The Slope Test
Вставка
- Опубліковано 17 тра 2017
- Does a zero turn stand a chance against a lawn tractor when mowing a ditch? 3 John Deere mowers go head to head in "The Ditch Test". www.Sloans.com
Note: this video doesn’t show the full test. This is a quick edit to save you time. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know the 4 wheel drive will do much better. In the full clip the 700 was further down in the ditch but only showed the end of the run touching the gravel. The real competition was between the zero turn and x500 series. They both did compatible. Thanks for watching. - Наука та технологія
I expect this mower will last several seasons with decent care. ua-cam.com/users/postUgkx1VWTrayKBdCKAjzAcZ_Eg4dhHTae3LkN also recommend Also, I ran across the problem with it not starting the 2nd time I used it. There is a safety switch which is pushed in by the chute or mulching piece being attached to the deck. I took the cover off and it wouldn't start. Put it back on, no problem. It takes only a minute with 2 easily accessible wingnuts and no tools. This mower starts up first crank each time and it is a joy to use. It also mows in reverse by putting the key to the reverse area after starting and pushing in the triangular button. It will stay in reverse mode until you turn it off. All in all, for my homeowner needs, I really like this mower-and at 70 bucks a cut here in Miami, it's already more than 1/3 paid for itself in a month.
We have a JD X738 with the 60" deck at my work place that we use for slopes. We really messed up by not choosing the 4WS version, because that would have made this amazing mower even more amazing and useful, because we really need that tight turning radius for our application. We use two 72" Hustler Super Z HDs' for our large fields. The Hustler zero turns will mow in some very precarious areas, but that JD X738 will mow just about anything, anywhere and puts one of the biggest, baddest ZTRs to shame on slopes and hills. It is unreal where the X738 can take us, which is what we bought it for. It's also nice that it's fuel injected with no cold start up issues (not like a Kohler FI engine that we have on a UTV that acts like its carbureted even though it's FI). Power steering plus it's traction, plus the 60" deck option, plus full-time 4WD, plus cruise control makes this mower almost perfect for our commercial application; perfect would have been the 4WS feature for another grand. As one example of how good this tractor is (disclaimer), we mow a slope that varies from 15-25 degrees for 200 yards with guide wires and poles right in the middle of the slope. Not only does this mower handle this very steep slope with very little slippage, but it allows us to meander around all the very tight obstructions with the steering wheel and handle to hold on to with easy-to-manage, one-hand power steering while in the middle of the slope.
I know that technically, the X738 is not a true slope mower and not rated for 25 degrees, but in reality it will do it and do it safely as long as you can hang on. It is an expensive lawn tractor, but just try pricing out a true slope mower. Previously, we had used a small tractor mower that would also handle the slope and obstructions, but its small deck took us forever and without the power steering, wore us out on that long stretch going full left, full right over and over with the steering wheel around the obstructions. The X738 is so easy. The X738 is comparatively, a good value and nothing like it on the market that I could find versus a slope mower. I just wish that I had opted for the X739 with 4WS because the turning radius is so much larger than the small tractor we once had. We paid probably a grand more for the 60" lawn tractor than we did for each of the Huslter ZTRs if I remember correctly, and the Hustlers are of course far more productive machines with respect to getting large swaths of grass cut, but for cutting steep slopes comfortably and quickly and thoroughly and safely, X738 is hard to beat. Unless of course you have an X739.
At 1:43 the rear wheel slide into the ditch & immediatly they stopped filming.
Good one.
Great point. Now I will not buy a JD I’ll just get a toro or something
I’m for Toro, Hustler, and Gravely, all the way
@@Tyler-zw4kq just get a toro or Exmark
@@Tyler-zw4kq agreed, they put cheap metal on them
So you don’t see the mower flip and paramedics arrive😂
Each of those mowers look great and I have the Z445 John Deere mower and it has a difficult time in a ditch area at my place so I try to stay away from areas where my mowers can get stuck. My 790 tractor got stuck in that exact spot when I g.ot it new also and I learned how to work with it in areas where I could get stuck. The zero turn mower does a nice job on most slopes with no problems.
I own a z445 and do ditches and hills every mow. It's 9 years old 1000 hours and I love it. Now if there wasn't mud in that ditch it would have been just fine. I've done 9 years of slopes and I must have gotten used to it and don't have trouble with it, you have to work the handles a lot to keep it on the slope tho. I hope to upgrade at 10 years and have looked at the new jd with a tweel, not really sold on that yet and also looking at a scag, tough call.
Snapper Comet.....I cut MANY a steep slope with those little mowers. They're like a billy goat as you can shift your body weight around or even stand on the sides to keep em going.
it would be great if they measured the terrain angles used in this test, and posted it !
yep it would be super helpful
Thanks this is what I needed to see. I have an easement by the road just like that ditch bank you did but not as muddy usually. In the past I have used John Deere L series and Husqvarna 2 wheel drive wide cuts and they worked well as long as I keep the deck from rubbing bottom. It seems I will need to get the same setup again. Although , I'm wondering if the the smaller zero turn Z325 with less weight and shorter deck would do better on slant
Why didnt you just drive the first 2 up in the gravel like you did the 4 wheel drive one?
Dane Osborn
Dane Osborn they slid down
Because they want you to buy the one that costs the most
Anf they cut the vidoe off right as it slid down also lol
Because the deck was to big
I use a Kubota zero turn, the z724 54 inch on banks with more of an angle than the ones you've shown and as long as my speed is good I don't have too many problems and I've always been able to wiggle my way out of the muck. But if you're in really wet and muddy situation I would like to have a four wheeler.
That is my experience as well, and I only have a 2wd X485 tractor with a couple mini-suitcase weights on the front. I can mow ditches all day with the X485 without sliding. I bought a Z445 and it cuts flat ground so much faster and cleaner than the tractor. But on hills, the X485 is so much better.
you're keeping the right side drive wheels of the 4WD on pavement. that's not a fair comparison.
The hillside and road edge at different angles. No clearance under the zero turn, so the deck would get hung up, similar as it was at the bottom of the ditch.
I had to watch that again. Of course that mower is going to do better because the wheels did had plenty of traction on the shoulder of the road plus it was a 4 wheel drive. I think this guy is pushing these 4 wheel drive mowers so he is going to be shady so he can sell more. Shame, shame.
@@100PercentOS2 Classic saleswoman 🙄 ..and a rocketship will fly to the moon better than the four wheel drive..give this guy a shake-weight to review.
Uhhhh you need a mower with a roll bar (ROPS) of your mowing like that
@@dp8262 There is deception anyway you look at it. And why are you going after me? Is it because I'm a woman, you misogynist? I find it odd you aren't criticizing anyone else here. So STFU because you don't make any sense.
Or just sit on one fender if it’s 2wd with a open diff, it acually help with traction a lot
With the zero turn your suppose to cut ditches with the shoot the other way so it doesn't drag
The 4x4 has a larger deck, This means it can ride higher up the bank on drier ground while still scalping the bottom of the ditch.
I used to work for JD , and a few customer with zero turn mowers had us put atv tires on them. It's made a huge different , only done fall is you can't turn on a spot , it tore up the lawn to much.
Did you add any weights or liquid fill the tires and would this help on slopes like this?
Yall should do a test between the winner of this video vs 725cc Toro 64 inch the u would have a video bc Toro zero turn is a good mower I have one rn with 4037 hours on it and it still mows like brand new
First off you could see how wet it was. I am on JD zero turns all day at work. I have mowed steeper grades than that and not got stuck or slid at all. Gotta have a good tire and really know how to handle the machine. It took me a long Time but now I can do just about anything on a zero turn. All in all cool to see comparisons.
Compare snowblower attachments for all 3 please.....
i run a JD z235 42" with slightly smaller R1 ag tires and i can take some crazy grade hills on that thing
itll slide before it tips and it doesnt get stuck easily
I once had a long steep slope that I thought just had to be mowed. I would start at the bottom and make a pass up the hill, move over and come down backwards leaving the trans in reverse while llet the trans ease me down the hill.
Get an exmark 48" vantage, or 60" turf tracer with a single wheel ride on attachment.. there's nothing you CAN'T cut with them..i use a 48" vantage..i have half an acre of steep, rocky hillside, and it'll drag me around as fast as i can handle going
why not the exact same grade filmed for all machines? why did the 4x4 clip on the second grade start higher up and cut short as soon as it slipped?
Fixt100 thanks for the reply! We appreciate the concern on this. However, nothing tricky being done here! The results you were seeing were consistent throughout. We only cut to save you viewing time!
agreed, but as a consumer i was to see as an exact comparison as possible you are comparing machines from same manufacturer nothing tricky is likely buti would like to see a much larger hill with an increasing grade with machines run side by side to see how far one makes it compared to the next before they drop out (not likely to happen because where does such a hill exist?).
Fixt100 that's a good thought for a future video. Our goal was only to briefly shed light on how they operate on a common slope. We hope we were able to shed some light on this question and help someone make a more informed decision. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
I agree, the 4wd model was a good 2 ft above the mud bottom that each other mower had trouble at. I was also curious how well the 4wd would have worked in the ditches mud. In the x738 does it have diff lock like the x500? I have a JD 2305 with a belly mower.
Sloan Implement . This is not exactly on subject but I have a question maybe you can help me with. I own a Z445 , bought it new 10 years ago. 48" with a Kaw 25 Hp . Did they stop making the Z445 and if so what is the replacement or most comparable . I believe my Z445 has a 10 gauge deck ? It is a sweet mower and have mowed 2.5 acres with it for the whole 10 yrs. This year I've started mowing commercial and it is still toteing the load ! Looking ahead for a replacement down the road . Thanks.
So the statements in the operator's manuals that say "No MORE than 15 degree slopes" is just a guideline?
Paul: After you exceed 15 degrees the factors of traction, tire pressure, ground moisture and soil condition play a big part. Also, If going down hill with even less that 15 degrees of camber, you are going into the ditch or pond-or leaving some bad divots where you emergency reversed. Always plan your mow to be pointing up hill and the unit can stand quite a bit of camber. You can back down, but that can be difficult on long runs. Either way, please put up the ROPS and buckle up. Good mowing!
It probably also saves them from potentially getting sued. If someone takes it on a 25 degree slope, flips it and gets hurt, well they can't blame John Deere.
Its just so they cant get blamed if u tip it and die
15° has more to do with "if something happens you can't sue us ".
The slopes we handle all day, would scare most people front tires never touch the ground
my slope is causing my up slope front tire to raise off the ground. I am thinking of some weights on the front tires , seems like the centr of gravity is to high and the high slope front wheel is off the ground.
I take my z445 on nearly 40 degree hillsides with stock tires. The reason a zero-turn is better than a Rider on a hill is that a mower wants to flip ( ive rolled several ) once you're experienced on a zero-turn you can easily make it slide out the back end rather than flipping. Much safer in my opinion. Just take some getting used to to keep it on the hillside or ditch.
completely agree.
I have to disagree...I used to run a rider for my lawn care business, and it could handle much steeper ditches than my zero turn can. Tires can make a difference, but in the end a zero turn's drive tires have to both drive and steer, while a rider's leaves separates those 2 jobs. I also never felt like I could tip my rider over but my zero turn can at times get light on the front (especially since you have to aim the nose uphill on steep slopes) Even with that drawback, I will run a zero turn over a rider any day. It saves time everywhere else and holds up better.
Engine on a tractor is in the front, so less likely to nose up because of the weight of the motor. I find that zero turns like side to side better, because the castor wheels in the front provide a pivot for the rear when it breaks tread so it slides rather than roles. Honestly though if you’re mowing a lot of hills, stand ons or walk behinds are the best way imo.
the zero turn got stuck cause your not carrying enough momentum through the slope and the deck got caught on the low ground. ive gotten stuck with my scag turf tiger one time and it was from a ditch that had a chunk from a tire blowout couldnt go around and couldnt go above or below it had to stop to move it to continue on. just needed a little tug out but had to restart from the begging to finish it
How steep did the slope measure?
Lol we get the whip on the trimmer longer and area trim areas like that. I wouldn't say that's much of a slope.
It looks like the ditch was wet and muddy, which contributed to the zero turn failure. I would like to see a ditch video test on dry ground.
Ditches can be moist almost all year round. Would be hard to film unless in a drought.
Use a 970 R with tweels and you can go about anywhere. Mowed 30 acres of Interstate ramps for 8 yrs in SW Virginia. 35 HP motor with rear weights at the back of the mower
How well u think the f525 would hold a slope
How about a 1025r mowing and pulling a trail mower
Might be best to use a small tractor with the PTO driven mower attachment. Better ground clearance. Mud is mean.
I'd hopes for the north of 10k price tag of the 700 series
At the end of the video did he get the tow strap in the mower deck
Hey you need to make a side cutter mower. That will cut a slope and you ride up right.
wats.. the price on 738.. vs.. 500.. I'm looking for bakupmowerforaeration.. towing.. can u get any front end blade attachment for treework.. wat other attachments cudiget.. for the 738... I got a tiger cat scag.. and itsonlyformowin
You shouldn't mow towards the road, especially with the flap up and gravel beside you and cars going past you.
If it's wet in the bottom stay out of it, especially the zero turn. I noticed that the zero turn second run the operator didn't keep the front end up and that's why he got hung up...
Yup, I agree with most that it's still a very hard toss up to choose the right machine. The Zero's are freakin' AWESOME in everyday mowing especially just doing yards/fields with mid to mild slopes. The ride ons are AWESOME for their ability to get down in the crevices, slopes and holes and manage to get out more. If you have a decent yard that has obstacles and some decently sloped hills then it's a no brainer----ZERO TURN!
I agree with you on the zero turn. I had a difficult time choosing before buying, having had lots of experience mowing with lawn and garden tractors and none with zero turns. For those that are going to buy, my thoughts are that if you even think that you want to pull ANYTHING or use implements, hands down, a rider is your machine. That, far and away is your big decider. Less of an issue, but still something to think about is whether or not you have a lot of trees and things to mow around. If so, get a Zero Turn. The last issue is that a zero turn will do the job faster. For a while, not having been sure if I made the correct choice, my wife, an outside opinion found the decision simpler. She said "you bought the correct tool. You are spending less time mowing". Think zero turn; big lawn mower, rider/lawn and garden tractor; multi use tool that can mow lawns.
For hills and ditches I'd go with the all wheel drive tractor.
What about the 4 wheel steering unit??
Adding some weight on the back of the zero turn would help to counter balance the frontend. And weights in the rims would help. Gripper tires as well. Should try it then.
How the Grasshopper kind of mower
Works pretty well on side hills.
John Deere has that kind as well.
Wonder how the track one's would do on that.
All wheal steer is the best option for lawns like that. Best bang for your buck. And still turn pretty sharp.
I have an x738. Absolutely fantastic machine!
They showed the mower blowing into the road way which is against the law in some states.
I want to buy this machine I am from in Sri Lanka can you send me the details
Wonder what is the price for the 4x4 x l
I have a Z525E and I believe the bank you are mowing is steeper than the JD recommendation as well as the engine manufacture's recommendation.
Your thoughts, please.
It is possible but I couldn't say for sure. We made this video to give an example of a real-life scenario. Do make sure to reference the JD recommendation if you are mowing on an incline. In this test, to be safe, we did not run the blades. Hope that helps.
I like the bass line.
Each mower was straddling different wait till they now the next line lol
Nice Video!
Where’s the stander mower
Test the mower on a slope with a 42" deck make a difference in what they can do
I personally cut much steeper ditches with my john Deere 2305 with 62c mid deck . I feel it is the best all around yard tractor ever . Better than the 1025R that replaced it .
Want to feel sketchy? Try sidehills with a Toro groudsmaster 4500.
Do a utv test
Such a great vid we have a x758 and it is a hole world of difference we have no hills where I live neither big land we just have one for pulling I don’t understand why people are giving this vid hate clearly the deck is to big to get close to the bottom of the ditch people are just not thinking. Great vid guys god bless
do you think one of your commercial grade zero turns would do better with bigger driver hydraulic drives?
BornToFarm101 There's no reason why they would be any better.
Commercial zero turn are heavier than residential zero turn so which mean worse actually unless replace wheels to tracks
I have a JD757 Zero turn. I cannot mow even a very slight incline, no where near as steep as your first test without the machine running out of control. I have it at a John Deere Dealer and they were unable to offer any solution. Anyone else have this experience and any solutions? Thank you.
Hey Michael, I spoke with our L&G tech and he recommended you check your tracking first. To do that, find a straight line and drive over it at full speed. It should stay centered for 15 feet or so. If you notice even a slight drift that is likely your issue. If you try that, let me know how it goes.
What was the percentage of Slope's you tested these Tractors.
Percentages of slopes ?
This is 100% the video i needed. Thank you for taking the time to make it. I have a Riding mower that finally bit the dust and really have wanted a zero turn since i first saw them. I know the riding mower is more attachment capable and this video finally help me decide that for my steep hills cutting sideways like you are is exactly what i needed to see!
The X500 operators manual clearly states: DO NOT OPERATE ON A SLOPE OF MORE THAN 10 DEGREES.
Well the majority of home owners probably have something steeper than 10 degrees lol
what point are you trying to make? Kubota don't even list an operating angle.
misleading title.. this isn't a slope test it's a muck and wet grass test
What happened to testing out the commercial zero turn mower
we wanted to keep it focused on your average user. Possibly could do one down the road though.
you showed the 4wd unit hanging higher on the ditch and even had it's wheels on the gravel. when it dipped further into the ditch you cut the clip.
Don't have much roadside mowing, what there is I tend to do driving down hill. No sliding, no rolling.
Where are your roll bars?
Try getting the ventrek
That is a fairly mild ditch except for the mud in the bottom. I used a John Deere 420 lawn tractor years ago and could put it way over on it's side to mow a ditch. I had the wheels in the wide position and sat way over on the fender. (safety switch was worked around so it would run) This is a "do not do this at home" moment for most people. Today I would do it different. I would get the John Deere X758 with a 3 pt hitch and 60 inch mower. I would put Rim Guard in all four wheels keeping the center of gravity down. I would make an arm out to the side that mounted to the 3 pt hitch and went up and down with it. I would put a redesigned vary inexpensive push mower on the arm that could mow the ditch. That way one can do vary steep ditches and be a lot safer and still faster than a string trimmer..... This is still not for the average person: Most people do not seem to really understand machinery.
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I've taken both the D-105 and the Z345R are very steep inclines and they both do incredibly well. The Z345R I barely even have to lean with. The D-105 however being a lawn tractor, I do have to lean with but it still does very well. solid machines, well balanced. So far on my first season with the Z345R my only problems are that neither John Deere nor Gator make mulching blades for that machine and if I don't want to leave clumps or have to mow over multiple times to remove the clumps then I need to hold the shoot up with a strap or remove it. The shoot definitely needs to be raised at a higher angle so that the grass can be thrown out further. Secondly on the Z series, I find that I have to re-adjust the deck height after nearly every mowing, which is something I rarely had to do with the D-105. It seems there should be a better lock nut in place for the deck leveling. John Deere had it right when they used the non floating deck adjusters like with the D105 because it just seems that the Zseries gets out of level to quickely and to easily.
Thank you for your response to our video. If you are having issues with the deck coming out of level or cut quality issues please give our service department a call and we will try to see what we can do to fix the problem. 800-745-4020
Cornthwaite Lawn Care well I'd say u need to use them more and get used to how they work I've ran mine on some really steep slopes and no real problem but do it when dry and check air in tires, go slow but can go extremely steep if just go easy.
That's pretty amazing . i don't have the courage to attempt such a steep slope . i almost flip my mid sized kubota tractor some years ago and ever since then im too freaked out to mow on slopes .
have a look at your wheels some can be reversed on the hub to create a wider stance. I use a horrible Chinese tractor and I can mow almost anything if I go straight up and straight down the slope. (Not applicable in a ditch like this though)
Gracias pero los precios
Looks like a mud test vs a slope test.
Toros z master dose not slide down ditches. I have personally gone on steeper ditches with my z master and it never once has slide down the ditch
Fill all tires with windshield washer solvent. Been doing this for 40 years
I don't bother with my steep banks. It's much easier to spray them with a growth inhibiting hormone (stays green but grass doesn't grow) and be done with it.
Does moss grow well on slopes like this? I'd like to be done cutting my ditch.
The four-wheel-drive was not as deep in the Ravine is the other two... why?
It just didn't slip down like the others.
Bs, if the other two had straddled the pavement they too would have stayed on top.
My F725 does great on ditches like that.
That is crazy!
1:36 the four wheel drive mower isn't even close to being in the ditch
Just bought a Husqvarna I looked at the JD line up at the local quality equipment dealer. If a 10-15k riding mower is what it takes to mow a ditch like that I'd just spend 250 on a weed trimmer
Have a zero turn. It’s rated for a 15 degree slope, and I believe it. I actually have to do strips with a mechanical push mower because I don’t dare risk getting the zero turn too close. In other areas, it’s a struggle to go up/down slopes. Better going uphill than downhill as far as having power and control. In spite of knobby tires, it is useless on slopes if you cut the bottom part first. Once you hit cut grass, all bets are off.
Thanks for that, and you can send me that 4WD unit as soon as possible. I'm sure you are through with it by now...
I would also like a free $7,000 unit!
No traffic cones. No safety vests. Good job on safety.
Dont be a sissy
Good video
Thank you! We hoped it helped!
For slope capability the X749 4wd 4 wheel steer can’t be beat.
Cody any zero turn gets stuck any time it is a little damp,it is a sales video but it was a good effort on mowers every body knows that with 4 wheel drive you can do a lot more then the other mowers,but then the cost is the real factor of the mowers and the job you do with it, thanks
That is correct. This video was mainly to give people an idea of what a zero turn can handle. The other two were really just a control.. The zero turn held up against the others a bit better than expected actually.. Thanks for the feedback!
With the cost of that 4WD model you may as well go buy a regular tractor.
I was thought it would tip over
That ditch is nothing compared to some of the things we mow weekly with our John Deere ztr mowers. Find a larger steeper ditch and get rid of those turf tires. Put a more aggressive tread tire on.
Tire chains. I use zero turn n 60 deg slopes
Now try them when the ground hard and dry I’m sure you will get better results
I mow steep ditches with my Z535M and much rather then a garden tractor. Handles it fine, even with some mud around the farm
Nice! We were surprised how well it held its own against the others!
Do you know Ryan from How Farms Work?
Yes, his family is a customer of our Bloomington, WI location.
He is how I found out about your guys.
@@andrewmullin3625 same
Try taking that zero turn on the slopes on these feeder roads, those are real slopes
Ive been mowing lawns for 18 years and the 997 z turn john deer is the best older model though around 2011-2012 that drain slope thing he was mowing looked wet so a two wheel drive wouldnt do it. The new z turn john deers do a good cut but why the hell would you change the roll bar to a position thats angled forward and cant be changed anyone over 6ft cant drive it unless the want to be hunched forward allday. Aparently just found that ours is the European spec model cuts well though.
Glad you are a JD fan! (for the most part 😉). Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
The four wheel drive wasn't even low enough to get stuck .!! Junk video .
Because the 4wd prevented it from slipping down
EthaN but he could of drove it down into the ditch a little bit more
Mireya Jesus bn:-) v .'
@@colbyk2253 Why?
Try a 2 WD with diff Locked
Mark Wise the second mower was 2wd with diff lock
Laughing in Ventrac