If you ask yourself "I THINK I can make it..." you probably shouldn't try it.

It's not worth risking expensive equipment just to get the job done a few minutes faster.

I'm not sure of a strategy, once you've lost control, it's over.

 

Depending on the danger, I'll try to whip the front end toward the top of the hill with the controls by reversing the wheel closest to the top of the hill, and full stick forward on the other wheel, then pull the emergency brake as fast as possible.

After that, I get off the mower to un-pucker my butt.

 

Depending on the danger, I'll try to whip the front end toward the top of the hill with the controls by reversing the wheel closest to the top of the hill, and full stick forward on the other wheel, then pull the emergency brake as fast as possible.

After that, I get off the mower to un-pucker my butt.

This and sometimes full stick in reverse to stop sliding
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depends. if you are still sideways sometimes you can regain control by doing like said above by going full stick forward on the wheel that's on the lower side of the hill and backwards on the uphill side wheel. you will slide a bit but once the wheels are facing up the hill a bit you are in control again and just keep mowing.

if the front wheels ever take off down hill there's really nothing you can do but slide to the bottom of the hill.

 

i would consider myself an advanced noob on the lazer. Have cut my share but spread out over a few years and really not on any challenging lawns. Clearly I have a lot to learn and was lucky to only dig up the customers hill and not get hurt. Was not a good start to the day
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If you ask yourself "I THINK I can make it..." you probably shouldn't try it.

It's not worth risking expensive equipment just to get the job done a few minutes faster.

I'm not sure of a strategy, once you've lost control, it's over.

This.

And the cost of expensive equipment is small potatoes compared to potential medical bills or worse yet... Quite a few people killed on ztr's this year. If you have any question about if it can be done safely or not, grab a walkbehind or trimmer. Not worth the risk.

 

Hold on for the ride? I had this happen on my zspray within the first few months and I was always careful, but i just made a lil' mistake in my pattern and lost it.. I was also lucky i didn't get hurt or do any major damage. I don't know how a zspray compares to a mower though. Locking casters on that thing and you can do fine on hills, I just happened to turn down into a hill to much and it was all over. Needless to say... IF i have any doubts i find another way to do the job and don't risk it, not worth it.

 

And to think of all the crap I caught from guys that say hydros are safer than belt drives on hills. Stop the slide if you can. Might take a winch to get it out of a uam. Manufacturers should have pursued the front caster brakes idea that was invented a few years back.
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When mowing slopes I never just mow straight across the slope. I always point the mower just a little uphill on the top side, kind of kitty corner it. Then if you feel any slippage you just point the front wheels straight uphill and barrow your way out.

 

On steeper slops we kind of "crab" our ride on Z's so if it starts to slide full forward on the downhill stick and full reverse on uphill stick gets us pointed uphill. Where I live is mostly hills so all our ride on Z's have 50lb wheel weights.
We also have 2 pre trimstar 54" Hustler walkbehinds with sulkies for the slopes which really don't slide unless pointed downhill that we do most side slopes with.
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I always put on my brown pants before I mow the side hills.
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rickpilgrim - do those wheel weights make a big difference on hills?

I live in west virginia - so i deal with plenty of hills. Where did you get them also.

 

rickpilgrim - do those wheel weights make a big difference on hills?

I live in west virginia - so i deal with plenty of hills. Where did you get them also.

A noticable difference, it helps with no skid mark turns and slopes in climbing and side slope. Mine are from a Simplicity garden tractor that are cement filled plastic and they are on our Husquvarna MZ 6128.
If you run with a bagger and have the weights you have to be carefull, it will defiantly lift the front wheels up on steeper climbs and aggressive control movements.
You can accomplish the same thing by filling your drive wheels to 60-70% full of rv antifreeze/water mix which is what the Walker guys do around here but you have to be sure to use the same amount in each tire and keep the recommended psi in the tires as the ride gets a bit stiffer.
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weight makes a huge difference. my john deere z920a has an 80lb bumper on the rear and sticks to hills like glue. i used a loaner mower a z915b that had no rear bumper and it didn't hold the hills nearly as good. it was almost scary to mow hills with that mower. on mine there is no fear. it will stick to the hill like glue.

 

weight makes a huge difference. my john deere z920a has an 80lb bumper on the rear and sticks to hills like glue. i used a loaner mower a z915b that had no rear bumper and it didn't hold the hills nearly as good. it was almost scary to mow hills with that mower. on mine there is no fear. it will stick to the hill like glue.

Good example. X2
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The exact thing happened to me a few days ago. Wet grass, slope I have mowed all season. Made the wrong turn and away she went. The slope turns in to an embankment then drops off straight down to a road way. I tried locking the wheels but ended up jumping off and watching it fall. It landed on all four with no damage but I was literally shaking. I just bought a used walk behind for the hills I do.

 

Do you and someone have a suicide pact worked out? Did you huff glue before going out to work this morning? I'm just curious because I'm not understanding why you would mow a steep property on a wet morning with a zero turn.

Zero turns are dangerous. Walk behind it next time, or mow it later.
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I always put on my brown pants before I mow the side hills.
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LOL I like this answer or better yet buy a WB for hills if you value your life.

 

LOL I like this answer or better yet buy a WB for hills if you value your life.

I did.
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Be careful if you whip it around while sliding. Idk if your mower will do a wheely easily but one of mine will, and if the back catches traction up hill in a hurry you could possibly flip over backwards and I'd much rather slide down hill forwards than going over back wards. I try whipping it around when it slides but once I get it back sideways I quit for this reason. I've gotten to where if I slide I yank both back and just reverse back up the incline i don't care if I leave tread marks over going down a ditch.

 

My main lazers all have trac vac systems so they have weights in front in my case both my current ones have 150 pounds of weight in front they have about that behind as well. The frame of the vac is steel and will act like wheelie bars and block it from flipping if it gets to far into a wheelie so its safe to do some aggressive defensive moves if needed.

Now there is many ways you could slide on a hill... If i was driving up the hill and the grass is to saturated and brakes free causing the wheels to dig into mud. Then in this case the way to get out is a quick pull back on the sticks and reverse off the slick and recover after your roll clear. I have a hill in my back yard this happens on occasionally through out the year.

Now if your going side to side and I prefer to start at the bottom if I do this and turn up each pass climbing the hill. But if your going side to side and the rear wheels kick out and start to slide then in this case pulling back and going down the hill in reverse diagonally till you are clear and can recover is the best bet.

If the front casters are what give out and your pulled forward in a free fall this can be a bit more dangerous. This requires you to get control of the free fall you get this by powering forward into the free fall to your rear wheels are working and not sliding then you push through a turn into the incline and this stops the fall and regains control.

If there's no room for a maneuver like that then your mowing in a place you should not be on. A 20 degree hill is doable and can be done safely. If the hill has a nice flat or gradual slope at the bottom you have plenty of ways to save your self if needed. But what if the bottom ends with a 3 foot or higher retaining wall. It's the same slope only since there is no safe way to recover you do not put your ztr on it if you value your life. Same thing with ponds and iv mowed around my share of them but you know to keep your distance and a veteran like myself knows that with in an inch. But if you don't know that then stay away and assume the whole thing is off limits.

 

great advice all and thanks. Learning a ton here, will post pics of slope damage when i mow it again on monday
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Always steer downhill to stop a skid, never uphill.

Preferably front first if possible, but if you have already slid too far that your back end is downhill, then go downhill backwards under power until you get the wheels rolling enough to regain control and steer out of it.

It is always better to go down a slope forward or backward even if out of control than it is sliding sideways. Even if there is water or roadway or other danger downhill, it is still better to aim for it, and then try to regain control, and steer out, than it is to slide and flip.

 

Take it from someone that has experienced a roll over and was seriously hurt..... Stay the hell off the hill. It is not worth it.