Zero Turn Operating Techniques

Ronno6

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OK. Now I got one.
How do I drive it??

First mowing with my Raptor SD 54 was an eye opening experience,
but I'm sure that I'm not alone in that...

I tended to keep my right hand steady and make minor course corrections with my left.

What techniques do y'all use??
 

Mr. Ed

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When I'm mowing sideways on a slope, I usually use the lower stick to maintain forward motion, and the uphill stick for gentle steering adjustments.
 

Ronno6

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I only have one complaint so far:
Steering the zero turn required the constant use of both hands.

Here in the southeast, 2X a year we encounter critters politely referred to as "love bugs."
This is because they fly around in conjoined pairs, supposedly in love.
Well, love got nothing to so with it; is merely reproduction.

It is just SEX............

Well, I have a more graphic term for them, but, I digress.

Operation of a wheel-steered lawn tractor permits one hand to be free...to wield a electronic bug-zapping paddle.
One of those, along with a spare set of "D-Cell" batteries and I can mow and swat at the same time!
The paddle is necessary because, due to their built-in radar system, they can stay at a distance of arms length +1",
and remain at that constant distance up to a speed of N+1mph (N= the speed of your mower.)
So, they are impossible to swat by hand, but you cannot wield the zapping paddle while driving the zero turn!
These critters lay in the grass, and the Hustler blows 'em into the next county (almost!)

But, at least I am not in the bug swarm as long as seasons past, as the Hustler is way faster than my Huskee lawn tractor was.
 

bertsmobile1

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It is a learning curve.
Which ever is our best hand, use that for steering.
The off hand moves with the best hand for simply speed control.
After a few mows you will be two hand steering. it is just a muscle memory & hand/eye cordination.

When you have mastered the 2 hands you can have a go at one hand by holding both bars in one hand then twisting your wrist to get differential drive to keep going strait.
You wont be able to corner like that but you can correct the strait line running.
If the lap bars do not some close enough to almost touch get a length of round wood rod and stuff it in the end of the lap bars.
 

jekjr

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I only have one complaint so far:
Steering the zero turn required the constant use of both hands.

Here in the southeast, 2X a year we encounter critters politely referred to as "love bugs."
This is because they fly around in conjoined pairs, supposedly in love.
Well, love got nothing to so with it; is merely reproduction.

It is just SEX............

Well, I have a more graphic term for them, but, I digress.

Operation of a wheel-steered lawn tractor permits one hand to be free...to wield a electronic bug-zapping paddle.
One of those, along with a spare set of "D-Cell" batteries and I can mow and swat at the same time!
The paddle is necessary because, due to their built-in radar system, they can stay at a distance of arms length +1",
and remain at that constant distance up to a speed of N+1mph (N= the speed of your mower.)
So, they are impossible to swat by hand, but you cannot wield the zapping paddle while driving the zero turn!
These critters lay in the grass, and the Hustler blows 'em into the next county (almost!)

But, at least I am not in the bug swarm as long as seasons past, as the Hustler is way faster than my Huskee lawn tractor was.

I run one 40 hours week lots of weeks. I use one hand most of the time. I hold the levers usually hold the heel of my hand against them to maintain speed and then use my fingers to guide. Then to turn around sharp I switch over to which ever side I need to turn to and pull that lever backwards how ever hard I need to turn while my fingers keep the other in what ever forward position it needs to be on. With practice it works very smoothly.
 

7394

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I've only got 80.1 hours experience on mine since 8/20/14, but it is easy to use one hand to use both bars, like jekjr posted but he has tons more time on Z's than me.

It's not rocket science, just getting used to your machine. :thumbsup:
 

jekjr

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I've only got 80.1 hours experience on mine since 8/20/14, but it is easy to use one hand to use both bars, like jekjr posted but he has tons more time on Z's than me.

It's not rocket science, just getting used to your machine. :thumbsup:

After this thread I started to notice exactly how I do operate. I came to the conclusion that some times I operate with my right hand. Some times with my left hand. Some times with both hands. I guess we operate one so much that there is really no rule of thumb as to how we do operate.

I did notice that a lot of the time on long straight runs I hold both levers with one hand and flex my hand lightly to keep it straight online.


Another thing I want to add is I noticed that many times when I am turning tight on a hill or other tight situation where traction is loose that I have a tendency to use a technique of feathering a lever back and forth slightly in a manner that is not a constant pull or push on a lever.
 

7394

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Now you are gonna have me pay more attention to my next mow as well. :thumbsup:

I know I need more time on feathering in turns one hand. I usually use 2 hands then.
 

Darryl G

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For those who are new to using a zero-turn mower, it steers just like a shopping cart. Just pretend you're pushing a fully-loaded shopping cart through the aisles, lol.

I use both hands because I'm constantly changing both speed and direction.
 
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