I'm curious.. do people cover their lawn tractors?

[KerryAll]

Well, we could cinch the bottom of the cover, and perhaps do the same thing with the ground sheet, for lack of a better term. Drive over the 'ground sheet', pull the top over the tractor, and pull drawstring tight. Pull bottom over bottom edge of top and pull that drawstring tight. Maybe add a few tabs for tent pegs. I drew a sketch...[/PHP][/PHP]

 

[twall]

Why tent pegs? The tractor is the anchor....just cinch it around the tractor's base....and let the weight of the tractor do the anchoring! (like the 'drawstring' principle you mentioned) For bottom/wintertime useage, just zipper the front edge, drive the tractor onto the floor, flip over the cover, and zip it up!

 

[mystreba]

Well, we could cinch the bottom of the cover, and perhaps do the same thing with the ground sheet, for lack of a better term. Drive over the 'ground sheet', pull the top over the tractor, and pull drawstring tight. Pull bottom over bottom edge of top and pull that drawstring tight. Maybe add a few tabs for tent pegs. I drew a sketch...[/PHP][/PHP]

You're fulfilling two needs here:

1 - a general-purpose, year-round cover for outdoor storage
2 - a winter-storage cover (with bottom) to keep rodents from nesting

The solution you diagrammed works for #1, but not #2 since rodents could easily find their way into the nice warm covered "garage".

Usage #1 requires a "cinch" to tighten the cover down around the base of the wheels. I doubt tent stakes would work for daily usage - too much work. If you could just "cinch" it up, you wouldn't need stakes.

Usage #2 requires a zipper to keep the rodents out. Make it so the top part zips to the bottom part for usage #2.

Edit - yes, what twall said

 

[KerryAll]

I only meant the tent pegs for additional strength tying it down for the winter, nor for everyday use; but the zipper would probably keep the two halves quite securely attached to each other.
Now, I'll have to check with the shop and see how much we can make this for!

 

[hoehappa]

I probably wouldn't need a cover Just got a new 12 x 20 building to keep my man toys in !!!

 

[KerryAll]

Showoff! :laughing: just kidding... congrats...

 

[KerryAll]

Soon.. people will be able to cover their lawn tractors

The prototype drawing is done and is in the shop. I hope to have one done next week to send to our buddy, twail, for his thoughts and review...then we'll offer it for sale to everyone. A second model, with a removable floor will also be made available if there is a demand for it..
Stay tuned...

 

[twall]

I am not participating in this JUST because I want to try out free stuff - although that helps...:biggrin:

I'm doing this because I want to protect my mower from the elements. I don't have a building yet. In the interim, I've looked high and low for a cover for RER's. Nobody makes them. Snapper will sell you a $1300 mower (before attachments), but they don't offer a cover. Must figure if you can pony up that kinda cheddar, you must also have a weatherproof place to put your purchase.

But, as seen in a plethora of photos of rusty, neglected, and just plain NASTY Snapper mowers over the years says a cover might be a good idea. As too, the JD RX75 and R72, have no cover available. The closest that you can come is a 'small tractor' cover, which ends up being nothing more than an expensive tarp (or grille cover) - it was not designed for this style machine at all.

So, I sent measurements to KerryAll, and agreed to try out a RER-specific cover, and to post pictures and to let you all know what I thought of it. I hope it's what I need - cause I have a nice Snapper I want to keep nice. (I also made sure my measurements will work on the RX75 - will post pictures on the fit on that RER as well.)

 

[KerryAll]

I'm going to try and retail this version for under $40... it will depend on the labor costs. Obviously, I can't make only one or two sizes, so this drives labor costs per unit up. Having said that, if people like the prototype when they see it, and I can get 20 or 30 orders to make at once, I can probably cut the labor costs in half.
When I talked to my shop today about these covers, (for those who mentioned wanting a 'floor'), he thinks the best way to attach a bottom 'floor' to the sides of the top is to use Velcro, and not a zipper. It's much more forgiving when trying to line things up.
And, of course, the two piece unit will be more expensive.
Stay tuned.....

 

[twall]

I'm going to try and retail this version for under $40... it will depend on the labor costs. Obviously, I can't make only one or two sizes, so this drives labor costs per unit up. Having said that, if people like the prototype when they see it, and I can get 20 or 30 orders to make at once, I can probably cut the labor costs in half.
When I talked to my shop today about these covers, (for those who mentioned wanting a 'floor'), he thinks the best way to attach a bottom 'floor' to the sides of the top is to use Velcro, and not a zipper. It's much more forgiving when trying to line things up.
And, of course, the two piece unit will be more expensive.
Stay tuned.....

Although velcro goes together easier, it also comes APART easier. If you just lined up, say, the front edge of the zipper FIRST, then drive the machine onto the floor, it'd be lined up already, and wouldn't come apart NEARLY as easy as velcro! One contiuous zipper.........