Mowers: Front vs Z Fastest?

[wushaw]

Isn't it still a ZTR even with a front mower.
I thought ZTRs came with your chioce of either a front or mid mount mower.

ZTRs are just like tractors, they have options too.

 

[Wesdor]

Typically, the ZTR will give you a lot less time with a better cut.
I have a ZTR and a garden tractor. The ZTR saves me at least 50% of time in the flat areas. I do have some pretty steep hills and find it best to go up with the ZTR, going down a steep hill can get pretty exciting!

In my situation I find it best to have both types of mowers, but really love the ZTR for a majority of my mowing.

I do about 3 acres of actual mowing and use the ZTR for at least 90% of it.

 

[FlaDon]

Isn't it still a ZTR even with a front mower.
I thought ZTRs came with your chioce of either a front or mid mount mower.

A front mount normally has 5 or 6 wheels. They dont't have to be a ZTR. Example would be our Gravely with either a 30", 40", or 50" front mounted deck on a 4 wheel tractor.

 

[sklunk]

A front mount normally has 5 or 6 wheels. They dont't have to be a ZTR.

A couple of other points:

- Most ZTR's have large rear driving wheels, the deck mounted under the middle, and large industrial caster wheels on the front while many front mounts have large front driving wheels (kind of like a combine).
- Steering on ZTR's is done similar to a dozer where each rear wheel turns independent of the other so you can actually "spin" by having one rear wheel turn forward while the other turns backward. Front mounts usually have standard steering but it's on the rear axle instead of the front (again like a combine).
- Most Zero-turns use joysticks or handles for steering, not a steering wheel, because of the point above (each stick varies the hydraulic flow to the transaxle).

Notice I said "Most" for those points. There are obviously some exceptions. For example, Deere experimented with a residential-grade zero-turn tractor in the late '90s (the "SST") but it didn't sell very well.