[paul]

How steep of a hill will you mow with a rider, 2 to 1, 3 to 1, 4 to 1. ( just so you know 2 to 1 is two foot of distance to one foot of fall) 1 to 1 = 45 degrees

 

[stick9]

Make an upside down V and I cut I'll cut it with a Dixie Chopper.


STICK-NInE

 

[bob]

I turned down a large community open area because the berms were too steep! I took my ZTR out there and it couldn't hold the hill. I don't know the angle limits on the mower, but if I can't ride it, I don't want it!

 

[Lazer]

With a rider, you can mow up and down, quite steep, possibly 2:1 (33%) and across 4:1 or so.

I hope the moderator "bleeps" out and % over 40 as though they were a swear word.

I have a clear spray tank on my Tracer and I can tell the EXACT % slope of any hill I can put it on. Anyone claiming to mow anything greater than 40% with a wheeled mower is completely full of ****.

 

[paul]

Lazer, maybe I spent too much time in the service but a 100% grade is 45o hill, so your saying that 4 to one is the steepest you can mow?
Reason for the question is we have a job that has a clay stock pile (60,000 cu yds) they want shaped and black dirted then seeded but they want to maintaine this hill the less dirt I have to move the cheaper for them, I make most of my money on the seed and netting that they need to control erosion.

 

[guntruck]

Hey paul what kind of netting?????????

 

[paul]

We are going to use coconut/straw netting sc150 from North American Green

 

[Lazer]

Being an installation and maintenance contractor, I've seen too many jobs were the GC wanted too steep a slope in a landscape setting.

Against my advise, they opted for fine lawn on a steep slope.

5 years down the road, these things are happening:

1.) The property owner pays more because maintenance contractors charge more for cutting those steep areas.

2.) Contractors dislike the exposure of putting a mower on a steep slope. Rollovers and out-of-control machines are not uncommon. Add that to spinning blades and you've got a dangerous situation.

3.) The mowing, whether done by a mower or line trimmer, always looks like crap. Mower tires leave ruts and spin-trimming a large area always looks poor.


Moral of the story: Plant other materials, install retaining walls, use a groundcover, etc, but DO NOT install a lawn area with a slope too steep to mow quickly, effieciently and safely.

 

[Alan]

I'm going to have to put an electronic level on the frame of my Exmark. I routinely mow places that sure look steeper than 1 in 4. If I find a place where the mower just won't stick I'll check the grade and report back

 

[Charles]

I do a very steep lake lot with my kubota belly mower. Sitting up high on it gives me the heebee jeebees. I have gotten use to going sideways on the slope over they years. But i have to go straight down sometimes. The zoysia grass that it contains is very slick like glass. Even though I have tractor tire on the back it will slide and then catch. Giving me a mini heart attack each time lol. It pay good or i would give it up for sure. I may give it up soon anyway. Its just not worth taking a chance. Because at the bottom is trees then the lake. When I got the job the man was impresses with the job i could do. Because the rest of the LC he had hired would f it up

 

[cantoo]

I did a job tonight with my Toro wbh that is a 12/12 pitch. I wouldn't even attempt that with a rider. I almost lost the wbh twice, it was a very quick trip to the bottom of the hill. I also wear cleated shoes for these properties. I had a few spectators watching to see if I fell. The last guy did the hill with a string trimmer, the guy before did it with a ford compact until the hydro blew out, he drove up and down.