Zero turn stability:will they slide before they roll?

[Ken45101]

I have a Kubota ZD-321 zero turn mower and some hillsides in the yard. With the low center of gravity, I think the mower would either slide sideways or turn downhill long before it is in danger of rolling over sideways (mowing across the hillside.). Am I correct about the stability and traction?

Barring something unusual such as dropping off an edge, do zero turns ever roll over sideways?

 

[Buckgnarly]

I ran Dixie Choppers and Exmarks mowing Summers in college. We mowed some REALLY hairy hills in retention ponds, and slid many times down...never once got or even came close to getting a tire up in the air. It was a challenge to go higher every week or beat the other guy, and we mowed some crazy hills!

 

[amaxwell]

I have a Kubota ZD-321 zero turn mower and some hillsides in the yard. With the low center of gravity, I think the mower would either slide sideways or turn downhill long before it is in danger of rolling over sideways (mowing across the hillside.). Am I correct about the stability and traction?

Barring something unusual such as dropping off an edge, do zero turns every roll over sideways?

Zero turns are stable ,but will roll . Most times they will slide ,but if the lower side tire catches on anything while sliding they will roll . I have a couple of spots I will only mow down hill . I go around to less steep part to go up, then mow down.If they wouldn't roll ,rollbars would not be required. Please BE CAREFUL!

 

[Gary Fowler]

If mowing crosswise on a slope, you would run out of steering traction way before it would get steep enough to roll over. I think it would slide sideways also before flipping. The CG is just too low for it to flip. Same way with climbing a hill, you would run out of traction before it would flip backward. Maybe if you got a running start at the hill, you might go up steep enough to flip but you would have some stains in your pants before getting that steep.
I have a small section of hill that I measured at 20 degrees and my ZT mowers climb it easily whereas my tractor type would break traction about half way up at normal mowing speed. I could make it go to the top by backing down a couple of times and then hit it wide open after mowing the grass down so it wouldn't stall the engine.

 

[Ken45101]

I have a couple of spots I will only mow down hill

Hmmm....How do you stop? I have one hill that I only mow going up because if I go down the steep part, I may not be able to stop (my B2710 was stopped by the (cracked) fence post when I forgot and had it in 2wd.) It's okay if you have a flat area to stop at the bottom, but if you don't?

 

[hosspuller]

Consider with a ZT if you break traction on one wheel, the other will spin you. On a hillside, this feature could exaggerate any problem

 

[J_J]

I can tell you about sliding downhill and falling off a 4 ft ledge with the Dixie Chopper on top of me. No roll bar. I had cut this hill many times before, but that day I will always remember.

Problem was I tries to turn down hill on wet grass. I was in full reverse and sliding and getting faster. At the edge of the 4 ft drop, I dove off the Chopper, but it landed on top of me. Split the muscle in my leg, and hurt like he** for a long time.

Always try and turn up hill and stay off wet grassy hills. Also get a roll bar, It could have been really bad if I had stayed in the seat with no roll bar.

I also learned to cut steep hills at a 45 degree angle. Run up the hill at 45 degrees and come down at 45 degrees slow.

I don't use seat belts around water either, NEVER EVER.