Tire Selection Zero turn bar tires

[4570Man]

I’d lower to 10 psi or less.

 

[Buppies]

8 to 10 pounds work very well for us and we mow some very steep slopes

 

[Hay Dude]

OK, I will let more air out if it'll cause less damage.
Although the big pond bank was the main reason for buying the bar tires, there are delicate lawn areas that will need to be cut with no tears in the grass.
A little early to claim success, but I'm more optimistic than before.
Appreciate all the advice.

 

[mikester]

ZDs are way heavier than grasshoppers, you need to keep that in mind. Off hand I think Im running around 12psi.

 

[4570Man]

ZDs are way heavier than grasshoppers, you need to keep that in mind. Off hand I think Im running around 12psi.

My 428d and the OPs ZD331 are the same class of machines. Way heavier I don’t think so.

 

[Hay Dude]

Before and after pics
Note Turfs now have become a "garage ornament" aka "clutter".

My unit weighs 1,812
Looks like a 428d weighs 1,360

Pretty close in weight

 

[4570Man]

Those look look real tractor tires and not the ZTR version that’s on mine and DK35s mower. Yours probably have stiffer sidewalls and I imagine you can run them nearly flat with just enough air not to run off the bead.

 

[Hay Dude]

Theyre Carlisle "Tru Power".
I took them down to 14psi and I could make sidewalls leak a little by pushing in on them with my foot.
That could also be from the tires new bead not being well-seated yet.

 

[tradosaurus]

Take the turfs off and throw them in the pond where they belong. Maybe the fish can use them. I have bar tires on mine and it makes a huge difference. View attachment 600658

Feel the same. Installed bar tires on my 60" zero turn and wondered why I didn't do this earlier. In fact I'm wondering why all zero turns don't come with bar tires standard?

 

[dalola]

Those are certainly more aggressive than the "chevron" bars, which taper off from the center. They also appear to have a stiffer sidewall. Probably very effective, but I would still prefer the chevron bar on ZTR.

 

[4570Man]

Those are certainly more aggressive than the "chevron" bars, which taper off from the center. They also appear to have a stiffer sidewall. Probably very effective, but I would still prefer the chevron bar on ZTR.

I’m not sure that the tapered tires wouldn’t do better. They have smaller sharper lugs that bite better than the bigger ones would.

 

[DK35vince]

I went from a turf tire on my Hustler Super Z to bar tires (Chevron AT 101) and it made a HUGE difference in traction/control on hills.
The turfs were awful.

Sorry I have a Correction- I have Carlisle AT 101's. Not Chevron.
I wanted a 4 ply bar tire with soft sidewalls to maintain a good/smooth ride with 8 PSI air pressure. While still increasing traction.

 

[dalola]

I’m not sure that the tapered tires wouldn’t do better. They have smaller sharper lugs that bite better than the bigger ones would.

For straight forward motion, I tend to agree with you. The only advantage the ag style bars might have would be side to side lateral grip, due to the edge of the bar at the sidewall.

Probably splitting hairs, as either is certainly better than turfs.

 

[Texasmark]

I started with turfs like most folks as that's what come on most big box mowers. Got tired of sliding down hills so I got bar lugs. Found out that they slide too when mowing horizontally along the hill. Wound up with ATV Snow Studs and walla what a difference. Running the 2 ply at 5psi max pressure makes for an extremely soft ride, even if I did spend the extra bucks to get an 8" wheel rather than the 12" that was standard equipment for such mowers. They make little holes in soft turf, like maybe your lawn, and if you exercise some restraint in manuevering, you hardly notice they were there.

I like: "KENDA SCORPION ATV TIRES". Tire pressure rating is for ATV usage. I pump them up to the minimum pressure required to support me and the weight of the machine upon which they are mounted. 2ply, 5 psi rated tires I run at 10 lbs for sidewall support on hills and still maintain the soft ride on my 61" Ferris and rated 5 psig on my conventional Husqvarna 46", running 23" and 18" OD respectively. Ebay has them priced in pairs.

 

[Texasmark]

ZDs are way heavier than grasshoppers, you need to keep that in mind. Off hand I think Im running around 12psi.

Correct. My Ferris weighs over 900# and 10# is the bare minimum when considering lateral stresses on the sidewall when mowing 30* banks horizontally....yes 12 would be better with a little sacrifice in ride quality.

One thing I did notice was that the low pressure tires have a much heavier tire to wheel bead seating area to stay contacted even though the internal air pressure pushing on the sealing surfaces is very little.

 

[DK35vince]

Correct. My Ferris weighs over 900# and 10# is the bare minimum when considering lateral stresses on the sidewall when mowing 30* banks horizontally....yes 12 would be better with a little sacrifice in ride quality.

One thing I did notice was that the low pressure tires have a much heavier tire to wheel bead seating area to stay contacted even though the internal air pressure pushing on the sealing surfaces is very little.

I ran 8 PSI in my previous zero turn that weighed around 850#.
I still run 8 PSI in my current zero turn for the past 5 years that weighs 1600#. No issues at all

 

[mikester]

My 428d and the OPs ZD331 are the same class of machines. Way heavier I don稚 think so.

Sorry you are correct. Most of the commercial guys around here use Kubota or Gravely stand-ons. The only grasshoppers I've seen are the small air cooled gas ones which are in the 800-1200lbs ball park vs my ZD326-60P which is 1700lbs.

I was just looking at the grasshopper website and they show a comparable MODEL 325D at 1360lbs and MODEL 400D at 1450lbs.

 

[Texasmark]

I ran 8 PSI in my previous zero turn that weighed around 850#.
I still run 8 PSI in my current zero turn for the past 5 years that weighs 1600#. No issues at all

Tires on the machine listed are rated for 360# @ 5 psig. Sidewalls are 2 ply and soft, unlike a lot of tires made today for off road applications.....butttt that is why they are on the machine....soft sidewalls.

 

[Oleozz]

This is the second season for bar tires on my Grasshopper. When I bought the machine it had bar tires on but the dealer said he would switch them for turf if I so desired. Decided to stick with the bars and now look back and realize for my lawn that was a mistake. No matter how careful I turn it can tear up the lawn and they leave indentations on the lawn where it is moderately soft.
Just a note on the Grasshopper, roughest riding mower I have ever ridden. Had a Ferris for 12 yrs and that machine really spoiled me. What the Grasshopper needs is a suspension seat but they are costly. Otherwise they are well built and give a quality cut.

 

[4570Man]

I saw a city truck today hauling a zero turn with the same tires as the OP bought but on backwards. Would there be any good reason for doing that or just mistakenly put on wrong?