Export thread

My lawn is an acre, has hills, fence corners and half of it has trees/flower beds. For thirty years I mowed it with an 8hp Wards/Yard Machine rider, then the next eleven years with a Cub Cadet 2135. I didn't realize it at the time, but the Cub was nearly perfect for my application.

When the Cub went missing, I thought zero turn would be faster and give a better cut. I found a decent deal on a like-new Toro TimeCutter SS 4235. The learning curve has been much steeper than I expected, but I may just have bought the wrong machine for my layout.

There is one fenced corner which slopes downhill from both directions. I haven't found any combination of steer which will work. The Toro just flat won't turn or back up on the slope. Not sure the fence will survive another tangle.

There's another steep slope which the mower won't climb up and slides when mowing sideways. That hill required some skill on the Cub (steep enough so the rear wheels slid going down under compression) but I mowed down/across it every week.

Right now, I'm considering selling the Toro and buying another Cub Cadet.

Questions:

If I give the Toro another chance, how can should I be steering in the downhill corner?

The Toro has only two wheels on the deck and it scalps worse than the Cub which had five anti-scalp wheels on the deck. Anyone ever added a front roller and two rear wheels to the Toro deck?

If I decide to go back to the tractor style, what's the best ever made in a 36"-42" deck? I was happy with the Cub Cadet 2135 and it seemed better made than the current models. The old Kohler single shakes like a dog shittin' a peach pit, but it seemingly runs forever and 13hp was enough.

Thanks in advance for any and all advice.

jack vines

If you were happy with the Cub Cadet why not get another one. Myself seeing I am on the repair side of mowers, if I was to buy a new mower it would be a Simplicity.
Seeing its going to be a big investment I would say look at different brands and get a feel for what like.

Interesting you recommend the Simplicity, as it just floated to the top of my search and am considering it. Problem is there hasn't been a dealer here in Spokane for a while. Closest is 45 miles away in Idaho.

jack vines

FWIW, I'm keeping the Toro for now. I've figured it's enough faster that even having to cut more with the push mower, I still get done in the same or less time.

It just pissed me off that I could mow up to the edges and corners and hills with the twenty-year-old Cub Cadet tractor and the latest-and-greatest ZT won't go there. I've sort of adjusted and will see if I can get more done within the limits of the ZT.

jack vines

If you put tractor tires on the ztr it does a lot better on hills.

Hey a fellow spokanite I run a lawn care company out here. Big companies run Toro and exmark but for residential use can run a husqvarna personally zip down to Spokane power tool and tell them what you have they are honest and will hook you up. Avoid country homes power like the plague

Or Adams tractor for bigger stuff

Fill the rear tires with water.
I have found that any mower/ztr does better on hills then a toro.

Every mowing I get better at coping with the problem areas, but that doesn't make it enjoyable. I've tried every approach angle and steering combination and it simply won't operate in those areas. There are a couple of slope where the Toro simply won't turn; it runs downhill and jumps into the fence like it is magnetized.

On your recommendations, I'll consider traction tires and/or filling with calcium chloride, but it's a bummer to learn the newer-supposedly-latest-greatest ZT requires major and expensive tire modifications just to operate as well as the olde stone age tractor mower.

On the plus side, the quality of cut is maybe better than the old Cub Cadet and of course, it's much faster. With the engine behind, it's subjectively quieter.

The Toro also starts instantly with no choke required in warm weather. On the CC, no matter the weather and even with a fresh tuneup, the old 13hp Kohler banger was a cold-blooded beast and required at least 15-20 seconds of choking and cranking to git 'er going.

jack vines

Give me a call I can come give you an experienced second set of eyes 5092186943

I'd suggest maybe letting exortion look at what you got going on. He sounds willing and is experienced. It's disappointing to hear that about yourZTR. I don't know much about toro but I know they aren't popular in the Indianapolis area.

Nothing wrong with the Toro* machine, if you had described the conditions you have to the Dealer, they may have steered you to something more suited for steep grades, etc.
In the Toro owners manual they do describe that very steep grades are to be avoided.

Farmer across the way bought a commercial Steering wheel Cub Cadet "because" it was designed to hold like glue on steep slopes. & he confirms that it sure does.

7394 said:

Nothing wrong with the Toro* machine, if you had described the conditions you have to the Dealer, they may have steered you to something more suited for steep grades, etc.
In the Toro owners manual they do describe that very steep grades are to be avoided.

Farmer across the way bought a commercial Steering wheel Cub Cadet "because" it was designed to hold like glue on steep slopes. & he confirms that it sure does.

Click to expand...

I agree, there's nothing wrong with the Toro. The Timecutter just isn't suited or enough machine for the job or conditions he has. If he had gone to say the Toro Titan he probably wouldn't have had the problems he is having.

packardv8 said:

Every mowing I get better at coping with the problem areas, but that doesn't make it enjoyable. I've tried every approach angle and steering combination and it simply won't operate in those areas. There are a couple of slope where the Toro simply won't turn; it runs downhill and jumps into the fence like it is magnetized.

On your recommendations, I'll consider traction tires and/or filling with calcium chloride, but it's a bummer to learn the newer-supposedly-latest-greatest ZT requires major and expensive tire modifications just to operate as well as the olde stone age tractor mower.

On the plus side, the quality of cut is maybe better than the old Cub Cadet and of course, it's much faster. With the engine behind, it's subjectively quieter.

The Toro also starts instantly with no choke required in warm weather. On the CC, no matter the weather and even with a fresh tuneup, the old 13hp Kohler banger was a cold-blooded beast and required at least 15-20 seconds of choking and cranking to git 'er going.

jack vines

Click to expand...

A good rule of thumb is if you can't back a mower up the hill your trying to mow then you shouldn't be using that mower on that hill. Filling the tires with water or anything else isn't going to help your problem or changing to a traction tire the same, it's not going to help only make things worse. The Time-cutter just isn't suited for your application and I would consider selling it and buying another ztr more suited for the job.

I mow this with a time cutter SS5000
Side to side.
The timecutter will handle more then people think it will.

For a homeowner with hills I would get the cub cadet or the timecutter with the steering wheel.

Carscw said:

I mow this with a time cutter SS5000
Side to side.
The timecutter will handle more then people think it will.

For a homeowner with hills I would get the cub cadet or the timecutter with the steering wheel.

View attachment 27113

Click to expand...

Really......:confused2:

Ric said:

Really......:confused2:

Click to expand...

Yes really. It's not that hard even on a toro.
If you can not mow hills like this then you can not cut yards around here.

Carscw said:

Yes really. It's not that hard even on a toro.
If you can not mow hills like this then you can not cut yards around here.

Click to expand...

Nor here

Yes really. It's not that hard even on a toro.
If you can not mow hills like this then you can not cut yards around here.

Click to expand...

FWIW, the pro who does some yards in the neighborhood with an Exmark is a nice guy. I told him my problem and asked if he thought I should be able to go downhill into the corner of the fence, make the 90-degree turn and come back up. "Sure, I'll show you how."

He drove my Toro down and crashed into the fence worse than I ever did and tore up the lawn much worse extricating it. He tried a couple of more approaches and techniques and finally said, "No way your mower is going in and out of that corner without damaging the turf. I might be able to do it with mine, but I'd rather not."

I'm now just making a wider arc across that corner and coming back to mow down in the corner and the other slopes with the walk-behind Honda. The quality of the cut is better with the Toro than with my old Cub Cadet tractor and the net time is the same or less.

The only problem remaining is always being aware on zero turns with the Toro it's easy to throw the bagger into a tree or post or fence. The old Cub Cadet tractor wouldn't turn tight enough to do that.

jack vines

Jack- Good luck with that. That must be a pretty mean hill. Is it wet under the grass ?

PS: Toro owns Exmark.