“I don’t know how to drive a zero turn mower with one hand, it’s all Greek to me!”Seems quite difficult? Actually, it won’t be that difficult once you know the guidelines of riding a zero-turn lawn mower.
That’s a pretty common speech of those persons who are very new in the world of zero-turn mowers. But believe it or not, driving such mowers is nothing but a piece of cake!
Here, we’ll teach you how you can safely drive your mower with one hand. Although it sounds kind of complicated, driving the tractor will seem to be a walk in the park to you when you get familiar with the basic steps.
So, without further ado, let’s have a cup of tea, and dive into the article to learn the pro tactics.
How to Drive A Zero Turn Mower with One Hand?
When it comes to riding the ZTR with only one hand, everybody thinks it is difficult. That’s what everybody actually thinks, which isn’t true.
So, how to drive the zero-turn mower with one hand if it isn’t that difficult? Let’s learn that step by step.
Step 1: Read the Manual and Understand the Instructions
Before you learn how to operate a zero-turn mower with one hand, go thorugh the mower manual once. Understand all the instructions deeply written on the zero-turn mower.
The more deeply you understand the instruction, the more accurately you can operate the mower.
Step 2: Preparation for Giving A Trial Following the Instructions,
Prepare yourself for giving a trial with your zero-turn mower before the real operation. Figure out a spacious fake location for operating your zero-turn mower. Follow the instructions given on the zero-turn mower’s manual while operating the mower. Afterward, drive to our next step.
Step 3: Get the Control and Move the Mower
Own the seat onto the mower, Start the engine and hold the mower’s handles comfortably. Release the brake and press the handles. You’ll see that the mower has started to roll.
Roll the mower from forward to backward and backward to forward to test the speed. Once you understand the speed level, you’ll get good control over the zero-turn mower.
Step 4: Using One Hand for Rolling
Driving the zero-turn mowers isn’t that difficult if you get good control on the handles. Use one hand while driving the zero-turn mower instead of two.
However, you can drive the zero-turn mower with one hand only when you’re mowing the soft green lawn. Driving the zero-turn mowers with one hand becomes difficult when it comes to fences or brick buildings.
Step 5: Re-Engaging the Cranks Engine
During operation, when the mower’s engine cranks, press the suffocating knot in. afterward, pull the throttle quickly so that the mower becomes ready to roll. And when it becomes ready to roll, you must release the parking brake.
Step 6: Rotate the Mower
Rotate the mower at different angles to understand how long you have to make the handles. At first, try at 360 angles and then 180 angle rotation.
Step 7: Up the Hills
Sometimes it becomes complicated to operate the zero-turn mowers on the high hills. That’s because the mountain hills aren’t even like lawns.
But you can handle the zero-turn mower using only one hand. It is too easy to control the speed of the zero-turn mower. Try to rotate the zero-turn mower on the mountain to see whether you can control it or not.
But it’s would be safe not to go over 15 degrees when the grass is wet. If you rotate the mower on the dry grass, you won’t get maximum traction from the mower.
Expert’s Advice:
You shouldn’t be over-excited while driving your zero-turn mower with one hand. It requires a couple of tries or practices to get used to it! Feel free to Checkthis video to get some practical knowledge and tips on riding a zero-turn riding lawn mower.
Tips for Mowing Steep Hills through ZTR Mower
Follow the basic steps when you go for mowing steep hills using either a large or small zero turn lawn mower:
Why Is It Advantageous to Mow with Zero Turn Mowers?
Undoubtedly, riding a zero-turn mower is easy and beneficial compared to other mowers. Why? Keep reading on to understand the reasons.
Maneuverability
The zero-turn mowers are popular for their maneuverability. When You can turn the mower at 360 degrees, you can also turn it to 180 degrees. Indeed, the easy maneuverability enhances the efficiency of the zero-turn mowers.
Thanks to its two handles placed at each side of the mower, it offers easier control.
Mowing Time Reduction
Unbelievably, mowing the lawn with zero-turn mowers takes comparatively less time than most other mowers.
If you look into the zero-turn mowers, you’ll see that the mowers are smaller than others, like riding mowers. But, the speed and capability of the small zero-turn mower are higher than the large mowers.
Due to the faster speed, the zero-turn mower runs fast and reduces the required mowing time.
Versatility
You can attach multiple sorts of spreaders, sprayers, and many things into the zero-turn mower. No matter which model you’ve chosen, you can use the zero-turn mower for multiple applications.
Possibly that’s why the zero-turn mower is popular for its versatility.
Efficiency
The zero-turn mower comes with a good cutting speed. The horsepower of the mower mostly ranges from a minimum of 5to 30 Horse Power or even more, which shows how efficient the mower engine can run.
Furthermore, the zero-turn mower features a long blade radius which is important for efficient work capacity.
With this horsepower and long blade, the zero-turn mower offers a wide range of work capacities.
Less Weed Eating
Using the zero-turn mower prevents the necessity of trimming the grass. The zero-turn mower features an excellent turning radius and maneuverability.
Due to the turning radius and maneuverability, the zero-turn mower perfectly prevents the necessity of trimming.
Cleaner Cuts and Better-Looking Lawn
People invest in the mower and provide effort to get a better-looking lawn after a cleaner cut. The zero-turn mower offers a cleaner cut to your lawn with excellent maneuverability and a large sharp blade.
Needless to say, after a cleaner cut, there blooms out a fantastic look of your lawn.
Comfortability
The zero-turn mowers are comfortable and easier to use than most other ones, especially the riding mower. Obviously, the first reason is its size which isn’t higher than a man’s.
As the zero-turn mower is small, you can rotate it anywhere at any angle.
This Video Will Help You Too!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How Do You Manually Move A Zero-Turn Mower?
Push the hydraulic pins in to release your hydraulic gears. Afterward, push those pins in and put your handlebars in and release your parking brake.
Now push the zero-turn mower from back to forth. Without causing so much effort, you can now straightforwardly move the mower from its position.
What Controls the Levers on A Zero-Turn Mower?
The levers control the rear wheels into the Zero-turn mower; wherein, the left lever controls the left rear wheel. Conversely, the right lever controls the right rear wheels.
Can You Push A Zero Turn Mower?
Yes, you can manually push the zero-turn mower. But you cannot do it only using your strength only. Also, put on the necessary techniques to drive the zero-turn mower manually.
The Sum Up!
As a beginner, it’s so important to know how to drive a zero turn mower with one hand, keeping all those risks and troubles at bay! We tried to show you the simplest technique possible so that you can learn it with ease and utilize it very quickly.
If it helped to some, don’t forget to share this with your friends, families, and neighbors, especially if they want to drive a zero-turning mower as well with a single hand. Also, be aware of the safety issues and read the user manual after you make your final purchase.
Stay safe and happy mowing!