Zero-turn riding mowers are designed to make lawn care easy, offering a place for you to sit and rest while your machine does the work for you – all you need to worry about is steering it in the right direction. However, you should also think about maintenance, as zero-turn mowers are an investment you want to make the most of. They’re also powerful enough to handle different attachments, allowing you to utilize your machine for more than just clipping grass. Tractor Supply is here to offer some guidance on the benefits of having a zero-turn mower, plus the types of accessories you should have on-hand from our selection.
Benefits of Having a Zero-Turn Mower
We all need reliable tools for keeping our yards well-maintained and looking great for the season. But alongside regular fertilizers, shovels and grass seed, you must also have a lawn mower that feels comfortable and works with your lawn type or job task. A zero-turn riding mower may be exactly what you’re looking for, offering a larger size, and added features and capabilities that allow for easier and faster grass cutting.
Because of their powerful design, zero-turn mowers can complete many jobs that traditional riding mowers may not be able to do. For instance, levers and lap bars let you turn quickly, even through narrower yard areas, meaning you can precisely cut grass in all your backyard spaces. They also come with a tighter turning radius, allowing you to pivot up to 180 degrees while still cutting all grass areas in the process.
Additionally, rear-wheel drive and independent steering make it easy to maneuver around gardens, trees, landscaping rocks and other hazards in your yard. This differs from traditional riding mowers, which feature a steering wheel and pedal that may be slow and challenging to use when making quick turns and pivots.
Their powerful design also provides a higher horsepower, giving them the ability to handle thicker, taller grasses and leaves. What’s more, it allows you to move faster across your yard than traditional options, driving around eight miles per hour and working to cut mowing time by 1/3. Their larger fuel tank sizes often run up to 14,000 square feet on a single tank, meaning you can make fewer stops to refill gas. In other words, using a zero-turn mower to clean up your lawn allows you to spend more time with your family and animals.
Must-Have Accessories for Easy, Convenient Mowing
Because a zero-turn riding mower is quite the investment to make, you must have certain supplies and accessories to maintain your machine and keep it working well for years to come. Their powerful engine also allows you to use attachments, meaning you can complete other yard maintenance tasks with the ease of your lawn mower. A few zero-turn mower accessories you should have in your lineup include:
Engine Kits
Just like our other machines, the engines on zero-turn riding mowers must be regularly inspected and maintained to ensure their health and long-lasting use. From filling up on mower engine oil to changing out air filters, you’ll need many supplies to swap out parts, clean setups and keep your mower ready for anything that comes its way.
Start by finding an engine kit, one with everything you need to maintain your mower. This will include pre-cleaners, replacement engine filters, fuel additives and more, allowing you to complete oil and fuel changes, among other maintenance tasks. Before selecting an engine kit, be sure to check your mower’s owner’s manual and specifications, as this will help you determine the type and size of oil, air filters and other accessories you need.
Mower Blades
It’s no secret that lawn mowers withstand much wear and tear from rocks, branches and other debris that hit mower blades as you mow. This causes blades to dull and leads to uneven cutting of grass, which won’t do much to make your lawn stand out. If you find that your mower blades aren’t cutting like they used to, it may be time to replace them. To maintain your blades, consider sharpening them yourself using either a file, grindstone or bench grinder. You can also stock up on extra mower blades, replacing them as needed.
Lawn Mower Belts
A lawn mower’s drive belt is what allows it to move and rotate blades, transferring torque to the input shaft. However, zero-turn mowers have an added pulley system, which is activated by the drive belt and is used to push setups and run blades. When your mower’s belt becomes damaged or breaks, you won’t be able to use it, meaning prompt replacement is necessary so you can tackle your lawn without disruptions. Because of this, you should always have an extra lawn mower belt in your garage or shed.
Mower Covers
Many homeowners and commercial workers won’t need their lawn mower all year long, and may choose to store their setups for the winter. But even if you’re only storing your mower for a short time, having a cover helps to protect your investment.
As mowers sit, this gives dust, grime and debris the chance to build up on exterior surfaces, as well as interior components. When you use a cover, it wraps around your mower to protect both exterior and interior parts, meaning you won’t have to worry about extensively cleaning your machine, and can leave it in storage without worry.
Attachments
As stated before, zero-turn riding mowers have more power than traditional options, meaning they’re great to use if you plan on adding attachments, giving you the durability needed to carry the extra weight. Because of their V-twin engine construction, zero-turn mowers can be utilized similarly to UTVs in that you can haul anything, from dump carts to snowplows to mulching tools. This allows lawn maintenance tasks to be even easier, and lets you use your machine for much more than mowing.
The different attachments for zero-turn mowers include:
- Dump carts: These look similar to garden carts or wheelbarrows, allowing you to hold, carry and transport debris and materials around your yard.
- Lawn sweepers: These forgo the need to hand rake your lawn, trailing behind mowers as you drive so they can pick up leftover leaves, grass clippings and other debris.
- Double bags: These collect grass clippings and debris versus spit them back out onto your lawn. While most setups come with one bag, double bags hold more and allow you to go longer between emptying.
- Dethatchers: These come with small forks that dig between soils and grass lines to bring up any sitting dead leaves, roots or grass pieces, preparing grounds for mowing and maintenance.
- Snowplows: These attach to the front of mowers, allowing you to plow away snow on driveways, walkways and other areas.
- Aerators: These help to aerate soils and grounds, getting them ready for planting and seeding.
- Sprayers: These drag behind mowers to distribute sprays, such as fertilizers, grass and weed killers or insecticides, onto lawns and gardens.
Find Zero-Turn Riding Mowers and Parts at Tractor Supply
Whether you’re in the market for a spark plug to replace components on your gas-powered mower or a lawn mower battery to ensure your electric mower runs as it should, we have the tools and parts you need to keep your machine working and going. We also carry a variety of attachments and accessories that make caring for your lawn easier and more efficient, allowing you to spend more time living Life Out Here. To learn more about what we offer, visit your local Tractor Supply store today or browse online.