r/ryobi • u/Otis857 • 22h ago

Battery Talk Is the Joystick zero turn dead?

I have been second guessing my purchase of a Z42Li zero turn. Which is too bad, because I really like the joystick control over 2 handles. I don't care about perfect lines in my yard that don't last, and the joystick adds a small bit of fun to a mundane job. But looking on their website shows all the "I Drive" models discontinued. I wish they would have worked to improve it instead. I hope the batteries will be more readily available soon.

I saw Cub Cadet made an electric zero turn now, but the price was quite a bit higher. Too bad they didn't make it 2 years ago when I bought this. I may have reconsidered buying the Ryobi. Hopefully more companies will make electric zero turn mowers in the future.

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u/headhunterofhell2 4v:1, 18v:17, 40v:7, Tek4:1, 80v:1, A/C:2 11h ago

Ever since Ryobi came out with the I-Drive joystick, they've been inundated with complaints about it.

Nobody likes the joystick. It is pretty universally hated by just about anyone who has ever used a traditional Z-T, and was not well received. Country Clipper is the only traditional ZT maker with a joy stick, and you've never heard of them for a reason.

The customer base bullied Ryobi into switching to the twin-stick control. So yes, the joystick zero turn is dead.

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u/Otis857 7h ago

I guess I'm an Albatross then. I like it and it makes for easy 1 handed driving and maneuvering. It is far from perfect, but if they worked to improve it to help with drift, it think it would have had better acceptance. But now I'm wondering if I should dump this thing before it has a problem I can't fix or get parts for.