Bumpy and elevated terrain make a good match of misery for zero-turn mowers, and in every case possible, they never see eye to eye. In fact, if you go through the cons of zero-turn mowers, you will find a great emphasis on the danger of treading slopes and riding over bumps– you simply couldn’t miss the warning. Still, slopes and bumps are defeated every day by zero-turn mowers with their landscapers in one piece.
So, the question isn’t whether the possibility of mowing rough terrain exists, the question is if they actually do a good job in doing so.
Zero-turn mowers will do an acceptable job of mowing rough terrain; they are not exceptionally satisfactory for this reason, but they mow the landscape anyway. This is because, in their defense, they were not manufactured to ride over bumps. The fact that the machines offer premium maneuverability, speed, and precision greatly equalizes their laughable ability to handle any other form of terrain that isn’t paper-flat.
However, there are certain bells and whistles you’d find on the zero-turn mower that significantly endows the adaptability of the mower on rough terrain so that even though the mower isn’t the biggest bump-conqueror in the fields, you wouldn’t need a new spine after you mow your herky-jerky lawn. I will be discussing the whys and hows to help you answer the question properly. Read on!
Five Terrific Ways Your Zero-Turn Mower Defeats Rough Terrain
Zero-turn mowers and bumps are definitely not the best of friends, but here’s how the situation is tackled:
- The Remarkable Suspension Seat Feature
Suspension seats on zero-turn mowers are specially built for bumpy terrain. There is a platform attached to the frame of the mower that allows the mower seat to glide on impact so that when you go over bumps, you ride over the shock waves instead of getting punched by them.
This feature is quite a clever one because even though riding over rough terrain isn’t the zero-turn mower’s stronghold, at least you don’t get beaten black and blue.
Although, not all zero-turn models come with suspension seats; they are mostly a standard on the high-grade models. For the varieties that come without this factor, you can buy the seats and install them on your mower. I have written a well-detailed article on all you need to know about the best suspension seats out there.
- The Shock-Wave-Absorbing Seat Isolators
Seat isolators for zero-turn mowers are relatively small rubber objects that serve as a demarcation for the seat and the frame of the mower so that when you go over bumps, the shock waves are accumulated by the isolators instead of running through your waist and back.
The effectiveness of isolators on zero-turn mowers depends on the grade of the model you have or are seeking to buy. However, not to worry because you can easily purchase and install a seat isolation kit for your zero-turn mower from the manufacturing company so that when you ride over angry surfaces, getting off with your posterior intact will be guaranteed.
- Springy Front Caster Wheel Suspension
Some zero-turn mowers come equipped with a front caster suspension system, that smoothens the residual blow of going over bumps. In simpler terms, they consist of a stiff durable coil that is bound between the mower’s deck and caster forks, that will contract and expand on the influence of your movement.
This feature is highly acknowledged for protecting the mower deck from vibrations that could cause wear and tear to your mower. The Ferris zero-turn mower is famous for this feature and will make a great choice if you haven’t decided on which brand to purchase yet.
- The Anti-Scalp Deck Wheelies
This detail is mostly beneficial to your terrain as it protects the grass from getting scalped by your zero-turn mower’s deck. Since you’d be getting into ditches and climbing over protruding spots, there’s every possibility of grating the grass with the edges of the deck.
The little wheels you find attached to the deck allow it to float across plains on contact instead of getting dragged and taking patches of grass with it. The wheels mostly come in four to eight depending on the grade of the mower– the higher you go, the more equipped your zero-turn mower is to battle rough terrain.
- The Rubber Floor Mats
Rubber floor mats are usually associated with comfort and better foot grip, but they are also excellent at absorbing shock so that you’re not at the receiving end. It also helps to keep the deck from shaking off its bolts. Although some zero-turn models have them as a standard, the lower-grade models do not.
I strongly recommend you request one from your mower’s company and get it installed before you ride through bumps if your mower doesn’t have one; the floor mats are often overlooked, but are quite a small but mighty detail and can handle bumpy rides superbly.
Overall Best Zero-Turn Mower For Rough Terrain
Zero-turn mowers are constantly evolving to suit the demands of their users, and have now gotten quite competitive in the market. So much to make you tempted to forgive their inability to tackle bumps and the sorts. Among all the zero-turn brands, though, I firmly award the Toro z-turn with the trophy in this contest.
This is because they are the only riding mowers out there with the MyRide seating feature– a seating characteristic that separates the whole seat-to-floor area from the frame of the machine, almost resembling a rocking chair – so that when you go over bumps, the shock waves are not only dissolved by the plush seat but by the whole footplate of the mower as well. Remarkable!
At Last, The Conclusion
Zero-turn mowers are very capable of mowing rough terrain. All that matters is how thoroughly prepared your mower is for that kind of trip. Aside from selecting an equal match of a zero-turn to wrestle your rough yard, there are many other measures – as I’ve just discussed– that you can take to gear up for a nice ride in quite challenging conditions. I wish you victory on your quest to defeat the malicious bumps that may get in the way of you and your zero-turn as you mow!
