge finish mower would work more. It throws the grass out the back which would normally be left behind, but if you are driving in reverse, it's trying to throw it out, but you drive over it again, and again... and again.

I don't see any differece with the brush hog. Actually like it better than going forward because the rear tires are NOT knocking down that grass. It gets cut before that happens.

- Gerald

Trev · Aug 29, 2003

( Is that a finish mower of brush hog? I could see why a rear discharge finish mower would work more. It throws the grass out the back which would normally be left behind, but if you are driving in reverse, it's trying to throw it out, but you drive over it again, and again... and again.

I don't see any differece with the brush hog. Actually like it better than going forward because the rear tires are NOT knocking down that grass. It gets cut before that happens.

- Gerald
)

Gerald,

It's a little JD4300 with a JD272 rear finish mower.. 72".. which is side-discharge. I'll do my forward pass easily in 7th (out of 12) gear, but often find I need to drop down to 6th gear on the backup pass as the engine begins to bog. I've even made sure my side-discharge is facing in a direction so I'm *not* backing up over previously discharged grass. All I can think of is tire compression of the grass. You can't really see any difference in the cut, though, which I would think you would if the mower were in fact cutting less grass on the forward pass.

Bob