7 MAJOR ISSUES with the Hustler Raptor SD

[@tmangaming61]

I bought mine in 2015 absolutely love my lawnmower and I have the 60" deck. I never knew until now what flaws the mower has. Now that I have watched your video I will know what to look out for. And have the links to replace these item. Thank you so much for going through and looking up each part. To make easier on us to find.

[@lamontpowell6235]

Great video, wish I had seen this 3 years ago. My fathers dealer charged $600 twice to fix these problems. I now haul his mower 200 miles to have a dealer in my town di any repairs. Shame on Hustler for not requiring their dealers to take care of these problems.

[@kirdro]

No kidding. Most of these should have been recall items. Mine has had: Hydro Mount issue, Damper Broken, the Paint adhesion problem. I cut that brace off the deck first time it clogged. Guess I need to watch for leaks and frame cracks now.

[@JefferyAshmore]

Mi e took care of it all no charge, after prompting from hustler.

[@57Joe]

It's incredible how this video nailed all of the issues I've had with my hydro mounting. On average, every third time I use this mower there is some issue that needs fixing. I wasn't aware there was a kit to fix or update this, I've been welding the brackets back together myself and gusseting them in. One by one I've had to fix every mount on the rear of the chassis. I bought mine new in November of 2015 and it only has 197 hours on it. If you can't weld, I wouldn't recommend this mower, and that retrofit kit should be free as part of a recall.

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

I would recommend doing the update kits and see how your machine holds up. We have had good luck with the update kits solving all the issues. Thanks for watching.

[@donaldpayne8284]

I’m

[@larrylupton2955]

I agree with you the new kit should be free because Hustler knew about these problems probably before the warranty ran out shame on Hustler

[@joeyvanostrand3655]

I have a 2017 that came with the updated frame kit for the hydros. I just passed 350 hours and somehow snapped the bolts that hold the hydros in place. They attach in multiple places. Mine snapped down the bottom on what seems to be equivalent to the sway bar. One may have broken earlier and I just didn't catch it, which, I guess could have happened. I'm pretty particular about my equipment. I'd like to think I would have noticed one of the hydros sticking up in the air like it was. I think it was both of them in rapid succession. One went and then the other swiftly went afterwards. I quickly noticed a change in operation and the deck belt went VERY slack all of the sudden. The bolts that were in there were actually a tad bit smaller than the holes drilled for them. I happen to have a couple of bolts that were just a tad bit longer and A LOT stronger. I also used a couple of lock washers on each end of the bolt where it and the nut connects to the frame rail. I've had the discharge problems. I carry a tomato stake with me. Nice and long to dig out the bunched-up grass. I've come close multiple times to cutting that Little slice of metal off but I haven't. I had and still do have the paint flaking problem on my deck. I sand it down a bit and apply a few coats of closely matched in color Rust-Oleum spray paint. I also had the spindles go bad at about 200 hours. They weren't cheated and also said that Hustler was aware of the problem. The spindles were sourced from an outside manufacturer never going to be problematic. They replaced them free of charge but I still had to get it down there and back. $50 each way. 😕 It's currently at 350 h ours. I just changed the hydro oil again. I'll be honest with you, I didn't do the filters this time. They are filtering clean oil in a sealed system. I know they get old after a while but a a year is not that old. I just recently found the STENS and the Chinese knock-off replacement filters on Amazon. The Hustler Branded filters are $30-$35 each! For oil filters!! Horseshit! Not happening. I'll finish it up this afternoon. All new fluids and a happy mower. Hopefully! HA! Oh!! Just replaced the drive belt at about 320 hours. Still has the same deck belt from the factory but I do have a backup just in case. I just put a new battery in it as well. That 145CCA nonsense was useless if it got slightly cold out. It may be hot as hell out right now in Upstate New York but I'll tell you what. It's cold up here a lot more than it is warm. It's because we have a lot of assholes people living in this state. They emit an odor that only their fellow douche-floot can identify. Causes them to congregate and make bad social decisions.

[@ernieson1325]

If you were to move they would probably just follow.

[@AndreasUnderwood-em1bg]

Delivered a nice even cut, has the super tight turning ability kzbin.infoUgkx1VWTrayKBdCKAjzAcZ_Eg4dhHTae3LkN also recommend I was looking for, and is just a blast to drive. It takes a little bit to get used to driving one after driving a normal tractor style, but once you've got it, you've got it. If you're cutting lines, you have to be careful spinning the mower around or the back tire will dig a bare spot. Just take it nice and slow during the turn and then it's back to full throttle across the yard!

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Thanks for watching!

[@kurtpeterson7707]

I just finished watching your video. I have had ALL of the problems you stated in this video. I reinforce and welded brackets for the hydros and mounts. I repainted deck and mower, replaced dampers etc. Hustler needs to take better care of their customers after the sale. I will never darken the door to another Hustler dealer again. I am in the market to purchase another commercial grade mower and rest assured it will never be yellow. I'm leaning towards orange.

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Sorry to hear you have had issues. All brands of mowers have their problems. Thanks for watching.

[@davidjudd221]

One yellow mower is an excellent choice. The first letter in its name, is W.

[@TerrellWillams]

I have two Raptors and both of them have almost all of the same problems. Thanks for warning me.

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Thanks for watching

[@johncoyne7004]

Thank you for your help. I heard the big dog line is ending but I purchased one anyway. 2022 with 40 hours now. The only issue has been an occasional nut that came loose. I finally called the dealer and they picked cut up and tightened all the nuts. Your correct about dealer support making the difference. Thank you The Yard Stop in Ocala for taking care of it.

[@dougkimp2791]

Yep, and I thought I just had a lemon. I have had to weld, fabricate stiffeners, add gussets and basically rework all those Hydo drive brackets you talked about. My biggest head ache though has been that darn tension spring on the deck idler pulley breaking every 15 to 20 hours. I'm about to relocate that to reduce the belt tension just a bit. Now I have to check out those other items you pointed out. Thanks for the good video

[@curtismarske8624]

Thanks for the video. Tons of useful information here and glad to see the common issues all in one place. I've had three of these issues with my mower. The steering dampeners, the leak, and the paint. Another issue that I had around 150 hours was the mowing deck quitting mid mow. This was due to the belt fraying and cutting the wires to the clutch that engages the blades. This was an easy fix and was honestly self inflicted from trying to stretch the belt life too long, but maybe it will help a viewer with troubleshooting. The most recent issue I've had at 315 hours was with the starter. The starter failed and the bendix assembly got stuck in the flywheel. Another easy fix but rather pricey at 125 bucks and I fried the starter solenoid so that was additional money and work too. As someone who tinkers and tries to wrench on my own equipment if possible, I'm happy overall with the mower. Even with the issues, it's been the best one I've had so far.

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Thanks for watching

[@marciaterry4216]

Thank you so much for this video!!! This is exactly what has been happening to my mower. I have replaced and repaired the drive belts, the blades, and the mounting bracket just broke last night. It is 5/2014 model.

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Glad this helped. Thanks for watching.

[@douglasbrown9625]

Excellent video! You hit all the main points. I run a light commercial business and I like the SD‘s for the work. I have three hustler mowers and the one I use the most is a 48SDX and yes I’ve had all these problems with my SD, they even replaced my entire deck. I had the frame crack, I’ve had all the issues you mentioned. The bottom brackets broke 7 times!!!! Again, great video I’ve now moved up to the SDX and I’ve only had one issue and that’s the seat busted other than that it’s been rock-solid! I realize the raptor line is not commercial but heck they build a rocksolid machine and it suits my needs, thanks again!!!

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Thanks for watching

[@kman2220]

My buddy and I have the same 54 SD. He already had that bottom brace between hydro's break. Why is this up to the dealer?? Hustler should be taking care of it 100% if they care about customer loyalty and their reputation!! As of now, my pieces are intact, but I have the paint issue and I have had the plastic mounting tabs on the left plastic fender snap off due to flexing of the frame. Also I found it's pretty easy to bend the deck wheels... Poor engineering, they should have been boxed in like you can see on other mowers. As they were designed and installed you have a single plate of steel to hold the gauge wheels in place. Definitely not heavy duty or sufficient to withstand the weight of the deck, after all this is a zero turn mower and those wheels are subjected to forces from all directions. Thank you for an excellent video explaining the problems... I think you're a little too kind to Hustler though. It's great that they fixed the problems for future customers, but it's way more important that they take care of existing customers, and it sounds like they are not.

[@richardking919]

Exactly!

[@3gcraftsman]

They should provide the upgrade/repair kits for free instead of charging big bucks for them.

[@hstrong97]

As a current owner of a 2015 Raptor SD, I can confirm everything in this video. Is it a good mower? No. I look forward of getting in rid of mine.

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Thanks for watching

[@dalewells7194]

I really appreciate this video.My Hustler Raptor was made in June of 2020 and at that time because of all the shutdowns there wasn't many other brands being made. After watching this video i still made sure all the upgrades were on mine.I was sold on Exmark and mine got stolen and at that time nobody had an Exmark in stock.I only have 15 hours on this mower and so far i am happy with it.I had actually never heard of Hustler until i bought this one at a dealership in Montgomery,Al. and it seems to be a powerful mower for the acre and a half i have to cut.Thanks Again

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Thanks for watching

[@davidjudd221]

There's a special place in hell, for people who steal another man's tools.

[@CLyon-cc9jp]

Thank you! I was just out mowing and my Raptor SD stopped. Wheels are bent out and the belt is off. I have inspected it and the bracket is broken, just as you described. Glad to know the problem and how to fix it.

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Glad it helped. Thanks for watching

[@MichaelMantion]

They never took care of my machine because I bought it from lowes. Even when after we moved and a personal friend who worked at a dealer tried to get some things covered, hustler had no interest.

[@jamienotine2791]

Awesome Video, I have had the Raptor SD for 5+ years and just ordered the upgrade kit thank to this video.

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Thanks for watching!

[@mikerodriguez3132]

How much is upgrade kit

[@jamesbland6958]

Bought my Hustler in 2014 from an independent dealer (big mistake, as this was the year they also produced "SD" movers for Home Depot). A couple of points you didn't cover: The deck lift pedal would break due to lack of penetration of the weld into the steel. This was a manufacturer defect that persisted through many years uncorrected. After replacing three, I welded a bracket to the assembly to reinforce the entire area - problem solved. The deck lift rods were frequent failure points. The metal of both the brackets and the rods was too soft and would bend every time you bounced the deck off a fence post or tree, either bending the bracket until the rod slipped out of the bracket of the rod just broke. After replacing a dozen rods I reinforced the bracket with angle iron welded to the bracket. However, the rods were still breaking. Replaced the rods with chains, giving the whole deck much more flexibility to the point the front deck lift rods never broke again. Manufactures have moved from lift chains to rods on many of the commercial mowers, resulting in a steady revenue stream to the manufacturers. As such, I would avoid any mower using anything other than the proven reliability of deck lift chains. I had to pay for every part upgrade out of pocket as the poorly engineered parts broke (every one you mentioned). Hustler would take no responsibility for design and manufacturing flaws. Any mower service tech worth his pay could have pointed out potential failure points just by looking at the mower - too bad the engineers never ask the techs for advise (pick any industry and you will find the same problem). But they could be worse - they could be a John Deere mower!

[@WeSRT4]

I bought one five years ago.... LOOKED like it was heavy duty. Snapped two transmission brackets at 150 hours plus the paint is flaking! I'm done with Excel Industries. Already researching new zero turns for next season. I HOPE THEY GO BELLY UP!

[@darthnatas953]

Neighbor has had tons of problems with his Hustler. Would not recommend.

[@vanstry]

mine was made in 18. I had to replace all of the brackets with the heavier brackets because yes, they snapped along with the screws. Now I just had the drive belt suddenly come off and wrap itself around the shaft under the pulley where i cannot get it out, so I need to take it to someone and they'll have to complete dissemble the drive pulleys. Maybe pull the engine? And one of the fan blades is definitely bent. I can just image how much this is going to cost me. Wish I was rich, I'd buy another ZT mower, but it would NOT be a hustler. For the price I paid they should be fixing these problems, not me.

[@midgamarine]

Sadly I've experienced all but the hydrogear issue. I was ALWAYS at my dealer, who were pretty good at getting repairs done, not so timely due to demand, but they got it done. I really want to get rid of it and try something else. Because, even right now, I have it loaded on the trailer because the the starter continues to whine after shutting off the mower. I'm just tired and frustrated with it now.

[@godzillafarms3367]

For the transaxle bracket bolts breaking. Upgrade to grade 8 bolts, and reverse them so the bracket doesn't rub against the threads. The smooth shaft part of the bolt shaft is much stronger than the thread part.

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Thanks for the info!

[@greasebeardsgarage]

Just a random comment...the Raptor and Raptor SD were meant for residential use. Not commercial. They were made to a price point and the frame was not built to hold up to the same stresses as Hustler's commercial lines. The Fastrak is a really good high end residential or low end commercial option. I've had some of these failures on my SD, but knew what I was getting into when I bought it. It has always done great at regular lawn stuff. Take it past that into mowing fields with anything taller than the deck and cut quality and speed suffers dramatically. The Kawasaki engine has never missed a beat and is fairly easy to maintain. Biggest pain point for me is that I've had to repair and replace the PTO connector and wire many times. It is right close to the muffler and I think it just gets cooked and brittle over time. Really annoying to be in the middle of mowing and suddenly can't turn on the blades and the mower is too hot to reach in and reconnect the wires!

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

It always amazed me how many people thought that they could spend $3000 on a Raptor 52" and think that they could go mow 5 or 10 acres a week with it and expect it to last for 20 years with no problems. I always did my best to explain to them the differences between a $3k mower and a $10k mower, but most of them didn't want to listen, then complain when their Raptor was worn out after a couple years. As you said, they were good machine for that price point, but were not built like a commercial machine. Thanks for watching!

[@alloutofdonuts3998]

This is real handy info thank you. I’m going to look at one of these tomorrow, now I’m armed with some knowledge. Tbh I’m a little miffed tho. I could be looking at $600-$800 bucks just to get it up to par, not to mention if it needs tires, blades, belts or tune up. IMO these brackets should be much cheaper. I can understand belts and hydro fans(even if it’s caused by failing brackets) not being covered but the brackets should be half what they cost if not free as part of an extended warranty revision. I know that’d cost em a bundle to do but I also can’t imagine how many customers they lost permanently due to these issues on an otherwise decent machine. They cut corners plain and simple and that will stick in people minds for a long time, and they’ll tell anyone that’ll listen. You spend the kind of money to get away from the flimsy stamped deck, big box store throw away mowers and you still have different yet the same problems. Hopefully the one I’m looking at will either be newer or have this already updated. -rant out-

[@jacobthornton9055]

Hustler will pay for the trans brackets new fans new nut to hold the fan and new belt if the brackets broke along as it's in warranty period witch is 7 years or 500 hours bring the serial number to a dealer and they can tell you if in warranty period

[@chisrodgers9571]

I finally completely fixed my Hustler SD issue by buying a Toro. I will have to say in my 52 years of life that Hustler SD Raptor was hands down the worst thing I have ever bought for that amount of money. I had about 75% of the issues you described. This year another bracket cracked but this time it was out of warranty so I said to heck with it and bought a new mower. There was no way I was going to spend a dime on that piece of junk. I was so excited when I got it and within 2 months of cutting bolts were breaking, parts were cracking, etc. Hustler should have offered people a full refund or a new mower if you bought that model. The dealer I bought it from was an hour away and they were always weeks behind doing other repairs, Fingers crossed Toro did a better job at making a mower

[@danielebrparish4271]

I think the owners of Hustler machines should file a class action lawsuit against them for the cost of repairs due to a design defect. The fact that they redesigned the brackets is an admission that they were defective from the moment the plans were drawn.

[@amazingthought]

I have 7 hrs on my raptor right arm just dot so loose you cant operation it now my dealer wants 120.00 to pick it up and deliver it back unreal 7 hrs I've always had a Toro time cutter My son bought me a new Raptor

[@larryfoster6072]

Pretty much had every problem you spoke of so all the new ones and people are good to go us older guys that bottom got screwed and pretty much had to be rebuild are more out of our pockets

[@tsschoolman]

The best way to clear clippings from the deck is to add a baffle between the discharge side spindle and the trailing edge of the discharge chute. This affects the deck vacuum and really blows the clippings out with force and keeps the left side blade from filling up. The mower will have more power and use less gas while you can travel faster. I hated this deck but now it works great. This should really be installed from the factory.

[@CM-010]

Thanks for posting this comment. I'm experiencing the same issue that you've described. Bought my Raptor 52 SD new and it's been great other than this. Can you provide any pics or more details about the baffle you mentioned? Curious if it'll work with the mulching kit I currently have installed. Thank you very much. I really appreciate it.

[@bernl178]

I checked mine after watching this video and I have the updates and I must say fantastic machines had it now for four summers and it really performs

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Awesome. Thanks for watching!

[@KHALogistics]

They should have recalled these machines and did the upgrades that would’ve been the right thing to do

[@troyhodulik5542]

One item to add relative to the fan blades: these blades flex upwards and also physically knock the drive belt off the pulleys. It mostly occurs on the left side (as viewed from the rear of the mower). I cut the top 1/3 of each blade off to stop the contact. I was going through a drive belt about every 2 weeks and did not know why they kept popping off until I saw a slow-motion video on YT posted by someone. I also got rid of the spring for the belt tensioner and used a small 1/4" turnbuckle to tighten the tensioner bracket. I also spot welded 3/16" thick steel over the top of the tensioner to beef it up and stop all of the bending/deflection of this part. In all, I am fairly disappointed in this mower. It is not the quality I was expected for something that was nearly $4k.

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Good info. Thanks for watching

[@tristangehman9236]

Honestly for around $4150 back in 2015, it was a great deal in its class, especially being made in the USA.

[@chrisanderson1077]

I’ve had all the issues you mentioned about the transaxle mounting brackets. I had to buy the updated bracket that ties the two transaxles together and it is black. Maybe they are painted yellow if they are installed at the factory. My dealer told me there was a recall at one time and could have gotten it for free but I was too late. It would be a good mower if it was built with heavier gauge steel.

[@PhoenixRising-nm1he]

So what you're saying is, if you replace every part of the original, with a factory upgrade kit, you will have a usable mower?

[@joeevans1687]

Mine is an early one and on flat ground the drive just stopped. Belts on , tension spring is on. Noticed a kicked rear tire camber . Our local mower repair guy that dose zero turns has more Hustlers to fix than the others combined. Spent to much to junk it, and the rest is perfectly fine. Thanks for the upgrade list. Might have to go to get a 48'" rider and give it to my daughter whenever mine gets fixed

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Thanks for watching

[@richardking919]

Keep that BACKUP MOWER. YOU WILL NEED IT!

[@Frontpagefab]

Thanks for the information. Our Raptor SD broke the left rear bracket and popped the belt yesterday and upon closer examination, I saw that right rear was cracked about 1/2 way through. I ordered the parts in your description.

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!

[@matthewmeeks1324]

Other problems not mentioned I have had are the discharge chute plastic breaking at mount to deck, losing the pins that hold the deck, random bolts on frame falling out, the bushings that lift the deck wearing out fast then you can't raise the deck to lock up.

[@nickbussard6089]

I personally have a earlier model raptor SD and I have 4 out of the 7 problems. The grass discharge chute, that gas cylinder "got stiff" , paint flaking and most aggravating the hydro mount causing the belt to slip off. I have since bought a different brand mower but after watching this video it has kinda redeemed hustler for me. It's cool to see a company stand behind there product.

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

I agree. Thanks for watching

[@kman2220]

Stand by their mower? You've got to kidding! They pushed the fix off on dealers. Maybe your dealer would help you out and maybe not. That's a far cry from a recall.

[@AStanton1966]

I second you comment about having a good dealer to work with. When I bought my Husqvarna lawn tractor 8 years ago, there was a promotion offered for a $100 rebate if you bought a bagger with it. Somehow my rebate got lost in the sauce and Husqvarna told me to go pound sand. My dealer stepped up and gave me the $100. I like my Husqvarna machine but I'll always resent the stunt this company pulled!

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Glad you found a good one! Seems like good dealers are hard to come by these days. Thanks for watching!

[@OliviaaSalonAlabama]

i have experienced almost everyone of these problems with my 2017 Hustler Thank you for the useful links!!!!!!

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Thanks for watching!

[@jimfrederick1424]

This video saved me an unknown amount of hours. I found it informative and straight forward. The links were very helpful.

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!

[@bobbyplatt7654]

The most informative video Ive ever seen well done sir, i subscribed as soon as it was over..

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Thanks for watching!

[@MrAirtaz]

If your mower wasn't under warranty, Hustler gave less than two shits for covering the hydro bracket issue. They didn't contact me, or even the dealer.

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

I'm sure your dealer is well aware of these issues and how to properly fix them. No one is going to contact you. If it breaks, fix it. Hustler offered several different options if the machine was out of warranty. Your dealer should know what those options are. If your dealer doesn't know anything about this, you need to find a new dealer.

[@jokergordon8446]

Thank you for the video. Just came across this problem with a friend's mower.

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!

[@LedaVining]

Got mine in 2016. The fellas at the shop know me by first name basis. Guess it’s time for a new Hustler.

[@richardrumplik7023]

Thanks you did a great job explaining everything! I have a 2015 mfg date and it’s a 52 inch raptor no issues yet.

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Thanks for watching!

[@103m95g]

Thanks Ill have to keep an eye out for these issues, I hate the small discharge chute and my paint, on the left side of the deck, pealed almost immediately

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Thanks for watching

[@jamesbland6958]

There are several more issues you did not cover. The deck lift lever (pedal) was repeatably breaking because of insufficient welds between the lever and the cross-lift bar. Only about half of the weld had any penetration. After having three break (and no help from Hustler), I welded everything with a thick piece of mild steel plate to cover all of the (minor) stress. For a device that is only occasionally used, this was an unacceptable manufacturer defect Hustler would not cover. The rear deck lifting rods were far too small and the overall design meant that if you bumped a fence post with the deck, the result would be the opening of the weak bracket that held the rod. Eventually, the rod would simply slip out of the bracket. Upgrades to the design just took a little longer to fail. I resolved the problem by replacing the rods with heavy chains (like they used to use on commercial machines), No more trouble. Overall, this is a good machine with too many problems to excuse. Since the machine started being offered by Home Depot, I believe they had the intention of making this machine cheap enough to still get a profit from the Big Box Store while still being better at the real dealer. John Green did the same thing with my lawn tractor. I don't like being the guinea pig for major companies trying to make their offerings as cheap as possible while still charging premium prices at dealers. There are far too many other companies to hand my money to. Thanks for the video, as I found a possible problem I was unaware of, just waiting to show itself. Until then, I'll keep my eye out.

[@want2bsailing804]

Thank you so for this video. I currently am going through some of these issues as now. Wheels are folded inwards and mount is broken . Many thanks Cheers to you 🍻🍻

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Thanks for watching!

[@chevyboy1980]

Ours are 35 apart on the serial same build date. I have right at 180 hours on mine now. Only issue I’ve had so far was the rear brackets for the hydros broke around 150 hours. All covered under warranty new belt fans and brackets put on the mower. It’s been a good mower only thing I worry about is it cracking again cause I can feel the flex in it from time to time.

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Awesome. Thanks for watching

[@tristangehman9236]

Thanks for the video. I have a ~2015 Raptor SD 54 with about 100hrs on it. So far my only issues have been a bad starter solenoid, broken steering damper, and broken connecting rod in the FR691V Kawi engine (that part sucked). The paint is not great/not terrible. I'll have to watch for the frame issues. I've noticed it flexes a lot when cutting uneven ditches, etc.

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

I'm surprised to hear that you had issues with the Kawasaki. Those engines have been pretty bulletproof. Do you know what caused the failure?

[@tristangehman9236]

@@PowerEquipmentMan oil starvation I think. I fought with an issue for a whole season that turned out to be a sticking choke flap in the carb - the choke lever was off but the flap was stuck on, and it would smoke and wouldn't start when hot. That's the only thing I can attribute to excessive oil consumption. I was able to rebuild the motor and it's still chugging along. Ironically, the Kawi is why I bought it in the first place.

[@patclements3067]

I've welded mine so many times I can't remember what all broke. Very bad cracking problems in my Raptor. I think it was a 2016 or so.

[@grasfarmrs2004]

These definitely flex too much. I have the updated design of the lower hydro bracket and my top front bracket still broke on the left side and the bolt broke on the right side. (only 90 hours on this machine). I welded the left bracket together, added a gusset, and replaced the bolts with grade 8. So now to see if it will break again. I'm guessing yes. The deck gauge wheel mounts are also not strong enough to support the deck if you let the wheels touch the ground and turn at the same time! The flimsiness of this mower is a big black splotch on an otherwise seemingly good mower.

[@roberthughes2609]

We have most of the problems you mentioned. Resolve them as they occurred. Now checking for the others. Another issue we are having is the mower periodically does not start. I have replaced the ignition switch, battery is good, connections are good, still will not start consistently. Are you aware of this issue?

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

I would check the sensors on your levers. If the sensor isn't adjusted far enough in, it thinks the levers aren't in the out position.

[@hamradio8706]

I had a problem with the rear mount bolts on the hydrostat breaking. My brackets are okay but the bolts broke several times. What struck me as odd was the bolts are installed going UP into the bracket with the nut on the top. Crazy. The shear point for the bolt is where the transmission meets the frame and this was an area of the bolt with threads. Flip the bolt over and set the nut on the bottom and you put the solid part of the bolt at the shear point. This seemed like a minor oversight to me and since flipping my bolts I haven't broken another one.

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Good point. Thanks for watching.

[@paulcraddock1962]

Hustler should be standing behind their mowers, not selling us the parts to fix the problems, they knew they had problems or they would not be selling the parts to fix the problems, there should have been a recall, and the mowers should have been fixed, we paid the price when we bought them

[@godzillafarms3367]

Yup. I did this years ago. Was the saver. Once one bolt breaks, it puts added stress to the other bolts and brackets. The system is not designed for a single failure. So once, one thing goes, then 2 to 4 other brackets break. Its nice that the raptor is light weight compared to other commercial mowers, it would have been better if they beefed up some key critical areas.

[@mkfgaming7018]

Having a hustler you also have problems with a frame breaking on you. The plastic is not strong enough to hold a torque put onto it when riding it they end up cracking or breaking.

[@allenferry9632]

I have a hustler 60 inch. A problem I've had is the starter shaft snapped in half twice at the bendix which means replacing the starter

[@weldonlangley245]

Excellent video and very helpful. Based on the info you provided I will be making a few tweaks and some repairs this next week. Thanks again!

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Glad it helped. Thanks for watching

[@doc13091]

Thanks for the video. It was very informative and looks like I have these issues on my Raptor. My question is, are theses replacements difficult to do? Are there any tips or tricks for difficult replacements?

[@redgum78]

Thanks man, great review- looking at a low hour second hand unit shortly, this helps a lot!

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Glad it helped! Thanks for watching!

[@ashtonb32]

What is the most common thing u see wrong when you try and start and as soon as you do you blow the fuse going to the starter solenoid?

[@layneatherton308]

Bought mine used from a Preacher no less. Believe he was well aware of all these issues. Some band aids were discovered later. My bad luck. Now I have this thing, will Hustler respect these serious issues and allow me a decent trade in on a new upgraded model?

[@JoeBonham-iq5uz]

Fantastic video and thanks for all the links to the parts!

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Thanks for watching!

[@deathcon6669]

Yeah I got one used form facebook pretty much looked new win I got it but I have used them in the past and they cut the best to me rust is starting to form on the deck but be side that all my parts are the ones you said it needs so this thanga a beast

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Awesome. Thanks for watching!

[@wagon53417]

Thank you for all the info... you just saved me a bunch of money 👍👍

[@cdmajesty4803]

I'm assuming all of these problems were fixed by their 2020 model, right?

[@johcybulski1503]

mine has the same problems, also welded deck breaking around the welds, sides of the deck have broken loose from the top and spendle mount broke loose from deck.

[@chairrider2462]

What years are the "early" one? Just curious. I recently bought a very low hour 2010 model 36" Fast Tack SD. Its a retirement project for me. Happy to improve it if needs be. Thank you for the great presentation!

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Your Fastrak should not have any of the issues listed in this video. These were just issues with the Raptor SD models. Thanks for watching!

[@chairrider2462]

@@PowerEquipmentMan Thank you. Relieved to know that. It struck me as being built like a tank. The guy at the church I bought it from warned me to be careful learning how to run a ZT. He said it'll blow right thru a chain link fence if you're not careful. The other guys just smiled at him.

[@mrrepo05]

EVERYTHING you talked about has or does happen to my SD. I want to convert deck to rear discharge.

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

There is no way that I know of to put a rear discharge deck on a SD.

[@masterbates7016]

I've had my Hustler raptor 52 since 2015 or 16 I can't remember but I haven't had any issues with it till today when the drive belt blew off hopefully it's not any of these issues

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

The Raptors didn't really have the same bracket issues as the Raptor SD. They are completely different machines.

[@davidswink6653]

Nice video. My issue is deck tensioner spring keeps breaking. All my pulleys amd spindles turn freely ...have a new belt etc ...thr springs break in different places I am at a loss

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Sorry, but that is not a common issue that I have heard of before.

[@billquillin1952]

Where's the best place to get a starter? Mine is dying. I have the Kohler 27hp engine.

[@snoopfurlow1275]

I had 2 transmission hydro pumps to go out on their hustler x models,black,decker brought them out, recommend x mark mower

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Thanks for watching!

[@kentice9913]

Mine had broken bolts and brackets when it was just out of warranty, a little over 3 years old (May, 2016 Build date) and around 250 of homeowner use. How does a company that has been building mowers since 1964 put out a product like that? Hustler management: let all of your "engineers" know that their failure cost you future customers. I'll never buy another and I tell everyone I know to avoid them. How were these flaws not caught during the testing phase of development? If the upgrade/fix parts and labor were free, I wouldn't complain. Never again!!

[@MrSleepProductionsInc]

I thought these were a huge pos the first time I saw one at Lowes. It’s like it’s a completely different mower than their commercial quality ones. They may be a fast cash grab for Hustler but they are going to hurt their reputation for sure.

[@med1pilot1956]

After what manufacturing date were all or most of these weaknesses fixed?

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

The newer Raptor X, XD, and XDX models do not seem to have any of these issues.

[@cajunman2261]

Hustler should have recalls on all there failed parts

[@302vettelife2]

I've got a 2020 Raptor SD 42 and I have having drive belt problems. No visable signs of any brackets cracked or missing bolts. I've looked it over pretty good. I have around 200 hours on it. Other than that, it's been a great machine, but this issue could steer me away in the future.

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

You most likely have damaged plastic fan blades. Believe it or not, damaged blades WILL cause your belt to come off.

[@302vettelife2]

@@PowerEquipmentMan Thank you for the reply. I will check them out.

[@tcat3315]

IMHO. If they really want to go above and beyond they would offer to fix the machine with the fixes they now offer from the factory. Spend three grand on a mower and now I have to spend another three grand to fix everything. At the very least I would buy the parts and hustler or the dealer would eat the labor cost. I don’t beat mine to death so really as of now almost 5 years later my only constant complaint is the deck. If I don’t scrape out the deck after each mow it cuts horribly. Does not matter if the grass is wet or dry. Obviously worse when it’s wet though. Allegedly that’s a fix that can be done at home though.

[@Prima10ne]

Try different blades. That can often fix clumping issues

[@HDCowboy]

Mine was built in June of 2018 and has about 150hrs on it and the left rear transmission bracket just broke!

[@chrisn2550]

Does that discharge kit fit the 52 inch 2015 deck? Mine has pretty much broke every weld on that side of the chute. Also my whole left side blade spindle thing fell off the bottom on the other side of the deck. Pulley, bearing, and blade just ripped from welds on bottom of the deck the first start of this season.

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

No, the discharge kit does not fit the 52 inch deck.

[@DwightBriley]

I had a bad dealer, couldn't fix anything, my hydrostatic leaked the first day on my garage floor, leaks to this day. I most likely would never buy another, had most of the issues he covered. Oh, on the hydro leak, dealer told me I hit something and they wouldn't repair.

[@terybrownell20]

where does the Bottom Hydro Bracket break... can I take proactive measures and weld on a piece of angle iron or some other support to strengthen the bracket and reduce the likelihood of failure?

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

The tab the bolts to the hydo breaks off. You are better off to just replace it before it breaks. Once it breaks it bends the other mounting brackets too.

[@Music-kj1hk]

Thank you for the video! why the master fuse 15A keep on blowing up, i see several customers in internet with the same issue ,,thank you

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Sorry but I have not seen any common issues related to that problem.

[@ruharper1]

When replacing the steering damper, does it simply snap on to the ball joint ?

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Yes they just snap on. You may need a small pry bar or screw driver to pop the old ones off, but the new ones snap on pretty easy.

[@paulmuxlow1410]

Hi Power Equipment Man, Great video on the Hustler mower. I have a Hustler Rapture Flip Up (2018) with about 40 hours. Since new, the deck will not lower to mowing height all the time. It flips up fine to clean but when I set it back down and take out the pin to begin mowing the deck will not lower. Occasionally it I can get it to go down by toggling the switch to raise and lower. Most of the time the deck will only go up to the highest setting but will not go down. Any ideas on where to look for the electrical or switch would be greatly appreciated? Bought new directly from the factory with no warranty. Thx, Paul

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Sorry but I haven't dealt with any issues like that. I would guess it has to do with the sensor on the pin or the sensor for the lever at the back. Thanks for watching.

[@charliebeamer8478]

The link you provided for the top hydro kit brings me to Amazon and I ordered this kit only to find out it is NOT the upgrade product you state in your video.

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

The amazon link provided should have included the front, rear, and side hydrostat brackets along with new hardware. This kit should work on all Raptor SD models. Can you please give me some more info as to what the issue was?

[@charliebeamer8478]

@@PowerEquipmentMan My bad. Because there was no specific info as to how the upgrade mounts differed from the originals, I was misled to think all the mounts were thicker. Also I could not understand why Hustler would use the same part number as the originals. On Amazon it describes the brackets as OEM so more confusion. Anyways I ended up ordering them from my local Hustler dealer.

[@Patriothome]

Does the SD have a diode in the pto clutch harness my belt ripped my old one the new one has a diode but blowing fuse after replacing

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Sorry, but I have never heard of a PTO harness with a diode in it. However, I wouldn't think that a diode would cause your fuse to blow. It is basically just a "one way valve".

[@Jtwes]

Thank You for this video i suffered with about 4 of those problems. I even made a video and put on KZbin myself.

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Thanks for watching

[@freedomwallace7761]

Mine has no bracket that attaches across the back of both hydros. There is just a bolt that goes through two yellow brackets that also has the neutral levers. Tried to replace my belt and it kept coming off. Noticed the bolt on the left hand side was gone and loose on the right.

[@danielebrparish4271]

Replace those bolts with grade 8 bolts and put some blue locktite on the bolt threads before reassembly. Get a replacement cross bracket and install it with grade 8 bolts as well.

[@tombukt2]

Where do I run number on an used SD I'm looking at it's a 54 really clean home use only. Lady said no campaigns ever sent to her. Warranty work etc never .. ???

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

You could take the serial number to a dealer and they could look it up. No "campaigns" or recalls where ever sent out as far as I know. They were just fixed as needed.

[@TheJakeRobinson]

Good info. I need to remove the EZT right side - where can I get instructions to do this? Also, the deck totally "blew up" the entire blade/pulley/spindle came of fin one piece - the entire weld broke and it flew off - lucky no one was injured. What is the best source to replace the mower deck for a Hustler Raptor Model 936492 manu'd oct 2016. thanks

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

If you go to www.hustlerturf.com you can find full service manuals for your machine. To get a deck you will need to go though a dealer. However, if you have a bad hydro and your deck is destroyed you may be better off just buying a new machine as you will spend well over $1000 on those two items alone.

[@TheJakeRobinson]

@@PowerEquipmentMan Thanks for your detailed feedback! cheers

[@pablocruze9307]

My SD just started getting a squeaking sound from the left rear wheel. It's definitely a metal on metal rubbing of some sort. I lifted the rear and pulled the valve pump releases. I moved the sticks back and forth and no wheel rotated. They use to. Any ideas on if something is bent between the hydro and the left rear wheel?

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Sorry, but I have not heard of any issues like that.

[@jeffsmith350]

I have the 52" raptor limited edition. 2018 model. Will i have some of these problems?

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

No

[@sidneycradduck5833]

The bracket broke on my hustler. Hustler did not back it up. I was out. Too bad I really liked the hustler mower, now bought a john deere

[@rudysennhenn]

Mine is a 2016 I bought new. The big bracket failed this spring 2022. My dealer gave me the whole kit under warranty. no cost! I noticed the hydro leaking at that time so I need to get that kit as well. Any idea what the part number is for the hydro kit?

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Link for the hydro seal kit is in the description. Thanks for watching!

[@frontiercountry1]

Mine sucks. Cuts out and acts like it’s starving for fuel turning a certain way or mowing on hills. Seems like a common prob by what I’ve read this morn

[@tjspurlin153]

I have a 19 sd and I have installed the updated brackets but after 100 hours they just broke again. I will never own another Hustler in my life. Mines just been an aggravating piece of junk since day 1!

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

How many total hours does your machine have on it?

[@tjspurlin153]

@@PowerEquipmentMan 182 hours but I bought it used with 50 hours in it. Dealer won’t warranty it.

[@CMDAVISs]

Are these brackets under a recall ? lol i guess i would have to pay for them ... but i have had mine for 6 years almost 7 and i mow 4 acres every week to 2 weeks. The only issue i have is my mower will not crank anymore even with new battery solenoid key switch ... . but no other issues . My buddy had the kholer engine a year after me and he has had issues.

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

There is no recall but it seems like Hustler has been willing to help some. Contact your dealer to see what your options are. Some dealers are better then others. If you are having starting issues you should check your safety switches on the bottom of the steering levers. If you have the Kohler engine they have a lot of starter issues.

[@gregharrison76]

I have a Huster Raptor but it is not a SD and it has been a nightmare. I had problems with the belt coming off but the biggest problem is it is almost impossible to start. The battery is 100% charged and I just tried to start it about 100 times with no luck. It looks like I am going to have to cut my yard with a push mower which is going to be fun. The last few times I used the mower I had to try probably 50 times (no exagerration) before it would start. What a piece of junk.

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

If you have starting issues, you should get it checked out by someone that knows what they are doing. I have never heard of the Kawasaki's having starting issues that wasn't fuel related. If you have the Kohler with the smart choke, there are several issues with those that can easily be fixed by someone that is familiar with them. Engine/fuel problems have nothing to do with the mower manufacturer.

[@BIgBass255]

Micro switches kept mine from starting, I just cleaned them up and adjusted each switch. Problem solved.

[@TerrellWillams]

Is there a link to replace the front frame cracks?

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

No, you would have to talk to your dealer about that.

[@TerrellWillams]

@@PowerEquipmentMan Okay. Nice video though

[@skliros9235]

@@PowerEquipmentMan I just got done welding cracks on my front frame. It's Hustler providing free replacement?

[@BackyardEngineer334]

Thx bro, my transmission cross brace broke & wasn’t able to diagnose what it was until I saw this video, much appreciated, mine was manufactured 06/17, do you think there’s any chance Hustler would work with me to cover replacement???

[@PowerEquipmentMan]

Yes, talk to your Hustler dealer and see what they say.

[@skliros9235]

Hustler will give you a free brace of you're under warranty. Or charge a small fee otherwise.