New Machine For Hillside Mowing

[MetroHick]

Currently mowing with a JD D160. Tranny gone after 70 hours. Typical ZTR won't work as hills are too steep. need to be able to control the front tires. Does anyone have any experience or opinions on the Cub Cadet PRO Z 148S?

Link to machine - CubCadet - PRO Z 148S EFI

See picture of areas I need to mow below. Do you think this machine will handle it?

 

[Richard001]

Metro - Welcome to TBN

Richard

 

[Leejohn]

Man that is a lot of land to be mowing with a 48" mower. I would have 2 mowers the 48 for trim and a larger one for the rest.

 

[Sprinklerman]

I would look at what the commercial guys are using . They run their machines every day . Exmark seems to be very popular

 

[MossRoad]

It's only 2 acres! That is not a lot of land.

 

[Sysop]

Typical ZTR won't work as hills are too steep. need to be able to control the front tires. ]

What sort of control over the front tires do you think that cubby is going to have? It is just a "typical ZTR"...

From the manual:

If the slope is greater than 20 degrees/35
percent as shown on the slope gauge, do not operate this
machine on that area or serious injury could result.

Do not use a grass catcher on slopes steeper than 15
degrees.

Mow across slopes, not up and down. Exercise extreme
caution when changing direction on slopes.

 

[MossRoad]

Advance to about 1:11 in this video if you want to see a fun ride down a hill....

 

[savageactor7]

From the pictures it looks intimidating.

Our 2550 cuts safely across a steep road side, only because I can sit on the fender. The newer tractors, with protruding fender controls, wont let you do that.

Friends with zero turns love the performance except on hills.

I'd either ask for a dealer recommendation or a zero turn owner that has chains on the drive wheels to see if that will overcome the hill issue.

And don't forget to report back with us if you find a solution.

 

[Dave M7040]

To cut safely on slopes you need to look at serious commercial mowers to avoid getting badly hurt or killed. You are lucky if your machine slides down the hill and comes to a stop. Have one rear wheel dig into a hole and now you are rolling and being rolled by your machine. The transition from being upright and rolling is so fast you can do nothing about it.

If you have a roll bar use it and wear the seat belt.

Ventrac Slope Mowing

There are also remote control units for the really steep grades. They use these industrial remotes to control locomotives in switching yards. It is not a RC car remote.

Taking the 200# operator off the seat immediately lowers the center of gravity making the machine more stable.

REMOTE CONTROL MOWERS FOR STEEP HILLS - YouTube

SPIDER - slope mowers, slope mower, spider mini, ild �1, ild �2

Dave M7040

 

[BKBoiss]

My father in law mows his hillside that "appears" to be steeper than what is shown in that video with an exmark with duals. He has two, an older single wheel and a newer dual wheel that he said also has slower Center of gravity. They cut around 10 acres and he's demoed a John Deere and something else, husky? And he swears by the exmark.

 

[Richard001]

There are also remote control units for the really steep grades. They use these industrial remotes to control locomotives in switching yards. It is not a RC car remote.

Dave M7040

Interesting, does the mower know enough not to run over the operator?

 

[aczlan]

To cut safely on slopes you need to look at serious commercial mowers to avoid getting badly hurt or killed. You are lucky if your machine slides down the hill and comes to a stop. Have one rear wheel dig into a hole and now you are rolling and being rolled by your machine. The transition from being upright and rolling is so fast you can do nothing about it.

Been there, done that (twice, once on a Bolens 1050 and once on a Cub Cadet LT1050) and have no interest in repeating the experience...

Aaron Z

 

[Leejohn]

This thing I think could mow just about any hill. I know this isn't what you want, just thought you might enjoy watching. Brielmaier motormaaier op afstandbediening met Carroy.mp4 - YouTube

 

[SpringHollow]

This is even more interesting:

Brielmaier Motormaher Duo 6m in 112% Hangneigung !! - YouTube

 

[ArlyA]

We don't mow near the volume the Metro does. Nonetheless, we have hills and I'm tired of getting our Simplicity standard lawn tractor stuck on them so we're considering the HUSQVARNA R 322T AWD mower. I test drove and mowed with a couple zero steer models and now shy away for them.

 

[hawkeye08]

My wife used to keep score on the "big hill" that I have to mow (and spray occasionally). The Gravely rider had good traction for 2WD but could not make it up the last 20' at crest of hill reliably. I came in one time with tires tracks down my back... yes, it happens fast and generally nothing you can do about it (Gravely was near 1000lbs and it certainly left its mark when it went over you. I knew it would be a challenge when I had the sickle mower on the front and going down the hill to start mowing, it pretty much was a semi controlled skid. I cut the field and then tried to get back up. I ended up dropping the mower at the bottom and just bringing the tractor home to get help.

Kubota handles hill fine in 4WD, Gravely machines are just collectors now..