Thoughts on new to me raptor sd54...

So I bought a 73 hour used unit thinking I might like it better than my 17 HP 42" jd lawn tractor on my whopping .6 acre lawn. Plus I have some friends close by that have some health issues...thought I could help a few out w/some lawn mowing for free cause I enjoy it.
So on the positive I find the cut quality after getting everything leveled to be really excellent....even w/standard blades. Its cleaner than my Deere which I was happy with. I have some gator blades coming for fall leaf grinding and the spring wet season. The ride is nice and soft w/the big tires set at 10 PS I.
Now for what I hate......I simply can't find an rpm range where everything isn't buzzing or rattling. Even my neighbors are shaking their heads at what this thing sounds like compared to the Deere. I suppose I should get it to a dealer and have him look it over and see if its normal but the seller just had it to his dealer for servicing so I'd think if anything was "out of range" it would have been caught.
The ergonomics of this thing kill me. I'm 6' tall and w/the seat all the way back and bars in the raised position I virtually have to rub my knees together to work the sticks and i need more seat travel...which is there but they didn't make the slots longer even though they could have. My back is throbbing after 1/2 hour. What I gain in the nice soft "big tire" ride is terribly reversed by the crowded operator platform. Lastly...and not the machines fault...I hate seeing
spin burns on the corner and doing 3point turns isn't saving me any time verses the tractor doing the same (it has a pretty tight turn radius on its own).
Guess I'll get it to my dealer for a look over. Kinda getting the feeling I "over estimated" this thing for a "in town" residential machine.....but that's why I wanted a low hour used unit in case I wanted to bail out on it later. Right now the only thing that makes me want to keep it is the really nice cut. Guess I need to check out the more comfy looking "sissy" machines w/steering wheel!?

Wholly agree on the ergonomics. A "big guy" at 1.8m, and going to fat in
sunset years, I find both getting on and being there quite a pain over time.
I have made some mods to suit me, however my squeeze spends more time
on it than I, mowing. And as she is "petite" I cannot do what I really would like to
do to suit me.
Grease yer hanging gear and drylube yer antiscalp wheels. You should find a lot
of "rattle" ceases and the application grants more life to components like control arm
lever points, etc.
Turning?
Stay off the mow when grass/ground is wet. Less pressure in tyres helps, adjust the
deck height to suit. The "Y turn" beats the "3 point" anyday but really what works is
mapping your mow to suit the space. Much the same method as farmers use to
work broadacre with big gear. Mow straight and turn wide.
Works out better for fuel consumption also.

The big advantage of ZTR is being able to circle trees and shrubs very easily and
backup outa tight spots acutely. That said, my squeeze luuurves doing "wheelies"
so largely I ignore the divots or follow her mow with a tub trailer and new dirt

Trust that helps some.


KK

KrashnKraka said:

[...]
Grease yer hanging gear and drylube yer antiscalp wheels. You should find a lot
of "rattle" ceases and the application grants more life to components like control arm
lever points, etc

KK

Click to expand...

Supplementry:
Where your ride is setup correctly it WILL sound like a hovercraft coming.
If you have seen HC working you will know the noise/sound they emit.
Engine noise is minor in comparison.

My nearest neighbour is 1/2mile away... I can hear my squeeze mowing
from his place and know when she is doing her wheelies, the deck cavitates.
If you are looking for "quiet" a powered ZTR is not your ride.

Sorry for the 'bad' news'.... heh.

KK

wear ear muffs or plugs for the sound, and cut it at full rpm.

there is an extension kit for the steering levers if that'll help you.
part# 333724

I just bought a raptor sd60 this week. I ended up going with the 60 because it came with the engine guard and the seat is much more comfortable than the 54. I am 6'1" about 235 and I couldn't be any happier with my machine. I even realized before I mowed this weekend that the seat was almost all the way forward and it felt fine but when I moved it back I was really comfortable. I cut my 2.5 acre lawn that used to take me about 3 hours on my rider in about 1 hour and 15 minutes this weekend. I would suggest sitting on a 60 and try the seat out. I have no idea what they would charge you for the seat but in my mind it is worth it.

Kraky- I'd pull the blades & check them for proper balance.. That can cause bad vibes & still have great cut. My Toro Z is quieter than my previous craftsman tractor. Might be that sweet running Kawi ..

I'm 6'4", and you're right, that platform's not built for people that tall. I added the extensions to the handles, and raised the seat a good 3", including adding some sliding seat tracks so my better half can still use it as well. The tracks let me move the seat back a long ways. Much more comfortable to mow with now. The vibration you mention makes me wonder if you might have a blade out of balance.

Got new gator blades coming but did at least check how they line up while on the deck and all tips match perfectly. Will try some cushions on the current seat to see if getting a bit higher helps. I have an air cushion on top of the motorcycle seat that is transferable...Will throw that in the mix. I was on eBay last night and see some options for the track sliders and better seats...not giving up quite yet. I still realize its alot of machine for the $$$$....i guess I can't blame hustler for not putting alot of effort into to making it a caddilac or they wouldn't sell the models above it.

Drilled 4 new seat holes another inch back from the slots and it made a nice difference. Legs are a little lower and sticks feel like they're much more natural. Got the gator blades on but no "tough grass" to try em on. I did notice when passing the wood chip mulch in the flower bed it didn't suck em up seemingly anymore than the standard blades. I did "forget" that my low spot on the lawn was pretty wet but those monster tires walked right over it w/o leaving hardly a track. Its starting to win me over....lol!

Does it feel any smoother with new blades ?