Going from La110 to a ztr

tyweston1

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I have been looking to upgrade from old la110 to a ztr. Have looked at hustler ad and big dog alpha mp. I can get a deal on a carryover alpha mp 48 for $3600. Hustler close to same price. I thought about checking out the Dixie chopper zee 2 that I can get for $3800 but don't know much about them. I really like the looks and specs on a badboy ztr elite but that's well over $4k and more than I really want to spend. I am used to bagging my good fescue and it seems baggers for these things are $6-700 so I will be opting to give mulching a whirl. Any input appreciated or reviews from owners. Thanks. I probably now less than 1-2 acres but lots of trees etc and the lawn tractor is making it a long mow. Thanks
 

bertsmobile1

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Nothing to do with your choice of mower, just a tip to make the transition to ZTR a touch easier.
Untill you acquire the muscle memory required to drive the mower without thinking use you dominant hand ( writing hand ) to do all the steering and the other hand simply for speed control.
Do this from the start and you will avoid digging big holes in your grass or whacking your tress & fences with the mower.
 

csmlet

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Nothing to do with your choice of mower, just a tip to make the transition to ZTR a touch easier.
Untill you acquire the muscle memory required to drive the mower without thinking use you dominant hand ( writing hand ) to do all the steering and the other hand simply for speed control.
Do this from the start and you will avoid digging big holes in your grass or whacking your tress & fences with the mower.

Bert, I am new to ZTR, just bought my first one so please bear with me. You state use your dominant hand for steering and other hand for speed. How is this possible when both levers are used for turns and speed?
 

bertsmobile1

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Bert, I am new to ZTR, just bought my first one so please bear with me. You state use your dominant hand for steering and other hand for speed. How is this possible when both levers are used for turns and speed?

Leave the fancy skid steer turns for next year.
If you are right handed then move the right lever forward or backward to turn the mower and use the left one ( moving forward or backwards for maintaining speed ).
Drive predominately forward till you get the feel of the mower.
New owners tend to swing the levers wildly back & forth and achieve very little other than tearing up their lawn
So say you are going forward & need to turn left
leave the left hand where it is and push the right foreward, then bring it back when the turn is complete.
So you concentrate on what your right hand is doing and sort of ignore your left.
Otherwise it just gets confusing..

For the first few weeks, never pull your left hand into reverse unless you are actually going backwards.
After a few weeks you will find your hands working as a team but try to "tell" one to go one way & another to go in the opposite way is really hard.
 

csmlet

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Leave the fancy skid steer turns for next year.
If you are right handed then move the right lever forward or backward to turn the mower and use the left one ( moving forward or backwards for maintaining speed ).
Drive predominately forward till you get the feel of the mower.
New owners tend to swing the levers wildly back & forth and achieve very little other than tearing up their lawn
So say you are going forward & need to turn left
leave the left hand where it is and push the right foreward, then bring it back when the turn is complete.
So you concentrate on what your right hand is doing and sort of ignore your left.
Otherwise it just gets confusing..

For the first few weeks, never pull your left hand into reverse unless you are actually going backwards.
After a few weeks you will find your hands working as a team but try to "tell" one to go one way & another to go in the opposite way is really hard.

Thanks friend, now that makes sense. I appreciate you and all on here for your help.
 

tyweston1

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Well haven't gotten any input, but have looked at all the mowers. I like me the bad boy zt elite but at about $5k financed vs $3800 for the raptor sd 54 I'm prob going to go hustler. The Dixie chopper had a very shallow deck and a lot smaller tires front and back that I didn't like. Might be making the purchase tomorrow
 
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