# JD Rider Slope Scalp



## krusej23 (May 8, 2018)

Does anyone else have issues with an uneven cut when on a slight slope? I have a D130 and our back porch has a slight slope away from it. If I mow it parallel to the porch, it will create an uneven cut no matter what I do. I tried lowering the deck rollers and tried raising them. You can see the uneven cut in the picture. Is there a way to prevent this besides mowing perpendicular? It may be hard to see the slope in the picture.


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## Timbo3985 (Mar 19, 2019)

I have the same mower and the same problem. I've noticed that while sitting on the mower, if I lean to one side you can actually see the deck lean with me. Haven't tried adding air to the tires but I've thought that may help a little. It seems like it's a weight transfer issue so when you're on that slope it leans heavy on the down side.

Btw I'm about 210lbs. so not overloading the thing...


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## krusej23 (May 8, 2018)

I will have to try that next time.


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

Some of that is just projection of the deck out beyond the tires of the tractor. The wider the deck, the worse it will be. Ideally, you'd want the downhill edge of the deck to follow the crease of the slope. But it looks like you may not have enough room to get closer to your patio.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

Actually, this unevenness in the cut is caused by the slope, and not shifting your weight on the machine away from the slope to counterbalance the machine. As the machine goes down a slope and you turn the machine, the inside edge of the mowing deck dips and the outside edge rises, because the mowing deck stays level.

To compensate for the slope and turn, you have to shift your weight on the machine to keep the outside wheel from rising, as much as possible. The anti-scalp wheel will stop the inside (downslope) edge from digging in too far; but there is no "anti-lift" mechanism to stop the outside (upslope) edge of the (straight, stiff, and level) mowing deck.

So, you have to reposition your body to adjust for the change in terrain contour.

I ride motorcycles and ATVs, so for me, changing your body position as you go into a corner comes naturally. The more the curve drops off, and the tighter the turn, the more you have to adjust to compensate.

You gotta lean your body weight away from the slope. That keeps the machine and deck closer to level.

I used to mow a 40 degree slope. That hill was like a ski jump ramp. &#127935;

If I didn't lean my body into the slope, I would have rolled the mower.

Try it, you will see the results. Just be sure to not go too far or go the wrong way. You can roll a mower. And yes, they will flip, forward and backward.

The first time I rode my mower down that 40 degree slope, I did not control my descent speed. The traction belt lost grip and I began an uncontrolled runaway descent down the hill, unable to stop. The only thing that saved me from flipping is I knew how to ride off road on dirt bikes and ATVs. I hit the bottom of the hill, onto flat ground, veered left and began to slide and flip, counter steered into the slide and the tractor yawed to the right, sliding until I scrubbed off enough speed for the traction belt to regain control and stop the tractor before I went over the edge of a ravine into a creek bed. I stomped on the brake and the back wheel just started sliding on the grass. Had I not known how to shift my weight away from the flipping side of the mower, both times it tried to flip over, I would have been body slammed by a 600 pound tractor. I saved it, people watching were amazed, but it taught me...!

After that I never mowed going downhill again. Climb up slopes. Circle around and climb up the hill again on the next pass. Ask me how I know.

Oh, and one other safety tip - if you are towing anything, don't ever go downhill unless you have brakes. Ask me how I know that one, too!


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

Also, never traverse a slope (go sideways across the face of the slope).

This guy gets the shift your body weight to compensate idea.

But he is an accident waiting to happen going sideways across a slope.

And then mowing, in reverse, while doing so. "Hold my beer, and watch
this!"

If he flips, he may be riding a wheelchair instead of a mower, or worse.

Don't be "that guy"!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=R84w11Y69ok


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## krusej23 (May 8, 2018)

My slope is not that steep to the point of dangerous. The issue isn't going down the slope but going sideways on the slope. @FlowRider you are saying to lean down the slope with my body weight to help? The deck is digging into the down slope side of the mower so I don't think that would help but I will try both leaning up the slope and down the slope.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

Lean away from the slope side. Try it. The results speak for themselves.


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## TonyC (May 17, 2018)

Check the tire pressures. The downhill tires are taking more load at an angle and are probably compressing this lowering that side.


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## krusej23 (May 8, 2018)

TonyC said:


> Check the tire pressures. The downhill tires are taking more load at an angle and are probably compressing this lowering that side.


I'll check them but I think I had checked them about a month ago when I leveled the deck too.


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## TonyC (May 17, 2018)

krusej23 said:


> TonyC said:
> 
> 
> > Check the tire pressures. The downhill tires are taking more load at an angle and are probably compressing this lowering that side.
> ...


The other thing that could be going on here is basically what @MasterMech says. If the slope is increasing, and the deck extends wider than the wheel width, then you have an angle problem. The best analogy I can come up with is imagine trying to lay a pencil flat in a bowl. The ends of the pencil are the deck and the bowl is your increasing slope. The ends of the pencil hit the bowl at a different height than the middle of the pencil which is suspended in air.



MasterMech said:


> Some of that is just projection of the deck out beyond the tires of the tractor. The wider the deck, the worse it will be. Ideally, you'd want the downhill edge of the deck to follow the crease of the slope. But it looks like you may not have enough room to get closer to your patio.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

krusej23 said:


> My slope is not that steep to the point of dangerous. The issue isn't going down the slope but going sideways on the slope. @FlowRider you are saying to lean down the slope with my body weight to help? The deck is digging into the down slope side of the mower so I don't think that would help but I will try both leaning up the slope and down the slope.


Here is a video that demonstrates how you use your body position to counter balance a lawn tractor or zero turn on slopes.

Watch how these operators shift their body weight off to the upslope side of this ditch slope, keeping themselves upright to counter the tractor or mower trying to tip over.

Notice how they hang on with their right hand to stay on the saddle or seat, and it helps to have a suicide knob or steering knob to steer with.

This is the riding technique I was referring to:


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## cavince79 (Jun 18, 2019)

I gave up and went to push mowing if I wanted it to look clean without any scalping. I lived on a 1 acre lot with a large slope, front to back. Eventually, I would push mow the area in front of the house for the curb appeal, and used my JD x300 in the back and side yards where the grass wasn't as nice anyway.
Leaning heavily worked some, and oftentimes I found myself hanging on to the edge to stay upright as well. Figuring out the angles worked some. If I needed to mow quickly, I didn't care as much about the look and used the JD on the entire yard.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

I have a moderate slope in my front yard running from the sidewalk to the street curbing. The strip drops off to ensure water drains into the storm sewer, and it definitely causes the mower to try and roll. It gets tippy pretty quick if you don't shift your body position to control the center of gravity on the contoured terrain.

I like the challenge on staying on the machine, but I have been riding motorcycles, ATVs and Side-by-Sides for decades, so I know where the limits of safety are, and I stay well within them....

There is one area near a sidewalk on that same strip I will not use my rider on - it is totally unsafe and will flip the lawn tractor. I cut it with a walk-behind so I don't end up upside down, or worse.

Discretion is the better part of valor, and all that.


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