[AT] OT(?) Cub Cadet 1812 Hydro now/Mowing side slope

[H. L. Staples]

Steve---We have some side slopes that we have mowed for the last 20 years or
so. I have used conventional riding mowers first Wheelhorse then Craftsman
on both of these to retain traction it was necessary to slide in the seat to
the up-hill side. 

As discussed earlier on the subject of fluid for the hydraulic drive units I
bought an older Grasshopper ZTR with out front mower deck. This unit is much
more stable on the side slope than the other units I have used. No need to
change seat position to keep the drive wheels on the ground. When we get
down close to the creek (about a 10-12 pitch) we turn and mow down the hill.
 

This unit has what they call a traction control unit that is the deck is
mounted with a spring loaded flexing arrangement.  This allows the  deck to
flex upward keeping the drive wheels in contact with the lawn as you drive
through a depression . 

A good friend of mine bought a Grasshopper with 60 inch deck powered by a
kubota diesel engine about 10 years ago and thinks it the best ever. 

H. L. 

On 6/8/2009 8:21:05 AM, Stephen Offiler (soffiler at gmail.com) wrote: > These inputs on mowing side-slopes are all very interesting and useful > to me. > Here's a question for the group: What if I could fashion a > mowing pattern that ensured I was always running essentially straight > up or straight down my slopes, and never running side-slope? Fact is, > I am reasonably sure I can do this and it will be foremost on my mind > the next time I mow (with the old, slow, but functional equipment). > Wouldn't > that bring the ZTR back on the table? (And > there's always > the advice to replace the tires with something more ag-oriented...) > > SO > > > On Sun, Jun 7, 2009 at 9:40 PM, charliehill<charliehill at embarqmail.com> wrote: > > I'm > not that familiar with front deck mowers and I agree that > ZTR's sometime > > struggle on slopes but the town I live near has/had a mower that I guess you > > would call a front deck.  I think it might have been a Deere.  It had a > > single rear wheel that was more or less a caster wheel.  I don't > know if it > > had any steering control or not.  I just remember laughing at the guy > trying > > to use it on a highway shoulder slope.  He was trying to mow around a > bush > > or pole or hydrant or something (I > don't remember).  The thing had a mind of > > it's own. >  He'd start up the hill and it would spin around and come back > > down.  Going sideways on the slope was out of the question. > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Steve Sewell" <sewell at ohio.edu> > > To: <at at lists.antique-tractor.com> > > Sent: Saturday, June 06, 2009 10:43 PM > > Subject: Re: [AT] OT(?) Cub Cadet 1812 Hydro question > > > > > >> > >> > >> --On Friday, June 05, 2009 7:24 AM -0400 Stephen Offiler > >> <soffiler at gmail.com> wrote: > >> > >>> John,  Larry: > >>> > >>> I don't > think much of Briggs engines the