Can I tow with my 620-z zero turn mower?

[jimw 1]

Hello! New to the forum and I've got a couple good questions...

 

I've seen knowledgeable people post about the Toro-Wheel Horse 620-z 20hp ('93) before – my father in law picked one up from a tractor / equipment auction and gave it to me. I've had to do some easy mods to the deck to get it to lift correctly - it was an earlier 42" SD model ('90) sloppily retrofitted. Now that it's fixed it runs and mows great.

 

But I have a couple questions that hopefully someone will know the answers to:

 

1. can I use this to tow a John Deer 7 dumper wagon? I've been looking around for hitch / tow solutions specific to this mower but can't find anything. There's no bumper with a hitch receiver. There are latches, and I understand that there used to be a snow plow attachment, but I was thinking about making a bar with a welded tab that I can hook the dumper to. Thoughts?

 

2. I can't find any info on how to adjust the hydro to even out the left right control sensitivity - it's suggested in the manual, but there aren't any instructions on how to do it.

 

I have been looking for answers to these questions and this forum seems to have the most knowledgeable members. So hopefully someone can help me out.

 

Also, I know some people don't like this model, but it was a gift and it works great, even though it's 20 years old so I'm not complaining.

 

Thanks for any help!

 

Jim

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,757]

Have you looked at the predelivery check list? Download it from

https://lookup3.toro.com/request/request.cfm

Enter the 74101 model number and use 391234 for a serial number.

 

The Eaton service manual is also there.

 

Garry

[jimw 1]

Thanks for the reply Garry. I actually have been through that stuff - though I didn't download the delivery check list before. But now that I looked at that doc, it doesn't seem to have anything on wheel traction adjustments. The service manual deals mostly with disassembly and reassembly. The documentation that I've looked at (I've downloaded everything from that site that I could find) tells me to refer to my owner's manual on how to make any adjustments to the wheel traction but there's nothing in there - I have the printed manual as well.

 

Jim

[SALTYWRIGHT 861]

I JUST MOVED MY BOAT ON A TRAILER WITH MY C-81 W/H. IT WEIGHTS ABOUT 2000 LBS.  MOVEING IS NOT BAD BUT BRAKES SO SO.

[CasualObserver 3,411]

Russ... he's asking about one of these......

 

 

 

I'd imagine you could fashion a hitch of some sort, but make sure you get it as low as you can. Zero turns aren't exactly designed for pulling much if any weight.  They're already pretty light in the front, and if you add pressure to the back, it will only get lighter.

 

Sorry, don't have any idea about the transmission adjustments in these things.  there are a few guys on the forum who have or have had these old zero's.  I'm going to edit your topic title to see if it catches any of their attentions.

[jimw 1]

Thanks Salty.

Thanks Jason.

Appreciate it.

 

Jim

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,757]

Looked at about 6 operator manuals for this series and see nothing on the adjustment. I wondered if it got missed in the 1993 manual but it is missed in them all.

 

There was a hitch model 8-5535 or 85535 but can find nothing on it.

 

Garry

[jimw 1]

Thanks Garry. That was my finding on the adjustment too - thanks for checking 

I'm going to look into those model numbers. Where did you find them?

 

Thanks again.

 

Jim

[CRE1992 135]

I would recommend against using it to tow. The wheel hose zero turn mowers had eaton 7 series hydro pumps which are pretty prone to failure. So the adjustment you are looking for could also be that one of the pumps is very weak. The newer style zero turns can tow, my dixie chopper is rated to tow up to a ton. Have I done it yet? No. I use something else.

 

However good luck with you 620-z they are excellent mowers when nothing is wrong with them.

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,757]

The attachment list is here

https://lookup3.toro.com/partdex/index.cfm?xCaller=Toro

Do a search for 620-Z. The hitch is only listed for the early models.

 

There is also a 612-Z, 616-Z, 718-Z, 720-Z and 724-Z 

 

Garry

[jimw 1]

 

Do a search for 620-Z. The hitch is only listed for the early models.

 

Ahhh, that's why I couldn't find it – I always put in the model number 74101 on that search. I see it now. Thanks much!

 

 

The wheel hose zero turn mowers had eaton 7 series hydro pumps which are pretty prone to failure. So the adjustment you are looking for could also be that one of the pumps is very weak.

 

Well, this mower only has about 800 hrs on it, so I'm hoping they won't fail any time soon    Thanks for the insight. I'm not planning on pulling a lot, maybe some flagstone, mulch, brush, etc. no gravel or sand.

 

Thanks guys. Appreciated.

 

Jim

[546cowboy 302]

I have had a 612Z and a 616Z and the 616 had a hitch on the rear. According to the operators manual it can tow a trailer loaded with 275lbs. That hitch is hard to describe but it was a round bar that was angled to the rear and straight at the hitch tongue. There were two levers, one on each side and there was a lug that stuck out that the hitch part mounted on.

 

As far as one side being slower than the other, not good news I'm afraid, as already stated that means one hydro is weak. Just a matter of time before it gives up and they are very hard to find. I had to wait almost a year to find one and then had to buy a non-running one to get a hydro. Less than a month ago there were two on Ebay for $250.

 

Both of them mowed really nice but with the hydro's being that difficult to find I sold them both after I refurbished them.

[jimw 1]

Thanks cowboy. Do you still have the hitch? I'd love to see a picture – I can't find anything on line, not even a schematic. I was thinking about making one if I can't find one, but so far your description is the only thing I have to go on. 

 

Also, do you really think the hydros are going bad with only 800 hrs on it? The documentation says that I should be able to make adjustments rather than expect them to fail. But as you can tell from my post, I can't find anything on making the adjustments either 

 

Jim

[jimw 1]

So, as of yet, I have not been able to find any schematic or picture of this fabled drawbar hitch. I would make one if only I knew what it looked like