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Raptor SD recall

#1

A

Austin8181

Bought a Raptor SD yesterday and was called today about a recall on the clutch hub. Anyone else seen this?


#2

M

MRCo.

We got the dealer notifications last night. It's a quick job, just adds a washer and bushing. No big deal.


#3

djdicetn

djdicetn

Austin8181 said:
Bought a Raptor SD yesterday and was called today about a recall on the clutch hub. Anyone else seen this?
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I wouldn't hesitate to get it to your dealer for correcting this. Another thread is reporting several belt & deck problems on new RSD's that may be related to this.


#4

T

TennKent

djdicetn said:
I wouldn't hesitate to get it to your dealer for correcting this. Another thread is reporting several belt & deck problems on new RSD's that may be related to this.
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Just mowed for the first time with mine tonight. Belt popped off, cut part of the plastic guard, and shredded the belt some. I'd recommend not using the mower until the recall is applied. Disappointing that mine shows that the mower was made in April, yet the fix was not applied. Does anyone know how the recall is handled when purchased through a big box store? Assume I can still take it to a Hustler dealer?


#5

M

MRCo.

TennKent said:
Just mowed for the first time with mine tonight. Belt popped off, cut part of the plastic guard, and shredded the belt some. I'd recommend not using the mower until the recall is applied. Disappointing that mine shows that the mower was made in April, yet the fix was not applied. Does anyone know how the recall is handled when purchased through a big box store? Assume I can still take it to a Hustler dealer?
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Trying hard not to write snotty reply here.


#6

S

stumper

I haven't received anything from Hustler yet. Is this all Raptor SD's or specific sizes? Mines a 60".


#7

chemingthroughtheleather

chemingthroughtheleather

Thanks for your restraint! I got one coming and pray they took care of this issue prior to shipping.:frown:


#8

djdicetn

djdicetn

TennKent said:
Just mowed for the first time with mine tonight. Belt popped off, cut part of the plastic guard, and shredded the belt some. I'd recommend not using the mower until the recall is applied. Disappointing that mine shows that the mower was made in April, yet the fix was not applied. Does anyone know how the recall is handled when purchased through a big box store? Assume I can still take it to a Hustler dealer?
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That's one of the reasons that most of us on the forums recommend buying from a dealer. Most likely, your local Hustler dealer would have price matched(if not beat the big box price) and as you now realize that's where you will end up anyway. Don't expect the local Hustler dealer to rush you in front of "his customers" to fix your problem, but yes you will need to contact Hustler and have them tell you the nearest dealer to take the RSD to for repairs.


#9

djdicetn

djdicetn

MRCo. said:
Trying hard not to write snotty reply here.
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I've said it before...Hustler is of to a rocky start with this new lineup. Problem, as I see it, is that the Raptor was available last season and Hustler should have already addressed this in QC:0(


#10

djdicetn

djdicetn

stumper said:
I haven't received anything from Hustler yet. Is this all Raptor SD's or specific sizes? Mines a 60".
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Call your dealer. Ask if the problem was corrected before you took delivery(tactfully....ask for proof).


#11

djdicetn

djdicetn

chemingthroughtheleather said:
Thanks for your restraint! I got one coming and pray they took care of this issue prior to shipping.:frown:
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Don't assume....call your dealer and insist that the recall be addressed before you will take delivery. Historically, Hustler is known for standing behind their products. They need to get a little more pro-active on this issue!!!


#12

Ric

Ric

TennKent said:
Just mowed for the first time with mine tonight. Belt popped off, cut part of the plastic guard, and shredded the belt some. I'd recommend not using the mower until the recall is applied. Disappointing that mine shows that the mower was made in April, yet the fix was not applied. Does anyone know how the recall is handled when purchased through a big box store? Assume I can still take it to a Hustler dealer?
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You need to go back to where you purchased the machine and probably either be referred to a dealer that they are using or you can take the mower to a dealer yourself with proof of puchase and a warranty registration card so they can provide the work needed under warranty. The problem you may run into is turn around on the mower, because your not one of his clients or customer he will or can set you way back in line before the work gets done.


#13

Ric

Ric

djdicetn said:
Don't assume....call your dealer and insist that the recall be addressed before you will take delivery. Historically, Hustler is known for standing behind their products. They need to get a little more pro-active on this issue!!!
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I think that's a BAD IDEA dj. You never go to a dealer and insist on anything unless of course you like to be told to hit the front door.


#14

djdicetn

djdicetn

Ric said:
I think that's a BAD IDEA dj. You never go to a dealer and insist on anything unless of course you like to be told to hit the front door.
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Sorry...that's just my honest opinion and how I do business. The way I see it, if I were waiting on delivery of a RSD and had read this forum describing all of the belt problems with brand new RSD's the Hustler dealer would either assure me the problem was corrected or he wouldn't have to show me the door...I could find it myself(with my money in my hand:0)

Same thing if I were buying an automobile that had a current recall issued...no one will get my money for a product that has a "known defect/recall". There are too many other "brands" that don't have an active recall.


#15

T

TennKent

I find some of the feedback here very interesting. Are dealers really that adversarial? I hope that there is just some sensationalism happening here. There are products and services that I will need over the life of my mower/property. I would find it odd for a dealer who is being paid to perform warranty work to have an attitude that I am some sub class citizen. I would think the attitude would be to delight the customer with service and to help build a relationship that the next purchase would be made through the dealership...

In positive news, I've already heard back from Hustler. Great customer service.

Kent


#16

djdicetn

djdicetn

TennKent said:
I find some of the feedback here very interesting. Are dealers really that adversarial? I hope that there is just some sensationalism happening here. There are products and services that I will need over the life of my mower/property. I would find it odd for a dealer who is being paid to perform warranty work to have an attitude that I am some sub class citizen. I would think the attitude would be to delight the customer with service and to help build a relationship that the next purchase would be made through the dealership...

In positive news, I've already heard back from Hustler. Great customer service.

Kent
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Yep, I agree that it is better to be "nice about it" and hope that the dealer is the kind that will "insist" that his new customers don't take delivery of a ZTR with a known problem that hasn't been corrected. I'm not surprised that Hustler has responded to you...they have a history of standing behind their product(which should be reflected by their dealer network).


#17

Ric

Ric

TennKent said:
I find some of the feedback here very interesting. Are dealers really that adversarial? I hope that there is just some sensationalism happening here. There are products and services that I will need over the life of my mower/property. I would find it odd for a dealer who is being paid to perform warranty work to have an attitude that I am some sub class citizen. I would think the attitude would be to delight the customer with service and to help build a relationship that the next purchase would be made through the dealership...

In positive news, I've already heard back from Hustler. Great customer service.

Kent
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As far as dealers go, generally speaking most prefer to service what they sell and they can be real pr**** about people bring them BBS items. That's not to say some don't have a problem with the stuff. Even if they are willing to service the stuff you'll 9 times out of 10 have a considerable wait time before you get your stuff back because their clients will come first. Most prioritize their work orders, Commercial guys get priority first then residential customers that have purchased equipment from the dealer then the BBS stuff is the last thing they will do. I do know that my dealer requires proof of purchase and a warranty registration card before they do any type of warranty work on any BBS stuff and yes I've seen people go away very unhappy.


#18

chemingthroughtheleather

chemingthroughtheleather

Kent,we are curious just what in the "sam hill" did Hustler tell you about making things right? I guess we all could learn from your experience or did they offer you hush money!:laughing: I guess I'm a BBS guy to the dealer...:anyone:


#19

R

RaptorSD

Got our 54 from the dealer, we took the belt and spring in and they replaced it. They're picking up the mower tomorrow to add clutch shim, said they'll try to return it same day. :thumbsup:


#20

M

MRCo.

djdicetn said:
Don't assume....call your dealer and insist that the recall be addressed before you will take delivery. Historically, Hustler is known for standing behind their products. They need to get a little more pro-active on this issue!!!
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More proactive than issuing a stop sale notice and a fix and having dealers contact customers to organise repairs ASAP while recommending not using the mower? Pray tell how.


#21

chemingthroughtheleather

chemingthroughtheleather

In looking for a dealer(since I'm a "BBS" guy:ashamed:) I made several calls to apparent dealers,there are four listed within a 30 mile radius,unfortunately half of them no longer are dealers.The third one is woefully behind on his commercial customers and will not promise anything within the next month:frown:.My last shot was in a very rural area that I'm unfamiliar,turns out he has no actual storefront and essentially makes repairs out of his truck.This turns out to be a great option as he can come to me and do the work,we talked candidly about my BBS status which he saw as no problem,"I'm glad to have you as a potential customer" was his attitude,he is an authorized dealer for Hustler,Kawasaki and Honda motors.He was well aware of the recall and has the parts on hand.I'm feeling GOOD!


#22

D

Dothehustle

I just bought one on Saturday, calling the dealer today to see if the recall was done. I have now put about 3 hrs on it and it is awesome. For the money I think that it is the best deal on a ztr going. I bought the sd 54 and I think that there is a vast difference between the sd and the standard.


#23

chemingthroughtheleather

chemingthroughtheleather

You are making me even more anxious to take possession hopefully tomorrow,my grass is totally out of control, so much so several neighbors have offered assistance.I'm turning them down w/o explaining my purchase,should be interesting when they inquire about what mowed that jungle!:laughing:


#24

D

Dothehustle

chemingthroughtheleather said:
You are making me even more anxious to take possession hopefully tomorrow,my grass is totally out of control, so much so several neighbors have offered assistance.I'm turning them down w/o explaining my purchase,should be interesting when they inquire about what mowed that jungle!:laughing:
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Spoke with my dealer yesterday and he assured me that the repairs were done. My advice is mow it twice once high and then on a lower setting, I HAVE NO doubts though that you could power through some tall grass on a lower setting the first time though.
I have owned a dixon, craftsman,(2) Deere, snapper, and now hustler. the hustler is my favorite.


#25

J

JimDawg

Dothehustle said:
My advice is mow it twice once high and then on a lower setting, I HAVE NO doubts though that you could power through some tall grass on a lower setting the first time though.
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x2

My local extension office recommends not removing more than 1/3 of the grass length on a single mowing. If your grass is really tall, they recommend mowing it once at a high setting and then again a few days later at your regular height because it will damage your lawn less than mowing once at your regular setting. Of course there's the added benefit that you'll get extra seat time this way.

Enjoy!


#26

chemingthroughtheleather

chemingthroughtheleather

Good advice,I'll do it twice with hopes the grass doesn't clog the chute too often.Unfortunately my delivery date was moved back to May 23.....:mad: Once I get going it should bring some much needed "fun mow".Neighbors will probably throw a party as eye sore is corrected.


#27

K

Kremeneon

chemingthroughtheleather said:
Good advice,I'll do it twice with hopes the grass doesn't clog the chute too often..
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Get a bungee or something and lift the chute just barely above level, 2-3" from its natural position. I've not had any problems since this, even in 18" of field grass. Don't lift too far though or grass will rain down on you.

I think I'm going to make a stop block of some sort of plastic to put under the chute / in the hinge to keep it at the angle that works for me.


#28

M

mooch91

Can someone provide a picture of what a recalled clutch looks like?


#29

M

MRCo.

mooch91 said:
Can someone provide a picture of what a recalled clutch looks like?
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There is no 'recalled clutch.' All we are doing is taking the clutch off, adding two washers and putting it back on with a new bolt. No big deal.


#30

R

RaptorSD

MRCo. are the 2 washers and bolt shown the complete update? If in doubt contact your dealer chances are the update was not done without your knowledge.

17 hours on my SD now, great mower I would buy again.

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#31

M

mooch91

RaptorSD said:
MRCo. are the 2 washers and bolt shown the complete update? If in doubt contact your dealer chances are the update was not done without your knowledge.

17 hours on my SD now, great mower I would buy again.
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^ This - is this what I'm looking for?

Thanks!


#32

gfp55

gfp55

chemingthroughtheleather said:
Good advice,I'll do it twice with hopes the grass doesn't clog the chute too often.Unfortunately my delivery date was moved back to May 23.....:mad: Once I get going it should bring some much needed "fun mow".Neighbors will probably throw a party as eye sore is corrected.
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I'm not trying to make anyone mad here, but nobody has addressed something very important with your first cut (long, tall grass). You should read the manual first before you just jump in and start cutting your (field). If you want to get many years out of your machine you need to (break it in), let all the moving parts work themselves so that all the sharp parts get smoothed and more rounded. All machine parts need to work themselves in place easy. Your manual should say something to that effect. Cars/trucks/ect. say not to do full throttle starts, tow heavy loads and so on for the first 500 or so miles to break things in. You can do anything or listen to whoever you want, but I think its just a good idea to let the machine acclimate itself before making it work hard so you get many good years of service. But thats just me.


#33

M

MRCo.

RaptorSD said:
MRCo. are the 2 washers and bolt shown the complete update? If in doubt contact your dealer chances are the update was not done without your knowledge.

17 hours on my SD now, great mower I would buy again.
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One washer goes above, the other below to double the original, as you see there. Looks like you got it fixed.


#34

T

Tta197

Mrco., I'm trying attach a picture of my clutch but I don't think mine was done even though the dealer said it was. My deck has a bit of vibration due to the belt bouncing around while the blades are engaged. Is this normal?

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#35

R

RaptorSD

Tta197 said:
Mrco., I'm trying attach a picture of my clutch but I don't think mine was done even though the dealer said it was. My deck has a bit of vibration due to the belt bouncing around while the blades are engaged. Is this normal?
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Doesn't look like it, MRCo. will be able to tell you. You're missing the big washer, even the grade markings on the 2 bolts are different. Let us know how it goes with the dealer.


#36

K

Kremeneon

Thanks for the pics! I just checked mine, one washer. time to call dealer I guess.


#37

djdicetn

djdicetn

Kremeneon said:
Thanks for the pics! I just checked mine, one washer. time to call dealer I guess.
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Doesn't Hustler "require" registration of all ZTR's sold??? My dealer took care of the registration of my Gravely and the Kawasaki engine. User MRCo indicated that Hustler was contacting all owners, stopping sales of Raptors without the recall fixed, etc. but it sure seems like there is an ongoing number of buyers that are unsure the fix has been applied and/or having to contact Hustler or their dealer themselves. Why are so many falling through the cracks???


#38

djdicetn

djdicetn

MRCo. said:
More proactive than issuing a stop sale notice and a fix and having dealers contact customers to organise repairs ASAP while recommending not using the mower? Pray tell how.
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This is the statement I am referring to above.

P.S.
That was on 5/6/14...so how long does it take to contact all owners?


#39

K

Kremeneon

djdicetn said:
This is the statement I am referring to above.

P.S.
That was on 5/6/14...so how long does it take to contact all owners?
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I registered my mower independently of the dealer, no notice yet.


#40

Ric

Ric

djdicetn said:
Doesn't Hustler "require" registration of all ZTR's sold??? My dealer took care of the registration of my Gravely and the Kawasaki engine. User MRCo indicated that Hustler was contacting all owners, stopping sales of Raptors without the recall fixed, etc. but it sure seems like there is an ongoing number of buyers that are unsure the fix has been applied and/or having to contact Hustler or their dealer themselves. Why are so many falling through the cracks???
Click to expand...


Most manufacturers are going to require registration on their mowers from dealers but whether HD registers anything is anyone's guess. The best way to register any piece of equipment with the manufacturer is to do it yourself, paper work for your registration should be included at time of purchase so you can fill it out and send it in or you can register it online at their site. Now I can tell that I have years ago purchased mowers from HD and they have never done anything about registering any mower I've ever purchased.


#41

djdicetn

djdicetn

Kremeneon said:
I registered my mower independently of the dealer, no notice yet.
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That's all it should require!!! Since Hustler decided to allow Lowes, etc. to sell the RSD, then if the owner self-registers the ZTR on Hustler's website that should be addressed directly by Hustler(either through direct contact with the owner or by having one of their dealers near the registered owner contact the owner). I'm still not convinced that Hustler has "nipped this at the bud" regarding this recall. Belts & tension pulleys breaking due to a known "defect", with an official recall, is NOT what I would expect from Gravely!!!! Another new owner in this or another thread contacted Hustler and a dealer contacted that owner very promptly. Still....Hustler should have made the initial contact!!


#42

M

MRCo.

djdicetn said:
Doesn't Hustler "require" registration of all ZTR's sold??? My dealer took care of the registration of my Gravely and the Kawasaki engine. User MRCo indicated that Hustler was contacting all owners, stopping sales of Raptors without the recall fixed, etc. but it sure seems like there is an ongoing number of buyers that are unsure the fix has been applied and/or having to contact Hustler or their dealer themselves. Why are so many falling through the cracks???
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Dealers should do it. Dealers were notified so they could contact customers to organise repairs. It's not on hustler to phone 10,000 people. Next.


#43

M

MRCo.

djdicetn said:
That's all it should require!!! Since Hustler decided to allow Lowes, etc. to sell the RSD, then if the owner self-registers the ZTR on Hustler's website that should be addressed directly by Hustler(either through direct contact with the owner or by having one of their dealers near the registered owner contact the owner). I'm still not convinced that Hustler has "nipped this at the bud" regarding this recall. Belts & tension pulleys breaking due to a known "defect", with an official recall, is NOT what I would expect from Gravely!!!! Another new owner in this or another thread contacted Hustler and a dealer contacted that owner very promptly. Still....Hustler should have made the initial contact!!
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Man, if this were Gravely youd be singing from a whole different hymn sheet. I've said before, two broken belts on thousands of units doesn't make the disaster you keep making it out to be. Change the record already.


#44

M

MRCo.

Tta197 said:
Mrco., I'm trying attach a picture of my clutch but I don't think mine was done even though the dealer said it was. My deck has a bit of vibration due to the belt bouncing around while the blades are engaged. Is this normal?
Click to expand...
One washer below, should be two if fixed in accordance to the recall instructions. Looks like you need to go back.


#45

Ric

Ric

MRCo. said:
Dealers should do it. Dealers were notified so they could contact customers to organize repairs. It's not on hustler to phone 10,000 people. Next.
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The Dealers don't really have anything to do with contacting the consumer. When a recall takes place the manufacturer will send out a standard letter to the owners if the mower was registered the same way Toro did on the recall for my Turf-Master. The fact is I had the recall order two weeks before my dealer and I copied it and gave him the original letter. Can I ask who and when was this recall done because there's nothing on the CPSC about any recall for this.


#46

M

MRCo.

Ric said:
Can I ask who and when was this recall done because there's nothing on the CPSC about any recall for this.
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I got the letter about four weeks ago, contacted customers to either bring mowers or pick them up. Mine are all done.


#47

Ric

Ric

MRCo. said:
I got the letter about four weeks ago, contacted customers to either bring mowers or pick them up. Mine are all done.
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Ok, then it must have been a voluntary recall by Hustler because there's nothing on the CPSC about it. Excell Industry's / Hustler's last recall on the CPSC was March 27th 2014 for a seat switch or something. I agree with you when you say this thing is getting blown way out of proportion.


#48

djdicetn

djdicetn

MRCo. said:
Man, if this were Gravely youd be singing from a whole different hymn sheet. I've said before, two broken belts on thousands of units doesn't make the disaster you keep making it out to be. Change the record already.
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You can't buy a Gravely at Lowes....ask yourself why. What I am emphasizing is that reports of the recall fix not being done are popping up on these forums daily/weekly.......now THAT's a broken record:0)
IMHO, Hustler made a huge mistake opening their product up to the big box stores!!! And I'll quit dogging the "proactive response" you described until this thread(aptly called Raptor SD recall) withers on the vine and dries up. My challenge to you is to go to one of the other Equipment By Brand forums(your pick...Gravely/Ariens, Bob-Cat, Dixie Chopper, Exmark, Cub Cadet, Toro, Ferris, Grasshopper.....whatever) and find a similar "complaint" thread with more than 2 users having the same problem and the thread lasting a month like this one. I almost bought a Hustler FasTrak Super Duty myself and consider the Hustler as a leading brand....but this thread may alienate a lot of potential buyers who aren't "charmed" by the Raptor line price point and don't want to take a chance with a problem that just keeps on keeping on!!!


#49

djdicetn

djdicetn

MRCo. said:
I got the letter about four weeks ago, contacted customers to either bring mowers or pick them up. Mine are all done.
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So how many Hustler dealers are there nationwide? And can all of them say the same thing today? And...the real kicker, what about all of the Home Depot & Lowes RSD buyers....who is taking care of their recall......certainly not the store:0(
Again, as "blown out of proportion" as this problem may seem....why hasn't this thread simply died?????


#50

djdicetn

djdicetn

Ric said:
Ok, then it must have been a voluntary recall by Hustler because there's nothing on the CPSC about it. Excell Industry's / Hustler's last recall on the CPSC was March 27th 2014 for a seat switch or something. I agree with you when you say this thing is getting blown way out of proportion.
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The CPSC will only issue a recall if there is a safety concern. A belt breaking or tension spring breaking doesn't qualify as a safety problem...just an owner of a new ZTR problem. Like I said earlier....I've been on these forums for several years and this is the FIRST thread I have ever read that had so many users reporting similar problems on their new ZTR's for a month.


#51

djdicetn

djdicetn

MRCo. said:
Dealers should do it. Dealers were notified so they could contact customers to organise repairs. It's not on hustler to phone 10,000 people. Next.
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Again, since Hustler decided to allow big box stores to sell the RSD the dealers cannot be expected to address those customers directly. So, if Hustler has sold 10,000 units they should have discovered the problem after the first 500-1,000. Apparently, you assume that all of the RSD's without the correct parts on the clutch assembly are in that first 500-1,000 sold and account for all of the users reporting belt/tension spring problems here(I guess logistically that "could" be true). I would have to look at each post on these forums of a user who had a problem, when they bought their RSD and was their ZTR's serial# in the first 500-1,000 sold. Probably impossible, just gonna have to see when this thread dies.


#52

chemingthroughtheleather

chemingthroughtheleather

I take delivery tomorrow,I'll look for the two washers first thing! If not there I will immediately call the closest dealer and get er done.Dealer has the parts to repair and will come to my house to fix.I'm hopeful my next post on Saturday will sing the praises of Hustler!:licking:


#53

Ric

Ric

djdicetn said:
You can't buy a Gravely at Lowes....ask yourself why. What I am emphasizing is that reports of the recall fix not being done are popping up on these forums daily/weekly.......now THAT's a broken record:0)
IMHO, Hustler made a huge mistake opening their product up to the big box stores!!! And I'll quit dogging the "proactive response" you described until this thread(aptly called Raptor SD recall) withers on the vine and dries up. My challenge to you is to go to one of the other Equipment By Brand forums(your pick...Gravely/Ariens, Bob-Cat, Dixie Chopper, Exmark, Cub Cadet, Toro, Ferris, Grasshopper.....whatever) and find a similar "complaint" thread with more than 2 users having the same problem and the thread lasting a month like this one. I almost bought a Hustler FasTrak Super Duty myself and consider the Hustler as a leading brand....but this thread may alienate a lot of potential buyers who aren't "charmed" by the Raptor line price point and don't want to take a chance with a problem that just keeps on keeping on!!!
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The recall work is being done, I don't know where your getting that it's not. The problem is the popularity of the mower is so great that Hustler is or maybe having some problems keeping up. What were talking about isn't a major issue, it's a simple fix and if someone is halfway intelligent and in a hurry they could probably do it themselves.
Now I said in the start I thought Hustler putting mowers in BBS was a mistake and the people buying them from such was also a mistake because of the service issue.

The dealers aren't going to care about BBS mowers. They will be the last of the machines to be done, if it gets done at all will be up to the owner and if registrations were done properly or not. Now as far as how fast the problem is fixed will depend on parts availability. It could take a week or possibly a couple of months, I know it took my dealer about a month in a half to get one part for my Turf-master on it's recall so if I had a Hustler I probably wouldn't be in a hurry.


#54

K

Kremeneon

So I have determined that my SD 54 is pre-recall. Can anyone post (maybe with documentation/photos) exactly what the fix entails and what it changes/why? I've seen descriptions of shim, extra washer, longer bolt.

Is the issue that the drive pulley sits too high and belt alignment causes wobble/thumping by pulling up on the deck pulleys and bits ?


#55

djdicetn

djdicetn

chemingthroughtheleather said:
I take delivery tomorrow,I'll look for the two washers first thing! If not there I will immediately call the closest dealer and get er done.Dealer has the parts to repair and will come to my house to fix.I'm hopeful my next post on Saturday will sing the praises of Hustler!:licking:
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With you taking delivery tomorrow, I too am hopeful that Hustler is not sending out any more units with the inappropriate bolt/washers on the RSD's. Please post back whether it has the recall applied!!


#56

djdicetn

djdicetn

Ric said:
The recall work is being done, I don't know where your getting that it's not. The problem is the popularity of the mower is so great that Hustler is or maybe having some problems keeping up. What were talking about isn't a major issue, it's a simple fix and if someone is halfway intelligent and in a hurry they could probably do it themselves.
Now I said in the start I thought Hustler putting mowers in BBS was a mistake and the people buying them from such was also a mistake because of the service issue.

The dealers aren't going to care about BBS mowers. They will be the last of the machines to be done, if it gets done at all will be up to the owner and if registrations were done properly or not. Now as far as how fast the problem is fixed will depend on parts availability. It could take a week or possibly a couple of months, I know it took my dealer about a month in a half to get one part for my Turf-master on it's recall so if I had a Hustler I probably wouldn't be in a hurry.
Click to expand...
IMHO, Hustler let too many RSD's go out for delivery after the problem was identified. They kinda created their own "backlog" and I've never really said that the recall work "isn't being done"....it's just that notifying the owners that took delivery of RSD's before the assembly line began implementing the correct alignment bolts/shims seems to be slow(based upon a continuing stream of posts like user Kremeneon above.

Kremeneon,
Did you buy your RSD from a dealer or big box store???? When did you purchase it????
P.S.
I looked at all of your posts and it appears that answered my questions...you posted on 4/17 that you bought the RSD 54 about a week ago(placing your purchase around 4/10). SO it's understandable yours is "pre-recall". And you indicated you bought at BBS and registered the RSD yourself. So you are a prime example of an owner that Hustler should have initiated a recall notice to(rather than a dealer). You've had it for approx. 6 weeks and I would consider that plenty of time for you to have received a recall notice from Hustler. One more question.....when did you register it on Hustler's website????


#57

K

Kremeneon

djdicetn said:
Kremeneon,
Did you buy your RSD from a dealer or big box store???? When did you purchase it????
Click to expand...

RSD 54 Ser 14036423
purchase 04/11/2014 Bluegrass Farm and Lawn, Shelbyville KY.
I did forget for a bit and registered online 5/8/14

I'm going to give them a call right now and see what they know.

EDIT: so I called.... They are aware and said they have not received the parts from Hustler yet. He will call me what that happens.


#58

K

Kremeneon

Ahh, so the fun gets better. 3/4 through the lawn tonight *PING* *THWACK**WHIRrrrr*.

Belt tensioner spring broke.

Pissed.


#59

PVHIII

PVHIII

Kremeneon said:
Ahh, so the fun gets better. 3/4 through the lawn tonight *PING* *THWACK**WHIRrrrr*.

Belt tensioner spring broke.

Pissed.
Click to expand...
Raptor and Raptor SD are both junk mowers I owned the original Raptor for 3 months and had numerous problems to the point I took it back and bought a Fastrak SD and I LOVE IT...Hustler builds a good machine but not these two models....DON'T BUY ONE..standard rule of thumb when it comes to ZT mowers...if the deck ain't chain hung DON'T BUY IT!


#60

djdicetn

djdicetn

Kremeneon said:
Ahh, so the fun gets better. 3/4 through the lawn tonight *PING* *THWACK**WHIRrrrr*.

Belt tensioner spring broke.

Pissed.
Click to expand...

Don't be mad...many others in this thread think that this recall is not a big deal and is being way over reacted to:0(
Of course...they aren't you or the other users that have posted the same problem with their new RSD's!! And even if it's a "handful" posting on this forum, there are probably hundreds having similar problems that don't know anything about the Lawn Mower Forum. Of course, if you had registered your RSD when you took delivery you "might" have been contacted for the recall before this happened(but all indications are that Hustler is relying on their dealer network and are not pro-actively contacting BBS owners). Let us know what you find out after you contact Hustler.


#61

djdicetn

djdicetn

PVHIII said:
Raptor and Raptor SD are both junk mowers I owned the original Raptor for 3 months and had numerous problems to the point I took it back and bought a Fastrak SD and I LOVE IT...Hustler builds a good machine but not these two models....DON'T BUY ONE..standard rule of thumb when it comes to ZT mowers...if the deck ain't chain hung DON'T BUY IT!
Click to expand...

You know....everyone seems to think that the Raptor is "brand new this season", but I distinctly remember reading(and probably replying to) your post last year about your experience. I remember that you returned it and got the FasTRak SD. That being said, it seems to me that Hustler should have been aware that there were problems with that series before the first one rolled off the assembly line this year. By any chance....did you experience a broken belt or tensioner spring???? That would look really bad on Hustler if last years introductory Raptors had the same problem as the ones they manufactured this year:0(


#62

K

Kremeneon

I called dealer. They are going to pick it up Tuesday and bring it back with new spring, and recall fix. Even though they don't have the parts yet.


#63

djdicetn

djdicetn

Kremeneon said:
I called dealer. They are going to pick it up Tuesday and bring it back with new spring, and recall fix. Even though they don't have the parts yet.
Click to expand...

That's great news and speaks volumes about Hustler and their dealer network providing after-the-sale support!! Let us know how long it takes them to get it back to you. It's a shame that Hustler somehow didn't contact all RSD owners(especially those who purchased at a BBS). I'll bet the dealers aren't real happy that they are getting blind-sided by BBS owners. I can't figure out why they don't "immediately" contact a BBS owner when the RSD is registered on their website as they should know that a dealer is not aware of that purchase.


#64

R

RaptorSD

Kremeneon said:
I called dealer. They are going to pick it up Tuesday and bring it back with new spring, and recall fix. Even though they don't have the parts yet.
Click to expand...

Curious what were you cutting when the spring broke? Only problem I had was trying to cut 2ft grass early in he season with the chute down, belt was slipping then shredded, spring came off sprung(they breakin and stretch anyway). What I would like to do is relocate the spring eyelet on the deck so I can add a chain and shorter spring to be able to actually adjust the tension, like it's done on commercial mowers. it wouldn't be difficult, I don't know why they didn't make it like this to begin with.


#65

K

Kremeneon

RaptorSD said:
Curious what were you cutting when the spring broke?
Click to expand...

I was in creeper mode trimming around the house, not much deck load at all.

The spring broke right where it bends up off the coil to make the hook. Classic cheap spring failure point.


#66

djdicetn

djdicetn

RaptorSD said:
Curious what were you cutting when the spring broke? Only problem I had was trying to cut 2ft grass early in he season with the chute down, belt was slipping then shredded, spring came off sprung(they breakin and stretch anyway). What I would like to do is relocate the spring eyelet on the deck so I can add a chain and shorter spring to be able to actually adjust the tension, like it's done on commercial mowers. it wouldn't be difficult, I don't know why they didn't make it like this to begin with.
Click to expand...

Adjustable tension and other features usually found on high end residential or low-end commercial ZTR's would have prevented the Raptor line from being the price point residential offering that Hustler had in mind. In fact, all of the other manufacturers are having their dealers discount some of their most popular low-end residential ZTR's to compete with the Raptor pricing. One of my local Cub Cadet/Dixie Chopper dealers are selling the Dixie Chopper Zee 1 for what you would pay for a Raptor. He is selling the 60" Cub Cadet Z-Force for exactly the same price that the Raptor SD 60" is selling for. Hustler has "set the bar" for what most other entry level or better quality residential ZTR's will sell for and all the rest are scrambling to compete.


#67

T

Tta197

Here's a copy of the clutch recall / service bulletin

I bought the new bolt / washers and did the job myself. My dealer insisted that the service bulletin was done when in fact it wasn't. So rather than beg to have it done, I did it myself.
Sorry the attachment is rotated, I don't know why it did that.

Attachments









#68

chemingthroughtheleather

chemingthroughtheleather

Sometime I can't remember what I have posted previously:confused2: Any who...I got the RSD yesterday..mine was made #522 in May of this year.The washers were added so we are good to go right?Not exactly...the battery was dead and the meter showed 63 hours.All I can figure is the yahoo that got it ready for delivery left the key in the "on" position.I have emailed Excel indicating I want my full warranty,along with mini rant.I did mow my 2+ acres today and things went very well.I have not been on a Z very much so my first mow was rather slow and methodical.I did not push the mower but its got some power I tell ya,almost lost control couple times but no incidents.Neighbors showed their customary interest but didn't throw a party :frown: I did enjoy my handiwork as I sipped a cold one.:thumbsup:


#69

R

RaptorSD

Re: Here's a copy of the clutch recall / service bulletin

Tta197 said:
I bought the new bolt / washers and did the job myself. My dealer insisted that the service bulletin was done when in fact it wasn't. So rather than beg to have it done, I did it myself.
Sorry the attachment is rotated, I don't know why it did that.
Click to expand...

Awesome! just looking at that there's no way I would try to run w/out the washers. top bearing teetering on the stub shoulder can't be good!


#70

djdicetn

djdicetn

Re: Here's a copy of the clutch recall / service bulletin

Tta197 said:
I bought the new bolt / washers and did the job myself. My dealer insisted that the service bulletin was done when in fact it wasn't. So rather than beg to have it done, I did it myself.
Sorry the attachment is rotated, I don't know why it did that.
Click to expand...

Have you contacted Hustler and advised them that the dealer incorrectly advised you??? I would be afraid that doing it myself would have a negative impact on my ZTR's warranty:0(


#71

T

Tta197

Re: Here's a copy of the clutch recall / service bulletin

djdicetn said:
Have you contacted Hustler and advised them that the dealer incorrectly advised you??? I would be afraid that doing it myself would have a negative impact on my ZTR's warranty:0(
Click to expand...

As far as Hustler is concerned they think the service bulletin was complied with by the selling dealer since he claimed it was done.


#72

M

Mtmellum

Hi All,

new member in Canada researching new ZTR for medium (1.5 acre) sloped area with good established gardens and clean lawns. In my research, I came across this thread and started to get concerned. still find the raptor SD to be very hard to beat, gravely, bad boy, husqvarna and JD all researched. Contacted a Hustler rep up here and he was fantastic in his response. He indicated that the units up here have all had the recall done. He also said that very few export units where affected as the problem was rectified on the builds once they found the issue.

Hustler seems to have responded well in my opinion. Granted, I can see peoples perspective of why wasn't this part of the R&D testing and proving. is Hustler a fly by nighter? in my limited dealings so far, Ive found them great. staying away from model specific issues (which we can find for any model & manufacturer), they are a serious contender. The raptor SD features for the price point, is way in front. Is it perfect , no, but which unit is at $4K? its not a entry machine but its not pro either.

if it was 5500 - 6 price point then I'd expect a different discussion and would have a different view.

regards


#73

R

RaptorSD

Mtmellum said:
Hi All,

new member in Canada researching new ZTR for medium (1.5 acre) sloped area with good established gardens and clean lawns. In my research, I came across this thread and started to get concerned. still find the raptor SD to be very hard to beat, gravely, bad boy, husqvarna and JD all researched. Contacted a Hustler rep up here and he was fantastic in his response. He indicated that the units up here have all had the recall done. He also said that very few export units where affected as the problem was rectified on the builds once they found the issue.

Hustler seems to have responded well in my opinion. Granted, I can see peoples perspective of why wasn't this part of the R&D testing and proving. is Hustler a fly by nighter? in my limited dealings so far, Ive found them great. staying away from model specific issues (which we can find for any model & manufacturer), they are a serious contender. The raptor SD features for the price point, is way in front. Is it perfect , no, but which unit is at $4K? its not a entry machine but its not pro either.

if it was 5500 - 6 price point then I'd expect a different discussion and would have a different view.

regards
Click to expand...

It's a good mower, if you spend a little more instead of getting powdered metal gears in the drivetrain you can get cut steel gears....a separate hydro pump for easier maintenance. And a welded frame instead of a stamped frame(still very durable). Again adjustable belt tension and other small differences. Boils down to application I guess, for many the SD will be a great value.

BTW I had 12 hours on mine before clutch update.


#74

M

Mtmellum

RaptorSD said:
It's a good mower, if you spend a little more instead of getting powdered metal gears in the drivetrain you can get cut steel gears....a separate hydro pump for easier maintenance. And a welded frame instead of a stamped frame(still very durable). Again adjustable belt tension and other small differences. Boils down to application I guess, for many the SD will be a great value.

BTW I had 12 hours on mine before clutch update.
Click to expand...

thanks. so for the cut steel gears, is this a rebuild of the stock drives, a upgrade to 3100 drives or an upgrade to a different model hustler?


#75

R

RaptorSD

Mtmellum said:
thanks. so for the cut steel gears, is this a rebuild of the stock drives, a upgrade to 3100 drives or an upgrade to a different model hustler?
Click to expand...

Hydro-Gear ZT-2800 ZT-3100 Product Presentation (english) - YouTube. The thing is you don't see many reported problems with the 2800's.


#76

M

Mtmellum

RaptorSD said:
Hydro-Gear ZT-2800 ZT-3100 Product Presentation (english) - YouTube. The thing is you don't see many reported problems with the 2800's.
Click to expand...

Thanks, great video.


#77

K

Kremeneon

I talked to the dealer a bit ago and he said he ordered the parts this morning and is coming to pick up the mower tomorrow morning.


Thanks for posting the contents of the service notification/fix in the attachments here:
http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/hustler-forum/24237-raptor-sd-recall-post159793.html#post159793

I am a bit concerned.... when I called the dealer Friday afternoon he said not to worry, no complaints have been made, this is something they found in R&D, etc... Then I read the actual paperwork posted in my link and it says in big bold text: DO NOT SELL OR OPERATE

Dealer had my serial #, purchase date, contact info. I assume he received this letter within a few days of the 4/23 date on it.
How come I called them a month later asking about it?
Dealer was aware of the update, why didn't they convey to me on the phone to not use the mower as advised in the service letter?
I mowed with it that night with no concern of damage to the unit or myself based on that conversation and broke the mower. I had to finish with my lawn boy walk-behind. It needed the hours but still, the RSD could have been corrected proactively when I didn't need to mow with it.

All good questions I think. I'm not going to ruffle any feathers until my mower is fixed and returned to me.


#78

R

RaptorSD

Kremeneon said:
Then I read the actual paperwork posted in my link and it says in big bold text: DO NOT SELL OR OPERATE
Click to expand...

Somebody on youtube said they had a clutch bearing fail prior to the update. But yeah I'm not aware of many.


#79

K

Kremeneon

Kremeneon said:
I talked to the dealer a bit ago and he said he ordered the parts this morning and is coming to pick up the mower tomorrow morning.
Click to expand...

The mower was picked up yesterday as scheduled. The dealer just called me to say it is done and will be dropped back off this afternoon. Good people so far.


#80

K

Kremeneon

Just got home and saw the mower.
New spring.
Fired it up, fair amount of deck vibration.
Jimmied the seat switch and ran the deck while looking at the clutch. No runout or wobble by eye, good.
Noticed the belt does flap around quite a bit, deck spring is somewhat busier than I would expect.
Looked at the clutch, one washer.
Either they didn't follow the instructions, or did not apply the fix.


#81

M

Mtmellum

RaptorSD said:
Yeah I guess they'll make back their margins on this mower in belt sales. Anyway I do plan to mod mine down the road with chain and spring. 19 hours now and it's working great, the competition has a reason to be scrambling. Far from 'junk'.
Click to expand...

Make sure you start a thread on that mod! I'm interested in that! Any thoughts how you will do it? This been done before on the raptor sd anyone?


#82

M

Mtmellum

Kremeneon said:
Just got home and saw the mower.
New spring.
Fired it up, fair amount of deck vibration.
Jimmied the seat switch and ran the deck while looking at the clutch. No runout or wobble by eye, good.
Noticed the belt does flap around quite a bit, deck spring is somewhat busier than I would expect.
Looked at the clutch, one washer.
Either they didn't follow the instructions, or did not apply the fix.
Click to expand...

That's very concerning for sure!


#83

K

Kremeneon

I've mowed twice since the mower was brought back. When the blades are engaged it makes a rattling/gurgling noise from the clutch area, at all engine speeds.
*gurgle gurgle, rattle rattle* pause *gurgle gurgle, rattle rattle*

I called the dealer this morning to ask about the oscillating/intermittent sound and if it is supposed to do that. They said they did apply the Service Bulletin 523 fix, and articulated to me the parts involved (bushing, new bolt, extra washer) and that they had heard the sounds also in checkout before bringing the mower back to me and scratched their heads about it a minute. There's only one washer under the clutch bolt, so I'm really wondering now what is going on. They said they are going to consult with Hustler and get back to me today.


#84

T

Tta197

The belt spring for the deck is too weak and therefore the belt is very loose causing a lot vibration/shudder. I've since have replaced the deck belt spring with a heavier one which tightens the belt up. This has made a huge difference when the clutch is engaged. The blades start smoothly with absolutely no shudder. See the picture.
I bought the spring at Menards.

Attachments







#85

T

Tta197

Hustler dropped the ball with the wrong spring/tension on this excellent mower. This is what this mower needed from the factory.


#86

K

Kremeneon

as in these?

X-ONEi deck spring 781302 (all decks)
X-ONEi deck spring chain 373191 (for 60" deck) 21 link, 52" has 13 link


#87

djdicetn

djdicetn

Tta197 said:
Hustler dropped the ball with the wrong spring/tension on this excellent mower. This is what this mower needed from the factory.
Click to expand...

I agree wholeheartedly...but you know that they had to "cut some corners" to make the price point for the RSD series. But the cost of a heavier duty spring and the correct length bolt/washers/shims for the clutch recall were IMHO cutting too many corners:0(


#88

chemingthroughtheleather

chemingthroughtheleather

Appreciate the tip about the spring,makes sense to replace it.(my belt really jumps when I engage the blades)I'll report back with results.


#89

K

Kremeneon

Kremeneon said:
I've mowed twice since the mower was brought back. When the blades are engaged it makes a rattling/gurgling noise from the clutch area, at all engine speeds.
*gurgle gurgle, rattle rattle* pause *gurgle gurgle, rattle rattle*

I called the dealer this morning....they are going to consult with Hustler and get back to me today.
Click to expand...

Dealer is picking up my mower today. Said if they can't sort it out directly that the 'area guy' said he would stop by and have a go. I expressed that mow quality seemed fine but the vibration and clutch noise didn't register to me as normal. I said I did not want to sound picky, but I didn't want to have something simple become a big warranty claim later if the clutch and Kawa driveshaft take each other out.


#90

T

Tta197

Kremeneon said:
Dealer is picking up my mower today. Said if they can't sort it out directly that the 'area guy' said he would stop by and have a go. I expressed that mow quality seemed fine but the vibration and clutch noise didn't register to me as normal. I said I did not want to sound picky, but I didn't want to have something simple become a big warranty claim later if the clutch and Kawa driveshaft take each other out.
Click to expand...

Keep in mind that the new bolt has a JM stamped on it versus the JH, so there might be a difference in strength also. They're both the same length.


#91

K

Kremeneon

Tta197 said:
Keep in mind that the new bolt has a JM stamped on it versus the JH, so there might be a difference in strength also. They're both the same length.
Click to expand...

I have no idea what JM and JH mean, but my current bolt is JM and has the same three radial line markings as the old bolt, indicating both are grade 5.


#92

chemingthroughtheleather

chemingthroughtheleather

Tta......I want to make sure I understand your belt tightening fix.I just got the spring from Menards and came back to look at your pics.Now I notice you added two lengths of chain as well...(I'm putting this on RSD),I assume chain is needed....could you clarify the size of chain.Thanks for your help!


#93

T

Tta197

chemingthroughtheleather said:
Tta......I want to make sure I understand your belt tightening fix.I just got the spring from Menards and came back to look at your pics.Now I notice you added two lengths of i hain well...(I'm putting this on RSD),I assume chain is needed....could you clarify the size of chain.Thanks for your help!
Click to expand...

I added the two links because you don't want to stretch that spring all the way to attaching clevis. That would make the belt too tight. I found that adding the two links was the perfect tension I was looking for. I used a ratcheting tie down strap to stretch the spring. You won't be able to do it by hand. I bought a small section of 5400 lb.. chain at Lowes. I'll let you know the item number from Lowes if you need it later tomorrow.


#94

chemingthroughtheleather

chemingthroughtheleather

I appreciate your explanation.I will look for a device(?) that will afford me the option of tightening the spring on the fly.I'm hopeful to find something I could ratchet to tighten but remains on the mower for future adjustments.A small tensioner for the spring if you will.Off to Home Depot!:licking:


#95

K

Kremeneon

chemingthroughtheleather said:
I appreciate your explanation.I will look for a device(?) that will afford me the option of tightening the spring on the fly.
Click to expand...

A small turnbuckle might be the ticket. potential gotcha might be some kind of retaining clip to keep it from unwinding itself under tension and vibration.


CMP0034850_pc_JARUM+KERAS+-+TURN+BUCKLE+-+SPAN+SKRUP.jpg


#96

chemingthroughtheleather

chemingthroughtheleather

Kremeneon said:
A small turnbuckle might be the ticket. potential gotcha might be some kind of retaining clip to keep it from unwinding itself under tension and vibration.


After going to HP I'm still trying to get this together:frown:The turnbuckle idea is essentially all I found as well,however the turnbuckles are not robust enough to take the constant pull.Back to the drawing board....I got some mowing to do while it is dry.I'm amazed that Tta was able to flex the spring enough to attach it,this spring is heavy duty industrial grade.
Click to expand...


#97

K

Kremeneon

chemingthroughtheleather said:
I'm amazed that Tta was able to flex the spring enough to attach it,this spring is heavy duty industrial grade.
Click to expand...

easy way...
Pull belt off idler.
Slide idler all the way in and hook up spring.
Loop a rope over the idler where the belt goes, tie in a loop around your shoe.
On knees, get in a line with the spring direction and push your foot out, pulling the idler back easily far enough to pop the belt on.
Untie rope loop and fish it off the idler.


#98

T

Tta197

I used one of these ratchet tie down straps. On one end I put the hook of the strap on the spring and the other end attached to the trailer hitch of my truck.
The chain I used is from Lowes (3/8 high 5400 lb.).

Attachments







#99

K

Kremeneon

Dealer found the intermittent rattle at the clutch anti-spin strut. Seems hustler is aware and a rubber or plastic sleeve/bumper is coming.


#100

chemingthroughtheleather

chemingthroughtheleather

This issue has not become a recall I take it?


#101

djdicetn

djdicetn

chemingthroughtheleather said:
This issue has not become a recall I take it?
Click to expand...

IMHO, it should be part of the clutch bolt recall!!! I think it's stinky that owners of a new ZTR have to go out and buy idler tension springs and turnbuckles to make the Raptor deck operate properly:0(


#102

T

Tta197

This is how I added a shim to the clutch anchor. See picture.

Attachments





#103

R

RaptorSD

Tta197 said:
This is how I added a shim to the clutch anchor. See picture.
Click to expand...

Simple as that, I'm not even gonna bother since I've never noticed it.


#104

K

Kremeneon

Tta197 said:
The belt spring for the deck is too weak and therefore the belt is very loose causing a lot vibration/shudder. I've since have replaced the deck belt spring with a heavier one which tightens the belt up. This has made a huge difference when the clutch is engaged. The blades start smoothly with absolutely no shudder. See the picture.
I bought the spring at Menards.
Click to expand...

Alright, I'm on board with this now too. In some heavy stuff I'm getting a lot of uncut grass from the center blade, but perfect cuts on left and right. When going back over it everything is cut nicely. Looking at the belt routing, center is the one with the least belt contact. So it would of course slip first.


#105

F

ffbubba252

Add us to the list of people with the spring breaking issues. it was bought in April and within ten hours the spring broke. Took it back. Gave us a spring to put on it. Kept happening. Never mentioned any kind of service recall. The guy (dealer) is kind of squirrely anyhow so not sure what to think. The mower has been in for repairs (spring, belts breaking) 4-5 times since April. Today, the spring broke, belt came off, the deck bent, and the axle bent. The dealer yelled and pointed his finger saying that it had been abused. Yelled some choice word back. Called the main number to see what could be done to get it fixed. The man was very nice and gave us the area rep's number. Now waiting for his call back. While I was waiting, started looking for issues with the mower online - here I am...count us in the "two or three" that have had the belt come off. lol (Trying to keep our cool!)


#106

O

Oldschool1959

I have to take my 48" Raptor SD in tomorrow for a couple minor issues so while I was discussing these things with the service tech I mentioned the deck wobble and the "fix" I read here and could he do that for me also. His reply was that since it wasn't a Hustler part it would VOID my warranty to have the spring replaced with another one that was better. He advised me he would check the belt tensioned and spring and see if he could tighten it up to stop the deck wobble I get when I engage the blades but that was all he could do. He was not allowed to do any "modifications" on any mower as it automatically would void my warranty. So I guess I will have to put up with the deck wobbling like crazy when I engage the blades......
Ideas anyone?

Let me add however I love the way this thing cuts my yard! Nice and smooth with barely no bog down in high grass. We have 30 hours on it and it purrs like a kitten, albeit with some rattles we havent identified and the right lever is harder to operate than then left which is why we are taking it back in for a look see. Anyone else have an issue with the right lever being a good deal harder to operate/push/pull than the left?


#107

K

Kremeneon

I have greatly reduced deck wobble by precision balancing my blades. I bought a pack of 5/8" OD ball bearings (HERE). I pulled the seals out of them, washed the grease out, and re-oiled them with light machine oil. One of them mounted on a bolt in the side of my workbench is the total of my balancing station. My stock blades all had a distinct heavy side that required some grinding to even, my new gator blades did too. Once they sat level, within the detection of the bearing, I put them back on the mower, virtually no more deck wobble.

EDIT: this was deck wobble that existed after the dealer applied the recall fix.


#108

R

RaptorSD

Oldschool1959 said:
I have to take my 48" Raptor SD in tomorrow for a couple minor issues so while I was discussing these things with the service tech I mentioned the deck wobble and the "fix" I read here and could he do that for me also. His reply was that since it wasn't a Hustler part it would VOID my warranty to have the spring replaced with another one that was better. He advised me he would check the belt tensioned and spring and see if he could tighten it up to stop the deck wobble I get when I engage the blades but that was all he could do. He was not allowed to do any "modifications" on any mower as it automatically would void my warranty. So I guess I will have to put up with the deck wobbling like crazy when I engage the blades......
Ideas anyone?

Let me add however I love the way this thing cuts my yard! Nice and smooth with barely no bog down in high grass. We have 30 hours on it and it purrs like a kitten, albeit with some rattles we havent identified and the right lever is harder to operate than then left which is why we are taking it back in for a look see. Anyone else have an issue with the right lever being a good deal harder to operate/push/pull than the left?
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It's not the spring, I think what you're experiencing is characteristic of a 3+ blade mower(heavy gauge blades with a long belt spinning up from zero to 18.6k fpm), the stock spring should stay it provides the correct tension. An overly tight belt on the other hand is where you'll run into problems. The rattle can be from a number of things down to the snapper-pin clips resting on the deck. I don't notice it much.

You are right to have the dealer look it over if you think something's wrong though. Just my opinion. Good luck, my first zero turn as well and it's working great!

BTW, I reinstalled the stock deck spring on my mower and have been running it that way for some time, I see no reason to change it not to mention it voids your warranty.. if you do any modifications you're on your own, do so at your own risk.


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