Skid marks on lawn

[Newblue]

I have a 72" finish mower (soon to be 84") behind a tractor to cut the grass with and a 52" Exmark ztr to trim with. My question is when I trim around trees I slide the inside wheel leaving skid marks. How do I keep from doing this? I have to go pretty slow to not leave marks so I was wondering how I could keep the pace up.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[Dutch445]

My take on a zero turn is that is normal, with the geometry of the deck trying to be close to the tree, the inside wheel has to give someplace..
other than going slow, i don't think there is much you can do about it.
I think you will see John Deere pushing their 4 wheel steer models to try to compete in the residential Z market. If you are only using the Exmark (great mower BTW) for trimming, then the high ground speed of the Zturn isn't really being utilized, as you have the large 3ph mower. The 4 wheel steer models do a much better job of trimming trees and gardens etc.. if you get a chance to try one do it... I think you'd like it.
/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[jgh]

20060204

I have an Exmark XP 60" and I get marks almost any time I turn at all sharply if the ground is not just "perfect". You really have to go slow and try hard to stretch the radius of your turns out as much as possible. Cutting around trees is going to make that hard, I agree.

Do you have any lawn marking problems pulling that 3ph mower with your tractor? When I was just bush hogging our rear yd that was a frequent problem using our ag tired machine. I have better luck turning my 4 ws SSL (Bobcat A300), but have not tried to use it for cutting grass.

Jim

 

[Newblue]

jgh- I have r4s on the tractor but have never noticed any marks from the tread. I have however started noticing slight dips in the ground from just the weight of the tractor (2.5 tons) running over the same spot repeatedly. I will have to alter the pattern with the 3ph.

 

[Nasty135]

Well if your going to use the Z to its best designed use,Sadly it is going to ring every tree you mow close around.

You can modify your technique to more of a square around the tree turning after you pass the tree,then coming by again and again , but this will add much time to your mowing day.

You might as well push mow around the trees that matter...

I must agree with the grass ripped out around every tree it isn't very appealing... But once you get used to it , It almost looks like a new style landscaping trend... Uniformity if you will... One good thing it does is cut down on weed wacking /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[wallace]

Guys are you leaving the marks with your deck wheels or with the drive tires.

 

[FOURTEEN]

<font color="red"> I would put a 4' to 6' ring of wood chip mulch around every tree! It looks great, prevents mower damage to the tree trunk, slowly feeds the tree, protects the tree roots, regulates the moisture level, is easy to install and maintain, and reduces the amount of grass to cut! Cutting around the ring is easier. If the inside tires ride up on the mulch, the grass will not be disturbed at all!

</font>

 

[Nasty135]

Drive wheels, The larger the tire ,the more twist, the wider the ring... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

FOURTEEN, Mulch huhn? ForGETaBOUTIT... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I do that in front of the house with fourteen trees, but I won't do it in the back of the house too many trees to count...

 

[Newblue]

Drive Wheels

 

[jgh]

20060207

Yeah, the drive wheels (turf tread of course) are the problem for me too. But I am going to pay more attention to the smaller wheels this season since they might be causing some of the marks unseen. And unlike some other brands, my Exmark's deck wheels don't swivel.

The mulch idea is one I had as well, but like Nasty, we do got a lot of trees in our restaurant back yard. It's hard to grow grass 'round our big oaks anyway, so it is tempting to mulch 'em, but since we are selling the property and business, we'll leave that to the next owner.

I guess in one sense I really don't have much cutting to do around the trees anyway since there is not much grass growing.

One observation that has just occurred to me that may bear on some of the rest of you: the restaurant backyard is bumpy and uneven, and I have a lot of trouble with marks, uneven cutting, etc, there. But at our farm the ground is a little more even and less hilly in the house yard where I cut with the ZT. And I have less trouble there.

I have written to Exmark about it and they want me to work with the dealer to check my cutting technique, etc, probably a good suggestion. Exmark has so far been really responsive and helpful when I have written to them/called.

Jim