Currently, the zero-turn lawn mower is one of the most convenient lawn mowers on the market. The performance of this lawn mower is faster, better, and with less effort for the gardener. So it is more and more popular in every family.
One of the biggest downsides to the zero-turn lawn mower is its size and weight. It causes many difficulties for gardeners in moving to different lawns in the house. Therefore, many people prefer to transport this type of lawn mower by truck to save time and effort.
A common question many people ask right now is the size of the lawn mower and truck. Will a zero-turn mower fit in a truck bed? Please help us answer the questions in the article below.
Will A Zero-Turn Mower Fit In A Truck Bed?
Each type of truck and zero-turn lawn mower has different dimensions. Therefore, there is no one correct answer for you. However, most types of zero-turn lawn mowers will fit in a truck bed if it is medium or small, rather than large mowers.
Zero-turn lawn mowers typically range in size from 36 to 60 inches. However, you can also find some models of these lawn mowers in sizes as small as 28 inches or 70 inches by different manufacturers.
Meanwhile, the average truck bed has a space of 50 inches, so it is difficult to accommodate anything larger than 50 inches. However, most people just measure the width of the truck’s cutting deck.
Therefore, to be safe during transportation and not cause friction between the lawn mower and the truck, you should choose lawn mowers with a size of 44 inches or less. Or you need to measure the actual dimensions on the truck bed including all surrounding space and overhanging areas.
What Kind Of Truck Can Accommodate Zero Turn Lawn Mower?
To determine if your truck can hold a zero-turn lawn mower, you need to determine the exact space of the container. For full-size trucks, the average width is 48 to 50 inches. For small trucks, this size can be reduced by 5 inches or more.
Use a ruler to measure the interior of the truck bed and make sure it is at least 46 inches larger. Because most types of zero-turn lawn mowers will fit this size.
Finally, your truck must weigh enough to accommodate the lawn mower. The average weight of a zero-turn lawn mower is about 1,500 lbs. So half-ton or one-ton (3,000-7,000 lbs) trucks can accommodate this 46-inch lawn mower.
However, a small truck cannot accommodate a 42- to 46-inch lawn mower. Therefore, it can only accommodate the smallest-sized lawn mower on the market today. Because the payloads of these minivans range from only 1,000 to 2,000 lbs.
How To Transport A Zero-Turn Lawn Mower?
There are many ways you can transport this lawn mower onto a truck. However, the problem that makes many people find it most difficult is still the weight of this lawn mower. If you are not careful during transportation, the lawn mower can be seriously damaged. To do this, you can refer to the three basic ways below.
Using A Trailer
The best way to move the lawn mower is to use a trailer to pull it to the location you want. This will save you time lifting or lowering the lawn mower into the truck bed. It also helps limit damage from lawnmowers rubbing against the back of your truck.
Using a trailer will also save you a lot of tools to install and disassemble easily when you arrive. You simply use a chain or sectional cord to pull the lawn mower to the desired position.
Using The Truck Rack
To pull the lawn mower onto a truck, you need a sturdy stand. It can be made up of two properly sized supports. It is recommended to use support bars that can be adjusted in length to accommodate different distances.
You need two support bars that are wider than the lawn mower wheels and have a curved shape to avoid colliding with the undercarriage of the lawn mower. Use the pull chain to pull the lawn mower onto the truck bed. You should do this process carefully and slowly to avoid the lawn mower from losing balance and tipping off the two support bars.
Check the weight of your truck and the weight of the lawn mower carefully before doing this. If your truck is small in size, it won’t be able to accommodate a heavy-duty lawn mower. Accidents are easy to happen in this situation. As a result, both your truck and your lawn mower will be severely damaged during the move.
Using A Forklift
This method would be expensive and unpopular for many gardeners. Because not everyone has a forklift in the household. This method is only suitable for families with forklifts or taking advantage of the height difference in a special spot in the garden.
You can use a forklift to transport the lawn mower to your desired location. Normally, forklifts are usually very heavy so they can easily lift a lawn mower weighing around 1,500 lbs like a zero-turn lawn mower.
Or you can take advantage of a special position that creates a height difference between the lawn mower and the truck bed. You can push the lawn mower into the truck bed without pulling up. The ideal position is for the lawn mower in a slightly higher position with the truck bed and with a slight slope.
However, this process can be dangerous because of the lack of protective equipment such as chains or support bars. Lawn mowers can slide off the truck bed upon touch. Or even more dangerous, the lawn mower slides so quickly into the truck bed that they collide with each other and create large scratches.
Therefore, you should choose the option of transporting the lawn mower safely. Because the weight of the lawn mower is relatively large and you can hardly handle unexpected situations.
Conclusion
A zero-turn lawn mower with sizes ranging from 36-44 inches will comfortably fit medium and large-sized trucks. To properly test this, you need to do actual space measurements on your truck in both the floor and the four surrounding corners.
Make sure the lawn mower won’t bump into overhangs or rub against the truck’s walls. In particular, you also need to pay attention to the weight of the truck and lawn mower. The average weight of a lawn mower is about 1,500 lbs, so the weight of the truck for safe transport should be more than 2,000 lbs.
In addition, in the process of moving the lawn mower onto the truck bed, you need fixed support such as a pull chain, support bar, or forklift to prevent the lawn mower from shifting or slipping off the support bar.