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Friends, what is the maximum steepness (incline) that a ride-on mower can operate safely? The area that we're thinking of is big. There are small beautiful hills with grass on them.

I think 15 degrees is about the max. Also suggest mowing up and down rather than across.

I think difficulty/safety on slopes is one reason that large walk-behind mowers are the choice of most professionals in my area.

Fifteen degrees is actually pretty steep.

Most of the manufacturers of riding mowers probably rate their mowers for the maximum safe grade on which the mower can operate.

The owners manuals all say 15 degree slope is the steepest they recomend. My neighbor down the street has a steeper slope than that and the landscapers mow his lawn up & down and side to side. They pay no attention to saftey.

You can ballast a mower and make other changes to improve it's stability.
you will get a feel for for how safe it is... and at times you may even push it right to it's limit, just keep in mind that no matter how stable you make something, you can have a failure of some mechanical component that could contribute to a roll over... MOW SAFE... :smile:KennyV

Gosh the thought of mowing on a 15 degree slope makes my stomach flip. Then again I'm not very good with feeling unstable on or in vehicles. Hubby just chimed in to say 'make sure you don't attempt inclines with a zero turn mower'.

Thank you for the replies, friends. They are very quick and helpful replies. I am humbled.

It looks like we need to choose between ride-on mower and walk-behind mower. For inclines I see the wisdom of walk-behind mowers. Theyæ±*e also cheaper to operate, correct?

Check out the VENTRAC

With the Dual wheels I do the back side of our pond bank (up and down) :thumbsup:

Ventrac Compact Tractors & Attachments

BKBrown said:

Check out the VENTRAC View attachment 776

With the Dual wheels I do the back side of our pond bank (up and down) :thumbsup:

Ventrac Compact Tractors & Attachments

Click to expand...

I checked out the link and am very curious. Ventrac says:

The outstanding agility and maneuverability of Ventrac for mowing slopes and hills comes from the oscillating center frame which keeps all four wheels in constant contact with the ground even on the roughest terrain.

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Question: what's an "oscillating center frame" and exactly how does that aid stability?

BKBrown said:

Check out the VENTRAC View attachment 776

With the Dual wheels I do the back side of our pond bank (up and down) :thumbsup:

Ventrac Compact Tractors & Attachments

Click to expand...

The 30-degree incline is amazing. But the mower and small tractor are connected like a train. That I understand. I will need to check if it is available in Korea. We also check the price

Two-Stroke said:

I checked out the link and am very curious. Ventrac says:



Question: what's an "oscillating center frame" and exactly how does that aid stability?

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Center Articulating Frame:
The tractor frame pivots in the center, allowing the rear tires to follow in the same path as the front tires. This allows the tractor to easily navigate around obstacles and without damage to the turf.

Center Oscillating Frame:
The front frame oscillates independently of the rear frame. This allows the Ventrac to adapt to the terrain and keeps all four drive tires in contact with the ground even on the roughest terrain.

Ventrac - Advantages: Center Oscillating/Articulating Tractor

I now see what "center articulating" and "center oscillating" mean. They are very useful features in a terrain that is irregular. I'm convinced of its value. But the price is something to think about a lot.

minkyung said:

I now see what "center articulating" and "center oscillating" mean. They are very useful features in a terrain that is irregular. I'm convinced of its value. But the price is something to think about a lot.

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I agree about price -- look at all the attachments and accessories that you might want to use too. This one machine with different attachments eliminates the need for multiple machines.

Don't know if they are available where you are, but they are a GREAT machine.

BKBrown said:

Center Articulating Frame:
The tractor frame pivots in the center, allowing the rear tires to follow in the same path as the front tires. This allows the tractor to easily navigate around obstacles and without damage to the turf.

Center Oscillating Frame:
The front frame oscillates independently of the rear frame. This allows the Ventrac to adapt to the terrain and keeps all four drive tires in contact with the ground even on the roughest terrain.

Ventrac - Advantages: Center Oscillating/Articulating Tractor

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Thanks.

Do you mow straight up and down the hills? That's what the photos on their website seems to show. I had heard (and read in user manuals) that mowing sideways is safer.

Two-Stroke said:

Thanks.

Do you mow straight up and down the hills? That's what the photos on their website seems to show. I had heard (and read in user manuals) that mowing sideways is safer.

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Depends on what manual you are reading, a walk behind mower is safer to use sideways as this reduces the risk of it sliding back and over you, a ride on mower is safer going up and down the hills.

Two-Stroke said:

Thanks.

Do you mow straight up and down the hills? That's what the photos on their website seems to show. I had heard (and read in user manuals) that mowing sideways is safer.

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Answered by jenkinsph, but with the duals (8 wheels and tires) you could do either untill it gets too steep - I prefer up and down because you have more control and your back is up against the back of the seat.

Ventrac is not cheap to buy and also not cheaply built (made in USA). There are a few models available - mine is 31 Hp. Gas.

BKBrown said:

Answered by jenkinsph, but with the duals (8 wheels and tires) you could do either untill it gets too steep - I prefer up and down because you have more control and your back is up against the back of the seat.

Ventrac is not cheap to buy and also not cheaply built (made in USA). There are a few models available - mine is 31 Hp. Gas.

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Thanks for the information. I have lots of incline to deal with and I've always assumed that a walk-behind is the only way to go.

Indeed 15 degrees is pretty steep but given the choice I would still go with the ride-on mowers. Why is mowing up and down safer than mowing across?

touree said:

Why is mowing up and down safer than mowing across?

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Mowers are generally longer than their width... narrow will tend to roll over easier than wide... same goes for short easier to roll than long... :smile:KennyV

Twinkle said:

Gosh the thought of mowing on a 15 degree slope makes my stomach flip. Then again I'm not very good with feeling unstable on or in vehicles. Hubby just chimed in to say 'make sure you don't attempt inclines with a zero turn mower'.

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To begin with you should not mow on inclines or slopes in excess of 15 degrees, that's a rise of approximately two and one half feet every ten feet.
With a Walk-behind there is a danger with footing, a tractor or a ZTR you run a risk of roll over.
If you have to mow you should always mow sideways or across the slope never up and down and if you have to reverse direction always turn up the slope never down. Btw a ZTR on an incline actually works better than a tractor because it has a lower center of gravity. JMO

minkyung said:

The 30-degree incline is amazing. But the mower and small tractor are connected like a train. That I understand. I will need to check if it is available in Korea. We also check the price

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You can see our South Korean Distributor here:
Ventrac - Worldwide Sites

As far as mowing safely on slopes, a few factors play into safety no matter what mower is being operated.

• Operator Experience - Most people do not understand what a 30-degree slope (58% grade) is until they are on one. This can be unnerving to an unexperienced operator.
• Turf Conditions - Loose turf where the sod is not rooted well will lead to loss of traction and tearing of turf.
• Weather - Similar to turf conditions, but wet or soft grass, as well as really dry grass due to current weather conditions can also be unsafe.

With Duals, our engines are rated for continuous operation on 30-degree slopes. Sideways or up and down. Many of the photos are up and down because its hard to really show how steep a slope is sideways and even up and down photos do not do 30-degrees justice, if you get a great sideways shot let me know! :biggrin:

Another note about the reason the Ventrac is safe on slopes is the Weight Transfer System.
Ventrac - Advantages: Weight Transfer
It brings a lot of the attachment weight onto the front axle giving more traction.

I hope that helps, keep up the discussion!
Remember: Safety is PARAMOUNT! No matter what the manufacturer or your friend says, only do what you feel comfortable. If that is 20-degrees, than it is 20-degrees.

I've had my VENTRAC 4200 VXD (Gas) for 6 years -- LOVE it !

:thumbsup:

BKBrown said:

I've had my VENTRAC 4200 VXD (Gas) for 6 years -- LOVE it ! :thumbsup:

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That is what we love to hear! How many hours have you put on it? Always something that peaks my curiosity :licking:

Ventrac said:

That is what we love to hear! How many hours have you put on it? Always something that peaks my curiosity :licking:

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About 900 -- Demo from Charlottesville Power in VA (Bill Hurtt)

BKBrown said:

About 900 -- Demo from Charlottesville Power in VA (Bill Hurtt)

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That's great! We actually had a customer here the other week that traded up. His unit has just shy of 10k hours:thumbsup:

Edit: I should say the unit is still running wonderfully, just looking at a HP upgrade

I believe this tractor will outlast me !

Ventrac - Sent you a PM.

Ventrac said:

That's great! We actually had a customer here the other week that traded up. His unit has just shy of 10k hours:thumbsup:

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I just survived my first winter with my 31HP diesel model.. the 60 inch blade did a great job ..and with my 500 foot driveway ..(all downhill with curves and melt runoff ice).. I was amazed with the traction.. as we did not get the 2 x 20+ inch snowfalls this year.. I did get alot of use as I needed to plow at least 4 days a week this winter.. and the control was excellent.. did not turf my lawn on the sides as was typical of my neighbors pickup and plow combo.. Cant wait to get the 72" deck back on.. Have a look to my albumn.. some pics of my 4 acre lot and the STEEP slopes I need to cut.. note the mid-lawn slope which i placed there to avoid carrying 400 tons of dirt away ($$$).. is about 250 feet wide and 20 feet high.. due to the new tress and beds.. I need to literally run figure 8's around them to cut this grass.. would have never been able to touch this with any other mower..

I am only dissappointed that I lost local dealer (was 5 miles from me in Western PA).. as I would like to avoid driving her 50 miles or so to my nearest dealer now for service.. Has anyone performed their own oil / filter change?.. advice?.. complicated?..

ruster1 said:

I am only dissappointed that I lost local dealer (was 5 miles from me in Western PA).. as I would like to avoid driving her 50 miles or so to my nearest dealer now for service.. Has anyone performed their own oil / filter change?.. advice?.. complicated?..

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Check out our Dealer locator (Ventrac Dealer Locator for USA and Canada) and see if anybody is closer to you.

As far as maintenance.
From Service Department:
"There is no harm in the end user doing their own engine oil and filter changes as long as they do not OVER fill the oil. However on the Hydraulic oil and filters Ventrac only recommends that it be changed every 5 years or 2000 hrs. which ever comes first and that can also be done by the end user. The engine oil and filter are no more difficult then doing your car or truck actually easier, the hydraulic oil change takes a little more time due to the location of the drain plug being located under the center connecting link (belly bar) but most use the fitting at the back of the front transaxle that the suction line connects to. This is the hose that runs up to the 25 micron filter next to the hydraulic pump.."

All of the instructions are in the owners manual. If you have misplaced yours go to Ventrac - Download Operator and Parts Manuals then select your unit

Hopefully this helps answer your questions!

BKBrown said:

Check out the VENTRAC View attachment 776

With the Dual wheels I do the back side of our pond bank (up and down) :thumbsup:

Ventrac Compact Tractors & Attachments

Click to expand...

Those Ventrac's can go on some slopes I would not even to use my Honda on...:confused2:

The Ventrac sure can handle a slope!

I think the answer to your question comes down to what you consider a ride-on mower :smile: It is like trying to define CUT. If the tractor you come home with from HD is your idea of a ride-on, I would do max of 15 degrees and only up and down. The problem that you will find even going up and down is free-wheeling down the slope (does not feel safe at all!!) Those things are too unstable and without a ROPS system on them, they are too dangerous IMO to do much slopes. The Ventrac unit as well as others on the market are designed for slopes with a low center of gravity and safety systems in place, but again, it comes down to your definition of a ride-on.

I have an area that has about a 30 degree slope....Cant go up and down, guard rail at top......so I take my National mower up it at an angle and turn back down....I can almost get to the top, weed whack the rest. The National is very low slung and takes the angles well......I think I am going to load the tires this year, might help to keep it from sliding