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Last night I performed the first hydro/transaxle oil change on my 2015 Raptor SD 60. I removed the rear tires to get easier access to everything (and because it takes no time with my impact gun). On the left hand side, I noticed a loose bolt that connects the very front end of the hydro-drive to a cross-member and to a tab coming down from the chassis. It had a nylock nut on it, but had backed itself about an 1/8" off of being tight. I checked the right side to see if it was also loose and found that bolt sheared clean off where the threads would have just been visible below the cross-member. Here's a pic of the right side. You should be able to see a nut on the bottom.



I was pretty irritated because it was too late to get to the hardware store last night, so I finished up the oil change and left the rear wheels off the mower. Today, I picked up 2x 3 inch long grade 8 5/16 course thread bolts, four washers, and two new nylock nuts. I didn't like the fact that the factory bolts had threads inside the bolt hole. That should be all shank in my opinion to prevent wear and fatigue. The bolt I got was almost perfect. There is only about 1 whole turn of threads inside the hole. Here is the new bolt next to the broken original bolt - you can see the threads that were in the hole are pretty mangled.



Here's a shot of the new bolt installed and tightened. It sticks down farther than the original, but there is nothing nearby that could make contact with the extra bolt length.



One last pic of the broken bolt and the loose bolt that probably would have broken fairly soon. Notice that its threads are pretty boogered up too.

Very good post & pictures, you may choose to send information & pictures to manufacturer to make them aware of issue.

Not another Raptor with hydro bolt problems.

Wow what a shock.

80 hours and mine is running strong,,I just double lock nutted the stock hardware,flipped them around so the thicker shank was going through the frame,,and keep my eye on them weekly..no issues yet..and I run alot of huge slopes,banks,and cow paths.

This is a minor issue that can be completely avoided if you just flip them around and keep an eye on them weekly.

I do have the grade 8 bolts ready if I ever need them,but I doubt I will.

Tom

577jersey said:

80 hours and mine is running strong,,I just double lock nutted the stock hardware,flipped them around so the thicker shank was going through the frame,,and keep my eye on them weekly..no issues yet..and I run alot of huge slopes,banks,and cow paths.

This is a minor issue that can be completely avoided if you just flip them around and keep an eye on them weekly.

I do have the grade 8 bolts ready if I ever need them,but I doubt I will.

Tom

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If you look at his first picture you will see it is installed with the threads down and it still broke the bolt. At somewhere around $4000.00 I would not think I would have low grade bolts. My $3000.00 Husqvarna does not need any of that stuff done. I just check it annually to make sure it is still torqued. I purchased it in 2007 and have never had a bolt break or back out. It just amazes me what people will settle for. I would be screaming at my dealer till they fixed it right. Not just put another crappy bolt in. From what I read there are some serious design flaws in the Raptor/Raptor SD line. I would not own one until it is all fixed.

There is another thread about this very issue about 1-2 months ago. I checked mine and they were installed properly, thus no issues (so far). I purchased mine in January of this year. I'm not sure how we could accomplish this but ideally, within a brand forum, there could be a moderator maintained thread with issues like this. Essentially, it would be a list of problems to check for a given model.

Theoretically, forum followers and new owners would then know what to check for specific to their model, etc.. I would have thought all followers of the hustler forum with this model would have checked those bolts after that particular thread. Then again, it does take some spare time to check the forum to see what is going on.

BlazNT said:

If you look at his first picture you will see it is installed with the threads down and it still broke the bolt.

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Good pickup BlazNT. The photo was a bit dark and it took me a minute to orient myself. At some point in the near future I will probably go ahead and get some new bolts and swap them all out. If I find anything interesting, I will report.

Yeah,,I double lock nutted mine and hammer the living crap outta it every day,,the bolts are tighter than a frogs butt 10 feet under water,,no issues with this RSD at all other than normal things that happen to every mower regardless of the price.

I would buy this mower again and again so far....people where talking about the deck being crap also,,well I have been cutting in pouring down rain every day this week.
Super tall,wet crab grass is the worst,,plugs up every mower deck I ever had...this deck is awesome,,I went to scrape it out the other day and there was nothing under there to clean,,not sure if its the hi-lift blades but its truly amazing,,no more scragglers and the deck is staying super clean in all this wet junk!!

I love my RSD so far...80 hours and counting.

Tom

I might add,,the RSD is a great little mower but the deck lift hanging system is a little bit of a weak point,,I would not go any bigger than a 54" deck,,they use the same system on all the models and it flexes a bit,,I can see that becoming an issue down the road especially on the bigger 60".
If I don’t get the Bobcat CRZ next,,I will get a 48" RSD no problem at all.

2 bolts to watch over......oh the horror.
Where is Ralph Nader when you need him?
Ya....shouldn't be an issue but everything and everybody has a quirk!
It's a cup half full/half empty dilemma!

kraky said:

2 bolts to watch over......oh the horror.
Where is Ralph Nader when you need him?
Ya....shouldn't be an issue but everything and everybody has a quirk!
It's a cup half full/half empty dilemma!

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Yeah right kraky,,
There are alot bigger issues with other mowers than a couple bolts...lmbo
Im not saying the RSD wont break,all mowers break.
If your prepared for a break down by keeping a couple belts,springs,clips,and some slime for tires..you shouldn’t have to worry about it much at all.
Im gonna try to be the first guy who puts 1000 hours on this mower,,you guys might be waiting a while though...lol

Tom

I did a quick search before I started this thread but didn't find anything that semed related. I mow about 4.5 acres of "yard" that was horse pasture 3 years ago. It's bumpy, to put it mildly. I'm not at all surprised that a few bolts have worked their way loose after all that rough riding. I'm very happy with my hustler. It cost me maybe $4.50 to fix the problem (and upgrade to shanked g8's at the same time). I just wanted others to keep an eye on these bolts.

Some of you hateful (useless) troll idiots aren't happy unless you're crapping on every brand but your own. Good for you, you miserable piece of garbage.

bradmc said:

I did a quick search before I started this thread but didn't find anything that semed related. I mow about 4.5 acres of "yard" that was horse pasture 3 years ago. It's bumpy, to put it mildly. I'm not at all surprised that a few bolts have worked their way loose after all that rough riding. I'm very happy with my hustler. It cost me maybe $4.50 to fix the problem (and upgrade to shanked g8's at the same time). I just wanted others to keep an eye on these bolts. Some of you hateful (useless) troll idiots aren't happy unless you're crapping on every brand but your own. Good for you, you miserable piece of garbage.

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The thing is is this group is full of threads about this mower. I do own 3 hustlers but would not buy a raptor after I did a demo for a week. Before you call others idiots or trolls you might want to know how much MORE then you they know about mowers.

We get that ever mower has a bad one once in awhile. But the SD is still a new mower with lots of problems.

Funny thing about Forums, you will see all the nastiness about any subject. Just like selling by word of mouth, seldom do people speak about how well they were treated, serviced or prices given. However, people normally speak about their bad experiences almost exclusively. For every one good experience with a particular product or sales company you'll hear bad a hundred times.

Point being, you may have seen 20 folks have negative statements about any particular brand, but, they say it hundreds of times. Unlike a fist fight, you kick the shyte out of each other, its over with and go grab a soda or a beer and get back to work.

For every reported problem with any one brand or model mower on this forum, there are hundreds of thousands units out there that have never experienced anything other than operator abuse. A person that doesn't treat their mowers like a four wheel drive mud buggy is irritated when they experience a fail. However, it is a machine, machines have failures. Raptor doesn't have an excessive amount of failures greater than any other brands.

I subscribe to run'em like you stole'em, if you break it, fix it. I suggest you all do the same.

Let the good times roll!

Max

I do not dislike hustler at all. They make one of if not the best commercial machines on the market.

It really cracks me up too,,because its only lawn mowers that we are talking about....lol.

The net is full of keyboard Rambos...mow on my fellow Hustler owner and enjoy that beautiful machine.

It should last you a long time especially if you slow it down a bit over the rough terrain..maybe look into getting a roller for that pasture of yours one of these days

oh and BTW..My raptor has 80 hours of hard use and doesn’t have any major issues as of yet...the key gets turned 10 plus times a day,and the deck gets lifted and dropped 20x a day..I was under it yesterday and the spindles are tight as a rock!!! My Bobcat Classic full commercial even has a little slop in the spindles with only 100 hours on it.

Tom

Those upper front cross brace bolts loosened up on me also, I caught and tightened them. Next, or maybe at the same time, the cross brace itself broke at the bottom bolt. They bolts were plenty tight, the brace itself broke or fatigue cracked at the bend where it turns to face the left hydro lower bolt. The mower still operated, but it wouldn't be long before the extra stress bent or broke something else, I noticed the break Friday after finishing up the yard.

I called my dealer on Monday. Service guy was fully aware of the issue and said he had upgraded cross braces in stock.
They drive 15 miles to pick up the mower Tuesday morning.
They returned it about 4pm with a new brace and hardware at all six points where the brace attaches to the hydros.

Kremeneon said:

Those upper front cross brace bolts loosened up on me also, I caught and tightened them. Next, or maybe at the same time, the cross brace itself broke at the bottom bolt. They bolts were plenty tight, the brace itself broke or fatigue cracked at the bend where it turns to face the left hydro lower bolt. The mower still operated, but it wouldn't be long before the extra stress bent or broke something else, I noticed the break Friday after finishing up the yard.

I called my dealer on Monday. Service guy was fully aware of the issue and said he had upgraded cross braces in stock.
They drive 15 miles to pick up the mower Tuesday morning.
They returned it about 4pm with a new brace and hardware at all six points where the brace attaches to the hydros.

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Could you please post a few pics of the new upgraded brace,,Id love to see if mine already has that new brace since its a newer machine?
Thanks a ton!!
Also,,what year is your mower,,maybe Hustler added the new braces to the newer ones Im hoping,,if not Im going to call the dealer.
Mine is still holding up great almost 90 hours of hard use.

Tom

Kremeneon said:

Those upper front cross brace bolts loosened up on me also, I caught and tightened them. Next, or maybe at the same time, the cross brace itself broke at the bottom bolt. They bolts were plenty tight, the brace itself broke or fatigue cracked at the bend where it turns to face the left hydro lower bolt. The mower still operated, but it wouldn't be long before the extra stress bent or broke something else, I noticed the break Friday after finishing up the yard.

I called my dealer on Monday. Service guy was fully aware of the issue and said he had upgraded cross braces in stock.
They drive 15 miles to pick up the mower Tuesday morning.
They returned it about 4pm with a new brace and hardware at all six points where the brace attaches to the hydros.

Click to expand...

my dealer and hustler themselves said there is no update.

Another lying dealer....

An update sort of insinuates some sort of a factory sponsored program. It doesn't necessarily mean the factory hasn't changed the way they make that brace a little bit. It could still be made under the same part number or a new part number. And a real active dealer may know this has happened and one that isn't so active may not.

Yeah we need good HD pics..I have a welder and fab skills so I could always beef up the crossbars if I had too,,so far I see no need,,mine are rock solid.
Im also only 180 pounds,,not sure how the mower would hold up with a big guy on it like 265 going up/down steep banks all day long,,prolly twist/break something sooner or later on any residential mower.

Well, so far, ago good. 80hrs on the clock, 6'-5" and 380 in the seat. Nothing has loosened up so far and no problems.

BEYTILL said:

Well, so far, ago good. 80hrs on the clock, 6'-5" and 380 in the seat. Nothing has loosened up so far and no problems.

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Well thats a good report for this RSD

I also had the bolt problem with my 54" RSD. The bolts came loose and the bracket broke that connects the Hydros at the bottom. The dealer ordered me a new bracket and I replaced the bolts as described above with grade 8s. I jam nutted them as well as using loctite and nylocks. When the bracket came in I installed it myself. Before installing, I cut a piece of 3/8" ID aircraft tubing and placed it between the tabs on the bracket. I then used a grade 8 piece of all thread to go through both hydros the tabs on the bracket and the tubing. This keeps the hydros from pulling on the tabs and the all thread carries the load. It is also jam nutted the same as the other bolts. I have put 125 hours on it since the mod with nothing loosening back up.

Overall coming up on 300 hours it has been a good mower for $3600. I can't believe all the negativity on this forum when people are looking for constructive solutions to their problems. We get it, you love your $3k Toro. I have had minor problems with just about every new thing I have owned. My Chevy truck broke exaust manifold bolts two times under warranty. Once the warranty expired I replaced them with stainless bolts and never had a problem. I then shared the info on a forum to help others. Isn't this the idea of forums? Or is it to praise you own equipment and hate on others?

It is also here to help people to not make a purchase of bad equipment. Sometime we go overboard it that pursuit but that is just how it goes at times. As you can see I have a Husqvarna I paid $3000 for and I have never had to replace or retighten a single bolt. The only problems I have ever had with the unit was by my own hand. Like running into a fence post at full speed and bending the deck mounting bracket. So when others buy a product that cost more than mine and they brag about how good it is and it has all these problems it is hard to not correct them. I even saw on here someone bent the front fork taping a pole(I think) at low speed. That is not a well made part compared to mine. I have hit many things with my front fork at a high rate of speed and never bent one. So should we not let others know to not buy something if we think it is not well made?

I am sure there are spots on the forum to give advice to people wanting to know which unit to buy. A lot of people look for others personal experience with a product before they spend their cash, that's smart. The spot for that is NOT in the middle of a brand specific forum where people are looking to others for advice to resolve their problem with a model they already bought. I am sure there are people that have had problems with just about every brand of mower out there.

Guess it just comes down to helping others or bashing other's purchases. I like helping people!

Big thumbs up!!!!
Like I said earlier,i just double lock nutted all my hydro hardware and never had a problem with them coming loose again,i run that hustler up and down some major banks,so steep you cant hold them sideways..my pump belt was missing a few ribs at the end of the season,that understandable for all the abuse i put the machine through every week commercially.
Great mower and i would buy another one for sure!!!IMO the less expensive toro with the EZT pumps would not hold up to the torture I put this mower through...Im sure its fine on flat ground though.

Stingray69 said:

I also had the bolt problem with my 54" RSD. The bolts came loose and the bracket broke that connects the Hydros at the bottom. The dealer ordered me a new bracket and I replaced the bolts as described above with grade 8s. I jam nutted them as well as using loctite and nylocks. When the bracket came in I installed it myself. Before installing, I cut a piece of 3/8" ID aircraft tubing and placed it between the tabs on the bracket. I then used a grade 8 piece of all thread to go through both hydros the tabs on the bracket and the tubing. This keeps the hydros from pulling on the tabs and the all thread carries the load. It is also jam nutted the same as the other bolts. I have put 125 hours on it since the mod with nothing loosening back up.

Overall coming up on 300 hours it has been a good mower for $3600. I can't believe all the negativity on this forum when people are looking for constructive solutions to their problems. We get it, you love your $3k Toro. I have had minor problems with just about every new thing I have owned. My Chevy truck broke exaust manifold bolts two times under warranty. Once the warranty expired I replaced them with stainless bolts and never had a problem. I then shared the info on a forum to help others. Isn't this the idea of forums? Or is it to praise you own equipment and hate on others?

Click to expand...

After my kawi finally blows up I may snap a Predator engine on my Hustler just for fun..would be a great back up!
Funny thing is the kawi might last longer than the rest of the mower..lol

Over 3000 hours on 4 toros with the ezts cutting foreclosed homes. More then half the hours is cutting weeds/grass over 2 foot tall.
Hills you would not even attempt to put a mower on.

EZT drives are the way to go. Search this group and you will not find one person say one went bad. But you can keep replacing hydro pumps and motors and new lines. And don't forget the $50 fluid change every 100 hours. And down talk things you really know nothing about.
Only a fool would buy a new mower knowing they have to modify it before using.

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577jersey said:

Big thumbs up!!!! Like I said earlier,i just double lock nutted all my hydro hardware and never had a problem with them coming loose again,i run that hustler up and down some major banks,so steep you cant hold them sideways..my pump belt was missing a few ribs at the end of the season,that understandable for all the abuse i put the machine through every week commercially. Great mower and i would buy another one for sure!!!IMO the less expensive toro with the EZT pumps would not hold up to the torture I put this mower through...Im sure its fine on flat ground though.

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What mower did you have that the EZT drive went bad?

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Here let me google that for you http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/general-lawn-garden/316646-hydro-gear-ezt-transmission-most.html. See post #2. EZT hydros are widely recognized to be an entry level hydro. Keep telling yourself they are the best..........if it makes you feel better. Good to hear you have had great success with them. I am an engineer and you will never convince me a no maintenance unit with no filter is better than one you can change the filter and fluid on. All you interjection in the middle of a hustler repair section about your bulletproof Toro is just counter productive for other Hustler owners.

If you are mowing 2 foot grass you need a brush hog!

He is right,I never had an EZT equipped mower so I don’t know.But i do know that my 2800s have both filters and fans,and rolling up and down banks all day long I choose to think the 2800s are better for my application.

I use Mobile 1 50w and can go alot longer than 100 hours for service,I believe the interval is every 200 hours for RSD using dino oil,but if using synthetic 500 hours would be fine,especially with those spin ons.

I believe the toro guy doesn’t like kawasaki either,Im a huge kawi fan,always was even though I like Kohler too,whatever works..Im hoping to get 1k hours out of this RSD and post my issues along the way.

Hopefully I live that long,could be 5 or 6 years before I see that...anyway have a God Blessed season to all and well be checkin back in late fall with a RSD update if i remember.

Tommy

This is the problem with unexperienced people on here. They read what the manufacturers say.
The bottom line is if you do not have experience with something then don't act like you know what you are talking about.
I did not ask you what someone's opinion was on the drives.
I asked you if you have ever had any of them gone bad.
You have not and do not know anyone that has. I will bet no one n here has had one go bad.
I have used the raptor for 100 hours.it is Junk.

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If you do not have experience with something then do not suggest that it would not last doing the job.
My point with the toro is you get a better built and more dependable mower for less money.
I have a $10.000 scag on its third $ 400 pump with only 1100 hours and n it.
A sealed unit saves you money every day. I save $200 every 100 hours (4mowers) no telling how much i save a year not replacing pumps or motors.i must have done something right. I retired 6 months ago at age 52. I have over 200 mowers. 24 of them are pre 1970 and never been used.

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Serious Dude...........200 mowers 24 never used? Pics or it ain't true...............................................................tic toc

Look around in this group. You want pictures you going to have to look for them. They are posted in here.

Every once in awhile there is a new guy like you. Acts like he knows more then every one else. Then poof he is gone.

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What makes the raptor junk it has the EZT pumps just like yours?
Now the SD is the one that is being questioned in the thread.
The Raptor is a good mower too just had problem with deck hangers dropping a couple bolts on some units.
The SD,s deck has a 6 point mounting to the frame,it is far from junk bro.

Mine blows grass 4 passes over easy now that the chute is opened a little more.

Remember,ladys and gents,these are just lawnmowers not Lamborghini’s..lmao

Not here to dispute someone that I think is full of it and has nothing constructive to add to a brand specific repair forum. I will however chime in when needed to share constructive information with other owners of the same mower I own. You have no idea of my back round or knowledge based on a few posts. I have given others constructive input on what worked to resolve my issue and might help resolve theirs. What have you given Hustler owners that is constructive............a bunch of BS! I'm sure others can see it for what it is. I'm out!

175 hours still going strong,just checkin in,,have a nice day