Is It Worth Buying A Zero Turn Mower With Steering Wheels?

Zero turn mowers, thanks to their special functionalities, are gradually taking over the lawn mowing industry. Though handheld mowers are still quite popular amongst smaller residential lawns, bigger lawns generally see the use of zero turn mowers and they are also used by professional lawn mowing agencies.

If you don’t know what is so special about zero turn mowers, basically they, as the name suggests, give you a zero turning radius, meaning you can turn your mower on spot  without having to steer it around.

Zero turn mowers, however, are still very expensive as compared to regular mowers. Even with the expensive and high price point, they offer a ton of additional features in addition to grass cutting of course.

One of the unique things that is generally seen in most zero turn mowers is the handlebar system that is used for steering. They work on a similar principle as a stroller or a trolley cart. There are generally two handlebars each of which allow you to control one of the back wheels. You need to move both handlebars in order to go in a direction of your choice.  The pressure you apply on the handlebars determine the speed of your mower.

This system is quite different from regular vehicles and thus can be a bit difficult for some users to familiarize themselves with. Luckily,there also exists mowers that have a steering wheel just like regular mowers but they give you a zero turning capability.

While each of these two systems have their own benefits and drawbacks, it greatly depends on your personal preferences and the type of lawn you are using the mower on.

It is known that zero turn mowers do not work well on slopes or wet grass. This is because the front wheels in general handlebar systems are free to wobble around and this can make steering hard when uneven forces due to slopes or reduced friction are applied on them. Thus having handlebars become a disadvantage on such terrains.

Additionally, another thing that can be difficult to adjust to is the sensitivity of the handlebars. Although zero turn mower control systems do a good job at maintaining the sensitivity, it is still not an issue you normally face with steering wheels. Handlebar steering is however way faster and more efficient than steering wheels in case of zero turn lawn mowers.

If you are wary of the above issues, you can always get a steering wheel zero turn mower for your lawn. Steering wheels in zero turn lawn mowers work exactly how regular steering wheels work. There are pedals you can use for accelerating and braking. The steering wheel turns the mower in the same direction as the direction the steering wheel is turned. Unlike handlebars, they operate on the front wheels and thus allow you to easily control your mower when on tough terrains. One of the drawbacks of using handlebars is that they tend to be less efficient and slower than regular handlebars when used on flat and general surfaces.

Judging from our descriptions hopefully you can now summarize and understand where exactly which  type of steering would be useful. To summarize, steering wheels are a better choice if you need a mower for rough or wet terrain or a lawn if it has a lot of slopes. On general lands,  normal handlebars work better.

Conclusion 

We have discussed the advantages and disadvantages of the two types of mowing generally available in case of zero turn mowers. We hope you would find this article useful if you are considering buying a zero turn mower with a steering wheel.