The History of Zero-Turn Mower

When you want large lawns mowed quickly, efficiently, and with minimal effort, you want a zero-turn mower. But were these machines always as powerful and useful as they are now? Where did they come from?

We here at Mike Cooper Tractors believe in knowing your tools inside and out, so we’ve put together a brief history of zero-turn mowers, below. To learn more, or to see the mowers we have for sale, contact our store in Fort Gibson, Oklahoma, today!

The Beginnings

As technologically advanced as zero-turn mower might seem now, they got their start over 70 years ago! The very first commercially-available model came out in 1949 and was invented by Max B. Swisher over in Warrensburg, Missouri. 

The “Ride King” mower has just one driving wheel at the front of the mower and two driven wheels in the rear, which wasn’t quite as convenient as the modern design—to utilize the zero-turn capabilities, the mower had to be put in reverse!

Development

Almost 15 years later in 1963, the zero-turn mower evolved. John Regier, an employee of the Hesston Corporation, was fascinated by the belt and pulley mechanisms used in a swather the company had just released. He decided to try incorporating them into mowers, as it allowed for counter-rotation—where the top and bottom halves of a machine spin in opposite directions.

As a result, he created the world’s first twin-lever-steering system for a zero-turn mower. Unfortunately it didn’t take off right away, since twin-lever steering was less intuitive than a simple steering wheel system. That slowed the model’s success, but it didn’t stall it.

Refinement

Regier’s patent for his twin-lever-steered mower was eventually bought by Hustler Turf and BigDog Mower Co and was released as the Hustler® zero-turn mower, a lineup that remains a consumer favorite to this day. Excel Industries, the parent company of both mower manufacturers, was the first mainstream manufacturer to offer zero-turn mowers.

In 1974, not long after that release, the term “zero-turn” was first coined by the Dixon Company when they made their own entrance into the lawn mower game. Then, in 1997, a new single-lever steering system was introduced by Robert D. Davis Jr. which simplified the steering on zero-turn mowers.

Where Are They Today?

In the modern day, zero-turn lawn mowers are by far one of the best-equipped and most popular machines for landscaping and private lawn maintenance. They’re best for massive, flat lawns, since they can struggle with steep inclines, and there are over 36 manufacturers providing their own take on the design.

Looking to write your own chapter in the zero-turn mower history book? Contact us at Mike Cooper Tractors for more information, or to see the mowers we have available. We proudly serve the people of Tulsa and Muskogee, Oklahoma—let us serve you today!