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OK- I need to change the oil & filter (Raptor SD 54" w/Kohler KT740) but
I am not sure that I can fit my fat hands into the area between the engine and the fender.
Would it be practical to remove the fender to make room to do the job and make cleanup easier?
If so how difficult is it to remove and replace the plastic fender? Just a quick look says it is easy to do.
Good idea or not?

Thanks
Do it yourself Dave

I bought a filter wrench for my 5 hours change. Problem was the filter was waaay over tightened from factory I had to pierce the filter with an awl and make two complete revolutions before I could remove by hand.

The cap filter wrench works just fine with a swivel attachment for your ratchet drive.

Throw away bed pads from the store cut into little pieces and slid under the filter for pulling the filter off work really nice to catch a lot of the gunk too.

Too bad its not a kawi...you can stick a tuna can under the little funnel they have by the filter and catch all the oil when the filter drains...great idea!!!
I hear the Kohler is a mess and nightmare to change oil on...good luck

Thanks Guys! for all the help

Gringexau: My filter was so tight I believe someone used an impact wrench to put it on. My cap filter wrench would only slip.
I used a nylon strap type with the 1/2" drive (like this one) and it crushed the filter way before it loosened. "Totally Ridiculous"

-
kraky: I just folded up a few cheap paper towels and had no spills. I had some like these but can't find them. will get more for
next time.

-
577jersey: The Kohler was not the "mess and nightmare" as you hear. The space under the filter is plenty of room for absorbent
pads. A shallow pan may work but I was working in 98 degrees in July in North East Florida (my brain just stopped workinh) :confused2:

Who installs the filters on the engines for Hustler?
Is it the engine manufacturer? Is it done at the Hustler factory? or done at the dealer?
The reason I ask is Because someone needs extensive training just after a good butt kicking
If i had not previously read the experiences of Gringeaux I would have been in total shock.

Also: Why go so stingy with the oil drain hose? I had it crimped an half way off the drain nipple
to reach over the Hydro drive brace. (didn't want to clean oil off the brace you know).
It needed to be at least 1" longer - 3 to 4" would have been better.
Gee-wiz - - -> how low will the bean counters go????

Oh By The Way
I did have plenty of room to get to the oil filter and drain valve - after removing the right side fender.
Four small bolts and it pops off. loosened the control panel and I was able to slide the fender out far
enough to easily get to everything. I could not maneuver the control panel out of the fender section
without taking off the throttle bracket - but when you get the room you need and it is 98 degrees -
why go any further

Thanks again
Dave

Bobcat uses the Kawi FR on there CRZ model,they have a really nice drain hose built in to the engine,it flips down off a clamp,,Im going to see if i can get one from a Bobcat dealer and just bolt it on my FR

I've seen that on your bobcat.... it makes too much sense LOL. When I had my raptor SD I went to the hardware store and got A 3' foot chunk of hose with the right size inside diameter to slip onto the nipple firmly.... then I just fed it through the frame and out by the discharge chute where I had my oil pan... I parked slightly downhill and it worked perfectly.
My new Fast Track has a drain short drain hose that does a complete 180 and faces towards the back where it can drip out of a hole in the frame...

Datadave said:

Who installs the filters on the engines for Hustler?
Is it the engine manufacturer? Is it done at the Hustler factory? or done at the dealer?
The reason I ask is Because someone needs extensive training just after a good butt kicking
If i had not previously read the experiences of Gringeaux I would have been in total shock.

Also: Why go so stingy with the oil drain hose? I had it crimped an half way off the drain nipple
to reach over the Hydro drive brace. (didn't want to clean oil off the brace you know).
It needed to be at least 1" longer - 3 to 4" would have been better.
Gee-wiz - - -> how low will the bean counters go????

Oh By The Way
I did have plenty of room to get to the oil filter and drain valve - after removing the right side fender.
Four small bolts and it pops off. loosened the control panel and I was able to slide the fender out far
enough to easily get to everything. I could not maneuver the control panel out of the fender section
without taking off the throttle bracket - but when you get the room you need and it is 98 degrees -
why go any further

Thanks again
Dave

Click to expand...

Engine manufacturer is responsible for the engine, not the mower manufacturer.

Ric said:

Engine manufacturer is responsible for the engine, not the mower manufacturer.

Click to expand...

Thanks Ric, I wasn't sure but I had to rant a little - Not going on the attack or anything like that :mur:

So what size is the cheap plastic pipe? I'm guessing 1/2" (ID)
I will pick up a piece from the hardware store before my next oil change

kraky said:

I've seen that on your bobcat.... it makes too much sense LOL. When I had my raptor SD I went to the hardware store and got A 3' foot chunk of hose with the right size inside diameter to slip onto the nipple firmly.... then I just fed it through the frame and out by the discharge chute where I had my oil pan... I parked slightly downhill and it worked perfectly.
My new Fast Track has a drain short drain hose that does a complete 180 and faces towards the back where it can drip out of a hole in the frame...

Click to expand...

Thats pretty cool bro..i really need to get one like the Bobcat has..I changed my oil twice so far and it was no problem,,i just dont have alot of trust in that little plastic petcock they use,,if its overtightened just a little it could strip out,leak or break..then you are screwed.

577jersey said:

Bobcat uses the Kawi FR on there CRZ model,they have a really nice drain hose built in to the engine,it flips down off a clamp,,Im going to see if i can get one from a Bobcat dealer and just bolt it on my FR

Click to expand...

Hey 577jersey, I take it you are Kawasaki crazy. That's OK, I am Chevrolet crazy and just adore Drag Racing :thumbsup:
I may have chose a Kawi myself but it is no longer an option on the Raptor SD.
I needed a new mower, I needed to upgrade to zero turn, I needed to upgrade 42 to 54" and if $$$ were no problem
I would have chosen a Fast Track with Kawi engine - But - this if for Residential use only -
I do have tough Pensacola Bahia like is used in pastures hay fields and roadside erosion prevention.
I would wager it is the toughest grass in the world with roots over 3' deep. If it rains it grows seed tassels 2' tall in 2 days,
If not controlled will reach in excess of 3' tall and thick enough to choke down a bush hog.
So I needed a Heavy Duty - Zero Turn but I don't have a commercial budget. It took a lot of saving to get the Raptor Super Duty.
I hope it does the job but it will have to do it with a Kohler. "I think it will" just hope it last a long long time .
Will let you know
Dave

The filter is done at the mower factory.
The oil is put in at the dealer most times.

When you order a engine from the engine manufacturers it does not come with a filter on it or oil in it.

Datadave said:

Hey 577jersey, I take it you are Kawasaki crazy. That's OK, I am Chevrolet crazy and just adore Drag Racing :thumbsup:
I may have chose a Kawi myself but it is no longer an option on the Raptor SD.
I needed a new mower, I needed to upgrade to zero turn, I needed to upgrade 42 to 54" and if $$$ were no problem
I would have chosen a Fast Track with Kawi engine - But - this if for Residential use only -
I do have tough Pensacola Bahia like is used in pastures hay fields and roadside erosion prevention.
I would wager it is the toughest grass in the world with roots over 3' deep. If it rains it grows seed tassels 2' tall in 2 days,
If not controlled will reach in excess of 3' tall and thick enough to choke down a bush hog.
So I needed a Heavy Duty - Zero Turn but I don't have a commercial budget. It took a lot of saving to get the Raptor Super Duty.
I hope it does the job but it will have to do it with a Kohler. "I think it will" just hope it last a long long time .
Will let you know
Dave

Click to expand...

The 7000 has plenty of power,,its a great engine..I only have two kawis now and both are fairy low hours,,one has 80 hours the other on my RSD has about 50,,so far so good but I cant really tell you the new ones are good,,I did have older FC420V's with over 2K hours on them and still running strong,,one was even 6ft under in a river flood..lol..I can only hope the newer ones are half as good,my dad still runs my first Ferris walker with FC420,I put 2k hours on it back in the 90s and he has been cutting his lot with it for years now...cant kill those old Japan made 420s man,,best single Kawi ever built IMO

Good luck with your new machine brother,,i have one and use it everyday,,love it so far...as long as you take it easy on rough terrain and dont mind a little windrow in tall wet stuff once in a while you will be fine...I cut some pretty scary sloped lawns with mine,,if the mower doesn’t hold the bank I just ride up and cut back down,sometimes on a slight angle...8 PSI in rear tires causes a slight belly and works great!!

I dont think you have too worry about banks in FLA..pretty flat down there [/QUOTE]

Carscw said:

The filter is done at the mower factory.
The oil is put in at the dealer most times.

When you order a engine from the engine manufacturers it does not come with a filter on it or oil in it.

Click to expand...

Thanks Carscw
If this is the case, The over tight filter stems from an Untrained, disgruntled or don't give a flip employee at the mower factory.
I hope they get whats coming to them very soon.
This could lead to bigger problems for the consumer, More than just the first oil change being difficult for the do it your self-er.
It could strip the threads on the filter nipple or create stress cracks that will break sooner of later.
Maybe some hidden damage that should be covered under warranty, but the poor consumer gets stuck with

Every new repower engine that I have bought that was intended to have an oil filter had one installed, but no oil.
Kawasaki, Kohler, Briggs and Vanguards.
Most mower manufacturers run the machines with a portable fuel system prior packing them up for shipment.
They check the engine starting, PTO clutch, drives and other systems if installed. The portable fuel system is disconnected, the engine run out of gasoline.
Generally the machines are operated from final assembly, to final inspection, run out of gasoline and crated for shipment.

There is a reason the us mechs have an assortment of oil filter wrenches, drip pans, drain pans, oil withdrawal systems, etc.!

577jersey said:

Good luck with your new machine brother,,
I cut some pretty scary sloped lawns with mine,,if the mower doesn’t hold the bank I just ride up and cut back down,sometimes on a slight angle...
8 PSI in rear tires causes a slight belly and works great!!
I dont think you have too worry about banks in FLA..pretty flat down there

Click to expand...

[/QUOTE]

Ha Ha we call it bagging the tires down here, lowering tire pressure helps get you through some deep sand.
You ever hear of the dragons tail in North Carolina? 318 curves in 8 miles
Florida has 8 curves in 318 miles :laughing:

Ha Ha we call it bagging the tires down here, lowering tire pressure helps get you through some deep sand.
You ever hear of the dragons tail in North Carolina? 318 curves in 8 miles
Florida has 8 curves in 318 miles :laughing:[/QUOTE]
Hahaha,,yeah belly them out!!!
My buddy went to the Dragons tail twice,once with his vette and other time with his Busa 1300R...I always wanted to go but never did...ever see the tree of shame on that ride??
Its awesome!!
We usually rode RT 125 over in North East Pa,,its about as close as you will get to the Tail...great little circuit..has a 1 mile long straight where we would stop and ride wheelies for a couple hours..awesome times..too bad Im getting too old for that stuff now....
Sorry for the derail....

Wow.. I drink a fair amount of Bud Light but you guys have lost me. I can usually BS with the best of them but some of this stuff is Way Beyond me...2 ft grass in 2days?
Dang... I'm glad Im in Wisconsin...lol. this forum can be fun sometimes but I think we possibly could have drifted a tad from the original post...just a tad....lol!

Sorry Kraky, The dragons tail comment was a joke about Florida -
replying to 577jersey talking about scary sloped lawn mowing and he said not many slopes in Florida.
I took it as a safety tip. Talk about drifting off topic, I asked about removing the fender on the SD so
the oil filter & drain would be easier to access with old man hands & fat arms- {Not one reply to that}

kraky said:

I can usually BS with the best of them but some of this stuff is Way Beyond me...
2 ft grass in 2days?

Click to expand...

You left out the part about When it rains - Yes Pensacola Bahia will grow thick tough shoots
with seed bearing tassels 2' to excess of 3' tall. When it rains and the summer heat / high humidity kicks in
seed shoots (I call them tassels) can spring up from 1' to 2' high in just a couple of days.
I am a good BS_er myself to be sure but this is no exaggeration. This is the grass that was developed to be
drought resistant, stop erosion on the side of slopes & highways, and caused me to buy a Super Duty.


BTW I rode the Dragons tail on a Harley Dyna Wide Glide (scraping the foot pegs and shooting sparks)
Too old and broke down for that any more

Datadave said:

Sorry Kraky, The dragons tail comment was a joke about Florida -
replying to 577jersey talking about scary sloped lawn mowing and he said not many slopes in Florida.
I took it as a safety tip. Talk about drifting off topic, I asked about removing the fender on the SD so
the oil filter & drain would be easier to access with old man hands & fat arms- {Not one reply to that}

You left out the part about When it rains - Yes Pensacola Bahia will grow thick tough shoots
with seed bearing tassels 2' to excess of 3' tall. When it rains and the summer heat / high humidity kicks in
seed shoots (I call them tassels) can spring up from 1' to 2' high in just a couple of days.
I am a good BS_er myself to be sure but this is no exaggeration. This is the grass that was developed to be
drought resistant, stop erosion on the side of slopes & highways, and caused me to buy a Super Duty.
View attachment 29156

BTW I rode the Dragons tail on a Harley Dyna Wide Glide (scraping the foot pegs and shooting sparks)
Too old and broke down for that any more

Click to expand...

LOL..I had an 03" Honda VTX 1800 with 110 HP to rear wheel,,drug my pegs a few times also...couldnt keep a back tire on that bike longer than 1200 miles..lol

I shouldn't be alive from my old biking days either.... I had no idea that us hot rod bikers would turn into a bunch of old farts talking about lawn mowers.... at least we're still here....LOL!

Thats right!!
Life is short,,ride hard,mow hard,and eat good

Im only 45 but I cant ride a crotch rocket for much longer than 20 miles without going crippled...I used to ride a Ninja 900R all day long 300 plus miles,,when I was 30...amazing what 15 years will do.

I had a front brake lock up on a Honda 900 - down went me & the bike. Bought it used and
found out the brake fluid had never been flushed. The stuff gets hard and clogs the passage
in the caliper. Lesson learned the hard way.
Good thing it happened before I got down to Main street where I always opened her up going
across Trout river bridge. It only hurt my pride and skinned the bike a little.
Always loved to hear them Four into One headers :thumbsup:

45? You guys are young, I'm pushing 60 but lived it like I stole it
Yepper, now I'm an old man talking about lawn mowers

Ten four datadave,,
Sounds like we have alot in common brother,,Ill catchya around the forum bro...

Tom

OK Tom and kraky
All this MC talk made me fire up the ole Harley and charge the battery.
Let her run about 6-7 minutes so maybe this weekend I can turn a mile
- watch it rain - hope not!
any how, it's back to work for now.
C_ya
Dave

Roger that Dave!!
All I have is a worked 150cc scooter now..sold all the big dawgs..the scooter is loads of fun though..and comfortable.
Ride safe bro!!

Tom

Datadave said:

Who installs the filters on the engines for Hustler?
Is it the engine manufacturer? Is it done at the Hustler factory? or done at the dealer?
The reason I ask is Because someone needs extensive training just after a good butt kicking
If i had not previously read the experiences of Gringeaux I would have been in total shock.

Also: Why go so stingy with the oil drain hose? I had it crimped an half way off the drain nipple
to reach over the Hydro drive brace. (didn't want to clean oil off the brace you know).
It needed to be at least 1" longer - 3 to 4" would have been better.
Gee-wiz - - -> how low will the bean counters go????

Oh By The Way
I did have plenty of room to get to the oil filter and drain valve - after removing the right side fender.
Four small bolts and it pops off. loosened the control panel and I was able to slide the fender out far
enough to easily get to everything. I could not maneuver the control panel out of the fender section
without taking off the throttle bracket - but when you get the room you need and it is 98 degrees -
why go any further

Thanks again
Dave

Click to expand...

Thank you! Seems like engine and mower engineers would do simulated maintenance on a few of their products before unleashing them on unsuspecting customers. My first thought was "So they started welding oil filters on to the engine now".

My local Ace Hardware sells several sizes of clear polyurethane tubing by the foot. I will get me a couple of feet of it before my next oil change.

Have_Blue said:

Thank you! Seems like engine and mower engineers would do simulated maintenance
on a few of their products before unleashing them on unsuspecting customers.
My first thought was "So they started welding oil filters on to the engine now".

My local Ace Hardware sells several sizes of clear polyurethane tubing by the foot.
I will get me a couple of feet of it before my next oil change.

Click to expand...

You say your oil filter was installed with an impact wrench like mine.
Good idea for the clear polyurethane tubing. I haven't been to the hardware
store since I changed the oil in my RSD but will keep it in mind on the next trip.