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I'm cutting grass for a Farmer friend of mine with a lot of acreage and am using his IS5100Z. With all the rain we had, i been getting stuck more often then i think is funny and find myself walking back to get my truck, so i can pull myself out. Luckily i have been able to get to the stuck mower so far, but there are places i couldn't get into with a pickup. Been thinking of installing a removable winch that can be used at the front or the back of the mower, depending on which way i'm facing and where a tree or fence post is. Also thinking of permanently installing a tool box to store the winch in.
Looking for ideas, tips and pictures.

I'll be the first apparently, and will be posting pictures on my progress, but i cant move forward till the mower owner buys a winch to figure out how big the base needs to be.

Change the tires - Carlie 101's or something similar will help a TON. Wont get stuck 1/10 as often and save the hassle of winching.
I changed tires on our Ferris from the factory tuff tires to a more aggressive tread and it made a HUGE difference.

Code54 said:

Change the tires - Carlie 101's or something similar will help a TON. Wont get stuck 1/10 as often and save the hassle of winching.
I changed tires on our Ferris from the factory tuff tires to a more aggressive tread and it made a HUGE difference.

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We've talked about doing that, but that idea seems to have Peter'ed out. Had a flat and realized it just a little to late which chewed the tire up. It was replaced with another turf tire. Not my call, but he ( the owner) asked me if i can rig up a mount for a winch, and that works for me too.
There's a few acres of his i cut away from the main areas about 2 miles from where the starting point is and my truck is parked. Some of those places are so waterlogged and soupy that i plow right through them full speed. Although better tires for the job would be of much help, a winch onboard is the cat's miow, as long as it reaches a tree or post.
Can you snap a pic of your tires for me please?

This was right after mowing in the rain (not really a lawn, more of a field that is missing a lot of grass)

Pete6114 said:

We've talked about doing that, but that idea seems to have Peter'ed out. Had a flat and realized it just a little to late which chewed the tire up. It was replaced with another turf tire. Not my call, but he ( the owner) asked me if i can rig up a mount for a winch, and that works for me too.
There's a few acres of his i cut away from the main areas about 2 miles from where the starting point is and my truck is parked. Some of those places are so waterlogged and soupy that i plow right through them full speed. Although better tires for the job would be of much help, a winch onboard is the cat's miow, as long as it reaches a tree or post.
Can you snap a pic of your tires for me please?

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Thanks for the Pic. That does look aggressive.

Got it all done but was in a hurry to get the mower back to the owner. I'll post a few pics next time i have it.

These are Carlisle AT 101's on my machine
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-New-Carl...AOSwSBhbs7vX:sc:FedExHomeDelivery!16214!US!-1

DK35vince said:

These are Carlisle AT 101's on my machine
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-New-Carl...AOSwSBhbs7vX:sc:FedExHomeDelivery!16214!US!-1

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They look like they'll go through anything.

Pete6114 said:

They look like they'll go through anything.

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Mostly made a HUGE difference on hills.
The stock turfs I took off were useless on hills.

Finally got to take some pics. Because i want to be able to use the winch at both ends, mounting it and running wires from the battery in a permanent way was not a option and this is what i came up with. I also rigged up a place for a solid rod i can drive in the ground for the winch cable and a sledge hammer in case there is no tree or fence post near by to wrap the winch cable around. Things are starting to dry out now but i know for sure i'll be using the winch sooner or later. Hope it help others with the same getting stuck issue.

What is the tall pole on the back right corner?

VictoriaFarm said:

What is the tall pole on the back right corner?

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Solid rod with a nut welded on top is for when there's no tree or fence post around to attach the winch cable to. I just pound it in the ground at an angle and use it for the cable. I can report it working very well. I used it once already but didnt think of taking pics.

I have a winch install started but never gave it a priority. I have the IS3200 and if you look at it from the front you will see four unused bolt holes, probably for some optional equipment. I cut a piece of 1/4 thick plate and drilled four holes in it to mount on the front of the mower. Attacked to that plate is a piece of square tubing, actually it is a 2 inch trailer receiver that I welded to the plate I mentioned. I can use it with a trailer ball hitch to move my trailer around with the hitch mounted on the front of the mower or any other type of attachment I can make fit. I bought a small Harbor freight winch and mounted it to a piece of square tubing that will slide into the 2 inch trailer receiver but I have it all painted but never finished it up, mostly wiring. I will try to get it finished up this fall and will post pictures.

Padroo said:

I have a winch install started but never gave it a priority. I have the IS3200 and if you look at it from the front you will see four unused bolt holes, probably for some optional equipment. I cut a piece of 1/4 thick plate and drilled four holes in it to mount on the front of the mower. Attacked to that plate is a piece of square tubing, actually it is a 2 inch trailer receiver that I welded to the plate I mentioned. I can use it with a trailer ball hitch to move my trailer around with the hitch mounted on the front of the mower or any other type of attachment I can make fit. I bought a small Harbor freight winch and mounted it to a piece of square tubing that will slide into the 2 inch trailer receiver but I have it all painted but never finished it up, mostly wiring. I will try to get it finished up this fall and will post pictures.

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Show some pics whenever you get it finished

Has anyone installed a wench on their Zero turn?​

No. I won't allow my wife any where near my mower.

Born2Mow said:

Has anyone installed a wench on their Zero turn?​

No. I won't allow my wife any where near my mower.

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I will be installing a HarborFreight 2k winch on the front Or rear of my zero turn today. I’ll update with pics later

Pete6114 said:

I'm cutting grass for a Farmer friend of mine with a lot of acreage and am using his IS5100Z. With all the rain we had, i been getting stuck more often then i think is funny and find myself walking back to get my truck, so i can pull myself out. Luckily i have been able to get to the stuck mower so far, but there are places i couldn't get into with a pickup. Been thinking of installing a removable winch that can be used at the front or the back of the mower, depending on which way i'm facing and where a tree or fence post is. Also thinking of permanently installing a tool box to store the winch in.
Looking for ideas, tips and pictures.

Click to expand...

I'll be adding a 3500lb 12VDC winch with Synthetic line to my Ferris after getting buried in my back yard.
I took off the useless turf tires and went with an aggressive meaty tire and I'm not sure if it made it worse but it sure dug a hole deeper faster. Downside with zero turn mowers in soggy turf is the front tires just sink and act like an anchor.
It took three John Deere 400 series lawn tractors to get me out and 3-30' tow straps. Poor Ferris looks like it went mud bogging.
Would have gotten something bigger but was afraid I'd bury it too and then the wife really would have been upset.

Next time I'll winch to a bloody tree.
I think mounting it on the rear three tube bumper should do the trick seeing that there is no place to mount it up front on the independent front suspension assembly.
Or I'll mount it to the roll bar uprights.

These are my new get stuck faster meats>>>

Now this might do the trick

I have fitted ATV winches permanently on my standers, wired direct to the battery via fuse, been a god send.

Sounds to me like you need to do both, new tires and
a winch.

klm said:

Sounds to me like you need to do both, new tires and
a winch.

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I fitted cleated tyres to a stander which were great when conditions were reasonable but when it turned really wet they were just to hard on the turf so I returned to turf tyres and learnt to drive accordingly with the winch as back up.

Pete6114 said:

I'm cutting grass for a Farmer friend of mine with a lot of acreage and am using his IS5100Z. With all the rain we had, i been getting stuck more often then i think is funny and find myself walking back to get my truck, so i can pull myself out. Luckily i have been able to get to the stuck mower so far, but there are places i couldn't get into with a pickup. Been thinking of installing a removable winch that can be used at the front or the back of the mower, depending on which way i'm facing and where a tree or fence post is. Also thinking of permanently installing a tool box to store the winch in.
Looking for ideas, tips and pictures.

Click to expand...

Yes. I installed a winch on my 2200, and it has saved me numerous times.

Pete6114 said:

We've talked about doing that, but that idea seems to have Peter'ed out. Had a flat and realized it just a little to late which chewed the tire up. It was replaced with another turf tire. Not my call, but he ( the owner) asked me if i can rig up a mount for a winch, and that works for me too.
There's a few acres of his i cut away from the main areas about 2 miles from where the starting point is and my truck is parked. Some of those places are so waterlogged and soupy that i plow right through them full speed. Although better tires for the job would be of much help, a winch onboard is the cat's miow, as long as it reaches a tree or post.
Can you snap a pic of your tires for me please?

Click to expand...

I had the Michelin Tweel tires put on my 2200. Love them, don't have to worry about flats anymore. Also find they are a bit more aggressive than factory tires, probably due to larger footprint.