Finally found time to mow pond dam

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Had a ZD326 before this F3680. The ZD couldn't sidehill this dam, tried it couple of times, ended up at the bottom, no saving it. Stopped trying to mow this area with the ZD. Yes...the top 6 feet is the problem. Rest not so bad.

Almost impossible to tell how steep a place is without being there. I have some fairly steep areas. I've owned F model mowers since 2008. 3 different ones and one of them I owned two times. I've heard a lot about Z mowers over the years but never owned one until a few months ago and now own two of them.
The Z is faster mowing around tight areas with lots of straight up nd down objects. F is faster around over hanging trees and open fields. The F is much easier to control on unlevel ground than the Z. On steep slopes the F is far superior to the Zs. The F has a better ride with deck out front with it's own suspension vs under you with the entire machine riding together. People want to compare them just like they want to compare a Z to a BX for mowing or even a B or L but major differences with major better/worse points. Bottom line is the F is a major step up for mowing larger areas and the price reflects that step up. The Z is better for small areas with lots of small trees and small yards in apartment complexes so the Z is better than the F in this situation. Hillside stability between Z and F, no comparison from my ownership of both history and experience.

 

[FTG-05]

Had a ZD326 before this F3680. The ZD couldn't sidehill this dam, tried it couple of times, ended up at the bottom, no saving it. Stopped trying to mow this area with the ZD. Yes...the top 6 feet is the problem. Rest not so bad.

JC did you ever put water ballast in any of your mowers, either the ZD or the F3680? If so, did it have any affect?

I put 8 gallons each of water/RV antifreeze so I would have a little bit more traction in my ZD326; I hope I don't have to find out if it helped the rollover potential or lack thereof.

Thanks,

 

[FTG-05]

Had a ZD326 before this F3680. The ZD couldn't sidehill this dam, tried it couple of times, ended up at the bottom, no saving it. Stopped trying to mow this area with the ZD. Yes...the top 6 feet is the problem. Rest not so bad.

JC did you ever put water ballast in any of your mowers, either the ZD or the F3680? If so, did it have any affect?

I put 8 gallons each of water/RV antifreeze in the rear tires only so I would have a little bit more traction in my ZD326; I hope I don't have to find out if it helped the rollover potential or lack thereof.

Thanks,

 

[jcummins]

No i have not. I am mulling over changing the turf tires on the F to a bar tyle tire commonly seen on Grasshoppers. I don't think the tires are big enough to carry enough weight to make a difference.

 

[FTG-05]

Hard to say. On my ZD, adding 120-130 lbs to the bottom end of the CG *should* make it better out of a +1800 lb machine.

 

[Parkanzky]

You're posting worried about how steep that slope is but you're mowing it without your ROPS up? :thumbdown:

 

[big bubba]

No i have not. I am mulling over changing the turf tires on the F to a bar tyle tire commonly seen on Grasshoppers. I don't think the tires are big enough to carry enough weight to make a difference.

ballast is a good idea. foam fill, although somewhat costly, is another route. it can make a difference lowering center of gravity & improved traction. however you may check into warranty issues 1st if the rears are filled. good luck

 

[Xfaxman]

I was looking at post #10 and it doesn't look that steep on anything other than the top 6 feet or so where it drops at a pretty steep angle but not too steep that I couldn't mow it with my ZTR on the horizontal. Speed and wet grass would be the limiting conditions to mowing on any side hill. None of that looks as steep as I see the highway boys mowing around overpasses.

Yep, hard to tell when looking at a picture.

This is 22 degrees of body lean (the swaybar is disconnected) on a 18 degree slope. The tow rope shows true vertical.

If the grass and weeds are wet I did get some side slip with the 88" front deck TORO.

 

[big bubba]

to: jcummins, OP:
well lots of good response here, esp noting the steeper angle @ top of dam (that i overlooked). my feeling is, mow when everything's dry & forget the dam top area if you must mow with a rider rather than a walk behind or weed eater. everything has it's price....how far up did the hay harvest go on the dams as you mentioned?

 

[jcummins]

You're posting worried about how steep that slope is but you're mowing it without your ROPS up? :thumbdown:

I ain't worried. It's something I couldn't mow with the ZD and can mow with the F. That's really all I was pointing out.

 

[jcummins]

to: jcummins, OP:
well lots of good response here, esp noting the steeper angle @ top of dam (that i overlooked). my feeling is, mow when everything's dry & forget the dam top area if you must mow with a rider rather than a walk behind or weed eater. everything has it's price....how far up did the hay harvest go on the dams as you mentioned?

Up very near the top.

Different people have done the haying, it's done in conjunction with other pastures around my place. One year, although I did not witness it, I was told the tires on the hay rack broke the bead on the rims, trying to rake that dam down. They had to push the hay towards the bottom...top to steep for baler.

 

[jcummins]

I measured best I could with an angle gauge, the slope is 20-22 degrees.

I mowed the dam again yesterday. Guess I'm getting use to it, since I did it quite a bit faster. The F does slide on this slope, but it's controllable.

When I first got this F, I had about 250lbs of weight down low over the rear tires. I took that weight off, thinking it might be making the rear slide downhill. Think I will put those weights back on, since I'm more familiar with how the F feels now. Gotta think weight down that low should help, not hurt.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I measured best I could with an angle gauge, the slope is 20-22 degrees.

I mowed the dam again yesterday. Guess I'm getting use to it, since I did it quite a bit faster. The F does slide on this slope, but it's controllable.

When I first got this F, I had about 250lbs of weight down low over the rear tires. I took that weight off, thinking it might be making the rear slide downhill. Think I will put those weights back on, since I'm more familiar with how the F feels now. Gotta think weight down that low should help, not hurt.

I don't know but I know weight force will go down and when your laying sideways, down is down or going toward the side and not "down" toward the bottom of the object (F mower). Seems like that weight will be wanting to go toward the bottom of the dam/hill (or side of the tires)instead of down to the bottom of the tires. :2cents: On a slight incline doubt it would make much difference but on a steep incline seems to me weight sticking/protruding out from the back that doesn't have direct contact with the ground would be trying to provide some force/weight down the hill. If you could put it on something that would swing it around to the upper side (like swinging the backhoe bucket up the hill side when traversing a hill) then it seems it might add some small benefit with the weight of the machine you have.

 

[jcummins]

I don't know but I know weight force will go down and when your laying sideways, down is down or going toward the side and not "down" toward the bottom of the object (F mower). Seems like that weight will be wanting to go toward the bottom of the dam/hill (or side of the tires)instead of down to the bottom of the tires. :2cents: On a slight incline doubt it would make much difference but on a steep incline seems to me weight sticking/protruding out from the back that doesn't have direct contact with the ground would be trying to provide some force/weight down the hill. If you could put it on something that would swing it around to the upper side (like swinging the backhoe bucket up the hill side when traversing a hill) then it seems it might add some small benefit with the weight of the machine you have.

Honestly....I couldn't tell a difference between the weight on or off. BUT being more familiar with the feel of the F now, I may be able to tell a difference now....the reason I'm thinking of putting it back on. That weight where it is...is in line with the rear axle, so it is very low.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

That weight where it is...is in line with the rear axle, so it is very low.
Hang a weight on a string and stand on the bank of your dam and see where the weight is hanging or heading. Unless there is something wrong it won't be going down toward the spot your standing it will be going toward the bottom of your dam/bank. The weight will not be in line with your axle except when you are on level ground. I doubt it will make any difference either way but if it does any thing it will try and pull the back of the F toward the bottom of the bank or "down". It will have no effect on level ground.:2cents: Other than use more fuel because your pulling/pushing more weight. This is all about going sideways across bank and not straight up and down which will change the effect of the additional weight. Going straight down and to some extent going up will add additional weight to the axle, especially going straight down hill.

 

[jcummins]

For anyone following this thread.....I mow that pond dam every 2nd to 3rd time I mow the yard. The dam is curved and has a shorter section, but just as steep or even slightly steeper in one section. No water at the bottom, but there was a drainage issues that I've moved dirt in there, and it's slowly healing....but not quite yet. I was mowing that shorter dam today, and the F3680 started sliding, I only had about 3 feet or so, and there was the mucky area. Keep steady hst speed, hoping it would catch, since trying to speed it up would do nothing but spin the tires. It just kept sliding. Lucky me, married to a Gator tow driver that is half way decent on pulling me out of places.

One trait of this F is that with rear steer, in that situation, trying to steer out of the problem just puts the steering tires into the problem. Also, haven';t completely made up my mind, but believe the turf tires have to go. Need more bite.

 

[Xfaxman]

-------

One trait of this F is that with rear steer, in that situation, trying to steer out of the problem just puts the steering tires into the problem. Also, haven';t completely made up my mind, but believe the turf tires have to go. Need more bite.

Here is my bite. Much better than turf tires.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

For anyone following this thread.....I mow that pond dam every 2nd to 3rd time I mow the yard. The dam is curved and has a shorter section, but just as steep or even slightly steeper in one section. No water at the bottom, but there was a drainage issues that I've moved dirt in there, and it's slowly healing....but not quite yet. I was mowing that shorter dam today, and the F3680 started sliding, I only had about 3 feet or so, and there was the mucky area. Keep steady hst speed, hoping it would catch, since trying to speed it up would do nothing but spin the tires. It just kept sliding. Lucky me, married to a Gator tow driver that is half way decent on pulling me out of places.

One trait of this F is that with rear steer, in that situation, trying to steer out of the problem just puts the steering tires into the problem. Also, haven';t completely made up my mind, but believe the turf tires have to go. Need more bite.

No doubt about ag tires having more bite in mud but how do you figure a tire with less rubber on the ground will have more bite on dry ground? or do you think that? Drag racers have no tread for more bite but they don't race in the mud. I had both ag and turf tires on my former F2680e because there was an in between owner that put the ags on it but I hated them since I mowed dry ground, not muddy ground. The in between owner installed them thinking it would give a 2wd the traction of a 4wd on a hillside, didn't happen so he sold the F2680e back to Barlows and I bought it back with both sets of tires. Still have the turf tires but not the F2680e.

 

[Pete6114]

One trait of this F is that with rear steer, in that situation, trying to steer out of the problem just puts the steering tires into the problem. Also, haven';t completely made up my mind, but believe the turf tires have to go. Need more bite.

Have you tried cutting that problem area in reverse, so you can steer out of it, instead of into the mush?
I'd be concerned what ags would do to my Lawn.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Have you tried cutting that problem area in reverse, so you can steer out of it, instead of into the mush?
I'd be concerned what ags would do to my Lawn.

They will tear it up with the least bit of slippage, especially on turns.