Raptor 54 SD problem

tlg588

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So, I was mowing tonight, I go to make a turn and my mower just quits moving. Won't go forward or backward. The left hand lever won't go all the way out to the engage the parking brake either.

I get off and start looking under the mower to see if I can find the problem and I find it. The transmission cross arm brace is broke, both mounting nuts seem to be missing and my back drive wheels are angled out like the front end of a car that needs the toe-in adjusted.

Has anyone heard of the cross arm breaking, it does seem to be made of plastic. I know what you are thinking, that I hit something or abused the mower in someway. But, I haven't hit anything and mowed the same lawn with a used Toro timecutter for four years, with no trouble, before buy the Raptor last spring.

Any advice?

Tim
 

Carscw

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So, I was mowing tonight, I go to make a turn and my mower just quits moving. Won't go forward or backward. The left hand lever won't go all the way out to the engage the parking brake either. I get off and start looking under the mower to see if I can find the problem and I find it. The transmission cross arm brace is broke, both mounting nuts seem to be missing and my back drive wheels are angled out like the front end of a car that needs the toe-in adjusted. Has anyone heard of the cross arm breaking, it does seem to be made of plastic. I know what you are thinking, that I hit something or abused the mower in someway. But, I haven't hit anything and mowed the same lawn with a used Toro timecutter for four years, with no trouble, before buy the Raptor last spring. Any advice? Tim

Go back to a timecutter.
I know people that have had the same thing happen. The raptor is one of the last mowers I would buy. They have had nothing but problems with them.
 

turboawd

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i've had a bolt break off one end on that cross brace. i do cut a lot of rough lots though.

sounds like you may have broken the bolts a while ago, and the trans pitched up at an angle. and the belt probably came off. thats why it wont move.
 

turboawd

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if you get the transmissions lined up and bolt the brace back on, install the bolts from the bottom, not the top like done from factory. because when the bolts are inserted from the top, the threaded part of the bolt goes through the cross brace, and the bolts snap off at the threads. by reversing the bolt, you'll have the solid part of the bolt(no threads) at the cross brace, so that its less likely to shear off. and use grade 8 bolts.
 

tlg588

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I called the local dealer, where I bought the mower, and described the problem. They know exactly what I was talking about. They told me this is a common issue with the mower, there is an upgrade available and it would be repaired under warranty. This was Thursday morning. They picked it up that morning (pickup and delivery NOT covered under warranty). They called me Friday morning to say it was done and to setup a delivery, but I missed the call. So, I should be getting my mower back Monday morning. I will let you all know how the repair worked out.
 

turboawd

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I called the local dealer, where I bought the mower, and described the problem. They know exactly what I was talking about. They told me this is a common issue with the mower, there is an upgrade available and it would be repaired under warranty. This was Thursday morning. They picked it up that morning (pickup and delivery NOT covered under warranty). They called me Friday morning to say it was done and to setup a delivery, but I missed the call. So, I should be getting my mower back Monday morning. I will let you all know how the repair worked out.

can you find out exactly what they did? new bracket by chance?
 

Kremeneon

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I changed my hydro oil over the weekend and found both vertical bolts at the front of the brace loose. like a quarter inch of exposed threads loose. This explains the negative camber I thought I was seeing on the rear wheels. I removed both bolts, cleaned the gunk off of them and put back together with some blue locktite.

Now I'm considering calling the dealer about this "warranty upgrade"....
 

DK35vince

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My neighbor had a Raptor SD.
Did the same thing.
That and he bent the deck mount brackets a coupe times.
 

turboawd

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I called the local dealer, where I bought the mower, and described the problem. They know exactly what I was talking about. They told me this is a common issue with the mower, there is an upgrade available and it would be repaired under warranty. This was Thursday morning. They picked it up that morning (pickup and delivery NOT covered under warranty). They called me Friday morning to say it was done and to setup a delivery, but I missed the call. So, I should be getting my mower back Monday morning. I will let you all know how the repair worked out.

got any update?
i asked my dealer and they were not aware of any upgrade for the brace.
 
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