If you work in groundskeeping, landscaping, or on a golf course, you’re probably very familiar with zero-turn mowers. Thanks to zero-turn mowers' outstanding steering and the speed at which they operate, they’re one of the most commonly used pieces of equipment in the aforementioned industries. Since tires are what connect your mower to the turf, equipping your zero-turn mower with the right tires can result in a machine that is more efficient and productive while also offering superior turf protection.
The advantage zero-turn mowers offer over a traditional tractor is their ability to turn within their own footprint, meaning they have a zero-degree turn radius, simplified to zero-turn. Because of this ability, zero-turn mowers are extremely maneuverable, allowing them to easily cut closely around landscaping such as trees, bushes, and flowerbeds while also cutting down on extraneous maneuvers such as reversing. All of this adds up to faster and more efficient mowing.
Unlike tractors, which use a steering wheel to control the machine, zero-turn mowers use two independent levers. The levers each control one of the drive wheels on the rear of the machine. For example, when one wheel on a mower is stopped and the other is engaged, the turning radius of the machine is reduced to zero—earning the mower its moniker. This maneuver is effective for speeding up mowing jobs, but it can be especially hard on turf, especially when the mower is equipped with inferior tires.
The rear tires on a zero-turn mower carry a heavy burden—as the machine’s drive tires, they’re responsible for supporting most of the weight of the mower and engine, providing traction and transmitting the mower’s power to the ground. Of course, they must do this without disturbing or damaging delicate turf, including super-sensitive areas like putting greens.
Our Galaxy Mighty Mow TS tire is constructed to maximize the best attributes of zero-turn mowers (speed and handling) and minimize their worst attributes (tearing up turf). Engineered with a substantial contact patch, the Mighty Mow TS spreads the weight of zero-turn mowers over a broad area to reduce rutting. The Mighty Mow TS’s non-directional zig-zag tread provides the utmost traction while the tire’s uniquely designed shoulder, wrapping the tread around the rounded sidewall, reduces damage to turf while turning.
Smooth front tires are a popular choice on zero-turn mowers because they create minimal friction between the grass and the mower’s tire, which allows for sharper turns. Additionally, with no tread, there is nothing to mark up or dig into grasses and lawns. It’s not uncommon to see smooth tires with minor ribs or grooves running around the tire. These ribs and grooves help mowers maintain straight paths, but they can also damage the gentle turf below.
Equipping your zero-turn mower with the right set of tires affects everything from the speed at which you complete jobs to your operation’s bottom line. To learn more about our line of Galaxy Turf, Garden, and Lawn tires—and the benefits they can offer your business—contact your local dealer or representative today.