Choosing a Riding Lawn Mower for Hilly Terrain

Gentle slopes add interest to the landscape, but they also add difficulty to your lawn care routine. Riding mowers in distinct are unsafe on hills simply because of the prospective for tipping more than. Mowing in dry circumstances with the riding mower going up and down the hill increases your security. You can also make the process less complicated and safer by selecting the best riding lawn mower for the hilly job. see also How to Level a Sloped Yard

Lawn Tractors Versus Zero-Turn Mowers

Zero-turn-radius mowers let you to zip about obstacles in the yard and make quick operate of a massive lawn. Regardless of the comfort, this style of riding mower presents some drawbacks on slopes, particularly on steep slopes. In tests performed by Customer Reports, zero-turn models have been challenging to steer when producing a difficult turn on a downhill slope. This could lead to the mower to run into an object. Lawn tractors have an less difficult one-pedal stopping procedure, which tends to make it simpler than a zero-turn-radius mower to quit if an obstacle is in the way on the hill. The zero-turn models also lack the traction of lawn tractors, generating hills a lot more hard.

Stability

Since of the danger for rollovers and tipping, you want a riding mower with stability when mowing slopes. A mower with uneven weight distribution is much more probably to tip on a hill. If the mower appears front-heavy or back-heavy, it may possibly lack the stability you need to have to tackle your lawn hills. A low center of gravity and a wide stance aid maintain the mower steady on any terrain. The tires are also a aspect in the stability and traction of your riding mower. Appear for top quality tires with a lot of grip so you never slide down the hill.

Handle Possibilities

The U.S. Customer Item Security Commission recommends employing riding mowers at a low speed on slopes. This enables you to mow constantly without having shifting gears or stopping if you start off going as well rapidly. Verify the speed possibilities on the riding mowers you happen to be taking into consideration to make sure you have a low-speed choice. Verify the shifting technique so you can very easily modify your speed when you switch from mowing flat regions to mowing hills. Attachments are also a concern when mowing slopes. Attachments on a riding mower can have an effect on the weight distribution. The U.S. Customer Item Security Commission recommends not making use of attachments on steep slopes.

Rollover Protection Structures

Some lawn tractors come with a rollover protection structure constructed onto the machine. The structure is a metal bar just behind the seat that is created to safeguard the driver if the mower suggestions more than on a hill. A seat belt on the mower is essential. If you are not strapped to the seat, you could nonetheless be crushed in a rollover. You will spend far more for a mower with the rollover protection structure attached. They usually come on greater finish, commercial-grade riding mowers.