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So I'm looking for my first ZRT. Full acre, some rough spots here and there. Been YouTube'n for a month. Research Research Research. I was set on a Raptor SD 48 w/ Kaw engine. Then I got intrigued by the Bobcat CRZ, then the Ariens Ikon.
Looked at the SD liked it, Bobcat as well (real nice openings/layout for maintenance). Going tomorrow to look at Ariens. But the SD keeps callin me, but I'm concerned. Too many reviews about bolts breaking. Has Hustler addressed this issue. Is this normal for any ZRT residential?
I guess I need some direction and thoughts. For those that have the SD, if you could go back in time would you drop $$$ and buy it again.
Thanks all

I would never buy another bottom line mower again of any brand. Would buy lowest grade commercial.

technical spec. for all the units are a problem when It came to buying. I decided that a parts are the important factors, I wanted a commercial unit for a residential price. So I looked at commercial units and saw what they were made of, In my case a zt3100 was a commercial trans. minimum so that decided where to start, next was the welded deck. Who sold to factories or municipalities and I drove around looking. Only 3 near me were John Deere/Kabouta/and Hustler. Did my research and ended with a Hustler who invented the z turn. JD was to expensive, and kabota dealer was you know! all about numbers not in my favour . Would I do it again, yes a honda engine, 48" deck and zt3100 trans were the call sign. Good luck

Personally if I did a search and it looked like this I'd run like hell. https://www.lawnmowerforum.com/search.php?searchid=7412683 I've been hanging on lawn forums for almost 2 decades and I have never come across a mower with so many reported issues. Granted, there are a lot of them out there which may skew things, but still.

@ neetan: He's looking at the Raptor, not the Fastrack

I bought and still own a first year raptor SD 54. At the time nothing else for the price could touch the spec list, Kawa engine, serviceable transmissions, built deck, commercial spindles and wide tires all around for reduced ground pressure. It has had some teething issues but has not yet left me broken in the yard. I'd buy it again.

I have only owned my SD54 for just over a year.
2 1/2 acres of rolling yard.
No problems as of yet, and like the tremendous amount of information available from owners.
Many if not most of the broken bole problems are preventable if you periodically inspect for loose bolts.
They typically work loose before breaking.

It would be a decent affordable starter mower. But if you plan on running a business with and run it 8 hours a day it won’t hold up like better built mowers....Scag, exmark, toro are just a few designed to run all day everyday. Hustler did and probably still do have some higher end models but the ones like Lowe’s sell are what I’m referring to. I started with a belt driven walk behind that I still use today.

Nope. 54 inch was literally falling apart. I sold it at fast 36 hrs and never regretted.
Why I bought a second Hustler? Price. I am buying a mower, not a car. I am not the type to dump $10 or more grand into lawn mowing machine. Especially for one acre. One acre is easily done with a less a grand rider or, even few hundred bucks used one. I own 1 acre rental I know what I am talking about.
So back to Hustler. For price paid, it offers quite a punch. That you always get what you paid for, that's unfortunate fact of life though. So you buy cheap - be ready for some elbow grease.
And for love of god, 54 inch does not have industrial spindles. They are junk, actually. I had two go bad at about 30 hrs, both due to patently dumb spindle shaft for pulley. Those who replaced pulleys know - gears are about 1mm height. No wonder, pulley rips off them so fast.

Thanks. I've narrowed it down I believe to a Bobcat CRZ or Snapper 460Z. Snapper is def catching my eye but not a whole lot out there on it. Looks like a friggin TANK
Big Dog looks promising as well Alpha MP. Dealer said the issues with bolts have been somewhat addresses. But for the extra money I'd be willing to get CRZ or 460Z
I really wanted to check out a Ariens but all the Ariens dealers around here only sell GraVely

Str8up50,

I know of no less than 15 folks in my area using the cheapest thing Hustler builds in commercial all day long. One fella has 7 Raptor standards from 36 to 52 inch. Never had a problem with any of them. The oldest is now going into the 5th year. No hour gauges on those units.

Several have SDs and the worst any of them have experienced have been a bolt breaking from getting loose. They will explain that the units are not serviced, they are run till the drop, fix them and run them until the drop, fix them, run them till they drop, fix them. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Two of these commerical fellas used to have the super expensive commercial machines and found they can buy anywhere from three to four machines meaning they can have 3 or more operators rather than one.

Also, I've got to reiterate once again from a post yesterday that over 11 million Raptor standards and RSDs are out there. If you really dig into the forums, make a check mark by each name that has had a problem, you're going to find less than a hundred and that number is larger than I can actually come up with.

Get yourself a RSD, run the crap out of it and don't worry about it. They perform better than most and as good as the best. Most of the time the folks that seem to have the most problems are those that never pay attention to their units. If you would rather own another brand, don't let one of us deter you from making your own decision by giving you information that may not be credible for the percentage of problems relative to the amount of mowers sold by that company. No offense meant to any of our fellow forum.

Max

Ronno6 said:

I have only owned my SD54 for just over a year.
2 1/2 acres of rolling yard.
No problems as of yet, and like the tremendous amount of information available from owners.
Many if not most of the broken bolt problems are preventable if you periodically inspect for loose bolts.
They typically work loose before breaking.

Click to expand...

Thank you very much for pointing that out.

Very good point on this particular statement.

You are so right about that. As a matter of fact, on Hustlers Operating Manual, under Safe Operating Practices it even states the following:

 Follow daily and weekly checklists, making sure hoses
are tightly secured and bolts are tightened.

Things are competitive in that price range but my Raptor SD54 is great for the 1 acre I mow.

Have 150 hours (3rd mowing season) on it and note the negative reviews are from people who don't own one!
Only pay attention to actual owners instead of the Internet experts with no experience with the machine.

I have had to replace the cross brace with the updated HD version, that's it-no other problems from day one. The new models come with this now. Added a few options like the Engine Cover, Muffler Heat Shield and modified the discharge chute. Added a suspension under the factory seat. Used a much larger automotive oil filter on the 23HP Kawasaki and went to Mobil 1 after the factory break in oil was changed. I do recommend getting the KAW motor as the factory has used different engines which are probably OK but look around and that 23HP Kawasaki is the industry standard and used in many brands of machines.

I purchased from a local dealer which has been terrible. I really wish I had just purchased the cross brace and installed myself. It's pretty simple and I wasted weeks dealing with my local dealer who I purchased the machine thru at full factory price!
Buy it where you can find the best deal.
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clubairth said:

<snip>
I purchased from a local dealer which has been terrible. I really wish I had just purchased the cross brace and installed myself. It's pretty simple and I wasted weeks dealing with my local dealer who I purchased the machine thru at full factory price!
Buy it where you can find the best deal..
.

Click to expand...

I found the best deal at my local Hustler dealer as they have three locations and are high volume. The only drawback is almost all their stock sits outside, some assembled for demo, others on pallets unassembled. I think they keep the seats inside. Mine was unassembled on a pallet. They did give me an extra $300 off for some faded plastic (New Fastrak 54" RD Kaw 23 HP for $5500). That was $650 better than the next best quote. I haven't had any problems at all yet, and really don't expect to. Mowing about 2.6 acres about every 4 to 14 days, depending on growth.

I don't own a Hustler but have always heard it was a great value mower. You can't go wrong with Kawasaki engines and I do have experience with the one on my wife's 14 year old TORO. When I look at Z mowers I look at engines, hydraulics and how the mower deck is made and a dealer that is close that will work with you. I generally stock oil filters and v belts and eventually get around to buying one spare spindle and order them on line.

I bought a 2016 raptor SD 54 and have about 50 or so hours on it. I like how nice the mower cuts grass not under powered and nice handling. Just the other day a big chunk of paint came of the deck, so I contacted my dealer. I know they had some trouble with the paint not sticking that year.
Waiting from my dealer if Hustler will fix my problem. Other than that I think its a great mower.

Well I just got my mower back today from the dealer. Hustler replaced the mower deck and the trans cross brace. Could not ask for better service from my dealer and Hustler.:thumbsup:

Axys,

Glad you're getting good service from both your dealer and the manufacturer. That is the way it is supposed to be.

Keep us all informed.

Max