Hopping curbs

[mlgtrainer]

Does anyone have any ideas to help one hop curbs safety?
We have alot of small islands that can handle a 36" walk behind the problem isgetting the 36" up safety, without damaging the underside of the deck. I know that some guy in Wisconsin was selling a product called the "curb it" but it was only for tractor type mowers. He designed it for hopping on to curbs in the shopping centers that he does. It looks pretty neat, sells for around $60.00 plus s+h,
Any one have any suggestions. I don't want to have to use a 21" mower to do these long islands of turf.
Thanks :(

[Brickman]

Go to your local Walker dealer and ask for a curb jumper. It is a plastic wedge. Works well. They are a little pricey.
I am sure a guy could make one with a couple of hours of work.

[mdb landscaping]

The only suggestion i can give besides going out and buying a ramp, is the way you approach the curb. you may already be doing this, but i usually approach the curb at an angle and push down on the handle bars, to put the deck as high in the air as possible. I go up the curb with usually the left tire, and then turn quickly to get momentum to jump the other tire up the curb. Are you having trouble with the backside of the deck catching? your other best bet if youre scraping the curb, would be to cut a few 2 by 4s to length just enough to get your machine up the curb.

[ADMowing]

That's what I was thinking too -- make yourself a ramp.

I set the blade to 5" and go up MDB said. It works fine, but we don't have extremely high curbs. And that is on a ZTR.

Since you're using a wb, use a homemade ramp -- save some money......
:)

[rodfather]

We carry around a 4"x4" wolmanized post in the back of our trucks (bout 5 feeet long or so).

Place it up against the curb. It acts as a "step" that allows even our big WB's to climb up even belgian block curb that can be the worst.

Hope that helps.

[Turfdude]

For you "girly types" go to the gym more often!!

Get your front wheels up on curb, place machine in neutral, get low under handles and lift -- good tricep workout too.

Bob

[Kyle Carter]

I run in to the same problem every day, I just tough it with my 36inch. Often thought about using a push mower, never have because of time lose.

[Doc Pete]

OK, if you jump normal size curbs, and use a Hydro machine, which I assume commerical LCO's are using, just turn the machine around, and backup over the curb.
This method aviods the unsafe part of having the whole machine balanced on the rear wheels while the front is in the air, and prevents possible tire pinching.
It's very easy. Just backup right to the curb, take a deep breath and hit reverse. As soon as the rear wheels are up over the curb and on the ground, stop a second and then slowly reverse and gently drag the deck and front wheels over the curb. Remember, don't try to pull the machine over the curb, since this takes the weight off the rear wheels and the machine will slip on the curb. This works equally well with WB's and riders alike.
True you can't go over a 12" curb, but curbing is never level. And, if you have a really high spot there's bound to be a low spot close by. I can't see carrying around a ramp when it's not needed.
Hope this helps,
Pete

[Always Green]

I just lift mine on to the curb,but we had a Girl working for us so I took a scrap 2x12 and nailed a 2x10 to it then a 2x8......ect,ect
she liked it but why don't you just hire a man to do this part of the job?

[Doc Pete]

Originally posted by Always Green
I just lift mine on to the curb,but we had a Girl working for us so I took a scrap 2x12 and nailed a 2x10 to it then a 2x8......ect,ect
she liked it but why don't you just hire a man to do this part of the job?


You need better lookin' girls:D Then the guy's would scramble to lift it for her:p

[Grasshog]

Im with turfduude. Pick it up or pull it up backwards. The heck with carrying ramps around

[Runner]

For the walkbehind, I would just push down on the handles as I approached the curb, lifting the deck up in the air. I would go as high as I could, and gently place the bottom edge of the deck on the top of the curb. Then I would rock the machine up by lifting up on the handles, and push forward until the rear wheels came in contact with the curb. The machine would then pull itself the rest of the way up when it got traction. When I went back down, I would go off forward, lifting the deck, riding to the edge of the curb, (or near) then gently lowering the front wheels down onto the pavement or lower surface. I would then creep the machine forward so the wheels were right near the edge, square it up, and creep forward enough that when it started to drop, I would lock up the brakes, and lift up slightly on the handles so that the rest of the unit would gently lower onto the lower surface.
With the Gravely front deck, I would lift the deck on approach, and put on wheel at a time up, much like the walkbehind, but when I would get both drivewheels up on the curb, I would then square the machine up so that both drive wheels would pull the rear wheels up evenly. I Go down off the curbs the same way with this unit.- forward.
With the Lazer, I approach the curb backwards at about a 30 degree angle, drive one rear tire op on the curb, then the other, then square the machine up to pull the front casters up evenly. I always keep the lift pedal pushed all the way down to ensure highest clearance (habit). When coming back off the curbs, I drive one front caster out off at an angle, then turn the mower more sideways when the cosest rear wheel nears the curb.At that point, I can slowly drive outward so that the machine just gently rocks downward and each wheel can be gently place on the lower surface on at a time.