The History of Zero-Turn Mowers

Lawn care perfectionists and professional landscapers alike can all agree that lawn mowers are an essential tool in their trade, and none more so than zero-turn models. Perfect for immense, flat yards, these machines are the epitome of lawn mower power and efficiency—but where do they come from? We here at Four Brothers Outdoor Power believe in knowing everything you can about your tools, so we’ve put together a brief history of the zero-turn lawn mower, below. To learn more, or to see the zero-turn mowers we have for sale, contact our stores in Royse City and Terrell, Texas, today!

Inception

Zero-turn mowers are pretty high-end and ingenious tools, so you might be surprised to learn that they’re over 70 years old! The first commercially-available zero-turn mower was invented in 1949 by Mx B. Swisher of Warrensburg, Missouri. Dubbed the Ride King, it differed from many modern versions, featuring one driving wheel in the front and two driven wheels in the back. To utilize the zero-turn advantage, the driver would need to reverse!

Innovation

It wasn’t until 1963 that the next step in the zero-turn evolution would take place. An employee of the Hesston Corporation, John Regier was fascinated by the belt and pulley mechanisms of a recently-released swather and wanted to try and incorporate it into mowers. Why? Because it allowed for counter-rotation, where the top and bottom halves of something spin in opposite directions.

The result was the world’s first twin-lever-steered zero-turn mower. This was, of course, a bit counterintuitive for most consumers, as twin-lever systems were more difficult to operate than a simple steering wheel. Too many people were thrown through a loop by the idea, so these models were slow to take off.

Improvement

Eventually, Regier’s patent was purchased by Hustler Turf and BigDog Mower Co. and was deemed the Hustler, which remained a popular zero-turn mower brand to this day. The parent company of these two brands, Excel Industries, was the first large manufacturer to offer lawnmowers with zero-turn capability. 

Not too long after, in 1974, the term “zero-turn” was first coined by the Dixon company when they broke out into the mower market, and twenty-three years later a new steering system was introduced by Robert D. Davis Jr. This new design utilized a single lever, which simplified operation considerably.

Today

Nowadays, zero-turn lawn mowers are still one of the best and most popular machines for maintaining your lawn. They’re most often used for large, flat lawns, and more than thirty-six manufacturers offer their own versions of the design.

Ready to see which version fits you best? Contact us at Four Brothers Outdoor Power for more information, or to see our zero-turn lawn mower inventory for yourself. We proudly serve the people of Garland, Canton, and Greenville, Texas—let us serve you today!