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(I am starting a new thread as the last one is a tad off topic and 3+ years old)

Just this last week....depressed my deck clutch switch to kill the mower blades while operating and blades won't shut off.....they keep running. I shut off engine (with depressed switch) and when I restart, deck is then now disengaged and not active until I need to lift switch again for mowing. Also, with switch in off mode, and I get off the seat, the blades keep running too, which is a major concern with my 2 teenage kids mowing the lawn on alternate occasions.

Anyone else have this issue ?? Checked fuse and it looks fine...will replace anyway. Is there another fuse I am missing maybe?? This seems too easy for me to haul 40 miles in for service.

Thanks for your assistance in advance...cool site.

This is a weird one.
From your description it is a faulty cutch relay, which would be fine but the wiring schmetic does not show a clutch relay.
However yours might have a clutch relay and I might be looking at the wrokg diagram as yo have not included the full description of your mower so I can not check to see if I am looking at the right diagram.
All of the wiring diagrams I have for Hustlers are basically the same.
Now if whne you get off the seat with the blades running, the blades turn off, then you have a blade relay and it is faulty
If when you get off the seat with blades running the engine shuts off then the kill relay is faulty
Have a look at where the realys are.
If there is only 2 then the PTO switch and/ or the kill relay could be the culprit

I will go over all of the specifics tonight and even maybe nab some pics. I agree...a little baffling.

It is the plain Jane consumer level Raptor with the 52" deck with the Kawasaki FR691V motor and void of any remaining warranty this late in the game. Mulch kit, flex forks are all I added. Hour meter, lights, and arm rests will be summer adds.

I will admit....after perusing the manual and what not (again) and looking on this site and Excel's site, I can tell you that none of the 4 us at home that have ever operated that machine have probably ever throttled it down to 2/3 throttle or lower when activating or deactivating the deck switch, as it says to do in the manual. It specifically mentions that in the ops manual....so that's on me, and I'm not shy to admit it.

It says in the vanilla troubleshooting section that I should check/replace the 15 amp fuse or call dealer, the latter of which will be last resort.

But...here's what I get for not sticking to the book. My dad was right.

4. If the mower blades continue to rotate with the deck
clutch switch down, discontinue operation immediately
and contact your Hustler® Dealer.

Clutch life will be maximized if these procedures are
followed.

1. Engage the clutch only when the throttle is set at
approximately 2/3 throttle and there is no load on the
blades. After clutch engagement, advance the engine
throttle to full rpm.
Engaging the deck clutch at high engine rpm or when
under heavy load (in tall grass, for example) can cause
belts and/or electric clutch to slip, resulting in premature
wear or possible damage.

2. Disengage the clutch only when the throttle is set at less
than 1/2 throttle.
Never disengage the clutch with the engine running at
high rpm. Setting the throttle to less than 1/2 throttle
when disengaging the clutch will help extend clutch life.

bertsmobile1 said:

This is a weird one.
From your description it is a faulty cutch relay, which would be fine but the wiring schmetic does not show a clutch relay.
However yours might have a clutch relay and I might be looking at the wrokg diagram as yo have not included the full description of your mower so I can not check to see if I am looking at the right diagram.
All of the wiring diagrams I have for Hustlers are basically the same.
Now if whne you get off the seat with the blades running, the blades turn off, then you have a blade relay and it is faulty
If when you get off the seat with blades running the engine shuts off then the kill relay is faulty
Have a look at where the realys are.
If there is only 2 then the PTO switch and/ or the kill relay could be the culprit

Click to expand...

Thanks for your 2 pennies. 1 other place I read online with a mower that was an SD I think with similar problem....the kill relay ended up being the issue.

Just ran it now. Engage deck/pull button, blades fire up...if I lean off seat, it starts to croak out. If I depress button, blades don't quit and then getting off the seat also does nothing and blades keep rotating, only quitting if I shut off engine. Then back to square one.

Description of the mower is the make & model number of both the mower & the engine.
Now check if you have 2 or 3 relays.
Some mowers wire the PTO switch through a relay which can go bad and stick
If it dosent stop when you get off then the kill relay sounds bad.
However the kill relay is also connected through the PTO switch

Here is what we've got for a deck clutch (PTO) switch on this bird.

I will start here and replace it this weekend and see if that is/was the culprit. Assuming so.....or hoping anyway.

Start with the relays.
Std 30A headlamp relays available from any auto parts store for $ 5
That switch is $ 35 and is highly unlikley to be the problem as it is a plain sliding contact switch.
If you download the Hustler service manual ( it free ) and check the wiring diagram it shows the contacts.

Buy 1 relay and progressivly work across the bank of them.
You still have not provided the model numbers nor answered the question about how may relays are there ?
Most of the relays work on the ground circuit so if one shorts to ground it will remain active

bertsmobile1 said:

Start with the relays.
Std 30A headlamp relays available from any auto parts store for $ 5
That switch is $ 35 and is highly unlikley to be the problem as it is a plain sliding contact switch.
If you download the Hustler service manual ( it free ) and check the wiring diagram it shows the contacts.

Buy 1 relay and progressivly work across the bank of them.
You still have not provided the model numbers nor answered the question about how may relays are there ?
Most of the relays work on the ground circuit so if one shorts to ground it will remain active

Click to expand...

Yeah....I coach a girls fastpitch team and that business got in front of this business last night. Will do. Thanks.

So I broke one of the tabs off of the PTO switch casing last night getting it out of the panel....wobbles in the knock out opening now, so I bit on another one to the tune of $21 today....the red button actuator is actually bigger, don't really mind that. (I also splurged and bought an hour meter that I will add this weekend.) Thanks JohnWD for that thread.

As luck would have it....this site and JohnWD's thread (http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/showt...in-my-new-Hustler-Raptor?highlight=hour+meter) had a few pictures, and one of the pics looks very similar to the inside of my machine - looks like 2 relays up towards the top of the harness and wire assemblies going to the ignition switch and all. My relays are closer to the panel than this pic shows his.

Bought 2 different 30 amp relays and got home. Swapped out one with same tab configuration (didn't have ones from machine with me) and I start her up, engage deck and it dies. Looking closer, the Excel relays show 50A / 30A on them both. Part # 601053. Can't attach pics, as I'm on my phone out here in the sticks.

Call dealer's parts and service who I can swing by on way home tomorrow...he agrees on trying the 2 relays. Told him to just ring me up 2 of these at the $5 and change they were each and I'll swap them both out and give it a whirl.

Side note, my Raptor did not come equipped with pigtail harness for the hour meter either, so I will be tying into an ignition feed and a ground and making my own connections for that too. My machine seems like a dinosaur for 3 years old, I tell ya.

Have a few questions which need to be answered. Bert asked for the model and serial number for your unit, would you please post for us? Are you sure the wiring schematic you posted is for your unit? How many wirings are in the connector going into the PTO switch? Please provide answers to each of these and then we can give you suggestions as to how to proceed. Without them we can only guess, which to a tech is not what we hate to do. We analysis with facts, not assumptions.

Model 931899

Ignition has 2 reds, an orange, a black and a brown wire coming up to the panel.

PTO has 2 orange, an orange with a red stripe, and a tan/flesh colored wire coming to the circuit head.

Just got new relays and installing now.


(Update: relays in - no change)

Service head says its got to be narrowed down to the clutch wire harness down below or more likely the clutch itself. Damn.

I'm inclined to look at the wiring in the PTO curcuit as the problem, not the clutch. If the switch was working properly, when you push the button it should shut off power to the clutch, releasing it. Something is send power to the clutch after the switch is opened. I think you replaced the switch, which would then lead me to tear open the wiring harness and follow each wire through each component, looking for nicks, cuts bad connections, etc. I know that this is not easy and a VOM or a voltage reading test light will help. Long slow tedious task. To tell you the truth, this is a problem I like to work on, because it makes you use every skill in the tool box to solve. Customers hate it, because they think there is a magic tool in my box, which will allow me to diagnosis the problem in 5 minutes. You best tool is make NO assumptions. Test and verify everything twice, don't forget the safety switches, then move on.

Rivets said:

I'm inclined to look at the wiring in the PTO curcuit as the problem, not the clutch. If the switch was working properly, when you push the button it should shut off power to the clutch, releasing it. Something is send power to the clutch after the switch is opened. I think you replaced the switch, which would then lead me to tear open the wiring harness and follow each wire through each component, looking for nicks, cuts bad connections, etc. I know that this is not easy and a VOM or a voltage reading test light will help. Long slow tedious task. To tell you the truth, this is a problem I like to work on, because it makes you use every skill in the tool box to solve. Customers hate it, because they think there is a magic tool in my box, which will allow me to diagnosis the problem in 5 minutes. You best tool is make NO assumptions. Test and verify everything twice, don't forget the safety switches, then move on.

Click to expand...

I will do just that, but it will not happen for at least 7-10 days with all the irons I have in the fire over the next week. Stay tuned and thanks.

Rivets said:

I'm inclined to look at the wiring in the PTO curcuit as the problem, not the clutch. If the switch was working properly, when you push the button it should shut off power to the clutch, releasing it. Something is send power to the clutch after the switch is opened. I think you replaced the switch, which would then lead me to tear open the wiring harness and follow each wire through each component, looking for nicks, cuts bad connections, etc. I know that this is not easy and a VOM or a voltage reading test light will help. Long slow tedious task. To tell you the truth, this is a problem I like to work on, because it makes you use every skill in the tool box to solve. Customers hate it, because they think there is a magic tool in my box, which will allow me to diagnosis the problem in 5 minutes. You best tool is make NO assumptions. Test and verify everything twice, don't forget the safety switches, then move on.

Click to expand...

Not to hijack this thread but my issue with the Raptor SD is I pull up the PTO switch to engage, mower works fine for 10-15 minutes then blades stop turning. Up and down on PTO switch, no go. Problem just started at 65 hours. Tested PTO switch with ohm meter and shows good. Might switch out the two relays. I hate these wiring gremlins Rivets but give you a lot of credit for trying to help here. Stanley

SRS said:

Not to hijack this thread but my issue with the Raptor SD is I pull up the PTO switch to engage, mower works fine for 10-15 minutes then blades stop turning. Up and down on PTO switch, no go. Problem just started at 65 hours. Tested PTO switch with ohm meter and shows good. Might switch out the two relays. I hate these wiring gremlins Rivets but give you a lot of credit for trying to help here. Stanley

Click to expand...

Switched out my relays to no avail....as you probably read. The good part is - they aren't expensive. Good luck. I am hoping to get around to narrowing down my issues this coming weekend.

Sturno said:

Switched out my relays to no avail....as you probably read. The good part is - they aren't expensive. Good luck. I am hoping to get around to narrowing down my issues this coming weekend.

Click to expand...

This stuff is crazy. Gotta be a loose connection somewhere. Weird. Have a good day. Stanley

SRS, you have a totally different problem and should have started a new thread. Please do so, because trying to help on this thread is going to confuse everyone. Sorry, I won't post any possible solutions here, as it will be a nightmare in no time.

Check the PTO clutch harness down by pto clutch. There are 2 diodes in this harness. Ive had moisture\corrotion issues in the past with the diodes and causing strange electrical issues.

Real quick. First, sorry I wasn't trying to be rude about hijacking this thread. Second. Found the problem, broken wire at the PTO clutch. Stanley

Rivets said:

SRS, you have a totally different problem and should have started a new thread. Please do so, because trying to help on this thread is going to confuse everyone. Sorry, I won't post any possible solutions here, as it will be a nightmare in no time.

Click to expand...

I never got around to sourcing my issue....assuming a wire/connection at fault. That said....when I depress my switch to disengage the deck/blades.....they now shut off after about 2-3 seconds.

Did this issue ever get resolved? Sorry if i missed it, I'm having exactly the same problem on this model, a 2014 52" standard raptor with the kawasaki 23Hp engine.

Blades are stuck engaged, the switch is good.

Model # 931899

I think this can be disregarded, unplugged blade clutch, blades still engaged on start up

If no voltage is going to the electric clutch then there is lower bearing failure or the engagement disc is stuck to the rotor. IF it is the bearing and the original clutch the bearing is most likely no replaceable.

Sturno said:

(I am starting a new thread as the last one is a tad off topic and 3+ years old)

Just this last week....depressed my deck clutch switch to kill the mower blades while operating and blades won't shut off.....they keep running. I shut off engine (with depressed switch) and when I restart, deck is then now disengaged and not active until I need to lift switch again for mowing. Also, with switch in off mode, and I get off the seat, the blades keep running too, which is a major concern with my 2 teenage kids mowing the lawn on alternate occasions.

Anyone else have this issue ?? Checked fuse and it looks fine...will replace anyway. Is there another fuse I am missing maybe?? This seems too easy for me to haul 40 miles in for service.

Thanks for your assistance in advance...cool site.

Click to expand...

I had that happen on he electric clutch on my sears tractor---the clutch it self may need adjusted-may be to tight-will keep running. if to loose it won't run--adjustment slots are on the bottom of the clutch--I think you have to use a feeler gage to set -when you tighten the spring screws.. You may have to ask your dealer how to set it.
I'm 82 an I don't remember what else I can tell you--but it worked for me. May even be dirt in the clutch slots ???

I'm new---WhiteHunter

Sub'd

sir: Have you ever adjusted one?? I was lucky-my sears manual showed how to do it. Of course I went an checked everything else first.

Mr. Mower said:

Sub'd

Click to expand...

Sir: Have you ever adjusted an electric clutch?? I was lucky-my sears manual showed how to do it.

Same model, 931899. Same issue, clutch doesn't disengage. I unplugged thr wires feeding the clutch (orange with red stripe and black). Blades still engage. Looking at the clutch, this doesn't look right and is definitely loose. Guessing i need a new clutch assembly.