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52 inch Raptor disappoints on cutting Bahia grass

#1

R

Raptor007

I have a 1 year old Hustler Raptor and I am VERY disappointed with how poorly it handles cutting Bahia grass. Can anyone tell me if adding the mulching kit will help with this? I don't want to waste $150.00 if it won't.


#2

T

turboawd

Raptor007 said:
I have a 1 year old Hustler Raptor and I am VERY disappointed with how poorly it handles cutting Bahia grass. Can anyone tell me if adding the mulching kit will help with this? I don't want to waste $150.00 if it won't.
Click to expand...

what exactly is happening?
are your blades sharp? original?


#3

mhavanti

mhavanti

Slow down the forward speed, raise the cut depth, make sure blade speed is wide open. If this is where you're cutting, then your blades surely are not as sharp as they could be or should be. Hope that is the problem so that it is easily remedied.

Good luck,

Max


#4

T

turboawd

i had a friend who bought a raptor sd and mowed with the engine at half speed the first time. i asked him why, and he was like "i dont know". :laughing:
engine should be at full throttle for maximum cutting.


#5

R

Raptor007

turboawd said:
what exactly is happening?
are your blades sharp? original?
Click to expand...

Stock factory blades, sharp right out of the gate, or dull, makes no difference. Slowing down helps a little, but does not cut every stalk. The mower does great on regular lawn grass, just not the bahia seed stalks. I have to back up and recut to get them all. A friend suggested I grind notches into the blades, which did help some, but that is too much work to maintain after each sharpening.


#6

R

Raptor007

mhavanti said:
Slow down the forward speed, raise the cut depth, make sure blade speed is wide open. If this is where you're cutting, then your blades surely are not as sharp as they could be or should be. Hope that is the problem so that it is easily remedied.

Good luck,

Max
Click to expand...

Cut was the same on brand new factory blades and after a good resharpening. Slowing down and raising the height helps, but does not cut them all. I still have to cut over the same areas again.


#7

R

Raptor007

turboawd said:
i had a friend who bought a raptor sd and mowed with the engine at half speed the first time. i asked him why, and he was like "i dont know". :laughing:
engine should be at full throttle for maximum cutting.
Click to expand...

I only cut at full rpm.

I appreciate all the responses, but to me these are all just common sense. I really want to know if anyone else has put on a mulching kit and had better results with the devil grass.


#8

mhavanti

mhavanti

Raptor,

Sometimes it just makes you want to say to the devil with grass!

Max


#9

K

kraky

I would definitely recommend trying the high lift Gator blades...or possibly a hi lift factory blade.
If you don't see an improvement try dipping the deck down in front one quarter of an inch if that doesn't do it try rocking it back a quarter of an inch and see what happens...... if you don't want to play with your deck adjustment you could maybe do a short run by changing your tire pressures and make the deck dip or tilt down in back.


#10

T

turboawd

kraky said:
I would definitely recommend trying the high lift Gator blades...or possibly a hi lift factory blade.
If you don't see an improvement try dipping the deck down in front one quarter of an inch if that doesn't do it try rocking it back a quarter of an inch and see what happens...... if you don't want to play with your deck adjustment you could maybe do a short run by changing your tire pressures and make the deck dip or tilt down in back.
Click to expand...

this. try the oregon gator blades or high lift. they will create more suction and lift. mulch blades will suck/lift less than your stock blades.


#11

K

kraky

There was a guy on another Forum that was leaving stragglers with a 52 Raptor ( not sure what kind of grass) and when he went to the high lift blades it began cutting so clean he was mad he didn't have more ground speed......lol.
I hope the same can happen for the OP!
My new Fast Track came with high lift blades and it does awesome!


#12

J

Johnba

I have an Exmark that does not cut Bahia very good at all. Had to mow it twice to get a decent cut and I keep my blades sharp. Is beautiful on St. Augustine and Bermuda.
After borrowing a friends rear discharge Hustler and using it on Bahia, I bought 2 RD Hustlers. It does not semi-mulch like a side discharge but leaves a very good cut on Bahia.
Just my non-professional experience.


#13

jekjr

jekjr

kraky said:
I would definitely recommend trying the high lift Gator blades...or possibly a hi lift factory blade.
If you don't see an improvement try dipping the deck down in front one quarter of an inch if that doesn't do it try rocking it back a quarter of an inch and see what happens...... if you don't want to play with your deck adjustment you could maybe do a short run by changing your tire pressures and make the deck dip or tilt down in back.
Click to expand...

We run Scag Tiger Cats and use highlift regular Oregon Blades. We sometimes change blades 2 and even on occasion 3 times a day. Bahia Grass is a bugger. The only thing that I have ever found that cuts it clean in one pass is a Tiger Cat Scag with highlift blades. Obviously that is not what you want to hear.


A mulching kit is not going to help you. I personally do not believe that a mower can mulch bahia grass unless you are cutting it several times a week.


#14

W

willieb1172

I also have a Hustler Raptor 52" and it's the worst cutting mower I've ever had, mainly with Bahia grass. It leaves so many stems behind it makes me want to leave it in the road to get hit by a truck.

I've tried new stock blades, new high lift gator blades, adjusting the deck, going slower, RPMs are always at full throttle. It's just terrible. I'd be interested in anyone else's solution to this problem.

The Hustler dealer seems to think there's nothing wrong, but geez it's terrible. He did suggest that I put some washers under the blades to move the blades lower away from the deck. I haven't tried that yet though.


#15

mhavanti

mhavanti

Willie,

Since you've tried several things that has been suggested and nothing is working. Contact Excel Industries, Hustler Turf and let them know you need help or you need them replace the mower with one that will do as it claims.

Here is their contact form:

https://www.hustlerturf.com/contact


Here is their other direct contact information:


Hustler Turf
Excel Industries
P. O. Box 7000
Hesston, KS 67062-2097

Phone: (620) 327-4911
Fax: (620) 327-2117
https://www.hustlerturf.com/

here is their direct email:
inquiries@excelii.com


A polite phone call would probably work best.

Keep us informed,

Good luck,

Max


#16

1slow5point0h

1slow5point0h

I added the mulching kit and some Gator G5 mulching blades. It does good as long as I don't let the Bahia grass get too tall. I've got a lot of Bahia, some St. Augustine and a little Bermuda grass mixed in. The best thing to do is get some MSM Turf to thin out the Bahia. It works pretty good, but I didn't do it last year so I have a decent bit coming back and messed around and didn't do it this year either.


#17

Datadave

Datadave

I feel your pain on the Bahia. I believe Pensacola Bahia is the toughest grass on the planet.
The grass part is not so bad, but those dang seed stalks are murder.
When it rains they popup over-night and a week later - 2 foot tall.
Forbid you miss a week of mowing, it gets totally out of control.
I will keep an eye on this thread for cutting solutions with the RSD 54"
I am trying the Oregon G5 Gator blades, still miss a lot of seed stalks if I mow at normal speed,
and even creeping along it takes a second pass.


#18

jekjr

jekjr

The only thing I have ever dealt with that will cut Bahia Grass is a Scag with the Velocity Plus deck.

We cut some today that had not been cut in 18 days and it has rained more days than it has not since it was cut.

We cut it on a daily basis on a 14 day schedule and at times we are longer because the weather has us behind.

If you figure out how to make it cut it I would like to know how you do it. Maybe your formula will work with other mower brands as well.


#19

jekjr

jekjr

You can take a Matabo and cut about 1/4" to 1/2"off of the front baffles under the deck and make it cut it I have been told. I know a guy that did that to a Kubota and he said that it made it cut Bahia. One reason that the Scag with the Velocity decks will cut it is that they have the adjustable front baffle under the deck on them.

Again we cut it every day many times all day. We cut 4 acres today that you could go back tomorrow and rake and bale. Slick cut one pass. 52" Tiger Cat Scags.


#20

J

Johnba

Just to add some additional Bahia perspectives in addition to my previous post. I have a 65HP diesel tractor that I pull a 10' rotary mower(shredder, bushhog etc.) and when the Bahia is green and thick it will bring that tractor to a halt unless the mower is raised to the max and then you have to really slow down. A neighbor has a 100HP John Deere with a 15' batwing and he has the same experience. Another friend has 140HP John Deere with a 20' batwing and ditto.
I pulled a rear discharge finishing mower behind an old 35HP Ford tractor which worked really well. Got the idea from a rural golf course (all Bahia grass) that mowed with a pull behind finishing mower on a tractor.
I cannot mow every week and the Bahia is usually 6-18" on my mowers. With the larger tractors, maybe 2-3 times a year.
There is a local golf course that has planted Bahai in the rough that I plan to visit and find out what they are using to cut it. Will report back.


#21

mhavanti

mhavanti

Sounds like the problem isn't the mower, it is the Bahia. Get rid of it. Plant you some Bermuda and live happily ever after.


#22

Ronno6

Ronno6

I seem to always leave a Bahia v-head or 20 sticking up after I mow with my rider.
Only solution I have found is to mow about every 3 days in the summer; E-Z enough to do if you are retired...


#23

mhavanti

mhavanti

Ronno,

How about 55 gallons of gasoline, low octane will do, spread it all around the yard and set it on fire. Shouldn't that slow the roll of the Bahia for about a week? That's at least twice as long as every three days as you have to do now. But then, to be honest, would cost more than just jumping onto the old rider and cut it every three days.

You may want to stick to the old rider.

Max


#24

jekjr

jekjr

Just buy a Scag Tiger Cat and keep the blades sharp and your problem is solved. We cut acres with them on a daily basis. We have cut it that had not been cut in 3 weeks with it raining several days a week and done it in one pass. Nothing else I have ever tried will do that.


#25

W

willieb1172

Johnba said:
Just to add some additional Bahia perspectives in addition to my previous post. I have a 65HP diesel tractor that I pull a 10' rotary mower(shredder, bushhog etc.) and when the Bahia is green and thick it will bring that tractor to a halt unless the mower is raised to the max and then you have to really slow down. A neighbor has a 100HP John Deere with a 15' batwing and he has the same experience. Another friend has 140HP John Deere with a 20' batwing and ditto.
I pulled a rear discharge finishing mower behind an old 35HP Ford tractor which worked really well. Got the idea from a rural golf course (all Bahia grass) that mowed with a pull behind finishing mower on a tractor.
I cannot mow every week and the Bahia is usually 6-18" on my mowers. With the larger tractors, maybe 2-3 times a year.
There is a local golf course that has planted Bahai in the rough that I plan to visit and find out what they are using to cut it. Will report back.
Click to expand...

It's not the Bahia, it's the Hustler, IMO a poorly engineered deck. Before I got the Hustler I used a John Deere 60" 7 iron deck with a 25HP Kohler. It would cut Bahia like there's no tomorrow. If it was really really thick and tall, I could still cut it with the Deere just at a slower speed. But if I could run over it without choking down the Kohler, it cut it perfect every time, didn't even matter how dull the blades were, it didn't care. After about 20 years the engine finally bent the push rods and I haven't replaced the engine yet.

I also have a 20HP Ford 1520 3cyl Diesel with a bush hog to cut the back field. No issues there either. A typical bush hog finish, but no stems sticking straight up. I haven't contacted the manufacturer yet but I think I will.

I'm not about to try and get rid of it either. I have 4 acres of it and shouldn't have to change my grass to accommodate my mower...


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