Raptor SD cut quality - any recommendations?

[Grass Whisper]

Well I too just walked in and said the Raptor SD for me. No demo and really regret that decision.
Mulching kit installed by dealer and I'm thinking, "really poor cut with clumps everywhere - did the company ever test this thing?" A bit stunned over it. My Toro super recycler mulches and leaves a great finish cut. Sure if I let the grass grow super long it's chokes and will leave clumps. However, if I cut with the toro and follow 2days later with the Raptor SD clumps everywhere. I have the Raptor SD sitting in the shop and just wish I never bought it. ;(

Now let's review something, I think that a ZTR mower
is really for guys who can cut quickly, blow driveway and sidewalk, load up and hit the next yard. It's just not for the guy who wants a manicured perfect beautiful yard. Which is completely fine. Surely not slamming any ZTR. Think my application is not realistic for my expectations.

Showed my dealer pictures of my yard and told him about what grass I had and that I mulched it weekly. I just wish he would have said, "yeah, that mower will not do that, it's a ZTR. You want ......."
School of hard knocks...

I too have a choice to upgrade to a fastrak but just not sure that it will cut without clumps. Thoughts?

 

[Grass Whisper]

What's the easiest way to post pictures to this forum?
I would be thrilled to show you my yard. Apple product though, so I'm stumped.

 

[turboawd]

What's the easiest way to post pictures to this forum?
I would be thrilled to show you my yard. Apple product though, so I'm stumped.

use the 'manage atachments' feature in the options below where you write your reply. if you cant move the pictures to your computer, then i dont know what to tell ya. lol

 

[mooch91]

S.O.B.!
We CANNOT just end this 249 post thread w/a new purchase! Its....its...its just wrong!
The very LEAST you can do is fill is old Raptor SD friends in about how wonderful the fastrack is!
You Do a great job on pics Mooch.....we'll watch....we'll listen and we will now be even more envious of that nice house....beautiful lawn AND the fact the rest of us are stuck in "raptorville"!
Anyhow...let us know what we're missing so we can justify it to our honeys!

Fastrak is running good so far. I've cut with it twice, at approximately 4 day intervals. I've gotten in to the habit of more frequent mowings, though it's starting to dry out here in PA. Virtually no clippings left behind on either cut.

I leveled the deck precisely tonight (it was off by about 1/4" in the rear). Should be good for the next time out.

Stripes are fantastic without my home-made striping kit. I was thinking of purchasing Hustler's striping kit to give it a shot for some extra emphasis rather than finding a way to put my roller back on.

Handling is so effortless on the Fastrak as compared to the Raptor. Most of my straight passes are up or down hill and I used to be very jerky to control it on the downhill passes.

At 3 hours now, will wait until 5-6 for the first oil change.

No envy warranted; the Raptor is a great mower, just wasn't set up properly for me or didn't work out on my style lawn. It's more than fine for 95% of the people out there.

Thanks for all the help along the way.

 

[kraky]

Your comments on the controls interest me. In the open my RSD seems to wander just a bit but not bad.
Where I feel I really don't quite have it is doing up close trimming near expensive things....like air conditioners, house siding....new plantings. I was ALOT more confident on my lawn tractor. It also seems like at times making higher speed maneuvers one of the tires can slow down and sort of lock up or slide too easily.
Again....for $4k still a hell of a machine.....but if these things are gone w/the fast track I would like to know. I'm pretty much retired and am seeing plenty of people in my small town battling health problems .....I'm thinking of doing some lawns for free to help out.....not wrecking something expensive has value for me. Do you see a fair gain in "accuracy"?

 

[mooch91]

Your comments on the controls interest me. In the open my RSD seems to wander just a bit but not bad.
Where I feel I really don't quite have it is doing up close trimming near expensive things....like air conditioners, house siding....new plantings. I was ALOT more confident on my lawn tractor. It also seems like at times making higher speed maneuvers one of the tires can slow down and sort of lock up or slide too easily.
Again....for $4k still a hell of a machine.....but if these things are gone w/the fast track I would like to know. I'm pretty much retired and am seeing plenty of people in my small town battling health problems .....I'm thinking of doing some lawns for free to help out.....not wrecking something expensive has value for me. Do you see a fair gain in "accuracy"?

It definitely feels much more precise, both at speed and when trimming around items. The wheels are wider apart on the Fastrak, so there is less of the deck outside the wheelbase (so you'd think the tires would get in the way), but I actually find it easier to trim around all of my planting beds with the Fastrak. Both because the controls are more precise and because the deck seems to be lining up better for the trim. Hard to explain in words, you'd have to try it to understand for yourself.

The Raptor seemed to have a bit of a lag when moving the controls before the wheels would move and then it would take off suddenly, which caused a lot of the jerkiness for me. The Fastrak seems to be much smoother to match the change in the levers with the wheels.

 

[kraky]

Thanks...will have to check out a fastrack...maybe try for a great end of year trade...lol!
I'm not a rookie at running a zero turn...probably got 100 hours running a Deere 9 yrs ago on and off at my business. Its been too long to remember how much better the deere was but it was a commercial unit and I "think" the controls were more precise. Its kinda like taking up golf after a 10 yr layoff...still need practice. Right now when it comes to zero turns I'd rate myself a "bogie golfer". Thinking w/better controls the rolling forward/backward "no divot" deal might be easier too.

 

[Grass Whisper]

Up grading to a Fasrak myself. Its on order. Anyone know about the mulch kit? 2 or 3 baffles?

 

[kraky]

Another question fastrack owners.....
I see you have a lift assist spring on the deck. I would think you could dial in some help not just for your footlift but wouldn't that help the deck float a heck of alot easier too?

Is this true and does it make a practical difference?

 

[mooch91]

Another question fastrack owners.....
I see you have a lift assist spring on the deck. I would think you could dial in some help not just for your footlift but wouldn't that help the deck float a heck of alot easier too?

Is this true and does it make a practical difference?

I can tell you it definitely adds an element of complexity to leveling the deck - have to disconnect it to effectively complete the leveling operation.

Not sure about the benefit to deck float. Nothing "feels" different when I mow - what would I be looking for?