Do you want to make your lawn look flawless, without investing too much time and energy? Well, you can do it, but not without the help of a yard machine riding mower. And we’re not talking about any kind of the weed eater lawn mower. In order to make grass cutting a fun, you need to have a zero turn lawn mower!
This type of mower is so amazing that it’s rather a surprise that not everyone owns a zero turn lawn mower. The reason might be that people feel that using such a machine is not easy. But, the truth is just the opposite – the whole point of zero turn mowers is that they’re easy and fun to operate. It won’t take long before you’ll grow from an amateur to a real bad boy zero turn mower driver.
Of course, it’s not all about fun – you also need to learn how to operate it efficiently, but even more importantly, you need to learn how to drive the mower safely. That’s why we urge you to read our tips and instructions before sitting behind the controls of the zero turn mower! The first thing you will need to learn is how to steer it like a pro.
How to Steer Small Zero Turn Mowers?
Most models of zero turn mowers come equipped with a one-button start system. What this means is that with a single press of a button, the mower will turn on. But, what to do next? How to move it from one end of the yard to another, without a conventional steering wheel? Yes, you’ve read correctly, most zero turn mowers do not have a steering wheel. Instead, they are controlled with two steering handles!
We think that the best way for you to learn how to operate a zero turn mower is to understand how this mower works. You should know that each rear wheel is powered by a separate engine, meaning that you must control them separately. The left handle controls the left rear wheel, the right handle controls the right rear wheel.
In order to move the mower in the straight line, you should apply the same amount of force to both handles at the same time. This way, the mower will go straight forward. If you want to go in reverse, do the same, but this time pull the handles backwards. If you want to turn to one side, all you got to do is push the appropriate handle.
How to Do the Zero-Turn?
The thing that makes this type of mower superior to conventional types is the fact that it enables you to do a zero turn. What this means is that you will be able to turn around the whole mower around its axis, something that can be very useful when dealing with tight spots. It will also help you to get past the obstacles more easily. It will even make the grass-cutting tasks much faster.
Doing the zero-turn is quite simple. All you need to do is push the handles in opposite directions at the same time. If you push forward the left handle, while pulling the right one, the mower will spin around its axis in the clockwise direction. If you do the opposite, it will move anti-clockwise.
Stopping the Zero Turn Mower
Usually, zero turn lawn mowers are made without a foot brake. So, stopping the mower is done by using the handles. When you push the handles forward, the mower will move straight. If you pull them back, the mower will go back. But, if you leave the handles in neutral position, the mower will stay in its place.
However, this is only possible if you’re on a flat surface. But, what are you supposed to do if you want to stop the mower on a slope?The good news is that there’s a simple solution. Most zero turn mowers come with a parking brake, which when used will block the wheels. What this means is that the mower will remain motionless until you turn off the parking brake.
How to Operate the Lowes Zero Turn Mower Safely?
Although a good zero turn mower will be able to go across slopes with a higher angle, it is recommended not to use them for slopes with the angle of over 10 degrees. Still, it all depends on the kind of zero turn mower you own. Some of them are designed to easily handle over-10-degrees slopes and some even feature the anti-roll-over technology.
Of course, we believe that safety comes before anything else, so if you’re not one hundred percent confident that the mower will be able to handle the scope, better stay away from it. The same goes for other situations in which some accident may happen. Our advice is to always check the area that you plan to mow, before actually doing it. It’s not just because of the safety, but planning ahead will help you save a lot of time on the grass-mowing.
Another thing you need to pay attention to is how sensitive the controls are. If you’re using a mower for the first time, we urge you to test it first by slowly moving the handles. This way, you will see how sensitive the handles are and how fast can the mower move. Speaking of it, we advise you never to drive the zero turn mower at the full-speed.
This is not only because of the risk that you might roll over but also because going at high speed might affect the mower’s performance. When slowly going over a lawn, you make sure that every bit of grass will be taken care of properly. Something like that is not guaranteed if you’re going with the zero turn mower at full speed
Summary
Owning a zero turn mower is bound to make grass cutting very easy and fun. Of course, this is only true if you learn how to operate it the right way. The best advice we can give you is to take it easy. Even if you’re driving it slowly and carefully, you will still do the job quicker than with a conventional mower.