Are zero turn mowers hard to drive? As the first to market, manufacturers have had several years to study and perfect their products. Some have even improved their models. Here are the steps to drive zero turn mower. In this blog, we also have an article about best zero turn mower for hills on amazon that you might want to read about it.
A zero-turn riding lawn mower is a standard riding lawn mower with a turning radius that is effectively zero when the two drive wheels rotate in opposite direction, like a tank turning in place.”
Wikipedia.org
What is zero turn mower
Zero turn mowers are used to move from one location to another location. Zero turn mowers have some advantages over conventional mowers. Zero turn mowers have advantages of easy operation, safety and power saving. The operator of a zero turn mower can control the mower to make a U-turn at the end of a cutting path.
A zero turn mower is a type of lawn mower. A zero turn mower is one that can turn around a corner without the operator having to get off the mower.
Most zero-turn riding lawn mowers don’t come with a steering wheel; instead, they frequently have two levers that control two motors connected respectively to each rear wheel.”
Jessika Toothman, author from howstuffworks.com
History
The first mowers that had a zero turn capability were designed in the early 1900s. The first mower with a zero turn capability was invented by a gentleman named Charles Thurlow and patented in 1916. The zero turn mower that was invented by Thurlow was patented in 1917.
Are Zero Turn Mowers Hard To Drive?
So, are zero turn mowers hard to drive? No, it’s super easy to drive! Zero-turn mowers are not like typical riding mowers. Instead of a steering wheel, you control the steering using levers on either side. While zero-turn mowers seem to be difficult to use, they are really incredibly simple. The benefits include speed, sensitive control, and a small turning radius.
How to Drive a Zero Turn Lawn Mower?
Now it’s time to get down to business. So, after double-checking the items listed above, you’re ready to drive a zero-turn mower. Take the following steps:
Before you begin mowing, choose a large enough area to practice driving it.
With this mower, practice makes perfect, and its value cannot be overstated. Given that majority of its components would be unfamiliar to most mowers, it is recommended that you practice thoroughly and feel comfortable operating it.
Sit on the mower’s seat and get ready to go.
- Adjust the control arms to find a comfortable position. They normally tilt left and right from the center of the mower.
- If your model allows you to alter the neutral position, do it according to your height. This allows you to mow in a more comfortable posture.
Grasp the control arms and swing them back and forth. This provides you a sense of how the machine moves. When you let go of the arms, they will revert to a neutral posture.
- Propel the machine ahead by pushing them forward.
- To reverse the mower, push them backwards.
- Before moving on, practice this a little bit.
At this point, go through the following steps in order:
- Engage the parking brake and gradually release the clutch.
- If there’s a choke knob, turn it.
- Push the throttle lever forward.
- To start the engine, turn the key. After it starts, follow the steps below.
- Pull the throttle back to ‘rapid idle’ after inserting the choke knob.
- When you’re ready to go, let go of the parking brakes.
Push the control arms forward and forward to get the mower moving in a straight line.
- If it turns left, move your left arm forward to compensate, and vice versa. Ideally, pushing forward on the control arm will cause the mower to go to that side.
- Make the wheels spin at the same pace for a straight mow.
To turn left or right, advance the opposite control sticks or relax the control on the desired side.
- Be patient with yourself and practice as much as you can to improve your steering abilities.
- To back up the mower, pull the control arms back. Carry out this procedure at a reduced engine speed. As you can see, the more forward you move the control arms, the quicker it moves.
Familiarize yourself with the cutting breadth and route of the mower deck in relation to the driving wheels, as well as the discharge angle of the blade.
- Sharp twists, as you’ll see, might unexpectedly jam the mower’s deck against an impediment. Make an effort to mow the largest routes possible while keeping the mower in line with the previous cut.
Have fun mowing.
- Pull the mower’s control (knob) to engage its blades and begin mowing, assuming you’re now acquainted with these fundamental driving controls of the zero turn lawn mower.