Need Your Help Designing A BETTER Zero Turn Mower

[ramcat]

I think you should look into eliminating hydraulic fluid altogether. Maybe a golf cart style drive system with joystick controls?

[Realslowww]

There is a good market for a Mega Z,you should make something no one else does. 33 or 36 inch tires that can be run in dually, dual belts like on the new Kubota's. 35 HP diesel, keep it real simple and easy to fix, no complex suspension.

You should do 72 or bigger only and make it for the industrial cutter only, all the rain we have had in FL this year has really shown that the 24 or 26 inch tires are to small. My Z is getting stuck and so is all of the D.O.T Z's that are doing the roadway cutting this year.

If you want to make a winner make a Z nobody else does the Mega Mower, normal LCO's need not apply.

[sgbotsford]

1. As far as possible use off the shelf parts. This will keep your costs down. I had to replace a bearing on my grasshopper. $12. becaause it was a standard part.

2. Don't be too clever in the packaging. I had to replace a linkage pin on my grasshopper that required 9 inch long fingers to reach. Try to set it up so that everything is easily reachable. This may mean making the body a bit roomier.

3. Previous poster wanted gear drive PTO. I think I would rather burn a belt than grind a tooth.

4. Every mower I've had has 2-3" clearance between the blade and the edge of the mower. Figure out a way to get that blade tip closer to the wall.

5. I want an option for rear discharge, so I can use either edge against a barrier, and NOT spray clippings into the flower beds when there is only 10 feet between two beds.

6. I want it to be quiet. Quiet engine. Quiet hydraulics. I would like to NEED a horn to wake up the dog sleeping on the lawn. A quiet mower can mean an ealier start in a residential neighborhood.

7. Have you looked at diesel electric instead of hydraulics? Should cut the fuel use in half. May not be economical. The usual application is at much larger machines, but it would make the mechanics a lot simpler.

8. Don't hide the wiring. Protect, yes. Hide no.

9. Build in lifting lugs. This allows easy loading into a pickup/trailer when it's not working. Also allows you to hoist easily in the shop or from a loader bucket to work on.

10. Agree with previous poster, "Redneck" is not a selling feature. Images that come to mind from the phrase 'redneck mower'.

* Cow grazing in the front yard.
* Bush mower cut -- ragged ends, uneven. The grass equivalent of a do-it-yourself haircut.
* Some rube goldberg contraption put together from pieces of a horse drawn bailer, an outboard motor, an old kitchen sink and a butter churn.

11. One hand steering. Really hard to fend off branches of a low hanging tree with two lever steering.

12. Mounting points for auxilarly stuff. I mow woodland trails at times. I get stuck. Would really like to have an option to put an electric winch on a mower.


Things I *don't* need.

* Lights. I don't mow in the dark.
* Cup holder
* Ash tray
* Enclosed cab

[jrs.landscaping]

Needs to be diesel
Have MOD
DFS bagger capable
Ability to mow hills
I also like the full speed fescue idea
12V accessory
I also would prefer to have a cup holder

[lil]

Some of the post in this thread remind me of this

[mtmower]

Originally Posted by Realslowww

There is a good market for a Mega Z,you should make something no one else does. 33 or 36 inch tires that can be run in dually, dual belts like on the new Kubota's. 35 HP diesel, keep it real simple and easy to fix, no complex suspension.

You should do 72 or bigger only and make it for the industrial cutter only, all the rain we have had in FL this year has really shown that the 24 or 26 inch tires are to small. My Z is getting stuck and so is all of the D.O.T Z's that are doing the roadway cutting this year.

If you want to make a winner make a Z nobody else does the Mega Mower, normal LCO's need not apply.

I've been told by next year all diesels will be 24 hp or less due to EPA. Anything larger will require the urea to pass emissions. Just another PITA item to deal with while trying to still make a buck.

[mtmower]

Originally Posted by sgbotsford

1. As far as possible use off the shelf parts. This will keep your costs down. I had to replace a bearing on my grasshopper. $12. becaause it was a standard part.

2. Don't be too clever in the packaging. I had to replace a linkage pin on my grasshopper that required 9 inch long fingers to reach. Try to set it up so that everything is easily reachable. This may mean making the body a bit roomier.

3. Previous poster wanted gear drive PTO. I think I would rather burn a belt than grind a tooth.

4. Every mower I've had has 2-3" clearance between the blade and the edge of the mower. Figure out a way to get that blade tip closer to the wall.

5. I want an option for rear discharge, so I can use either edge against a barrier, and NOT spray clippings into the flower beds when there is only 10 feet between two beds.

6. I want it to be quiet. Quiet engine. Quiet hydraulics. I would like to NEED a horn to wake up the dog sleeping on the lawn. A quiet mower can mean an ealier start in a residential neighborhood.

7. Have you looked at diesel electric instead of hydraulics? Should cut the fuel use in half. May not be economical. The usual application is at much larger machines, but it would make the mechanics a lot simpler.

8. Don't hide the wiring. Protect, yes. Hide no.

9. Build in lifting lugs. This allows easy loading into a pickup/trailer when it's not working. Also allows you to hoist easily in the shop or from a loader bucket to work on.

10. Agree with previous poster, "Redneck" is not a selling feature. Images that come to mind from the phrase 'redneck mower'.

* Cow grazing in the front yard.
* Bush mower cut -- ragged ends, uneven. The grass equivalent of a do-it-yourself haircut.
* Some rube goldberg contraption put together from pieces of a horse drawn bailer, an outboard motor, an old kitchen sink and a butter churn.

11. One hand steering. Really hard to fend off branches of a low hanging tree with two lever steering.

12. Mounting points for auxilarly stuff. I mow woodland trails at times. I get stuck. Would really like to have an option to put an electric winch on a mower.


Things I *don't* need.

* Lights. I don't mow in the dark.
* Cup holder
* Ash tray
* Enclosed cab

Pretty sure this is OSHA required.

[orangemower]

Originally Posted by mtmower

I've been told by next year all diesels will be 24 hp or less due to EPA. Anything larger will require the urea to pass emissions. Just another PITA item to deal with while trying to still make a buck.

I wouldn't sweat that aspect. It could be converted over.

[hackitdown]

I would never associate myself or my company with anything called "Redneck". I don't want to be a redneck, be around a redneck, or do business with a redneck.

[Realslowww]

Originally Posted by hackitdown

I would never associate myself or my company with anything called "Redneck". I don't want to be a redneck, be around a redneck, or do business with a redneck.

With all these weird request for a mower design he should probably call it Afro Engineered Mowers.