Raptor Flip-Up Oil Change

Mr. Mower said:

Well today was my very first time changing the oil & oil filter, spark plugs, engine & fuel filter(s) on my Raptor flip up ZT.

I'm used to doing regular maintenance on mowers, vehicles, etc. but was quite surprised by the process of draining the oil out of a Raptor flip up. Now I don't really know if every Hustler mower or Raptor for that matter has the same process of draining the oil?

But I kinda looked at the process of just draining the oil as quite primitive and ridiculous!:thumbdown:

Plus, to just to make matters more difficult/complicated, the fact that the area around it all is very limited.

First they have you adjust the small very short black rubber tube (first you really need to remove it and make sure it's clean!) to make sure that it is facing down into that cut out hole right below it.

Then they have you unscrew the oil drain nut and this process will allow the oil to drain. The manual says to expect it to drain for a period of around 10 mins.

Now before I actually started (remember this was my first time with this particular type of mower, I used to do my previous one which was very simple) I read up on the engine maintenance procedure so that I will be familiar with what I will be getting into.

When the part came to draining the oil process, well I was just taken aback by it all. So what I did before starting, I have some extra clear tubing that is a perfect fit that inserts into the small black rubber tube and then ran it down that hole below and then cut if off to the point that it would fall and drain the oil into a small plastic bucket that I had laying around.

Believe me, after I started the process of draining the oil, I started working on everything else and once everything else was completed, the oil draining process was the next to last thing that I waited on. It must have been anywhere from 30 mins.-45mins. time.

You see the manual doesn't tell you about any of what to expect. I really can't see anyone just shoving that small black tube through that lower hole then opening that oil drain nut and have all that oil fall onto the axle, trans, etc. and make such a mess!

Plus when trying to torque down the small oil drain nut, the limited small area around it makes it cumbersome to say the least!

As for everything else, spark plugs, oil filter, fuel filter and engine filter well those were a breeze-no problems at all.

Anyway, the rant is over and well just wanted to find out if every Hustler mower models or just the Raptor has the same oil draining process?

Thanks in advance to all those who have posted to this thread.

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Boobala said:

Just think ........ 37 more times, and you'll have it down pat !! ( just funnin ya ! ...:laughing:..:laughing:

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Mr. Mower said:

Yea no crap, I hear ya! :laughing:


Whatever engineer that was behind that design should be fired on the spot!

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neetan said:

I am very much surprised at your issues, I have the Fasttrac Sd 48" but mine was easer since I have the honda engine! The oil took 8-10 min to drain(nothing unusual ) and it was easy peezee! Lousen a nut after attaching a hose(did not really have to since the drain is right above the can I had to catch the oil. Now I am not sure why you have to change the spark plug and fuel filter? MY instructions say 200 hr for the fuel filter and 250 for the spark plug?

I can post photos in 5 weeks if you wish, just waiting for the snow to melt!

Good luck

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Mr. Mower said:

Well obviously yours is different and yes I should have stated the difference in engines, since my Raptor Flip Up has the Kohler KT740 7000Series (25hp).

Though now that answers my question about if "all Hustler" mowers are designed the same, when it comes to draining the oil from the engine.

To answer your question about why changing the spark plugs and fuel filter, yes you are correct about that.

Being specific here, the Service Manual for my particular engine (Kohler, not the Hustler Raptor Service Manual) for Maintenance Schedule states to change the engines "Pre-Cleaner" every 25 hours, replace the Air Cleaner every 100 hours, change the Oil & Filter every 100 hours, replace the Fuel Filter every 100 hours and replace the Spark Plugs every 500 hours.

Now with that being said, I guess you can say that I am just OCD about certain things pertaining to an engines performance. So with that being stated, regardless every Spring, of every year I replace those specific items, Oil, Oil Filter, Spark Plugs, Engine Air Filter & Pre-Filter and of course the Fuel Filter.
Just gives me peace of mind knowing that at least the engine will be running and breathing well especially during the hot summer months down here in South Central Texas.

On a different subject, I change the oil, oil filter, engine filter and cabin filter on our vehicles as well every time the vehicles indicator(s) pop up and change the spark plugs on each vehicle every year too, regardless.

That's just the way I am.

Before I had purchased my Raptor Flip Up (very first time having a ZT mower) I had purchased a Montgomery Wards Yardman riding mower, now this was back in 1995 and believe it or not, that lasted up until 2016 when I felt that it was time to actually replace it. Yes it still ran well and cut grass and all and guess what. I used to perform the exact same things to it as I now do to my Raptor Flip Up as far as maintenance goes, changing the oil, oil filter, spark plugs, fuel filter, etc. and it lasted me for well over 20 years!

So call it what you want, over kill, OCD, etc. but I know that I am doing something right by doing what I have been doing.

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Darryl G said:

Wow, changing car spark plugs every year. All the other stuff I can see a point in, but to me that's excessive and totally unnecessary in a modern vehicle.

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