MOWERS/POWER EQUIPMENT: Quick Turnaround

Zero-turn mowers have become so popular in the landscape industry that many mower manufacturers say they’re becoming synonymous with the term “riding mower.” Industrywide, demand for zero-turn mowers has increased by more than 30 percent in each of the last two years, according to Wes Freeman, brand manager, John Deere Commercial Mowing, Cary, N.C.

This trend may be attributed to increased productivity contractors experience with zero-turn mowers, which are designed to be more maneuverable and faster than lawn tractors, while comparable in cost to large walk-behind units. Comparing traditional riders and walk-behinds to zero-turn mowers is a little like “comparing a horse and buggy to the modern car,” says Ruthanne Stucky, marketing manager, The Grasshopper Co., Moundridge, Kan. “By increasing productivity up to 50 and 70 percent, a contractor can increase his number of contracts while decreasing his costs per acre to perform the work,” she says.

That doesn’t mean more traditional mowers will become obsolete, but it does signal a major change in production efforts, say several manufacturers of zero-turn units. “Most manufacturers are switching to building zero-turn mowers,” says Rick Judy, media marketing manager for Dixie Chopper, Coatesville, Ind. “Everybody is trying to build a zero-turn right now, and that’s where they’re going to go in the next couple of years. I’m not sure you’ll be able to buy anything with a steering wheel on it.”

Mike Kadel, marketing manager for Dixon Industries, agrees, saying that the zero-turn mower is the fastest-growing segment of the commercial mower market. “It continues to grow, posting double-digit gains since 2003, and they’re predicting that trend will continue with double-digit gains going into 2005 and 2006,” he says.

Simply put, “Zero-turns are the mowers of today,” says Jim Forrester, distributor manager, Encore Manufacturing Co., Beatrice, Neb. With that said, contractors can expect that many manufacturers will focus new mower advancements on the zero-turn market. Some changes will include more compact decks, better fuel efficiency and improved rider comfort.

COMPARE AND CONTRAST.  Zero-turn mowers provide exactly what the name suggests – the ability to pivot on a dime. For contractors, this feature significantly reduces mowing time. A zero-turn mower can turn 10 times before a tractor can make one full turn, Judy says. By utilizing control levers for turning, acceleration and breaking, zero-turn mowers minimize the number of motions an operator must complete to operate the machine.

“The time you save is in the turning, whereas a regular tractor mower takes a little longer for it to turn a corner,” Kadel says. “The exceptional maneuverability of that product, coupled with the ability to turn so much faster really cuts down on your mowing time. The number of yards you can knock out in a day is very important.”
And that translates into more productivity. “With a zero-turn, you are able to pick up more yards than with a tractor,” Judy says. “Maybe contractors did 5 yards in a day with a tractor, and now they can do 10 or 12 per day with a zero-turn mower.”

In addition to increased productivity, zero-turn mowers may actually make the job enjoyable, says Jack Drobny, a product manager with Cub Cadet, Cleveland, Ohio. “The zero- turn has brought back excitement to mowing,” he says. “Grass is a necessary evil, so why not make it fun to cut? The zero-turn has definitely done that for operators because they have the ability to do whatever they need to do – trim, cut, and by going down to the end of the row and having the ability to spin and come straight back.”

It’s that type of maneuverability that has made zero-turn mowers a viable alternative to commercial walk-behind mowers. As zero-turn mowers become more affordable, many contractors are replacing their larger walk-behinds with these smaller, more compact units. “I think the trend has been to go from the intermediate walk-behinds – 50 inches and above – to the smaller zero-turn mowers in the 40- to 50-inch class,” says Roy Dust, product specialist, Ferris Industries, Munnsville, N.Y.

Contractors can purchase a 61-inch, 23 horsepower, walk-behind mower for about $900 less than a 52-inch, 25 horsepower zero-turn mower, according to Dust. Although contractors are getting a smaller sized deck for a zero-turn mower, Dust notes that contractors increase their ground speed, reduce operator fatigue and minimize trailer space with the smaller units.

Despite such advantages, there are still situations where walk-behind mowers and traditional riding mowers are more appropriate. Tractors are typically more suited for ground-engaging attachments, such as aerators, tillers or snow removal applications, Drobny says. “A zero-turn is just that – it turns immediately – and in the winter if you come across a drift, you don’t want to turn that quickly,” he explains.

Likewise, walk-behind mowers perform better than zero-turn mowers in certain situations. “Most landscapers still need the commercial walk-behind,” Freeman says. “They still have certain properties where a walk-behind will go that you can’t get to with a zero-turn mower, such as certain slopes or smaller properties.”

Forrester agrees that the walk-behind market will likely remain but that zero-turn mowers will continue to convert many contractors. “He can mow the yard faster, he can get as pretty of a cut and he doesn’t have a lot of additional weight on that product, so the zero-turn mower is going to replace a lot of walk-behind units because you have 34- or 42-inch zero-turn mowers that are doing what larger walk-behinds used to do,” Forrester says.
 
NOT DONE YET. Even though they consider zero-turn mowers to be faster, and more comfortable and maneuverable than other mower types, many manufacturers say they’re working to make these machines even more user-friendly. Contractors who want larger mower decks but don’t want to occupy too much space on their trailers can now purchase some zero-turn units with “fold-up” decks.

By flipping a switch, operators can raise the sides of some zero-turn decks, reducing their width from 48 to 36 inches, Drobny says. These decks allow contractors to fit through a 36-inch gate but still cut at 48 inches.   

The ability to navigate around hard-to-reach areas can also reduce the time contractors spend operating handheld products. “What you used to do with handheld products, today you can maneuver and get into tighter spots with a zero-turn mower,” Forrester says. “The day of the rear-engine rider is gone. It didn’t provide the maneuverability that you get with a zero-turn mower.”

Another deck advancement on zero-turn mowers is a “mulch-on-demand” feature that allows operators to switch from side discharge to mulching by moving a lever, Freeman says, adding that these decks, which will be available in fall 2005, cost an additional $700 to $800.

These changes are designed to save the contractor time, but they can’t always compensate for operator fatigue. That’s when suspension systems come into play.  Previously, some mowers featured an independent suspension arm, similar to the front suspension on most cars, Dust says. One new suspension system now utilizes a torsion bar or torque type system that has less moving parts and occupies less space so the manufacturer can install the system on units with decks 60 inches or smaller. As a result, operators gain “more of a sports car ride vs. the luxury sedan ride of the older system,” Dust says.

The suspension system can add $1,000 to $1,700 to the cost of the mower, depending on deck and engine size. But it adds comfort, resulting in improved efficiency. “We’ve never had anybody come back and say they’ve improved productivity by less than 10 percent,” Dust explains. “We’ve had people come back and say they’ve had 40 percent. The rougher ground you’re mowing, the more the suspension will do for you.”

Forrester refers to some of these new features as the “NASCAR mentality.” Manufacturers are responding to contractor demands by installing lumbar seats that are positioned lower on the machine to provide the operator with better visibility, he says. “We have a more polished customer than we had five years ago, as far as realizing what it’s going to take to be comfortable,” he points out.

And like NASCAR drivers, contractors “feel the need for speed.” Zero-turn mowers are keeping in step with the industry trend for more horsepower. “We’ve almost reached a point of horsepower overkill,” Forrester says. “What we used to do with a 17-hp mower, we’re doing with a 25-hp mower today.”