Zero Turn Tires

[Buggs67]

My Hustler Raptor ZTM came with Big Bite tires, which the dealer made sound like a selling point. IMO they skid and spin too easy. I've reduced the inflation pressure and tried regrooving with my tire groover and they still skid and spin, tearing up the grass in the process.

I'd hate to buy new tires but I'd like to be happier while mowing.

Any suggestions?

 

[BoylermanCT]

I replaced my Hustler X-One tires with AT-101 tires. No more skidding, spinning or tearing up turf. Best upgrade I made to my mower.

AT101 Chevron Tire

AT101 Chevron is a specialty lug design with bars that taper. The shorter lug depth, allows it to be used as a drive tire on zero-turn mowers (ZTR).

www.carlislebrandtires.com

 

[rcio7684]

You can also check out Carlisle Versa Turf tires, designed for traction and not tearing up lawns. I use them on my subcompact tractor and they work well, don't tear up the lawn and great traction - Versa Turf Tire. -

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

That is a pretty light mower to have much traction. I have AT-101 tires on mine and they GREATLY improved traction over the turf tires. But mine is 1,700 lbs before I get on it. So there is weight to mash the contact patch into the ground. I bet they will help you with the spinning to a degree, but on the residential zero turns you really have to be very smooth, deliberate, and pretty slow with turns. Try being very exaggerated with "K" turns (think 3 point turns in your car) at the end of rows. Never let a tire sit still and don't try to have one going forward and one reverse.

 

[sklunk]

Another vote for the Versa-Turfs. I put them on my Deere Z900 this spring since my turfs were spinning too much. I LOVE them. Yes you have to be a little more careful during turns but they still don't tear up the lawn as bad as chevrons. They are also radial so you can run them at a lower psi for a softer ride.

 

[DK35vince]

I run my Chevron AT 101's at 8 PSI for a better ride
The stock turfs were near useless slip/sliding around.

 

[John0829]

I replaced my Hustler X-One tires with AT-101 tires. No more skidding, spinning or tearing up turf. Best upgrade I made to my mower.

AT101 Chevron Tire

AT101 Chevron is a specialty lug design with bars that taper. The shorter lug depth, allows it to be used as a drive tire on zero-turn mowers (ZTR).

www.carlislebrandtires.com

 

[Bullwinkle123]

It's an interesting topic and sjstyles hits on an important point: 3-point turn techniques. I've only had my 1200 lb mower a year and still have yet to master not ripping grass on turns. The 3-point stuff and generally respecting momentum works to a degree, (i.e. slow down before you turn). But sometimes those treads just spin and rip grass, particularly if I try to back out of a spot so that I'm backing uphill. I can get wedged and unable to back out if I'm not careful. I leave those corners to the string trimmer now.

I have the standard turf tire and have been wondering if there's something that will work better, the tires really are hard on my grass at key turn points, or where I have to turn on inclines. And it's all magnified (bad) if the ground is damp, which has been a near constant condition this year. Meanwhile, I've resigned myself to mud patches where I used to have grass. I've also wondered if a lighter mower might have been better.

Would a tire like that AT101 actually somehow work better on my grass (not ripping it) than a standard turf tread for a 1200 lb mower? (Or nearly 1500 lbs with me on it).

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

It has been my experience that the bar tires help a lot on the problems you are describing. But, they are less forgiving to mistakes from the operator not controlling turns or momentum well. Basically they are not as prone to spin but when they do they will dig a hole rather than slide on the grass.

 

[herm0016]

you can also check to see if any ATV tires are the same size, i put some ATV tires on my cub and they were fantastic. chinese ebay knockoffs similar to

Carlisle HD Field Trax.​