Re: (ET) Front mount mower mowing pattern

[Chris Tromley <ctromley gmail com>]

I looked into this carefully before I bought my New Idea EGT-150 with a belly mower.  The front mount tractors have a shorter wheelbase which allows a much tighter turning radius.  (You can mount a front deck on a belly mount tractor, but the longer wheelbase makes for terrible maneuverability.)  A front mower can get under rail fences, bushes, etc.  But you always turn around your rear wheels, and a front mower's deck is way out in front, meaning that in tight maneuvers your rear wheels will always be well inside the cutting swath.  That's a big problem for me.  I have several trees out in the middle of the lawn and planting areas with curvy edges surrounding.  With a front deck you can't cut close enough to a tree and I'd really rather not drive through the planted areas.

If these are also problems for you and you already have a front mower, maybe the best approach is to make maybe four partial passes around each tree and nose into any other tight radius curves first.  Then cut the bulk area, concentrating on where your swath is, not your wheels.

Chris

P.S.  The thing I like least about my belly mower is that the roller hardware can dig in when reversing on uneven ground.  I've lost count of how many times I've had to tweak the deck back into shape from that.  When in doubt, raise the deck before backing!

On Wed, May 11, 2011 at 10:12 PM, Peter Bishop <plnsbishop frontier com> wrote:

OK, fellow ETers, is it just me or do front mount mowers suck for maneuverability?  Wondering if anyone has any ideas for mowing patterns?

 

 

 

Pete Bishop

ph: 608-235-9390

e-m:  plnsbishop frontier com

     

Deo Submissus,

In Deo Potens

 

Viva Cristo Rey!

 

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