Zero turn mowers and sliding on turns and hillsides

[memory]

Not sure if this is the best place to post this but here goes.

We have a Scag tiger cub commercial zero turn mower with a 48" deck. It cuts good but the darn thing slides so easy even on flat ground when you go to make turns. I kind of thought this was the norm with most or all zero turns, not really drove that many different ones. So figured I would get used to it. Just have to be careful around slopes. Even when turning on flat blacktop, it will tend to slide.

Well recently, I just started cutting grass for a family member that has is own mower. It's a JD zero turn, can't recall the model off hand. It has a 54" deck. The JD does not slide nearly as much. He has a hill side along the rode that is just about as steep as our hill side. He is able to mow that with no issues, I haven't done it yet, not until I get used to the machine.

Now I would think the width of the machine would make a difference, his is obviously wider. On the Scag, could there be a mechanical issue that would cause it to slide more than it should? Both mowers have turf tires on them, I think that Scag has bigger rear tires than the JD.

Do certain brands have a reputation for sliding more than others? Is Scag one of those?

 

[blades]

might want to check your tire pressure, too high and they all slide, best to run slopes vertical as much as possible.

 

[memory]

I have lowered the tire pressure

 

[muddstopper]

A while back I decided to swap to a bigger tire size on my mower, thinking it would help with the sliding and spinning. What I discovered was the bigger tires where actually worse than the smaller tires. I mowed with the big tires one time and swapped back to the smaller tire. I think it has something to do with ground pressure. The larger the tire, the less the ground pressure. I will say this about mowing on steep ground, when you head downhill, you better have a path picked in which to land. I always turn uphill, never down, because down means a trip to the bottom.

 

[Deleted member 117362]

A while back I decided to swap to a bigger tire size on my mower, thinking it would help with the sliding and spinning. What I discovered was the bigger tires where actually worse than the smaller tires. I mowed with the big tires one time and swapped back to the smaller tire. I think it has something to do with ground pressure. The larger the tire, the less the ground pressure. I will say this about mowing on steep ground, when you head downhill, you better have a path picked in which to land. I always turn uphill, never down, because down means a trip to the bottom.

Did that when I was 15, rode it right into the lake. Landed upside down with Ford lawn tractor on top of me, never did that again!

 

[Jhenderson]

I have lowered the tire pressure

How low? I run about 8 or 10 psi on my hustler.

 

[066blaster]

I owned a lawncare/landscaping business for 15 years. It is just a normal thing with zero turns. You just have to learn how to prevent sliding. straight up or straight down, or start at the bottom and side to side and work your way up, if you turn downward you are going for a ride. don't attempt if grass is wet. If the ground is really dry and hard you'll have the same issue. keeping fuel tanks full can add some weight to help a little.

 

[066blaster]

and you cant just whip a turn and not tear up grass. you have to turn out a bit and reverse and then get in your line again if your striping a lawn. best to make 2 swipes around your perimeter, then start your back and forth striping

 

[Huskybill]

In the old days we used ag tires to stop the sliding. One of my estate cub lowboys has ag tires in the front too.

 

[U&A]

In the old days we used ag tires to stop the sliding. One of my estate cub lowboys has ag tires in the front too.

Seriously though!

The turf tires are terrible.


Sent while firmly grasping my redline lubed RAM [emoji231]