Tearing up the yard

[wmiller]

I have an L3010 and have been noticing that in the areas where I turn the grass is sparce and more bare spots than other areas. I mow in 4WD normally but when I do not mow in 4WD the rear wheels spin and tear up the grass too. I try to turn easy by making wide sweeps and this helps but the problem doesn't go away altogether. I have industrial tires, should I get turf tires for the front???

 

[BubbaJr]

Hello, mowing in 4WD will tear up the grass very quickly when you turn. The tires are scuffing the grass and ripping it out. Even a tight turn in 2WD will tear the grass up a little. One thing you don't want to do, is put different type tires on the front than what you have on the back. The tires will be different diameters and will destroy the gears in your 4WD.

I have a few areas that I put mine in 4WD ( I also have Ind. R4's) to faciltate climbing a steep slope. Just as soon as I get to a more level area I put it back in 2WD, and I try to never turn while in 4WD. But I have to admit to forgetting a few times and I have the lawn scars to show for it. The only advice I have is to turn wide, and in 2WD.
Good Luck /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[TresCrows]

Yep, big tractors in 4WD and industrial tires equals torn up yard /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif.
Take it out of 4WD, get turf tires, and hope for the best or trade in for a smaller tractor or get a zero tunr as well. J

 

[jmc]

Bill,

Have you tried putting more weight on the rear tires by removing the fel or, at least, the bucket when you mow? It might make enough difference in traction to mow in 2WD.
Otherwise, add rear weight with filled tires or wheel weights.

As an aside, I got in the habit of mowing in 2WD because in very deep weeds/brush, 4WD would climb up on obstacles before I could react. It was good to lose traction in 2WD under those conditions.

John

 

[sandyc]

my lawn is mostly weeds and all that good stuff but I run bar tires and as long as I wait for a dry day I don't tear up the lawn. I run only in 2wd and I also remove the weight box and the FEL.

 

[Rainbow6]

Man, I had the exact same setup pulling a 6' Befco. I was wearing visible ruts and starting to get a few bald spots.
I began cutting with a different pattern each time and that helped but ended up getting rid of the L3010 and getting a BX2230. I am downsizing soon anyway so it will be a good fit.
Good luck.. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[theboman]

Little tractors mowing in 4wd tears up a yard too.

Slow down and make W I D E turns and mow in 2wd and this should help.

 

[Rainbow6]

The BX is doing fine. My problem w/ the L3010 was not 4WD
cause I didn't use it. It was the weight of the tractor being concentrated on the 4 or 5 inch wide area that the industrials
ride on on hard ground. Over time they began to wear the grass down and you could stand at a distance and see where
I had been riding. I started changing my pattern each time and that helped but finnaly went to the small unit.
( Hope that all makes sense )