Raptor SD 54" Deck Discharge kit.

[mhavanti]

ariens87,

I've had my SD60 for four years this coming February. It only has 32 or so hours on it, however, I have no idea why anyone has had any problems with the bottom piece of metal at the discharge area. I've mowed wet, dry, long and short. Have not had one bit of discharge problems except when I was 15 years old and 10 shots of penicillin in 10 days to the buttockal area took care of that. lol Well then, if you think about it, that was much worse than any discharge I've ever experienced on a Hustler Raptor SD. lol

I will admit I haven't had to cut any of the trash grass of Florida and the rest of the South East that is supposedly so thick and grows as fast Kudzoo and that it is like washing a black car. Soon as you get back to where you began washing, that black sucker is dusty and dirty requiring another rag bath. That may be exactly the kind of grass that would cause me to plow up the yard and plant Bermuda.

If you are in need of a new mower, that bar shouldn't be a problem for you if it remains on the newer model Raptor SD.

Good luck Sir,

Max

 

[Kremeneon]

The only discharge issue I have is clumping problems in grass swollen with moisture. I think the clippings collect at the bar there until they flip off over the top and come out as a clump. I'm really considering cutting the bar out as they have shown in the PDF.

 

[Kremeneon]

Ok, so I cut the bar out about a week and a half ago and have mowed three times since. Here is my handiwork and paint, already re-dirty:


The 3rd mow was last night, after raining ALL day here in Louisville on Saturday (I'm sure many of you saw it on TV). We had sun about half of Sunday and then more rain all night. Monday was clear and sunny all day and I mowed Monday night. I'm trying to setup here that the grass was thick and well hydrated, but blades and soil surface were dry. I did my best to try to get it to clump out of the discharge. I even mowed half of the yard making only right turns, blowing clippings on top of clippings on top of uncut grass. I couldn't get it to blow clumps, just an increasing fan of clippings out of the chute. Enough on my last passes to settle into a windrow suitable to bale. There were clumps among this but they were grass snowballs kicked up by the discharge blast that rolled up into piles, but again the chute discharge was clump-free. I mowed in similar conditions two weeks ago before the modification and there were clumps everywhere.

Turf is mostly a fescue mix, I've thrown down some bluegrass to see if it will creep a bit to reduce me having to add seed every year.

Here is my victory shot from last night, this is my normal discharge chute angle. Held up just enough to be just a few degrees up instead of pointing down.


Belly pics showing minimal accumulation on the underside despite being well hydrated grass and the Gator blades' propensity to pulverize.

I'm gonna have to pull the deck and do a coating of something on it soon I think.

 

[bertsmobile1]

It is a right royal PIA to apply but POR 15 chassis coat is the absolute best thing to coat the inside of a deck with.
Once it is fully cured, bullets bounce off it.
Only down side is it is not UV stable but that should not be a problem with the under side of a deck.
You can top coat it with almost anything if you like and from then on the deck will never ever rust.

Used by most professional vehicle restoreres to protect the chassis of cars for decades.

 

[mhavanti]

Kreme,

That's one of the best bar removal reviews we've seen in the 4 years I've owned my Raptor SD. Great job Sir! I thought when Jersey did his report and review that it was a fantastic review. I believe between the two of you, there is no doubt that castrating the deck in order to make it better serve your need is exactly the right thing to do. lol

What the H, I believe its testicle cutting time at the Garaj Mahal for my SD60.

Also, Bert is absolutely correct about the POR15. We sold it for years in our Auto Parts Distribution to body shops and restoration shops. Can't remember ever getting a bad report or review on it. I also use it inside fuel tanks to cure the rust problem inside. Once done, its done.

Great job fellas,

Max

 

[Kremeneon]

The POR-15 is what I've been looking at. Do you apply just the base product or the top coat also? I think I'd want something other than black for easier viewing of debris under there. I see it is available in silver, and the top coat spray can be had in white.

IMHO so far the bar removal is easily the best thing for the mower for cutting performance. I think having the bar in place effectively makes it into a default semi-mulcher by either backpressure of air, or restriction of clipping exit. I think when I take the deck off I'll be adding a piece of bar over the top like the SDX's have, and weld it to the right anti-scalp bracket, which is a beefy piece. Then I can paint the top and coat the bottom in one step without burning anything off I'll have to repair later.

Be careful exactly where you cut. Map it out by feeling/looking at the welds in the interior of the deck first and mark your cuts on the exterior unless you have a welder to repair if you go too far. I overcut by a hair on both the front and rear of the opening, I cut right down the weld instead of just on the inside of it. I had my neighbor lay a bead to re-join the baffle and exterior pieces I separated by cutting the weld.

 

[mhavanti]

I'd use both coats and go for the lighter as it makes it easier to see when the deck is up in the air.

Also, be very careful of where your toes are located since you removed that toe guard. The blade tips comes out from under the deck about two inches and although I can't foresee you operating your deck with you off the mower, you can't help but know there will be some Forest Gump run up and want to hold a conversation while sticking his toes under the deck. Oh Lort, that will for sure screw up a paint job. Even worse, the smell this time of year because you're so busy getting ole Forest to the emergency room the mower probably won't get a good cleaning for a while.

Several people have cut too far and had to do an emergency stitching on their decks. You're in good company. What color did you go with as it is hard to tell with all the wet fescue if the paint matches or not.

Again, great job.

Max

 

[Kremeneon]

The touch up is Caterpillar (CAT) yellow. It’s pretty damn close.

 

[mhavanti]

Did you use any primer before the overcoat?

 

[Kremeneon]

This stuff:
https://parts.cat.com/en/catcorp/4C-4200

I didn’t prime it, just two light coats with about 30 seconds between, then one heavy coat. It dries really fast. Might be a better match with a white primer.