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Hi everyone. New to the forum here. I just traded my 09 fastrak for a raptor flip up model. I've done some looking on here and haven't found much info on the flip up. I was wondering if anyone on here has a flip up, and if you do, what are the pros and cons. I ordered a bagger, flex forks and engine guard with it and it should be ready to go tomorrow or Tuesday. I was also wondering if people with naggers run the factory blades. Or if there is a different blade that would help get the grass up the (non blowing chute) better. Thanks in advance.

Bagger should\will come with blades. Just a heads up, bagger does not work with engine guard. must be removed.

Thanks for the heads up on the engine guard not working with the bagger. It and the flex forks are on back order anyways. I'm going to pick up the mower tomorrow and have them ship the back ordered items to my house and install myself. On the blades I was wondering if the factory blades would work good enough, or if a gator blade would help chew the grass up better and send it up the shoot better. Being the gator blades cut it up several times before it discharges.

How have you liked the mower for the year that you've had it? Is the bagger a good option for leaves in the fall?

Do you mow any slopes with it?

Thanks!!

Just FYI, and some grumping.

I have a 16 Fastrak and absolutely hate not being able to cut grass when it is even slightly wet. The thing loads up with LOTS of grass (mostly clover). Last time scraped out 1 1/2 five gallon buckets of sloppy grass. Said I had enough with this and went to my original dealer wanting to trade on a flip-up, so I could clean it out without laying on my back under a raised mower. Dealer said "sure", but if you do you will absolutely hate me later. Said the ride will beat you up with the hard rubber front wheels. Said it was 1/3rd the mower as the Fastrak SD. Told me to cut high, cut dry. Already has high lift blades.

I never had this problem with either my Craftsman or Murray garden tractors. Always cut in the morning, most of the time with dew on the grass. Never loaded up, but did throw out chunks when grass was high. I try to avoid the hot sun for various personal reasons.

The Fastrak is a great machine, but I detest cutting in the hot sun. I wish the flip-up was built more like the Fastrak.

I also have a 2016 FasTrak 54 and I love it..... if it's really wet out or early spring with the gummy grass I put a little piece of wood under the spring on the discharge chute and lift it slightly that helps a quite a bit. I also have one of the $90 Harbor Freight hydraulic lift which works wonderfully for picking up the front of the machine and being able to knock the stuff out of there when done if I have to. I always do the wetter part of the lawn first and then I go to the dryer parts at the end and .... that seems to help clean the wetter packing out somewhat naturally. My lawn is in pretty good shape here in Wisconsin with pretty much all grass and no leafy stuff intermingled but I understand how the high speed blade shatter those leafy plants and splatter them under the deck.

Leaky,

Have you given any thought to killing off the clover and other unwanted non-ornamental flawna? If you go with Bermuda, that should cause less mowing and less mucking up the wet grass build up. Just a thought.

Max

mhavanti said:

Leaky,

Have you given any thought to killing off the clover and other unwanted non-ornamental flawna? If you go with Bermuda, that should cause less mowing and less mucking up the wet grass build up. Just a thought.

Max

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It's just an old family farm property I have to mow (around the house, etc. --- couple acres). Nobody lives there, so just trying to make it look like someone does. And, the clover seems to make the bees happy.

I'll just keep forging on, although Grasshopper makes a front mount flip up ----------- $$$$$$$!

Try cutting out the triangle of your deck, grind back the lower rectangle support to a taper toward the blade and run with the deflector about two inches upward or wide open since nobody lives there and see if that will keep the deck clean. Maybe spray the underside of the deck with teflon and that also may make things better.

Good luck.

Oh, you may want to drill some holes in your belt cover to save your deck belt, pulleys and bearings in the spindles.

First photo is of Tom's belt cover and my personal favorite, however, my covers are working flawlessly and don't look too bad. The deck cut out photos I can't give credit to the owner and I ask forgiveness when he sees this due to my forgetting his name. However, you'll see his modification and it looks great.

Max

I'll show you mine and my covers no longer retain anything where they were packing the grass in each mow.

mhavanti said:

Oh, you may want to drill some holes in your belt cover to save your deck belt, pulleys and bearings in the spindles.
Max

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Man, those drilled holes look PERFECT and actually factory. Very nice. Will also prop the flap and look at the cutout idea.

Thanks for the compliments. I own a machine shop and retired from it many years ago to operate my other businesses. However, the ole machinist still resides inside me.

Keep us all informed how your unit does with your yards. I'm installing a seat flip up retainer this coming week if I can find the time. I do not want the seat back making contact with the foot and deck raising pedal. That is hard on the material of the seat.

I also still have to make a flexible drain hose with petcock that can be pushed down to clear the frame and hydraulics while hitting the drain pan. Then when drained, can then be put into a bracket to hold it in an upright position after closing the petcock.

Well, with slightly wet mostly clover (can see wet spots on front tires but not glistening), I was able to get it done without a lot of buildup. Seems the buildup always starts in the same places (back of discharge area, front lip area in a couple locations, around and above spindles concentrated in certain areas, etc.). Since I am well aware of these places, I can reach up under there and dig them off at the end of cutting, and this time, it went well. Any wetter and I would need to Harbor Freight lift the front end.

Tried the discharge flap wood lifter, and cut the driest last --- it seemed to help.

Afraid to cut the deck triangle because of warranty, but may do it anyway. Will definitely do the belt cover holes when I get a chance.

mhavanti said:

Try cutting out the triangle of your deck, grind back the lower rectangle support to a taper toward the blade and run with the deflector about two inches upward or wide open since nobody lives there and see if that will keep the deck clean. Maybe spray the underside of the deck with teflon and that also may make things better.

Good luck.

Oh, you may want to drill some holes in your belt cover to save your deck belt, pulleys and bearings in the spindles.

First photo is of Tom's belt cover and my personal favorite, however, my covers are working flawlessly and don't look too bad. The deck cut out photos I can't give credit to the owner and I ask forgiveness when he sees this due to my forgetting his name. However, you'll see his modification and it looks great.

Max

I'll show you mine and my covers no longer retain anything where they were packing the grass in each mow. View attachment 32649View attachment 32650View attachment 32651View attachment 32652View attachment 32653

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Yes!....these ideas are awesome. Thanks for posting and sharing. :thumbsup: