ZTR or Rider?

[Sawyer Rob]

All good ideas guy, thanks. I googled dual wheels for cub cadet 2180 and didn't see anything.

IF you dual it, make sure your dealer had a rear axle in stock too.

Duals puts extreme stress on the axle and they aren't too hard to break on the small tractors...

 

[Grumpycat]

I don't mind spending up to 6k but I'd like some advice. ZTR with steering wheel as one dealer advised? 4wd rider?

Country Clipper with a joystick is my choice.

Country Clipper Zero-Turn Mowers

Elevate your landscaping game with a mower from Country Clipper. Available in residential and commercial models, featuring zero-turn radius and easy-to-maneuver controls, cutting your mowing time in half.

www.countryclipper.com

 

[Jchonline]

Add wheel spacers and 2nd set of wheels to make that cadet a dually. Will be very stable then.

Add a trailer hitch as well...then you will be in business!

Seriously though OP...We don't have a lot of hills with our ZTR but you can still roll them. Going straight up and down would be best.

What did the people mowing it before they quit use? a ZTR?

 

[Jchonline]

Ooooo I found this for you. As Seen on TV must be good.

MowRo | The Elegant Lawn Care Solution

mowro.com

 

[Richard001]

What, I have to put a wire wherever I don't want to mower to go ?

Can't I just turn it on and hope for the best ?

 

[lman]

Country Clipper with a joystick is my choice.

Country Clipper Zero-Turn Mowers

Elevate your landscaping game with a mower from Country Clipper. Available in residential and commercial models, featuring zero-turn radius and easy-to-maneuver controls, cutting your mowing time in half.

www.countryclipper.com

I've got a CC Charger with a joystick.

 

[dh206]

I've got pi acres (3.14) and have a ztr. It's flat, unlike yours, but it's a LOT faster than a wheel-driven tractor/mower (trust me, I have one of those too). The trick is those front wheels might be a little tricky to keep going if the slope is slippy. Different tires would help in that situation. Speed control is good.

I picked my Ariens Ikon x52 a few years ago for $3k. Similar models are at the box stores and it's super reliable and cuts well. It doesn't have the suspension bells and whistles of the commercial models like Exmark, but it's great for home use and has a solid Briggs engine.

 

[Pixguy]

I would be concerned after "dualying" my rider that I wouldn't be able to get close enough to the mulched flower beds.
I ran over to a neighbor up the road when I saw a commercial guy mowing it and he is gonna give me a price. He said he would not use his ZTR but his stand behind mower, like the last crew. To be continued.....

 

[aclewell]

I have used both Country Clipper and Dixie Chopper zero turn mowers and mowing steep grades is not a good situation. They are great for getting a big yard done in a short time, but speed going downhill is not really controllable. Going across the hill sideways works until the uphill tire slips and you end up heading downhill fast! In my humble opinion a tractor type with aggressive tires and wheel weights is much better. 4WD would be the best situation if you could swing it.

 

[JerryBuilt]

$17,000+ solution above.
I have a CC Z force SZ 60, a residential model. Under 300 hours and I work on it ALL THE TIME, The mechanical nightmare steering system requires several alignment pins and expensive jigs to adjust and it hoards grass clippings in-between the frame and floor pan (I'm just cutting the lawn, not fields), jamming up the steering HW , requiring disassembly of steering, accel, brake levers, etc to access.... I keep it clean but still accumulates. If steering is not PERFECTLY alligned, it fights btw L and R trans. My 7 MPH is around 3 MPH as I can't get it perfect. I have welded the 1 inch steel pin back on the caster 3 times now. My dealer is 2 months backed up. It worked great the first 200 hours. If you can't justify a commercial grade.....
I would go with the competition lawn care for now.

 

[vagem55]

My wife had a lawn service company before we were married on her 1 acre lot with lots of trees and hills. They used the ride on zero turn for most, and a walk behind zero turn with a Velke/sulky to mow the steep hills sideways. I got a used Ransomes Bobcat with a snow blower attachment for $1800. Low center of gravity, very fast to mow and easily maneuverable with controls you just squeeze to turn. Been using that for 14 years. I am handicapped, so balance on the side of the mower is an issue. Never had a problem with the Velke, though I know people who have died from a tractor rolling over. Not a problem with a Velke.

 

[vagem55]

Oh, and easy on and off to pick up dropped tree branches.

 

[Tony H]

The Cub Cadet dealer recommended this but can't get them til spring.
View attachment 705847

The steep hills worry me with that machine. Ventrac makes a machine for your purpose but.... BIG DOLLARS

 

[Tony H]

Duals can be a little smaller in diameter can run half inch or more off the ground on pavement. This applies more weight on drive wheels for traction and still provides stability

chains provide best traction but will tear up lawn if you spin

More like outriggers then full time tired on ground

 

[Mudfarmer]

Zero turn. One acre is not much even with hills. Maybe two hours max. You don't need a massive one. Bottom of the line , $3000.

 

[Tony H]

My lawn company dropped me two weeks ago due to losing employees to a competitor and I've been mowing my 1 acre lawn with lots of buildings and berms with my heavy duty 20yo Cub Cadet rider.
My lawn specs.
Very hilly 12' hills with steep grade, which I've mowed across but lean way over and have puckered a few times to get ready to roll. I've mowed up and down but can't control speed coming down with road at bottom and I spin tires going up if damp at all.

Lots of trees, flower berms, patio etc.

I don't mind spending up to 6k but I'd like some advice. ZTR with steering wheel as one dealer advised? 4wd rider?

Zero turns are much faster then standard riders. With your hill issue, I would think you would consider a Walk Behind with Sulky. I mow 3+ acres and with my hill issue, I use a walkbehind. Super low center of gravity on the machine and in the extreme steep areas, I lift the sulky onto its packed mount and walk behind as I mow across the hill. I have two machines, one is a 'purchase on-line only. Bradley Mower. I like it a lot.

 

[billypumper]

Bar tires work good on slopes and putting fluid in tires adds needed weight, some places use windshield washer fluid and I was told beet juice is another great fluid for rear tires

 

[billypumper]

I myself have a very steep hill in my backyard and use a JD X758 but it's double your budget, flies up the hill if I get caught in a rain storm, walks down the steepest hill having never to hit the brake, in my honest opinion the lawn tractor makes the best sense since it has an actual brake and you can steer yourself out of a said but a ZTR only option is to pull back on the levers and can still slide and dangerous if it comes around.

 

[Grumpycat]

Local ZTR dealer has been mounting ATV tires on mowers for some customers. Traction is more important for some than worrying about the divot created when turning.

 

[4570Man]

Local ZTR dealer has been mounting ATV tires on mowers for some customers. Traction is more important for some than worrying about the divot created when turning.

If you know how to operate them properly you can avoid divots. And the heavy commercial machines will make divots with any tire if you’re pivot turning them.