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I just bought a lightly used Hustler Raptor 42 at an auction. the mower is in great shape and runs good, but it looks like someone backed into something with the bagger. the plastic lid is cracked where it attaches to the frame. It has a split about 6 inches long. I haven't even tried to mount it, but I know I have to do something. Any suggestions on how to fix this. I got a good deal on the mower, but I don't want to spend what I saved on the catcher lid. TIA
Artho

artho45 said:

I just bought a lightly used Hustler Raptor 42 at an auction. the mower is in great shape and runs good, but it looks like someone backed into something with the bagger. the plastic lid is cracked where it attaches to the frame. It has a split about 6 inches long. I haven't even tried to mount it, but I know I have to do something. Any suggestions on how to fix this. I got a good deal on the mower, but I don't want to spend what I saved on the catcher lid. TIA
Artho

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Duct tape...you can get it in a color to match.

I'm a big fan of duct tape, but I don't think that will work this time. The split is right where it fastens to the frame.

Clean each side of the crack both top and bottom of the catcher plastic part with something like brake cleaner, carb cleaner, naptha, etc. Scratch up the plastic with some heavy sand paper for at least an inch either side of the crack. Grab your handy dandy soldering iron and melt the crack together. You can find some donor plastic of a fairly close plastic material to use as a filler.

After the crack has been melted back together, use some heavy two part epoxy or even a heavy two part glue like JB Weld. You can then place another piece of plastic on top of the epoxy and allow the original and donor plastic to become one. Should do the job for you.

Welcome to Raptor ownership.

There are several upgrades and modifications you may want to make on your Raptor. I have several videos on YouTube on the MaxsGarajMahal channel. Check them out, share them with at least two friends and be sure to subscribe, like and hit the notification bell for future videos.

mhavanti said:

Clean each side of the crack both top and bottom of the catcher plastic part with something like brake cleaner, carb cleaner, naptha, etc. Scratch up the plastic with some heavy sand paper for at least an inch either side of the crack. Grab your handy dandy soldering iron and melt the crack together. You can find some donor plastic of a fairly close plastic material to use as a filler.

After the crack has been melted back together, use some heavy two part epoxy or even a heavy two part glue like JB Weld. You can then place another piece of plastic on top of the epoxy and allow the original and donor plastic to become one. Should do the job for you.

Welcome to Raptor ownership.

There are several upgrades and modifications you may want to make on your Raptor. I have several videos on YouTube on the MaxsGarajMahal channel. Check them out, share them with at least two friends and be sure to subscribe, like and hit the notification bell for future videos.

Click to expand...

Thanks, I will give that a try. I'll be sure and check out your Youtube channel.

Good luck and look forward to seeing you subscribe. All of us here are pretty good about helping each other out when we're not infighting! lol. That's a joke. Great bunch here.

Stop drill the crack at its end(s).

Cut a piece of sheet metal in the shape of a diamond.

Pop rivet, cherry rivet or screw the sheet metal patch over the crack.

Somewhere on the plastic will be the recycle code.
Down here it is a triangle with a number inside it.
The code is supposed to be universal world wide which means the USA will do something different.
In any case find a bottle / bucket whatever with the same code.
Do as Mhavanti suggested with the exception of roughing the surface.
The surface must be spotlessly clean but roughing up tends to trap air under whatever you use to patch it with.
I use the hot air gun method, but whichever one you use the trick is clean, cleaner and cleaner still.

If you use a soldering iron, adjust it to the lowest temperature .
You only need to slightly soften the plastic at which time if clean it will weld together.
Most use too much heat which melts the plastic which then will pull back away from the crack cause it tries to form spheres ( least energy state ).

Also forget the epoxy but apply multiple patches over the crack getting progressively larger.
I use a lot of milk bottles because they are large, flat & thin.
Treat a patch like applying a decal to keep air from becoming trapped so as you lay the patch down rub something rounded behind it to push the air out.

Agree if you already know how to do this. We've been welding rubber and plastic together for 40 years. Most folks don't seem to get it though. I can't imagine why. Heavy anti-freeze bottles work well, as does a great many plastics. Bert, if you go by construction sites, you'll find exterior door threshold protection covers that are removed once the construction is completed. That stuff is some kind of excellent for welding and making flat friction reducing washers, etc.

Between the three instructions, he should be able to secure it for a day or two. lol

mhavanti said:

Agree if you already know how to do this. We've been welding rubber and plastic together for 40 years. Most folks don't seem to get it though. I can't imagine why. Heavy anti-freeze bottles work well, as does a great many plastics. Bert, if you go by construction sites, you'll find exterior door threshold protection covers that are removed once the construction is completed. That stuff is some kind of excellent for welding and making flat friction reducing washers, etc.

Between the three instructions, he should be able to secure it for a day or two. lol

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I took years to pluck up the courage to try welding and when I did, it was easier than patching with wire, riviting plates or epoxies.
Started doing it with bumpers on the vans, the drivers were forever ripping them off, which is quite a feat as they are inboard of the crash bars & tow bars.

Done at least a dozen JD 100 series fuel tanks and none have come back.
Bought a cheapie attachment for my hot air gun that fans out the air for paint scraping and after that there was no stopping.
Dirt easy and dirt cheap.

Lots of U-Tube videos but just be ware of the idiots who tell you to use a particular item ( Every body seems to think nylon cable tie ends are the bees knees, they are not ) for everything.

Most plastic on a mower is HDPE although I have found some hoods made from PET.
HDPE is most food containers , milk bottles , fruit jars and PET is coke bottles.

Thanks for all the advice, to be honest, I had never heard of welding plastic, but I'm willing to try anything once. I will work on it this weekend.

Take your time and watch a lot of videos.
unlike metal welding, the plastic must never ever be moulten, just soft & sticky.
Try it on a few old buckets or =broken toys, it is a lot easier than most think.
If you use a soldering iron, it MUST BE REALLY CLEAN as the tacky plastic will pull the old solder / flux / corrosion debris off the iron and then it is all over.