Insane SOB

I saw a former client today and we got to talking about his lawn. He told me that he hired somebody new this year. No big deal. Then he told me how the new guy was cutting it and my jaw pretty much hit the floor. The whole property is a big hill, the front being the worst part. In the middle is the house, pool, fountain, and 3 car garage. The driveway alone is bad enough that masons are afraid to pave it. Apparently this new guy who is cutting the lawn goes in with some form of rider. He goes straight up the hill and then backs down. I tried going up that hill a few times on a rider. Going straight up you can do a very small part. If you go on a slight angle you can do a bit more, however if you let the machine get pointed downhill even a little bit... well you had better start praying. That is not saying what you can do as in quality wise.. that's as in what the machine will actually be able to climb. Personally, each time I would go to cut this place I would say a small prayer in hopes that I would not get hurt, or go through the house with the machine. Came close a few times. What kind of machine would do a hill like this going straight up and backing down? Where can I find balls of steel like this new guy apparently has?

 

Steep slopes suck!! Seems like they never want to pay enough to justify the risks involved in maintaining them.

 

I have a few like like that, but they go down to the water and if ya let go you better have a winch and a truck to get your mower out of the mud. Other wise than that my yards are pretty much flat.

 

I have two yards that I think a billy goat would have a problem keeping the grass low on. I just bought a new 48" Lazer a couple of months ago and it goes up and down them like they where flat. Try an Exmark, I was impressed.

 

I was more concerned about what the heck happens if you start going forward too fast on the hill, or if you stop too fast going down the hill?

 

Going up hill is all about momentum. Keep the hammer down and the mower will do the rest. You have to take it real easy coming down though. I will take a picture of my worst hill and link it to this thread. You will puke!

 

D.O.T state tractor with a boom mower.thats what i would use

 

A 4X4 out front kubota could do it. we had one hill so steep that was the only way you could mow it was up and down.

 

How steep is steep? I carry a protractor, a long straight edge, and level. Some of my accounts have 25-degree slopes that my 52” Stander handles, mowing across the slope.

In spots, it can do 27-degrees or so. Anything steeper than that and I won’t take the account. It’s just too much of a hassle and unforgiving, even when it’s dry (but not too dry) to mow.

Some of the really bad accounts around town have push-mower tracks on them, but I haven’t seen anyone working them.

 

I know nobody wants to hear it, but a garden tractor, such as a John Deere, etc., actually does hills FAR better than any Z out there. That said, I do not currently run any garden tractors but there are places that I wished I did!