Time for a new ZTR--Brand recommendations?

[jerrybob]

I have a JD LT180 rider which is going on 15 years.....will need to replace one day. How do these ZTR's do on hills? I mow about 2.5 ac. and run chains year around. Just curious????

Can anybody speak to the hills I asked about???

 

[rbtjr]

Both our former eXmark 66" and our current 61" Wright Sport X are good on hills. The Wright is by a good bit the best of the two. I especially like the Wright Sport X because if I get in trouble on a hill I can just step off the mower (hasn't happened yet).

 

[mikester]

the kubota doesn't have springs on the corners but it does have a very good seat.
Do they offer upgrade to a better suspension seat ?

The higher end commercial units now offer an air ride seat option

 

[Coyote machine]

Can anybody speak to the hills I asked about???

I'll be glad to speak to them. What are their names? Do they speak English?

 

[Bocephous]

Can anybody speak to the hills I asked about???

My experience with hills and my ZTR: Going up hills is fine. Coming down them, especially on wet grass, can be exciting.

 

[EddieWalker]

Can anybody speak to the hills I asked about???

Before buying my zero turn, I mowed with a Craftsman riding mower. I also have a 6 foot rotary cutter and a 7 foot finish mower. The riding mower was probably the more relaxing mower that I've ever had. Kind of slow, but easy going and relaxing. It wasn't able to more on much of a slope. I was able to get some mowing done with my tractor on angles that I couldn't get my riding mower on, but it was also very limited.

My zero turn sticks to the ground when it's dry. I haven't found an angle or slope on my land that it can't handle, and since you are so low to the ground, going sideways isn't scary at all. The tires on mine do not have very much traction, so when the grass is wet, I will sometimes slide down a hill sideways. I try to avoid mowing when there is any moisture on the grass because I don't want to pack all of the cuttings on my deck, but sliding sideways is another good reason to never mow when it's wet.

I can't say how steep of a hill a zero turn can handle, but I do believe that with it's extreme low center of gravity, it's your safest choice out there for mowing steep terrain. More aggressive tires would probably increase the amount of traction, but then they would also tear up the grass too. I'm sticking with my turf tires and mowing when it drys approach to lawn care.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Can anybody speak to the hills I asked about???

My Ferris has no problem on hills with as much as 40 degree slope. I routinely mow my pond dam that is between 40 and 50 degrees. It will start to slide sideways over 40 degrees but never attempts to turn over or drift downhill. When it starts to slide, I just turn it downhill. On areas that are too steep to mow sideways, I just run it up the hill and back down.

 

[Gary Fowler]

My experience with hills and my ZTR: Going up hills is fine. Coming down them, especially on wet grass, can be exciting.

When ZTR tires start to slide or spin, it then becomes a sleigh ride. I suppose that is true of any mower but it is more pronounced with a ZTR. Best thing is to go downhill slowly so the tires never start to slide or spin. Reversing while sliding doesn't do anything other than speed up the slide.

 

[jerrybob]

Thanks guys...good feedback. Gonna need a replacement down the road. My JD LT180 has been a good machine but with the hydro tranny and only 2 wheel drive...I learned early that those wheels would just spin and tear up the grass. As mentioned...I run chains on the rear wheels which help a lot. Been thinking about the ZTR's...never have used one. Also have thought of 4 wheel drive on a new rider. Again...thanks for the feedback.

 

[kcflhrc]

If I was mowing that much I wouldn't get anything smaller than a 60" deck. I mow around 2 to 3 acres and bought a new Ariens 52" deck yesterday to replace my 50" Toro. I would buy a Ferris if money were no object with a Kawasaki engine. Here's what I bought for $3k at Hom e Depot yesterday.