Raptor SD recall

[djdicetn]

This issue has not become a recall I take it?

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(

 

[Tta197]

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

 

[RaptorSD]

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

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

 

[Kremeneon]

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.

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.

 

[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!)

 

[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?

 

[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.

 

[RaptorSD]

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?

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.