I added a seat suspension kit to my 52" Hustler Raptor

[woodyga]

I added one of those to my exmark recently, wish i would have done it years ago. The ride comfort is amazing.
no issues with leg clearance,

 

[Gabbyp]

Rhett,

I am getting a new Raptor (the SD this time) but I added a suspension bracket on my last Raptor, and am very familiar with the extra parts I had to design myself (the spacers, the seat switch extension), and was not totally happy with it. This time I found the whole kit that even has brackets (instead of those unstable spacers) that allows the seat to slide forward/backward in addition to the suspension, and has pre-made extensions for the seat switch that gives it more of a factory look. I am getting my new mower in a week or two (ordered) and this kit (ordered). To me it is worth the extra 50 bucks to have a movable seat and all the parts ready to go. I am excited to have a new mower and a seat suspension kit that will be ready to go, quickly/immediately. I found the complete kit at seat warehouse, from Brad. On my Raptor the seat suspension is the only thing that gives you any real relief from the extremely bumpy ride - the tires are so small it is hard to run them at a low pressure, and the flex forks and flex seat bracket that Hustler sell are both unimpressive - the Raptor is a very light machine, and the flex forks (for me) never moved a bit, no matter what bumps I ran over.

Can you be more specific about the part number for whole kit you ordered. I went to the web site but could not find any info on the kit, only the suspension unit. I have a Hustler Sport ( older model of the Raptor ) and need to upgrade, Thanks

 

[shanewoodsman]

Can you be more specific about the part number for whole kit you ordered. I went to the web site but could not find any info on the kit, only the suspension unit. I have a Hustler Sport ( older model of the Raptor ) and need to upgrade, Thanks

Just email or call Seat Warehouse and ask for Brad - he does this for Hustler owners - it was nice to have everything ready to go and not have to look for any special bolts, or anything like that. All you do is (when you get it) mount the suspension bracket and the seat wire extension to the base of the seat, then put the adjustable rails on the suspension bracket, then set it all on the seat plate, and bolt it down (and re-connect the seat wire) - good to go, and comfortable, at that point!

 

[Robbherring]

Called and they said one wasn't ready for the raptor sd and to call back today. Told me $199

 

[shanewoodsman]

Called and they said one wasn't ready for the raptor sd and to call back today. Told me $199

That's it - 199 for everything you need, much less than a new seat - the SD seat isn't bad, but this makes it like a high-end seat. Any time you shop on the web, always ask for discounts, etc. = all they can say is no. Enjoy your more comfortable ride! I have a bad back and it has made all the difference for me!

 

[War Eagle]

Is the MaxPower seat suspension kit discounted through Seat Warehouse still the best option out there for taking the back-jarring bumps out of a rough yard? Or has something better emerged on the market since the last post on this thread 2+ years ago?

 

[mhavanti]

War-Eagle,

Get the Seat Warehouse kit. I didn't purchase the Raptor kit, I purchased another model and saved a bunch of money. I also purchased the slider at 23.94 shipped for a total of 110 for the seat kit, 23.94 for the slider. $134.94. Made my own seat safety switch extension harness.

I used two female and two male spade connectors, two pieces of wire approximately 10 inches each. One male and one female for each wire. After you solder in the connectors, cover the connectors with shrink wrap even if using sheathed connectors. Use a bit of dielectric grease on on the connectors so they resist weather and are assured a good connection.

Don't forget to add some fuel line around the seat deck opening to keep the seat safety switch harness from being frayed in the future.

I put up some videos on MaxsGarajMahal in YouTube you can check out on the subject. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zccECEfDis4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zccECEfDis4

Max

 

[mhavanti]

Shane,

I like my Raptor SD. I got the flex forks from the get go and I really can't complain about the ride so far. The bulk of my yard is fairly smooth in relative terms where I can run it wide open if I want without bouncing too much. I keep all tires at 10 PSI. I do see the flex forks moving a bit but I'd admit it is hard to tell if they do much (nothing to compare with). In the really bumpy section of my yard there are too many obstacles to run very fast, so again, happy so far. I may spring for a seat suspension down the road but for now I am OK.

I only have one minor gripe and that is with the discharge opening. I anguished over it before I purchased but decided for the amount I need to cut the extra bucks were not worth it. The majority of the time (98%) there is no issue. On the occasional heavy salad cut it starts to clog a bit in that back corner. I've been thinking about taking a torch to it to open it a little more. Time will tell. Keep us posted on your new unit.

Thanks .......... Rhett

Rhett,

I did a discharge chute modification to the Raptor you may want to take a look at. After that was filmed, I made a mowing test video as well. I will add that link second.

See if that helps.

Max

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUPaa8JoZJ8&t=1707s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVRtDlBqpzo

 

[War Eagle]

... I keep all tires at 10 PSI. ...

My wife thought our new Scag Liberty Z had a really stiff ride. Turned out the rear tires came from the dealership with 24 psi pressure in both rear tires - more than twice the recommended operating pressure. When I mentioned that to the dealer, he said something about, when the factory ships them, they strap them on their shipping crate then over-inflate the tires to snug up the straps. He said reducing the pressure back to recommended is not on their final prep "check list", and so they must have just forgot to check it before I picked it up. Anyway, when I dropped the rear tire pressure down to 10 psi, the softer ride put a smile on my wife's face.

 

[mhavanti]

War Eagle,

You're probably her hero all over again!

Max