Mowing Steep Hills

[Avenger]

I need a new mower.

Long story, but now I have to mow more often and more areas. And the grass is on some pretty steep hills. I cannot simply go up and down them, as there is a fence at the bottom and my house at the top. I have to side-hill most of it. A push mower is simply out of the question, as it will take me days to mow this much with my bad knees. I need a riding mower.

I currently have a troy-built little 30 something inch, mower. One where you pretty much sit on the engine and there is no weight over the steer tires. Its in good shape but simply does not work on these hills. Center of gravity is way too high, cannot turn at the top of the hills, and that's if it can climb up the hill! It's got the power, but not the traction. It was given to me.

I need something that can side hill a steep hill, have the traction to climb the hills, and wide enough to not take all day.

What type should I be looking at? Zero Turn? More of the conventional? Which brand do you recommend?

 

[RandyT]

Z turns are traditionally awful on hills, no matter what direction you try to run them. Ventrac maybe about the only option if they are very steep. Also most mowers will not operate past 25 degrees for very long. 30 degrees intermittent in some cases.

 

[JJT]

I disagree with Randy, zero turns handle hills better than a rider. Mine's a commercial unit and would put it up against any rider out there. It's wider than my old rider and has a lower center of gravity.

 

[RandyT]

I disagree with Randy, zero turns handle hills better than a rider. Mine's a commercial unit and would put it up against any rider out there. It's wider than my old rider and has a lower center of gravity.

Until you loose traction. Some may do well on slopes, most do not. Lots end up at the bottom of hills, in ponds, in ditches, etc.

 

[jeff9366]

I need something that can side hill a steep hill, have the traction to climb the hills, and wide enough to not take all day.

How much land are you mowing? What is your budget?

VENTRAC VIDEOS: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ventrac+slope+mowing


CUB CADET PRO Z 900 VIDEO:

 

[Thomas]

If that steep not much to mow I try heavy duty trimmer.

 

[2manyrocks]

I'd say more information is needed about the slope to offer an appropriate suggestion.

BTW, I had a 30" rear engine Troy Bilt rider a few years ago for a very brief period. The rear wheels would slip once I got on much of any kind of slope. I sold it to someone who had a flat yard. Made both of us happy.

 

[Diggin It]

There's also a matter of budget. One of these might do the job, but they run just over $20K

A Tracked Zero Turn????

Altoz TRX Series | The World's First Tracked Zero Turn Mower

www.tractorbynet.com

 

[RalphVa]

I've a Ryobi 48v ZT480e that is good on hills now that I put these Carlisle ribbed tires on it. Our back yard is quite steep. With original turf tires, I had to either go straight up and back down, shifting over at the top. With these tires, I can go across and every forward down the slope.

Before, it could be wicked on a double slope.

Mows up to 2 acres/charge. No gas. No Oil. No belts. No gearboxes. No sparkplugs nor air filers.

From Home Depot.

 

[stevem5215]

I sidehill cut with a Simplicity Citation XL with a 61" deck. It's no problem cutting on a side hill that I could only previously mow with a push mower. This thing is way stable on the hill that is behind my garage and behind the house. (with a fence as you mention) Traction is not an issue with the wide tires and weight of the machine. My lighter Simplicity XT2500 could only previously cut up and down and not even the whole thing for fear of crashing into the garage or fence. Lighter is not better in that case. Heavier and wider tires really make a difference.
Mine was 6g's at the local dealer in Pa. Your money your call. I do have a Steiner 420 rated for these hills too. The XT Citation is faster and rides better though.

 

[Raul-02]

I need something that can side hill a steep hill,

what's the slope? Degrees?
The Ventrak is supposed to be good for that
My local waterworks maintains a reservour behind a huge man-made levee. They mow with this machine whose cab corrects for a side slope dunno who makes it You could get yourself out of the picture entirely and get a robot

SPIDER Remote-Controlled Lawn Mowers for Steep Slopes

SPIDER Mower USA offers the safest remote-controlled lawn mowers in the U.S., with a patented all-wheel-drive system and a 60-degree climbing ability.

spidermowerusa.com

 

[Jrasband]

BCS walk behind tractor works great on slopes with a sickle bar if your doing less than 10 acres. Also make sure you get one with steering brakes and differential lock. They are good exercise too, I love using mine.

 

[4570Man]

I disagree with Randy, zero turns handle hills better than a rider. Mine's a commercial unit and would put it up against any rider out there. It's wider than my old rider and has a lower center of gravity.

A commercial ZT with bar tires will ride a hill like a boss. A residential ZT with turf tires is garbage. A residential ZT with bar tires is somewhere in between.

 

[bcp]

I've heard good things about hillside use of zero turns with steerable front wheels, compared to free-swivel wheels.

Bruce

 

[Rdrcr]

This is what I use to mow my steep hills and hillsides, the Cub Cadet Pro Z 560 KW S. It’s not cheap but I highly recommend it. And, it’s built like a tank.

Mike

 

[MossRoad]

See post 5 above...

How much are you mowing and what's your budget?

 

[scaredychicken]

VENTRAC, STEINER, POWER TRAC those are your best options in my opinion

I'm planning for a Ventrac 4520 in the next year or two

4520 Tractor

Elevate.The Next Level.Ventrac 4520.Through Ventrac’s advanced engineering and design efforts, the best mix of machine performance, operator experience, and durability has come together in the 4520 tractor. The Ventrac 4520 has become the #1 choice for versatility for grounds care professionals...

www.ventrac.com

DESIGNED FOR SLOPES​

58% GRADE​

4520 with Dual Wheels

47% GRADE​

4520 with Wheel Extensions

36% GRADE​

4520 with Standard Wheels

 

[RjCorazza]

I have cut my 25-30 degree bank with a commercial walk behind for the last 20 years. I rolled it once during that time due to an inconsistency in the terrain. With bad knees, I suspect a walk behind is not an option for the op.

I have looked hard at the dual wheel Ventrac, but honestly, I would sooner let the area go wild before spending that kind of money in my situation. I think the Ventrac is about the best machine for hills that is not crazy expensive like some machines out there. I did modify a backup zt for slopes by adding aggressive chevron type tires that are filled with fluid. So far, it seems to stick well enough on this slope, but there is one section of my bank that I do not feel at all comfortable on.
I have also heard good reports on the Cub Cadet steerable zt on hills.

 

[mikester]

Bar tires on a ZTR help and you can drive along the slope. My carlisle WT300 tires are a day-night difference in traction on slopes.

A 4WD SCUT/CUT with a 3PH finishing mower backing up the slopes works.

 

[SF82]

Ventrac would definitely be the answer, but that sticker shock is going to be brutal