The History Behind Zero-Turn Mowers

You have many options when it comes to buying a lawn mower to take care of your grass. One of the most popular modern mowers is the zero-turn mower, which has an interesting history. Keep reading to learn more about how zero-turn mowers were invented before they became the efficient and high-performance machines you know today.

Initial Creation

1949 is the year that the first mower we could describe as “zero-turn” was invented, although it had some flaws. Missouri citizen Max B. Swisher developed a riding lawn mower that had three driving wheels: one up front and two in back. In order to make it function as a “zero-turn,” the mower had to be reversed, which wasn’t the most convenient option, but it did produce nice results.

Further Developments

In the 1960s, a few different companies modified the initial zero-turn mower design to turn it into something more useful. Hesston Corporation John Regier observed that his company’s swather had a belt-and-pulley system that caused the machine to be able to spin in different directions on either side. He installed this system into a standard riding lawn mower and added a two-lever steering system.

Hustler Turf bought the patent for this mower and produced the first professional designs. The Dixon Company is behind the name “zero-turn mower.” A single-lever steering system was invented in the 1990s by Robert D. Davis, Jr., which made the mower much more practical and efficient.

Come see us at our dealership in Eastman, GA, to view our fantastic range of new and used zero-turn mowers for sale. Eastman Equipment Company is proud to serve our customers in Warner Robins and Dublin, GA.