I mean like 20-25 feet high slopes at about 40-60 degrees? I don't think a pushmower or self propelled mower would stay on the turf without wanting to slide down if I were to try and mow horizontally. Vertically, I might be able to go up but coming down would be a bear!....to say the least. I don't want to use a weedeater, it would look pretty rough. I know a ZTR couldn't handle it as well as any other riding mower. Is there any walk behind mower that could handle these slopes or what else is there??
What do you guys use to mow steep slopes?
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Novaowner
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I mean like 20-25 feet high slopes at about 40-60 degrees? I don't think a pushmower or self propelled mower would stay on the turf without wanting to slide down if I were to try and mow horizontally. Vertically, I might be able to go up but coming down would be a bear!....to say the least. I don't want to use a weedeater, it would look pretty rough. I know a ZTR couldn't handle it as well as any other riding mower. Is there any walk behind mower that could handle these slopes or what else is there??
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The trimmer is the only thing you could use. maybe a very light push.
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55 Posts
we have a yard like this you get real good with the weedeater real fast. two guys can "mow'' it fast
well if you have enough cash laying around you can get a boom mower. it mounts on a tractor. or you can use an excavator (track hoe) with the boom mower attatchment. matter of fact I have a very similar job coming up that I'm renting one for. costs just under 700 bucks a day to rent around here. but they're not too easy to come by. hope that helps, good luck man
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String trimmer on slopes that steep. I have a set of clamp on cleats i use when doing steep hills like this.
I don't like mowing anything steep and will always resort to a hand held trimmer.
Be safe because it only takes one wrong step and you will end up under what ever your trying to use.
If your going to try the z wear your seat belt and make sure your ROPS are safe and secure.
I would only mow up and down and not side to side.
Just my comment and we all need to be safe so we can see our families at the end of the work day.
I don't like mowing anything steep and will always resort to a hand held trimmer.
Be safe because it only takes one wrong step and you will end up under what ever your trying to use.
If your going to try the z wear your seat belt and make sure your ROPS are safe and secure.
I would only mow up and down and not side to side.
Just my comment and we all need to be safe so we can see our families at the end of the work day.
I have one property that was murder going side to side cause of the terrible angle on the edge/side. It's like up on a hill. I found a way to push up and then down, back and forth 'til I get it all. This is with a 21. I wouldn't dare try that with a 470 lbs wb, but I'm not sure what they can do since I don't have one YET. I take a break about 1/2 way through to get back my wind and recoup. Takes some arm and legg strength but I manage. Would wanna ask any girl or un-fit person to do it. I've also thought about using a trimmer but it's faster with the mower. If it was much steeper I'd have to use a trimmer.
There is a church right next to my house that has a hill just like the one you are describing. But it is right in front of the church, so I imagine that is why they get it cut. The guys that have the contract use walk behinds to cut it, and boy do they look unhappy doing it. I know I would be...
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Simple, use a hover mower.
Husky makes them, as well as Allen - which is the one my crew uses.
We have several 3/4 acre retention ponds which have steep slopes so all the crew does is attach a rope to the handle and walk around the top. Need to mow lower, let out more rope.
Best thing is these mowers float so if you have grass growing out in the water just let the mower hover out there and cut.
Husky makes them, as well as Allen - which is the one my crew uses.
We have several 3/4 acre retention ponds which have steep slopes so all the crew does is attach a rope to the handle and walk around the top. Need to mow lower, let out more rope.
Best thing is these mowers float so if you have grass growing out in the water just let the mower hover out there and cut.
At first I thought you were being smart, until I did a search and found them! I can't believe it. I see eastman industries carries them online. How expensive were the ones you purchased?....and thanks for the info!
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Why didnt I think of a hovering mower? Thats gotta be the coolest thing I have seen in a long time!
http://www.hovermower.com/hovermower.htm
This is funny, I was just helping a friend today mow the drainage ditch and to the canal. I have a very old flymo, which is the 60's hover mower. The ditch is about 6 feet deep. 200 feet across his yard and in soft black muck. There was about 2 feet of water in it today. Now this is a guy in the landscape business and he has never figured out how to tame this ditch. I went to visit my friend and he's out there with a string trimmer trying to tame it and slides right into the water with his hiking boots on. I went home and got the flymo and football cleats, didn't slip once. It's best to use the 1" studs .
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237 Posts
make that a remote control and your employees who always argue over who has to do the retention ponds will be all over it!
The smallest Eastman Hover Mower was around $800 the last time I looked at them. Occasionally, old Flymo's show up on eBay but they sell fast.
Ventrac and Steiner make low profile "tractors" that are supposed to work on hills.
Some people put dual wheels on Powertracs and claim they are pretty good o hills.
Some slope mowers:
http://www.kutkwick.com/superslopemaster.htm
This is on eBay until 7/24/07:
http://cgi.ebay.com/KUT-KWICK-UM23-...-UM23-60-60-SLOPE-LAWN-MOWER-TRACTOR-KOHLER_W0QQitemZ140139470515QQcmdZViewItem
There's another one that is a three wheeler and pivots on the center axis but I can't find the URL.
Ventrac and Steiner make low profile "tractors" that are supposed to work on hills.
Some people put dual wheels on Powertracs and claim they are pretty good o hills.
Some slope mowers:
http://www.kutkwick.com/superslopemaster.htm
This is on eBay until 7/24/07:
http://cgi.ebay.com/KUT-KWICK-UM23-...-UM23-60-60-SLOPE-LAWN-MOWER-TRACTOR-KOHLER_W0QQitemZ140139470515QQcmdZViewItem
There's another one that is a three wheeler and pivots on the center axis but I can't find the URL.
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5,524 Posts
Or, you might consider a "small" WB mower that weighs about 270 pounds. Either the Billy Goat 33" FM3300 or FM3301 WB, or, the Quick 36" WB mowers. These machines are wide enough to cut 18,000 square feet in no time and light enough to handle on a slope. The manufacturers say to mow across a slope and not up and down, however, on a slope like that you would have to go up and down !!
How did you know about my remote control mower....oh well that secret is out. Not sure how any riding mower could do this slope I mowed, it is steeper than 45 degrees in most places. Maybe a remote controlled mower with rubber tracks, that would do the trick!
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Hey there..... Husky also sells a push/trimmer version of the hover mower as well.... it's the HVT52 - I believe and they sell for around $500 -550. They are on ebay from time to time as well. I'm thinking about buying the Eastman mid-grade model. Looks like a fun and handy rig.... best of luck to all.
Jason
Jason
Those thing appear to be heavy and cumbersome. How do you find them in that regard?
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82 Posts
If it is a dry slope that doesn't have major risk if you slide down, I take the Scag V-Ride 1 with 8 psi in the rear tires. Tire pressure plays a huge roll, even at 10 psi it will slide. I can side hill on slopes that are hard to stand on. I measured one at 55 degrees. If there is a risk if you slide down I just trim it, not worth risking the mower.
Here's an option. I couldn't get close enough to read the name but this r/c mower is incredible. It will mow on pretty well any angle and it has something like a drum mower or something. Takes on large tall weeds and chomps them down in one pass leaving a decent finish.
Of all the bank mowers I've seen this one is hands down the most impressive.
![Image]()
Of all the bank mowers I've seen this one is hands down the most impressive.
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