- Joined
- Nov 28, 2016
- Messages
- 2,496
A few weeks ago, I bought a new Toro zero turn mower... and quickly realized I have a problem with it.
It is very similar to my old Toro zero turn... except the drive control handles are 3 inches closer together on the new mower. IOW, they constantly rub the outsides of my legs as I'm mowing, enough to start hurting after a while...
The old mower...
![20230712_151513.jpg 20230712_151513.jpg](https://www.hobby-machinist.com/data/attachments/413/413037-4ea18cae8b544147f470c7304aa6f92b.jpg)
...and the new...
![20230712_151218.jpg 20230712_151218.jpg](https://www.hobby-machinist.com/data/attachments/413/413038-faa7c386d3d45b248f15c51f7df78a4f.jpg)
I found that I was holding my knees closer together, but that had my inner thigh muscles screaming at me within a few minutes.
Yesterday, I removed the lower part of the control handle from one side. I was planning to see if I could cut a notch in it, bend it outward a few degrees, then weld the notch up... I discovered pretty quick that it is made of some type of unweldable metal... thankfully, I tested that before I did any cutting.
So... there is not any way to adjust the position of the control for more clearance...
After studying on it for a few minutes, I decided that it may help to raise the seat an inch or so... to straighten my legs just a little.
Today, I machined four 1" aluminum spacers...
![20230802_130520.jpg 20230802_130520.jpg](https://www.hobby-machinist.com/data/attachments/413/413040-77f7cdadba3ff2f784f5673bfd0a9742.jpg)
![20230802_130703.jpg 20230802_130703.jpg](https://www.hobby-machinist.com/data/attachments/413/413042-27c395e71ccf3ab85e7b063301ef4323.jpg)
...and installed them under the seat...
![20230802_132432.jpg 20230802_132432.jpg](https://www.hobby-machinist.com/data/attachments/413/413043-5a228e49798681ff36e8fc0e39d40239.jpg)
This is an improvement... I won't know whether it is enough of an improvement until I get some 'seat time'... early next week probably.
-Bear
It is very similar to my old Toro zero turn... except the drive control handles are 3 inches closer together on the new mower. IOW, they constantly rub the outsides of my legs as I'm mowing, enough to start hurting after a while...
The old mower...
![20230712_151513.jpg 20230712_151513.jpg](https://www.hobby-machinist.com/data/attachments/413/413037-4ea18cae8b544147f470c7304aa6f92b.jpg)
...and the new...
![20230712_151218.jpg 20230712_151218.jpg](https://www.hobby-machinist.com/data/attachments/413/413038-faa7c386d3d45b248f15c51f7df78a4f.jpg)
I found that I was holding my knees closer together, but that had my inner thigh muscles screaming at me within a few minutes.
Yesterday, I removed the lower part of the control handle from one side. I was planning to see if I could cut a notch in it, bend it outward a few degrees, then weld the notch up... I discovered pretty quick that it is made of some type of unweldable metal... thankfully, I tested that before I did any cutting.
So... there is not any way to adjust the position of the control for more clearance...
After studying on it for a few minutes, I decided that it may help to raise the seat an inch or so... to straighten my legs just a little.
Today, I machined four 1" aluminum spacers...
![20230802_130520.jpg 20230802_130520.jpg](https://www.hobby-machinist.com/data/attachments/413/413040-77f7cdadba3ff2f784f5673bfd0a9742.jpg)
![20230802_130703.jpg 20230802_130703.jpg](https://www.hobby-machinist.com/data/attachments/413/413042-27c395e71ccf3ab85e7b063301ef4323.jpg)
...and installed them under the seat...
![20230802_132432.jpg 20230802_132432.jpg](https://www.hobby-machinist.com/data/attachments/413/413043-5a228e49798681ff36e8fc0e39d40239.jpg)
This is an improvement... I won't know whether it is enough of an improvement until I get some 'seat time'... early next week probably.
-Bear