Zero-turn mowers are capable of flunking in unimaginable situations just as all machines do; perhaps the battery suddenly dies, or the gas runs out, maybe it’s even the oil or the belt– it can happen anywhere. Then you’re faced with the need to push the z-turn back into the shed or the truck, which of course will be almost impossible since the Husqvarna z-turn is not wired to be pushed in the first place.
Not to worry because I’ll be explaining the safest way to manually push your Husqvarna zero-turn mower out of a ditch or back to the shed short of ruining any part of the machine. Without further ado, let’s get into pushing!
Why Can’t I Push My Husqvarna Zero-Turn Mower?
You might be wondering why the tires don’t budge no matter how much you push or pull. After all, cars can be pushed when they break down, so what’s happening?
Your Husqvarna z-turn will not move when you push because the drive wheels rely on the pumping motion of the hydraulic fluid, which is instigated by the motor when you switch the machine on. So, unless your mower is turned on, the drive wheels will not move the machine.
Prepping To Push Your Husqvarna ZTR Manually
To avoid accidents, there are a few things you must consider to ensure you, your mower, or anyone on the scene is safe.
Wear Durable Gloves
It’s important to protect your hands from the sharp edges in the nooks and crannies of your machine, especially since you’d be poking into tight spots for this procedure.
Wedge The Tires
It is crucial to secure your zero-turn mower when carrying out this procedure to ensure it does not swerve or move around, especially if you’re on uneven or sloped terrain. The preferable material is a wooden block, but anything you see fit might do; bricks, branches, or stones, as long as the tires are wedged properly. Be sure to wedge the front and back of the drive tires to ensure they stay in place.
This also strongly applies to getting stuck in a ditch; you will need to place a wedge for the tires to roll onto so that you can successfully push your mower out of the situation.
Place The Throttle On The Lowest Speed
By placing the throttle on slow speed, you can easily manage the motion of your Husqvarna zero-turn. This step is useful especially if you are on uneven grounds, so that you can govern the speed at which the wheels respond to your force. It’s even more important when you realize zero-turn mowers hold a lot of weight and will be quite challenging if they simply strolled out of control.
Disengage The Parking Brake
The parking brake plays a huge safety role in operating your Husqvarna zero-turn mower; it puts the drive wheels to a halt to ensure that the machine doesn’t move when you’re switching it on. Since you will need to override the system, you’d have to disengage the parking brake to allow your z-turn to move freely.
Clear The Path
Ensure that there are no obstacles that will obstruct the motion of the machine when it rolls by. Remove all sticks, twigs, and stones that could jeopardize the stability of your zero-turn mower to make the situation much easier for you to accomplish.
Pushing Your Husqvarna Zero-Turn Manually
1. Shut Down The Engine And Let It To Cool
If you had been recently using your Husqvarna z-turn, the engine and motors will be heated and dangerous to touch. To avoid burning your hands or overstressing the machine, let it cool for a few minutes before you carry on. If however, the mower has been put out in a while, you can carry on with the next step.
2. Locate The Transmission Release Levers
Now, although I have termed it a lever, models like the Z200 – Z500 will come with a pin you can pull, or a lever for the Z700s that you can alternate. So it wouldn’t look like a notable control resembling the parking brake. For a clearer picture, you can refer to your owner’s manual assigned to the model you have.
If the manual isn’t available, you might have to flex your knees a bit; your Husqvarna transmission release levers will be above, or adjacent to each wheel drive motor on the rear frame if you look close enough.
3. Proceed To Disengage The Transmission
Once you find the levers on your model, twist the key 90 degrees upward till it faces a vertical position. If you find a pin, pull the pin outward. Do this on both sides of the wheel to successfully disconnect the transmission from the drive wheels.
4. Push To Oblivion
Now that you have successfully released the transmission, your Husqvarna can move freely toward where you push it to. Try as much as you can to only push forward, and not pull backward so that the movement is not unnatural and stressful to your z-turn.
Pushing Your Husqvarna ZTR Down A Slope
If you are required to push your zero-turn mower down a slope more specifically, you might need extra reinforcement to ensure you have the proper control over your machine so that you can prevent accidents from occurring.
Involve Extra Hands
The safest means of pushing your Husqvarna zero-turn down a hill is by using some help. This is important because ZTR mowers can be hefty machines, and when you’re tackling a slope with the wheels in free drive, little can be done when the mower rolls down the hill in the wrong direction, especially when you’re put in a frenzy.
Make Use Of The Parking Brake
When you’re in the situation of pushing your Husqvarna z-turn down a slope, the parking brake can be used to maneuver the speed of the machine in case you are not comfortable with juggling the mower down. In this situation, you or your assistant can sit in the z-turn and operate the parking brake whilst the other applies the pushing force.
Engaging and disengaging the parking brake will help in regulating the speed at which your Husqvarna ZTR runs down the hill.
Final Words
Pushing your Husqvarna zero-turn mower isn’t at all difficult. All you have to do is locate the most important aspect of the whole ordeal, which is the transmission release levers, and successfully disengage the transmission from the drive wheels. Once this is done, you can push the machine as you desire. It’s always much better to refer to your owner’s manual to make the situation a lot easier for you.
I agree the manual might be a little boring and not exactly as engaging as you might need, but they entail helpful reference pictures that you can easily point out on your machine. Specifically, since the models differ in many little or big ways; the residential Husqvarna ZTR will not require as many bells and whistles as the commercial grade. I wish you good luck!
