Turn on a Dime With Deere's SST Lawn Tractors

April 1, 2001
Mowing the yard just went from a chore to a sport. John Deere's new Spin-Steer Technology lawn tractors are the first machines in their class with a steering

Mowing the yard just went from a chore to a sport.

John Deere's new Spin-Steer Technology lawn tractors are the first machines in their class with a steering wheel that provides the turning features of a zero-turning radius mower with the look and feel of a lawn tractor. The machines can complete a 360-degree turn in either direction with a mere turn of the steering wheel.

The SST lawn tractors are available in two models — the SST16 and SST18 (pictured) — powered by 16- and 18-horsepower Briggs & Stratton V-Twin Vanguard engines. Both are equipped with power steering, and they are the only machines in their class with a self-centering steering wheel, making straight tracking a breeze.

The machines' signature feature is the turning radius. The rear wheels counter-rotate for tight spin turns, and the slower the operator drives the machine, the tighter it turns. The result: up to a 40 percent reduction in mowing time, according to Denny Docherty, Deere's lawn-and-garden product marketing manager. Rarely is there a need to reverse the lawn tractor, and if there is, it is extremely easy to do.

“The power steering improves ergonomics and ease of use, so all you have to do is put your foot down on the gas pedal,” Docherty says. “The reverse logic system lets you reverse just like you would the family car.”

Each SST model has a 2.5-gallon fuel tank, and the mower deck can be raised and lowered by simply pressing a pedal.

Verified by Denny Docherty, marketing manager
www.spinsteer.com

VITAL STATSTurning radius 360 degrees Engine options 16-, 18-horsepower Briggs & Stratton Fuel tank 2.5 gallons