If your ZTR Breaksdown, how do you get it back on the truck?

[Doogiegh]

Ok, so I have a 32" Metro that I can push around real easy. Even when off, it's not too bad to do.

Thinking and looking at getting a larger 48/52 type of mower. Not sure yet between another w/b or a ZTR.

So it dawned on me.. How the heck would you get a ZTR back up onto a trailer *IF* the thing ever broke down on a customers lawn somewhere? They gotta weigh like 800+ pounds, no way you can push that up the back ramp onto the trailer, especially as a solo..

And what if you gotta go get a part or take it in for service and you work as a solo? Call up 4 friends and have everyone push?

Do you ever leave a mower on a customers property, hoping it'll still be there when you get back in.... 45 minutes or whatever?? What if the dealer is closed and you're really stuck with it not running?

[Brieldo]

I take my 6'4" 292 lb body and I put all this quality strength training to work and I hoss it up the ramp onto the trailer. Nothing a little hossin' wont fix:D

[bob]

Well first of all, lets hope your going to try to get it on a trailer. That would be a lot easier. I used one ZTR to help push another one up onto the trailer one time. Another method I heard about was to dissconnect your trailer and block the wheels. Then run a tow strap from the back of your truck, to the trailer gate. Hook tow strap to the ZTR and drive truck forward pulling the ZTR up onto the trailer.

[Awilkinson]

I am not sure about other models, but the cub tank has release levers located at the rear of the machine which will disengage the drives. Very easy to push once they are disengaged. one man can get it on a trailer will little problem.

[Doogiegh]

But that of course means that you have to be able to get the ZTR onto the street at the rear end of the trailer by the ramp to begin with AND have a tow strap with you AND have something to block the trailer wheels with. <G>

The idea of using 1 ZTR to get another on wouldn't work for me, and I'm sure my 32" metro couldn't pull the ZTR along, that's for sure..

I don't know what made me think of a breakdown, but I did and wondered "Man, how the heck would you ever get that back on the trailer as a SOLO Op?"

Sounds totally silly, but it's making me think that this issue is a hidden advantage (due to it's push-ability) for a walk behind.

Gary

[Doogiegh]

Does anyone know if Exmark has "Hydro-release" valves so that a ztr would be pushable?

Gary

[Dependable Lawncare]

The exmark walk behind has a hydro release but I don't know if the ZTR does.

[rcav8er]

I've been looking at ZTR's for about a year now and dreaming. One of the things I have looking at is to confirm that every ZTR I'm considering has a bypass on each of the Hyd. pumps. I have yet to find a ZTR that does not. Most pumps have a approx 5/8 nut located very close to the linkage connection. This not usually has a 1/4 hole thru the head, some have a bolt installed to use as a handle. Just turn the valve handle and the pumps will bypass all the fluid and you have a really heavy push cart.

[bob]

My 97 GH has a lever you flip to (called dump valves) put in neutral. My 99 GH has a bolt that you must turn.

[Mike Bradbury]

a come-along.

[DLCS]

My JD 757 has release valves so the machine can be pushed. I still wouldn't want to have to push that thing though.:p

[darryl gesner]

I don't have a ZTR but I know you can buy electric winches that hook onto a ball hitch and plug into a cigarette lighter. I believe Northen Tool sells them.

[tinman]

:cry: Come along also.not the easiest thing I ever done though. But it did work.

[Husker1982]

Yes exmark does have the release valves for who ever asked that. I have had a ZTR (Exmark) breakdown 2 yrs ago and even with the release valves open you could not push it onto the trailer. I just used another ZTR to pull it up on the trailer to haul it to the shop. A come along maybe a lot of work but seems like it would be the best thing (Cheaper than a ball wench, and one man can do it).

[kickin sum grass]

luckly they don't break down too often for the abuse they go through. But if it did happen and you could not push, pull or drag it on and had to go for help than the chances are it will be there when you get back.
The thefves won't work any harder than you to get it on a trailor. They may try but would probably give up and wait for some sucker that walked away from one running or something.
hopefully your homeowner would be watchin out for ya a little too.

[1grnlwn]

I bet that Metro would pull it. Just use some tie down straps. I used my WB to pull Z out of mud once.

Mark

[sheppard]

I'd also recommend getting a little boat wench to pull it on the trailer. Too many times it has saved my back. (I work solo).

Thought also of having a welder put a plate on the center of the trailer to place a high quality wench and pull it from there. Some of the ones I thought I'd get are in Cabela's catalog. The really cool ones are the electronic remote kind.

Hope this helps.

Cordially,
S.

[HOMER]

Had a drive belt break on my 50" Chopper once but I had the other one to pull her to safety. Always carry a spare $10,000.00 mower with you just in case of those dreaded breakdowns.

[awm]

i carry a 12 volt wench just for this type thing. also have a trailer hitch built into the floor at the front ,center of my trailer.
that thing comes in handy every once an a while

[DLCS]

I never really thought about all of this before. I think I got a excuse now for going out and buying a new winch. :)

Homer,

LOL, I think your idea is better.:D

[EIB]

I have a 2" receiver welded to the center front of my trailer. The winch is mounted to a 2" draw bar. All you have to to is slide it in and pull.

I have about 100' of cable on the winch, 200' of rope, and I also have two 30' tow ropes. On my small lawns I can pluck it from the middle of the lawn. All you have to do is get as close as you can with the trailer. Pull the cable out on the winch, run it through a snatch block, then add the needed amount of rope.

Sometimes it still takes brute force to get it close.

[rodfather]

Personally, I would just leave it where it is and go buy another one...j/k:D

Our Ferris's have relief values on the hydros. When something happens, we pull the values open and use another mower to pull it onto the trailer. PITA, but that is about all you can do.

If one of our Toro Groundsmasters goes does down and I can't get it going (they weigh almost 2000 lbs.), then it's roll-back time.

[Bluesteel]

Embarrassed to say this, but just a few weeks after buying a 52” Stander, the main drive belt broke on a new customer’s 2.5 acre lot. I hadn’t ever thought of it before, and even though the bypass valve was right in front of my eyes, I couldn’t find it. Another customer next door had a tractor and pulled me out to the driveway. I stood on my mower to make sure it had traction, and the wheels were turning (at first). But to my horror, when I turned around there were two skid marks about 100 feet long on a downhill slope. I was so freaking pissed, that I pushed that 750 pound beast up on the trailer without any help or releasing the bypass valve! Took a lot of reseeding that Fescue to fix that boondoggle this far south. LOL, I’d suggest some other rescue plan than adrenaline.

[ChrisE]

Sikorsky Sky Crane, $1500 per hour :)

[1grnlwn]

Push to trailer and use this (cheap enough).

[brucec32]

I bought a manual winch and mounted it on the front side of my trailer, and with enough rope you can tow anything back onto the trailer once you get it lined up. Hit the dump valves on a ZTR and push to get it to the trailer, though. I cut the pump belt on a rock once before the winch....I pushed the 900 lb #@W$@ onto my trailer once....ONCE!

Forget pushing it onto a truck bed w/o a LOT of help, though.

[mowerman90]

I've had this happen to me twice. The parking brake broke and the pieces got into the hydro on my Grasshopper 720. The left wheel was totally locked up but I had a boat winch bolted to the front of my trailer for just that purpose. I drove into the customers yard with my trailer and winched it up. The second time it happened was with my 725 G2 Grasshopper. A bearing went bad in the wheel motor and got sucked up into the pump and jammed everything up. Winched that one onto the trailer too. The solution for me was simple. I'll never buy another Grasshopper again as long as I live. :blob2:

[John Gamba]

I Use Hot Lip's And a Bag Of carrot's

John :help:

[HOMER]

Gee John, I bet that hair and dress get pretty hot in the summer time, do you mow in that outfit or just hang out?:)

Who's that guy to the left of you?

[Jason Rose]

I'm buying a wench this spring, manual crank, the same as to pull a boat. I think they come w/30' or so of cable or strap, I haven't checked too close yet. This thread reminded my of how many times I've pushed the ztr up my ramp because of a broken drive belt. I always keep spare belts in the tool box now and can usually swap one in the road if need be. The wench is just a little peace of mind.:)

[Mickhippy]

I was going to say a boat winch like Jason. If the mower is lets say at the back of a property, you could attach the winch to some kind of anker point like a tree or the front of the truck to get into a better position. It wouldnt be as easy as an electric winch but you could use it away from the truck. Hmmmm I might get one of these myself. I've also wondered how I would get my X595 back onto the trailer. You could also use it if you get a bit bogged. Be bloody hard work though.

[John Gamba]

Homer
Only When I Use a Walkbehined.
John.

[John Gamba]

Homer
Only When I Use a Walkbehined.
John.

[thfireman]

If you can fix it yourself and you just need parts, Chain the dang thing to a big tree and take off for the parts house. If the owner is home tell them so they will look out from time to time. If you got your guard dog riding around with you chain him to the mower..LOL

[FrankenScagMachines]

My 600+ pound Scag hydro w/b (52") has hydro release dump valves on each hydro pump. It would still be difficult for me to get on the trailer (I'm 5' 11" 155lbs and growing) but I have a manual crank winch I may mount on the tongue of the trailer just in case. I also use the trailer for hauling garden tractors and attachments for various things so it will be multi-purpose for me. I don't know where you could buy one like this but my grandpa gave it to me. You can use a come-along winch like 1grnlwn posted. They are pretty cheap and worth having along.

[chaos270]

I had a turf tiger slide into a swamp. We ended up having to dismantle armco guard railing to get the truck close enough to reach the mower with 25' of chain and a 20' tow sling. Lesson learned, that area was mowed with a walk behind the remainder of the season. Looking at a Ferris IS 5000Z, thinking if I buy this 2000# beast I better budget for a comealong to put keep in the box too.

[rodfather]

Originally posted by chaos270
Looking at a Ferris IS 5000Z, thinking if I buy this 2000# beast I better budget for a comealong to put keep in the box too.


If I were you, I would budget for decent winch. I'vd demoed the 5000 for a week or so last year. And yes, it's heavy.

I also know our Toro Groundsmasters (325D's) dress out around 2000 lbs as well and have had to winch them onto roll back wreckers in the past. A winch is my next investment...just not sure if I will attach it to a truck or a trailer.

[John Gamba]

Rodfather
Put The winch On the Truck If You Realy have a stuck Mower You can Pull It Up with No Problem. If you Put It On The trailer You Might Pull The trailer Over and get No where.
John.

[rodfather]

Originally posted by John Gamba
Rodfather
Put The winch On the Truck If You Realy have a stuck Mower You can Pull It Up with No Problem. If you Put It On The trailer You Might Pull The trailer Over and get No where.
John.


Good point, John:D

[Thompson Lawns]

get a "come a long" $30 at home depot or lowes