Hello I'm new to the sight, and I have a few questions about my mower. I bought this mower new last month to mow my newly seeded lawn, I did by the bagger but it doesn't bag the grass well at all or hardly at all would be more realistic. It just cakes up underneath the deck and then giant clumps fall out all over my new lawn. So my question is , has anyone here ever found a blower bagger system for this mower? Im pretty discouraged even when it kinda works it blows leaves and grass out from under the front of the deck as if the shoot was plugged up. I contacted the hustler and they said they thought I either put the wrong high lift blade on or didn't put it on at all. wrong! does anyone have any advice for me? thank you
I garownanty that a Raptor SD doesn't put out the airflow of a CH-47!!!!
New grass tends to be very wet!
A Raptor SD with bagger relies totally on the airflow provided by the turning blades under the mower deck.
While mowing, the engine must be running at full throttle. As a new operator of a ZTR, you will need to get accustomed to operating your machine and finding it's limitations and keeping within the operating envelope to maximize the machines performance.
Mad Mackie in CT,
Old Huey/Chinook wrench/crew chief!
Not trying to be insulting but are you sure the belt is on the right way.
On blowers powered by a belt running off one of the spindles it is possible to run the belt backwards so the blower sucks.
Also blade speed is important.
The only one they offer that I'm aware of. It just hooks onto the discharge of the deck with a high lift blade on the spindle closest to the outlet. no blower,
Most collection systems that don't have a blower perform marginally at best. Cutting 1/2" or less off the grass is where this type of collection system is comfortable operating.
In time, you will become more familiar with this machines performance limitations and adapt.
My 48" Scag Tiger Cub has a collection system with a large belt driven collection blower and I can clog it up cutting wet or excessive cut height in a single pass.
My Hustler X-ONE is a rear discharge machine, no collection system available and is used primarily in cemeteries.
Bear in mind that a Raptor SD is at the low end of the Hustler line.
I've got about three to four position left and I will be as high as the deck will go. There is a company in Minnesota called protero, that might make a blower that I can install to help me out. I will sure make a post if they do.
I would be interested in hearing if anyone has used Humboldt's (or any other third party) solution as well. I have a Raptor SD 54 inch and the OEM catcher system is very frustrating to use. Even in dry conditions with short grass, the grass frequently accumulates in the in the tubing and in the mowing deck which has to be manually unclogged. Additionally, the rubber bungee's that connect the tubing to the frame often break.
